Romans 10:20
Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, “I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The text doesn't just say God was found by those who didn't seek Him, but emphasizes God's initiative by reversing the original Hebrew. This highlights that God actively revealed Himself and made Himself available to those who weren't looking for Him, an astonishing act of grace that subverts our expectations of divine pursuit.
Paul has just argued that salvation is available through faith in Jesus, not just for Jews but for anyone who believes. He quotes from Moses to show that God intended for Israel to be provoked to jealousy by the inclusion of Gentiles, and now he calls on Isaiah to make this even clearer. Isaiah’s words, spoken with remarkable boldness, directly state that God revealed Himself to people who weren't even looking for Him, a clear reference to the Gentiles embracing the gospel.
Why does Paul describe Isaiah's words as 'very bold'? What made this prophecy so daring for its time?
Paul uses Isaiah 65:1 here, but he flips the order of the clauses. In the original Hebrew, Isaiah's message is something like, 'I responded to those who didn't ask for me; I appeared to those who didn't seek me.'
Paul, however, states: 'I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.'
Why the shift?
Can you really be 'found' by God if you're not looking for Him? What does this say about grace?
This is one of the most astounding truths in the Bible: God actively seeks us out, even when we're not looking for Him.
The Gentile Experience
The Gentiles in the first century were largely unaware of the God of Israel. They were absorbed in their own cultures, philosophies, and religions. They weren't petitioning the God of Abraham.
Yet, the gospel message of Jesus Christ began to spread among them. God, in His sovereign plan and incredible grace, 'was found' by them. He 'showed Himself' to them through the preaching of His Word and the work of the Holy Spirit.
c. 740 BC
Isaiah Prophesies
Isaiah delivers prophetic oracles in the Kingdom of Judah, including prophecies about God's judgment on Israel and the eventual inclusion of the Gentiles in God's plan.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
The Babylonians conquer Jerusalem and exile many Jews, disrupting their national and religious life and making prophecies about Gentiles more poignant.
c. 500 BC
Septuagint Translation
The Hebrew Scriptures are translated into Greek, making them accessible to Jews living outside of Judea and to a wider Hellenistic audience.
c. AD 50-60— this verse
Paul Writes Romans
Paul writes his Epistle to the Romans, likely from Corinth or Ephesus, to prepare the church in Rome for his upcoming visit and to solidify their understanding of the gospel.
This is the direct source passage for Paul's quote, showing the prophet Isaiah's bold declaration that God made Himself known to those who weren't actively seeking Him. It highlights God's initiative in reaching out to those outside the covenant community.
Matthew 15:28This passage shows Jesus commending the faith of a Gentile woman who persisted in seeking Him, even when His initial response seemed to exclude her. It demonstrates God revealing Himself to those who weren't initially part of His chosen people and their earnest seeking.
Acts 10:34-35Peter's declaration to Cornelius that 'God shows no favoritism, but accepts from every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right' directly echoes the truth that God is found by those who weren't part of the 'seeker' nation of Israel. It marks a pivotal moment of God revealing Himself to the Gentiles through Peter.
John 1:10-11This passage speaks of Jesus coming to His own people, but they did not receive Him. This sets up the contrast with the Gentiles who would receive Him, directly mirroring the concept of God being 'found' by those who did not 'seek' Him in the same way Israel did.
Romans 9:30-31vincentRomans 10:20: "But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me."
Is very bold (ἀποτολμᾷ)Only here in the New Testament. Plato, "Laws," 701, uses it of liberty as too presumptuous (ἀποτετολμημένης). The force of the preposition is intensive, or possibly pointing to him from whom the action proceeds; bold of himself: The simple verb means primarily to dare, and implies the manifestation of that boldness or conf…
cambridgeRomans 10:20: "But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me."
20 . But Esaias is very bold ] Moses had not specified how the heathen should be the cause of jealousy and anger to Israel. But Isaiah says, in so many words, that they shall find and know God, and so become His people. I was found , &c.] Isaiah 65:1 ; almost verbatim with LXX., but the two clauses are inverted; perhaps to emphasize the decisive word…
The text doesn't just say God was found by those who didn't seek Him, but emphasizes God's initiative by reversing the original Hebrew. This highlights that God actively revealed Himself and made Himself available to those who weren't looking for Him, an astonishing act of grace that subverts our expectations of divine pursuit.
Paul has just argued that salvation is available through faith in Jesus, not just for Jews but for anyone who believes. He quotes from Moses to show that God intended for Israel to be provoked to jealousy by the inclusion of Gentiles, and now he calls on Isaiah to make this even clearer. Isaiah’s words, spoken with remarkable boldness, directly state that God revealed Himself to people who weren't even looking for Him, a clear reference to the Gentiles embracing the gospel.
Paul has just argued that salvation is available through faith in Jesus, not just for Jews but for anyone who believes. He quotes from Moses to show that God intended for Israel to be provoked to jealousy by the inclusion of Gentiles, and now he calls on Isaiah to make this even clearer. Isaiah’s words, spoken with remarkable boldness, directly state that God revealed Himself to people who weren't even looking for Him, a clear reference to the Gentiles embracing the gospel.
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Beyond Our Efforts
This doesn't mean we shouldn't seek God! The Bible is full of commands to seek Him (e.g., Proverbs 2:4-5, Matthew 6:33). However, this verse reminds us that:
Paul directly precedes this quote by mentioning how Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained it, while Israel, pursuing the law, did not reach it. This provides the immediate context and justification for why Isaiah's words are relevant to the inclusion of Gentiles.
"Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,
“I have been found by those who did not seek me;
I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”" — The text doesn't just say God *was found* by those who didn't seek Him, but emphasizes God's *initiative* by reversing the original Hebrew. This highlights that God actively revealed Himself and made…