Romans chapter 10
10:4 Christ is the end of the law: Israel mistook the purpose of the law. The law pointed to the righteousness that is
attainable only by belief in Christ. Israel also mistook the scope of the law. The righteousness to which it pointed was
universally available to all who responded to God's revelation of Himself through the law. But by Paul's time many had
substituted works for faith. Rather than seeking redemption in God's mercy, they pinned their hopes on their own
religious achievement.
10:6-9 Paul skillfully weaves together quotation from Deuteronomy 9:4 and 30:10-14, which speak of God's initiative
in grace and man's humble obedience to it. He then applies this truth to the gospel of Christ.
10:10,11 Confession is made unto salvation: One is not saved by his mouth's confession, but rather, the mouth
testifies readily of the grace of God in Christ which has been received by faith.
10:13 Whosoever: As chapter 9 stressed divine sovereignty in salvation, this passage stresses human responsibility.
Scripture does not view these two principles as paradoxical or contradictory, but as mutually compatible truths.
10:14, 15 In presenting the universal proclamation of the gospel, Paul presents the reasons why a universal
proclamation is necessary: First, because the call must be preceded by faith; second, because faith must be
preceded by hearing. This shows that knowledge is essential to belief. Faith must have a valid content (4:18ff.); third,
because hearing requires a preacher; fourth, because preaching requires being sent. The One who sends is God.
Salvation is completely from God.
10:17 The word of God: Better, "the word of Christ." The reference is to the oral communication of the gospel. (The
word translated "report" in verse 16 is translated "hearing" here.) Notice that it is not faith in what is heard, but faith
that comes about by what is heard. This is what Paul meant in 1:16 when he said the gospel "is the power of God
unto salvation." Saving faith is not man doing his part in response to God's having done His part (synergism). Saving
faith can come about only through the gospel. Salvation is God's work alone (monergism). This also shows that there
is no other way to be saved but by the explicit gospel of Christ.
Romans chapter 11
11:1 Hath God cast away his people? The question is asked in such a way that we know Paul expected a negative
answer. The question is answer by a direct denial, God forbid. This chapter is designed to show that God has not
abrogated all His promises to Israel. She is only temporarily laid aside. When God has finished with His largely Gentile
work in the church, Israel will once again be restored and flourish with the blessing of God. Notice that the church
does not take over all the promises to Israel. They are two very distinct works of God.
11:2-6 His people which he foreknew: Those with whom He was once intimately related. This deals with national and
not individual destiny and is a strong argument to show that God has not terminated His program for Israel.
11:7, 8: The election (lit., "the chosen one"): These are the believing Israelites, like Paul (verse 1) who have believed
and are being saved today. Were blinded: This is a judicial blindness. Like Pharaoh (9:18), Israel is blinded. This
fulfills Isaiah 29:10 (Matthew 13:14).
11;9, 10 Paul quotes from David (Psalms 69:22, 23) to show that David anticipated that such an experience would be
Israel's. God is working according to His eternal plan. The hardening of Israel will reach its height in the middle of the
Tribulation. Scripture anticipates the condition of Israel as it is today. God is not surprised; neither should we be. If it
were otherwise, we should be troubled.
11:11 Have they stumbled that they should fall? This is to ask whether Israel has stumbled so badly that they have
fallen completely out of God's program. Is there no future for Israel? Paul shows that Israel's apparent rejection is not
permanent because of God's purposes for Israel's rejection, and the promise of her restoration.
11:15 Israel's rejection brought the greatest blessing the Gentile world ever had-- the preaching of the gospel to the
world. When she is restored the blessings to accrue to the world will be even greater. Paul anticipates worldwide
millennial blessing and salvation.
11:16 The root: The root of the tree is the covenants promise to Abraham, which anticipated blessing to Jew and
Gentile. Israel's essential nature is holy (set apart for God's purpose). The first fruit signifies Abraham; the branches
refer to Israel individually.
11:17 Some of the branches...broken off: Israel is set aside, but there is a remnant. Wild olive tree...grafted in among
them: The Gentiles do not displace Israel. They merely partake of the root and the fatness of the olive tree. Paul
recognizes both a unity of the church with Israel as enjoying the same blessing, and a diversity--neither usurping the
other.
11:19-24 When God is finished with the Gentiles He will reinstate Israel. Israel was set aside because of unbelief. The
Gentiles have favor because of their belief. Therefore they should not be proud, but realized that intrinsic nature
does not matter to or deter God. They should realize that God is capable of setting the Gentiles aside and of grafting
Israel in again. This is precisely what He will do.
11:25 Mystery: Compare Matthew 13:11; Romans 16; 1 Corinthians 1:7-10; Ephesians 3:3. The fullness of the
Gentiles refers to the time when the last Gentile will have been saved and the church will be removed from the earth
by the Rapture. It is distinct from the Time of the Gentiles (Luke 21:24), which refers to the period of time from the
Babylonian captivity (587 B.C.) to the rapture of the church.
11:26-32 And so all Israel shall be saved: National salvation will come to Israel. This is the ultimate fulfillment of the
new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34) and will be realized when Jesus returns to the earth to set up His kingdom. Paul
weaves together Psalm 14:7, Isaiah 59:20, 21, and Jeremiah 31:31 to show that he understood the Old Testament
literally and that the Old Testament prophesied Israel's deliverance from sin. God cannot do otherwise because of His
promises to the fathers and His unconditional covenants. God has set Israel aside temporarily for the sake of the
Gentiles, but He has not forgotten them because of His promise to the fathers.
11:36 God is the source of all things--or him; God is the channel of all things--through him; God is the goal of all
things--to him; and Man's only proper response to God is to worship Him.
Romans chapter 12.
12:1 By the mercies of God summarizes all that God has accomplished for the believer in Romans 1-11 in justifying
the believer (chapters 1-5), enabling the believer to live a righteous life (chapters 6-8), and being faithful to Israel
(chapters 9-11). That ye present refers to a definite act of presentation. Your bodies: The body has been an
instrument of sin (chapter 6). Now it is to be presented to God as a channel through which the righteousness of God
is manifested.
12:2 Be not confronted (lit., "stop conforming yourselves"): They are to resist being poured into the mold of the
present thinking, value systems, and conduct of this world. This term is used only here and in 1 Peter 1:14.
12:3 The righteousness of God will cause the believer to conduct himself in humility in the local church (verses 3-8).
Paul meets two dangers that the individual faced in the exercise of his spiritual gifts. He might overestimate himself
and fail to exercise the gift God never gave him. Or he might underestimate himself and fail to exercise the gift God
has given to him. Paul shows that God has given each believer specific gifts to enable him to do what God wants him
to do. No one is excluded.
12:5 One body in Christ: See 1 Corinthians 12:12, 13.
12:9 Without dissimulation (lit., "without hypocrisy"). The Christian's conduct in the local church toward fellow
believers is to be a volitional caring for others, loving faithfully in spite of the response received. The love is to be
genuine and unfeigned.
12:11 Fervent (lit., "boiling over").
12:14 Bless (lit., "speak well of").
12:19-21 Give peace unto wrath: Paul quotes Deuteronomy 32:35 to show that only God has the right to avenge, and
He certainly will avenge. Heap coals of fire on his head (Proverbs 25:22): This may refer to a sense of shame or
remorse engendered when we treat an evildoer kindly. Paul is discussing personal, not national enemies. He is not
teaching pacifism.
Romans chapter 13
13:1 Let every soul be subject: Subjection to the government is the obligation of all mankind, not just Christians. It is
not optional, but an absolute necessity. The higher powers are established by God. See Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 2:13. But
see also Acts 5:29.
13:2 Damnation (Greek krima, "judgment"): This is not a reference to eternal judgment, but is still a judgment by God,
because God has delegated authority to human government.
13:3, 4 The minister of God to thee for good: The purpose of human government is to uphold the good and punish
the evil. Right and wrong is determined by the state. The Christian citizen is to fear and obey the government, as long
as the government does not demand citizens to violate God's Word. Governmental officials hold office by virtue of
God's appointment and are primarily the servants of God in their offices. The political leader is to actively uphold the
good. The sword is a symbol representing the authority given to government to protect its citizens by punishing those
who do what it has determined is wrong. It is important for Christians to be actively involved in government so that the
government's values are consistent with the Word of God.
13:8 Owe no man anything: Paul is not setting down the fiscal policy of paying only cash for everything, but is talking
about the Christian's social responsibility of not acting in such a way toward his fellowman that he incurs any debt
other than love him. This debt is never paid up. In doing this the believer will actually perform the righteousness to
which the law could only point.
13:11, 12 Sleep means insensitivity to the demands of Christ on the Christian's life. Now is our salvation nearer: The
coming of Christ to deliver us from the sinful world grows nearer every day. The night is the time while Christ is out of
the world,and the world has been delivered into the control of the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2). The
day is a reference to the time when Christ will return establish His reign of righteousness.
13:14 Make not provision for the flesh: One should not seek opportunities to satisfy the deep-seated desires of the
sin nature, but should seek occasion to manifest works that are consistent with the new life of Christ.