Brethren, my heart's desire ( εὐδοκία , expressing good will ) and prayer to God for them ( for Israel, as in the Textus Receptus, has no good support) is, that they may be saved (literally, is unto salvation ) . "Non orasset Paulus, si absolute reprobati essent" (Bengel). read more
Solicitude and supplication for the salvation of sinners. Paul was himself a Jew, a Hebrew of the Hebrews. His first ministry was to Israelites, and, when upon his missionary tours, he made it his first business to address the frequenters of the synagogues. By his training and by his associations, and also by his evangelistic intercourse with his countrymen, he understood the Jewish mind, and how to deal with it. From the Jews he met with obstacles, opposition, and persecution; and he... read more
Anxiety for the salvation of our fellows. It is the lot of reformers to be twitted as renegades, and to be exposed to the taunt of indifference to the welfare of their old companions. So the apostle was charged with noxiously subverting ancient customs, and he found it necessary to justify himself even to Jewish Christians against the reproach of wanton molestation of the hopes of Israel. It is difficult for prejudice in its blind conservatism to see that the change proposed is intended... read more
Israel's strength and weakness. The apostle returns again to the tender solicitude for the spiritual welfare of Israel which he had already expressed in the beginning of the ninth chapter. He was no blind bigot. He could recognize the good qualities even of those from whom he differed. He knew how far Israel had departed from the truth of God, and yet he is quick to perceive that, even amid their errors and sins, there is much that is commendable in their character. What an example for... read more
The freeness of salvation. The apostle's heart yearns for his people. For he recognizes their sincerity in much of their grievous mistaking of the ways of God. They had zeal for God, though the zeal was unreasonable and irreligious. Unreasonable; for how can man make himself just before God, guilty and sinful as he is? and why should the Jew think that, if this were possible, only one small portion of the race should be suffered to work out its righteousness? Irreligious; for instead of... read more
Confession of a risen Saviour. In the previous chapter we saw a Christian patriot lamenting that so many of his fellow-countrymen, through rejecting God's mercy manifested in Christ Jesus, were becoming mere vessels of wrath fitted for destruction. At the same time, he sees in Divine sovereignty, its incidence and its justice, the real clue to the philosophy of history and the progress of the world. In the present chapter he discusses the rejection of Israel and its reasons, and the nature... read more
For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God . For ζῆλον θεοῦ , meaning zeal for God, cf. John 2:17 ; Acts 22:3 ; Galatians 1:14 . The word ζῆλος was commonly used for the religious ardour of the Jews at that time (cf. Acts 21:20 , πάντες ζηλωταὶ τοῦ νόμου ὑπάρχουσι ) , and there was a faction among them called distinctively ζηλωταὶ , to which Simon Zelotes ( Luke 6:15 ; Acts 1:13 ) is supposed to have belonged originally. St. Paul's mention of the... read more
False righteousness and true. Paul's desire for the salvation of his countrymen and kinsmen arose from his clear perception of their spiritual destitution and need. They might hide their condition from themselves, but it was clear enough to him. The measure of true light which they enjoyed made it the sadder that many of them refused to accept and to walk in the full light of the Sun of Righteousness. And the apostle's sympathy was excited on their behalf all the more because he understood... read more
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John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 10:3
Verse 3 3.For being ignorant of the righteousness of God, etc. See how they went astray through inconsiderate zeal! for they sought to set up a righteousness of their own; and this foolish confidence proceeded from their ignorance of God’s righteousness. Notice the contrast between the righteousness of God and that of men. We first see, that they are opposed to one another, as things wholly contrary, and cannot stand together. It hence follows, that God’s righteousness is subverted, as soon as... read more