Romans 10: “Faith Comes from Hearing”
1. “My Heart’s Desire and Prayer to God for Them”
“My heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.” (Rom 10:1)
Paul’s tone remains pastoral and sorrowful.
Though many Israelites reject Christ, he never stops praying for them.
Evangelisation begins not with debate but with love.
St John Chrysostom remarks:
“See the apostolic heart: even for his enemies he prays. Love makes him a priest for those who oppose him.”
(Homilies on Romans XVIII)
To pray for the conversion of others is itself a participation in Christ’s intercession.
2. “They Have a Zeal for God, but Not According to Knowledge”
“I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.” (v. 2)
Zeal without truth can lead astray.
Paul honours Israel’s passion for the Law but laments its blindness to the Messiah.
Faith requires both love and light.
St Ambrose:
“Zeal is good, but without knowledge it burns without enlightening.”
(On the Duties of the Clergy II.26)
3. “Seeking to Establish Their Own Righteousness”
“Being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.” (v. 3)
The “righteousness of God” means His saving grace, not a human moral achievement.
The tragedy of unbelief is pride — trying to earn what must be received.
St Augustine explains:
“They would rather be their own saviours than be saved; grace offends pride.”
(On the Spirit and the Letter 31)
This remains the temptation of every age: self-justification rather than humble faith.
4. “Christ Is the End of the Law”
“For Christ is the end of the law, that everyone who believes may be justified.” (v. 4)
The word end (telos) means both goal and fulfilment.
Christ is not the abolition of the Law but its perfection.
The moral Law finds completion in Him; its ceremonies find fulfilment in His sacrifice.
St Bede the Venerable:
“The end of the Law is not its destruction but its perfection, as fruit completes the flower.”
(Homilies on the Gospels, I.37)
5. “The Man Who Does These Things Shall Live by Them”
“Moses writes that the man who practises the righteousness which is based on the law shall live by it.” (v. 5; cf. Lev 18:5)
The Mosaic covenant promised life to those who perfectly kept the Law — an impossible task for fallen humanity.
Hence, its purpose was to prepare for grace.
St John Chrysostom:
“He shows that the Law demanded what it could not supply, that men might seek the Physician.”
(Homilies on Romans XVIII)
6. “The Righteousness Based on Faith Says…”
“Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart.’” (vv. 6–8)
Paul quotes Deuteronomy 30, showing that salvation is not far away or complicated.
Christ has already come down and risen up; we need not go searching for Him — only believe and obey.
St Augustine:
“Do not seek what is above you or below you; He is within you, if you believe.”
(Sermon 169)
Explanation: “Righteousness of Faith”
This phrase means the state of being made right with God by trusting in His mercy through Christ.
It is not “legal fiction” but real transformation — grace dwelling within the soul (cf. CCC 1987–1995).
7. “If You Confess with Your Lips and Believe in Your Heart”
“If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (v. 9)
Faith involves both interior belief and public confession.
This verse summarises the apostolic creed:
“Jesus is Lord” — a confession of His divinity.
“God raised Him from the dead” — a confession of His victory.
St Ambrose writes:
“Faith in the heart justifies; confession with the mouth crowns it.”
(On the Mysteries VIII.51)
To “confess” means to witness — before the Church and the world.
8. “With the Heart One Believes, and with the Mouth Confession Is Made unto Salvation”
“For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame.’” (vv. 10–11)
Faith and confession form one movement: inward trust, outward proclamation.
This verse inspired early Christian baptismal creeds and martyrdom confessions.
St Bede:
“The tongue must proclaim what the heart holds; thus the whole man is saved.”
(Homilies on the Gospels, I.37)
9. “No Distinction between Jew and Greek”
“For the same Lord is Lord of all and bestows His riches upon all who call upon Him.” (v. 12)
The Gospel unites all nations.
The universality of Christ’s lordship abolishes privilege and exclusion.
St John Chrysostom:
“The Jew no longer boasts, the Greek no longer despairs; both find riches in one Lord.”
(Homilies on Romans XVIII)
10. “Everyone Who Calls upon the Name of the Lord Shall Be Saved”
“For ‘everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’” (v. 13; Joel 2:32)
Calling on the Lord means worship — faith expressed in prayer.
The Fathers saw here a prophecy of the Church’s sacramental invocation: baptism, Eucharist, and liturgical prayer.
St Ambrose:
“To call upon the Name is to enter into His mysteries; the sacraments are the invocation of His saving power.”
(On the Holy Spirit II.11)
11. “How Are They to Believe in Him of Whom They Have Never Heard?”
“And how are they to hear without a preacher? And how can they preach unless they are sent?” (vv. 14–15)
Faith depends on proclamation — the Church’s mission.
Here Paul lays the foundation for apostolic succession: preachers are “sent” (apostellō) by authority, not self-appointed.
St Bede:
“He who is not sent preaches himself, not Christ; but he whom the Church sends bears the voice of the Bridegroom.”
(Homilies on the Gospels, I.37)
This verse underlines the necessity of evangelisation and the sacred ministry.
Explanation: “Apostolic Mission”
The Church teaches that salvation normally comes through hearing the Gospel proclaimed by those sent by Christ (bishops and priests).
This is why the Church is apostolic — built upon the mission of those commissioned by the Lord (cf. CCC 857–860).
12. “How Beautiful Are the Feet of Those Who Bring Good News”
“As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” (v. 15)
Paul quotes Isaiah 52:7 — originally about the herald announcing Israel’s return from exile.
Now it describes every preacher of Christ.
St John Chrysostom:
“The feet are called beautiful because they run to bring peace; the preacher’s steps echo the coming of God.”
(Homilies on Romans XVIII)
13. “But They Have Not All Obeyed the Gospel”
“For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?’” (v. 16)
Faith is not only hearing but obeying.
The tragedy is not ignorance but refusal.
St Augustine:
“The ear receives the word, but only the obedient heart believes it.”
(Sermon 179)
14. “Faith Comes from Hearing”
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (v. 17)
This is one of the most important verses in Scripture for the Church’s mission.
Faith is born not from private feeling but from the preached Word — Scripture, tradition, and proclamation within the Church.
St Bede explains:
“The ear is the gate of faith; what enters through hearing is planted by the Spirit in the heart.”
(Homilies on the Gospels, I.37)
15. “Have They Not Heard?”
“Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.” (v. 18; Ps 19:4)
Paul uses the Psalm to describe the spread of the Gospel through the Apostles.
What once referred to the stars now refers to the messengers of Christ — the light of the world.
St Augustine:
“The heavens declare the glory of God — that is, the Apostles, who shine by faith and speak by grace.”
(Exposition of Psalm 18)
16. “Did Israel Not Understand?”
“I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry.” (v. 19)
Quoting Deuteronomy 32:21, Paul shows that Israel’s rejection of the Gospel provokes its own eventual conversion — a divine irony of mercy.
St Ambrose:
“God uses jealousy to heal, not to harm; seeing grace among the Gentiles, Israel may desire it.”
(On the Faith IV.9)
17. “All Day Long I Have Held Out My Hands”
“All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.” (v. 21)
This final verse, quoting Isaiah 65:2, is one of Scripture’s most tender images of divine patience.
God’s outstretched hands symbolise both invitation and the Cross.
St John Chrysostom:
“Those hands extended all day are the hands stretched upon the Cross.”
(Homilies on Romans XIX)
18. Theological Summary
| Theme | Explanation |
| Righteousness of faith | Justification through trust in Christ, not works of the Law. |
| Confession of Christ | Faith must be lived and spoken publicly. |
| Universality of salvation | Jew and Gentile alike called to one Lord. |
| Apostolic preaching | Faith born from hearing the Church’s proclamation. |
| Israel’s unbelief | A mystery within God’s plan of mercy. |
| Divine patience | God’s mercy persists, arms open even to the disobedient. |
19. Moral and Spiritual Application
Pray for the unbelieving. Let your heart echo Paul’s intercession.
Confess Christ openly. Faith cannot remain private; witness is part of salvation.
Listen to the Word. Faith deepens through hearing Scripture proclaimed in the Church.
Support evangelisation. “How beautiful are the feet” — every preacher needs prayer and help.
Imitate divine patience. Hold out your hands in forgiveness as God does.
20. Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, Word made flesh,
You have brought near the word of salvation,
and through Your Church You speak to every heart.
Grant us faith to hear, courage to confess,
and love to proclaim Your name before all peoples.
Make our lips instruments of Your praise,
and our lives witnesses to Your mercy.
Gather Jew and Gentile alike into Your one Body,
that all may call upon the Name of the Lord and be saved.
You who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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