Romans 10:2

Romans 10:2. For I bear them witness. The reason for his desire and prayer is the fact to which he now bears his testimony.

They have a seal for God, i.e., of which God is the object, not great zeal, or, godly zeal. Their zeal was religious, conscientious, but misdirected.

But not according to knowledge. The word often means full knowledge, and is here used to denote correct, vital knowledge. Answering to the objective advantages of the Jews (chap. Romans 9:1-5) was this religious zeal, which degenerated into blind fanaticism. But this, we infer from the passage, is better than indifferentism. Where there is some earnestness, there is something to hope for. In this respect the condition of many in Christian lands is less encouraging than that of the Jews in Paul's time.