Romans 10:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What are you saying, Paul asks, that they did not hear? But the whole world heard. All the ends of the earth heard. You, among whom the preachers spent so much time, and from whom they sprang, did you not hear? Is that possible? If the ends of the world heard, then much more did you.

"Again I ask: did Israel not know?" (Rom 10:19). He again answers in the prophetic words of Moses and Isaiah. The first foretold the faith of the Gentiles, and that this faith would arouse jealousy among the Jews. Such jealousy is plainly impossible without understanding.

The second, while proclaiming the faith of the Gentiles, speaks directly of the unbelief of the Jews. He does not say that they would fail to understand the preaching of the Gospel (Rom 10:19-21).

The Apostle gives these answers, in the very words of the prophets, to the questions set forth above. His purpose is to make the Hebrews feel more sharply the danger of their moral state, and of their God-opposing resistance to the Gospel preaching.

The Church has always applied these words to the holy Apostles, although in their immediate sense they refer to the heavens that declare the glory of God.

Isaiah's prophecy about the swift feet that proclaim peace refers directly to the Apostles. For the prophecy goes on to speak of the Lord's reign, and of the spread of divine salvation throughout the whole world (Isa 52:10).

"Do you see," says St. John Chrysostom, "how by the very manner of the preaching the Apostle proves that they are the preachers foreseen and sent? The Apostles went through the world proclaiming nothing else 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. But the prophet foretold this also long ago. What do you say, he asks, that not all obeyed the Gospel?

"Isaiah foretold this long ago. More precisely, he foretold not only this, but something much greater. What was it? 'Lord, who has believed our report?' That is, very few."

But since the Jews constantly sought signs, desired to see the resurrection, and many eagerly demanded this, the Apostle says, "Hearing comes by the word of God." The preachers did not speak their own words. They proclaimed what they had heard from God.

This is far greater than signs. When God speaks and when He works wonders, He must equally be believed and obeyed. For deeds and miracles are accomplished by His word.

Yet perhaps, although the Lord's word was proclaimed, the Hebrews did not hear it? Explaining the Apostle's answer, given through the psalmist's comparative words, "Their proclamation has gone out into all the earth," Blessed Theodoret remarks:

"Could the Jews have failed to hear, when the Gentiles heard throughout the whole world? The preachers of truth first proclaimed the preaching 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 first be spoken to you'" (Acts 13:46).

It remains to suppose that the Hebrews heard the Gospel preaching, but did not understand or inwardly feel it. Yet from this side also, as follows from what comes next, they could have no excuse. They knew and understood everything in Christianity, but persisted in obstinacy.

But the matter is not so. It cannot be said that they did not hear. How could they fail to hear, when the whole inhabited world heard their proclamation?

Saint Chrysostom says on this passage: "The Apostle asks: what if the preachers were sent and preached what had been commanded them, but the Jews did not hear it?

"Then he gives the most sufficient answer to the objection: 'On the contrary, their sound has gone out into all the earth,' and so forth.

"What are you saying, Paul asks. They did not hear? The inhabited world heard. All the ends of the earth heard. How, then, could you not hear, among whom the preachers spent so much time and from whom they came?

"Is it possible? If the ends of the inhabited world heard, then all the more did you."

Let us continue this discourse with the words of Blessed Theodoret: "Was it possible for the Jews not to hear, when the Gentiles heard throughout the whole inhabited world?

"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' (cf. Matt. 10:6).

"And in the Acts of the Apostles it is said: 'It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken first to you' (cf. Acts 13:46)."

The prophetic word is taken from the Psalm (see Ps. 18:5). In that psalm, the holy prophet David first depicts how the heavens proclaim the glory of God.

They proclaim the wisdom, goodness, almightiness, creative power, and providence of the boundless God. Such preaching is heard everywhere and is understandable to all. All people hear it, and all, receiving this preaching of the heavens, repeat it in their own language.

Then he adds that the merciful God did not limit Himself to this proclamation of His glory. Together with this silent preaching from the face of creatures, He also granted us verbal revelation.

He gave the Law, the statutes, the commandments, and the judgments. These are "more to be desired than gold and much precious stone, sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb" (Ps. 18:11).

Thus, through revelation in creation, the Prophet was led to the thought of a better revelation through the word. There is nothing marvelous, then, if through both he prophetically discerned the future and higher revelation.

This revelation would come in the promised Deliverer who was to come. What is marvelous if, in the sun rising in the east "like a bridegroom from his chamber" (see Ps. 18:5-6), he discerned the Sun of righteousness?

This is Christ our God, who through the apostolic preaching was to traverse the whole inhabited world, beginning from the east, in order to warm all by His heat and enlighten them by His light.

And what is marvelous if, when he heard the glory of God proclaimed by creation being repeated in all languages, he also heard the preaching which the Apostles were to carry in all languages throughout the whole world?

What the prophetic spirit discerned in hidden fashion, the apostolic spirit saw and understood. Now it openly proclaims to all as prophecy: "Their sound has gone out into all the earth."