Romans Chapter 10 Vs. 2

 

Israel's Unbelief

For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. Rom 10:2

zeal of God,... Zealous but stubbornly ignorant (Rom. 10:2-3).

It is so strange to me that the people who were supposed to know the Word of God the best did not truly understand what that Word was saying, and they rejected their promised Messiah. The Scripture above says that it was for lack of knowledge. Perhaps, it was for lack of understanding what they were reading.

Hos. 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”

The Jews indeed had “zeal of God” which was demonstrated by their legalistic conformity to the law and their fierce opposition to Judaism’s opponents.

Perhaps with his own experience in mind (cf. Acts 26:11; Gal. 1:13-14; Phlp. 3:4-6) Paul affirmed, For I can testify (pres. tense, “I testify, bear witness”) about them that they are zealous for God. Israel was called “the God-intoxicated people.” Paul had to acknowledge, however, that their zeal is not based on (lit., “according to”) knowledge (epignōsin, “intensive, full knowledge”). The Jews obviously had knowledge of God but not full knowledge. Otherwise they would not have stumbled over Christ by seeking to gain righteousness on the basis of works.