The Word Brings Salvation

Paul begins with his heart’s desire — that Israel would be saved. He testifies that their zeal is real but not grounded in knowledge, and he names the specific miss: pursuing their own righteousness instead of God’s. Christ is the end of the law for everyone who believes.

B¹rothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is for their salvation. ²For I testify about them that they are zealous for God, but not on the basis of knowledge. ³Because they were ignorant of God’s righteousness and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. ⁴For Christ is the end of the law, to bring righteousness to everyone who believes.

Paul contrasts two righteousnesses. The righteousness from the law asks the impossible — live by doing all of this. The righteousness from faith does not ask anyone to ascend or descend to fetch Christ; the word of faith is already near, in the mouth and the heart.

⁵For concerning the righteousness that is by the law, Moses writes: “The man who does these things will live by them.” ⁶But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down) ⁷or, ‘Who will descend into the Abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).” ⁸But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming:

The near word is the gospel: confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised him from the dead. The promise covers Jew and Greek alike — everyone who calls on the name of the Lord is saved.

⁹that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved. ¹¹It is just as the Scripture says: “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” ¹²For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him, ¹³for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Paul argues backward through a chain: calling requires believing, believing requires hearing, hearing requires preaching, preaching requires being sent — and faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

¹⁴How then can they call on the One in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? ¹⁵And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” ¹⁶But not all of them welcomed the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” ¹⁷Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

Paul closes the section by testing two excuses. Did Israel not hear? Scripture says they did. Did they not understand? Moses and Isaiah already foretold Gentile reception and Israel’s contrary disposition — leaving the question open for chapter 11.

¹⁸But I ask, did they not hear? Indeed they did: ¹⁹I ask instead, did Israel not understand? First, Moses says: ²⁰And Isaiah boldly says: ²¹But as for Israel he says: