Romans 1:8-17
Notes
Transcript
Followup from v. 1-7
Obedience of faith: Acts 6:7.
Gospel He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures: Acts 13:22-23; 26-27; 29-33.
My Translation:
8 In the first place, I give thanks to my God through Jesus Christ regarding all of you, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. 9 For God, whom I am serving in my spirit by proclaiming the gospel of His Son, is my witness how unceasingly I am making mention of you, 10 always pleading in my prayers if somehow now at last I may be successful, by God’s will, in coming to you.
8 In the first place, I give thanks to my God through Jesus Christ regarding all of you, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. 9 For God, whom I am serving in my spirit by proclaiming the gospel of His Son, is my witness how unceasingly I am making mention of you, 10 always pleading in my prayers if somehow now at last I may be successful, by God’s will, in coming to you.
Comments from John Murray:
The apostle entertained an ardent desire which he made the subject of specific request to God but concerning which he did not have certitude that it was God's decretive and providential will to fulfill.
The fulfillment of this desire and request had been repeatedly frustrated by the Providence of God.
He did not for this reason cease to entertain the desire and make request for its fulfillment.
He must have been persuaded that it was consonant with the revealed will of God and, specifically, with his Apostolic Commission to entertain the desire and always in his prayers to make it the subject of request to God.
He resigns himself completely to the will of God in this matter.
The importunity of request is not incompatible with uncertainty as to the final outcome in the ordained Providence of God.
11 For I strongly desire to see you, in order that I may impart to you some spiritual gift so that you may be strengthened, 12 that is, so that, when I am among you, we may be encouraged together by one another’s faith – both yours and mine.
11 For I strongly desire to see you, in order that I may impart to you some spiritual gift so that you may be strengthened, 12 that is, so that, when I am among you, we may be encouraged together by one another’s faith – both yours and mine.
Note Paul’s genuine humility and desire not only to bless these believers but also be blessed by them.
13 Now I don’t want you to be unaware, brothers, that many times I made plans to come to you (but I have been hindered until now), in order that I might have some fruit also among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles also. 14 Both to Greeks and to non-Greeks, both to learned people and to unintelligent people I am a debtor – 15 thus my eagerness to proclaim the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
13 Now I don’t want you to be unaware, brothers, that many times I made plans to come to you (but I have been hindered until now), in order that I might have some fruit also among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles also. 14 Both to Greeks and to non-Greeks, both to learned people and to unintelligent people I am a debtor – 15 thus my eagerness to proclaim the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
The gospel is for believers - v. 15
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to every believer, to the Jew first and also to the Greek; 17 for in the gospel the righteousness of God is being disclosed from faith toward faith, just as it is written, “And the righteous one by faith will live.”
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to every believer, to the Jew first and also to the Greek; 17 for in the gospel the righteousness of God is being disclosed from faith toward faith, just as it is written, “And the righteous one by faith will live.”
Romans 3:21-26
Habakkuk 2:4; Genesis 15:6
“The emotion of shame with reference to the gospel, when confronted with the pretensions of human wisdom and power, betrays unbelief in the truth of the gospel and the absence of shame is the proof of faith (cf. Mark 8:38; 2 Tim 1:8).”
The gospel “is the power of God operative unto salvation through faith… Wherever there is faith, there the omnipotence of God is operative unto salvation.”
First — both as a matter of time and priority.
The Jews had the promises of the gospel in the OT, and they were the first to hear the gospel preached at Pentecost; because salvation in Christ is the fulfillment of the Jewish religion, the gospel has primary relevance for them.
Righteousness, power, salvation, revelation — ideas present in Psalm 98:1-2; Isaiah 46:13; 51:5-8; 56:1; Isaiah 62:1; Isaiah 54:17; 61:10-11.
“It is apparent that the making known of salvation and the showing forth or revelation of righteousness are parallel expressions and convey substantially the same thought. Hence in the language of the Old Testament the salvation of God and the righteousness of God in such contexts are virtually synonymous.”
The righteousness of God is contrasted (in Romans) not only with human unrighteousness but also with human righteousness.
