Romans 10:2

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Romans 10:1-11

The scope of the apostle in this part of the chapter is to show the vast difference between the righteousness of the law and the righteousness of faith, and the great pre-eminence of the righteousness of faith above that of the law; that he might induce and persuade the Jews to believe in Christ, aggravate the folly and sin of those that refused, and justify God in the rejection of such refusers. I. Paul here professes his good affection to the Jews, with the reason of it (Rom. 10:1, 2), where... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Romans 10:1-13

10:1-13 Brothers, the desire of my heart for the Jews and my prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. I do say this for them--that they do have a zeal for God, but it is not a zeal which is based on a real knowledge. For they do not realize that a man can only achieve the status of righteousness by God's gift, and they seek to establish their own status, and so they have not submitted themselves to that power of God which alone can make them righteous in his sight. For Christ is the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 10:2

For I bear them record, that they have a zeal of God ,.... A zeal for God; for the being and unity of God, against the polytheism and idolatry of the Gentiles; for the word of God, the writings of the Old Testament, of which they were zealous defenders and preservers, and which they diligently read and heard explained, and whereby they thought to obtain eternal life; for the law of God, moral and ceremonial, especially for the rituals of the Mosaic economy; for the service and worship of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 10:2

They have a zeal of God - They believe their law to have come immediately from God himself, and are jealous of its glory and excellence; they conscientiously observe its rites and ceremonies, but they do not consider the object and end of those rites; they sin more through ignorance than malice; and this pleads in their excuse. By this fine apology for them, the apostle prepares them for the harsher truths which he was about to deliver. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 10:2

Verse 2 2.For I bear to them a testimony, etc. This was intended to secure credit to his love. There was indeed a just cause why he should regard them with compassion rather than hatred, since he perceived that they had fallen only through ignorance, and not through malignancy of mind, and especially as he saw that they were not led except by some regard for God to persecute the kingdom of Christ. Let us hence learn where our good intentions may guide us, if we yield to them. It is commonly... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Romans 10:1-4

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Romans 10:1-11

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Romans 10:1-11

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Romans 10:1-21

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Romans 10:2-3

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

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