Romans 10:4

Romans 10:4. For Christ is the and of the law. The emphatic word is ‘end'; its meaning, however, is open to discussion. Explanations: (1.) Christ is the object, or aim, of the law. This may be expanded in two ways: (a.) The end of the law was to make men righteous, and this end was accomp lished in Christ; hence the Jews by rejecting Him did not submit themselves, etc. (b.) The end of the law was to lead to Him, hence by stumbling at Him, while seeking their own righteousness, they did not submit themselves, etc. The two may be combined; each of them preserves the force of ‘for,' as a proof of Romans 10:3. (2.) Christ is the fulfilment of the law. This, which is true enough, does not meet the requirements of this passage. (3.) Christ is the termination, conclusion, of the law. So many commentators, among them Meyer, who paraphrases: ‘For in Christ the validity of the law has come to an end, that righteousness should become the portion of every one who believes.' This ‘chronological' view has much to recommend it, especially the fact that there is such a sharp contrast made in Romans 10:5-6, between the law and Christ. On the other hand we may ask why should Paul quote from the law, if it had lost its validity? This view, moreover, does not furnish so strong a proof of the position of Romans 10:3, as (1.) which is, on the whole, the preferable explanation.

Unto righteousness to every one that believeth. If ‘end' is taken in the sense of ‘aim,' then ‘unto' expresses the result; if it means ‘conclusion,' then this clause indicates the purpose of the abrogation of the legal system. The emphasis here rests on ‘believeth,' since it was thus that men submitted themselves to the righteousness of God (Romans 10:3).