The Divine Name and the Call to Salvation in Romans 10:1-13

The phrase 'For whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD Jehovah shall be saved' in the King James version of the Bible at Romans 10:13 might seem to imply that one should call upon God the Father, namely Jehovah. However, a more nuanced and scholarly examination reveals that the central focus of Romans 10:1-13 is Jesus Christ, the resurrected Lord who is to be worshipped and called upon for salvation.

Belief and Confession in the Syriac Peshitta

To delve deeper, let us consider the teachings of the Syriac Peshitta, an ancient Aramaic translation of the Bible. According to John 4:24, God is the Spirit, and Jesus, sent by the Spirit, is the Christ. John 10:30 states: 'My Father and I are one,' indicating a unity of spirit. And John 5:22 clarifies that the Father judges no one, but the Son has all authority.

Examination of Romans 10

Paul clearly instructs his audience to believe in Christ, who has risen from the dead. In Romans 10:9, the text directly states: 'That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shall be saved.' This confession underscores the need for belief in the resurrection of Christ, reinforcing the identity of the Lord to be called upon as Jesus.

Contextual Analysis

A careful examination of the entire passage in Romans 10 reveals that the reference to 'the name of the Lord' is not about Jehovah (God the Father), but rather the Lord Jesus Christ. This is further supported by the quote from Joel 2:32, where 'the Lord' refers to Jehovah, yet Paul points that same verse toward Jesus. Thus, the entire context of Romans 10:1-13 is centered on Jesus Christ.

The final verses in this section, Romans 10:11, reiterate: 'For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.' Here, the reference is undoubtedly to the Lord Jesus. This clarifies that the name to be called upon is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul's Explicit Writing

Paul's teachings on this matter are explicit. In Romans 10:12, he writes:

For there is no difference: for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

This passage emphasizes the inclusivity and the importance of Jesus as the means of salvation. Similarly, in Romans 10:11-13, Paul asserts that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord (Jesus) will be saved, further emphasizing the centrality of Jesus in this context.

Further Biblical Support

The Bible provides additional support for the claim that Jesus is the name to be called upon for salvation. For instance, in Acts 4:12, the apostles declare, 'There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.' And in Isaiah 43:11, the Lord Himself says, 'I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God'

These passages reinforce the divinity and uniqueness of Jesus, establishing Him as the sole name to be called upon for salvation.

In conclusion, a thorough examination of Romans 10:1-13, considering both the Syriac Peshitta and the wider biblical context, shows that the name of the Lord to be called upon is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Keywords: Divine Name, Romans 10:9-13, Lord Jesus Christ