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.
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.