Tag: Romans

Notes on Romans – Part II

Chapter Two

Vs. 1-3 — Continuing from chapter 1, where in verse 32 the Israelites who know the truth are approving of non-Israelites who practice all the evil things listed in the previous verses, the Israelites who practice the same evil things are without excuse and are unfit to judge non-Israelites. The judgement of God is true against all who practice such evil things, therefore even Israel cannot escape that judgement.

Vs. 4-6 — God is patient, and His goodness leads people to repentance. But Israel has a hardened heart, and is storing up wrath rather than mercy. They will answer for their deeds.

Vs 7-8 — Eternal life is for those who patiently continue in doing good, seek for glory, honor, and immortality. Doing good is to honor Yahweh, and to follow His commandments; to live righteously. But those who do not live righteously only have wrath to look forward to.

Vs. 9-11 — Jew and Greek = Judean and Hellenist = Judean Israelites and Hellenistic Israelites

Vs 12-16 — Remembering that the law here is the law of Moses, let me remove the parenthesis — “For as many as have sinned without the law will also perish without the law … in the day when God will judge the secrets of men…” Those who did not have the law would still perish because of their sin on judgement day, even though they were not judged by the law. But yet, Paul says they had the work of the law written on their hearts. This is confusing. Were these people guilty of sinning against the law or not? Did they know the law or not? Did Paul not say, “Where there is no law there is no transgression, and sin is not imputed when there is no law?” (Romans 4:15b; 5:13b) Who were these people then, who had the law written on their hearts, when only Israel was given the law? The only conclusion that seems to make sense is that these people did indeed have the law of Moses written on their hearts, and thus were descendants of Israel, but were so far gone from the covenant that they lived without the law. However, the fact that their own consciences approved or accused their actions proved that they had the law of Moses written on their hearts. They mostly lived no differently than the rest of all the non-Israelite nations, but were still under the law’s curse.

Vs. 17-24 — Judeans know the law and rest upon it. They trust they are in the right with Yahweh because of this. Therefore they also believe they are guides to the blind. The Hellenists are the blind. The non-Israelites are the blind. But, the Judeans are hypocrites, and they actually dishonor the name of God.

Vs 25-29 — A righteous uncircumcised Greek is better than an unrighteous circumcised Judean.

Notes on Romans – Part I

Chapter One

Who What Where Why When

Who: Paul and the believers in Rome, especially their leadership, who are likely fellow Israelites.

What: A letter.

Where: Rome with Spain in mind.

Why: Paul did not plant the Roman church, but he wants their support. He wants to prove his gospel mission to the Romans, and to prove himself an apostle worthy of their support for his missionary journeys further west.

When: The first century AD.

Vs. 2-3 — Paul makes it clear that Jesus is Israel’s Messiah.

Vs. 5-7 — Paul received a mission from Israel’s Messiah to go out into the nations (Gentiles) to bring people into the faith of the Messiah. The Jesus followers in Rome are included in this group: those among the nations.

Vs. 8 — The faithfulness of the Jesus followers in Rome has been proclaimed in all the cosmos. The cosmos: the vertical world created by Yahweh — the heavens, the powers and principalities, the priesthood, all Israel, the temple.

Vs. 9-13 — Paul wishes to come to Rome. He has gathered fruit from among other nations, and now he wishes to do the same in Rome.

Vs. 14 — Greeks were not “people from Greece” as there was no Greece in the first century. To be a Greek was to be a Hellenized person, one who adopted the Hellenistic culture, a civilized person. A barbarian was one who was not Hellenized.

Vs. 15-17 — Paul wants to proclaim the good news about Israel’s Messiah to those in Rome — to the Jew first (Judaean Israelites) and also the Greek (dispersed Hellenized Israelites [John 7:35]). The gospel was for Israel. Their Messiah had redeemed them from the transgressions they made against their first covenant with Yahweh (Hebrews 9:15) and now their Messiah was calling all Israel to Himself, Israelites from among the Judaeans, and Israelites from among the nations. Perhaps non-Israelites could become Israelites, but Paul’s gospel was for Israel alone.

Vs 18 — The wrath of God is revealed from heaven — that is the throne-room of Yahweh at the height of the Israelite cosmos.

Vs 19-21 — God revealed Himself to these people to the extent that they are without excuse. Did God reveal Himself only enough to condemn these people, but not enough that they could not live lives to please God. No, of course not. These people knew God enough to give Him glory and thanks. And what people had been given this revelation? Israel. (Deuteronomy 4:7-8; Amos 3:1-2)

Vs 22-31 — Israel exchanged God’s truth for a lie and thus were handed over by God to their evil desires which are in direct conflict with the 10 commandments (vs. 29-30).

Vs 32 — Israelites, knowing God’s decree that those who do such evil things are deserving of death, not only do them, but approve of the non-Israelites (non-covenant people) who do them.