17) The Jewish Objections
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Please turn with me to Romans 3. While you are turning there let us get lay out where we are at in Paul’s teaching on God’s great plan of salvation for all mankind. The good news of Jesus, who as fully God condescended to the likeness of humanity by emptying himself to the form of a servant. And being obedient to the complete will of God the Father.
The greatest need of mankind is to be saved from the wrath and anger that their own sin has earned. There are always those that will teach and lead in the people of God away from the truth. Fallen men will remove the authority of the judge, justify the guilt of the guilty, and dismiss the severity of the punishment.
Last week week looked at the Jews and how they had come to believe that through the covenant with Abraham they were guaranteed to be saved. No matter how they lived or what they did in life they had come to believe that any descendant of Abraham that was circumcised would be free to pass through the judgment of God and enter heaven.
25 Circumcision benefits you if you observe the law, but if you are a lawbreaker, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 So if an uncircumcised man keeps the law’s requirements, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? 27 A man who is physically uncircumcised, but who keeps the law, will judge you who are a lawbreaker in spite of having the letter of the law and circumcision. 28 For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, and true circumcision is not something visible in the flesh. 29 On the contrary, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart—by the Spirit, not the letter. That person’s praise is not from people but from God.
Paul points out to them that the physical sign of the covenant has no value to one who lives as a lawbreaker. The physical symbol in the flesh was not what made a person a Jew, it was the spiritual circumcision of the heart. An act of the Spirit of God and not of men. This error infiltrated the church in different false ideas and regulations.
The Jews had placed their confidence in the flesh and as Paul breaks this confidence they would want to argue back. And there were arguments that he had received and would continue to receive from those that put their faith and confidence in anything other than the work of Christ on the cross and faith and belief in the resurrection of Jesus as the only way of salvation.
So he writes out their objections and then responds to those objections.
1 So what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2 Considerable in every way. First, they were entrusted with the very words of God. 3 What then? If some were unfaithful, will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? 4 Absolutely not! Let God be true, even though everyone is a liar, as it is written: That you may be justified in your words and triumph when you judge. 5 But if our unrighteousness highlights God’s righteousness, what are we to say? I am using a human argument: Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath? 6 Absolutely not! Otherwise, how will God judge the world? 7 But if by my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner? 8 And why not say, just as some people slanderously claim we say, “Let us do what is evil so that good may come”? Their condemnation is deserved!
God’s People Questioned
God’s People Questioned
1 So what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2 Considerable in every way. First, they were entrusted with the very words of God.
They say, Paul, if what you say is true then are you saying that there is no advantage to being a Jew. God gave us his promise and his sign of that promise. Are you saying that it doesn’t mean anything? That God wasted his time to make the covenant with Abraham.
His response is that there is considerable advantage in every way. Or in every aspect.
3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the benefit of my brothers and sisters, my own flesh and blood. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple service, and the promises. 5 The ancestors are theirs, and from them, by physical descent, came the Christ, who is God over all, praised forever. Amen.
God called them his own possession.
5 Now if you will carefully listen to me and keep my covenant, you will be my own possession out of all the peoples, although the whole earth is mine, 6 and you will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites.”
God has set his heart on them and loved them.
15 Yet the Lord had his heart set on your ancestors and loved them. He chose their descendants after them—he chose you out of all the peoples, as it is today.
They were chosen as his people. They were not treated like all other nations, but this special treatment had lead to a false security that they would receive salvation just because of these special privileges. And the thing in the highest place on the list of advantages is that they had been entrusted with the very words of God.
This is actually the only advantage that he gives here in this passage. Unlike the Gentiles, God spoke to the nation of Israel. He would write down his moral law on the stone of the ten commandments. He would use the hand of Moses to give the Levitical Law.
1 “Now, Israel, listen to the statutes and ordinances I am teaching you to follow, so that you may live, enter, and take possession of the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. 2 You must not add anything to what I command you or take anything away from it, so that you may keep the commands of the Lord your God I am giving you.
He would speak his own words through judges and prophets.
1 Long ago God spoke to our ancestors by the prophets at different times and in different ways.
The Jews were entrusted with the very words of God and they knew what they were to do with them. They were to follow them.
29 The hidden things belong to the Lord our God, but the revealed things belong to us and our children forever, so that we may follow all the words of this law.
The Jews proved unfaithful to the task. The word’s that the priests were to guard were neglected.
7 For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should desire instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the Lord of Armies.
That the kings were to write out their own copy and for their own daily instruction.
18 When he is seated on his royal throne, he is to write a copy of this instruction for himself on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. 19 It is to remain with him, and he is to read from it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to observe all the words of this instruction, and to do these statutes. 20 Then his heart will not be exalted above his countrymen, he will not turn from this command to the right or the left, and he and his sons will continue reigning many years in Israel.
This they would also fail to do.
8 The high priest Hilkiah told the court secretary Shaphan, “I have found the book of the law in the Lord’s temple,” and he gave the book to Shaphan, who read it. 9 Then the court secretary Shaphan went to the king and reported, “Your servants have emptied out the silver that was found in the temple and have given it to those doing the work—those who oversee the Lord’s temple.” 10 Then the court secretary Shaphan told the king, “The priest Hilkiah has given me a book,” and Shaphan read it in the presence of the king. 11 When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes. 12 Then he commanded the priest Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Micaiah, the court secretary Shaphan, and the king’s servant Asaiah, 13 “Go and inquire of the Lord for me, for the people, and for all Judah about the words in this book that has been found. For great is the Lord’s wrath that is kindled against us because our ancestors have not obeyed the words of this book in order to do everything written about us.”
The Jews proved unfaithful in their charge to keep the word of the law that had been given. God’s word wasn’t given to them to lose and to throw into the the corner to get old and dusty. To be found some day by someone and then to be read. They were to be the living part of each persons life. To be read, meditated on, and to be lived out.
The words of God were to lead them to have saving faith.
17 So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.
But they put there trust in their heritage and in the flesh instead of in the truth of the words of God. With greater advantages there were greater expectations. There came dire warnings with the advantage.
2 I have known only you out of all the clans of the earth; therefore, I will punish you for all your iniquities.
With all that God had done it did not produce a good crop.
4 What more could I have done for my vineyard than I did? Why, when I expected a yield of good grapes, did it yield worthless grapes?
They did not follow the word. They did not trust in them and in so doing they revealed they did not know the Lord. The great advantage was squandered as something inconsequential.
The objection that Paul is saying that all of the advantages that the Jews had did not give them special favor and keep them from hell. So he moves to the next objection, that Paul is saying that God must be unfaithful and have broken his promise to Abraham.
God’s Faithfulness Questioned
God’s Faithfulness Questioned
3 What then? If some were unfaithful, will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? 4 Absolutely not! Let God be true, even though everyone is a liar, as it is written: That you may be justified in your words and triumph when you judge.
The written word of God was filled with God’s promises to his people. To the Jews this surely meant that they would be saved.
The most important ones being the Covenants. Abrahamic, Davidic, and the New Covenant.
The Abrahamic Covenant in Gen 12. Which promised that they would become a great nation, be given a promised land, they would be blessed and protected and that all the nations would be blessed through them.
The Davidic in 2 Samuel 7, that they were a kingdom that would last forever and that a Messiah would come from the line of David.
The New Covenant in Jeremiah 31:31-34, which promised forgiveness of sins, a new heart and spirit, God dwelling with his people.
After these there were many other promises that God made to his people. Including the prophecies that would all prove to be true as they were fulfilled.
The objection is, Paul are you saying that since some of the Jews proved to be unfaithful will their inability to hold their end of the promise cause God to be unfaithful to his own promises. Paul's response to the objection was,
4 Absolutely not! Let God be true, even though everyone is a liar, as it is written: That you may be justified in your words and triumph when you judge.
Paul’s response was absolutely not. This a strong emphatic no. Even though all men will prove themselves a liar and in context here, unfaithful to their own promises, God will never be proven a liar. He quotes Psalm 51, As David bears his heart for his sin before the Lord.
1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.
God’s words are the words of judgment. He is completely consistent with those words and they will prove that he is always faithful. He can never be found guilty of breaking a promise even in the littlest of ways. The author of Hebrews writes it this way in defense of the certainty of God fulfilling his covenant promise.
16 For people swear by something greater than themselves, and for them a confirming oath ends every dispute. 17 Because God wanted to show his unchangeable purpose even more clearly to the heirs of the promise, he guaranteed it with an oath, 18 so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us.
Paul is cutting off each of the objections as they build on one another. If Paul is not attacking God’s people and if Paul is not attacking God’s faithfulness, then you must be saying that his justice is unrighteous.
God’s Righteousness Questioned
God’s Righteousness Questioned
5 But if our unrighteousness highlights God’s righteousness, what are we to say? I am using a human argument: Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath? 6 Absolutely not! Otherwise, how will God judge the world? 7 But if by my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner? 8 And why not say, just as some people slanderously claim we say, “Let us do what is evil so that good may come”? Their condemnation is deserved!
As arguments progress, there is a tendency for the logic to break down. Like the child at the end of his reasons just says well you are a big meanie. Here the argument devolves to what Paul calls a human argument. He is saying that this argument does not follow logic and is flawed but it is one that we are being accused of so I will address it.
If every time I sin in my unrighteousness, God’s righteous justice is highlighted even brighter, then why do I not bring more glory and more attention to God’s justice by sinning all the more. If my lie and unfaithfulness shows God’s truth then why should I not lie more. Why do I not commit as many acts of evil as possible so that his goodness may shine.
If God’s truth abounds to his Glory when I sin, then why am I being judged by him? Wouldn’t that make him and unrighteous judge? The answer is absolutely not.
Picture a courtroom. The honorable Judge sits on the Stand. He has written the Law himself. The law lines up with who he is. He has never and cannot break the laws that he has written. Each and every person that is brought before the judge that is found guilty highlight the honor and glory of the judge as he lives up to the law when everyone else does not. Each crime they commit shines a light on the character of the judge. As he can come in each day and stands before the law and is found not guilty of breaking any commands. Each and every liar that comes in is found guilty of lying and receives the just punishment.
The judge’s consistent application of the law is the proof of his righteousness, not the definition. He can judge the world without hypocrisy as he can stand before the Law perfectly.
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.
This is what they are accusing Paul of teaching, that God must be unjust if he will hold God’s chosen people to the same standard of the Gentiles. For any circumcised Jew to perish, God must be unrighteous. He sits and gets glory when he punishes sin. That must mean you are saying he is a selfish judge that lets people come before the court for the elevation of his own great ego. Paul says what a weak and flawed argument.
If God is a righteous judge and every human being that was ever born went through the court and every single one of them was condemned to destruction in hell, it would not lessen God’s glory one tiny bit. He would perfectly execute pure and holy justice on all mankind. He is glorious regardless of those who stand before the court and are found guilty. Each person will justly receive the wrath and anger of God for their own law breaking.
This is picture Paul is painting the total helpless need of every law breaker. That without something else they are hopeless. Without some other way they will be doomed. First to the Jew and then to the Gentile.
Paul will come back to these arguments and complete his thoughts once he has revealed the good news of the gospel. But we will wait until we get to those to finish these arguments.
To the Jews they had many advantages but they missed the central part of them salvation in Jesus. The Jewish Rabbis taught that by:
God’s choosing of them as a people would guarantee their salvation
God’s faithfulness to the promises would make it impossible for them to perish
God’s righteous nature and character would protect them from judgement
God choose them as the nation and people to reveal himself and his great plan of salvation. They were first in all of God’s plans and this was of great advantage but they missed that Jesus was the Word.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
God was faithful to the promise but they missed that Jesus was the fulfilment of them. And the promises were to those that put their hope in the coming and revealed messiah. The one spoke of in the ancient writings was fully revealed in the Son.
1 Long ago God spoke to our ancestors by the prophets at different times and in different ways. 2 In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
God’s righteous nature would be only a benefit if the perfect sinless life of the son covers the sinner before God.
21 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
They had all of the advantages and could not see Jesus.
2 For we also have received the good news just as they did. But the message they heard did not benefit them, since they were not united with those who heard it in faith. 3 For we who have believed enter the rest, in keeping with what he has said, So I swore in my anger, “They will not enter my rest,” even though his works have been finished since the foundation of the world.
Conclusion
Conclusion
The Jews argued to Paul that he was attacking God. Attacking his people, his faithfulness, and his righteousness. these objections came from a false view of the scriptures and with that false view came a false assurance and a life and people who claimed to be God’s and yet he will reject them as those he never knew. They were given great advantages but they all simplify down to the correct understanding of the words of God and a faithful application of them in a person’s life.
Today families may ask the same type of question when going through the beginning of Romans. Is there no advantage in growing up in a Christian home or going to church or being taught the scriptures? If all men are guilty then is there no advantage? There is great advantage as you have the words of God in your mind from faithful parents and teachers. You know the will of God for mankind. You have experienced the love of the people of God. You have seen the power of God working in your home and the Church. You have seen the truths of the bible played out before you.
20 Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us—21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
But just because you have had every advantage that does not give you any special favor before the judgement of your sin. Only those that abide in Christ and Christ in them will be saved before the Lord.
13 In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed.
Today there is even greater advantage as we have the full revealed word through the life of our savior. His words have been revealed, his faithfulness has been clearly shown to be perfect, and his righteous judgment can been fully seen. So the question for us today is this: Have we followed the path of false assurance like the Jews? Have we heard the words of God and missed their meaning.
Have we tuned out the Lord? Did we ever listen to him to begin with? Do we know what he wants for our lives? Do we know what he has given us in his word?
The word brings the message of salvation to all.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
The word brings spiritual Growth and Maturity
2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—
The word brings Guidance and Direction.
105 Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.
The word brings Wisdom and Understanding
7 The instruction of the Lord is perfect, renewing one’s life; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise.
The Word brings Conviction and Correction
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
The Word Brings Comfort and Hope
4 For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures.
The Word brings Spiritual Protection
17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God.
The word brings Joy and Peace
165 Abundant peace belongs to those who love your instruction; nothing makes them stumble.
The word brings Blessing and Prosperity
2 Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams that bears its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
The word brings Transformation and Renewal
2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
The word brings Freedom from Sin
11 I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you.
The word brings Assurance and Security
8 The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God remains forever.”
Will be be a people that receive the great benefits of the word by believing in them and living them out in our lives. Is this First, as Paul says, in your life? Are these words sought after and cherished? Do you expose yourself and your children to them? Why do we use so much scripture in our worship services and bible studies? Because they need to be first. Why do we have children in our worship services, so that they can see you, mom and dad, putting the word first in your life. That as they sit there in the coloring and playing with cars, they are hearing the powerful words of God. Why on Sunday evening do our children read most of the scripture. Because it is first.
17 So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.
God spoke his message about Christ and we are to listen. So we open his word so that we hear him over and over again, so that we may have our minds renewed, matured, and strengthened.
Is the word first?
Let us pray.
Let us pray.
Prayer
Blessing/Benediction
2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
