Calling on the Lord’s name
Paul explicitly quotes Joel’s salvation promise in a paragraph about faith in the risen Jesus and confessing him as Lord. Joel names Yahweh; Paul’s Greek quotation uses Lord.
Historical context
Joel promises deliverance on the day of Yahweh after the outpouring of the Spirit. The divine name identifies Israel’s God. Paul moves from confessing Jesus as Lord in verse 9 to the same Lord of Jew and Greek in verse 12, then quotes Joel in verse 13.
Reception
Cumulative case
Tradition note
The shared Nicene confession and the unity of Scripture guide this reading: the eternal Son is true God and truly human, distinct from the Father. Preserve original contexts, literary connections, and genuine textual questions; a theological conclusion can be firm even when one supporting passage is debated.
Avoid overclaiming
An explicit quotation labels the literary connection, not the certainty of an ontological conclusion. Read Romans 10:8–14 together rather than isolating verse 13.
Strongest alternative reading
A competing reading takes Lord in verses 12–13 as God the Father, or understands calling on Jesus as access to God through his authorized Messiah. Verse 9 itself distinguishes Jesus from God.
Key points
- Paul explicitly quotes Joel’s salvation promise in a paragraph about faith in the risen Jesus and confessing him as Lord. Joel names Yahweh; Paul’s Greek quotation uses Lord.
- The quotation is certain; identifying its Lord with Jesus requires following Paul’s argument. Continuity through confession, calling, and believing gives the Christological reading substantial support, but the quotation alone does not resolve the referent.
Common questions
- What does the text explicitly say before a theological conclusion is drawn?
- What is the strongest competing reading, and which details weigh against it?
Doctrinal connections
- The Trinitarian argument follows the paragraph’s referent: Jesus is Lord in verse 9; people call on that Lord in verses 12–14; a promise about Yahweh is thereby applied to Jesus. Jesus shares the divine saving name while remaining distinct from the God who raised him.
Scripture
- Joel 2:32 — Joel promises deliverance on the day of Yahweh after the outpouring of the Spirit. The divine name identifies Israel’s God.
- Romans 10:9–13 — Paul moves from confessing Jesus as Lord in verse 9 to the same Lord of Jew and Greek in verse 12, then quotes Joel in verse 13.
- Romans 10:14 — Calling and believing continue the same chain of reasoning.
- 1 Corinthians 1:2 — Paul describes believers as those who call on Jesus Christ’s name.
- Acts 2:21 — Peter also quotes Joel, then proclaims God’s exaltation of Jesus.
- Acts 2:36 — Peter also quotes Joel, then proclaims God’s exaltation of Jesus.
Primary sources
Compare this original setting with the New Testament wording below; a comparison does not itself establish an identity conclusion.
Original setting: Joel promises deliverance on the day of Yahweh after the outpouring of the Spirit. The divine name identifies Israel’s God.
whoever will call on Yahweh’s name shall be saved
Passage context and translation
Joel promises deliverance on the day of Yahweh after the outpouring of the Spirit. The divine name identifies Israel’s God.
Before the excerpt
Joel 2:31 — The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes.
After the excerpt
The selected wording reaches the closing verse of this chapter.
An explicit quotation labels the literary connection, not the certainty of an ontological conclusion. Read Romans 10:8–14 together rather than isolating verse 13.
Paul's paragraph joins confession of Jesus as Lord to calling on the Lord's name; identifying the quotation's Lord follows the argument, not the quoted word alone.
confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord … Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Passage context and translation
Paul moves from confessing Jesus as Lord in verse 9 to the same Lord of Jew and Greek in verse 12, then quotes Joel in verse 13.
Before the excerpt
Romans 10:8 — But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart;” that is, the word of faith which …
After the excerpt
Romans 10:14 — How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? …
Sources and further reading
- Joel 2:32 · World English Bible
Primary passage checked in context; excerpt uses the public-domain WEB. The argument and competing reading are original study notes. - Romans 10:9–13 · World English Bible
Primary passage checked in context; excerpt uses the public-domain WEB. The argument and competing reading are original study notes.