Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Romans 10
Verse Commentaries:
Chapter Level Commentary:
Who Makes Us Holy
FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL
This is a study guide commentary ,which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
Read the Romans in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.
1. First paragraph
2. Second paragraph
3. Third paragraph
4. Etc.
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS
A. Chapter 10 focuses on Israel's opportunities to respond to YHWH's gracious offer of salvation in Christ. Romans 9 discussed God's choice of the Jews for the purpose of choosing the world (cf. Gen_3:15; Gen_12:3; Exo_19:5-6) but the Jews refused to embrace His choice (i.e., covenant obedience, cf. Deuteronomy 27-29).
B. Paul is continuing to use the OT to make his case for the gospel (see Contextual Insights, E of Romans 9). This is characteristic of the apostolic sermons of Acts, which are known as the kerygma (i.e., that which was proclaimed). See Special Topic: the Kerygma at Rom_1:2.
C. The central truths of Rom_9:30 to Rom_10:4 are
1. The Gentiles have God's righteousness through faith in Christ
2. The Jews do not have God's righteousness because of their lack of faith in Christ
3. The Law could not give righteousness. It was a gift of God through faith in Christ and could not be earned by human performance (cf. Rom_3:21-31)
D. Bruce Corley and Curtis Vaughan in A Study Guide Commentary, Romans, published by Zondervan, pp. 115-116, have a helpful outline of the sins of the Jews
1. religious pride, Rom_10:2 a
2. spiritual blindness, Rom_10:2 b, 3a
3. self-righteousness, Rom_10:3 b
4. unyielding stubbornness, Rom_10:4 a
I also like their concluding remarks at the end of Romans 9 about Romans 10, "Election happens in the preaching of the cross (cf. 1Th_1:4-10), which explains how the classical defense of divine sovereignty (Rom_9:6-29) can be followed by the greatest missionary passage in the letters of Paul (Rom_10:1-21). The highest mandate to preach the gospel is the knowledge that, in doing so, God is faithful carrying out His electing purpose in Christ" (p. 114).
E. Like Romans 9, Romans 10 has numerous OT quotes.
1. Rom_10:5 - Lev_18:5
2. Rom_10:6 - Deu_30:12 with introductory allusion to Deu_9:4
3. Rom_10:7 - Deu_30:13 with an allusion to Psa_107:26
4. Rom_10:8 - Deu_30:14
5. Rom_10:11 - Isa_28:16
6. Rom_10:13 - Joe_2:32
7. Rom_10:15 - Isa_52:7 or Nah_1:15
8. Rom_10:16 - Isa_53:1
9. Rom_10:18 - Psa_19:4
10. Rom_10:19 - Deu_32:21
11. Rom_10:20 - Isa_65:1
12. Rom_10:21 - Isa_65:2
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.
1. If God's choice is so crucial why does Paul pray for Israel in Rom_10:1? Why is Rom_10:9-13 so emphatic on the need for human response?
2. What does Rom_10:4 mean? "Has Christ put an end to the law?"
3. List the elements involved in belief in Rom_10:9-10.
4. Why does Paul quote so often from the OT? How does this relate to a primarily Gentile church in Rome?
5. How are Rom_10:11-13 related to Romans 9?
6. How are Rom_10:14-15 related to world missions?
7. How is man's free will shown to be a part of man's salvation in Romans 10?