| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
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| 1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
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To God for Israel – The whole twelve tribes. B206; C252; R2085:6
Might be saved – None will ever be saved by ignorance. R5575:4
I do not rejoice in their fall. R1970:2
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| 2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. |
I bear them record – I do not accuse them of indifference and willful unbelief. R1970:2
They have a zeal – The fault lay not in the zeal, which prompted labor and expense for others, but their fault was in the false ideas by which their zeal was inspired. R1071:3
With commendable zeal, but not according to knowledge, missionaries have gone to the heathen from Christian lands, in a spirit of devotion and self-sacrifice. CR19:5; R1071:3; NS19:5
They have great zeal for God, but they have a plan and way of their own, and are thus blinded and cannot see God's way and plan of justifying through ransom. R1970:2
To knowledge – There can be no salvation without knowledge. R5575:4
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| 3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. |
Being ignorant – They cannot see God's way and plan of justifying through a ransom. R1970:2
To establish – Through a keeping of the Law in every particular. R1970:2
Themselves – The energetic and ambitious among the worldly, whose motive power was not love, loyalty and humility, but selfish pride, vain-glory. R2368:3
Own righteousness – Which is impossible in their degenerate condition. R1970:2
Believing their saviors to be such as Socrates, Confucius, Zoroaster, Moses, Mahomet, etc., teaching acceptance before God not upon the merits of Christ, but upon their own merit and righteousness. R864:3, 761:2
The apostles of Satan are not saloon-keepers and white-slave traffickers, but for the most part "ordained" ministers. R5848:5*
Some are active in planting "roots of bitterness." It is necessary that the Church be sifted--tested. R2368:6
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| 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. |
Christ is the end – Or fulfillment. R1729:6, 5047:1, 1970:2, 972:1.
Fulfilled the claims of the Law against all under it. R542:3
Blotting out the Law, "nailing it to his cross." (Col. 2:14) R1724:6, 3752:3, 2121:5
Rightly terminated its dominion. R542:3
"Having abolished in his flesh the enmity of the law of commandments contained in ordinances." (Eph. 2:15) R5047:2
Only to those who have recognized the Lord Jesus as their Redeemer. PT377:2*
Jesus kept all the requirements of the Law and thereby became heir and inheritor of all the blessings which that Law had promised, and thus he made an end of those blessings, so far as others were concerned. Q432:T; R2121:5
The Law Covenant being abolished in the sense that its passing away is arranged for. R4619:4
End of the Covenant based upon God's Law. He will never put an end to God's Law. Q432:T
This does not mean that the divine law of the universe, forbidding sin, ceased at the cross. R1724:6
Of the law – The Law Covenant. F226, F380; R5047:1, 2268:6, 1729:6, 1725:5
For righteousness – Justification. R2268:6, 5047:1, 1725:5
We, in him, are just before the Law. R411:6, 3062:2
Christ righteously fulfilled the Law's requirements, and we in him are just before the Law. R411:6
Rightly terminated its dominion. R542:3
Every Jew; no others were ever under the Law Covenant. R3062:2, 5047:2, 2121:5, 1984:3, 1729:6, 1727:6, 1725:5
That believeth – But not to others. R5047:1, 3062:2, 1729:6
Who become Christ's followers. Q729:2; R4619:4, 4505:1
To the extent of becoming a follower of Christ and consecrating his restitution rights in death a living sacrifice, following the example of his Redeemer. R4505:2
To all such, love is the fulfilling of the Law. R315:2, 542:6
To this class, the Law Covenant was as dead. PT375:2*
The Lord arranged for these to share in the distribution of the blessings of the New Covenant. PT375:2*
To the remainder of the Jews that Law Covenant is as binding as it ever was. PT377:2*; Q167:2
It is not surprising when we remember their early prejudices in favor of the Law, that the spirit of truth was able to guide them but slowly into the full truth on this subject of the Law. R972:1
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| 5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. |
Moses describeth – In Lev. 18:5. R282:3, 5072:5, 1970:2, 1724:5, 789:1, 454:6
The law – The Law given to Israel at Sinai. R682:3
That the man – Christ Jesus only. R1725:2
Doeth those things – Does right according to the Law shall continue to live, and not die. R1970:2, 5465:3
Applies to all Israelites under the Law, even to this day. Q174:4; R4696:2
These were the conditions of the Law Covenant. R4330:3
They could not keep the Law. R410:6
The Law Covenant proposed everlasting life upon the terms of keeping the Law. R5072:5, 5128:1
In the Old Testament, there is no promise of eternal life, except in the Law given to Israel. SM43:4
The New (Law) Covenant, like the old one, will require obedience to the letter of the Law of God. R4442:2, 4760:6; CR326:4
It will be a gradual work: as they come into the terms of the New Covenant they will be blessed with life. R4760:6
The promise is a conditional one, the promise is that we shall abide in his love, his favor, whoever accepts of Christ's death. R4911:1
Shall live by them – Have the right to everlasting life. R5128:1, 4869:4, 1725:3, 573:2; Q197:T
By reason of their obedience would never die. R454:6, 573:2
The favor under the Law Covenant was, that if any Jew could keep the Law he should have a right to life, and should never die. R503:2
The same law which guarantees that the disobedient shall die, guarantees also that the obedient will live. R573:2
Since Moses thus wrote, none have succeeded in meriting life. R1970:2, 887:1*
Israel's hopes were soon blighted, for one after another died, giving evidence that none of them kept their part of the Covenant fully. R789:1
The right to live was secured by Jesus by obedience to the Law. R4905:4, 5342:4
God gave this Law to the Jewish nation, whose typical sacrifices foreshadowed the real sin-offering. R4765:5
By faith the Church now begins to enjoy this conditional promise, which depends upon their faithfulness to the end--their patient endurance. R4911:1
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| 6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) |
Of faith – The Christian exercises faith in the Gospel message. R5409:5
This thing is not hidden from them, neither is it afar off--difficult to understand. R1970:3
Speaketh on this wise – As Moses also said. (Deut. 30:11-14) R1970:3
Say not – Those who banish prejudice and exercise faith will not say. R1970:3
A Christian does not ask how any one could go to heaven to bring Jesus down to earth, or go to the grave to bring him up, a Christian will accept the facts as they are. R5409:5
In thine heart – Some were doubting that Jesus was the Messiah and was put to death and then rose again. R5409:5
Who shall ascend – Who ascended. R1970:3
Into heaven – Jesus came from above; holy, harmless, undefiled. R5409:5
To bring Christ down – To be our Redeemer. R1970:3,4
Such, having the ear of faith, already have their declaration of the divine will in the person of Christ. R3071:5
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| 7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) |
Or, Who shall descend – Or who descended, into the grave to bring Christ back from the dead. R1970:3
To bring up Christ – To instruct us. R3071:5
From the dead – God recognized the merit of Jesus' work and raised him from the dead. R5409:5
Faith accepts the coming of Christ from above, his death, his resurrection and ascension. R1970:3
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| 8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; |
The word – The truth which we preach. R1970:3
Is nigh thee – Not far off, not pertaining to another age, but obtainable now by faith. R3071:5
And in thy heart – Reasonable and plain to be understood, finding abundant foundation in the words of Jesus and the prophets and apostles. R1970:3
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| 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. |
With thy mouth – Confession with the mouth is the first outward evidence of faith in the heart. R3071:6
The Lord Jesus – You must openly and publicly confess that Jesus is Lord--your Master. R1970:3, 2164:3*
In thine heart – No matter how much one's mind is convinced of the truth, if his heart be stubborn he will not believe. R1970:4
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| 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. |
For with the heart – Not merely with the head. R5433:6, 2651:5, 2038:2
That it would thoroughly enter into us, that we be thoroughly convinced by it; to have no doubt. CR155:3
Brethren, get your hearts right, and then you will be able both to believe on and confess Jesus as your Lord. R1970:4
It affects anything and everything; it affects all the affairs of life. CR155:5
Heart reliance is faith in its concrete form. R1822:3
One can believe nothing in his heart that he does not to some extent comprehend. R2966:4
There is a way to many a heart if we seek to find it, blunt coarse ways are repellant. The heart must be won before the soul can be saved. R1784:1
Believeth – Both the head and the heart, the intellect and the affections are necessary faith. R1822:3
With some it is all emotion, with others it is all intellectuality, but neither of these can stand the tests of the fiery ordeal, they must abide together to endure. R1822:3
Unto righteousness – To a change of heart which aspires to righteousness. R2651:5
To live righteously is one of the best ways of proving our obedience to the Lord. R5436:1, 5476:1
With the mouth – Following faith comes confession, it is indispensable; those who do not tell others the joy that they have found are not of the kind worthy of a share in the Little Flock. SM763:2
We exercise faith in the heart before we make an outward profession, before we confess the Lord with our mouth. R5497:2
It is not enough that we shall be loyal in our hearts; but the Lord desires a public confession, a witness before men. R5539:4
We have no right to confess him with our mouth until we have believed unto righteousness. R5497:2
Confession is made – To witness--showing forth the praises of him who called us out of darkness. R5476:1
There are two reasons for the blessing we receive by confession; a witness to the world and a good effect on ourselves. R5436:4, 5476:1
And all the witnesses for the truth must be martyrs for the truth, they must be willing to suffer for it. R5539:4, 5476:4
Our Master said that whoever would not confess him before men, he would not confess before the Father and before the holy angels. R5539:4; 5497:2
Those who are laying down their present life in his service, should be devoted to his praise, the showing forth the glorious character and lovingkindess of our God. R5476:4, 5436:4
Unto salvation – Whoever thinks that the light he has received in his heart can be maintained without a public confession of it is deceived. R3071:6
Many are weak, puny, sickly, because of their failure to courageously, wisely, lovingly, declare the great things God has done for them. R3072:1
There is no salvation without a confession of the Lord; the two are inseparable. R5497:2
Those who can exercise the faith, but are restrained from telling to others the joy they have found, are not of the kind whom the Lord will count worthy of a share in the Little Flock. SM763:2
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| 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. |
The scripture saith – Isaiah 28:16. R3962:3
Whosoever – These words apply not only to Israel but to all mankind. R1970:4
Ashamed – Whoever is ashamed of Jesus, and especially of his doctrine of the resurrection is not in a saved condition. R1970:3,4
Whosoever shall call for mercy and reconciliation, on the basis of faith in the ransom, shall not be ashamed. R923:5
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| 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. |
No difference – Shown under the Gospel. R1970:4
When both have come into Christ. R3356:6
First offered to the Jews, then to the Gentiles--on the same terms. R1141:1
Between the Jew and the Greek – This shows that no matter how much preference was shown the Jew under the Law, there is to be no difference shown under the Gospel. R1970:4
All – All who are in Christ Jesus are one. R1696:6
That call upon him – "When prayer delights thee least, Then learn to say, Now is the greatest need That I should pray." R5382:4
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| 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. |
Whosoever – The first blessing of the Kingdom will come to spiritual Israel, the second or earthly blessing shall begin with Israel, yet it will not stop there, for all mankind may become Israelites indeed. D654
Shall call upon – For mercy and reconciliation, on the basis of faith in the ransom. R923:5
The name – "There is none other name given under heaven or among men whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) A100-101
Of the Lord – It is not only unscriptural, but unreasonable, to say that ignorance is a ground of salvation. R858:4
Shall be saved – Recovered, to that which was lost. R923:5
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| 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? |
Shall they believe – No one can be a Christian without first having a knowledge of Christ. Not merely a historic knowledge that such a person lived and died and rose, but a knowledge of the object and result of these. R761:4
Knowledge of Jesus and a grateful mental acceptance of the results of his work, constitutes believing in Jesus, as our ransom. R761:4
The world has not had divine approval; the heathen have not had the divine approval. R4989:4
Have not heard – Sonship has been extended to only a comparatively few during this Gospel age. R1007:6, 2375:2
None can call upon the Lord without knowing of him; hence the necessity not only that Christ should give "himself a ransom for all," but also that it should be "testified to all in due time." (1 Tim. 2:6) R923:6, 3025:6, 2122:3, 690:6*, 76:6*
Every member of Adam's race will be brought to a necessary knowledge, All shall come to the knowledge of the truth. R2122:3
There can be no salvation without knowledge. R2375:2
The call comes through the proclamation of the Gospel, each must hear for himself before he can accept. R5134:1; A101
Without a preacher – It is the privilege of all who come into God's family to proclaim these truths to others. R5134:1, 923:5
It is entirely proper to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles as well as to Israel. R1970:4
That which Christian people sometimes attempt to do in prayer should be done in preaching. It has not pleased God to save by prayer but by preaching. R5834:1
This does not mean necessarily public speaking, but includes also more private proclamation of the truth and also preaching by the printed page. R5834:1
Our loving Father has provided a preacher in that glorious anointed One, Head and Body. R290:5*, 405:6*
God has never left himself without a living witness in the world. R715:5*
It was necessary that the Church be honored with the Gospel message, in advance of the Millennial age. R3282:4
It was because Paul believed that faith in Jesus was the only way of salvation that he labored and sacrificed to spread that name. R761:4
How beautiful the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace (reconciliation through his blood, the remission of sins) and bring good tidings of good things. R1970:5
"The Scripture foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying: In thee shall all nations be blessed." (Gal. 3:8) R405:6*
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| 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! |
They be sent – The message of salvation thus far is to mankind only; we are not to try to reach the fallen angels. R2185:3
As it is written – In Isa. 52:7. R287:2, 757:2
The gospel of peace – Reconciliation through his blood, the remission of sins. R1970:5
Of good things – To come as a result. R1970:5
Paul quotes only a part of Isa. 52:7; the proclamation of many of the sweetest notes of restitution are reserved until now, during the sounding of the seventh trumpet. R287:2, 757:2
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| 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? |
Have not all obeyed – Will not all at first receive. R1970:5
Faith is the result of hearing God's truth. R1970:5
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| 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. |
Faith – In Christ's redemptive work. R1709:6
No man can come into harmony with the divine will without faith. R556:1*, 555:3*
Faith is a necessity to harmony with the mind of God. R555:3
Cometh by hearing – Not by mental impression; God honors and uses his faithful ones as his mouthpieces. R4345:1
The hearing of the message of the Lord. SM307:2
We must hear this Gospel of the Kingdom in such a way as to commend it to our judgment before we can have faith in it. R1581:6
None can believe except they hear, and none but the believing will have part in the Church's salvation now being effected. R4617:3
Instructing by word of mouth was the mode at first; the transition from oral to written teaching was gradual. R434:5*
Rebekah left the home to go to one she had never seen, to go to one of whom she had heard. R752:2*
By the word of God – The Scriptures. R1584:3
The good tidings originate with God only. R1581:6
In order to have faith one must study the Word of God and believe it. Q752:4; R69:4*
There is no intimation in Scripture that there is salvation to any without faith in the promises of God's Word. R1582:5, 555:3*; HG421:4
And hearing depends upon the message of God. CR19:6
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| 18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. |
Have they not heard? – Shall they not hear? R1970:1,5
Yes, verily – The Apostle quotes again from the prophet. (Psa. 19:4) R1970:5
Their sound went – Their sound shall go. R1970:1,5
The prophets seldom speak of things as future, but as though they were accomplished in the past. R1970:1
Into all the earth – "All men shall come to a knowledge of the truth." (1 Tim. 2:4) R2375:2
Ends of the world – When Paul wrote this, the Gospel could not have reached the vast countries then undiscovered and unknown. R1969:3,6
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| 19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. |
Did not Israel – The whole twelve tribes. C293; R2125:3, 1341:1
Know – Shall they not come to know, understand and appreciate the glad tidings? Yes! But not for a long time. R1970:5
I will provoke – I will have to provoke. R1970:6
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| 20 But Isaiah is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. |
Sought me not – Isaiah speaks pointedly of Israel's rejection of the message. R1970:6
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| 21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people. |
Gainsaying – Self-willed. R1970:6
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