Albert Barnes Commentary Romans 10:14

"How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" — Romans 10:14 (ASV)

The apostle here refers to an objection that might be raised against his argument, beginning with the question, How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? (Romans 10:14). His doctrine was that faith in Christ is essential for justification and salvation, that this is necessary for all, and that without this, humanity must perish.

The objection was that they could not call on him in whom they had not believed, nor believe in him of whom they had not heard. Furthermore, the objection implied that this situation was arranged by God himself, so that a large part of the world was destitute of the gospel and in fact did not believe (Romans 10:16–17).

The objection had particular reference to the Jews. The basis for the complaint of injustice a Jew would make was that the plan made salvation dependent on faith, when a large part of the nation had not heard the gospel and had no opportunity to know it. The apostle addresses this objection, as far as it was important to his argument, in Romans 10:18-21.

The first part of the objection is that they could "not call on him in whom they had not believed." That is, how could they call on one whose existence, ability, and willingness to help they did not believe in? The objection is that in order to call on someone for help, we must be satisfied that there is such a being and that he is able to aid us.

This remark is just, and everyone understands it. But the point of the objection is that sufficient evidence of the Divine mission and claims of Jesus Christ had not been given to authorize the doctrine that eternal salvation depended on in him, or that it would be right to suspend the eternal happiness of Jew and Gentile on this.

Next, the scripture asks, And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? (Romans 10:14). This position is equally undeniable: people could not believe in a being of whom they had not heard. The implied objection was that people could not be expected to believe in one whose existence they knew nothing about and, consequently, could not be blamed for not doing so. It was not right, therefore, to make eternal life depend, among Jews and Gentiles alike, on faith in Christ.

Finally, the scripture continues, And how shall they hear without a preacher? (Romans 10:14). How can people hear unless someone proclaims to them, or preaches to them, that which is to be heard and believed? This is also true. The objection derived from this is that it is not right to condemn people for not believing what has never been proclaimed to them and, consequently, that the doctrine that eternal life is suspended on faith cannot be just and right.