Romans 9:32

Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; WHEREFORE? BECAUSE [THEY SOUGHT IT] NOT BY FAITH, BUT AS IT WERE (RATHER SIMPLY, 'AS') BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW - as being thus attainable, which justification is not. Since, therefore, it is attainable only by faith, they missed it. FOR (it is more than doubtful whether this "for" stood originally in the text; but it was very natural to insert it) THEY STUMBLED AT THAT STUMBLINGSTONE, [ lithon (G3037) proskommatos (G4348)] - better, 'against the stone of stumbling, meaning Christ. But in this they only did,...

32._Not by faith, but as it were by works, etc. _As false zeal seems commonly to be justly excused, Paul shows that they are deservedly rejected, who attempt to attain salvation by trusting in their own works; for they, as far as they can, abolish faith, without which no salvation can be expected. Hence, were they to gain their object, such a success would be the annihilation of true righteousness. You farther see how faith and the merits of works are contrasted, as things altogether contrary to each other. As then trust in works is the chief hinderance, by which our way to obtain righteousness is closed up, it is necessary that we should wholly renounce it in order that we may depend on God’s goodness alone. This example of the Jews ought indeed justly to terrify all those who strive to obtain the kingdom of God by works. Nor does he understand by the works of the law, ceremonial observ...

30-33 The Gentiles knew not their guilt and misery, therefore were not careful to procure a remedy. Yet they attained to righteousness by faith. Not by becoming proselytes to the Jewish religion, and submitting to the ceremonial law; but by embracing Christ, and believing in him, and submitting to the gospel. The Jews talked much of justification and holiness, and seemed very ambitious to be the favourites of God. They sought, but not in the right way, not in the humbling way, not in the appointed way. Not by faith, not by embracing Christ, depending upon Christ, and submitting to the gospel. They expected justification by observing the precepts and ceremonies of the law of Moses. The unbelieving Jews had a fair offer of righteousness, life, and salvation, made them upon gospel terms, which they did not like, and would not accept. Have we sought to know how we may be justified before Go...

Verse Romans 9:32. _WHEREFORE?_] And where lies their mistake? _Being_ _ignorant of God's righteousness_-of his method of saving sinners by faith in Christ, _they went about to establish their own_ _righteousness_-their own method of obtaining everlasting salvation. They attend not to the _Abrahamic_ covenant, which stands on the extensive principles of _grace_ and _faith_; but they turn all their regards to the _law of Moses_. They imagine that their obedience to that law gives them a right to the blessings of the Messiah's kingdom. But, finding that the Gospel sets our special interest in God and the privileges of his Church on a different footing, they are offended, and refuse to come into it....

WHEREFORE? - Why? The apostle proceeds to state the reason why so uniform and remarkable a result happened. “They sought it not by faith, etc.” They depended on their own righteousness, and not on the mercy of God to be obtained by faith. BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW - By complying with all the demands of the Law so that they might merit salvation. Their attempted obedience included their prayers, fastings, sacrifices, etc., as well as compliance with the demands of the moral law. It may be asked here, perhaps, how the Jews could know any better than this? how should they know anything about justification by faith? To this I answer: (1) That the doctrine was stated in the Old Testament; see Habakkuk 2:4; compare...

EXPOSITION ROMANS 11:1 2. _The present position and prospects of the Jewish nation con-sidereal._ ROMANS 9:1 (1) _Deep regret expressed for the present exclusion of the Jewish nation from inheritance of the promises. _This section is not necessary for the main argument of the Epistle, which would have been complete without it for an exposition of God's righteousness, Romans 12:1. following naturally the conclusion of Romans 8:1., and these intervening chapters having no immediate connection with the preceding or succeeding context. But it was a subject too deeply

WHEREFORE? BECAUSE THEY SOUGHT IT NOT BY FAITH,.... The question is asked, why they did not attain to that, which with so much diligence they pressed after? the answer is, because, as they did not seek for righteousness in a right place, or object, they sought for it in the law, and the works of it, where it is never to be found by a sinful creature, and not in Christ, in whom only are righteousness and strength; so they did not seek for it in a right way, by faith in Christ, without which it is impossible to please God, and by which only true righteousness is discerned and received: BUT AS IT WERE BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW; not by works which looked like works of the law, and were not; but they sought it as if they expected their justification before God was to be by works of righteousness done by them; or as if it was partly by their own works, and partly by the goodness of God, accepti...

Paul begins by expressing his great sorrow because the Jews had rejected Christ. Romans 9:1. _I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:_ They hated Paul intensely; nothing could surpass the malice of the Jews against the man whom they reckoned to be an apostate from the true faith, because he had become a follower of Christ, the Nazarene. Yet note what is Paul's feeling towards his cruel countrymen; he is willing, as it were, to put his own salvation in pawn if by doing so the Jews might but be saved. You must not measure these words by any hard grammatical rule, you must understand them as spoken out of the depths of great loving heart; and when such a

ROMANS 9:32 e;rgwn {B} The Textus Receptus, following ac D K P Y 33 81 614 _Byz Lect_ itd syrp, h, pal goth arm _al_, adds no,mou, imitating Paul’s usage in Romans 3:20, Romans 3:28; Galatians 2:16 (thrice); Galatians 3:2,...

II. DISPENSATIONAL. GOD'S DEALINGS WITH ISRAEL. Chapter s 9-11. 1. Israel and God's Sovereignty. CHAPTER 9 _ 1. Paul's Yearning over Israel. (Romans 9:1 .)_ 2. What Israel Possesseth. (Romans 9:4 .) 3. God's Unconditional Election. (Romans 9:6 .) 4. God's Sovereignty. The Vindication of His Justice and Mercy. (Romans 9:14 .) 5. Mercy for the Remnant. (Romans 9:27 .) 6. Israel's Rejection of God's Righteousness. (Romans 9