Romans 10:13

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(13) Upon the name of the Lord.—Originally, as meaning “of Jehovah,” but with especial reference to the Messianic Advent. Here, therefore, it is applied to our Lord.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

10:12-17 There is not one God to the Jews, more kind, and another to the Gentiles, who is less kind; the Lord is a Father to all men. The promise is the same to all, who call on the name of the Lord Jesus as the Son of God, as God manifest in the flesh. All believers thus call upon the Lord Jesus, and none else will do so humbly or sincerely. But how should any call on the Lord Jesus, the Divine Saviour, who had not heard of him? And what is the life of a Christian but a life of prayer? It shows that we feel our dependence on him, and are ready to give up ourselves to him, and have a believing expectation of our all from him. It was necessary that the gospel should be preached to the Gentiles. Somebody must show them what they are to believe. How welcome the gospel ought to be to those to whom it was preached! The gospel is given, not only to be known and believed, but to be obeyed. It is not a system of notions, but a rule of practice. The beginning, progress, and strength of faith is by hearing. But it is only hearing the word, as the word of God that will strengthen faith.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For whosoever shall call ... - This sentiment is found substantially in Joel 2:32, "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered." This is expressly applied to the times of the gospel, by Peter, in Acts 2:21; see the note on that place. To call on the name of the Lord is the same as to call on the Lord himself. The word "name" is often used in this manner. "The name of the Lord is a strong tower, etc.;" Proverbs 18:10. "The name of the God of Jacob defend thee;" Psalm 20:1. That is, God himself is a strong tower, etc. It is clear from what follows, that the apostle applies this to Jesus Christ; and this is one of the numerous instances in which the writers of the New Testament apply to him expressions which in the Old Testament are applicable to God; see 1 Corinthians 1:2.

Shall be saved - This is the uniform promise; see Acts 2:21; Acts 22:16, "Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." This is proper and indispensable because,

(1) We have sinned against God, and it is right that we should confess it.

(2) because he only can pardon us, and it is fit, that if we obtain pardon, we should ask it of God.

(3) to call upon him is to acknowledge him as our Sovereign, our Father, and our Friend; and it is right that we render him our homage.

It is implied in this, that we call upon him with right feelings; that is, with a humble sense of our sinfulness and our need of pardon, and with a willingness to receive eternal life as it is offered us in the gospel. And if this be done, this passage teaches us that all may be saved who will do it. He will cast none away who come in this manner. The invitation and the assurance extend to all nations and to people of all times.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

13. For—saith the scripture

whosoever—The expression is emphatic, "Everyone whosoever"

shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved—(Joe 2:32); quoted also by Peter, in his great Pentecostal sermon (Ac 2:21), with evident application to Christ.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

That the Lord is rich unto all that call upon him, is confirmed here by a testimony out of Joel 2:32, which is also cited by St. Peter, Acts 2:21. The apostle’s argument may be thus formed: If whosoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved, then the Lord is rich to all that call upon him; for no riches are comparable to salvation; but the former is true, therefore the latter.

Whosoever, whether Jew or Gentile, shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved; i.e. on him whose name is the Lord. Jesus Christ is principally meant, as appears by many passages in the prophet. Compare this with 1 Corinthians 1:2.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

For whosoever shall call upon the name the Lord,.... This testimony is taken out of Joel 2:32 and is brought to prove the truth of what the apostle had just suggested, that all that call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, will find him rich and plenteous in mercy, and ready to dispense his grace and salvation to them: such

shall be saved; be they who they will, whether Jews or Gentiles; not with a temporal salvation only, but with a spiritual and eternal one; for the words of the prophet refer to Gospel times, as the context shows, and is cited and applied thereunto by the Apostle Peter, Acts 2:16; besides, the deliverance and salvation Joel speaks of, is of a "remnant whom the Lord shall call", Joel 2:32; and designs the remnant according to the election of grace, whether among Jews or Gentiles, whom God calls by his efficacious grace; between which call and eternal glory, there is a certain and inseparable connection.

Geneva Study Bible

{8} For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

(8) True calling upon the name of God is the testimony of true faith, and true faith of true vocation or calling, and true calling of true election.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Romans 10:13. Ground assigned for εἰς πάντας τοὺς ἐπικαλ. αὐτόν, Romans 10:12, and that with words of Scripture from Joel 3:5. This passage (LXX. Romans 2:27, closely following the LXX.) treats of the coming in of the Messianic era; hence Paul might refer κυρίου, which in the original points to God, justly to Christ, who has appeared in the name of God, and continually rules as His Representative and Revealer, and Mediator, whose name was now the very specific object of the Christian calling on the Lord. That Paul writes not αὐτοῦ, but κυρίου, is from no particular motive (against Hofmann); he simply reproduces the words of Scripture, which he presumes to be well known and makes his own.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Romans 10:13. For every one who invokes the name of the Lord shall be saved. The words are from Joel 3:5 (= Joel 2:32 LXX). “The Lord” in the original is Jehovah; here, manifestly, Christ—a proof how completely Christ stands in God’s place in all that concerns salvation.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

13. For whosoever, &c.] “Whosoever” refers back to “all” in Romans 10:12. St Paul here quotes (almost verbatim with LXX.) Joel 2:32; (Heb., 4:5;) where the whole prediction is distinctly Messianic, and includes a reference to “the remnant whom the Lord calleth.” See Acts 2:21 for a closely parallel use by St Peter of that passage.

Bengel's Gnomen

Romans 10:13. Πᾶς ὄς ἄν, whosoever, Acts 2:21, note. This monosyllable, πᾶς (all), more precious than the whole world, set forth [as a theme] Romans 10:12, is so repeated, Romans 10:12-13, and farther confirmed, Romans 10:14-15, as not only to signify that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved, but that God wills that He should be called upon by all, for their salvation.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 13. - For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved (Joel 2:32). The text from Joel is in a passage which is distinctly Messianic; the same that is quoted by St. Peter (Acts 2:16) as fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost. Hence, and from the fact of πᾶς ο{ς α}ν being emphatic in the original, it is well quoted by the apostle as supplementing the previous one from Isaiah, and as conclusive for his argument. Romans 10:13