Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
How Israel came to miss Salvation, EOMANS X. and the Gentiles to Find it.
other. And as Ksalns said ('h<atli saiU') before— i. e., probably in an earlier part of his book, namely, Isaiah 1.
men, as indisputable, even though it contradict the results at whicli in the best exercise of our limited judgment we may have arrived (v. 14-23). (7.) Sincerity in religion, or a general desire to be saved, with assiduous efforts to do right, will prove fatal as a ground of confidence before God, if unaccompanied by implicit submission to His revealed method of salvation {v. 31-33). (8.) In the rejection of the great mass of the chosen people, ahd the inbringing of multitudes of estranged Gentiles, God would have men to see a law of His proceduie, which the
9. Except the Lord of Sabaotli—t. e., 'The Lord of Hosts:' the word is Hebrew, but occurs so in the Epistle of James
(ch. 5. 4), and has thence become naturalized in our Christian pliraseoiogy. liad left us a seed—meaning a 'remnant;' small at first, but in due time to be a seed of plenty
(cf. Psalm 22. oO, 31; Isaiah 6. 12, 13). we had been
become') as Sodom, .tc.—But for this precious seed, the chosen people would have resembled the cities of the judgment of the great day will more vividly reveal—that " the last shall be first and the first last" (Matthew 20. IB).
plain, both in degeneracy of character and in merited doom. 30,31. What shall >ve say then!—'What now
Is the result of the whole?' The result is this—very different from what one would have expected—That the Gentiles, which followetl not after righteousness, have attained ('attained') to righteousness, even the ilghteousntss of faith-As we have seen that "the righteousness of faith" is the righteousness which jusU-
CHAPTER X.
Ver. 1-21. Same Subject Continued — How Iskael Came to Miss Salvation, and the Gentiles to Find
IT. 1. Bretliren, ray heart's desire—The word here expresses 'entire complacency,' that in which the heart would experience full satisfaction, and prayer ('supplication') to God for Israel— fies (see on ch. 3. 22, &c.), this verse must mean that ' the Gentiles, who while strangers to Christ were quite indifferent about acceptance with God, having embraced the Gospel as soon as it was preached to them, experienced the blessedness of a justified state.' but Israel, which followed ('following') after the law of righteousness, hatii not attained ('attained not') unto the law of righteousness—The word "law" is used here, we think, In the same sense as in ch. 7. 23, to denote 'a principle of action:' q. d., ' Israel, though sincerely and steadily aiming at acceptance with God, nevertheless missed it.' 33, 33. Wherefore 1 Because [tliey sougitt ItJ not by faith, but as it were (rather simply, ' as') by tlie works of the law—as if it were thus attainable, which justification is not: .Since, therefore, It is attainable only by faith, they missed it. for (it is doubtful if this particle was originally in the text) tiuey stumbled at that stumbllngstone—better, 'against the stone of stumbling,' meaning
' for them' is the true reading; tlie subject being continued from tlie close of the preceding chapter, is, that they may be saved—
' for their salvation.' Having before poured I'ortli the anguish of his soul at the general unbelief of his nation and its dreadful consequences (ch. 9. 1-3), he here expresses in the most emphatic terms his desire and prayer for their salvation. 2. For I bear them record—or, ' witness,' as he well could from his own sad experience—that tliey have a zeal of (' for') God, taut not according to knowledge
(Cf. Acts '22. 3; 26. 9-11 ; Galatians 1. 13, 14.) He alludes to this well-meaning of his people, notwithstanding their spiritual blindness, not certainly to excuse their rejection of Christ and rage against His saints, but as some ground of hope regarding them. (See 1 Timothy I. 13.) 3. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness i. e., for the justification of the guilty (see on ch. 1. 17)—and going about (' seeking') to establish their own righteousness, liave not submitted tlieinselves to tike righteousness of God—The apostle views the general rejection of Christ by tlie nation as one act. 4. For Christ Is the end (the object or aim) of the law for (justifying) rigliteousness to every one that believeth—i. e., contains within Himself all that the law demands for tlie justification of such as embrace Him, whether Jew or Gentile (Galatians
Christ. But in this they only did, as It is written (Isaiah
8. U ; 2,S. 10), Behold, &c.—Two Messianic predictions are here comljined, as is not unusual in quotations from the Old Testament. Thus combined, the prediction brings tjgothr both the classes of whom the apostle is treating: ti.ose to whom Messiah should be only a stone of stumbling, and those who were to regard Him as the Corner-stone of all their hopes. Thus expounded, this cliapter presents no serious difficulties, none wliich do
3. 24). 5-10. For Moses describeth the riglitcousnesg whicli is of tlie law, Tliat the man that doeth (' liatU done') those things (which it commands) shall live lii them—(Leviticus 2S. 5.) This is the one way of justification and life—by " the righteousness which is of (or, by our own obedience to) the law." But tlie (justifying) righteousness which is of faith speaketli on this wise ('speaketh thus')—its language or import is to this effect (quoting in substance Deuteronomy 30. 13, 14), Say not In thine heart. Who shall ascend into heaven > tltat not arise out of the subject itself, whose depths are unfathomable; whereas on ever.y other view of it the difficulty of giving it any consistent and worthy interpretation is in our judgment insuperable. iVote (I.) To speak and act " in Christ," with a conscience not onlj' illuminated, but under the present operation of the Holy Ghost,
Is not peculiar to the supernaturally inspired, but is the privilege, and ought to be the aim, of every believer (v. 1).
(2.) Grace does not destroy, but only in tensify and elevate, the feelings of nature; and Christians should study to Bhow this (v. 2, 3). (3.) To belong to the visible Church of God, and enjoy its high and holy distinctions, is of the sovereign mercy of God, and should be regarded with devout thankfulness (v. 4, 5). (4.) Yet the most sacred external distinctions and privileges will avail nothing to salvation without the heart's submission to the righteousness of God {v. 31-.'i3). (5.) What manner of persons ought "God's elect" to be—in humility, when they remember that He hath saved them and called them, not according to their works, but according to His own purpose and grace, given them in Christ Jesus before the world began
Is, to bring Christ down, Jcc. q. d., ' Ye have not to sigh over the impossibility of attaining to justification; as if one should say, Ah ! if I could but get some one to mount up to heaven and fetch me down Christ, there might be some hope, but since that cannot be, mine is a desperate case.' or, Who shall descend, &c.—another case of impossibility, suggested by Proverbs 30.4, and perhaps also Amos 9. 2 — probably proverbial expressions of impossibility (cf. Psalm 139.7-10; Proverbs 24.
7, Ac). But what saith Iti [It salth]—continuing the quotation from Deuteronomy 30. 14—The word is nigh thee—easily accessible, in thy mouth—when thou con-
(2 Timothy 1.9); in thankfulness, for " Who makelh thee to dll Ter, and what hast thou that thou didst not receive?'
fessest Him—and in thine heart—when thou believest on Him. Though it is of the law which iMoses more Immediately speaks in the passage quoted, yet it is of the law a.s Israel shall be brought to look upon it when the Lord their God shall circumcise their lieart "to love the Lord their God with all their heart," <fec.
(1 Corinthians -1. 7); In godly jealousy over themselves, remembering that " God Is not mocked," but " whatsoever a man soweth tliat shall he also reap" (Galatians 6. 7) ; in diliyence " to make our calling and election sure'' (2 Peter
1. 10) ; and yet In calm confidence that " whom God predestinates, and calls, and Justifies, them (in due time) He also glorifles" (ch. 8. 30). (6.) On all subjects which from their very nature lie beyond human comprehension, it will be our wisdom to set down what God says In His word, and has actually done in His procedure towards
6) ; and thus, in applying it, the apostle (as OtsUAUSEN truly observes) is not merely appropriating tlie language of Moses, but keeping in the line of his deeper thought, that Is, the word of faith, which we preach—
the word which men have to believe for salvation (ol
None who Believe sJiall be Confounded, EOMAXS X. 77*6 Cciitilcs shall Receive the Word, it.' IS. T5nt I say. Have they not heard I—('Did tliey not hoar?')—Can Israel, through any region of his dispersion, plead ignorance of theseglad tidings? Yes, verily, their sound went ('their voice went out') into nil the eartli, and tl»eir words unto the end of the world These beautiful words are from Psalm 19. 4. Whether the
1 Timothy 4, 6). Utnt It H»o« sliaXt, &c.—Sri luiderstnnd Ins the words, the apostle is liere giving the language of ihe true metliod of justification; and this sense we prefer [with Calvin, Beza, Ferme, Locke, Jowktt], But able interpreters render the words, 'For,' or 'Because if tliou
Shalt,' &c. [Vulgate, Luther, Pe Wette, Stuart, PiiiLippr, Alfoed, Revised Version.] In tliis case,. apostle quoted them as in their primary intention applicable to his subject [as Olshausen, Alforij, &c.], or only tliese are tlie apostle's own remarlts, conrtrniins; the fore-
' used scriptural language to express his own ideas, as is done involuntarily almost by every preacher in every sermon' [Hodge], expositors are not agreed. But though the latter may seem the more natural since "the rising of the Sun of righteousness upon the world'! (Malachi 4.
goins; statements as to the simplicity of the gospel method ol salvation, confess wltli Uiy moiif !i line I;.ortl .Tcsiis —!. c, probably, 'If thou shalt confess Jesus [to be] the Lord,' whioh is the proper manifestation or evidence of faith (Matthew 10.32; IJohn 4. 15). This is put first merely to correspond with the foregoing quotation— " in thy mouth and in thine heart." So in 2 Peter 1. 10 the " calling of
2), "the Day-spring from on higli visiting us, giving light to them that sat in darkness, and guiding our feet into the way of peace" (Luke 1. 78, 79), must have been familiar and delightful to the apostle's ear, we cannot doubt that the irradiation of the world with the beams of a better Sua by the universal diffusion of tlie gospel of Christ, must have a mode of speaking quite natural, and to him scarcely figurative. 19. Bnt I say. Did not Israel Unow T—know, from their own Scriptures, of God's intention to bring in the Gentiles? First—?', c. First in the prophetic line [Djj Wette]. Moses salth, Ac.—'I will provoke you to jealousy ('against') [them that are] not a nation, and against believers'' is put before their "election," as that which is first "made sure," although in point of time it conies aftr i t. and slialt JjcHeve in tlilne Iieart < liail God Uatli raised (• that God raised') liiin from «Iie tead, etc.—Hi-e on ch. -1. 25. In tlie next verse the two tiiinics are placed in their na tural order. For ivitJi tl»e licarJ man fci-llevet!i nnto (Justifying) rigliteojisncss ; a£i<i witii the moHtU confession ismadeitnto salvaf iau—This conlession of Christ's name, especially in times of persecution, and whenever obloquy is attached to the Christian profession, is an indispensa.ble test of discipleship. 11-13. For tl>c Scripture saitli—In Isaiah 2S. 16, a glorious Messianic passage. Wliosoever believctli on liim sliinll not be nslianied—Here, as in ch. 9. 33, the quotation is from the LXX., which renders those wor<ls of the original, "shall not make haste" (i. c, fly for escape, as from conscious danger), 'shall not be put to shame,' wliicli comes anation without understanding wi.l I anger you' (Deuteronomy 32. 21). In this verse God warns His ancient people that because they had (that is, in after times woiild) moved Him to jealousy with their "no-gods," and provoked Him to anger with their vanities, He in requital v.'ould move them to jealousy by receiving into His favour a " no-people," and provoke them to anger by adopting a nation void of understanding. !J0. But Esaias is very bold, and saith—?'. c, is still plainer, and goes even the length of saying—1 was found of them thai soujght me not—until I sought them—I was made ('became') inani* fesf imto them that asked not nfier me— until the invitation from Me came to them. That the calling of Ihe Gentiles was meant by these words of the prophet (Isaiah to tlie sanie thing. For tUere is no dif?>rei»cc (or 'distinction') between .Tew and Greelt ; for tJic same Lord over all—), e., not Ood [as Calvin, Gkotius, Olshausicn, HonoE], but Christ, as will be seen, we think, l;y comparing V.9. 12, 13 and observing the apostle's usual style on such sub.jpcts. [So Chkysostom, Melville, Rengkl, Mkvf.r, De Wette, Fkitzsche, Tholuck, Stuart, AlFORD, Philii>I'I.] Is rich—a favourite Pauline term to express the exuberance of that saving grace which is in Christ Jesus, niito all fbat call niion Isitn—Tiiis con-
65. 1) is manifest from what immediately follows, "I said, Beliold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name." 21. But to (rather, ' with regard to') Israel he saitli, All day (' All the day') loj>g I have strc Jclied ont('did I stretch forth') my hnnds—the altitude of gracious entreaty, unto a disobedient and ;;alnsaying people—These words, which immediately tollow the announcement just quoted of the calling of the Genfli nis the application of tb.e preceding words to CVirist since to call upon the name of the Lord Jesus is a customary expression. (See Acts 7.59,00; 9. 1 !, 21 ; 22. I(i; 1 Corinthians I. 2; 2 Timothy 2. 22.) For [saitli the Scrip-' tnre| wbosoever—The expression is emphatic, ' F.vi-ry one whosoever'—sliall call npon tlic jfame of *Uc JLord tiles, were enough to forewarn the Jews both of God's purpose to eject them from their privileges, in favour of the Gentiles, and of the cause of it on their own part. —A'o/e (1.) Mere sincerity, and even earnestness in religion—though it may be some ground of hope for a mersliall be saved—Joel 2. 32; quoted also by Pi>ter, in his great Pentecostal sermon (Acts 2. 21), with evident application to Christ. 14, l.'j. How then shall tliey call on him in whom tlicy have not believed I and . . . believe in ciful recovery from error—is no excuse, and will not compensate, for the deliberate rejection of saving truth, when in the providence of God presented for aci-eplauce (v.
hitti of whom they have not heard! and . . . hear witliout a preaclier? and . . , preach except scn( T
' True, the same Lord over nil is rich unto all alike that call upon Ilim: But this calling implies believing, and believing hearing, and hearing preaching, and preaching amission to preach: Why, then, take ye it so ill, 0 children of Abraham, that in obedicmce to our heavenly mifision (Acts 2(i. 16-18) we preach among t/ie Ocntilc.i c/. '/.,
1-3; and see on ch. 9., note 7). (2.) The true cause of such rejection of saving trulli, by the otherwise sincere, is the prepossession of the mind by some false notions of its own. So long as the Jews "sought to set up their own righteousness," it was In thenatureof things imjiossible that they should " submit themselves to the righteousness of God;" the one of these two methods of acceptance being in the teeth of the other {v. 3). (3.) The essentill' unsearchable riches of Christ'?' as it is writ Hen —(Naiah 52. 7.) How beantifiU are (Sic feet of them tlint preacli tlie go.spel of peace, &c.—The whole ihapte)'
01 Isaiah from which this is taken, and the three that follow, are so richly Messianic, that there can be no douht "the glad tidings" there spoken of announce a mine glorious release than of Judnh from the Babylonish cantial terms of salvation have in every age been the same: "Whosoever will" is invited to "take of the water of life freely," Revclati(ui 2-2. 17 (v. 13). (4.) How will the remembrance of the simplicity, reasonableness, and absolute freeness of God's plan of salvation overwhelm those that perish from under the sound of it {v. 4-13), tivil.v, and the very feet of its preachers are called "beautilul" lor the sake of their message. 10,17. lliit iln-y have not all obeyed ll»c gospel i. e., the Scrijilure halh prepared us to expect, this sail result. For Ksalns snlth,
(5.) How piercingly and perpetuall.y should that question —"How shall TIIK.V hear without a I-RIOArtlER ?
"— sound in the cars of all the churches, as but the apostolic echo of their Lord's parting injunction, " Prkach thk Gospel to evf.rv creature" (Mark 10. 15), and how far below the proper standard of love, zeal, and self-sacriflco must the churches as yet be, M'hen with so plenteous u h.arvest the labourers are yet so few (Matthew 9. 37, ;>8i,
Lioril, w!io Iiaih believed onr repori :— 17, </., 'Where shall one lind a believer?' The |)rophet speaks as it ne.\t. to none Xvould believe: The apostle sollens this into "They have not all believed." So then faith cometBi by heariu;:;, and liearing by the word of God—7. fi"., 'This
Is anol her conliriiiation of the truth that faith supposes the hearing of the Word, and this a commission to preael; ii:id that cry from the lips of pardoned, gifted, cousecialnl.Grir> hath not C(tsl of all Israel. EOllAXP, XL Some FIcclid, ihc Rest Hardened, men— "Here am I, send me" (Isaiah 6.8), is not heard ever> wliere (v. 11, 15)! ((i.) Tlie blessiii'^ of a eovenant-relatiou to God is the irrevocable privilege of no people and DO Churcli; it cau lie preserved only bjfidelity, on our seclieth for—better 'AVliat Israel is in search of (i. Justification or acceptance with (}<»1—see on cli. 9. 31), tliis he found not; lull, the electii>ii (the elect remnant of Israel) found it, and the rest v,ere ii».!(lened,' or judicially given over to tlie 'liarilness of their own hearts.' as it ia wr Hlen (Isaiah 20. 10, and Deulerononiy 29. 4), God hatlt given ('g:ive") tl»em the spirit of »Jv«it8ber (' stupor ) . . , unto tJiis (' this present') <l«y. Ajui »uvid saitlj—Psalm pari, to the covenant itself (v. 19). (7.) God is often found by tlio-se who apparently are the farthe.st fioin Ilini, while He rt-'nains undiscovered by those who think tlieniselves the nearest iv. 20, 21). (S.) God's dealings even with repro Iwto sinners are full of tenderness and compassion; ail the day long extending the arni.s of His mercy even to the disobedient and gainsaying. This will be felt and acknowledged at last by all who perish, to the glory of God's forbearance and to their own confusion (v. 21).
6!(. 23—which in such a Messianic psalm must be meant of the rejecters of Christ. Let tikcir table, &c.—i. e.. Let tiieir very blessings prove a curse to them, and their enjoyments only sting and take vengeance on them, let «lieir eyes be darkened . . , and bow down their back nlway—expressive either of the Occrepitudc, or of the servile eondition, \o come on the nation througli tlie just judgment of God. The apostle's object in making tliese quotations is to sliowthat wliat he had been compelled to say of the then condition and prospects of liis nation \yaa more than liorne out by their own Scriptures. But, Secondly, God hath not cast away his people fi,nally. The illustration of this point extends from v. 11 to v. 31. 11. I say then, Have they stnmbled ('Did they stum-
CHAPTER XI.
Ver. 1-36. Sajie Subject continited and concluded— The Ultimate Inbringing of all Israel, to be, witij THE Gentiles, One Kingdom of God on the EAirnr. 1. I say then, HntH (' Did') God cast away liis people T God forbid—Our Lord did indeed announce th.at " the kingdom of God should be taken /rom Israel" (Matthew ble') tlint ttiey should fall J God forbid J but (the supplement" rattier" is better omitted) througin their fall
21.41); and when asked by the Eleven, after His resurrection, if he would at that time "restore the kingdom to Israel," His reply is a virtual admission that Israel was in. some sense already out of covenant (Acts 1.0). Yet here the apostle teaches that, in two respects, Israel was not ''cast away;" First, Not totally; Second, Not finally. First, Israel is not wholly cast away, for I also am an Israelite (see Philippians 3. 5)—and so a living witness to the contrary, of the seed of Abraham—of pure descent from the father of the faithful, of the tribe of Benjamin (Philippians 3. 5)—that tribe whic h, on the revolt of the ten tribes, constituted, with Judah,the one faitiiful kingdom of God (1 Kings 12. 21), and niter tlie captivity was, along witli Judah, tlie kernel of tlie Jewish nation lU., 'trespass,' but here best rendered 'false step' [Db Wp:tte1; not "fall,"' as in our version, salvation is come to the Gentiles, to provoke tliem to jealousy—Here, as also in cli. 10. 19 (quoted from Deuteronomy 32. 21), we see tliat emulation is a legitimate si iniulus to what is good.
I'i. Now if the fall bf them ('But if tlieir trespass,' or 'false step'jbe the riches of the (Gentile) world—as being the occasi'~n of their accession to Christ, and the dimiuisltlnjt; of <l»em {i. e., the reduction of the true Israel to so small a remnant) tlie rlchesof the Gentiles; how miicli more their fulness!—!. e., their full recovery (see on «.
' If an event so untoward as Israel's fall was the occasion of sucli unspeakable good :o the Gen tile world, of how much greater good may we expect an event so blessed as their full recovery to be productive?' 13. X speak ('am speaking') to you Genlilr*—another pioof that this Epistle was addressed to Gentile believers. (See on ch. 1. 13.) I magnify ('glorily') mi«e ofiiec—The clause beginning with "inasmuch" sliould be lead as a parenthpsis. if I may provoke, &c. (see on v. II) . . . my Hesh—Cf. Isaiah 58.7. 15. For If tine casting away of Itiiem—The apostle had denied that they were cast away
2(i) ; q. (I., lt;7,ra -1. 1; 10.9). 3-4. God hath ('did') not cast away his people (i. <?., wholly) which he foie Uiiew—On the x«ord " foreljnew," see on cii. S. 20. Wot (!. e., ' Know') ye not that the Scripture snith of (lit., 'in,' i. c, in the seclion which relates to) EliasT how he maketh intercession Cpleadeth') against Israel—(Tlie word "saying," which follows, as also the particle "and" before "digged down," should be omitted, as without MSS. authority.) and 1 am left alone—
' I only am left.' seven tiioiisand, that have not bowed tile knee to Baal—not " the image of Baal," according to tlie sujiplement of our version. 5.. Kven so at this present time—'in t-iiis present season ;' this period of Israel's rejection. (Sec Acts 1. 7, Greek.) there is—
(v. 1); here lie affirms it. But botli ai-e true; they ivere cast awa.y, though neither totally nor finally, and it is of tlii.s partial and temporary rejectiontliat the apostle here speaks, be the reconciling of i he (Gentile) world, wltat sliall the receiving of them be, l>i«t Hie from tlie de.^<l —The reception of the whole family of Israel, scattered as they are among all nations under licaveii, and the most inveterate enemies of the Lord Jesus, will be such a stupendous manifestation of the power of God upon the spirits of men, and of His glorious presence with the herald.s of the Cross, as will not onlj' kindle devout astonishment far and wide, but so change the dotniiiant mode of thinking and feeling on all spiritual things as to seem like a resurrection from the dead. IG. For (' lUU') If tile first-frjiit be holy, the lump Is also [Jioly]; and If the root, so tlie branches—The Israelites were required to offer to God tlie first-fruits of tlie earth—both In their raw state, in a sheaf of newly-reaped grain (Ijcviticus 23.
' there obtains,' or 'hatli remained.' a remnant according to the election of grace q. d., 'As in FJlijah's time the apostasy of Israel was not .so universal as it seemed to be, and as he in his despondency concluded it to be, so now, the rejection of Christ by Israel is not so aj)palling in extent as one would be apt to think : There
Is now, as there was then, a faithful remnant ; not however of persons naturally better than the unbelieving mass, but of persons graciously chosen to salvation.' (See
1 Corinthians 4. 7; 2 Thessalonians 2. 1.3.) This establishes our view of the argument on Election in ch. 9., as not being an electioti of Gentiles in the room of Jews, and merely to religious advantages, but a sovereign choice of Bomo of Israel itself, from amongst others, to believe and be saved. (See on ch. 9. 6.) 6. And, &c.—better, ' Now if
10, 11), and in their prepared state, made into cakes of dough (Numbers 15. 19-21)—by which the whole produce of that season was regarded as hallowed. It is probable that the latter of these offerings is here intended, as to it the word "lijmp" best applies; and the argument of the aposi le is, that as the separation unto God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, from the rest of mankind, as tlie parent stem of their race, was as real an oflering of first-fvuils as that which liallowed the produce of the earth, so, in the Divine estimation, it was as real a separation of the mass or "lump" of that nation in all time to God. Tlie figure of the "root" and its " branches" is of like import— the consecration of the one of them extending to the other, it (the elf-ction) lie i)y grace, it is no more of works; for [then! grace becomes no more grace : but if it be of works,'
(The autliority of ancient MSS. against this latter clause, as superfluous and not originally in the text, though strong, is not suflicient, we think, to justify its exclusion. 8uch seeming redundancies are not unusual with our apo Htle.) The general position here laid down
Is of vital Importance: That there are l)ut two possllile sources of salvation—men's works, and God's grace; and that these are so eKsentially distinct and opposite, that salvation cannot tie of any combination or mixture of both, but must lie wholly eitlier of the one or of tlie otlier. (Kee on ch. 4., note 3.) 7-10. What then I—How stands the fad? Israel hath not obtained tiiat wliiett lie
17, 18. And if—rather, ' But If;' q. d., ' If notwithstanding
Mi)