Thomas Aquinas Commentary Romans 10:1-9

"Brethren, my heart`s desire and my supplication to God is for them, that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For being ignorant of God`s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to every one that believeth. For Moses writeth that the man that doeth the righteousness which is of the law shall live thereby. But the righteousness which is of faith saith thus, Say not in thy heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down:) or, Who shall descend into the abyss? (That is, to bring Christ up from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach: because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus [as] Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved:" — Romans 10:1-9 (ASV)

1. After showing how the Gentiles have been called to faith by the election of God’s grace, and also how some of the Jews (that is, a minority who did not stumble and fall) have been called, the Apostle now discusses the fall of the Jews in more detail.

In regard to this, he does three things:

1. He explains the cause of their fall, over which he laments, showing that the cause of their fall is miserable.
2. He shows that their fall is not universal, at I say then (Romans 11:1).
3. He shows that it is neither unprofitable nor irreparable, at I say then (Romans 11:11).

In regard to the first point, he does two things:

1. He shows that their fall is lamentable, considering its cause.
2. He shows that it is not wholly inexcusable, at but I say: have they not heard? (Romans 10:18).

In regard to the first of these, he does two things:

1. He shows that he feels pity for the Jews.
2. He explains the cause of his pity, at for I bear them witness.

2. First, therefore, he says: I have said that the Jews have not attained the law of justice because they stumbled over the stumbling block. But I am not indignant with them; rather, I feel compassion. Therefore, I say to you, brethren, whether you are converts from the Gentiles or from the Jews—you are all brethren (Matthew 23:8)—the will of my heart is for their salvation. I desire that they be saved, just as I have been saved: I wish that all were as I myself am (1 Corinthians 7:7); would to God that all who hear me this day might become such as I am (Acts 26:29). In this, he was conformed to God, who desires all men to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4).

Not only his will but also his prayer is directed to their salvation. He adds the affection of his will, saying: and my prayer to God is for them unto salvation. Far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you (1 Samuel 12:23); pray for one another that you may be saved (James 5:16).

This makes it clear that we should pray for unbelievers, that they may be saved, because faith is a gift from God: by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8).

3. Then, when he says, for I bear them witness, he discloses the cause of his compassion: they sinned from ignorance, not from premeditated malice.

In regard to this, he does three things:

1. He cites their ignorance.
2. He shows the area of their ignorance, at for they, being ignorant of the justice of God.
3. He proves the truth of those matters about which they were ignorant, at for Moses wrote.

4. First, therefore, he says: I desire and pray for their salvation and I grieve for them, because I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God. That is, out of zeal for God they persecute Christ and his members: the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God (John 16:2). Paul is a good witness to this, because he himself had once been in a similar state of mind: as to zeal a persecutor of the Church (Philippians 3:6). But their zeal was not according to knowledge, because it was not guided by correct knowledge as long as they were ignorant of the truth: therefore, my people go into exile for want of knowledge (Isaiah 5:13); if anyone does not recognize this, he will not be recognized (1 Corinthians 14:38).

5. Then, when he says, for they, being ignorant, he shows where they were ignorant.

In regard to this, he does two things:

1. He makes his statement.
2. He explains it, at for the end of the law is Christ.

6. First, therefore, he says: I am right in saying that their zeal was not according to knowledge, for being ignorant of the justice of God—that is, the justice by which God justifies people through faith, the justice of God through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:22)—and seeking to establish their own justice, which consists in the works of the law and which, in their opinion, awaited nothing from God but depended solely on the decision of the one performing the works.

Consequently, he describes their justice as human and not divine, as he says above: if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about before men, but not before God (Romans 4:2).

For they... have not submitted themselves to the justice of God; that is, they refused to be subject to Christ, through faith in whom people are made just by God. Only in God is my soul at rest (Psalms 62:1); that the whole world may be subject to God (Romans 3:19); how long do you refuse to submit to me? (Exodus 10:3).

7. Then, when he says, for the end of the law is Christ, he explains what he had said: that they are ignorant of God’s justice and refuse to submit to him, while they seek to establish their own justice based on the law.

In regard to this, it should be noted that, as even the philosophers say, the intention of any lawgiver is to make people virtuous. Much more, then, was the old law given by God directed toward making people virtuous.

But the law was unable to do this by itself, because the law made no one perfect (Hebrews 7:19). Rather, it directed people to Christ, whom it promised and prefigured: the law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith (Galatians 3:24). And that is what he says: that the end of the law is Christ, to whom the whole law is directed. I have seen the end of all perfection (Psalms 119:96).

The end is that through Christ people may attain the justice the law intended: for God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, he condemned sin in the flesh in order that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us (Romans 8:3). And this is to everyone who believes, because God justified his own by faith: to all who believed in his name he gave power to become children of God (John 1:12).

8. Then, when he says, for Moses wrote, he proves the truth of those things about which the Jews were ignorant, namely, that God’s justice is more perfect than that of the law. He shows this on the authority of Moses, the lawgiver of the old law.

In regard to this, he does two things:

1. He shows from Moses’ words the condition of legal justice.
2. He shows the condition of the justice of faith, at but the justice which is of faith.

9. First, therefore, he says: I have correctly distinguished human justice from God’s justice, for Moses wrote that the man who practices the justice which is based on the law shall live by it. My text has: keep my laws and judgments, which if a man do, he shall live in them; and: they cast away my judgments, which if a man do, he shall live in them (Ezekiel 20:13). This is because by observing the law a person obtained the advantage of not being killed as a transgressor of the law: a man who has violated the law of Moses dies without mercy (Hebrews 10:28); everyone who curses his father or his mother shall be put to death (Leviticus 20:9), and so on for the other commandments.

10. We can also say that by observing the law a person was regulated in the present life, for the law promised temporal goods and commanded things which were bodily regulations imposed until a time of reformation (Hebrews 9:10).

But all this seems contrary to what the Lord answered the person who asked him, what good deed must I do to have eternal life? (Matthew 19:16 and following); for he answered, if you would enter life, keep the commandments (Matthew 19:17). Hence, a gloss on Romans 5:20, law entered in, says that justice based on the law conferred not only temporal benefits but also eternal life.

However, Christ’s words must be understood according to the spiritual sense of the law, a sense which refers to faith in him. Paul’s words, on the other hand, refer to the literal sense of the law, according to which the law makes no mention of eternal life.

11. Then, when he says, but the justice which is of faith, he quotes Moses on justice based on faith.

In regard to this, he does two things:

1. He shows the certainty of faith which ought to be in a person’s heart.
2. He shows the effect of faith, at but what says the Scripture?

12. First, therefore, he says: Moses speaks not only of the justice based on the law, but also of that based on faith. But the justice which is of faith speaks thus, that is, it speaks in a person’s heart, do not say in your heart—meaning, do not doubt—who will ascend into heaven? To reflect on this as though it were impossible is protested in Proverbs: who ascends into heaven and descends? (Proverbs 30:4). To ask, Who will ascend into heaven?, as if it were impossible, is to bring Christ down from heaven; that is, to assert that Christ is not in heaven. This is contrary to what is said in John: no one has ascended into heaven but the Son of man who descended from heaven (John 3:13), and He who descended is the same also who ascended above all the heavens (Ephesians 4:10).

Or again, do not say... who will descend into the abyss?—that is, into hell—as though considering this impossible. For to deny this is to bring Christ up from the dead; that is, to deny that Christ died. For after dying he descended into the abyss: I will penetrate to all the lower parts of the earth .

13. This explanation prevents any doubt about two articles of Christian faith: Christ’s ascension and his death and descent into hell. The first of these pertains to his supreme exaltation and the second to his lowest humiliation.

But it can be explained in another way, as giving us certainty about two other articles. First, the Incarnation, in which he descended from heaven to earth. Then the sense is: do not say in your heart: who will ascend into heaven? That is, to bring Christ down? This is as if to say: who can ascend into heaven in order to bring Christ down to us? This was not necessary, because he came down of his own power.

Second, it gives certainty of the resurrection. He continues: or do not say, who will descend into the abyss? That is, to bring up Christ again from the dead? This is as if to say: who can descend there to call Christ from there? This is like what is said in the person of the fool: no man has been known to return from hell .

This explanation accords with the words of Moses in Deuteronomy: this commandment that I command you this day is not above you, nor far off from you. Nor is it in heaven, that you should say: which of us can go up to heaven to bring it to us? (Deuteronomy 30:11–12).

Nor is it unseemly for the Apostle to attribute to Christ what Moses said of the commandments of the law, because Christ is the Word of God, in whom are all God’s commandments.

Therefore, one must interpret what he is saying—who will ascend into heaven? That is, to bring Christ down?—as if he were saying: who can ascend into heaven to bring God’s word to us? The same must be said for what follows.

14. Then, when he says, but what says the Scripture?, he shows the fruit of faith on the same authority.

In regard to this, he does three things:

1. He quotes the authority.
2. He explains it, at this is the word of faith.
3. He proves that the explanation is fitting, at if you confess... and believe in your heart.

15. First, therefore, he says: But what says the Scripture? It says this: The word is near you, even on your mouth and in your heart. For this is what follows after the aforementioned words in Deuteronomy: the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart (Deuteronomy 30:14).

This is as if to say: do not suppose that you lack the word of justifying faith just because Christ is in heaven according to his divine nature and descended into hell after the death of his human nature. For in descending from heaven and rising from the dead, he impressed the word of faith on your lips and in your heart.

16. Hence, the statement that the word is near you can be referred to the fact that we have obtained God’s word through Christ’s birth and resurrection: it was declared at first by the Lord (Hebrews 2:3); behold, I have given my words in your mouth (Jeremiah 1:9).

Alternatively, according to the Gloss, the word near should be understood with reference to usefulness, as we say something is near us when it is expedient or useful to us. For our heart is cleansed by the word of God: now you are clean because of the word which I have spoken to you (John 15:3).

Or it can be referred to the fact that the words of faith, even though they are above reason—many things are shown to you above the understanding of men ()—are nevertheless not contrary to reason, because truth cannot be contrary to truth. Your decrees are very sure (Psalms 93:5).

17. Then, when he says, this is the word, he explains the words above. First, he shows what that word is about which Moses speaks, saying, this is the word of faith which we preach. Preach the word (2 Timothy 4:2); he that has my word, let him speak my word with truth (Jeremiah 23:28).

Second, he explains how this word is on the lips by confession and in the heart by faith. This is what he says: for if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus—that is, recognize him as Lord by submitting your will to him, as it is said, and no man can say, ‘The Lord Jesus,’ but by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3)—

and believe in your heart with complete faith which works through love (Galatians 5:6), that God has raised him up from the dead—but you, O Lord, have mercy on me, and raise me up again (Psalms 41:10)—because as it is said, he rose by the power of God (2 Corinthians 13:4), which is common to him and to the Father, you shall be saved. This refers to eternal salvation, about which it is said: Israel is saved in the Lord with an eternal salvation (Isaiah 45:17).

When he says, the Lord Jesus, he is referring to the mystery of the Incarnation. When he refers to Christ’s resurrection, he had already mentioned these two articles above.