Fathers

Romans 10

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Brothers, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn’t subject themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, “The one who does them will live by them.” But the righteousness which is of faith says this, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down); or, ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)” But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart;” that is, the word of faith which we preach: that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes resulting in righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on him. For, “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a preacher? And how will they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!” But they didn’t all listen to the glad news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, didn’t they hear? Yes, most certainly, “Their sound went out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” But I ask, didn’t Israel know? First Moses says, “I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation. I will make you angry with a nation void of understanding.” Isaiah is very bold and says, “I was found by those who didn’t seek me. I was revealed to those who didn’t ask for me.” But about Israel he says, “All day long I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

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What the Fathers say

Romans 10:4

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

"For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth." See the judgment of Paul. For as he had spoken of a righteousness, and a righteousness, lest they of the Jews which believed should seem to have the one but be excluded from the other, and to be accused of lawlessness (for even these there was no less cause to fear about as being still newly come in), and lest Jews should again expect to achieve it, and should say, Though we have not at present fulfilled it, yet we certainly will fulfil it, see what …

Homily on Romans 17 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

Since he truly called the righteousness that is from the law a righteousness, then lest, on the one hand, those who believed from among the Jews should say: so then we became transgressors when we abandoned this righteousness, and on the other hand, lest those who did not believe could say that although they have not now fulfilled the righteousness according to the law, they can perfectly fulfill it afterward, the apostle, removing both thoughts, says: "Christ is the end of the law." What the law desired and did not accomplish, …

Commentary on Romans ↗

Irenaeus

For this is what Paul says concerning these men: "For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." And how is Christ the end of the law, if He be not also the final Cause of it? …

Against Heresies Book IV ↗

Western Saints

Thomas Aquinas

Then when he says, for the end of the law is Christ, he explains what he had said, namely, that they are ignorant of God's justice and refuse to submit to him, while they seek to establish their own justice based on the law. In regard to this it should be noted that, even as the philosophers say, the intention of any lawgiver is to make men virtuous: much more, then, the old law given by God to men was directed toward making men virtuous. …

Commentary on Romans ↗

Bonaventure

The second key is the understanding of the Incarnate Word, through whom all things are restored. "All things must be fulfilled that are written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me. Then He opened their minds, that they might understand the Scriptures." Hence, in the Epistle to the Romans: "Christ is the consummation of the Law unto justice for everyone who believes."

Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 3 ↗

Hippolytus of Rome

And what saith the Lord to him? "Suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness." "Suffer it to be so now," John; thou art not wiser than I. Thou seest as man; I foreknow as God. It becomes me to do this first, and thus to teach. I engage in nothing unbecoming, for I am invested with honour. Dost thou marvel, O John, that I am not come in my dignity? The purple robe of kings suits not one in private station, but military splendour suits a king: am I come to a prince, and not to a friend? …

Hippolytus Dogmatical and Historical Fragments ↗