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Brethren

See on 1 John 2:9. An expression of affectionate interest and indicating emotion.

My heart's desire (ἡ εὐδοκία τῆς ἐμῆς καρδίας)

More literally, the good will of my heart. See on Luke 2:14. Compare Philippians 1:15; Philippians 2:13; Ephesians 1:5, Ephesians 1:9; 2 Thessalonians 1:11.

Prayer (δέησις)

See on Luke 5:33.

To God (πρός)

Implying communion. See on with God, John 1:1.

For Israel

The best texts substitute αὐτῶν for them; those described in the last three verses of ch. 9. Bengel remarks that Paul would not have prayed had they been utterly reprobate.

That they may be saved (εἰς σωτηρίαν)

Lit., unto (their) salvation.

I bear them record (μαρτυρῶ)

Rev. witness. "He seems to be alluding to his conduct of former days, and to say, 'I know something of it, of that zeal'" (Godet).

Zeal of God (ζῆλον Θεοῦ)

Rev., zeal for God. Like the phrase "faith of Christ" for "faith in Christ" (Philippians 3:9); compare Colossians 2:12; Ephesians 3:12; John 2:17, "the zeal of thine house," i.e., "for thy house."

Knowledge (ἐπίγνωσιν)

Full or correct and vital knowledge. See on Romans 1:28; see on Romans 3:20.

God's righteousness

That mentioned in Romans 9:30. Compare Philippians 3:9; Romans 1:16, Romans 1:17; Romans 3:20-22.

To establish (στῆσαι)

Or set up, indicating their pride in their endeavor. They would erect a righteousness of their own as a monument to their own glory and not to God's.

The end of the law (τέλος νόμου)

First in the sentence as the emphatic point of thought. Expositors differ as to the sense. 1. The aim. Either that the intent of the law was to make men righteous, which was accomplished in Christ, or that the law led to Him as a pedagogue (Galatians 3:24). 2. The fulfillment, as Matthew 5:17. 3. The termination. To believers in Christ the law has no longer legislative authority to say, "Do this and live; do this or die" (Morison). The last is preferable. Paul is discussing two materially exclusive systems, the one based on doing, the other on believing. The system of faith, represented by Christ, brings to an end and excludes the system of law; and the Jews, in holding by the system of law, fail of the righteousness which is by faith. Compare Galatians 2:16; Galatians 3:2-14.

Describeth the righteousness - that (γράφει τὴν δικαιοσύνην - ὅτι)

The best texts transfer ὅτι that, and read γράφει ὅτι, etc. Moses writeth that the man, etc. See Leviticus 18:5.

Those things - by them (αὐτὰ - ἐν αὐτοῖς)

Omit those things, and read for ἐν αὐτοῖς by them, ἐν αὐτῇ by it, i.e., the righteousness which is of the law. The whole, as Rev., Moses writeth that the man that doeth the righteousness which is of the law shall live thereby.

The righteousness which is of faith (ἡ ἐκ πίστεως δικαιοσύνη).

The of-faith righteousness. Righteousness is personified. Paul makes the righteousness of faith describe itself. Of faith, ἐκ from. Marking the source.

Speaketh on this wise (οὕτως λέγει)

The quotation in Romans 10:6-8 is a free citation from Deuteronomy 30:11-14. Paul recognizes a secondary meaning in Moses' words, and thus changes the original expressions so as to apply them to the Christian faith-system. His object in the change is indicated by the explanatory words which he adds. He does not formally declare that Moses describes the righteousness of faith in these words, but appropriates the words of Moses, putting them into the mouth of the personified faith-righteousness.

Say not in thy heart

In thy heart is added by Paul. The phrase say in the heart is a Hebraism for think, compare Psalm 14:1; Psalm 36:1; Psalm 10:11. Usually of an evil thought. Compare Matthew 3:9; Matthew 24:48; Revelation 18:7.

Who shall ascend into heaven?

The Septuagint adds for us, and bring it to us, and hearing it we will do it.

To bring down

Interpreting the Septuagint, and bring it to us.

Descend into the deep

Rev., abyss. Septuagint, Who shall pass through to beyond the sea? See on Luke 8:31. Paul changes the phrase in order to adapt it to the descent of Christ into Hades. The two ideas may be reconciled in the fact that the Jew conceived the sea as the abyss of waters on which the earth rested. Compare Exodus 20:4. Thus the ideas beyond the sea and beneath the earth coincide in designating the realm of the dead. Compare Homer's picture of the region of the dead beyond the Ocean-stream:

"As soon as thou shalt cross.

Oceanus, and come to the low shore

And groves of Proserpine, the lofty groups

Of poplars, and the willows that let fall

Their withered fruit, moor thou thy galley there

In the deep eddies of Oceanus,

And pass to Pluto's comfortless abode."

"Odyssey," x. 508-513.

"Our bark

Reached the far confines of Oceanus.

There lies the land and there the people dwell

Of the Cimmerians, in eternal cloud

And darkness."

"Odyssey," xi. 13-15.

To bring up

There is no need. He is already risen.

The word is nigh thee

Septuagint, Very nigh thee is the word. The word is the whole subject-matter of the Gospel. See Romans 10:9. Moses used it of the law. See on Luke 1:37. The whole quotation in the Hebrew is as follows: "It (the commandment) is not in heaven, that ye should say, Who will ascend for us to heaven, and bring it to us, and make us hear it that we may do it? And it is not beyond the sea, that ye should say, Who will go over for us beyond the sea, and bring it to us, and make us hear it that we may do it? But the word is very near thee, in thy mouth and in thy heart, to do it." The object of the passage is to contrast the system of faith with the system of law, and that, especially, with reference to the remoteness and difficulty of righteousness. Moses says that the commandment of God to Israel is not incapable of accomplishment, nor is it a distant thing to be attained only by long and laborious effort. The people, on the contrary, carries it in its mouth, and it is stamped upon its heart. Compare Exodus 13:9; Deuteronomy 6:6-9. In applying these words to the system of faith, Paul, in like manner, denies that this system involves any painful search or laborious work. Christ has accomplished the two great things necessary for salvation. He has descended to earth and has risen from the dead. All that is necessary is to accept by faith the incarnate and risen Christ, instead of having recourse to the long and painful way of establishing one's own righteousness by obedience to the law.

Word of faith

The phrase occurs only here. "Which forms the substratum and object of faith" (Alford). Others, the burden of which is faith.

We preach (κηρύσσομεν)

See on Matthew 4:17, and see on preacher, 2 Peter 2:5.