What Is Romans 9-11 About? Part Two

Paul Communicates His Heart For The Israelites

Romans 10 begins in a similar way Romans 9 began.

Paul communicates his heart for the salvation of the Israelites who rejected Jesus and the righteousness he freely offered them.

Even though the people of Israel had a passion for God, they rejected the gift of righteousness God was offering them through Jesus.

Rather than accepting the righteousness God offered, the majority of Israelites rejected Jesus and pursued righteousness through the Law of Moses and through the requirements they added to the law (see Luke 18:9-14).

They failed to realize the goal of the law was to show them their sin and point them to Jesus as the Christ so they would believe in him for righteousness and eternal life (Romans 5:20-21; 7:7-24).

Moses And The Law/Jesus And Faith

In Romans 10:5, Paul contrasts righteousness through the Law of Moses and righteousness through faith in Jesus.

Righteousness through the law is based on doing (the person who does these things will live by them…see Romans 2:13).

Paul explains in Romans that no one has obeyed the law; therefore, no one is righteous (Romans 1:18-3:20).

Righteousness through Jesus is based on believing (Romans 3:21-5:21).

To show that righteousness through the law is based on doing, Paul quotes Leviticus 18:4-5, which reads,

You [Israel] must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the Lord your God. Keep my decrees and laws, for the person who obeys them will live by them. I am the Lord.

Judgments would come upon Israel if they failed to obey the law.

Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28-32 describe these judgments.

Keeping the law would place the Israelites in a righteous standing before God (Deuteronomy 4:8; 6:25), enabling to them to live and not be judged.

However, no one could obey the law, and, therefore, all were in need of Jesus.

Paul Re-Phrases Deuteronomy 30:12-14

In Romans 10:6-8, Paul takes three verses (Deuteronomy 30:12-14) familiar to the Israelites and re-phrases them in a way that points to Jesus.

In Deuteronomy 30:12-14, Moses tells the people that God’s requirements for righteousness are not something they have to ascend into heaven or cross the sea to obtain.

Rather, the law was brought near to them when they were taught the law by Moses.

As a result, the law was in their hearts and in their mouths.

They knew the law in their hearts, and they could speak the law with their words.

Therefore, they could not say to God during the time of judgment that he did not provide for them the requirements of the law.

Paul takes the words of Moses, concerning the law being brought near to the Israelites, to say that Jesus had been brought near to the Israelites.

To the unbelieving Israelites, Paul writes (Romans 10:6-7):

“Who will go up to heaven and get the Christ and bring him to earth for us?”

“Who will go down to the place of the dead and get the Christ for us?”

Paul is making the point to the unbelieving Israelites in his time that Jesus is the Christ, and he has been brought near to them.

God made the identity of the Christ (Jesus) very clear to the people of Israel during the time Jesus lived and after he ascended into heaven (Matthew-Acts).

The identity of the Christ was in their hearts…the people of Israel had been taught about him.

The identity of the Christ was in their mouths…the people of Israel could speak the name of Jesus.

God had not hidden the identity of Jesus from the people of Israel.

They could not say God had not revealed the Christ to them.

Paul’s encouragement to the Israelites was to acknowledge Jesus as Lord, meaning the Christ, and believe that God raised him from the dead.

By confessing Jesus as the Christ and believing in him, the Israelites would be justified.

NOTE: Many times Romans 10:9-10 is used to promote Lordship Salvation. However, this is not the context of Romans 10. To learn more about this, CLICK HERE.

Paul Quotes From Isaiah 28:16

To support the message he is communicating to the unbelieving Israelites, Paul quotes from Isaiah 28:16 of the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible), which reads,

“Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”

Paul previously quoted this same verse in Romans 9:33 when contrasting those in Israel who stumbled over the stone (Jesus) with the Gentiles who believed Jesus was the stone.

In Romans 9:30-32, Paul explained the Israelites did not obtain the righteousness needed for salvation because they pursued righteousness through the works of the law.

Though Jesus was clearly made known to them as the Christ, most did not believe in him as the Christ.

Therefore, they did not obtain the righteousness being freely offered to them in Jesus.

However, the Gentiles obtained righteousness because they placed their faith in Jesus as the Christ.

In Romans 10:11, Paul is saying the invitation remains open to the unbelieving Israelites to believe in Jesus as the Christ.

This invitation to believe was prior to the judgment to come upon the unrighteous violators of the Law of Moses when God would bring the Roman armies upon Israel in judgment.

Paul Quotes From Joel 2:32

The context of Isaiah 28:16 and Joel 2:32 is judgment upon Israel for their violations to the law.

However, Isaiah 28:6 and Joel 2:32 are life-preservers God was throwing to the Israelites so they could be saved from judgment.

The life-preserver was the coming of the Christ…Jesus.

Those who believed would be saved from the judgment on Israel (Isaiah 28:6).

Those who called upon the name of the Lord would be saved from judgment (Joel 2:32).

Peter Quotes Joel 2:28-32

Not only did Paul quote Joel 2:32, but Peter did as well in Acts 2:17-21.

In Acts 2, the people of Israel traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost as required by the law.

The Spirit had been poured out just as Joel prophesied in Joel 2:28.

According to Joel, the outpouring of the Spirit would occur during the last days of old covenant Israel and would precede the final law-based judgment on Israel (the Roman armies destruction of Israel in AD 70).

This judgment would be the final time armies of the nations would destroy the land, people, and cities of Israel.

Jesus foretold of this time in Luke 21:5-28 (see also Luke 19:41-44; Luke 23:26-30).

The Israelites who called upon the name of the Lord (the name of the Christ/Messiah) would be saved from this judgment.

In Acts 2:17-21, Peter describes the same judgment that Joel prophesied and Jesus foretold.

Salvation from this judgment for the people of Israel would be by calling on the name of the Lord…the name of the Christ/Messiah.

In Acts 2:22-41, Peter explains to the people of Israel that the name of the Christ they need to call on for salvation from the coming judgment (AD 66-70, the Jewish-Roman War in the land of Israel-Luke 21:5-28) is Jesus.

In Romans 10, Paul makes the same appeal to the unbelieving Israelites when he declares that Jesus is the Lord whose name they need to call on for salvation.

Salvation Was For The Jews And Greeks

Salvation was not just for the Jews, but it was also for the Greek.

For there is no distinction [difference] between Jew and Greek [compare with Romans 3:23],
for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him (Romans 10:12 NKJV).

The Greeks were those who made up the Roman Empire.

Recall the kingdoms of the statue in Daniel 2 that consisted of the Babylonian Empire, Medo-Persian Empire, Grecian Empire, and Roman (iron) and Israel (clay) Empire.

The Greeks under the leadership of Alexander the Great conquered the Medes and Persians, then the Romans conquered the Greeks.

Paul used the word Greek to describe those living in the Roman Empire who were not Jews.

The gift of righteousness was (and still is) for all people.

The gift of eternal life was (and still is) for all people.

Paul wrote that all (Jew or Greek) who call upon the name of Jesus will not only be saved, but they will also be richly blessed with forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal life (see the spiritual blessings of grace in Ephesians 1:3-3:6).

Paul Asks Six Questions

To understand the six questions Paul asks at the end of Romans 10, we must remember what he wrote at the beginning of Romans 10 concerning his desire and prayer for the salvation of the Israelites who had rejected Jesus as the Christ, and, therefore, were going to be judged in the final old covenant judgment.

Paul wrote in Romans 10:1,

Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God
for the Israelites is that they may be saved.

Paul wrote in Romans 10 that salvation from the judgment prophesied by Joel and restated by Peter would be by calling on the name of Jesus.

In Romans 10:14-18, Paul asks six questions concerning Israel’s hearing of the gospel of Jesus as the Christ, his death, burial, and resurrection, and righteousness by faith (Romans 10:16).

Question #1: How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in?

Judgment was coming upon Israel, and those who called upon the name of Jesus would be saved.

Yet Israel did not believe Jesus was the Christ.

Since they rejected Jesus as the Christ, as seen in Matthew-John, how could they call on his name and be saved?

Question #2: And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?

Paul answers Question #2 with his answer to Question #5:

Question #5: Did they [the Israelites] not hear? Of course they did.

Question #3: And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

Question #4: And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?

In between Questions #4 and #5, Paul quotes from the Book of Isaiah,

As it is written [in Isaiah 52:7]: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

The immediate context of Isaiah concerns the people of Israel being released from Babylonian captivity.

That was good news to those of Israel who had been held captive.

The feet of those who brought the message of freedom were beautiful.

Isaiah 52:13-53:12 also foretold of a future time when the Christ (the Servant) would come to Israel.

He would take the sins of Israel upon himself and bring righteousness to them (justify many - Isaiah 53:11).

However, Israel would reject him.

The Servant would die.

Yet he would see the light of life (resurrection).

The fulfillment of Isaiah 52:13-53:12 occurred during the life of Jesus.

He was the Servant.

There are seven quotations from Matthew - 1 Peter identifying Jesus as the central figure of Isaiah 52:13-53:12:

Matthew 8:14-17; John 12:37-41; Luke 22:35-38; 1 Peter 2:19-25; Acts 8:26-35; Romans 10:11-21.

The message of Isaiah 52:13-53:12 had gone out to the people of Israel in Paul’s lifetime.

Just as beautiful feet brought the message of freedom to the people of Israel held captive in Babylon, beautiful feet brought the message of Jesus to the people of Israel who were held captive by their sins.

However, as a nation, they rejected Jesus just as Isaiah 52:13-53:12 foretold.

Paul writes about this in Romans 10:16.

But not all the Israelites accepted the good news [about Jesus].
For Isaiah says [Isaiah 53:1], “Lord, who has believed our message?”

The message was that Jesus was the Christ.

Jesus proclaimed this message to the people of Israel [see John 12:37-38].

Peter and the apostles proclaimed this message to the people of Israel.

Paul and many others proclaimed this message to Israel.

By hearing the message of Jesus as the Christ, the people of Israel could place their faith in him for righteousness and be delivered from the judgment that was about to come upon them.

Paul emphatically states they heard the message about Jesus by asking Question #5.

Question #5: Did they [the Israelites] not hear? Of course they did.

Paul takes Psalm 19:4 and applies its principle to the Israelites of his day. 

He writes,

“Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”

Just as the voices of the heavens and skies proclaim the glory of God and the work of his hands in all the earth and world, the voices of God’s messengers proclaimed to Israel the good news that Jesus is the Christ.

The good news was first announced by an angel to the shepherds (Luke 2:8-11).

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they
were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will
cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you;
he is the Messiah (Christ), the Lord.

The good news was spread by the shepherds and many others throughout Israel.

Question #6: Again I ask: Did Israel not understand (know about the Christ…the good news)?

To answer this question, Paul quotes three verses from the Hebrew Bible to show that the people of Israel did know about Jesus as the Christ, yet they chose to reject him while the Gentiles of the nations accepted him.

The first verse Paul quotes is Deuteronomy 32:21 showing that the people of Israel knew about Jesus and the good news because they were present when the gospel went to the nations.

The people of Israel heard the gospel as it was proclaimed to the nations.

Paul’s Quotes Deuteronomy 32:21

“I will make you envious by those who are not a nation;
I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.”

Deuteronomy 32 is a larger part of the Song of Moses that began in Deuteronomy 31.

The song foretold Israel’s ongoing rejection of God and their breaking of the covenant of law as they joined with the nations in the worship of their gods.

Consequently, God would destroy them (Deuteronomy 31:17).

God had Moses write in a song the words of Israel’s rejection of him, their worship of the gods, and his judgment of destruction upon them.

This song would be a witness for God against the people of Israel (Deuteronomy 31:19).

After writing the song down, Moses assembled the leaders of Israel and said to them (Deuteronomy 31:28-39):

“For I know that after my death you are sure to become utterly corrupt and to turn from the way I have commanded you. In days to come, disaster will fall on you because you will do evil in the sight of the Lord and arouse his anger by what your hands have made [idols of the gods].”

Moses then recited the words of the song to all of Israel.

Included in this song were words about Israel (Deuteronomy 32:5, 20):

- becoming a corrupt people resulting in them no longer being God’s children.

- becoming a perverse and crooked generation.

Consequently, God would bring the law-based judgments of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28-32 upon them.

It is from this context that Paul quotes Deuteronomy 32:21 (BSB).

I ask instead, did Israel not understand? First, Moses says: “I will make you jealous by those
who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation without understanding.”

Deuteronomy 32:21 is a play on words from the larger context of Deuteronomy where God says the people of Israel made him jealous and angry by worshiping the gods of the foreign nations (see Deuteronomy 32:16-21).

In response, God would make the old covenant people of Israel jealous and angry by a nation that has no understanding.

This was happening in the first century leading up to AD 70 when Israel would be judged by the Roman armies.

Prior to AD 70, people from the nations of the Roman Empire were coming to faith in Jesus, while the majority of people of Israel rejected Jesus.

Consequently, the people of Israel became jealous and angry as seen in Acts 13:44-46 and 17:5.

On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.
When the Jews saw the crowds [Gentiles], they were filled with jealousy. They began to
contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him.
Acts 13:44-46 (see also Acts 14 concerning the jealousy and anger of the unbelieving Jews)

But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the
marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s
house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.
Acts 17:5

The jealousy and anger of the unbelieving Jewish people began in the life of Jesus and continued after his ascension (Mark 15:10; John 19; Luke 23; Acts 5:17; 21:27-31).

With this understanding, let’s return to the sixth question concerning the people of Israel where Paul asked if the people of Israel did not understand or know about the good news of Jesus.

Paul’s reply was of course they knew because they were present when the good news was proclaimed; but rather than believing in Jesus, they became jealous and angry.

They also knew because God had Moses write down in a song Israel’s corruption as a nation and their rejection of God.

This song was being fulfilled in the generation of Paul.

Paul then quotes from Isaiah 65:1-2 to prove the people of Israel understood the good news about Jesus but rejected it.

Paul Quotes Isaiah 65:1-2

In Romans 10:20-21, Paul quotes Isaiah 65:1-2.

And Isaiah boldly says,
“I was found by those [those in the nations] who did not seek me;
I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.”

But concerning Israel he says,
“All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”

Isaiah 65:1-2 states that God held his hands out to Israel for a long period of time, but they rejected him.

However, the nations (the Gentiles) accepted God when he revealed himself to them.

The revelation of God to the nations was through the proclamation of Jesus to them.

When Jesus was revealed to the nations, many accepted him.

When Jesus was revealed to Israel, most rejected him.

We see this unfold in Matthew-Acts.

Paul’s point in quoting these verses is to demonstrate Israel knew about the good news of Jesus; yet they chose to resist God and reject Jesus as the Christ.

Consequently, God’s judgment would soon come upon them.

This judgment is the wider context of Isaiah 65-66 when most of the Israelites would be judged in AD 70 while some would be saved.

The Reason Romans 9-11 Was Written

As a reminder, Romans 9-11 was written by Paul to prove the word of God concerning Israel had not failed (Romans 9:6).

Rather than having failed, the word of God concerning Israel was being fulfilled in Paul’s time.

To prove the word of God had not failed but was being fulfilled, Paul consistently referred to or directly quoted from the Hebrew Bible (where the word of God was contained for the people of Israel).

The Hebrew Bible foretold of Israel’s election as a nation and their rejection of Jesus as a nation.

As the elect nation of God, they were to shine the light of God to the non-elect nations.

Instead of shining the light of God to the non-elect nations, they joined these nations in the worship of the demonic gods of the nations.

By doing this, they became a corrupt and perverse generation as seen in Deuteronomy 32:5 and 20.

Peter Calls Israel A Perverse Generation

In Acts 2:40, Peter quotes directly from Deuteronomy 32:5 and 20 when he calls upon the people of Israel to save themselves from the perverse generation of Israel.

They would save themselves by calling on the name of Jesus.

This final, old covenant generation of Israel would experience the judgment of Joel 2 that would be carried out from AD 66-70 when God judged them for their violations to the law.

This is the judgment written in the Song of Moses in Deuteronomy 32 and foretold by Isaiah in Isaiah 65-66.

We will continue examining Romans 9-11 in Part Three as Paul asks a seventh question: I ask then: Did God reject his people? (Part Three will be available soon).

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