Romans 9:32 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Here is the reason of the foregoing seeming paradox; why they, who followed after the law of righteousness, should not attain it, rather than other. Because they sought it not aright; they sought it not in a way of believing, but of working. These two are opposed in the business of justification, as before at large, in Romans 9:3,4. As it were by the works of the law; i.e. as if they could have attained righteousness or justification in that way, which it was impossible to do. They stumbled at that stumbling-stone; i.e. the true Messiah: q.d. So far were they from seeking righteousness by Christ, that, on the contrary, they took offence at him, to their own destruction, Mark 6:3 1 Corinthians 1:23. They thought it impossible that he should give them a righteousness better than their own. This happened to them according to the prophecy that went before them: so it followeth;