Romans 10:15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Therefore, if salvation depends on calling, calling on faith, faith on hearing, hearing on preaching, and preaching on sending, and if the Apostles were sent and preached, then the conclusion is clear. The Prophet even walked with them, as it were, pointed them out, proclaimed them, and said, "These are the very ones about whom long beforehand I proclaimed from above, and whose feet I praised because of the manner of their preaching." Thus it is clear that unbelief is the Jews' own fault, while on God's part everything has been done.

Therefore holy Simeon, seeing discord in the world, rejoiced at the birth of the Savior: "Now let Your servant depart, Master, according to Your word, in peace" (Lk 2:29). The Kingdom of God is peace. All discord disappears for the one who bends the knee before the one God.

Isaiah's prophecy about the swift feet of those who preach peace refers directly to the Apostles. In the prophecy it further speaks of the reign of the Lord and the spread of divine salvation throughout the whole universe (Isa 52:10). "Do you see," says Saint John Chrysostom, "how by the very manner of preaching the Apostle proves that they are preachers, foreseen and sent? The Apostles, going around the universe, proclaimed nothing other than ineffable blessings and the peace of God with men. Therefore, if salvation depends on calling, calling on faith, faith on hearing, and hearing on preaching, and if the Apostles were sent and preached, then it is clear that unbelief is the Jews' own fault. On God's part everything has been done." "The Jews again raise a new objection, saying: if the Apostles were sent by God, then all ought to have obeyed them. The Prophet foretold this also from of old. What are you saying? he asked. Is it this, that not all obeyed the Gospel? But Isaiah foretold this long ago. More precisely, he foretold not only this, but something much greater. What exactly? 'Lord, who has believed our report?'" That is, very few. Since the Jews constantly sought miracles, desired to see the Resurrection, and many eagerly demanded this, the Apostle says: "hearing is by the word of God." The preachers did not speak their own things, but proclaimed what they had heard from God. This is much higher than miracles. God, when He speaks and when He works wonders, must equally be believed and obeyed, because works and miracles are produced by His word. But perhaps, although the word of the Lord was proclaimed, the Hebrews did not hear it? Explaining the Apostle's answer to this, given in the Psalmist's comparative words, "Their proclamation has gone out into all the earth," blessed Theodoret observes: "Was it possible for the Jews not to hear, when the Gentiles heard in the whole universe? The preachers of truth proclaimed the preaching first to the Jews. For the Lord Himself said to them, 'Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel' (Mt 10:6). And in the Acts of the Apostles it is said, 'It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first' (Acts 13:46)." It remains to suppose that the Hebrews heard the Gospel preaching but did not understand it or feel it. From this side also, as is clear from what follows, they could have no excuse, because they knew and understood everything in Christianity, but persisted in obstinacy.

The force of the proof lies in the agreement of the apostolic preaching with the good tidings of the heralds foreseen by the Prophet. What did the Apostles preach? Peace with God.

They preached such peace that from it flowed countless spiritual blessings, both for time and still more for eternity. Saint Paul says of this: God gave us the ministry of reconciliation. He placed upon us the word of reconciliation.

"Therefore, on behalf of Christ we beseech you, as though God were beseeching through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ: be reconciled to God" (cf. 2 Cor. 5:20).

Here, after citing the prophetic word about the heralds of peace, he speaks as though saying: recognize in us those heralds foreseen by the Prophet. Do not say that, since there was no preaching and no preachers, I could not hear and believe.

"Do you see," says Saint Chrysostom, "how by the very manner of the preaching the Apostle proves that they are the preachers, the ones foreseen and sent? The Apostles, going throughout the inhabited world, proclaimed nothing other than ineffable blessings and God's peace with men.

"Therefore you unbelievers do not disbelieve us, Paul says, but Isaiah. Many years beforehand he proclaimed that we would be sent, that we would preach, and he said the very thing that we say.

"If salvation depends on calling, calling on faith, faith on hearing, and hearing on preaching, and if the Apostles were sent and preached, then the Prophet even went together with them.

"He pointed them out, proclaiming and saying: these are the very ones about whom it was announced from above through me long beforehand. I praised their feet because of the manner of their preaching.

"It is therefore evident that unbelief is the Jews' own fault, and that on God's part everything has been done."

In the passage from which the prophetic word is taken, the prophet Isaiah inspires the Jews with hope of deliverance from captivity. The ten tribes were already in captivity among the Assyrians.

The captivity of the rest by Nebuchadnezzar was impending, and the Prophet saw it as though already accomplished. So that they might not lose heart, the Prophet in the name of the Lord promises them deliverance: "Arise, O Zion, put on your glory, O Jerusalem" (cf. Is. 52:1).

Then the prophetic spirit carries the Prophet into the distant future, to the time of the coming of the Promised One. It compels him to speak in God's person: "Because of you My name is blasphemed among the nations" (cf. Is. 52:5).

But the time will come when "My people shall know My name" (cf. Is. 52:6). How shall they know it? I Myself, who speak this, will be among them.

Heralds will be sent, carrying the joyful message concerning Me. This is expressed in the words: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach peace, who preach good things" (cf. Is. 52:7).

Then God will reign, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation that is from God (cf. Is. 52:10). Here the indication of Christ Jesus, the Lord and Savior, is so clear that the Jews easily recognized a prophetic indication of the time of His coming.

Ambrosiaster applies this passage to the time of the apostolic preaching: "By 'feet' he signifies the going of the Apostles, who traverse the whole world and preach that the Kingdom of God has come.

"Their going sanctified men, showing them the way by which one walks in peace toward God. John the Baptist first came to prepare this way. This is the peace toward which those who believe in Christ hasten.

"The Kingdom of God is peace. In it, every discord having been cut off, all bend the knee to the one God. So it is here. The Jerusalem above, which is our mother, by its very name is interpreted as the vision of peace, or enjoyment of peace."