ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for Romans 10

Rom. 10:2 The Jews’ zeal and sincerity does not lead them to salvation. Many sincere “religious” people are wrong in their beliefs.

Rom. 10:3 On the contrast between the two ways to righteousness, see Gal. 3:7–14.

Rom. 10:4 End probably includes the idea of both goal and completion. The Mosaic law has reached its goal in Christ. Now the old covenant has ended. Since Christ is the goal and end of the law, righteousness belongs to all who trust in Christ.

Rom. 10:5 Paul quotes Lev. 18:5 regarding the righteousness that is based on the law. All those who keep the law will have life. But as Paul has already shown, all people violate the law (Rom. 1:18–3:20).

Rom. 10:6–8 Paul quotes Deut. 30:12–14 to show the contrast between the righteousness based on faith and the righteousness that comes from the law. There is no need to travel to heaven to bring Christ to earth, for God has already sent him into the world. Nor should anyone think they must bring Christ up from the realm of the dead, for God has raised Christ from the dead. What God requires is not superhuman works but faith in the gospel.

Rom. 10:9–10 if you confess with your mouth. Such confession gives outward evidence of inward faith, and often confirms that faith to the speaker. That God raised him from the dead implies a belief in all truth connected with the resurrection. This includes Jesus’ sin-bearing death, followed by his resurrection that showed God’s approval of his work (see note on 4:25). with the heart one believes. Saving faith is deep trust in Christ.

Rom. 10:11 Paul again cites Isa. 28:16 (compare Rom. 9:33) to emphasize that trusting in Christ (rather than good works) is the way to salvation. Shame here is the humiliation that those judged on the last day will experience when they are sent to hell.

Rom. 10:14–15 How then? With a series of rhetorical questions, Paul considers the chain of events necessary for a person to be saved. The logic of these verses is clear: (1) People will call on Jesus to save them only if they believe he can do so; (2) belief in Christ cannot exist without knowledge about him; (3) one hears about Christ only when someone proclaims the saving message; and (4) the message about Christ will not be proclaimed unless someone is sent by God to do so. Paul was so urgent about spreading the gospel to the ends of the earth because he believed that the only way to be saved was to hear and believe in the gospel. (Paul is not talking here about OT believers or infants; see note on 2 Sam. 12:23). beautiful . . . feet. See Isa. 52:7.

Rom. 10:16 Isaiah (Isa. 53:1) prophesies that not all will believe. In the context of Romans 9–11, Paul is thinking especially of unbelieving Jews.

Rom. 10:17 One can come to faith only through hearing the word of Christ, that is, the good news about Jesus Christ as the crucified and risen Savior.

Rom. 10:18–19 They who have heard the message probably refers to the Jewish people (see vv. 1, 19–20). Paul applies Ps. 19:4 to the proclamation of the gospel to emphasize that the Jews have heard the good news because the gospel has gone even to the ends of the world (that is, to the Gentiles). Israel should have understood from the prophecy of Deut. 32:21 that the Gentiles would believe.

Rom. 10:20–21 Isaiah 65:1 has been fulfilled. Gentiles who did not seek after God have now experienced God’s saving promises. Israel, on the other hand, has fulfilled the words of Isa. 65:2. They have rebelled and disobeyed the gospel message.