So, What Happened? Why Didn't The Jews Believe?

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Romans 9:30-33

30 What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33 as it is written,
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense;
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

 
 

Chapters 9–11 make up one unified, technically complex section, filled with Old Testament allusions and quotations. As we work through this section, we see that Paul is examining and answering four related questions:

1. Why did so many of the Jews refuse to accept Jesus as Messiah?
2. In light of Jewish rejection of Jesus and Gentile acceptance of Jesus, has God replaced the Jews with the Gentiles as His chosen people?
3. Is there any hope that the Jews who previously rejected Jesus as Messiah might one day turn back and believe?
4. In light of all of the above, what is God up to?

Paul has been explaining to the Romans that the Old Testament prophets foretold that God would one day bring in the Gentiles and that unbelieving Israel would face consequences for that unbelief. In today’s reading, Paul is breaking it down even further by answering the question:

So, what happened? Why didn’t the Jews believe?

30 What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; [Romans 9:30].

Well, says Paul, believe it or not the Gentiles (of all people)—the Gentiles who didn’t even have the Law and had no idea what righteousness really meant—the Gentiles have actually now become righteous because of their faith—their trust—in Jesus.

In contrast:

31 but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law [Romans 9:31].

The Jews—who had been actually instructed by God and had the Law—missed what God is doing. Here’s why:

32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33 as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame” [Romans 9:32-33].

Paul says that the Jews are missing the key aspect of relationship with God, i.e., they are failing to trust, to have faith. In fact, they have tripped up over Jesus!

32b They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33 as it is written,
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense;
   and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame” [Romans 9:32b–33].

Jesus is the stumbling block; because the Jews were unwilling to accept Him as Messiah, they have completely missed what God is doing. Anyone who believes in Jesus will be saved, but if you refuse to believe in Jesus because He doesn’t conform to your expectations, you will trip up and fall.

“Who is Jesus?” You have to answer that question one way or the other—to not answer it by trying to avoid it is still answering it.

How would you answer that question today?