In Romans 9 Paul highlights God’s sovereign role in fulfilling His covenant purposes. Yisrael stumbled by relying on Torah as a source of self righteousness- while God preserves a faithful remnant and extends mercy to those He calls. In Romans 10, he shifts the focus to response- righteousness comes through trusting His promise, confessing allegiance to Messiah, and living out the faith that Torah itself points toward. The message is near, meant to be heard, believed, and embodied in faithful obedience.
1 Brothers, indeed the desire of my heart and the supplications to God on behalf of them (Yisrael) [is] for salvation.
2 I bear witness for them that zeal for God they have, but not according to knowledge
3 Being ignorant of for the righteousness of God and their own righteousness seeking to establish, to the righteousness of God not they submitted.
4 [The] purpose indeed of Torah [is] Messiah unto righteousness, to everyone believing (trusting)
Paul starts off this section by acknowledging that many in Yisrael were sincerely devoted to God. Their zeal was real, they cared deeply about honoring Him and keeping the Torah in the first century.
The problem was misdirected understanding. They pursued righteousness through Torah as a means of establishing their own status, rather than recognizing the righteousness God provided through Messiah- the one the Torah itself points toward.
Zeal without proper understanding of covenant fulfillment in Messiah leads to missing the very righteousness they were seeking.
5 Moses indeed writes [of] the righteousness that [is] of Torah that, “The man having done these things will live by them.”
Therefore you shall keep My chuqqah and My mishpatim. If which does a man and he shall live by them. I AM YHVH.
-Leviticus 18:5
- chuqqah- statutes, enactments, something prescribed; engraved; ritual or symbolic commands
- mishpatim- judgments, formal decrees; civil and ethical laws
6 The however the righteous of faith thus speaks: “Not you should say in the heart of you, ‘Who will ascend into heaven ?” -that is as if to bring Messiah down-
7 “Or Who will descend into the Abyss?” -That is as if to bring Messiah out from the dead-
8 But what does it say? “Near you the Word is, in the mouths of you and in the heart of you.” That is the Word which we proclaim!
In Deuteronomy 30:11-14, Moses is telling Yisrael that YHVH’s commands are not unreachable. They are:
- Not surpassing or mysterious (v 11)
- not in heaven that they had to ascend (v 12)
- not beyond the sea that they needed it brought (v 13)
“But very near you the Word is, in your mouth and in you heart, that you may do it.”
-Deuteronomy 30:14
- YHVH never intended righteousness to require impossible achievements
- His word was always meant to be near, internal and lived daily
- Messiah’s coming simply reveals and fulfills this Torah principle, by changing the heart
Paul uses this example to explain that God’s instruction is not distant, or too hard or a burden- Torah is now internalized and lived out, because of Messiah.
Saying obedience is “too far” is the same as telling Messiah His work is not finished- that He must come back down or be re-resurrected.
God has already acted and made obedience easy by defeating sin and sending His Spirit to empower the faithful.
9 That if you homologeo (confess) the saying with the mouth of you [the] master Yeshua, and trust in the heart of you that God Him raised out from [the dead], you will be saved.
10 In the heart indeed is trust unto righteousness in the mouth now is confession unto salvation.
Confession- Homologeo:
- from “homos”- meaning the same
- and “logos”- meaning to say, or to speak
In this sense, confess means:
- Agreeing with God’s declaration of Yeshua as His Servant, who He has given authority
- Aligning yourself with the Truth that He taught (Torah-faithfulness)
- Publicly acknowledging your allegiance to God’s covenant as revealed in Messiah
It is more than words: Acknowledging God’s covenant truth revealed in Messiah, agreeing with it in your heart, speaking it openly, and letting it guide your life in faithful obedience to The Father.
11 Says indeed the Scriptures, “Everyone trusting on Him not will be put to shame.”
This is a repeat from Romans 9:33-
Therefore thus says Adonai YHVH, “behold I lay a foundation in Zion a stone, a stone of testing, a cornerstone precious, a sure foundation; that whoever aman (believes, supports) not will act in haste.
– Isaiah 28:16
Paul deliberately echoes this verse to show that trusting in Messiah isn’t optional for righteousness- it’s the fulfillment of God’s covenant promises that Torah itself pointed toward.
- In Romans 9, he shows those who reject Him stumble
- Now, he uses it to show those who trust in Him are vindicated and secure
12 Not indeed there is separation Jew between and Greek, for the same master of all abounds toward all those calling Him.
Paul emphasizes covenant unity through faith:
- Ethnicity doesn’t grant or block salvation
- Torah observance alone doesn’t grant or block salvation
- Faith in Messiah, with trust and confession, brings all into one covenant people
13 “Whoever indeed that shall call upon the name of YHVH will be saved.” (paraphrase from Joel 2:32/ some versions Joel 3)
The Prophet Joel speaks of repentance to Judah, future judgement, and the Spirit of God:
And it shall come to pass after thus, that I will pour out My Ruach (Spirit) on all flesh: And shall prophesy your sons and daughters. Your old men shall dream dreams, your young men visions shall see. And also on the man-servants and on maid-servants in those days I will pour out My Ruach.
And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth- blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the coming of Day of YHVH the great and awesome.
And it shall come to pass, all whoever calls on the name of YHVH shall be saved, for in Mount Tsiyyon and in Yerushalaym there shall be escape, as YHVH has said, among the remnant whom YHVH calls.
-Joel 2:28-32
The pouring out of Spirit is now fulfilled by faith in Messiah, but final judgment and the great day of YHVH remain in the future. The passage shows God’s plan:
- Judgment on the unfaithful (Judah/ Yisrael)
- Spirit-led restoration by Messiah to empower covenant faithfulness
- Ultimate redemption for the faithful calling on the Name of God
14 How then shall they call on [Him] whom not they trusted? How now shall they trust on of whom not they have heard? How not shall they hear apart from proclaiming?
15 How now shall the proclaim if not they are sent? As it has been written, “How beautiful the feet of those proclaiming shalom, of those proclaiming good news of good things!” (paraphrase of Isaiah 52:7)
Isaiah 52 is to Judah and Jerusalem during the time of exile or shortly before return, meant to encourage the people with a message of hope and restoration after judgment:
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings the basar, who proclaims shalom, who brings basar of good [things], who prolaims yeshuah, who says to Tsiyyon, “Reigns your Elohim!”
-Isaiah 52:7
The basar “good news” or joyous announcement is
- God’s deliverance is coming: The exile will end, and God will redeem His people.
- Salvation announced (Yeshuah)
- Promise of Covenant restoration
Paul uses this to show the honor of proclaiming the gospel- the “Good news” that
- Messiah has come and been enthroned by God
- He has defeated sin and death
- God has begun His plan to restore the tribes of Yisrael scattered to the nations
- The Covenant inheritance is, therefore, to all the nations
In Greek, Gospel “Euangelion” actually means good news, joyful announcement; was used for the Victory announcement of a King returning from battle.
16 But not all heeded the good news. Isaiah indeed says, “Master, who has believed our report?” (Paraphrase of Isaiah 53:1)
17 Therefore, faith [is] out from hearing, and hearing through [the] Word of Messiah.
Who has trusted our report and the arm of YHVH to whom has been revealed?
For He shall grow up as a tender plant before Him, and as a root out of the dry ground. No form He has or splendor when we see Him, and no beauty that we should take pleasure in Him.
-Isaiah 53:1-2
Paul reminds us the prophecy fulfilled that
- Many would not believe because Messiah was humble, ordinary, and lacked worldly grandeur; people underestimated Him and dismissed His work
- Even though many initially reject or stumble over His lack of status, hearing the good news of Messiah, proclaimed by messengers, sparks faith
- Hearing is the channel through which people recognize God’s covenant work in Him
18 But I ask, no not did they hear? Indeed “into all the earth has gone the voice of them, and to the ends of the world the words of them.” (Psalm 19:4)
19 But I ask not, Yisrael not did know? First Moses says, “I will provoke you to jealousy by those not a nation, by a nation without understanding I will anger you.” (Deuteronomy 32:21)
Deuteronomy 32, the “Song of Moses” is spoken to the Yisraelites near the end of the 40-year wilderness period, just before they enter Kna’an (Canaan)
- It is a recap of God’s faithfulness & judgement, and Yisrael’s history of rebellion, warning them not to repeat the failures of the past, and to obey the covenant in the land they are about to inherit.
- It reveals the future inclusion of Gentiles to provoke Yisrael to faithfulness
- This a repeated theme in the Old Testament- Isaiah 11, 42, 49; Jonah 3-4
Paul uses this to show that Gentile inclusion provokes Yisrael to see God’s mercy and recognize Messiah as part of the plan of restoration.
20 Isaiah then is very bold and says, “I was found by those Me not seeking, manifest I became to those Me not inquiring after.”
21 As for however Yisrael, he says, “All the day I have stretched out the hands of Me to a people disobeying and contradicting.” (Isaiah 65:1-2)
- YHVH reveals Himself to outsiders who are open to His mercy- this has always been so
- Despite Yisrael’s continued rebellion, He patiently invites them to return.
YHVH extends faithfulness and mercy in calling His people. Many in Yisrael did not believe because Messiah was humble, yet Paul shows that faith comes by hearing, trusting, and confessing.
Throughout Scripture, Gentiles are included in God’s covenant faithfulness and are used as a tool to provoke Yisrael toward obedience. Despite disobedience, He remains patient, continually reaching out to His people.
He calls both Yisrael and the Nations to covenant faithfulness; faith arises as people hear, trust, and confess Messiah, fulfilling His sovereign plan for humanity.
Leave a Reply