Romans 10:18

“But I say, have they not heard? etc..] rmwa ynaw, “but I say”, is a phrase frequently used by the Jewish doctors in disputation, either in forming or answering objections. The Ethiopic version confines these words to Israel, and reads, “have not Israel heard?” whereas they are to be understood both of Jews and Gentiles; the question refers to each, and the answer is, yes, verily: which the Arabic renders just the reverse, “no”, or “not at all, notwithstanding their sound went into all the earth”; and so makes this an aggravation of their stupidity, and obstinate rejection of the Gospel, that they would not hear it, though its sound reached every place; but the answer is in the affirmative,…”

“But I say, Have they not heard?--"Did they not hear?" Can Israel, through any region of his dispersion, plead ignorance of these glad tidings? Yes, verily, their sound went--"their voice went out" into all the earth, and their words unto the end of the world--These beautiful words are from Psa 19:4. Whether the apostle quoted them as in their primary intention applicable to his subject (as OLSHAUSEN, ALFORD, &c.), or only "used scriptural language to express his own ideas, as is done involuntarily almost by every preacher in every sermon" [HODGE], expositors are not agreed. But though the latter may seem the more natural since "the rising of the Sun of righteousness upon the world" (Mal…”

“But I say - But to this objection, I, the apostle, reply. The objection had been carried through the previous verses. The apostle comes now to reply to it. In doing this, he does not deny the principle contained in it, that the gospel should be preached in order that people might be justly condemned for not believing it; not that the messengers must be sent by God, not that faith comes by hearing. All this he fully admits. But he proceeds to show, by an ample quotation from the Old Testament, that this had been actually furnished to the Jews and to the Gentiles, and that they were actually in possession of the message, and could not plead that they had never heard it. This is the substance…”

“But their unbelief was not owing to the want of hearing For they have heard. Yes verily - So many nations have already heard the preachers of the gospel, that I may in some sense say of them as David did of the lights of heaven. Psa 29:4 Romans 10:19”

“10:18 Yes, they have: Paul quotes Ps 19:4 to show that the message of Good News was universally available through creation. And by the time Paul wrote Romans, early Christian missionaries had spread the Good News through most of the Roman Empire. Most Jews would have had ample opportunity to hear the message.”

“Have they: Act 2:5-11, Act 26:20, Act 28:23 their sound: Similar to this elegant accommodation of these words, is the application of them in a passage of Zohar, Genes. f. 9. "These words are the servants of the Messiah, and measure out both the things above, and the things beneath." Rom 1:8, Rom 15:19; Psa 19:4; Mat 24:14, Mat 26:13, Mat 28:19; Mar 16:15, Mar 16:20; Col 1:6, Col 1:23 unto the ends: Kg1 18:10; Psa 22:27, Psa 98:3; Isa 24:16, Isa 49:6, Isa 52:10; Jer 16:19; Mat 4:8 Romans 10:19”