Brothers, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved.
Where observe, 1. The mighty concern which the apostle had for the eternal salvation of his countrymen the Jews, who sought his destruction; their salvation lay very near his heart, and he was afraid they should miss it by taking the wrong way for obtaining it, by building all their hopes of salvation upon such a bottom as would never bear the fabric, but utterly...
1. We here see with what solicitude the holy man obviated offenses; for in order to soften whatever sharpness there may have been in his manner of explaining the rejection of the Jews, he still testifies, as before, his goodwill towards them, and proves it by the effect; for their salvation was an object of concern to him before the Lord, and such a feeling arises only from genuine love.
Paul's heart's desire and prayer for the Jews was their salvation, not a formal wish, but a real breathing out of the soul before God. Though he preached against their error, he prayed for them with strength and sincerity, as God Himself wills that none should perish.
AI summary
Commenting on Romans 10:1-11