“For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. — The dual failure: Israel neither knew (γινώσκω, ginōskō) the δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosynē, "righteousness from God") nor submitted (ὑποτάσσω, hypotassō) to it; instead, they sought to establish (ἱστάνω, histanō) their own δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosynē). Works-righteousness was a rejection of God's saving justice.
Church Fathers on Romans 10:3
“For they being ignorant,” he says, “of God's righteousness.” Again the word would lead to pardon. But the sequel to stronger accusation, and such as does away with defense of any kind. “And going about,” he says, “to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” And these things he says to show, that it was from a petulancy and love of power that they erred, rather than from ignorance, and that not even this righteousness…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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