The reason why the Jews were rejected was because they did not seek after the righteousness which is by faith, but clung to the law, and sought to be justified by its works. The Gentiles, who had no revelation, and who therefore did not seek after righteousness in the New-Testament sense, nevertheless attained it, accepting it when it was offered,* and not being hindered by the legal bigotry and pretension of the Jew; but Israel, following after the law, which, in itself, is holy and just and good, and which was intended to lead to Christ, pursued it only as an external standard of right- eousness, and on the side of legal observance, and so found a stumb- ling-block i in in the very Messiah to whom it led them.
* Godet compares the parable of ae man finding treasure hid in , the feta,
150 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Cu. XL
Cuarrer X.
The general statement in ix. 30-33 is developed.
(1-3.) Israel was zealous for God, but without discernment of the true meaning and tendency of the law. Hence, in the endeavor to establish its own legal righteousness, it missed the righteous- ness of faith, the nature of which is expounded in this epistle.
(4-11.) They did not perceive that Christ brings the legal dis- pensation to an end in introducing Himself as the object of faith and the source of justifying righteousness. They accepted only the declaration of Moses concerning righteousness, that the man who keeps the law shall live by it, and did not see that the law, properly understood, implied also the work of grace and depend- ence on God. They regarded righteousness as something remote and to be attained only by laborious effort; whereas even Moses would have told them that Jehovah's help was near at hand to as- sist them in the daily understanding and keeping of the law. No one need be sent to heaven nor beyond the sea to bring back the explanation of its commandments, or to enable them to fulfil them. Still more plainly, to the same effect, spoke the righteousness of faith in Christ. No need to ascend to heaven to bring Him down. He has already descended to earth. No need to dive into the depths of the earth to bring Him up. He has already risen from the dead. They have only to accept by faith His death and his resurrection, and to confess Him who has accomplished in Himself the two great things which needed to be done. Such faith shall not put them to shame. They shall be saved as if they had fulfilled all the necessary conditions themselves.
(12, 13.) Not only is this salvation free. It is also universal, to whosoever shall believe. Thus it appeals to the Gentile no less than to the Jew. It strikes at the notion that the Jew alone is the subject of messianic salvation; that the Gentile must enter the kingdom through the gate of Judaism. Both Jew and Gentile enter through faith only. There is no difference between the Jew and the Gentile. The Lord, who is Lord of both alike, dispenses His riches to all of both nations who call upon Him.
(14-21.) The Jew cannot plead in excuse for rejecting this sal-
Cu. XI] THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS. 151
vation, either that he has not heard it announced, or that its uni- versality is inconsistent with Old-Testament teaching. Both ex- cuses are shattered upon Old-Testament declarations. It was pro- phesied by Isaiah that Israel would not all submit themselves to the Gospel. The good tidings has been proclaimed, but they have not believed the report. Faith comes by hearing, and they have heard the Gospel in their cities and synagogues.* Had Israel any reason to be surprised at the universality of the Gospel—its pro- clamation to the Gentiles? On the contrary, did not Israel know ? Had not Moses and Isaiah prophesied that God would manifest His grace to the Gentiles, and that the Gentiles would receive it—yea, that through the Gentiles Israel should be brought back to God ? Did not Isaiah prophesy that, notwithstanding God’s long-suffer- ing and entreaty, Israel would prove a disobedient and gainsaying nation ?