Romans 15: Gentiles for Jesus?

Book of Romans: A Bible study series in 17 parts

Lesson Sixteen:  Gentiles for Jesus (Romans 15.8ff)

[To watch this on YouTube as it was given live on Zoom, click https://youtu.be/QiwLPEAUL4Q   [The whole biblical text and the bibliography Bob used are at the end of this blog]

Introduction

It may surprise some of you that in the First Century, during the time of the writing of the Newer Testament, that having Gentiles in the church was a new thing. Jewish people wrote about a messiah to come. God had worked with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Then Moses and David and the 39 books of the Older Testament were all about Jewish people and Israel and then around 0 BC, Yeshua was born and lived and preached. He was executed by the Romans and buried. Then he broke out of the tomb and lived and preached for 6 more weeks. One day he farewelled his students and arose in front of them, telling them to wait for the Promise of the Father in Jerusalem. They did wait, and 7 days later came Shavuot, and the Ruach Hakodesh fell on the 120 gathered in that Upper Room. They experienced the joy and presence of the Lord by His Spirit in a brand-new way and went downstairs and began to preach about what they knew. That day about 3,000 Jewish people gave their lives to the Lord. What a start-up!

Listen to these words from the Apostle Peter, there on Shavuot, “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” (Acts 2.39)

I know today something about this promise. I also have been given that promise and entered like those 3,000 into the promise of Eternity with Yeshua. When Peter spoke that word in Acts 2, I wonder if he knew what he was saying. The phrase, “all who are far off” is a reference to Gentiles, you know, non-Jews. (Zech. 6.15). The Apostle Paul would later write about this in Ephesians chapter 2 “But now in Messiah Yeshua you (Gentiles) who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Messiah.” (2.13)

The question today is… those Gentiles in Rome, who already have an assignment from Paul (chapter 11) to make Jewish people jealous, what else do we know they have to fulfil? What is required of the Gentiles for Jesus movement? Especially as it relates to the Jewish people. And one other question I have about Paul… how did he decide about his travels in his famous missionary journeys? Those questions await us as we dig into the 15^th chapter of Romans today.  

If you haven’t read the chapter yet, please pause your playback here on YouTube, read the chapter—it will only take about 3 minutes—and then hit play again as we unpack what Paul is teaching us today, 2,000 years later, thanks.

Welcome back. Let’s learn together chapter 15 with this outline today:

1.     Gentiles are to be included (8-14)

2.     Gentiles are Paul’s priestly offering (15-16)

3.     Rome to be a new base of operations (17-33)

4.     Gentiles owe support the Jerusalem saints (26-27)

Let’s turn in our Bibles to Romans 15, beginning at verse 8 for this lesson, titled “Gentiles for Jesus”

First then, Gentiles are to be included (8-14)

It’s as if Paul finds a concordance, or we might use Google in today’s terms, to search for biblical references to Gentiles in the Older Testament. He doesn’t need to do so, as he has been a student of the Scriptures his whole life, and certainly while under the tutelage of Gamaliel. Paul quotes four times from Tanakh as if one or two was insufficient that Gentiles were ever in the plan and purpose of God. He makes it clear that the nations were always to be included in God’s economy. Note, he doesn’t say they are Israel, but rather that the promises of God to Abraham always saw the nations as in view. First in verse 9, he quotes Psalm 18.49.  “I will give thanks to You among the nations, O LORD, and I will sing praises to Your name.”

Paul is not saying we would have a praise service by Jews while Gentiles looked on from afar. He is saying the Gentiles will be among us and we among them in this praise to the Lord.

Paul then (verse 10) calls on Moses to testify about Gentiles. He cites Deuteronomy 32, the great Song of Moses, the swan song of the primary deliverer of the Jewish people. “Rejoice, O nations, with His people” (32.43)

Even though we had escaped Egypt and watched their great military be swallowed in the Red Sea, and though we had crossed the wilderness of Arabia, through the enemy nations of Edom and Bashan and Amori, yet Moses knew that the nations would be rejoicing with the people of Israel in due course. That prophetic announcement is likely unheard by the Jewish nation as we overlooked the Promised Land that first time.

Paul goes back (verse 11) to the Psalms in the shortest psalm, with “Praise the LORD, all nations; Laud Him, all peoples!” (117.1)

Everyone in all the nations of the world, those known then, and dare I say, those known now, including Australia and Japan, including New Zealand and the USA… all nations should laud him, with high praises. The Psalmists never dismissed the nations; they foresaw the inclusion of the Gentiles with the Jewish people.

Finally (as finally as Paul ever is final), in verse 12, he calls his favourite prophet to the witness stand, Isaiah who tell us  “Then in that day the nations will resort to the root of Jesse, who will stand as a signal for the peoples; and His resting place will be glorious.” (11.10)

Paul returns in this final reference to the opening stanza of his letter to Rome, that Jesus is the hope of the nations. (1.2-5). Remember to the Jew in ancient Rome, hope was deliverance from Roman oppression and messianic hope revolved around one person, the messiah, who would make a clear distinction between Israel and the nation. But in Paul’s clear thinking and real messianic hope, all the nations (and even Israel) would acknowledge the messiah Yeshua, and would be brought into the olive tree together, Jew and Gentile, sharing in the same life source, the promises of God to Abraham, thus establishing real peace. 

Paul makes clear in this opening section of today’s talk that Gentiles were not to be forgotten, that they were ever in view by God in being part of the people of God. Following our last chapter and the teaching about kosher foods and Sabbath days and other Jewish observances, Gentiles as Gentiles were always welcomed to be messianic people. And if true then, even more so today. 

Next,   (15-16)

The word in the Newer Testament for priest is used 150 times or so and always in the noun form. Chief priests, high priests, regular priests… but only one time as a verb. It’s right here in our text today. Verse 16 says, “to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.”

We make the word ‘priest’ into a noun I suppose by translation “ministering as a priest” but the Greek is simply ‘priesting’ the Gospel of God. I love that. Look, some English purists don’t like words which are nouns being used as verbs, such as labelling or birthing or any hundreds of words which are so used, but such use actually clarifies their meaning simply. The gerund to describe this action is verbing.

My friends at Grammarly have a paragraph to describe a pretend business meeting with all the verbing that goes on in the modern world.

“We’re all set, but we need to table that topic for next time.” “You want me to calendar that meeting?” “Yes. Prioritize this topic and action the other two. We can fast-track this project for completion.” “But not without workshopping it. We’ve got to beef it up.” “There’s no way to task anyone with this without approval.”

With that excurses under our belt, let’s return to the verb/noun in verse 16. Paul says he wants to priest the Gospel among the Gentiles. He sees his ministry as powerful and daily as the priests in any temple worldwide, there in Rome or back in Jerusalem. It’s as if he’s saying, ‘when you think religion and purpose, and personal attention, here I will show you mine. It is you people. I live to priest to you all that God has shown me. It’s ceremonial. It’s conclusive. It’s powerful. It’s representative. It’s acceptable to the Almighty. Nothing I’m doing is for my own benefit; it’s all about God’s relationship with each of you. You are not left out. You are included. You are the joy of the Father’s pleasure.”  That’s how I read verse 16. Maybe that helps some of you today.

Rome to be a new base of operations (17-33)

Paul moves from activity to location in the next section. He has made it clear that his ministry so far has met with both success among the nations (1.5) and some serious resistance back in Jerusalem. He longs to be with the Roman believers to impart some spiritual gifting and to have some fruit. (1.13) But I see another thing. Back in Antioch, where he and Peter had some dispute (See Galatians 1-2), the believers might have chosen sides. Jewish and Gentile Christians were no doubt confused when Paul stood up and confronted Peter in public about his two-faced activities. Antioch had been Paul’s sending centre and I imagine his home base. Now, if I read this section correctly, Paul is hoping to go on to Spain and preach where no one had gone before. If so, Antioch back in Syria would have been too far to be his centre, and thus he was looking for a new home base, like Rome. Thus, his letter has several purposes, including the clarification of the Gospel and the role of Law and Grace, the role of the Spirit in our lives, and so much more theological information we have covered the last four months. I believe the letter was also an invitation by Paul asking the leadership in Rome to consider him worthy of settling or at least setting up a new apostolate there.

His final words in chapter 15 sound like that to me. “That I may come to you in joy by the will of God and findrefreshing rest in your company.” (verse 32)

The final section today is actually back inside the 3^rd section. Pardon my outline, but this made sense to me to separate. In the 4^th section today we say, “Gentiles owe support to the Jerusalem saints” (26-27)

NT Wright says in his commentary here that he has translated the Newer Testament Greek into English without much difficulty, until he gets to this section and 1 Corinthians chapters 8 and 9. What do these have in common? Money. Wright says, “There are some cultures in which it seems easier to do than in others, and there are some people who seem to have overcome their inhibitions and to be able to say what needs to be said. But I sense in Paul what I see in myself and in a great many others: a reluctance even to raise the topic at all, and then a sense of nervousness in what we say, lest at any point we should be misunderstood.” (page 126-127)

I guess I’m one who has overcome my inhibitions. Jesus taught about money more than love and without hindrance. He taught that either you love money or love God, you can’t love both. People who get trapped into a love affair with money and all it can buy will put God on the back burner if he’s on the stove at all.  I regularly ask for money from people who believe in our cause. I think it’s normal. If you like a brand of coffee and are committed to its flavour and aroma and the pleasure of drinking it, then you ought to buy it, invest in it, share information about it with others. That’s the most natural thing to do. 

If you believe in Jesus and the community of faith, and you have two shirts and you see a brother in need, you give him a shirt. What’s so hard about that? If you know there is a need to support the poor in Jerusalem or in Western Sydney, and to help relieve conditions of blight, and you have two shekels or two thousand dollars or two coats, why would you not pass on what you have to others? 

Remember when Paul and Barnabas came back to Jerusalem after 14 years (Galatians 2.1ff) and had a sit down with the original three, Peter, James and John? Paul’s summary of that meeting was that the three “gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. They only asked us to remember the poor — the very thing I also was eager to do.” (Gal. 2.9-10)

Paul is a righteous Jew and it’s Jewish to be generous. Now he’s telling the Roman believers that he has a collection in hand which was given to him by the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. He is on his way to Jerusalem to convey the offering. Remember in those days they had no EFTPOS, no telegraphic transfers, no paper money, no internet banking. He and his team had to carry all the funds and were in danger of shipwreck and of bandits, and he was also likely going to be accused of pilfering himself. That’s why he has made it clear so often that he didn’t take any funds himself from any of the offerings. He earned his own keep by tentmaking. By the way, he did not insist on that as the norm for church leadership as he said, “don’t muzzle the ox while he is threshing” (1 Cor 9.9 reflecting Deut. 25.4) and “the labourer is worthy of his wages.” (1 Tim. 5.18) He also taught Timothy that a leader who is involved in teaching is worthy of ‘double honour” (which is only a monetary term then. 1 Tim. 5.17)

But to make sure the Romans didn’t miss it, he clarifies the word for them. 

“For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things.” (.27)

Yes, I’m making sure you get this. I think Paul was clear as clear could be. If Gentiles have received benefits in being in the Body, then they are in debt to the Jewish believers. And the debt is in material things. Of course, I’d rather a Gentile tell Gentiles this. I’d rather it not appear a guilt trip. I wish NT Wright or Stuart Briscoe whose commentaries I read each week along with others like John Wesley would have said such. Even John Murray says, “Gentiles should minister to the Jews in material things.” But that’s about all he says in this regard in this verse.  I will have to be more selective.

For instance, Leslie Flynn from New York wrote in his book, ‘What the Church owes the Jew’ “Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, used to start every New Year by writing a cheque to John Wilkinson, founder and director of the Mildmay Mission to the Jews, one of the great Jewish missions of its time, headquartered in England. With the cheque would invariably be the note, “to the Jew first.” And within the next few days, Hudson Taylor would receive a cheque for the same amount from John Wilkinson with the note, ‘and also to the Gentiles.’”

Flynn went on to say, “For many years January was the biggest month for giving to Jewish missions, simply because people took to heart the statement, ‘to the Jew first.’” (page 140)

There are dozens of major leaders in the church today who voice support for Jewish missions and we in Jews for Jesus are privileged to be the recipients of their vocal and financial support. We are overwhelmed each day when letters of support and direct deposits are made into our bank account by ordinary Christians who want us to have the wherewithal to make a difference in the lives of Jewish people. Maybe you on this Zoom call are among them. Maybe you are watching this YouTube video will be among them. We even put our giving link in the caption each week in YouTube. Ordinary believers send us money like the Macedonians and the Achaeans did in Paul’s day. We use it for the glory and the purposes of God. 

Paul says, Gentiles, you have a responsibility to support Jewish people. You are the beneficiaries; you must share in material things as well. 

By the way, this is not a self-serving exercise in biblical interpretation. This is letting the text speak. 

Here’s what I read today in chapter 15. We are to accept and receive one another, Jew and Gentile, not for the purpose of judgment, but as Messiah welcomed us, we should welcome and embrace one another. It has ever been God’s plan to include all peoples who will put their faith in Yeshua, who become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers. That plan included Gentiles and Jews who believe in Jesus and grow in love and encouragement and hope together. Paul wants us to pray for him in his efforts, even as modern ministers want the same, and we should join them in that prayer ministry. 

God wants us to love one another and represent him in this dark and darkening world. Amen?

Dear friends on YouTube and Facebook and on this zoom call, if you are not yet a believer in Yeshua, I urge you today, call on him while he is near. If you know your Torah, and you know yourself, you know you need help, you’ve been stumbling, you need salvation, you need a Saviour. Joel the prophet said, “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be rescued, will be saved.

If you want, you can pray a prayer with me just now to solidify your choice. Something like this, “Father in Yeshua’s name, thank you for loving me. Thank you for sending Yeshua to save me from myself, from my selfishness, from my despair and the harm I cause so many. Thank you for making me right with God by your sacrifice. I receive Yeshua (Jesus) as my saviour and the lover of my soul. He frees me to love others. I repent of my sins and ask for God’s forgiveness to be my portion. I receive the free gift of God, eternal life in Messiah Jesus our Lord. Amen.”

If you prayed that prayer, will you let us know via the messages or write me directly. I would appreciate that.

NEXT WEEK we will look at the final chapter and see not only a long list of persons of good character and worth, but also, we will hear Paul’s summary of his letter which is so important. Please try to join us again then, as we only have one more week to go in this study series.

I’m delighted to be able to read and help us understand this book each Friday here from my home in Sydney.  Shabbat shalom!

The actual text:

Rom. 15.8 For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers, ⁹  and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written, “THEREFORE I WILL GIVE PRAISE TO YOU AMONG THE GENTILES, AND I WILL SING TO YOUR NAME.” ¹⁰  Again he says, “REJOICE, O GENTILES, WITH HIS PEOPLE.” ¹¹  And again, “PRAISE THE LORD ALL YOU GENTILES, AND LET ALL THE PEOPLES PRAISE HIM.” ¹²  Again Isaiah says, “THERE SHALL COME THE ROOT OF JESSE, AND HE WHO ARISES TO RULE OVER THE GENTILES, IN HIM SHALL THE GENTILES HOPE.”

¹³ Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Rom. 15:14   And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another. ¹⁵ But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God, ¹⁶ to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. ¹⁷ Therefore in Christ Jesus I have found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God. ¹⁸ For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, ¹⁹ in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. ²⁰And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man’s foundation;

²¹ but as it is written, “THEY WHO HAD NO NEWS OF HIM SHALL SEE, AND THEY WHO HAVE NOT HEARD SHALL UNDERSTAND.”

Rom. 15:22   For this reason I have often been prevented from coming to you; ²³ but now, with no further place for me in these regions, and since I have had for many years a longing to come to you ²⁴ whenever I go to Spain — for I hope to see you in passing, and to be helped on my way there by you, when I have first enjoyed your company for a while — ²⁵ but now, I am going to Jerusalem serving the saints. ²⁶ For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. ²⁷ Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things. ²⁸ Therefore, when I have finished this, and have put my seal on this fruit of theirs, I will go on by way of you to Spain. ²⁹ I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.

Rom. 15:30   Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, ³¹ that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints; ³² so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company. ³³ Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

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Bibliography

Briscoe, Stuart. The Communicator’s Commentary (Romans), Word Books, Waco Texas.1982.

Dunn, James D.G., Word Biblical Commentary, Romans, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1988.

Flynn, Leslie, What the Church Owes the Jew, Magnus Press, 1998.

Murray, John, The Epistle to the Romans, New International Commentary on the New Testament, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 1965.

Robinson, Donald. Selected Works (Volume I) edit by Bolt and Thompson, Australian Church Record, Camperdown, 2008.

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Wright, Tom, Paul for Everyone, SPCK, Westminster John Knox Press, London, 2004

Peace with God: 3 Exultations and 4 Kings (Romans 5)

[To watch this on YouTube when it was first given live on Zoom, click https://youtu.be/bdbG2xNaBFc ]

The general theme of Romans: How to be right with God.

Today’s topic: Rejoicing in the God of grace!    [The biblical text is at the end of this blog]

Welcome to those of you who are new to our class in this the 6^th lesson, as we take up Paul’s comments recorded in chapter 5 of The Book of Romans. If you are watching this video on YouTube long after our class ended today, then please pause the recording and read the 5^th chapter. It will only take 3 minutes. OK, welcome back.  

Verse one starts with the word “Therefore.” It’s not the last time we will see that, certainly throughout Paul’s writings. Some preachers say that when you see a ‘therefore’ you should look back and see what it’s there for. This word is the conjunction to the previous conclusions, found in chapters 3 and 4. It’s as if we are hearing the apostle say, “In light of everything I’ve taught you the last couple weeks, that you were painfully distant from God’s love, worthy of the wrath of the judgments of the Almighty, and yet your faith was directed to God and his grace, THEREFORE you have benefits. And you have reason to celebrate.” 

Paul in verse one highlights the reality and the result. The reality? We are justified, that is, counted as right with God, acquitted of the crimes he earlier listed, and of the sin of rejecting God. As a result, we have peace with God. Ponder that for a moment, will you? Today we are still in the midst of the war against COVID-19. Over 3.7 million cases worldwide, over 250,000 deaths. The battle is far from over. One day we anticipate a vaccine will be discovered and will be fully available globally. The war will be over. And some think that this is the meaning of ‘peace.’ In a way they are right, but biblically, peace (Hebrew: shalom; Greek: Eirene) is much deeper. It means a contentment, a confidence, a rest. It’s when we won’t have to socially distance ourselves. It’s when we will hug each other without worry. To be sure, the ‘new normal’ for a while will still be without peace. But there will be a day when peace will define us after this corona-time. 

That’s what Paul is hinting at.

Imagine that you have come to the realization that your attitude and your actions were both bad, that you lived for yourself, that you had made yourself into a god, but then someone challenged you. They told you about Jesus and redemption and forgiveness of sins. You considered it; and made a decision that the real God is better than all other gods. Anxiety hit you for a moment, and then you professed faith, however much you had, and pointed your heart towards the Lord. You believed God, you trusted Jesus as Lord, you confessed him as your Saviour. 

Paul says, “THEREFORE… you have peace with God.” Dear friends, there is nothing more important in your life than to submit to God and to have peace with him. Real peace. Not only the absence of conflict, but a deep heartfelt contentment. That’s the result of real faith.  Or as we titled it last week, “Getting right with God.”  Back in Paul’s day, no one would have considered peace as anything other than a stillness of discord between fellows. Peace with neighbours and peace among nations. But Paul makes it vertical. “Peace with God!” outrageous.

The Jewish people had been awaiting this peace since King David and Isaiah proclaimed it: Isa 32:17, 54.10, Psalm 72:1–7 and 85:8–13. Even Ezekiel announced a covenant of peace: Ezek 34:25–31 and 37:26— 

By the way, this chapter is odd because Paul does not directly quote from the Tenach. In fact he won’t do so again until chapter 8.  

Some of you may think, “I’ll just go directly to God. I’m Jewish; I’m automatically related to God.” The chosenness of the Jewish people is not in question, at least, not until chapters 9 through 11, but the key to our gaining peace with God is found in verse 1 and 2, “through Jesus the Messiah.” Paul will spend much time in some of his letters talking about the Jewish connection he has and putting it in perspective. Here, his point is clear. He has access (or introduction) to God because of Yeshua. And not because of any other key or learning or special knowledge or genealogical privilege. We are at peace with God because of our faith in Jesus. Full stop. 

Verse 2: Paul says that as a result of the grace, the faith, and Jesus, that we exult in hope of the glory of God. That’s a mouthful, but to put it simply, we REJOICE in the hope of a future with God making himself visible even near me. What a hope! What a joy to consider and to celebrate. This is the first of three exultations, three celebrations that the apostle highlights. If you will, rejoicing like here in our future hope, and in present trials and tribulations (verse 3) and finally, rejoicing in God himself. (verse 11)

This is a way of thinking that’s different to what I would employ. I would think: God is my saviour and I’m grateful and I will rejoice in that. Hallelujah. Then that means my present circumstances are in his hands, so even today I will rejoice. Finally I would have a perspective on my future that the glory that belongs to God would come my way, and all the mess I’ve made of my life will end, and I will be like him. That’s how I would progress with this triad. Paul on the other hand, sees the justification by faith, which gives him peace today as a down-payment of eternity. He sees God as the One who holds the future and thus the glory that belongs to God will actually be mine. I will be changed. If he has done all this so far, then NOTHING can stop his accomplishments. He will conquer Satan in my life. He will dominate over my failings. My glory is a sure thing. 

Verse 5: Paul says this hope is not going to be dashed. You know of this type of hope, don’t you? I hope my horse will win at the Melbourne Cup. I hope I get a pay rise at my work. I hope that girl likes me. But many of those hopes are not real hope at all, Paul says. Real hope does not disappoint. Because of the lavish love of God, poured out (ekchunno) in our hearts by Holy Spirit, given to us. Like Psalm 23 “My cup runneth over.”  Gift upon gift, grace upon grace, or as in chapter 1, faith to faith. All these benefits of real hope because of the Holy Spirit anointing us, communally and individually. That brings real hope.

If that be so, then what I’m experiencing today, in my dismal life, there in Rome, or here in Sydney, or wherever you live and work and have your being… all the drudgery and pain, all the loss and difficulty, all the trials and persecutions… I rejoice in those! Not because of those, but because God is Immanuel. He is God with us. Now. Today. In my life. It’s not a pie-in-the-sky reality that one day my life will be good. God is present in this transitory life and thus my life is worthy of shouting ‘Hallelujah’ no matter what else is happening. I’m walking with the God of the universe. He knows where I live; he knows me. And his grace is sufficient for me. And for you. Today. Now. 

There is no doubt what those tribulations might be: (Romans 8.35-39, 1 Cor. 4.9-13, 2 Cor. 1.4-10, etc)

Verse 8: Paul assures us that when we were lost, Messiah died for the ungodly.  And those ungodly includes me! All our fears and failures are summed up in loss, but even though most of us would scarcely die for a good man, Messiah died for us in our failings. Think of those health-care workers who are working tirelessly in New York or Italy, and who are basically giving their lives for us in this season of COVID-19. For others they are giving their lives. Paul says not many would do that, and usually only for the good people. We have a spiritual inheritance that outweighs all our frustrations and difficulties of life. 

Then in summary, Paul says he rejoices or exults in God. (v. 11) This is the high point of his praises (and he will have other shouts of ‘hallelujah’ later in the letter). It’s not only the benefits that God extends that makes me delight in him; it’s our relationship! Paul had plenty of reasons to talk about God and rules and obligations and satisfactions of legal requirements. He’s not rejoicing because he’s Jewish. He’s not rejoicing because of some stuff he has received. He’s rejoicing because he can finally know the living God and be personally related to him. He also has peace with God, and that’s a comprehensive cushion to his life of struggles.

Verse 12 introduces a new section. How does it begin? “Therefore.” On the basis of the justification we have with the God who has made us right with him, our reconciliation does not prevent the reality of sin and death in the world. These two global considerations, sin and death, are inherent in the human race. No one is taken out of the world to avoid them. Each person sins, each person will die. If you will, Adam initiated or rather was part of the beginning of these realities. Because he sinned, sin exists. Little babies don’t sin; they live in a world marked by sin. Gentiles who don’t have Torah don’t sin in the same way as Jews, but the world is marked by sin. Adam caused that to happen, but he is not the cause, that is, there is no need to blame him for my own personal sin.  (Adam is the cause in five phrases: .15-19)

I believe verses 12 and following are in Paul’s mind the conditions of the world into which God’s Holy Spirit is poured and thus magnifies God’s grace that much more. By the way four times in chapter 5, Paul uses this phrase, ‘much more’. And he only uses it here and twice in chapter 11 in all of Romans. It’s the Jewish mechanism of biblical interpretation called “Kal v’chomer” meaning “from the lesser to the greater” a device that Jesus often used. In modern Borscht Belt thinking a comedian might say, “"If one day with her mother-in-law was too much, kal v'chomer a weekend will be!" (Lawyers use the Latin a fortiori argument for the same purpose, but with much less humor)

The inescapable reality of sin and death reigned from Adam, he says, until Moses. 

Verse 15: Then in contrast Paul says, “THE FREE GIFT is not like the offense.” The offense of Adam caused death to blanket the earth for all time. But the charisma of justification, of being made right with God came via another man, Yeshua our righteous messiah. (see .17)

Verse 18: Another ‘therefore’, which really is a reiteration of Paul’s previous one caused much argument. I’m not sure why he’s repetitive, and I am not going to mark him down on his grades, but it does seem a tautology. 

Even so, verse 20: Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. There is no place where darkness dwells, where darkness abounds, where evil exists and seems to dominate that the Lord of heaven and earth, by grace, and by the power of the Resurrection cannot make his power, his love, his overcoming, not only to come alongside, but to dominate. Sin reigned (.21), death reigned (.14), Grace regins (.21), and we shall reign (.17). 

Yes, you and I will reign in life, now, due to the hope we have. Not the hope of the end of COVID-19, although that surely should be one of our prayers. Not the hope of Menachem asking you out on a date, not the hope of your boss giving you a raise at work… the hope of glory, God’s grace ruling in your life, today and throughout your days.  We will reign in life through Yeshua the Messiah.

We are supposed to win; we’re supposed to conquer; we’re supposed to have victory! What is that victory? The apostle John said it, “Faith is the victory!” (1 John 5.4) This hearkens back to all that Paul has been saying throughout Romans (so far). We are justified by faith. He quotes Habakkuk (2.4) “The just shall live by faith.” That’s how we are victors. Faith, not in our own capacity. Faith in Yeshua because he has done it all. He gave me his grace. 

Listen to verse 21, “as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Grace gives us right standing with God, not only in heaven, but today. Thanks be to God, amen?

NEXT WEEK and the week following, we will look at the question of sin in the life of a believer and its relation to grace and being right with God.

We have much more to get through in this letter, and I’m delighted to be able to read and help us understand it each Friday here from my lockdown in Sydney. 

The actual text:

Rom. 5:1   Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ²through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; ⁵ and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Rom. 5:6   For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. ¹⁰ For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. ¹¹ And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Rom. 5:12   Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned — ¹³ for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. ¹⁴ Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.

Rom. 5:15   But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. ¹⁶ The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from onetransgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. ¹⁷ For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

Rom. 5:18   So then as through one transgression ¹there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. ¹⁹ For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. ²⁰ The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, ²¹ so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.