The teachings of Paul were extremely repugnant to the unconverted Jews. They saw him as a traitor and enemy of Israel. But here he assures his "brothers" among the believers to whom he writes what his greatest goal is. If he were to achieve it, it would bring him the greatest joy: He prays "to God" because he wants "them" (his unbelieving compatriots) "to be saved."
 | Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-11 Source: Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck |
Christ Is the End of the Law
In Romans 9 Paul made it clear that in the past God made Himself known as a God Who is sovereign. He gives the Gentiles access to the blessings, and some, a remnant, from Israel also receive the blessings because God is a God of grace.
[Verse 1]. The people of Israel as a whole have been rejected by God. Romans 10 gives the reason why. In Romans 11 it is said this rejection is certain, but not final. There will be a restoration. And this rejection isn’t something in which Paul rejoices. He doesn’t say, ‘Oh well, they should have listened better.’ No, the first verse shows how his prayer was going out to God for their salvation. This is another proof of his heartfelt bond with this nation.
[Verse 2]. He was aware of the good that could be found with them – their zeal for God. In Galatians 1 we see that before Paul’s conversion, this zeal was in him as well [Gal 1:13-14]. Being zealous for God is good, but it must be according to knowledge. This is important for you too. If you’re recently converted, you’re ready to go! You want to witness! This is a good thing.
But if you are led by your enthusiasm, without the knowledge of the will of God, you are likely to mess things up. This is not meant to discourage you in your activities. There’s a lot to do. I hope with all my heart you will see a lot of work you can do for the Lord and that you will be active in it. But with the Lord, education and activity go hand in hand. Take care to gain an understanding of the will of the Lord. What you’re reading at the moment may help you with that.
[Verse 3]. Now back to Romans 10. Two reasons are given for Israel’s fall. First, they didn’t know God’s righteousness. This verse says: “For not knowing about God’s righteousness.” This means the righteous dealings of God were ignored. This righteousness is the great subject of this letter. To get an idea of what is meant by this, look at the Lord Jesus and at His work on the cross. There you see the righteous dealings of God. Only by the Lord Jesus is it possible to receive God’s righteousness.
But Israel has rejected Him. Instead (and this is the second reason for their fall), they tried (and still try) to gain their own righteousness. In this way they ignore the fact that no one is able to live so righteously that God can declare him or her righteous. Today too, many people are busy trying to work for their righteousness. These say in effect it wasn’t necessary for Christ to die. Nor do they subject themselves to God’s righteousness. They are of the opinion that God will have to accept them because, as they calmly claim, they have never done anything wrong.
But God judges differently. To Him there is only One righteous Person and that is Christ. Christ and the law, Christ and one’s works, Christ and one’s righteousness, exclude each other.
[Verse 4]. With Christ’s coming to earth, the end has come of the law as a means of being justified. Now, God can only give His righteousness to someone if that person recognizes in faith that he needs Christ. For such a one the law has been dealt with because the law has attained its end as soon as one recognizes the impossibility of being justified by the law. To stop looking at one’s own works and to look away at what Christ has done and to believe it, is to subject oneself to God’s righteousness.
God points everyone to Christ: Christ is the only possibility to get in touch with Him. It is wonderful to see this. Let’s point out Christ to all those who think they live so deserving, thinking that God will be content with them without Christ. Everyone who is compared with Him will have to agree that his life falls very short of His. But most of all, he will have to recognize shamefully that Christ’s death and resurrection were necessary to save him. This is what the next set of verses discusses.
[Verse 1]. The people of Israel as a whole have been rejected by God. Romans 10 gives the reason why. In Romans 11 it is said this rejection is certain, but not final. There will be a restoration. And this rejection isn’t something in which Paul rejoices. He doesn’t say, ‘Oh well, they should have listened better.’ No, the first verse shows how his prayer was going out to God for their salvation. This is another proof of his heartfelt bond with this nation.
[Verse 2]. He was aware of the good that could be found with them – their zeal for God. In Galatians 1 we see that before Paul’s conversion, this zeal was in him as well [Gal 1:13-14]. Being zealous for God is good, but it must be according to knowledge. This is important for you too. If you’re recently converted, you’re ready to go! You want to witness! This is a good thing.
But if you are led by your enthusiasm, without the knowledge of the will of God, you are likely to mess things up. This is not meant to discourage you in your activities. There’s a lot to do. I hope with all my heart you will see a lot of work you can do for the Lord and that you will be active in it. But with the Lord, education and activity go hand in hand. Take care to gain an understanding of the will of the Lord. What you’re reading at the moment may help you with that.
[Verse 3]. Now back to Romans 10. Two reasons are given for Israel’s fall. First, they didn’t know God’s righteousness. This verse says: “For not knowing about God’s righteousness.” This means the righteous dealings of God were ignored. This righteousness is the great subject of this letter. To get an idea of what is meant by this, look at the Lord Jesus and at His work on the cross. There you see the righteous dealings of God. Only by the Lord Jesus is it possible to receive God’s righteousness.
But Israel has rejected Him. Instead (and this is the second reason for their fall), they tried (and still try) to gain their own righteousness. In this way they ignore the fact that no one is able to live so righteously that God can declare him or her righteous. Today too, many people are busy trying to work for their righteousness. These say in effect it wasn’t necessary for Christ to die. Nor do they subject themselves to God’s righteousness. They are of the opinion that God will have to accept them because, as they calmly claim, they have never done anything wrong.
But God judges differently. To Him there is only One righteous Person and that is Christ. Christ and the law, Christ and one’s works, Christ and one’s righteousness, exclude each other.
[Verse 4]. With Christ’s coming to earth, the end has come of the law as a means of being justified. Now, God can only give His righteousness to someone if that person recognizes in faith that he needs Christ. For such a one the law has been dealt with because the law has attained its end as soon as one recognizes the impossibility of being justified by the law. To stop looking at one’s own works and to look away at what Christ has done and to believe it, is to subject oneself to God’s righteousness.
God points everyone to Christ: Christ is the only possibility to get in touch with Him. It is wonderful to see this. Let’s point out Christ to all those who think they live so deserving, thinking that God will be content with them without Christ. Everyone who is compared with Him will have to agree that his life falls very short of His. But most of all, he will have to recognize shamefully that Christ’s death and resurrection were necessary to save him. This is what the next set of verses discusses.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-4
1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ [is] the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
 | Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2023-12-22 Source: Title: Rom Author: Ger de Koning |
The Jews built on a false foundation, and refused to come to Christ for free salvation by faith, and numbers in every age do the same in various ways. The strictness of the law showed men their need of salvation by grace, through faith. And the ceremonies shadowed forth Christ as fulfilling the righteousness, and bearing the curse of the law. So that even under the law, all who were justified before God, obtained that blessing by faith, whereby they were made partakers of the perfect righteousness of the promised Redeemer. The law is not destroyed, nor the intention of the Lawgiver disappointed; but full satisfaction being made by the death of Christ for our breach of the law, the end is gained. That is, Christ has fulfilled the whole law, therefore whoever believeth in him, is counted just before God, as much as though he had fulfilled the whole law himself. Sinners never could go on in vain fancies of their own righteousness, if they knew the justice of God as a Governor, or his righteousness as a Savior.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-4
1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ [is] the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
 | Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source: Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry |
In the last verses of the preceding chapter, St. Paul mentioned that the Israelites did not attain righteousness because they rejected faith, so they became far from the way of salvation. This made the apostle Paul deeply grieved in spite of their fault and straying from the right way, because God is not willing that anybody perishes, but that everybody comes to repentance [2Pet 3:9]. Therefore the desire and prayer of the apostle Paul was that Israel attain salvation, by accepting faith in Christ to be saved.
 | Author: Prof. Dr. Maurice Tawadros Rank: Author Posted on: 2023-03-11 Source: Title: Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans Author: Professor Dr. Maurice Tawadros Number of pages: 373 |
Paul continues to demonstrate his deepseated good will toward the Jews…. He even does his best to find excuses for them, but in the end he is overcome by the nature of the facts and cannot do so.
 | Author: John Chrysostom Rank: Bishop AD: 407 |
Here Paul begins to speak of his hope for the Jews, lest the Gentiles in their turn become condescending toward them. For just as the pride of the Jews had to be countered because they gloried in their works, so also with the Gentiles, lest they become proud at having been preferred over the Jews.
 | Author: Augustine of Hippo Rank: Bishop AD: 430 |
Since Paul wants to liberate the Jews from the law, which is a veil over their faces, but does not want to appear to desire this out of any hatred for Judaism, he shows his love for them and says many good things about the law. But he teaches that the time for obeying the law has come to an end and by doing this bears witness that he is concerned for them, if only they will listen to him and not assume that he is their enemy. Commentary on Paul’s Epistles.
 | Author: Ambrosiaster Rank: Author AD: 400 |
The listed verse explanations of the individual persons have nothing to do with the explanations of the other persons. This also applies to the Bible translations.
