Thomas Aquinas Commentary Romans 10:18-21

"But I say, Did they not hear? Yea, verily, Their sound went out into all the earth, And their words unto the ends of the world. But I say, Did Israel not know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation, With a nation void of understanding will I anger you. And Isaiah is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I became manifest unto them that asked not of me. But as to Israel he saith, All the day long did I spread out my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people." — Romans 10:18-21 (ASV)

1. After showing that the fall of the Jews is pitiable because they sinned from ignorance, the Apostle now shows that their fall is not entirely excusable. This is because their ignorance was not unavoidable or rooted in necessity, but was in some way voluntary.

   He shows this in two ways: first, because they heard the teaching of the apostles; and second, based on what they knew from the teachings of the Law and the Prophets, beginning with the words, but I say: has not Israel known?

2. Regarding the first point, he does two things. First, he asks a question. We have said that faith comes from hearing and that people cannot believe in someone they have not heard. So he asks, But I say, have they not heard? This questions whether they could be totally excused for their unbelief, according to what is said in John: if I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin (John 15:22).

3. Second, he answers the question by appealing to the authority of the Psalm: their sound has gone out into all the earth (Psalms 19:4). This refers to the voice of the apostles, whose fame has reached every land, both of Jews and of Gentiles. As it is said, destruction and death have said: with our ears we have heard the fame thereof (Job 28:22), namely, the wisdom preached by the apostles. For the Lord had commanded them, go into the whole world and preach the Gospel to every creature (Matthew 28:19).

   The Psalm continues, And their words, that is, their distinctive message, have gone out to the ends of the whole world. This fulfills other prophecies: from the ends of the earth we have heard praises (Isaiah 24:16); and, I have given you to be the light of the gentiles, to be my salvation even to the farthest part of the earth (Isaiah 49:6).

4. It should be noted that, according to Augustine, these words had not yet been fulfilled when the Apostle spoke them, but he spoke as if they were, foreseeing their fulfillment. He uses the past tense for the future because divine preordination is certain to be fulfilled. David, whose words he used, also used the past tense for the future. Augustine said this because even in his own time, there were parts of Africa where the faith of Christ had not yet been preached.

   Chrysostom, on the other hand, says that what is stated here had already been fulfilled in the time of the apostles. He draws this conclusion from Matthew: and this Gospel must be preached in the whole world, and then will come the consummation (Matthew 24:14), that is, the destruction of Jerusalem.

   Each is correct in his own way. In the days of the apostles, some report that their preaching had reached all nations, even to the ends of the world, at least through their disciples and the apostles themselves. For example, Matthew preached in Ethiopia, Thomas in India, and Peter and Paul in the West. This is what Chrysostom means. However, it had not been fulfilled in the sense that the Church was established in all nations, which is what will be fulfilled before the end of the world, as Augustine says.

   Yet Chrysostom’s explanation is more consistent with the Apostle’s intention than Augustine’s. The primary excuse for their unbelief is not undermined by the fact that these unbelievers would hear something in the future. This does not imply, however, that a report of the apostles’ preaching had reached every single individual, even though it had reached all nations.

5. Does this mean that those the message has not reached—for example, if they were raised in the wilderness—have an excuse for the sin of unbelief? The answer is that according to the Lord’s statement (John 15:22), those who have not heard the Lord speaking, either in person or through His disciples, are excused from the sin of unbelief. However, they will not obtain God’s blessing—namely, the removal of original sin or any sin added by living an evil life; for these sins, they are justly condemned. But if any of them did what was in their power, the Lord in His mercy would provide for them by sending a preacher of the faith, as He sent Peter to Cornelius (Acts 10:5 and following) and an apostle to Macedonia in a vision to Paul (Acts 16:9 and following). Nevertheless, that they would do what is in their power—that is, by turning to God—proceeds from God moving their hearts toward the good: Turn us to You, O LORD, and we shall be turned (Lamentations 5:21).

6. Then, with the words, but I say: has not Israel known?, he shows that they were inexcusable because of the knowledge they had from the Law and the Prophets.

   First, he raises the question, saying, but I say: has not Israel, that is, the Jewish people, known the things that pertain to the mystery of Christ, the calling of the Gentiles, and the fall of the Jews? They knew fully, being instructed by the law (Romans 2:18). For he has not dealt thus with any other nation (Psalms 147:20), and we are happy, O Israel, because the things that are pleasing to God are made known to us .

   Second, with the words, first Moses says, he answers the question and shows that they did know, first through the teaching of the Law. When he says, first, Moses, who is the lawgiver, it should not be understood as if there were two men named Moses and he was speaking of the first one. Rather, it is because Moses was the first, that is, the chief teacher of the Jews—for there has not risen a prophet since in Israel like Moses (Deuteronomy 34:10)—or because he was the first among others to say this.

   Moses says, I will provoke you to jealousy by that which is not a nation; by a foolish nation I will anger you. Our text reads: I will provoke them by that which is not a people and by a foolish nation I will anger them (Deuteronomy 32:21).

7. Two points should be noted here. The first concerns the Gentiles. He says, not a nation, as if they were unworthy to be called a nation because the Gentiles were not united in the worship of one God: there are two nations which my soul abhors, and the third is no nation, which I hate . But he called the same people a foolish nation. If in some sense it could be called a nation, insofar as it is united and governed by human law, it is nevertheless called foolish, as if lacking true wisdom, which consists in the knowledge and worship of God. As it is written, you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds; they are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God (Ephesians 4:17–18). In this way, it refers to the Gentiles in their state before conversion.

   These two descriptions can also be applied to the Gentiles after conversion. They are called not a nation, meaning they are no longer living in a Gentile manner, as the Apostle says in the same passage: that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do (Ephesians 4:17). And converted Gentiles are also called foolish by those who do not believe: if anyone among you seems to be wise in this world, let him become a fool that he may be wise (1 Corinthians 3:18).

8. The second point is that he first mentions the jealousy, that is, the envy with which the Jews regarded the converted Gentiles: they make much of you, but for no good purpose (Galatians 4:17). Second, he mentions the anger with which they were provoked against them: the wicked man plots against the just man, and gnashes his teeth at him (Psalms 37:12).

   These two are fittingly joined, because anger springs from envy: anger kills the foolish, and envy slays the little one (Job 5:2). God is said to produce jealousy and stir to anger, not by directly causing the malice in them, but by withdrawing grace, or rather, by bringing about the conversion of the Gentiles, from which the Jews take the opportunity for jealousy and anger.

9. Second, he shows that they knew through the teaching of the prophets. He first quotes Isaiah, who foretold the conversion of the Gentiles, saying, but Isaiah is bold and says. That is, Isaiah boldly declares the truth, even though this would put him in danger of death: he goes forth boldly to meet armed men (Job 39:21). Isaiah says, I was found by those who did not seek me; I appeared openly to those who did not ask for me. Our text reads: they have sought me who before did not ask for me; they have found me who did not seek me (Isaiah 65:1).

10. He first mentions the conversion of the Gentiles, saying, I was found by those who did not seek me. This shows that the conversion of the Gentiles was beyond their own merits and intentions: Christ became a servant in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy (Romans 15:9). Regarding this discovery, Matthew says, the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found (Matthew 13:44).

    Second, he shows the cause and manner of their conversion. The cause was not that they found by chance what they were not seeking, but that they found it by the grace of Him who willed to appear to them. This is indicated when he says, I appeared, for the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men (Titus 2:11). The manner was that Christ did not appear to the Gentiles in the enigmas and figures of the Law but in plain truth; hence he says, I appeared openly. As the disciples said, Behold, now you are speaking plainly and not using a figure of speech (John 16:29). He says, I appeared openly to those, that is, the Gentiles, who did not ask for me, meaning those who did not ask for my teaching: they keep on praying to a god that cannot save (Isaiah 45:20).

11. Then he shows that Isaiah foretold the unbelief of the Jews, saying, but to Israel, that is, against Israel, he says: all day long I have spread out my hands to a people that does not believe and contradicts me. Our text reads: I have spread out my hands all the day to an unbelieving people, who walk in a way that is not good, after their own thoughts; a people that continually provokes me to anger (Isaiah 65:2).

12. That he says, I have spread out my hands, can be understood of Christ’s hands stretched out on the cross. They are said to have been held out all the day long, that is, for the main part of a whole day, namely, from the sixth hour until evening (Matthew 27:45). And although during that time the sun was darkened, the rocks were split, and the tombs were opened, the Jews persisted in their unbelief, blaspheming Him, as it says in Matthew (Matthew 27:39). Hence he adds, a people that does not believe and contradicts me. As it is written, consider him who endured from sinners such contradiction against himself (Hebrews 12:3).

13. Alternatively, it can be understood as referring to God stretching out His hands to perform miracles: while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus (Acts 4:30). The meaning then would be: all the day, that is, throughout the entire time of my preaching, I have spread out my hands by working miracles to a people that does not believe, even when they see miracles: if I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not have sin (John 15:24). He adds, and contradicts me, that is, slanders my miracles: by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, he casts out demons (Matthew 12:24); your people are like those who bring a charge against a priest (Hosea 4:4).

14. Third, it can be understood as God stretching out His hands to give benefits to His people, in accordance with Proverbs: I stretched out my hand, and no one paid attention (Proverbs 1:24). The meaning would then be: all the day, that is, throughout the entire time of the Law and the Prophets, I spread out my hands to give benefits to a people that does not believe and contradicts me: you have been rebellious against the LORD (Deuteronomy 31:27).