The Case of the Jews
A Sermon on Romans 10:18-21
Originally preached May 8, 1964
Scripture
18But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. 19But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and …
Sermon Description
Did the apostle Paul really claim that the gospel had been proclaimed throughout the world? What could he have meant by such a statement? What about the Jews and how can he claim that the majority of Jews have not obeyed the gospel? Did most of them hear the gospel preached? Some would protest and think that Paul was obviously mistaken. In this sermon on Romans 10:18–21 titled “The Case of the Jews,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones looks at the connection between the Old Testament anticipation of the coming Messiah and the large-scale rejection of Jesus Christ by the Jews and also during Paul’s day. By interpreting Scripture with Scripture, Dr. Lloyd-Jones demonstrates how the Jewish people should have known about the suffering Messiah from their own Scriptures. The New Testament often assumes the clarity of the gospel in the Old Testament and yet there is a blindness to the clear teaching. The gospel from the apostle Paul was not a message that should be hidden from the masses. There was no hint of a “mystery religion” where only a select few knew the right details in order to be “initiated.” Dr. Lloyd-Jones contends that God was taking the gospel message through appointed apostles, prophets and preachers so that it would be heard by everyone, everywhere.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul argues that the Jews cannot claim they did not hear the gospel. He cites Psalm 19 to show that the gospel message has spread throughout the whole earth.
- Paul argues that the Jews cannot claim the gospel was not plainly taught to them. He will show from Moses and Isaiah that the way of salvation, the inclusion of Gentiles, and the rejection of Jews were clearly taught.
- Paul's first negative argument is that the Jews' unbelief was not due to lack of hearing the gospel. The gospel was preached everywhere.
- Paul's second negative argument is that the Jews' unbelief was not due to lack of plain teaching about the gospel. The scriptures plainly taught the way of salvation, Gentile inclusion, and Jewish rejection.
- The gospel is not a secret or esoteric message but has been openly proclaimed throughout the world.
- The Jews cannot claim the gospel was an innovation that contradicted what they knew from the scriptures. The gospel was foretold in the Old Testament.
- The scriptures the Jews delighted in actually condemned them for their blindness and sin in rejecting the gospel.
- Paul will show from Moses and Isaiah that the Jews had no excuse for ignorance or for not understanding the gospel.
Sermon Q&A
Common Questions about Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Romans 10:18-21
What is the main argument Paul makes in Romans 10:18-21 according to Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Paul's main argument in this passage is that the Jews have no excuse for their unbelief. Paul demonstrates this through two negative arguments: first, they cannot claim they haven't heard the gospel because "their sound went into all the earth, and their words into the ends of the world." Second, they cannot claim that the teaching was unclear or that the gospel was an innovation that contradicted their scriptures. Lloyd-Jones explains that Paul is "bringing a tremendous, irrefutable indictment against the Jews" showing that "their case is completely indefensible" and "their whole conduct with respect to the gospel is entirely inexcusable."
How does Lloyd-Jones explain Paul's use of Psalm 19 in this passage?
Lloyd-Jones explains that Paul appropriates Psalm 19 in an interesting way to make his point. The original psalm speaks of how "the heavens declare the glory of God" and how this knowledge of God is universal because the heavens are universal. Paul applies this same principle to the gospel, suggesting that just as natural revelation has gone throughout the earth, so has the gospel message been widely disseminated. Lloyd-Jones calls this "hyperbole" - not meaning literally every single individual has heard, but that the gospel has been broadly proclaimed and cannot be considered hidden or secret.
How does Lloyd-Jones explain the Jews' opportunity to hear the gospel?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones gives several ways the Jews had opportunity to hear the gospel:
- Through the Old Testament scriptures themselves, which testified of Christ
- Through John the Baptist, whom Lloyd-Jones calls "a veritable phenomenon" that all Jews knew about
- Through Jesus Himself, "the supreme phenomenon" whose teaching and miracles were known throughout Palestine
- Through the events of Pentecost, which was "impossible for anybody to be a Jew and not to hear about"
- Through the preaching of the apostles who traveled extensively
- Through the testimonies of scattered believers who "went everywhere and preached the word"
What does Lloyd-Jones say is the difference between the Christian gospel and mystery religions?
Lloyd-Jones points out that "the Christian gospel is not some secret message" unlike "those so-called mystery religions that were so common in that ancient world." He explains: "these mystery religions, they didn't preach their gospel from the housetops. They didn't make it known to everybody. No, you had to be initiated. It was a secret message." In contrast, the gospel "at the command of God himself and the Lord Jesus Christ, through the called appointed, sent preachers, is to be heard by everybody, everywhere." The gospel is not "esoteric" or hidden, but publicly proclaimed.
What does Lloyd-Jones say about Paul's ultimate motive in presenting this argument?
Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that Paul's "ultimate object is not merely to indict the Jews and to show how terribly wrong they were." Rather, Paul's primary concern is redemptive - "to show them how tragically wrong they are, hoping that if they see it, they will repent and acknowledge it and turn to the Lord." Lloyd-Jones quotes Romans 10:1: "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved." He adds that ministers should follow Paul's example of speaking truth in love, being more concerned with saving souls than with proving themselves right.
The Book of Romans
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.