Romans
Chapter 10
Universal Salvation
My brothers and sisters, I sincerely hope that the Jews may be saved, and I pray to God for them.
I can testify that they are passionate for God, but this is not the right way.
They do not understand God’s way of righteousness, and they attempt to establish their own; this is why they did not enter God’s way of righteousness.
For Christ is the goal of the law, and it is through him that the believer attains this righteousness.
Moses, indeed, speaks of becoming just through the law; he writes: The one who obeys the law will find life through it.
But the righteousness that comes from faith says instead: Do not say in your heart: Who will go up to heaven? (because in fact, Christ came down from there)
or who will go down to the world below? (because in fact, Christ came up from among the dead).
True righteousness, which comes from faith, also states: The word of God is near you, on your lips and in your heart. This is the message we proclaim, and this is faith.
You are saved if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord, and you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead.
By believing in your heart, you gain true righteousness; by confessing the faith with your lips, you are saved.
For scripture says: No one who believes in him will be ashamed.
Here, there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; everyone has the same Lord, who is very generous to anyone who calls on him.
Indeed, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
But how can they call on the name of the Lord without first believing in him? And how can they believe in him without first hearing about him? And how will they hear about him if no one preaches to them?
And how will they preach about him if no one sends them? As scripture says: How beautiful are the feet of the messenger of good news.
Although not everyone accepted the good news, as Isaiah said: Lord, who has believed our message?
So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.
I ask: Have the Jews not heard? But of course, they have, because the voice of those preaching resounded all over the earth, and their voice was heard to the ends of the world.
Then, I must ask: Did Israel not understand? Moses was the first to say: I will make you jealous of a nation that is not a nation; I will provoke your anger against a senseless nation.
Isaiah dares to add more: I was found by those not looking for me; I have revealed myself to those not asking for me.
While referencing Israel, the same Isaiah says: I hold out my hands the entire day to a disobedient and rebellious people.
Commentaries
Universal Salvation.
Paul explains that the rejection of the Gospel by most of his people is only temporary. He then begins a new series of arguments, expressing his desire and praying for their conversion. The argument is presented in a tone of controversy and debate, using biblical quotations in the style of his rabbi predecessors, but interpreted through the eyes of faith. The religious zeal of the Jews for God and the law was admirable, but also excessive and misguided. Observing the law demanded a superhuman effort to attract the Messiah. Paul himself was familiar with this “zeal” when he was still called Saul (Gal 1:13). This kind of fanaticism later came to be called a political-religious movement and party of fundamentalists—the “Zealots.” But that was not the way. The Apostle shows the correct path with an expression that has become the foundational proclamation of Christian faith: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (9).