Verse 7. Or who shall descend into the deep? These words are also a part of the address of Moses, Deuteronomy 30:13. But it is not literally quoted. The Hebrew is, "Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us," etc. The words of the quotation are changed, but not the sense; and it is to be remembered, that Paul is not professing to quote the words of Moses, but to express the language of faith; and this he does mainly by words which Moses had used, which also expressed his meaning. The words, as used by Moses, refer to that which is remote and therefore difficult to be obtained. To cross the sea in the early times of navigation involved the highest difficulty, danger, and toil. The sea which was in view was doubtless the Mediterranean, but the crossing of that was an enterprise of the greatest difficulty, and the regions beyond that were regarded as being at a vast distance. Hence it is spoken of as being the widest object with which they were acquainted, and the fairest illustration of infinity, Job 11:9. In the same sense Paul uses the word deep--(\~abusson\~)--the abyss. This word is applied to anything the depth or bottom of which is not known. It is applied to the ocean, (in the Septuagint,) Job 41:31, "He maketh the deep to boil as a pot." Isaiah 44:27, "That saith to the deep, Be dry," etc.; Genesis 7:11;; 8:2. To a broad place, (Job 36:16) and to the abyss before the world was formed, Genesis 1:2. In the New Testament it is not applied to the ocean, unless in the passage Luke 8:31, See Barnes "Luke 8:31", but to the abode of departed spirits; and particularly to the dark, deep, and bottomless pit, where the wicked are to dwell for ever. Revelation 9:1,2, "And to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit," Greek, The pit of the abyss. Revelation 11:7; 17:8; 20:1,3. In these places the word means the deep, awful regions of the nether world. The word stands opposed to heaven; as deep as that is high; as dark as that is light; while the one is as vast as the other. In the place before us it is opposed to heaven; and to descend there to bring up one, is supposed to be as impossible as to ascend to heaven to bring one down. Paul does not affirm that Christ descended to those regions; but he says that there is no such difficulty in religion as if one were required to descend into those profound regions to call back a departed spirit. That work was in fact done, when Jesus was recalled from the dead, and now the work of salvation is easy. The word abyss here, therefore, answers to hades, or the dark regions of departed spirits.
That is, to bring up Christ, etc. Justification by faith had no such difficult and impossible work to perform as would be an attempt for man to raise the dead. That would be impossible; but the work of religion is easy. Christ, the ground of hope, is not by OUR EFFORTS to be brought down from heaven to save us, for that is done; nor BY OUR EFFORTS to be raised from the dead, for that is done; and what remains for us--that is, TO BELIEVE--is easy, and is near us. This is the meaning of the whole passage.
Verse 8. But what saith it? That is, what is the language of the doctrine of justification by faith? Or what is to be done according to that doctrine?
The word is nigh thee. This is still a use of the language of Moses, Deuteronomy 30:14. The meaning is, the doctrine is not difficult to be understood and embraced. What is nigh us may be easily obtained; what is remote, with difficulty. The doctrine of Moses and of the gospel was nigh; that is, it was easily obtained, embraced, and understood.
In thy mouth. This is taken from the Septuagint, Deuteronomy 30:14. The meaning is, that the doctrine was already so familiar, and so well understood, that it was actually in their mouth; that is, their language, their common conversation. Moses had so often inculcated it, that it was understood and talked about by the people, so that there was no need to search in distant climes to obtain it. The same was true of the gospel. The facts were so well known by the preaching of the apostles, that they might be said to be in every man's mouth.
In thy heart. The word heart is very variously used in the sacred Scriptures. As used by Moses in this place, it evidently means that his doctrines were in their mind, or were a subject of meditation and reflection. They already possessed them, and talked and thought about them; so that there was no need of going to distant places to learn them. The same was true of the doctrine requiring faith in Christ. It was already among them by the preaching of the apostles, and was a subject of conversation and of thought.
That is. This is the use which the apostle makes of it; not that Moses referred to the gospel. His language conveys the main idea which Paul wished to do, that the doctrine was plain and intelligible.
The word of faith. The doctrine which requires faith, i.e., the gospel. Comp. 1 Timothy 4:6. The gospel is called the word of faith, the word of God, as being that which was spoken, or communicated by God to man, Romans 10:17; Hebrews 6:5; 11:3.
Which we preach. Which is proclaimed by the apostles, and made known to Jews and Gentiles. As this was now made known to all, as the apostles preached it everywhere, it could be said to be nigh them; there was no need of searching other lands for it, or regarding it as a hidden mystery, for it was plain and manifest to all. Its simplicity and plainness he proceeds immediately to state.
Verse 9. That if thou shalt confess. The word here rendered confess--(\~omologhshv\~)--is often rendered profess. Matthew 7:23, "Then will I profess to them I never knew you." \\Tit 1:16; 3:14; Ro 1:22\\; 1 Timothy 2:10; 6:12,13,21; Hebrews 3:1, etc. It properly means, to speak that which agrees with something which others speak or maintain. Thus confession or profession expresses our agreement or concord with what God holds to be true, and what he declares to be true. It denotes a public declaration or assent to that, here expressed by the words "with thy mouth." A profession of religion then denotes a public declaration of our agreement with what God has declared, and extends to all his declarations about our lost estate, our sin, and need of a Saviour; to his doctrines about his own nature, holiness, and law; about the Saviour and the Holy Spirit; about the necessity of a change of heart and holiness of life; and about the grave and the judgment; about heaven and hell. As the doctrine respecting a Redeemer is the main and leading doctrine, it is put here by way of eminence, as in fact involving all others; and publicly to express our assent to this, is to declare our agreement with God on all kindred truths.
With thy mouth. To profess a thing with the mouth is to speak of it; to declare it; to do it openly and publicly.
The Lord Jesus. Shalt openly acknowledge attachment to Jesus Christ. The meaning of it may be expressed by regarding the phrase, "the Lord," as the predicate; or the thing to be confessed is, that he is Lord. Comp. Acts 2:36; Philippians 2:11, "And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord." Here it means to acknowledge him as Lord, i.e., as having a right to rule over the soul.
Shalt believe in thy heart. Shalt sincerely and truly believe this, so that the external profession shall correspond with the real, internal feelings. Where this is not the case, it would be hypocrisy; where this is the case, there would be the highest sincerity, and this religion requires.
That God hath raised him. This fact, or article of Christian belief, is mentioned here because of its great importance, and its bearing on the Christian system. If this be true, then all is true. Then it is true that he came forth from God; that he died for sin; and that God approved and accepted his work. Then it is true that he ascended to heaven, and is exalted to dominion over the universe, and that he will return to judge the quick and the dead. For all this was professed and taught; and all this was regarded as depending on the truth of his having been raised from the dead. See Philippians 2:8-11;; Ephesians 1:21; Acts 2:24,32,33; 17:31; 2 Corinthians 4:14; 1 Corinthians 15:13-20. To profess this doctrine was, therefore, virtually to profess all the truths of the Christian religion. No man could believe this who did not also believe all the truths dependent on it. Hence the apostles regarded this doctrine as so important, and made it so prominent in their preaching. See Barnes "Acts 1:3".
Thou shalt be saved. From sin and hell. This is the doctrine of the gospel throughout; and all this shows that salvation by the gospel was easy.
{a} "thou shalt confess" 1 John 4:2.
Verse 10. For with the heart. Not with the understanding merely, but with such a faith as shall be sincere, and shall influence the life. There can be no other genuine faith than that which influences the whole mind.
Believeth unto righteousness. Believes so that justification is obtained. (Stuart.) In God's plan of justifying men, this is the way by which we may be declared just or righteous in his sight. The moment a sinner believes, therefore, he is justified; his sins are pardoned; and he is introduced into the favour of God. No man can be justified without this; for this is God's plan, and he will not depart from it.
With the mouth confession is made, etc. That is, confession or profession is so made as to obtain salvation. He who in all appropriate ways professes his attachment to Christ shall be saved. This profession is to be made in all the proper ways of religious duty; by an avowal of our sentiments; by declaring on all proper occasions our belief of the truth; and by an unwavering adherence to them in all persecutions, oppositions, and trials. He who declares his belief makes a profession. He who associates with Christian people does it. He who acts with them in the prayer-meeting, in the sanctuary, and in deeds of benevolence, does it. He who is baptized, and commemorates the death of the Lord Jesus, does it. And he who leads a humble, prayerful, spiritual life, does it. He shows his regard to the precepts and example of Christ Jesus; his regard for them more than for the pride, and pomp, and allurements of the world. All these are included in a profession of religion. In whatever way we can manifest attachment to it, it must be done. The reason why this is made so important is, that there can be no true attachment to Christ which will not manifest itself in the life. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. It is impossible that there should be true belief in the heart of man, unless it should show itself in the life and conversation. This is the only test of its existence and its power; and hence it is made so important in the business of religion. And we may here learn,
(1.) that a profession of religion is, by Paul, made as really indispensable to salvation as believing. According to him it is connected with salvation as really as faith is with justification; and this accords with all the declarations of the Lord Jesus. Matthew 10:32; Matthew 25:34-46; Luke 12:8.
(2.) There can be no religion where there is not a willingness to confess the Lord Jesus. There is no true repentance where we are not willing to confess our faults. There is no true attachment to a father, or mother, or friend, unless we are willing, on all proper occasions, to avow it. And so there can be no true religion where there is too much pride, or vanity, or love of the world, or fear of shame to confess it.
(3.) Those who never profess any religion have none; and they are not safe. To deny God the Saviour before men is not safe. They who do not profess religion, profess the opposite. The real feelings of the heart will be expressed in the life. And they who profess by their lives that they have no regard for God and Christ, for heaven and glory, must expect to be met in the last day as those who deny the Lord that bought them, and who bring upon themselves quick destruction, 2 Peter 2:1.
Verse 11. For the Scripture saith, etc. Isaiah 28:16. This was the uniform doctrine of the Scripture, that he who holds an opinion on the subject of religion will not be ashamed to avow it. This is the nature of religion, and without this there can be none. See this passage explained in Romans 9:33.
{q} "Whosoever believeth" Isaiah 28:16; 49:23
Verse 12. For there is no difference. In the previous verse Paul had quoted a passage from Isaiah 28:16, which says that every one (\~pav\~) that believeth shall not be ashamed; that is, every one of every nation and kindred. This implies that it was not to be confined to the Jews. This thought he now further illustrates and confirms by expressly declaring that there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek. This doctrine it was one main design of the epistle to establish, and it is fully proved in the course of the argument in Romans chapters 1-4. See particularly Romans 3:26-30. When the apostle says there is no difference between them, he means in regard to the subject under discussion. In many respects there might be a difference; but not in the way of justification before God. There all had sinned; all had failed of obeying the law; and all must be justified in the same way, by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The word difference (\~diastolh\~) means distinction, diversity. It also means eminence, excellence, advantage. There is no eminence or advantage which the Jew has over the Greek in regard to justification before God.
The Jew. That portion of mankind which professed to yield obedience to the law of Moses.
The Greek. Literally, those who dwelt in Greece, or those who spoke the Greek language. As the Jews, however, were acquainted chiefly with the Greeks, and knew little of other nations, the name Greek among them came to denote all who were not Jews; that is, the same as the Gentiles. The terms "Jew and Greek," therefore, include all mankind. There is no difference among men about the terms of salvation; they are the same to all. This truth is frequently taught. It was a most important doctrine, especially in a scheme of religion that was to be preached to all men. It was very offensive to the Jews, who had always regarded themselves as a peculiarly favoured people. Against this, all their prejudices were roused, as it completely overthrew all their own views of national eminence and pride, and admitted despised Gentiles to the same privileges with the long-favoured and chosen people of God. The apostles, therefore, were at great pains fully to establish it. Acts 10:9; Galatians 3:28.
For the same Lord over all, etc. For there is the same Lord of all; that is, the Jews and Gentiles have one common Lord. Comp. Romans 3:29,30. The same God had formed them and ruled them; and God now opened the same path to life. See this fully presented in Paul's address to the people of Athens, in Acts 17:26-30. See also 1 Timothy 2:5. As there was but one God; as all, Jews and Gentiles, were his creatures; as one law was applicable to all; as all had sinned; and as all were exposed to wrath; so it was reasonable that there should be the same way of return--through the mere mercy of God. Against this the Jew ought not to object; and in this he and the Greek should rejoice.
Is rich unto all. (\~ploutwn eiv pantav\~). The word rich means to have abundance, to have in store much more than is needful for present or personal use. It is commonly applied to wealth. But applied to God, it means that he abounds in mercy or goodness towards others. Thus, Ephesians 2:4, "God, who is rich in mercy," etc.; 1 Timothy 6:17,18, "Charge them that are rich in this world--that they be rich in good works;" James 2:5, "God hath chosen the poor--rich in faith;" that is, abounding in faith and good works, etc. Thus God is said to be rich towards all, as he abounds in mercy and goodness towards them in the plan of salvation.
That call upon him. This expression means, properly, to supplicate, to invoke, as in prayer. As prayer constitutes no small part of religion, and as it is a distinguishing characteristic of those who are true Christians, (Acts 9:11, "Behold he prayeth,") to call on the name of the Lord is put for religion itself, and is descriptive of acts of devotion towards God. 1 Peter 1:17, "And if ye call on the Father," etc.; Acts 2:21; 9:14, "He hath authority to bind all that call on thy name; Acts 7:59; 22:16; Genesis 4:26, "Then began men to call on the name of the Lord."
{s} "the same Lord" 1 Timothy 2:5
Verse 13. For whosoever shall call, etc. This sentiment is found substantially in Joel 2:32, "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered." This is expressly applied to the times of the gospel by Peter, in Acts 2:21. See Barnes "Acts 2:21". To call on the name of the Lord is the same as to call on the Lord himself. The word name is often used in this manner. "The name of the Lord is a strong tower," etc., Proverbs 18:10; "The name of the God of Jacob defend thee," Psalms 20:1. That is, God himself is a strong tower, etc. It is clear, from what follows, that the apostle applies this to Jesus Christ; and this is one of the numerous instances in which the writers of the New Testament apply to him expressions which in the Old Testament are applicable to God. See 1 Corinthians 1:2.
Shall be saved. This is the uniform promise. See Acts 2:21; Acts 22:16, "Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." This is proper and indispensable, because
(1.) we have sinned against God, and it is right that we should confess it.
(2.) Because he only can pardon us, and it is fit, that if we obtain pardon, we should ask it of God.
(3.) To call upon him is to acknowledge him as our Sovereign, our Father, and our Friend; and it is right that we render him our homage. It is implied in this, that we call upon him with right feelings; that is, with a humble sense of our sinfulness and our need of pardon, and with a willingness to receive eternal life as it is offered us in the gospel. And if this be done, this passage teaches us that all may be saved who will do it. He will cast none away who come in this manner. The invitation and the assurance extend to all nations, and to men of all times.
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