Romans 9:30-32

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 9:32

Verse 32 32.Not by faith, but as it were by works, etc. As false zeal seems commonly to be justly excused, Paul shows that they are deservedly rejected, who attempt to attain salvation by trusting in their own works; for they, as far as they can, abolish faith, without which no salvation can be expected. Hence, were they to gain their object, such a success would be the annihilation of true righteousness. You farther see how faith and the merits of works are contrasted, as things altogether... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Romans 9:19-33

Vessels of wrath and vessels of mercy. We have already seen that God's hatred of Esau was after a millennium of patience. This fact of God's long-suffering with Esau's seed carries the light we need into the difficult section now before us. It is a specious objection that the Divine will is resistless, and so, as each one finds he cannot resist God successfully, what reason has the Most High to find fault with his helpless creatures? But a little fair thinking on the whole subject of God's... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Romans 9:30-31

What shall we say then! That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, following after a law of righteousness, attained not to (or, arrived not at, so as to distinguish ἔφθασε εἰς , used here, from κατέλαβε , previously used of the Gentiles. It expresses the idea of failing to reach what is being pursued) a law of righteousness . The Gentiles are here said to have attained righteousness ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Romans 9:30-33

The reasonableness of God's working. The question hitherto has been—How can God set aside an elect people? And the answer—God chooses whom he will for the carrying on of his saving work. But now a reason is adduced. For though God does what he will, yet we may be sure he never wills what is not right. And here the great reason of the rejection of Israel, and the choice of the Gentiles, for the carrying out of God's purposes, is this—that the former have altogether failed to apprehend the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Romans 9:32-33

Wherefore? Because they sought it not of faith, but as of works of law . The genuineness of the concluding word νόμου here is doubtful. Its omission does not affect the sense. If retained, it must, according to the rule observed in this Exposition, be translated law , not the Law. For they stumbled at the stone of stumbling; as it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and rock of offence: and he that ( πᾶς before ὁ πιστεύων , expressed in the Authorized... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Romans 9:32-33

The rock of offence. In one point of view it would seem all but incredible that the highest display of Divine wisdom and goodness should be regarded, by those for whose benefit it was provided, with indifference and even hostility. But in order to understand how this should be, it is necessary to bear in mind the distorting influence of sin upon the minds of men. True religion comes into conflict with men's errors, prejudices, and guilty conscience; and is a stone of stumbling, and rock of... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Romans 9:30

What shall we say then? - What conclusion shall we draw from the previous train of remarks? To what results have we come by the passages adduced from the Old Testament? This question is asked preparatory to his summing up the argument; and he had so stated the argument that the conclusion which he was about to draw was inevitable.The Gentiles - That many of the Gentiles; or that the way was open for them, and many of them “had actually” embraced the righteousness of faith. This Epistle was... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Romans 9:31

But Israel - The Jews. The apostle does not mean to affirm that none of the Jews had obtained mercy, but that “as a people,” or acting according to the prevalent principles of the nation to work out their own righteousness, they had not obtained it.Which followed after the law of righteousness - The phrase, “the law of righteousness,” means the law of justice, or “the just law.” That Law demands perfect purity; and even its external observance demanded holiness. The Jews supposed that they... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Romans 9:32

Wherefore? - Why? The apostle proceeds to state the reason why so uniform and remarkable a result happened. “They sought it not by faith, etc.” They depended on their own righteousness, and not on the mercy of God to be obtained by faith.By the works of the law - By complying with all the demands of the Law so that they might merit salvation. Their attempted obedience included their prayers, fastings, sacrifices, etc., as well as compliance with the demands of the moral law. It may be asked... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Romans 9:30-33

Romans 9:30-33. What shall we say then What is to be concluded from all that has been said, but this, that the Gentiles, who followed not after righteousness Who a while ago had no knowledge of, no care or thought about it; have attained to righteousness Or justification; even the righteousness which is of faith Which is by faith in Christ and in his gospel, Philippians 3:9. This is the first conclusion we may draw from the preceding observations. The second is, that Israel, (the... read more

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