Romans 9:30-33

What was the reason for Israel’s failure?  It was not that she lacked a credible witness of God’s grace.  Paul truly loved his earthly kin (9:1-3).  Israel was not cheated of God’s blessings (9:4-5).  And the problem was not with the sovereign, loving, faithful and merciful God (9:6-29).  Her problem was within: her unbelief caused her to stumble at that stumbling stone, the very Messiah she sought!

Paul draws from two Isaiah prophecies in v29 (Isa. 8:14; 28:16; cf. Psalm 118:22) that identify the coming Messiah as a stumbling stone … rock of offense and as the cornerstone, the key foundation stone of a new building.  This idea is used often in the New Testament (Luke 2:34; 20:17; Acts 4:11; Eph. 2:20; 1 Peter 2:7-8).  The Jews stumbled over Christ when He made claims to deity (John 6:53-66).  But more significantly, they stumbled over His cross (Gal. 5:11; 1 Cor. 1:23).  They looked for a famous, mighty Messiah to deliver them from their oppressors.  But He came in humility, in the likeness of frail humanity.  And yet, in the end, His humility and their stumbling resulted in the gospel coming to the Gentiles (Rom. 11:11) and the establishing of His Church!

The NKJV translates as attained two different Greek words.  In v30 the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have seized or taken possession of righteousness by faith.  The Jews (v31) who did pursue righteousness by their law-keeping have not arrived at that righteousness.  The Gentiles have seized or with force taken righteousness by simply receiving it; the Jews have not arrived at the destination they tried so hard to reach.  

The Jewish problem is apparently still a problem.  A column in the Jerusalem Post (7/27/96, p31) by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin discussed what he thought of the command to love God with all one’s heart (Deut. 6:5).  In good Rabbinical fashion he quoted others.  Rabbi Moshe Haim Luzatto said “the meticulous keeping of the Torah’s commandments will of necessity bring one to love God.”  The famous Maimonides said “we must investigate … understand and contemplate His commandments and actions that we may apprehend Him.”  This is exactly why Paul said they had not attained the righteousness they pursue.

The Gentiles seize righteousness in the sense that Jesus spoke of in Luke 16:15-16.  He noted how many (and He was talking to the Pharisees) sought to justify themselves, something that those trying to gain righteousness by keeping the law will tend to do.  This is the most common thing in religion: doing works to please God.  Those who actually enter the Kingdom of God are those who are pressing into it, or they take it by force (Matt. 11:12).  In other words they ruthlessly separate themselves from any thought of pleasing God by their own works and simply reach out the empty hand to receive righteousness by faith.

The issue for everyone is still faith, the receiving of God’s provision.  Whoever believes on Him (Christ Jesus, the stumbling stone) will not be put to shame.