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Commentary on Romans 10 verses 12–21
The first words express the design of the apostle through these verses, that there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, but they stand upon the same level in point of acceptance with God. In Jesus Christ there is neither Greek nor Jews, Col 3:11. God doth not save any nor reject any because they are Jews, nor because they are Greeks, but doth equally accept both upon gospel terms: There is no difference. For the proof of this he urges two arguments: -
I. That God is the same to all: The same Lord over all is rich unto all. There is not one God to the Jews who is more kind, and another to the Gentiles who is less kind; but he is the same to all, a common father to all mankind. When he proclaimed his name, The Lord, the Lord god, gracious and merciful, he thereby signified not only what he was to the Jews, but what he is and will be to all his creatures that seek unto him: not only good, but rich, plenteous in goodness: he hath wherewith to supply them all, and he is free and ready to give out to them; he is both able and willing: not only rich, but rich unto us, liberal and bountiful in dispensing his favours to all that call upon him. Something must be done by us, that we may reap of this bounty; and it is as little as can be, we must call upon him. He will for this be enquired of (Eze 36:37), and surely that which is not worth the asking is not worth the having. We have nothing to do but to draw out by prayer, as there is occasion.
II. That the promise is the same to all (Rom 10:13): Whoever shall call - one as well as another, without exception. This extent, this undifferencing extent, of the promise both to Jews and Gentiles he thinks should not be surprising, for it was foretold by the prophet, Joe 2:32. Calling upon the name of the Lord is here put for all practical religion. What is the life of a Christian but a life of prayer? It implies a sense of our dependence on him, an entire dedication of ourselves to him, and a believing expectation of our all from him. He that thus calls upon him shall be saved. It is but ask and have; what would we have more? for the further illustration of this he observes,
1.How necessary it was that the gospel should be preached to the Gentiles, Rom 10:14, Rom 10:15. This was what the Jews were so angry with Paul for, that he was the apostle of the Gentiles, and preached the gospel to them. Now he shows how needful it was to bring them within the reach of the forementioned promise, an interest in which they should not envy to any of their fellow-creatures. (1.) They cannot call on him in whom they have not believed. Except they believe that he is God, they will not call upon him by prayer; to what purpose should they? The grace of faith is absolutely necessary to the duty of prayer; we cannot pray aright, nor pray to acceptation, without it. He that comes to God by prayer must believe, Heb 11:6. Till they believed the true God, they were calling upon idols, O Baal, hear us. (2.) They cannot believe in him of whom they have not heard. some way or other the divine revelation must be made known to us, before we can receive it and assent to it; it is not born with us. In hearing is included reading, which is tantamount, and by which many are brought to believe (Joh 20:31): These things are written that you may believe. But hearing only is mentioned, as the more ordinary and natural way of receiving information. (3.) They cannot hear without a preacher; how should they? Somebody must tell them what they are to believe. Preachers and hearers are correlates; it is a blessed thing when they mutually rejoice in each other - the hearers in the skill and faithfulness of the preacher, and the preacher in the willingness and obedience of the hearers. (4.) They cannot preach except they be sent, except they be both commissioned and in some measure qualified for their preaching work. How shall a man act as an ambassador, unless he have both his credentials and his instructions from the prince that sends him? This proves that to the regular ministry there must be a regular mission and ordination. It is God's prerogative to send ministers; he is the Lord of the harvest, and therefore to him we must pray that he would send forth labourers, Mat 9:38. He only can qualify men for, and incline them to, the work of the ministry. But the competency of that qualification, and the sincerity of that inclination, must not be left to the judgment of every man for himself: the nature of the thing will by no means admit this; but, for the preservation of due order in the church, this must needs be referred and submitted to the judgment of a competent number of those who are themselves in that office and of approved wisdom and experience in it, who, as in all other callings, are presumed the most able judges, and who are empowered to set apart such as they find so qualified and inclined to this work of the ministry, that by this preservation of the succession the name of Christ may endure for ever and his throne as the days of heaven. And those that are thus set apart, not only may, but must preach, as those that are sent.
2.How welcome the gospel ought to be to those to whom it was preached, because it showed the way to salvation, Rom 10:15. For this he quotes Isa 52:7. The like passage we have, Nah 1:15, which, if it point at the glad tidings of the deliverance of Israel out of Babylon in the type, yet looks further to the gospel, the good news of our salvation by Jesus Christ. Observe, (1.) What the gospel is: It is the gospel of peace; it is the word of reconciliation between God and man. On earth peace, Luk 2:14. Or, peace is put in general for all good; so it is explained here; it is glad tidings of good things. The things of the gospel are good things indeed, the best things; tidings concerning them are the most joyful tidings, the best news that ever came from heaven to earth. (2.) What the work of ministers is: To preach this gospel, to bring these glad tidings; to evangelize peace (so the original is), to evangelize good things. Every good preacher is in this sense an evangelist: he is not only a messenger to carry the news, but an ambassador to treat; and the first gospel preachers were angels, Luk 2:13, etc. (3.) How acceptable they should therefore be to the children of men for their work's sake: How beautiful are the feet, that is, how welcome are they! Mary Magdalene expressed her love to Christ by kissing his feet, and afterwards by holding him by the feet, Mat 28:9. And, when Christ was sending forth his disciples, he washed their feet. Those that preach the gospel of peace should see to it that their feet (their life and conversation) be beautiful: the holiness of ministers' lives is the beauty of their feet. How beautiful! namely, in the eyes of those that hear them. Those that welcome the message cannot but love the messengers. See Th1 5:12, Th1 5:13.
3.He answers an objection against all this, which might be taken from the little success which the gospel had in many places (Rom 10:16): But they have not all obeyed the gospel. All the Jews have not, all the Gentiles have not; far the greater part of both remain in unbelief and disobedience. Observe, The gospel is given us not only to be known and believed, but to be obeyed. It is not a system of notions, but a rule of practice. This little success of the word was likewise foretold by the prophet (Isa 53:1): Who hath believed our report? Very few have, few to what one would think should have believed it, considering how faithful a report it is and how well worthy of all acceptation, - very few to the many that persist in unbelief. It is no strange thing, but it is a very sad and uncomfortable thing, for the ministers of Christ to bring the report of the gospel, and not to be believed in it. Under such a melancholy consideration it is good for us to go to God and make our complaint to him. Lord, who hath believed, etc. In answer to this,
(1.)He shows that the word preached is the ordinary means of working faith (Rom 10:17): So then, ara - however; though many that hear do not believe, yet those that believe have first heard. Faith cometh by hearing. It is the summary of what he had said before, Rom 10:14. The beginning, progress, and strength of faith, are by hearing. The word of God is therefore called the word of faith: it begets and nourishes faith. God gives faith, but it is by the word as the instrument. Hearing (that hearing which works faith) is by the word of God. It is not hearing the enticing words of man's wisdom, but hearing the word of God, that will befriend faith, and hearing it as the word of God. See Th1 2:13.
(2.)That those who would not believe the report of the gospel, yet, having heard it, were thereby left inexcusable, and may thank themselves for their own ruin, Rom 10:18, to the end.
[1.]The Gentiles have heard it (Rom 10:18): Have they not heard? Yes, more or less, they have either heard the gospel, or at least heard of it. Their sound went into all the earth; not only a confused sound, but their words (more distinct and intelligible notices of these things) are gone unto the ends of the world. The commission which the apostles received runs thus: Go you into all the world - preach to every creature - disciple all nations; and they did with indefatigable industry and wonderful success pursue that commission. See the extent of Paul's province, Rom 15:19. To this remote island of Britain, one of the utmost corners of the world, not only the sound, but the words, of the gospel came within a few years after Christ's ascension. It was in order to this that the gift of tongues was at the very first poured so plentifully upon the apostles, Acts 2. In the expression here he plainly alludes to Psa 19:4, which speaks of the notices which the visible works of God in the creation give to all the world of the power and Godhead of the Creator. As under the Old Testament God provided for the publishing of the work of creation by the sun, moon, and stars, so now for the publishing of the work of redemption to all the world by the preaching of gospel ministers, who are therefore called stars.
[2.]The Jews have heard it too, Rom 10:19-21. For this he appeals to two passages of the Old Testament, to show how inexcusable they are too. Did not Israel know that the Gentiles were to be called in? They might have known it from Moses and Isaiah.
First, One is taken from Deu 32:21, I will provoke you to jealousy. The Jews not only had the offer, but saw the Gentiles accepting it and benefitted by that acceptance, witness their vexation at the event. They had the refusal: To you first, Act 3:26. In all places where the apostles came still the Jews had the first offer, and the Gentiles had but their leavings. If one would not, another would. Now this provoked them to jealousy. They, as the elder brother in the parable (Lu. 15) envied the reception and entertainment of the prodigal Gentiles upon their repentance. The Gentiles are here called no people, and a foolish nation, that is, not the professing people of God. How much soever there be of the wit and wisdom of the world, those that are not the people of God are, and in the end will be found to be, a foolish people. Such was the state of the Gentile world, who yet were made the people of God, and Christ to them the wisdom of God. What a provocation it was to the Jews to see the Gentiles taken into favour we may see, Act 13:45; Act 17:5, Act 17:13, and especially Act 22:22. It was an instance of the great wickedness of the Jews that they were thus enraged; and this in Deuteronomy is the matter of a threatening. God often makes people's sin their punishment. A man needs no greater plague than to be left to the impetuous rage of his own lusts.
Secondly, Another is taken from Isa 65:1, Isa 65:2, which is very full, and in it Esaias is very bold - bold indeed, to speak so plainly of the rejection of his own countrymen. Those that will be found faithful have need to be very bold. Those that are resolved to please God must not be afraid to displease any man. Now Esaias speaks boldly and plainly,
a.Of the preventing grace and favour of God in the reception and entertainment of the Gentiles (Rom 10:20): I was found of those that sought me not. The prescribed method is, Seek and find; this is a rule for us, not a rule for God, who is often found of those that do not seek. His grace is his own, distinguishing grace his own, and he dispenses it in a way of sovereignty, gives of withholds it at pleasure - anticipates us with the blessings, the riches choicest blessings, of his goodness. Thus he manifested himself to the Gentiles, by sending the light of the gospel among them, when they were so far from seeking him and asking after him that they were following after lying vanities, and serving dumb idols. Was not this our own particular case? Did not God begin in love, and manifest himself to us when we did not ask after him? And was not that a time of love indeed, to be often remembered with a great deal of thankfulness?
b.Of the obstinacy and perverseness of Israel, notwithstanding the fair offers and affectionate invitations they had, Rom 10:21. Observe,
(a.)God's great goodness to them: All day long I have stretched forth my hands. [a.] His offers: I have stretched forth my hands, offering them life and salvation with the greatest sincerity and seriousness that can be, with all possible expressions of earnestness and importunity, showing them the happiness tendered, setting it before them with the greatest evidence, reasoning the case with them. Stretching forth the hands is the gesture of those that require audience (Act 26:1), or desire acceptance, Pro 1:24. Christ was crucified with his hands stretched out. Stretched forth my hands as offering reconciliation - come let us shake hands and be friends; and our duty is to give the hand to him, Ch2 30:8. [b.] His patience in making these offers: All day long. The patience of God towards provoking sinners is admirable. He waits to be gracious. The time of God's patience is here called a day, lightsome as a day and fit for work and business, but limited as a day, and a night at the end of it. he bears long, but he will not bear always.
(b.)Their great badness to him. They were a disobedient gainsaying people. One word in the Hebrew, in Isaiah, is here well explained by two; not only disobedient to the call, not yielding to it, but gainsaying, and quarrelling with it, which is much worse. Many that will not accept of a good proposal will yet acknowledge that they have nothing to say against it: but the Jews who believed not rested not there, but contradicted and blasphemed. God's patience with them was a very great aggravation of their disobedience, and rendered it the more exceedingly sinful; as their disobedience advanced the honour of God's patience and rendered it the more exceedingly gracious. It is a wonder of mercy in God that his goodness is not overcome by man's badness; and it is a wonder of wickedness in man that his badness is not overcome by God's goodness.
And again, when Paul says, "How beautiful are the feet of those bringing glad tidings of good things, and preaching the Gospel of peace"
"Lord, who hath believed our report?" Isaiah says. For "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God," saith the apostle. "How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe on Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those that publish glad tidings of good things!" You see how he brings faith by hearing, and the preaching of the apostles, up to the word of the Lord, and to the Son of God. We do not yet understand the word of the Lord to be demonstration.
You have the work of the apostles also predicted: "How beautiful are the feet of them which preach the gospel of peace, which bring good tidings of good," not of war nor evil tidings.
It seems to me that there is some difficulty with this [verse]. For if we understand it to mean that nobody preaches because nobody is sent … then it would appear that the reason they are not saved is ultimately the fault of Christ for not having sent them.But it is better for us to understand this as follows. It is as if the apostle were saying: “We, the heralds and preachers of Christ, would not be able to preach, nor would we have any power to proclaim, if he who sent us were not also present with us. So if you do not want to listen to us when we preach, that is your problem, if hearing you do not believe, and not believing, you do not call on him, and not calling on him, you are not saved.”
The beauty of the preacher’s feet must be understood in a spiritual, not in a physical sense. For it would make a mockery of the apostle’s meaning to suppose that the feet of the evangelists, which can be seen with the physical eye, should be regarded as beautiful in themselves.… Only those feet which walk in the way of life can make this claim. Given that Christ said that he is the way, you should understand that it is the feet of those evangelists who walk according to that way which deserve to be called beautiful.
It is clear even from the prophets that it is impossible to believe if nobody preaches the gospel.
Nobody can be a true apostle unless he is sent by Christ, nor will he be able to preach without a mandate to do so, for his testimony will not reflect his signs of power.Paul quotes the prophet Nahum. By talking about feet he means the coming of the apostles who went round the world preaching the coming of the kingdom of God. For their appearance enlightened mankind by showing them the way toward peace with God, which John the Baptist had come to prepare. This is the peace to which those who believe in Christ are hastening. Then St. Simeon, seeing the discord in the world, rejoiced at the coming of the Savior, saying: “Lord, now let your servant depart in peace,” because the kingdom of God is peace, and all discord is taken away when everyone bows the knee to the one God.
"How then shall they call on Him in Whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in Him of Whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach except they be sent? as it is written."
Here again he takes from them all excuse. For since he had said, "I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge," and that "being ignorant of God's righteousness, they submitted not themselves" to it: he next shows, that for this ignorance itself they were punishable before God. This he does not say indeed so, but he makes it good by carrying on his discourse in the way of question, and so convicting them more clearly, by framing the whole passage out of objections and answers. But look further back. The Prophet, saith he, said, "Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved." Now somebody might say perhaps, "But how could they call upon Him Whom they had not believed? Then there is a question from him after the objection; And why did they not believe? Then an objection again. A person certainly may say, And how could they believe, since they had not heard? Yet hear they did, he implies. Then another objection again. "And how could they hear without a preacher?" Then an answer again. Yet preach they did, and there were many sent forth for this very purpose. And whence does it appear that these are those persons sent? Then he brings the prophet in next, who says, "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" You see how by the kind of preaching he points out the preachers. For there was nothing else that these men went about telling everywhere, but those unspeakable good things, and the peace made by God with men. And so by disbelieving, it is not we, he implies, whom you disbelieve, but Isaiah the prophet, who spake many years ago, that we were to be sent, and to preach, and to say what we do say. If the being saved, then, came of calling upon Him, and calling upon Him from believing, and believing from hearing, and hearing from preaching, and preaching from being sent, and if they were sent, and did preach, and the prophet went round with them to point them out, and proclaim them, and say that these were they whom they showed of so many ages ago, whose feet even they praised because of the matter of their preaching; then it is quite clear that the not believing was their own fault only. And that because God's part had been fulfilled completely.
If the heralds of these things are deemed worthy of such great admiration, how essential and how advantageous a thing the teaching of the apostles must be.
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SUMMARY
Romans 10:15 powerfully asserts the divine necessity and profound beauty of those commissioned to proclaim the Gospel. It highlights that the spread of the good news of peace and salvation is contingent upon individuals being divinely sent, underscoring the crucial role of the messenger in God's redemptive plan and celebrating the vital impact of their mission.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Romans 10:15 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message. The verse begins with a Rhetorical Question ("And how shall they preach, except they be sent?"), a common Pauline technique used to emphasize a point by prompting the reader to acknowledge the obvious answer. This question establishes the indispensable nature of divine commissioning. Following this, Paul uses Allusion and direct Quotation from Isaiah 52:7, demonstrating the continuity of God's redemptive plan from the Old Testament to the New. The phrase "How beautiful are the feet" is a powerful Metaphor and a form of Synecdoche, where "feet" represent the entire person of the messenger and their journey. It is not literal physical beauty, but the spiritual beauty and profound welcome of those who traverse distances to bring the life-altering news of peace. The description of the message as "gospel of peace" and "glad tidings of good things" uses Descriptive Language to highlight the inherent positive and transformative nature of the Christian message.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Romans 10:15 is a foundational verse for understanding the missional heart of God and the mechanics of salvation. It underscores God's sovereign initiative in sending messengers to proclaim His truth, demonstrating that the spread of the Gospel is not left to human ingenuity alone but is divinely orchestrated. The "sending" implies authority, empowerment, and divine backing, making the messenger an ambassador of God Himself. The "beauty" of the messenger's feet lies in the glorious nature of the message they carry—the good news of peace with God through Christ, which is the ultimate "good thing" for humanity. This verse emphasizes that salvation, while by grace through faith, is inextricably linked to the active proclamation of the Gospel, highlighting the vital role of evangelism and missions in God's redemptive economy.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Romans 10:15 serves as a profound reminder of the privilege and responsibility of participating in God's mission. For those who are called to preach, it affirms the divine source of their authority and the sacredness of their task. It encourages faithfulness to the message and reliance on God's sending. For the broader church, it highlights the critical importance of supporting, praying for, and valuing those who are "sent" to proclaim the Gospel, whether across the street or across the globe. We are all called to be messengers in some capacity, whether through direct proclamation, living out the Gospel, or supporting those who are on the front lines. The "beauty" of our feet is not in our physical appearance, but in our willingness to be used by God to carry His message of peace and reconciliation to a lost and hurting world. This verse challenges us to consider our own role in ensuring that "glad tidings of good things" reach every ear, recognizing that every effort to share Christ contributes to the beautiful unfolding of God's redemptive plan.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "beautiful are the feet" mean in this verse?
Answer: The phrase "beautiful are the feet" is a metaphorical expression, not referring to physical attractiveness, but to the profound spiritual value and welcome nature of those who bring the good news. Drawing from Isaiah 52:7, it signifies the joy and relief experienced by those who receive the message of peace and salvation. The "feet" symbolize the messenger's journey, their effort, and their very presence in bringing such a vital and life-changing message. It's the beauty of the mission and the message that makes the feet of the messenger beautiful.
Does this verse mean only formally "sent" preachers can share the Gospel?
Answer: While Romans 10:15 emphasizes the divine commissioning for those who "preach" in a formal, authoritative sense (like apostles or evangelists), it does not negate the responsibility of every believer to share their faith. The broader context of the New Testament encourages all Christians to be witnesses (Acts 1:8), to be ready to give an answer for their hope (1 Peter 3:15), and to live in a way that adorns the Gospel. The verse primarily speaks to the necessity of divinely authorized proclamation for the spread of the Gospel to new ears, which often requires specific individuals to be set apart and sent for that purpose.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Romans 10:15 finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the quintessential "Sent One" and the bringer of the most beautiful good news. Jesus Himself declared that He was sent by the Father to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to bring salvation. His entire earthly ministry was a fulfillment of the prophetic longing for the "feet" that would bring peace and glad tidings. He is the "Gospel of Peace" personified, for through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, He made peace through the blood of His cross, reconciling humanity to God. The "good things" that messengers preach are the very benefits of Christ's finished work: forgiveness of sins, righteousness, eternal life, and reconciliation. Furthermore, it is Christ who, having completed His mission, then sends His disciples into the world, empowering them by His Spirit to continue the beautiful work of proclaiming His Gospel, thus extending His own mission through His body, the Church, until His glorious return.