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For the past few days, we have been studying Paul’s explanation of why his fellow Jews rejected Christ. Their rejection is not a failure on God’s part. And God nonetheless used their rejection to extend salvation to us Gentiles. But we still don’t know why they rejected Christ. Romans 9.30-10.4 supplies the answer. 

Here’s what Paul writes: 

What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the "stumbling stone." As it is written [in Isaiah 8.14 and 28.16]: "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."    

Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.  Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. 

There are several crucial terms in this passage: 

First, righteousness. The righteousness of God is the overarching theme of Romans. It refers not so much to God’s character as to his gift of salvation. He is righteous, true, but through the cross he graciously makes us righteous too. 

Second, works, which should be paired with law. According to Paul, his fellow Jews “pursued a law of righteousness…as if it were by works.” And they were “zealous” in doing so. But as Paul had shown in Romans 3.20, pursuing righteousness by works was impossible because “no one will be declared righteous in [God’s] sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.” 

Third, faith. If we do not become righteous by works, faith is the only remaining option. Faith is trust in God. It is the humble attitude of a person who knows he cannot rescue himself and must trust the good graces of his Rescuer. Righteousness by faith is the essence of the gospel, according to Romans 1.17: “in the gospel righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last.” 

And fourth, Christ. According to Romans 8.3-4: “what the law was powerless to do…, God did by sending his own Son…to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us.” On the cross, God makes the Great Exchange of Christ’s righteousness for our unrighteousness. Only by trusting God to do this can we be saved. 

Faith is difficult, though. It highlights our powerlessness and inability. That is why Christ is a “stumbling stone.” But unless Christ is the “end” of our efforts at self-salvation, he cannot be the beginning of our life with God.