For instance, if I am thirsty, how shall I quench my thirst? and how shall they preach unless they be sent? Glad tidings of good things, but not all who hear obey. 10:17 Greek NT: Westcott and Hort 1881 , . How necessary it was that the gospel should be preached to the Gentiles, Romans 10:14; Romans 10:15. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Jewish pretensions were therefore disposed of; not here by new and fuller revelations, but by this divinely skilful employment of their own Old Testament Scriptures. ( Romans 10:15 ). So, then, if a man called Jesus kurios ( G2962) he was ranking him with the Emperor and with God; he was giving him the supreme place in his life; he was pledging him implicit obedience and reverent worship. There is a kind of telegraphic quality about the writing. Moses prophetically assumes the departure of Israel from God, and his rejection of them, and . The past prepared the way, as it is said here, "which God had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures, concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, [here we have the great central object of God's gospel, even the person of Christ, God's Son,] which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh" (ver. gen-si-neu. The patience of God towards provoking sinners is admirable. Jesus in the garden prayed, "Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me." Finally he comes to two other witnesses; as from the Psalms, so now from the law and the prophets. (a) It is the normal title of respect like the English sir, the French monsieur, the German herr. The circumstances under which the epistle to the Romans was written gave occasion to the most thorough and comprehensive unfolding, not of the church, but of Christianity. (a) God gives faith. Romans 10:17 is a well known verse on the centrality of preaching: "So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God" (AV). Jesus said, "Straight is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads to eternal life and few there be that find it, but broad is the way and broad is the gate that leads to destruction" ( Matthew 7:13-14 ). It is not yet executed. A message of peace and of life, glad tidings of good things. I do desire ever, as a preacher, to feel that it is not my word but God's word that saves souls; we are to explain it and expound it, but we are not to add to it, take from or conceive that we can improve it. It was meant to make sin exceeding sinful. It is not a question of creature-standing. But he meets their proud exclusiveness in another way. How beautiful! Love is the great debt that we owe, which never can be paid, but which we should always be paying. Those that welcome the message cannot but love the messengers. Even though the door of salvation is open to Jews as well as to Gentiles (Romans 10:8-15), the majority within Israel still refuses to believe in Jesus Christ. There is hardly any phraseology that tends to more injury of souls in these matters than a loose way of talking of salvation. For belief with the heart is the way to a right relationship with God, and confession with the mouth is the way to salvation, For scripture says, "Every one who believes in him will not be put to shame," for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord over all, and he has ample resources for all who call upon him. Why, how could it be otherwise? Rather, it is asserting that, when someone trusted Christ and subsequently confessed Him as Lord, knowing that persecution was sure to come, that individual gave evidence of genuine salvation. Oh, how I love that phrase.That is why I love the ministry so much, because I have the privilege to bring to men glad tidings of good things. There. 6:5, 11.3, The Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts. Consequently the call of God, and not the birth simply makes the real difference. The apostle is therefore plainly in presence of the broadest possible grounds of comparison, though we shall find more too. (d) In the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures it is the regular translation of the divine name, Jahveh or Jehovah. If salvation for man is possible by any other means, if man can be saved by the law, if man can be saved by his own efforts, by his good works, if a man can be saved by sincerity, then, God, let this cup pass from Me. Well then, faith does not come and cannot come by such hearing. "Don't scold," said one. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (ver. out of favor with God, at enmity with eternal love, destitute of eternal life! Thus, by the guidance of the Spirit, the word finds out the man, and faith cometh by hearing. is the double prophecy. This, accordingly, is the essential spring of worship. Last of all, the apostle links up this fundamental treatise of divine righteousness in its doctrine, its dispensational bearings, and its exhortations to the walk of Christians, with higher truth, which it would not have been suitable then to bring out; for grace considers the state and the need of the saints. But, it is not needful for the feeding, of the hungry that we should on every occasion go into all those details, although we hold very sound views upon them. 7). Now, sometimes, persons have been led into faith in Christ, by feeling that those whom he sent to be testifiers to his person, death, and resurrection were evidently true to the core, and, therefore, their word was worthy of all acceptation. The first words express the design of the apostle through these verses, that there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, but they stand upon the same level in point of acceptance with God. What was it? God's Spirit has so prepared them that they have believed almost as soon as they have heard the saving truth. When it is the soul that is concerned I would say to the preacher, "Sir, do not flatter me, do not tell me that which will please but delude me; I do not want your flattery, I do not want your fine words. All the while God is wanting the Jews to come elbowing, which is a trait for them anyhow, to come on in and get close.Moses said, "I will provoke you to jealousy by them that were not my people. But if it were so, He had not done with them. Be sure to take our, Hi Bruce, welcome to BH-Stack Exchange, we are glad you are here. It is not the mercy of God., Many have contended that so it is, and to their own great loss, as well as to the weakening of the word of God. Your name is not on the list." Then the apostle introduces the ground, certainty, and character of God's judgment (verses 4-16). To hold the truth in unrighteousness would be no security. It could not be right, therefore, to condemn those who had not obeyed the gospel because they had not heard it; and hence, not right to make salvation dependent on a condition which was, by the arrangement of God, put beyond their power. Kurios Serapis is Lord Serapis. To believe in Jesus is a command from God's own mouth, and is, therefore, to be obeyed, and the more so, because "he that believeth not God hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son; and this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.". Following up with the teaching of the olive-tree, he carries out the same thought of a remnant that abides on their own stock, and points to a re-instatement of the nation, And I would just observe by the way, that the Gentile cry that no Jew ever accepts the gospel in truth is a falsehood. To be accurate, it contains the recorded words of Jesus Christ, interactions and words of God and inspired writings by those who interacted with them as well as history that led up to Jesus Christ. oh, wretched soul! It may well be that what we have here is the notes of some address which Paul was in the habit of making to the Jews to convince them of their error. "At any rate he is a saved soul," we hear. Having received, having heard, having known the grace of God through Jesus Christ, we are now obligated to let the world know of that same grace.I have a very good friend, Keith Erickson, whom I love in the Lord. There is a lot of saying and calling on and confessing and proclaiming, and a lot hearing, words and names and reports. Did we not say that faith comes from hearing, and hearing comes through the preaching of the gospel? Every mouth was stopped; the Jew by his own oracles, as the Gentile by their evident abominations, shown already. The law cannot make a person righteous before God, nor can it give a person a righteous standing before God. Why is christou translated God in KJV Romans 10:17? True faith has a more solid basis for its fabric than the fleeting fancies of the mind. He has set two things side by side; everything is of God, and everything is of human choice. God was rather provoking Israel to jealousy by the call of the Gentiles. It is agreed by all commentators that this is one of the most difficult and obscure passages in the letter to the Romans. To this then the apostle comes, after having spoken of the divine favour shown himself, both when a sinner, and now in his own special place of serving the Lord Jesus. He quotes from Joel, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Detail showing hand where bronze spear was once held, Polykleitos, Doryphoros ( Spear-Bearer) or Canon, Roman marble copy of a Greek bronze, c. 450-440 . He loved even here at the threshold to show the breadth of God's grace. The contrast of Christ with Adam takes in man universally as well as the Christian; and man in sin, alas! No, you would say, "The bone can be set at another time, but my life could not have been restored." You wrote at the bottom of your paper, which was awesome, The End of This Foolishness., Buddy In case I would get attacked by self-proclaimed Greek experts I started the article with, Now, I know this is not authoritative, so dont go Greek or Postal on me, and ended it with, The End of This Foolishness. Just a little (very little) humor. The beginning, progress, and strength of faith, are by hearing. (iv) The fourth objection is: "But what if Israel did not understand?" Then there is another and crowning part of the blessing: "And not only so, but also boasting in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the reconciliation." They are both true, so you can't reconcile. Romans 10:17 Cleaned up a little we get So the reality of things hoped for comes out of a message that is heard, and this message is heard as a spoken word coming through and from the total message of God. If you want your faith increased, study the Word of God. It is Paul's one desire that the Jews may be saved. This was no question of legal obedience, although the law came from Jehovah. 18 But I say, Have they not heard? It would come by hearing. First of all the apostle points out that death has come in, and that this was no consequence of law, but before it. Finally, Paul insists that, all through history, God has been stretching out hands of appeal to Israel, and Israel has always been disobedient and perverse. Word The Greek word is Rhema and can be translated loosely as a spoken word., Christ Here I am not going to provide a translation here but a substitution using an analogy used in John 1:1. This also is a most important truth, my brethren, to bear in mind. There is only one gospel (Galatians 1:6-7) and this is the truth (Galatians 2:5). "Paul, a bondman of Jesus Christ" an apostle "called," not born, still less as educated or appointed of man, but an apostle "called," as he says "separated unto the gospel of God, which he had promised afore by his prophets." So I would say to you when you hear us preach, sift the sermon afterwards, turn our sermons over, pick holes in them if you like, and find out our mistakes; but oh, do search into the truth, and be not content till you find it. "Incline your ear and come unto me, hear and your soul shall live." However plainly we may preach this truth, there will always be some who will misunderstand us, and as many more who will raise objections against it, as if it were their part to give an opinion, and not to do as they are bidden by the Lord. Yet, how many times we take the promises of God and say, "Oh, God, just help me to believe. He says his prayers every day. It only takes a minute to sign up. Now it was manifested, and not promised or predicted merely. If God had absolutely cast away His people, would there be such mercy? That is God's promise.So we have the divine sovereignty of God, but we also have the human responsibility of man, and you will not be saved unless you do call upon the name of the Lord. (1.) Sin had left its crimson stain, but He washed me white as snow." Moreover, men saw Christ, and yet pierced him and blasphemed him. or who hath been his counsellor? Nothing less, I am persuaded, than this full blessing is the line that God has given to those who have followed Christ without the camp, and who, having been set free from the contracted ways of men, desire to enter into the largeness and at the same time the profound wisdom of every word of God. 17.] No more the preacher's voice, saying, "Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die!" (Rom.10:14, The Message). For Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? It is insisted the fault must somehow lie with God. He takes their own books, and proves from one of them (Deuteronomy) that in the ruin of Israel the resource is not going into the depths, nor going up to heaven. 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Has God then no delivering power from this? He would not therefore have them ignorant how they had lain on his heart for a visit (ver. Why is "christou" translated "God" in KJV Romans 10:17? Did Gentiles believe? hearing by the word of God -- KJ (Majority Text) haramtos theou is found many times elsewhere. It is exquisite the delicate love with which he singles out distinctive features in each of the saints, men and women, that come before him. Yes, but this is another principle. and what is that regeneration worth which leaves a person an unbeliever, and, consequently, "condemned already, because he hath not believed on the Son of God?" It is but ask and have; what would we have more? You cannot believe in him unless you hear about him. Seeing that without faith it is impossible to please God, the grace supposed to be conveyed by the mere participation in sacraments is of small value, it cannot give the cardinal requisite for acceptance before God. ". 17.) In the same way the apostle disposes of all pretence on the score of ordinances, especially circumcision. Yes, they did hear. Because if you know God well you will have no problem trusting in Him at all.How can you know God? His patience in making these offers: All day long. Surely if equal birth-tie could ensure community of blessing if a charter from God depended on being sprung from the same father and mother, there was no case so strong, no claim so evident, as that of Esau to take the same rights as Jacob. Such is the principle. "His flesh was torn off by the whips, and he streamed down with blood, and his flanks were laid open by wounds." This is the key word of early Christianity. Nevertheless, what is in nowise the same as what was or what will be. But natural conscience, although it may detect evil, never leads one into the inward possession and enjoyment of good never brings the soul to God. So then, you must admit that faith comes by that report ex akoes, and therefore this report or message is necessary. When it is said that faith cometh by hearing, it is not meant that all who hear actually believe, for that is not true; but that faith does not exist unless there is a message, or report, to be heard or believed. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Keep doing what you are doing..I appreciate it . What does Romans 10:17 mean? However, it does not. It will be observed therefore, that in this connection the apostle shows the place both of conscience and of the law, that God in judging will take into full consideration the circumstances and condition of every soul of man. To set the whole matter clearly, we will suppose that you are laboring under a very serious disease, and a physician professes to heal you. See the extent of Paul's province, Romans 15:19; Romans 15:19. Jesus Is Addressed As Both Human And Divine We find Jesus being addressed by the human and divine usages of kurios. Romans 14:6. For me, I dont think we should apply such a narrow interpretation of this verse because faith really does come from the written word coming alive in our heart. pres-pas-imp. Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. 3rd-p si. Paul's joy and boast were in the gospel of God. This proves that to the regular ministry there must be a regular mission and ordination. Romans 10:17: "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (KJV), or "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ" (NASB)? Concerning this word the Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament (3:394) says, For Paul, faith is essentially a matter of obedience, just as a lack of faith is understood as disobedience toward God and his message. It is not enough to hear. Till they believed the true God, they were calling upon idols, O Baal, hear us. If a Jew is wealthy enough he will sometimes install a time switch to switch on the lights at dusk on Sabbath without his doing so himself. Christians must defend the gospel (Philippians 1:16-17) because it is linked with our salvation (Ephesians 1:13). It was about eating pork. Salvation isn't way off in heaven some place. James made note that faith in God was not something special: "You believe that there is one God. It was for this then that Paul describes himself as apostle. The answer is, that this will not do one whit better; for when we come down to the next generation, it is apparent that the two sons of Isaac were sons of the same mother; nay, they were twins. The rest of the chapter (7-25) is an instructive episode, in which the impotence and the misery of the renewed mind which attempts practice under law are fully argued out, till deliverance (not pardon) is found in Christ. In some cases, too, the coming of faith has been helped by hearing and perceiving the veracity of the subordinate testifiers of the gospel, I mean the writers of the sacred book, the prophets, and chiefly the apostles. May God bless you and may God work in your life this week in a very special way. Faith hath something firmer to stand upon than those ever-changing frames and feelings which, like the weather of our own sunless land, is fickle and frail, and changeth speedily from brightness into gloom. He was ordered to be beaten. Hence, as is shown later in the chapter, Adam is a head characterized by disobedience, who brought in death, the just penalty of sin; as on the other hand we have Him of whom he was the type, Christ, the obedient man, who has brought in righteousness, and this after a singularly blessed sort and style "justification of life." . It was not our effort which brought Christ into the world or raised him from the dead. or who hath first liven to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? The gospel is about Christ (Mark 1:1); is something to be believed (Mark 1:15); is so important it is worth our life (Mark 8:35); is a message to be preached to the entire world (Mark 16:15); is something Christians serve (Romans 1:9); is a standard to be used at the final judgment (Romans 2:16); is the beginning point for Christians and something we must steadfastly adhere to (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Paul was entirely ready to admit that the Jews were zealous for God; but he also saw that their zeal was a misdirected thing. Some imagine that faith comes by hereditary descent, and they act upon the supposition. Conscious deliverance, to be solid according to God, must be in the line of His truth. It is not doing, but believing; therefore it is what is proclaimed to them, and what they receive and believe. In the beginning ofRomans 2:1-29; Romans 2:1-29 we have man pretending to righteousness. It is evident, therefore, that dispensational position will not suffice for God, who holds to His own unchangeable estimate of good and evil, and who judges the more stringently according to the measure of advantage possessed. And this leads us to see not only where there was an analogy with those who believe in a promised Saviour, but also to a weighty difference. How are they to believe in him of whom they have not heard? Did not Israel know that the Gentiles were to be called in? Romans 10:17 . 34 RSV, NRSV, and NJB all use the word "justified." KJV, NKJV, NASB all use the word "righteousness." 35 "Salvation" (soteria) is used five times in Romans, and "save"(sozo) is used eight . Stretched forth my hands as offering reconciliation--come let us shake hands and be friends; and our duty is to give the hand to him, 2 Chronicles 30:8. The continuing unbelief of Israel 10:16-21. "How is this?" Paul is clear enough about the work of the Spirit in other places, and it is not needful that he should introduce that subject into every line he writes. Lanier (p. 75) pointed out, The message is FROM Christ; ABOUT Christ. All they have wanted has been merely to be informed of the way of salvation. What blindness! Cf. Let man be what he might, or where he might, God's good news was for man. May God forgive your long perverseness, and by his Spirit open your eyes to see the simplicity of that faith which comes by hearing the word of God. He still loves the Jews, independent as far as God's way of righteousness and all, but God still loves them, and thus, He blesses you, and says, "Oh, come and receive the kingdom and into the joys and the blessings and all." It is a wonder of mercy in God that his goodness is not overcome by man's badness; and it is a wonder of wickedness in man that his badness is not overcome by God's goodness. No, we will find out next week as we move into Romans 11:0 that God still has a plan whereby He is going to bring salvation to the Jew. The doctrine of faith therefore, which reposes on the cross, establishes law, instead of making it void, as every other principle must (verses 27-31). But now it is "the wrath of God from heaven;" and consequently it is in view of eternal things, and not of those that touch present life on the earth. Having long sought goodly pearls of truth, the illuminated eye catches the gleam of the gospel and discerns it to be a priceless gem. They yield "by mighty love subdued," unable to resist its charms, and as if they could hold out no longer, they throw themselves by an act of faith into the Savior's arms. But the righteousness which is of faith speaks like this, Don't say in your heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? If slurred over, as it too often is in souls, it invariably leaves practical obedience lame, and halt, and blind. They have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. In some other churches, though the theory would not be stated in so many words, yet it is practically accepted, and children of pious parents are regarded as scarcely needing conversion. But this may be comparatively a light question. Eternal Father, thou who art mighty to save, let not one among us go down into the pit with a lie in his right hand, refusing to accept the gospel of thy blessed Son! How far? In the gospel there is revealed God's righteousness. Hence, then, we find that the whole chapter is founded on this truth. On whose turn does the fright from a terror dive end? John calls Jesus by the Greek word logos. One possible rendering is the total concept of God, or the total message of God. But this great work of Christ was not and could not be a mere vindication of God; and we may find it otherwise developed in various parts of Scripture, which I here mention by the way to show the point at which we are arrived. Even where the law was, not by it but by faith the just lived. It quite suffices for practical purposes for you to tell me to go to the tap or the fountain. Rest assured, that as faith does not come by descent, neither can it be produced by any rite which recognizes that descent: it comes in one way, and in one way only in every case, and that is, by the hearing of the word. It is against the "unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness." So Paul's first answer is: "You cannot say there was no messenger; Isaiah describes these very messengers; and Isaiah lived long ago.". (ver. When the preacher takes up one by one the soul difficulties which prevent man from seeing what faith is, and keep him away from looking to Christ, and when he tries to show, as he should, that all the hope of the sinner lies out of himself, none of it in himself, that all his help for salvation is laid upon one that is mighty, even Jesus Christ the Son of God, and that he must look away from his own feelings, and prayings, and doings, and even away from his own believings as any ground of confidence, and must rest simply and alone upon the one sacrifice of Jesus; it has often happened that faith has come through the hearing of such an explanatory word.