The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 312

l. Tm: U~-n-ERSALITY OF TITE GOSPF.L IS F:VIDENT FROM rrB VERY 1"Rl!:1!:NEBB, If the La~ h&d been able of itself to justify, it might hitve seemed as though the Gentiles were without hope. But when it is perceived thl\t the Law only lMds to Ohriet, and that in Christ a free forgivene..~ is granted to sinful man, at once the conolueion is forced upon us-then t.o every sinful man. And the conclusion is just; even ae Joel h&d foresoon, "Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shitll be saved." There needs but that faith which is involved in true repentance, a ,villinaness to be eaved by grace alone, and the salvation is ours. Let, then, the true cry for help go up from any human heart, 11.nd it is answered. But it follows that if, according to God's grace, Mlvetion is such that it is, in itself, possible to every man, he must design that it shall be brought within the reach of every man. Hence the succession of questions which Paul asks, arguing that God's design to s&ve sinful man, when calling upon him in truth, implies a design that it should be possible for man to believe in him as God IJJe Saviour, which again implies the he&ring him proclaimed, which again implies a preacher of the glad tidings, which a.,,Cl'll.in implies the sending of the preachers. Yes, if such is the salvation for sinful man, God must have instituted a universal apostolate for the nations. This indeed was so (Matt. xxviil. 19; Acts i. 8). But Paul argues it, that he may justify his own mission, partly; and partly also, we may suppose, to remind them that they, the Jews, should have been the nation of apostles, that this was indeed the very intent of their election, h&d they not made the counsel of God of none effect. 0 glorious calling! 0 grievous forfeiture of high blessing I II. Tms '01,"IVEBSALITY OF THE GOSPEL WAS ANTICIPATED BY THE LAW. What had Moses sa.id to them? "I will provoke you to jealousy," etc. They had provoked God by following aft.er other gods ; God would provoke his people by seeking other peoples (se.e Deut. :o.:xil. 21). lsa.ia.h stated boldly what in the earlier words was more obscurely hinted at," I was fonnd of them," etc. (see Isa.. lxvi.). Here also a repetition of eh. iL 30-33. These, however, are but samples; there wa.s enough in their Law, had not the veil been on their eyes, to show that they were bnt trustees for the world, and that one of their peculiar glories was that the Gentiles should come in the fulness of time t.e do homage to their God (see Isa. lx.). Israel "did know," or at least might have known. \ III. Tms UJ;IVEBSALITY OF THE GOSPEL WAS NOT DICONSIBTENT WITH THE EXOLU• SIDli ol' lsB.A.EL PBOX rre BLESSEDNESS. The terms were, for them as for all, " Who- soever shall call," etc. And, it being impossible to c:a.11 on One whom they had not heard. the hearing was certainly not withheld from them. It wa.s true even of gospel peaching, as of the voices of the heavens (Pa. xix.), that the sound had gone into all the earth. For everywhere the gospel had been preached "to the Jew first." Yes, God had not cut them off from the blessing, but they ha.d cut themselves off. It was trne, u Isaiah had ea.id, "All the day long," etc. So the pa.rabies of Jesus (Matt. xxi., xxii.). They might have been the chosen people for the glorious work of the world's salvation; but the election was broken by their unbelief. So, then, though GoJ might surely choose or lay a.side instruments as he would, in the carrying on of his work, he did not act without reason. It was because the Jews, bei.Dg exalted to heaven, cast themselves down to hell, that they might not be the heralds of his grace. They would not receive it; therefore they could not show it forth.-T. F. L. Ver. L-.A.:nxietgfor eke salualwn of our fellows. It is the lot of reformers to be twitted 88 renegades, and to be exposed to the taunt of indifference to the welfare of their old companions. Bo the apostle was charged with noxiously subverting ancient CUBtoinB, and he found it necessary to justify him.self even to Jewish Ohrietians against the reproach of wanton molestation of the hopes of Israel. It ie difficult for prejudice in ita blind OOI1J1erv&tism to see that the change proposed le intended for the further- ance, not the injury, of what is held most dear-the emancipation of the spirit by the transformation of the body. The apostle lays bare his heart to attest his intense yea.ming for the spiritual good of his traducers. L WHY Dm 'l'BE .A.P08TLE LOJl'G IIO ABDEIITLY FOB THEm SALVATION? He could not forget that the Ehviour died to draw all men unto h!lll8Clf. A sinner unaaved lessons the reward of t'ae " travail of his soul " and detracts from the possible glory of the on.x.1-21.) THE.EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS.