CHAPTER 10
10:1-4 - Sorrow for Jews
10:5-7 - Law vs. Faith
10:8-13 - Believe & Confess
10:14-15 - Hear & Believe
10:16-21 - Faith by Hearing
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1 Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.
2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.
3 For not knowing about God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Paul continues the train of thought begun in chapter 9 - remorse for His ‘people’ - the Jews. (See the introduction to Chapter 9, above.) Again, Paul expresses his desire that the Jews would come to Jesus as Lord and Savior. He notes the Jews have zeal, but it is misplaced. The Jews attempt to set up their own branch of righteousness based on works. Righteousness in God’s economy is based on faith: that is, believe and confess Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Whoever believes will be saved. The distinction between Jew and Gentile is erased - when righteousness is based on faith it makes no matter what your assumed birthright might be. When the gospel is preached, people can hear it. When people hear the gospel, they can believe. When they believe, they are saved.
But perhaps the Jews never heard.
Yes. They heard.
Perhaps the Jews didn’t know? Yes. They knew.
God has been calling out to them from the beginning.
V. 1 - “heart's desire and my prayer.” - A continuation of the hope the Israelites would come to faith in Christ Jesus. Verses 9:32-33 points out the Jews pursued righteousness by works and not by faith. Therefore they tripped and fell over the very one who could save them. Despite the persecution by the Jews, Paul prays for their salvation.
V. 2 - “they have a zeal for God” - One of the best things that can be said for the religious leaders is that they were passionate about their beliefs.
“Not in accordance with knowledge.” - They operate in ignorance. Just because you fervently believe, it does not follow that the end result of your beliefs is correct, or will end well for you. For example when you correct someone’s spelling of a word, and their reply is, “That’s the way I spell it”, does not make their personal ‘spelling’ correct.
This is a harsh reality. Think of all the religions in the world. Whether they are pagan and worship animals or plants, or various and sundry gods or goddesses; whether they are spiritualist in nature or works; whether they are "woke" or not - if the 'religion' is not based on salvation in Christ alone, the end is death. Not just physical death - all humans face that - but spiritual death, separated from God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit for eternity.
V. 3 - “Not knowing about God's righteousness” - God’s righteousness is beyond our comprehension, being perfect and holy. Our righteousness is based on faith and belief in Him. (See: Rom. 4:3, 9; 5:1)
How could the Israelites not know?! How could they miss that God is righteous? It was said and taught from the very first encounter between God and the Jews. I am not picking on the Jews. It is human nature to place our trust in the things we do. It is hard to measure faith - to determine if my faith is sufficient to appease the Lord. Am I believing correctly? Am I praying correctly? Will God hear me when I pray? How will I know? We can see what we do, measure the accuracy or correctness of what we do. The acts of worship become more important than the one we worship. This is the basis of a religion based on works.
“Seeking to establish their own” - Defining your own rules for righteousness tries to declare this sacrifice or that offering makes you righteous and acceptable to God. However, baptism does not make you sinless. Taking communion does not guarantee salvation. Neither of these activities make you a Christian - that is, a child of God, a co-heir with Christ.
The human reasoning may fall along these lines:
You can see that you are doing something.
Therefore that doing is significant.
For, if the doing is not significant, why are you doing it?
“They did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.” - I will place us in the same condition of rebelliousness as the Jews - we do not wish to do it God’s way. Gentiles are no different than the Jews in turning our backs on God’s salvation. Paul here is using the rebelliousness of the Jews to show how they have rejected Jesus as Messiah, and rejected God’s calling of them. Look back briefly at their history. See: Num. 14:22; Deut. 15:5; 2 Ki. 21:8; 2 Chr. 6:16; Isa. 48:18.
Jesus knew they were stubborn. (See: Luk. 16:29-31.) The stubborn Jews were the first of many who refuse to believe in Jesus Christ, who was crucified for you and me, and was raised from the dead to show us He has defeated sin and death.
It is not the works we do, but the person we place our lives upon that saves us. (See: John 6:28-29.) Nothing else matters except Jesus Christ.
V. 4 - “For Christ is the end of the law” - A couple of translations (NLT and NIV) read that Jesus is the “fulfillment”, or the “culmination”, of the law. The law stops at Jesus. It is no longer necessary. There is no other sacrifice needed in order to come to God. Jesus is the perfect sacrifice. No more lambs, no more bullocks, no more rams, no more blood needs be shed.
Some will ask, “What part of the law is null and void? The Ten Commandments? The ceremonial sacrifices and offerings? The inter-personal, community living rules and regulations? What remains?”
Jesus answered these questions. See: "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?And He said to him, 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.’" (Matt. 22:36-40.)
There is no longer any efficacy in performing the ritual sacrifices and offerings. The sacrifice of the Lamb of God, and His resurrection fulfilled the requirements of the law and thereby obviated any need for such activities. The person who commits his life to Jesus, and lives in His power does not need to contemplate how to keep the 10 commandments.
Does this concept negate what Jesus said about the Law? "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter will pass from the law until everything takes place.” (Matt. 5:17-18 (NET))
I don’t think so.
“for righteousness to everyone who believes” - Loving God and your neighbor will be a natural outgrowth of your faith in Jesus. We do not earn righteousness. We cannot. The Law showed that clearly. Believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior - God will confer upon you the righteousness of Jesus. Jesus will say, “This one is mine! This one has his name in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” God does not want your lamb, or your ram, or your bullock, or your grain offering. God wants your life, your commitment to Him through Jesus Christ. Worrying about the law, and which piece still remains or still applies becomes a diversion.
(Rom. 10:1-4)
