Romans 15.4b-The Purpose For The Scriptures Is That By Perseverance And Encouragement Produced By Them, The Christian May Experience Confidence
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Sunday May 9, 2010
Romans: Romans 15:4b-The Purpose For The Scriptures Is That By Perseverance And Encouragement Produced By Them, The Christian May Experience Confidence
Lesson # 499
Please turn in your Bibles to Romans 15:1.
Sunday we noted in Romans 15:4 that Paul explains that the reason why he cited Psalm 69:9 to support his teaching in Romans 15:3a that Christ never pleased Himself for His own benefit was because the Old Testament Scriptures were written for the Christian’s instruction.
Then, this morning we will complete the passage by noting that the divine purpose of the Scriptures is so that through perseverance and the encouragement from the Scriptures, the Christian might experience confidence.
Romans 15:1, “Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves.”
Romans 15:2, “Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification.”
Romans 15:3, “For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, ‘The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.’”
Romans 15:4, “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
“So that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” is a purpose clause indicating that the Father’s purpose for the transmission of the Old Testament Scriptures was so that believers might have confidence through perseverance and encouragement from the Scriptures.
“Through perseverance” is composed of the preposition dia (διά) (thee-ah), “through” and the articular genitive feminine singular form of the noun hupomone (ὑπομονή) (ee-poe-moe-knee), “perseverance.”
The noun hupomone is used to denote perseverance, which is steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, and a state and suggests activity maintained in spite of intense pressure, difficulties, steadfast and long continued application.
For the Christian, “perseverance” is remaining faithful by being obedient to the Word of God despite the obstacles in life such as the old sin nature, self, the cosmic system of Satan.
The articular construction of the abstract noun hupomone is emphasizing that this perseverance is divine in quality and character because it is produced by the Scriptures or faith in the promises of Scripture.
The noun hupomone functions as a “genitive of means” and the preposition dia as a marker of “means” “by means of” perseverance from the Scriptures the Christian possesses confidence in his relationship with God and that he will be blessed by God for being faithful.
Not translated is the preposition dia (διά) (thee-ah), which is followed by the articular genitive feminine singular form of the noun paraklesis (παράκλησις) (pah-rak-klee-sees), “the encouragement.”
The noun paraklesis means “encouragement,” which refers to the believer being encouraged by the Scriptures to live in a manner worthy of their calling, to grow up to become like Christ.
It refers to the wisdom received from the teaching of the Scriptures and under the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit.
The articular construction of the abstract noun paraklesis is emphasizing that this encouragement is divine in quality and character because it is produced by the Scriptures or faith in the promises of Scripture.
The noun paraklesis functions as a “genitive of means” and the preposition dia as a marker of “means” indicating that “by means of” encouragement from the Scriptures the Christian possesses confidence in his relationship with God and that he will be blessed by God for being faithful.
Romans 15:4, “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
“We might have” is the first person plural present active subjunctive form of the verb echo (ἒχω) (ah-ho), which means, “to experience particular condition or state,” and which state is identified by the noun elpis, “hope.”
This indicates that the divine purpose of the Scriptures was that by means of perseverance and encouragement produced by the Scriptures, the Christian would “experience” hope, i.e. confidence.
“Of the Scriptures” is the articular genitive feminine plural form of the noun graphe (γραφή) (grah-fee), which refers to the Old Testament.
The noun functions as a “genitive of production” meaning that the word “produces” the noun to which it stands related indicating that this perseverance and encouragement in the believer is “produced by” the Scriptures.
“Hope” is the accusative feminine singular form of the noun elpis (e)lpi$) (el-pece), which means “confidence.”
This confidence is related to the believer’s confidence in his relationship with God (Acts 24:15; 1 Peter 3:5, 15; 1 Timothy 5:5) and in his relationship with Christ (1 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 Timothy 1:1; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 7:19).
The noun denotes the believer’s confidence of being blessing in the present and the future based upon the indwelling of Christ (Colossians 1:27) and speaks of his confidence that he will receive a resurrection body (Acts 23:6; 26:6; Romans 5:2; 8:24-25; 1 John 3:3).
Elpis involves the believer’s confidence that he will receive rewards for faithful service (Colossians 1:23; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; Titus 1:2; 3:7; 1 Peter 1:3).
It involves the believer’s confidence that he will be blessed in the future as well as the present based upon his election to privilege in eternity past (Ephesians 1:18; 4:4).
The word refers to the believer’s confidence that he will be delivered out of adversity (Romans 5:4-5; 2 Corinthians 1:10).
Lastly, it speaks of the believer’s confidence that he has not only been delivered at the moment of his conversion from the sin nature, Satan and his cosmic system and condemnation from the Law but also it speaks of his confidence that he can experience this deliverance in time and will experience it permanently at the rapture (1 Thessalonians 5:8).
The noun elpis means “confidence” in one’s relationship with God and speaks of the believer’s confidence derived from the Scriptures that he has been blessed in the past and is being blessed in the present and will be blessed in the future.
The articular construction of the abstract noun elpis is emphasizing that this confidence is divine in quality and character because it is produced by the Scriptures or faith in the promises of Scripture.
Romans 15:4, “For you see, whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction in order that by means of perseverance, which is divine in quality and character as well as by means of encouragement, which is divine in quality and character, which are produced by the Scriptures we may experience confidence, which is divine in quality and character.” (My translation)
To summarize, Paul reveals to the Romans that he cited Psalm 69:9 in Romans 15:3b as support for the statement in Romans 15:3a that Christ never pleased Himself for His own benefit because the Old Testament Scriptures were written for their instruction.
He goes on to teach that the purpose of this instruction in the Old Testament was so that by means of perseverance as well as by means of encouragement, which are both produced by the Scriptures, they may experience confidence that they have been blessed, are being blessed and will be blessed in the future.