In this continuing study on the Epistle to the Romans, we come to a passage of Scripture that is often quoted without context. That’s why it’s very revealing to take a closer look.

What did the first listeners understand?

Again and again there is the danger that we detach these and similar texts from their context in order to interpret them arbitrarily. This text is popularly used to justify the concerns of a mission. Of course, the text can be applied in this way as long as we are aware that the writer had something quite different in mind.

The first question should always be: What did the writer say and mean and with what purpose? To this belongs the other side: What did the listeners understand?

Interpreting the text in its own context is always the first step to understanding it. Why is it here? The text is in three chapters (Romans 9-11) devoted to very specific questions. It is about Israel, and about the question of how to proceed with Israel. This was a significant question because the Gospels and the beginning of Acts were about the establishment of the kingdom for Israel (Rom 15:8; Acts 1:6).

A mission to all nations did not take place. Therefore, these verses may not be talking about today’s interpretations, but rather about the people and expectations back then. Perhaps nothing at all is said about the “whole world”, but we are moving here in a certain context.

To determine this, we must not only know what Paul wrote earlier in the letter, but we must also listen carefully to how things are said. This is what Paul wrote just before:

“For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth in Him shall not be put to shame. For there is no difference between a Jew and a Greek; for all have the same Lord, who shows Himself rich in all who call upon Him.”
Rom 10:11-12

The apostle connects the believers from Israel with the believers from all nations. He writes to the church in Rome. In this community, both groups are represented. They are all believers. The same Lord, who proves rich to all – this concerns just Jews and Greeks. Yet the apostle here – in this letter to the church in Rome – is addressing believers. It is not a statement about all Jews and all nations. Such things are only interpreted into it.

The Jews had zeal for God, but not in right knowledge, he wrote earlier (Rom 10:2). They sought their own righteousness instead of building on God’s righteousness. This problem does not automatically disappear when one becomes a believer and realizes that God makes His grace visible and effective through Jesus. From Paul’s many letters we can see that he had to deal with religious arrogance in the church again and again, just as Jesus did in His ministry. Today, He might have had to address His words to the believers from the nations, because of the self-righteousness among the nation-believers.

Who proves rich to all

The way to God’s righteousness is through faith. For then they could see that Jews as well as nations have the same Lord, who shows Himself rich in all who call upon Him, namely in both Jews in the congregation and in nations-believers in the congregation.

“For everyone who should call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Rom 10:13

Often this verse is applied to unbelievers as if to exclude something (like: “you just don’t call the name”). One separates because one infers beyond the text what is not there. One infers that the emphasis is on “anyone who does this and that.” However, this is not the case. The emphasis is on “each” in contrast to “some.” Paul was concerned to note that everyone in the church stands equal before God. The same grace applies, the same calling. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Not: Some of those who call on the name of the Lord will be saved!

If we read the text as listed here, many contradictions disappear. It is not about exclusion of unbelievers, but inclusion of all believers (and not only a part of believers). We are talking about believers in the church.

Invitation to believe?

Often these verses are interpreted as an invitation “to believe so that you will not be lost”. But this is not mentioned with a word. This interpretation puts you on the wrong foot. It is not a matter of excluding, but virtually of including.

The emphasis is on “everyone who should call on the name of the Lord,” so that both the Jews and the Greeks from the previous verse are included. They are put on the same level, so to speak. Paul connects. He makes it clear that Israel should have trusted only in God’s work from the beginning. This also applies to the believers from the nations.

The Outlook for the Restoration of Israel

Now we come to the actual section. He writes:

“How should they [Israel!] now call on Him in whom they do not believe?
But how could they believe in the one about whom they hear nothing?
But how would they hear from Him without one who heralds?
But how should they herald if they are not commissioned?
As it is written: How lovely are the feet of those who preach a gospel of good!”
Rom 10:14-15

The reference is to Isaiah:

“Therefore shall my people know my name; therefore shall they know in that day that it is I which say, Here I am. How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings glad tidings, who proclaims peace, who brings good news, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns as King! Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices, they all rejoice. For eye to eye they see the LORD returning to Zion. Break forth into rejoicing, rejoice all of you, you ruins of Jerusalem! For the LORD has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem! The LORD has uncovered his holy arm before the eyes of all nations, and all the ends of the earth see the salvation of our God.”
Isa 52:6-10

It is the prospect of the restoration of Israel when “the Lord returns to Zion,” when “the Lord has comforted His people,” when He “redeems Jerusalem.” Then all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God. Paul now quotes this verse, which is about the future of Israel.

But this has not yet been fulfilled. So there is a discrepancy between the future and what happened when Paul wrote. But this is exactly what Isaiah describes, which is why Paul quotes him several times. Isaiah writes only a few verses further:

“Who has believed our proclamation? In whom has the arm of the LORD been made manifest?”
Isa 53,1

Paul picked up this tension in Isaiah to use it to illuminate the current situation for Israel:

“Yet not all obey the gospel: for Isaiah saith, Lord, who believeth our tidings?”
Rom 10:16

Faith comes from proclamation

Thus, for Isaiah, salvation for Israel stood as a clear promise on the one hand, and unbelief on the other. Paul now recognized this extreme juxtaposition for Israel in his day as well. After all, the “obey” of the Gospel speaks of listening with the whole heart and putting into practice what one hears. Faith is not a “holding for-true” dogmas of any kind, but a turning to them with the whole heart, and therefore with the whole life. According to Paul, this is exactly what was lacking in a large part of Israel at that time.

“Accordingly, faith comes from knowledge, but knowledge comes by a saying of Christ.”
Rom 10:17

This is a general statement: this is how faith works. Faith comes from proclamation. Annunciation comes through a saying (speech) of Christ. It is the proclamation of what He has done and how God has accomplished His righteousness through Him.

As far as Israel is concerned, Paul refers on the one hand to the promises, but on the other hand also to what they could have already heard – and yet did not believe:

“However, I ask, have they heard nothing at all? Indeed! Into the whole land went out their sound, and to the ends of the dwelling earth their sayings. However I ask: Did Israel recognize nothing at all? First Moses says: I will provoke you to jealousy against those who are not a nation; against a nation without understanding I will make you angry (Deut. 32:21). Isaiah, however, dares to say: “I was found by those who do not seek Me; I was revealed to those who do not ask for Me” (Is 65:1). But to Israel He says, All day long I spread out My hands to a rebellious and gainsaying people (Isa 65:2).”
Rom 10:18-21

So in fact, despite the promises and what they heard, Israel did not realize anything. With quotes from the Old Testament, Paul also points out that those who did not know Him – the nations – found God. This is a clear reference to today’s church, which has stood in faith quite undeservedly. We have entered, without a mediator role of Israel, into a relationship with the living God, and that only by faith.

As nations, we didn’t even look for that. We should now be Israel to jealousy, not because we are better, but because we are allowed to stand in faith where Israel as a whole did not want to be at that time. God extends His hands to His people, but others have accepted His invitation. This is today’s community, this is us – with 2000 years of history by now.

No condemnation, but a view of God’s work

It is already apparent that unbelief – in which Israel stands as a people – did not come as a surprise, but was mentioned many times by the prophets. Not only was it named, but it was also to serve a function. Jealousy and anger should arise! This is remarkable. In the next chapter Paul writes:

“I ask now: Surely they do not stumble so that they should fall? May that not be inferred! But to provoke them to jealousy, by their mortification salvation was given to the nations.”
Rom 11:11

What is mentioned by way of suggestion can take on increasingly clear contours in the next chapter: Even in these contradictions of faith and unbelief, God’s activity is always in the background.