_Brethren, my heart's desire_, &c. Here the apostle proceeds to show the cause of that rejection of the Jews which he had spoken of in the preceding chapter, namely, their rejecting that way of obtaining righteousness and salvation appointed by God. And lest they should suppose he spoke out of preju... [ Continue Reading ]
_For_ That they have not submitted themselves to God's way of becoming righteous is evident in this, that they reject Christ, by whom alone righteousness can be obtained; _Christ is the end of the law_ The scope and aim of it; _for righteousness_ Observe, 1st, The righteousness here spoken of is evi... [ Continue Reading ]
_For Moses describeth the righteousness of the law_ The only way of becoming righteous by the law, when he saith, _The man that doeth these things shall live by them_ Not only a happy life in the land of Canaan, but in heaven, of which Canaan was a type and figure: (see on Leviticus 18:5.) That is,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Blot the righteousness which is of faith_ The method of becoming righteous by believing; _speaketh_ A very different language from that of the law, and may be considered as expressing itself thus; (to accommodate to our present subject the words which Moses spake touching the plainness of his law:)... [ Continue Reading ]
_For with the heart_ Not with the understanding only; _man believeth unto righteousness_ So as to obtain justification, regeneration, and holiness, in all its branches; _and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation_ So as to obtain eternal salvation. For if we so believe in Christ as to beco... [ Continue Reading ]
_For the Scripture saith_, &c. He proceeds to prove, by the Scriptures, the saving effects of faith and confession, spoken of in the two last verses. He refers to Isaiah 28:16, and perhaps also to Psalms 25:3. Or, he means, that this is the general doctrine of the Scriptures: _Whosoever believeth on... [ Continue Reading ]
_How then_ As if the apostle had said, From the promise of salvation made to them that shall call on the name of the Lord, I have inferred, that there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, as to the possibility of obtaining salvation from God; and from hence we may further infer, that the gosp... [ Continue Reading ]
_But I say, Have they not heard_ As if he had said, Their unbelief was not owing to the want of hearing. For they have heard; _yes, verily_, &c. So many nations have already heard the preachers of the gospel, that I may, in some sense, say of them as David did of the lights of heaven, _Their sound w... [ Continue Reading ]