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Text -- Romans 9:31 (NET)

Strongs On/Off
Context
9:31 but Israel even though pursuing a law of righteousness did not attain it.
Parallel   Cross Reference (TSK)   ITL  

Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Names, People and Places:
 · Israel a citizen of Israel.,a member of the nation of Israel


Dictionary Themes and Topics: Works | Unbelief | Sin | Salvation | Rome | Romans, Epistle to the | Predestination | Justification | Jesus, The Christ | Faith | ATTAIN | ARRIVE | more
Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
Robertson , JFB , Clarke , Calvin , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Poole , Haydock , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes , Geneva Bible

Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis , MHCC , Matthew Henry , Barclay , Constable , College , McGarvey

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Robertson: Rom 9:31 - -- Did not arrive at that law ( eis nomon ouk ephthasen ). First aorist active indicative of phthanō , old verb to anticipate (1Th 4:15), now just to ...

Did not arrive at that law ( eis nomon ouk ephthasen ).

First aorist active indicative of phthanō , old verb to anticipate (1Th 4:15), now just to arrive as here and 2Co 10:14. The word "that"is not in the Greek. Legal righteousness Israel failed to reach, because to do that one had to keep perfectly all the law.

JFB: Rom 9:30-31 - -- "What now is the result of the whole?" The result is this--very different from what one would have expected.

"What now is the result of the whole?" The result is this--very different from what one would have expected.

JFB: Rom 9:30-31 - -- "attained"

"attained"

JFB: Rom 9:30-31 - -- As we have seen that "the righteousness of faith" is the righteousness which justifies (see on Rom 3:22, &c.), this verse must mean that "the Gentiles...

As we have seen that "the righteousness of faith" is the righteousness which justifies (see on Rom 3:22, &c.), this verse must mean that "the Gentiles, who while strangers to Christ were quite indifferent about acceptance with God, having embraced the Gospel as soon as it was preached to them, experienced the blessedness of a justified state."

JFB: Rom 9:31 - -- "following"

"following"

JFB: Rom 9:31 - -- "attained not"

"attained not"

JFB: Rom 9:31 - -- The word "law" is used here, we think, in the same sense as in Rom 7:23, to denote "a principle of action"; that is, "Israel, though sincerely and ste...

The word "law" is used here, we think, in the same sense as in Rom 7:23, to denote "a principle of action"; that is, "Israel, though sincerely and steadily aiming at acceptance with God, nevertheless missed it."

Clarke: Rom 9:31 - -- But Israel, which followed after - But the Jews, who have hitherto been the people of God, though they have been industrious in observing a rule by ...

But Israel, which followed after - But the Jews, who have hitherto been the people of God, though they have been industrious in observing a rule by which they supposed they could secure the blessings of God’ s peculiar kingdom, yet have not come up to the true and only rule by which those blessings can be secured.

Calvin: Rom 9:31 - -- 31.But Israel, by pursuing, etc Paul openly states what seemed incredible, — that it was no wonder that the Jews gained nothing by sedulously follo...

31.But Israel, by pursuing, etc Paul openly states what seemed incredible, — that it was no wonder that the Jews gained nothing by sedulously following after righteousness; for by running out of the way, they wearied themselves in vain. But in the first place it seems to me that the law of righteousness is here an instance of transposition, and means the righteousness of the law; 315 and then, that when repeated in the second clause, it is to be taken in another sense, as signifying the model or the rule of righteousness.

The meaning then is, — “That Israel, depending on the righteousness of the law, even that which is prescribed in the law, did not understand the true method of justification.” But there is a striking contrast in the expression, when he teaches us that the legal righteousness was the cause that they had fallen away from the law of righteousness.

TSK: Rom 9:31 - -- followed : Rom 9:30-32, Rom 10:2-4; Gal 3:21; Phi 3:6 hath : Rom 3:20, Rom 4:14, Rom 4:15, Rom 11:7; Gal 3:10,Gal 3:11, Gal 5:3, Gal 5:4; Jam 2:10,Jam...

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Rom 9:31 - -- But Israel - The Jews. The apostle does not mean to affirm that none of the Jews had obtained mercy, but that "as a people,"or acting according...

But Israel - The Jews. The apostle does not mean to affirm that none of the Jews had obtained mercy, but that "as a people,"or acting according to the prevalent principles of the nation to work out their own righteousness, they had not obtained it.

Which followed after the law of righteousness - The phrase, "the law of righteousness,"means the law of justice, or "the just law."That Law demands perfect purity; and even its external observance demanded holiness. The Jews supposed that they rendered such obedience to that Law as to constitute "a meritorious"ground of justification. This they had "followed after,"that is, pursued zealously and unremittingly. The reason why they did not obtain justification in that way is fully stated in Rom. 1\endash 3 where it is shown that the Law demands perfect compliance with its precepts; and that Jews, as well as Gentiles, had altogether failed in rendering such compliance.

Hath not attained to the law of righteousness - They have not come to yield true obedience to the Law, even though imperfect; not such obedience as to give evidence that they have been justified. We may remark here,

(1)    That no conclusion could have been more humbling to a Jew than this. It constituted the whole of the prevalent religion, and was the object of their incessant toils.

(2)\caps1     a\caps0 s they made the experiment fully, and failed: as they had the best advantages for it, and did not succeed, but reared only a miserable and delusive system of self-righteousness Phi 3:4-9; it follows, that all similar experiments must fail, and that none now can be justified by the Law.

(3)\caps1     t\caps0 housands fail in the same attempt.

They seek to justify themselves before God. They attempt to weave a righteousness of their own. The moral man does this. The immoral man attempts it as much as the moral man, and is as confident in his own righteousness. The troubled sinner does this; and this it is which keeps him so long from the cross of Christ. All this must be renounced; and man must come as a poor, lost, ruined sinner, and throw himself upon the mere mercy of God in Christ for justification and life.

Poole: Rom 9:31 - -- Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness i.e. the unbelieving Jews, who paid great reverence to the law of God, regarding and observing ...

Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness i.e. the unbelieving Jews, who paid great reverence to the law of God, regarding and observing the outward precepts and ceremonies thereof.

Hath not attained to the law of righteousness they came short of that righteousness which the law requires, which God will accept, and which is to be attained, not by works, but by faith, as it follows in the next verse (see Rom 9:32 ).

Haydock: Rom 9:30-32 - -- What then shall we say? Or what shall we conclude from these testimonies of the Scripture, but this paradox, as St. John Chrysostom calls it, that t...

What then shall we say? Or what shall we conclude from these testimonies of the Scripture, but this paradox, as St. John Chrysostom calls it, that they who sought for justice, or sanctification, found it not, and they who did not seek it, found it; that is, the Jews, who sought for this justice by the works of their law, which they magnified so much, have not attained to that law that could make them just; whereas the Gentiles, who had no such written law to confide in, have only sought to be justified by the faith and law of Christ, by which they have met with justice, and sanctification? (Witham) ---

Behold what was wanting to the justice of the Jews! Scrupulous observers of the ceremonial law: esteeming too much their power, and pretended justice, they regarded the gospel and faith in Christ as of no advantage. Running in the path of the commandments with zeal, but without circumspection, they struck against Jesus Christ, who became to them a stumbling-block. They rejected him: they refused to believe. Thus did their works become dead works, without any fruit for eternity. (Calmet)

Gill: Rom 9:31 - -- But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness,.... The Israelites, the far greater part of the Jews, who were not called by the grace of G...

But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness,.... The Israelites, the far greater part of the Jews, who were not called by the grace of God, were all very zealous of the law, called "the law of righteousness"; because the matter of it was righteous, it was so in its own nature; and because perfect obedience to it is righteousness; as also because they sought for righteousness by the deeds of it. They very violently and eagerly pursued after it, they tugged and toiled, and laboured with all their might, as persons in running a race, to get up to the law, and the righteousness of it; and yet Israel, with all the pains and labour taken,

hath not attained to the law of righteousness: some of them fancied they had, supposing an external conformity to it, to be all that it insisted upon; not knowing the spirituality of it, that it required truth and holiness in the inward parts; and that he that offended in one point of it, was guilty of all, and therefore could not be justified by it.

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Rom 9:31 Grk “has not attained unto the law.”

Geneva Bible: Rom 9:31 ( 28 ) But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. ( 28 ) The pride of men is the reaso...

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Rom 9:1-33 - --1 Paul is sorry for the Jews.7 All of Abraham not of the promise.18 God's sovereignty.25 The calling of the Gentiles and rejecting of the Jews, foreto...

MHCC: Rom 9:30-33 - --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 beco...

Matthew Henry: Rom 9:30-33 - -- The apostle comes here at last to fix the true reason of the reception of the Gentiles, and the rejection of the Jews. There was a difference in the...

Barclay: Rom 9:30-33 - --Here Paul draws a contrast between two ways of feeling towards God. There was the Jewish way. The aim of the Jew was to set himself right with God a...

Constable: Rom 9:1--11:36 - --V. THE VINDICATION OF GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS chs. 9--11 A major problem concerning God's righteousness arises out o...

Constable: Rom 9:1-33 - --A. Israel's past election ch. 9 Paul began by tracing God's dealings with Israel in the past. ...

Constable: Rom 9:30-33 - --5. God's mercy toward the Gentiles 9:30-33 This short pericope concludes Paul's argument concerning Israel's past election and begins the train of tho...

College: Rom 9:1-33 - --9:1-11:36 - PART FOUR THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD IN HIS DEALINGS WITH THE JEWS We now begin our consideration of one of the most difficult sections of...

McGarvey: Rom 9:31 - --but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law . [Israel was not seeking justification. Their search was rather for a ...

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Introduction / Outline

Robertson: Romans (Book Introduction) The Epistle to the Romans Spring of a.d. 57 By Way of Introduction Integrity of the Epistle The genuineness of the Epistle is so generally adm...

JFB: Romans (Book Introduction) THE GENUINENESS of the Epistle to the Romans has never been questioned. It has the unbroken testimony of all antiquity, up to CLEMENT OF ROME, the apo...

JFB: Romans (Outline) INTRODUCTION. (Rom. 1:1-17) THE JEW UNDER LIKE CONDEMNATION WITH THE GENTILE. (Rom. 2:1-29) JEWISH OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. (Rom 3:1-8) THAT THE JEW IS S...

TSK: Romans (Book Introduction) The Epistle to the Romans is " a writing," says Dr. Macknight, " which, for sublimity and truth of sentiment, for brevity and strength of expression,...

TSK: Romans 9 (Chapter Introduction) Overview Rom 9:1, Paul is sorry for the Jews; Rom 9:7, All of Abraham not of the promise; Rom 9:18, God’s sovereignty; Rom 9:25, The calling of ...

Poole: Romans 9 (Chapter Introduction) CHAPTER 9

MHCC: Romans (Book Introduction) The scope or design of the apostle in writing to the Romans appears to have been, to answer the unbelieving, and to teach the believing Jew; to confir...

MHCC: Romans 9 (Chapter Introduction) (Rom 9:1-5) The apostle's concern that his countrymen were strangers to the gospel. (Rom 9:6-13) The promises are made good to the spiritual seed of ...

Matthew Henry: Romans (Book Introduction) An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans If we may compare scripture with scripture, and take the opinion ...

Matthew Henry: Romans 9 (Chapter Introduction) The apostle, having plainly asserted and largely proved that justification and salvation are to had by faith only, and not by the works of the law,...

Barclay: Romans (Book Introduction) A GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE LETTERS OF PAUL The Letters Of Paul There is no more interesting body of documents in the New Testament than the letter...

Barclay: Romans 9 (Chapter Introduction) The Problem Of The Jews (Rom_9:1-6) In Rom 9-11 Paul tries to deal with one of the most bewildering problems that the Church has to solve--the probl...

Constable: Romans (Book Introduction) Introduction Historical Background Throughout the history of the church, from postapos...

Constable: Romans (Outline) Outline I. Introduction 1:1-17 A. Salutation 1:1-7 1. The writer 1:1 ...

Constable: Romans Romans Bibliography Alford, Henry. The Greek Testament. 4 vols. New ed. Cambridge: Rivingtons, 1881. ...

Haydock: Romans (Book Introduction) THE EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL, THE APOSTLE, TO THE ROMANS. INTRODUCTION. After the Gospels, which contain the history of Christ, and the Acts of...

Gill: Romans (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO ROMANS Though this epistle is in order placed the first of the epistles, yet it was not first written: there were several epistles ...

Gill: Romans 9 (Chapter Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO ROMANS 9 The apostle having discoursed of justification and sanctification, and of the privileges of justified and sanctified ones,...

College: Romans (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION I. ROMANS: ITS INFLUENCE AND IMPORTANCE God's Word is a lamp to our feet and a light for our path (Ps 119:105), and no part of it shine...

College: Romans (Outline) VIII. OUTLINE PROLOGUE - 1:1-17 I. EPISTOLARY GREETING - 1:1-7 A. The Author Introduces Himself - 1:1 1. A Slave of Christ Jesus 2. Call...

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