Romans 9:30-31
What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The surprising point here is that the Gentiles, who weren't even seeking righteousness, "attained" it. This highlights that righteousness isn't earned through diligent effort or seeking, but is a gift freely received by faith, a concept the Jews, who were actively pursuing their own version of righteousness, missed.
Paul is explaining why God has chosen to include Gentiles in his plan of salvation, even though they didn't follow his laws like the Jews did. He's already shown that God's promises aren't limited to Abraham's physical descendants and that God has the freedom to show mercy to whomever He chooses. Now, he points out the surprising reality: Gentiles who weren't actively seeking righteousness have found it through faith, while many Jews who pursued righteousness through the law have missed it.
Imagine looking for something your whole life, only to have it handed to you by someone you never expected. That's the surprising reality for the Gentiles in Paul's argument.
Paul highlights a radical truth: the Gentiles, who didn't actively seek a religious standing before God, attained righteousness. This isn't about their effort, but God's gracious provision.
A Different Path
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What kind of righteousness is it that can be attained without being pursued? Paul calls it 'the righteousness which is of faith'.
The key to this surprising attainment is the nature of the righteousness itself. It's not something generated from within or achieved through human effort; it's a righteousness that comes from faith.
Faith's Foundation
Understand the original words
dikaiosynē · Greek Noun
The quality of being right, just, or conformed to God's standard. In the Pauline epistles, it often refers to the righteousness that God credits to believers through faith in Jesus Christ, apart from works of the law.
pistis · Greek Noun
A trust, reliance, or confident commitment of the heart to God and His promises. It is the instrument through which an individual receives the gift of justification and salvation.
Istraēl · Greek Proper Noun
The people descended from Jacob/Israel, chosen by God as His covenant people through whom the Messiah would come. In this context, it refers to the historical nation that struggled to accept the Gospel.
nomos · Greek Noun
In a theological sense, the moral standard and requirements of God's will. Here, it refers to the legalistic pursuit of keeping the Law to earn standing before God.
dikaiosynē · Greek Noun
The state of being declared right or just before God. It is a forensic status based on God’s grace received through faith, rather than human achievement.
This verse speaks to a pivotal moment in salvation history when God, through Christ, opened the way for people from all nations to be counted righteous by faith, not by adherence to the Jewish Law, a radical concept for both Jews and Gentiles.
c. 722 BC
Assyrian Exile of Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquered the northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting many of its inhabitants. This event marked a significant scattering of the Israelite people and a turning point in their national identity.
586 BC
Babylonian Exile of Southern Kingdom
The Neo-Babylonian Empire destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple, exiling the majority of the population of the southern Kingdom of Judah. This trauma profoundly shaped Jewish identity and their relationship with God.
c. 539 BC
Persian Empire's Rise and Return from Exile
Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon and allowed Jewish exiles to return to Judah and rebuild the Temple. While a restoration, it was under foreign rule and not the independent kingdom of old.
c. 1st century BC - 1st century AD
Hellenistic and Roman Rule
The land of Judea came under Hellenistic Greek rule and later Roman dominion. Jewish society grappled with maintaining its identity amidst powerful foreign cultures and political pressures.
c. AD 30-33
Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus
Jesus Christ, a Jew, was crucified in Jerusalem. His followers proclaimed his resurrection, forming the nucleus of the early Christian movement.
c. AD 40s-50s— this verse
Missionary Journeys of Paul
The Apostle Paul embarked on extensive missionary journeys, preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to both Jewish and Gentile communities throughout the Roman Empire.
c. AD 57
Paul Writes Romans
The Apostle Paul, likely from Corinth or Ephesus, wrote his letter to the church in Rome. He addresses the inclusion of Gentiles into God's people through faith in Christ, contrasting it with Israel's general rejection of Jesus.
This passage highlights how believers are clothed with Christ through baptism, symbolizing the attainment of righteousness by faith, not by works, which parallels the Gentiles' experience in Romans 9:30.
Philippians 3:9Paul contrasts his former pursuit of righteousness through the law with the 'righteousness from God that depends on faith' in Christ, mirroring the distinction made in Romans 9:30 between pursuing righteousness by law and attaining it by faith.
Isaiah 28:16This Old Testament prophecy, alluded to by Paul, speaks of laying a foundation stone in Zion, through which believers would not be put to shame, connecting to the idea of attaining righteousness by faith in Christ, the stumbling stone for some but salvation for others.
Romans 10:3This verse directly contrasts Israel's pursuit of their own righteousness through the law, failing to submit to God's righteousness in Christ, with the Gentiles' attainment of righteousness by faith, reinforcing the central theme of Romans 9:30.
Ephesians 2:8-9This passage explicitly states that salvation is by grace through faith, not by works, echoing the core message of Romans 9:30 where Gentiles, who didn't strive for righteousness, obtained it through faith.
clarkeRomans 9:30: "What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith."
What shall we say then? - What is the final conclusion to be drawn from all these prophecies, facts, and reasonings? This: That the Gentiles which followed not after righteousness, etc. This, with the succeeding verses, together with what belongs to the same subject in the beginning of the following chapter, I have explained…
gillRomans 9:30: "What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith."
What shall we say then?.... To God's calling of a large number of the Gentiles, and only a very few of the Jews, according to his eternal purposes and decrees; what can be objected to it? is he chargeable with any unrighteousness? must it not be referred to his sovereign will and pleasure? is it not an instance of his grace a…
The surprising point here is that the Gentiles, who weren't even seeking righteousness, "attained" it. This highlights that righteousness isn't earned through diligent effort or seeking, but is a gift freely received by faith, a concept the Jews, who were actively pursuing their own version of righteousness, missed.
Paul is explaining why God has chosen to include Gentiles in his plan of salvation, even though they didn't follow his laws like the Jews did. He's already shown that God's promises aren't limited to Abraham's physical descendants and that God has the freedom to show mercy to whomever He chooses. Now, he points out the surprising reality: Gentiles who weren't actively seeking righteousness have found it through faith, while many Jews who pursued righteousness through the law have missed it.
Paul is explaining why God has chosen to include Gentiles in his plan of salvation, even though they didn't follow his laws like the Jews did. He's already shown that God's promises aren't limited to Abraham's physical descendants and that God has the freedom to show mercy to whomever He chooses. Now, he points out the surprising reality: Gentiles who weren't actively seeking righteousness have found it through faith, while many Jews who pursued righteousness through the law have missed it.
"What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law." — The surprising point here is that the Gentiles, who weren't even seeking righteousness, "attained" it. This highlights that righteousness isn't earned through diligent effort or seeking, but is a gif…
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