Down an Unfamiliar Road

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER NINE (Lesson II)

John Stott sees Paul’s opening here in light of its connection with the next two chapters. It all begins with Paul’s personal statement, identifying himself as a fellow Jew, and expressing his deep concern for their salvation. For Paul, Israel’s unbelief was more than just a spiritual headache. He describes the deep sorrow and grievous anguish he feels over the possibility of their missing the mark on accepting the Messiah.¹ He also tells them of his prayerful longing that salvation will come to them soon.² He also wants them to know that as far as he was concerned, although they had rejected the Messiah, God had not rejected them.³

Stott also sees Paul’s opening to this chapter having a strong threefold affirmation, intended to put his sincerity beyond question and to persuade his readers to believe he’s telling them the truth. First, Paul says he is speaking the truth in Christ. This was Paul’s way of saying that he was always conscious of his relationship to Christ who sees everything he is writing down. Secondly, he is emphatic about letting them know he is not lying, not even exaggerating. Thirdly, that he was unwilling to write any of this until it was confirmed by the Holy Spirit in his conscience. He knows how biased and prejudiced the human conscience can be. That’s why he wants them to know that what he is writing in this letter comes directly from the Spirit of Truth Himself.⁴

Then Jewish scholar David Stern makes note that since Paul’s ministry now was mainly to the Gentiles, perhaps some of his fellow Jews concluded that he would no longer be interested in them. Therefore, says Stern, in this verse he affirms the sincerity of his great grief over Israel’s failure, as a people, to honor their Messiah. Actually, even as an emissary to the Gentiles, whenever he came to a new municipality, he brought the Gospel to Jews first.⁵ We can only imagine each time Paul went into a new city and visited the synagogue, he was hoping and praying that they would rejoice that the Messiah had come, thereby, giving him an opportunity to introduce them to Jesus, the Son of God. It must have been heartbreaking when they threw him out as a heretic and told him not to come back. The pain was made even worse because Paul himself at one time was such a hardheaded unbeliever.

I would imagine that most of you readers grew up in a particular denomination or church and learned how it all began and who the founders were and what they taught. If, when you look today at your church organization as a family, knowing where that movement came from and what were its original standards and doctrines, could it be that you feel they have strayed from the primary principles upon which it was founded? Do they preach the same Gospel the old-time’s preached? Do the members live by the same principles that were the heart and soul of that church or movement in the beginning, or have they lost their first love?⁶ If you are concerned that both the leadership and membership of that denomination or church have lost their way and are no longer a light to this world as God intended them to be, then you may have the same feelings about them as Paul did about his fellow Jews.

Verses 2-3: I have great sorrow and always feel much sadness for my own people. They are my brothers and sisters, my earthly family. I wish I could help them. I would even wish a curse on me and cut myself off from Christ if that would help them.

Paul is simply using a hyperbole here to show how much he longs for his fellow Jews to accept the fact that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah. He realized that he could never die as a substitute for Jesus, that’s why he uses the word “wish.” Nevertheless, we can see what passion Paul had for the souls of his Jewish brethren. It should prompt us to examine our own desire to see our fellowman saved. How many are reluctant to give so little, and how few are willing to give so much? Yet, though we offer even as much as Paul, we have only reached the limit of man’s love.⁷ But while we were yet sinners – God-haters, blasphemers, slaves of the devil – Christ died for our wretched souls! What does that say about God’s love!

The heartbreak Paul felt for his fellow Jews is similar to that shared by the young Psalmist who wrote: “O Lord, rivers of tears flow down from my eyes, because they don’t obey your Torah.”⁸ And Jeremiah, known as the weeping prophet, lamented: “But if you will not hear this warning, I will weep secretly because of your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly, streaming with tears, because Adonai’s flock is carried away captive.”⁹ I’m sure we could compare Paul’s grief to that of a Christian brother who is heartbroken that his siblings and friends will not accept Christ as their Savior the way he did, and don’t even want to hear anything about it from him. But the Apostle goes one step further. He says that he is willing to take their place in hell just to see them get to heaven.

Paul also borrows from the example of Moses, who pleaded with God to forgive those who had worshiped the golden calf, and said to Him: “Now, if You will just forgive their sin! But if You won’t, then, I beg You, blot me out of Your book which You have written!”¹⁰ But it is interesting that Paul says he is willing to “have a curse,” placed on him. This is not to be understood in the sense of curses that are supposedly imposed using witchcraft and black magic. In Jewish thinking, being accursed meant suffering the consequences of punishment by death and missing out on the world-to-come.¹¹ We see this expressed by Paul to the Galatians.¹² The Greek word anathema Paul uses here, means to be doomed, separated from God without any possibility of redemption.

Such willingness to offer oneself to an irredeemable and unalterable state on behalf their own people was once expressed by Rabbi Ishmael with regard to those stricken by the incurable disease of leprosy. He said, “May I make atonement for them,”¹³ or, “May I be their atonement.”¹⁴ It is hard to find the fragment in his commentary on the Mishnah, but Rabbi Moses Maimonides understood Rabbi Ishmael as saying this: “I will take it on myself, in order to atone for them.”¹⁵ In as much as it was understood that all Israelites were brethren, it became a saying among them that it was worth anything to save just one.¹⁶ It is clear from what Paul says next that this was also his thinking.

Early church scholar Ambrosiaster believes that since Paul earlier was speaking in his letter against the Jews, who thought that they were justified by the law, he now shows his desire and love for them and says that his conscience bears witness in Christ Jesus and in the Holy Spirit that what he was telling them came from his heart out of love, not criticism.¹⁷ Pelagius sees it the same way by saying that Paul intended to show the Jews that they had the wrong idea about the last covenant God made with His people through Christ. But he would do so without prejudice or hatred. He came in peace and out of love for their souls. It pained him that they refused to accept Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah. Didn’t they realize He came to save them first?¹⁸

And when it comes to Paul’s commitment of getting the truth to his fellow Jews no matter what the cost, early church scholar Origen says that nobody should be surprised that Paul was willing to be cursed for the sake of his fellow Jews. Not when he knew that Jesus who was in the form of God emptied Himself and took on the form of a servant and was made a curse for us?¹⁹ So why should anyone be surprised that if Christ did it for him, why would he not be willing to do the same for them?²⁰

But early church preacher Chrysostom has some questions. He wants to know if Paul is really aware of what he is saying? Did he really want to be cut off from Christ, the One who loved him and gave His life for him? The one of whom Paul himself said that neither heaven nor hell, nor things visible nor invisible, nor another world as great would separate them? How could Paul want to be cursed by Him? Maybe Paul needed to think this through. He needed to find out if he had somehow changed, had lost his first love for the Master. Chrysostom was sure Paul would have replied to these questions by telling him not to worry! That on the contrary, it had made his love for Christ even more intense.²¹

Then we find that both early church scholars Pelagius and Constantius agree on one thing. Pelagius believes that before Paul became a follower of Christ he had great hopes and aspirations that his fellow Jews would be the complete and only recipients of God’s promise to Abraham. He had no interest in being part of this Jesus or His church. But once he was shown the truth, he decided to let his fellow Jews go their own way since they had no intention of repenting.²²

Then Constantius adds that no one should think that Paul is contradicting here what he said earlier.²³ What he means by this is that Paul is not choosing now to be accursed and cut off from Christ. He chose to do that when he persecuted Christ and His church. He wanted to be faithful to his Jewish faith by obeying the will of his brethren and relatives. Now he confesses that since he has been given the grace and high honor of being called an Apostle, let them continue in the same ignorance he once walked in and be deprived of all the promise brought into this world by Jesus the Messiah.²⁴

It is quite difficult to agree with such an interpretation of what Paul says here. That’s why most Bible scholars see it the other way. Paul only realized how lost he was without Christ once he met the Master on the road to Damascus. Now his heart bleeds for all his fellow Jews who are still in that same condition. So he almost wishes he could go back and take their curse upon himself so that they could go free. That is futile, he cannot even come close to doing more than what Christ has already done. If they are to be free, they must go through the same experience he had of meeting Christ personally.

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER NINE (Lesson I)

Verse 1: With Christ’s anointing I am telling you the truth. I am not lying. My conscience and the Holy Spirit, agree with what I’m about to tell you.

Paul knew from previous experience that many of his fellow Jews mistook him for a charlatan who was out to promote his own cause. There were plenty of them around in those days. On one occasion, Paul also told the Corinthians that he was not bashful to call on God as a witness that he was telling the truth.¹ And in another incident, he said flatly: “God the Father of the Lord Yeshua – blessed be He forever – knows that I am not lying!”² The reason for Paul’s emphasis on his sincerity was because he was about to share with his fellow Messianic Jews the story of Israel’s fall from grace.

Not only that, but Paul also says that his own conscience sanctified by Christ is clear and that the Holy Spirit is bearing witness with his spirit that he is willing to let what he is saying be challenged for its truthfulness.³ He passed this same sense of integrity on to his young protégé Timothy by telling him: “The goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”⁴ So for those Jews among the congregants in Rome who may be suspicious of this one-time persecutor of Christians now turned preacher of the Gospel, Paul bares his soul and conscience so that they will know how sincere, honest, and heartfelt this revelation was.

Early church scholar Pelagius makes the point that Paul would not be saying what he did if it troubled his conscience. It was another way of saying: “I’m telling you the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God.” This is the way the conscience works to corroborate what is right or wrong in everyone. Jesus made it clear, that if we are lying from within, it will be easy to detect when it comes out⁵.⁶ And another early church writer says that the Jews who opposed the preaching of the Apostles came to this conclusion: Either the Gospel is a lie, or God is a liar. Did God not promise Abraham that he would bless his offspring,⁷ but now He is showing favor to the impure Gentiles instead of to them? So when they heard what Paul was saying about being the Apostle to the Gentiles, they told him that God must have lied to their ancestors. On the other hand, how could they speak of God this way, does not the Scriptures say that God is not like a man that He would tell a lie?⁸ That’s why Paul endeavored to present the truth in such a way that they would see that neither he nor God was lying.⁹

Reformer John Calvin sees it this way. Paul was fighting the reputation that he had become an enemy of his own Jewish heritage and people. They also suspected him of trying to get as many fellow Jews as he could to turn their backs on Moses and forsake the Law. So he begins this section of the letter to the Roman believers by getting them ready for what he was about to write. This way, he wanted them to know that he had no other purpose for writing than to tell them nothing but the truth. This way, they could put away their suspicions and the false rumors going around, being spread by his opposers in the Jewish community. Paul was so serious about his effort to be open and honest with them that he was willing to take an oath. Paul meant it when he said that he was so earnest in telling the truth that if it turned out that what he said proved to be untrue that he would not only be shunned by his own people, but by Christ as well. Calvin takes this opportunity to tell his readers that they should learn from this that taking oaths are lawful. That is, especially when they are called on to tell the truth about anything they’ve heard or know something about.¹⁰

John Bengel feels that Paul tells the Roman believers that he is speaking deliberately about telling them the truth because his reference is not to everything in general about the children of Abraham, but to something, in particular, they should know. This assertion chiefly relates to Romans 9:3, the same way it is used in Matthew 1:18a. When the Apostle speaks deliberately, it has the same force as an oath. After all, the standard for telling the truth is established in a person’s conscience and heart. This allows what is on the inside to be made clear and confirmed by the Holy Spirit when it is brought to the surface for all to hear. The Holy Spirit will never affirm a lie.¹¹

Adam Clarke has it in his mind that when Paul says that He is speaking the truth according to the message given to him by Christ, that he is making one of the most solemn oaths any person can possibly make. By doing this, Paul appeals to Christ, the searcher of men’s hearts, to prove that he was telling the truth. Paul points to his conscience as a way that Christ could speak to him and the Holy Spirit could agree with his spirit that he was not lying. That’s why we consider a person’s assurance of conscience, and the witness of the Holy Spirit as two distinct things. That means, they can either agree or disagree with each other.¹² Clarke feels that Paul was driven to this point because the Jewish members of the church in Rome may have had their suspicions about a fanatic Jewish critic of Christians now saying he was called by Christ to take the Gospel to Gentiles. I guess we shouldn’t blame them. I imagine we could compare this to the Pope suddenly announcing that he was leaving the Roman Catholic church and going out to preach the Pentecostal message of salvation to the Muslim world. And in the process writes a letter back to the Catholic church describing why they are no longer God’s main representative of the Christian faith to the world. I’m sure everyone would blink their eyes in disbelief. Both sides would, no doubt, be very suspicious of his motive.

Robert Haldane makes note that many Jews regarded the Apostle Paul as their most determined enemy. That’s why they were not too happy with him going around declaring his great sorrow on account of the pitiful state of his fellow Jewish countrymen and their relationship with God. No wonder he was not about to get any applause from them. Yet it was true. Paul was able to point this out without being hypocritical or biased. He wanted them to know how sincere he was in this effort. Haldane also points out that Paul was not speaking on his own authority, but as one called by, united to, and belonging to Christ. He was there on Christ’s behalf as His messenger. This was a serious statement and implied that what Paul was going to say was as true as if the Messiah returned and said it Himself. It appears, therefore, that Paul was hoping and praying that those Jews who had turned to Christ and believed Him to be the Messiah would accept his message. He wanted them to feel his conviction and sincerity as a way of proving that what he was about to say, concerning God’s rejection of the Jewish nation did not come out of any supposed prejudice or dislike on his part for his fellow countrymen.¹³

Albert Barnes also raises another aspect of Paul’s ministry. Paul’s conduct and his doctrines led some Christian Jews to believe that he was a renegade preacher, and had come to despise his countrymen. He had turned his back on their institutions and was now devoting himself to bring the salvation message to the unworthy Gentiles. But Paul assures them that it was not due to any lack of love for them. The doctrines of the Gospel he wanted to bring to them personally was about how many of his fellow Jews had missed the mark by rejecting the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. He wanted them to know that in spite of their claimed privileges as children of Abraham, they would still end up rejected and lost. Paul could not have been more serious as he assured them that this doctrine may be hard to take, but it certainly was not said because he didn’t love them. It was as though Paul hated to deliver this most painful truth. So he did all he could to show respect for them as a people, and thereby convince them of how he felt about being a fellow Jew.¹⁴

Canadian/American Bible teacher H. A. Ironside offers this insight as to Paul’s motivation by asking who could listen to the emotion and earnestness in his words and not be touched by the compassion he had for his fellow Jews? He insisted that his heart was broken for them, and constantly carried a heavy burden for their lost condition. It would be hard to believe that anyone loved them more than he did. We can all see why his fellow Jews thought he had become alienated from them because of his commission by Christ to carry the Gospel to the heathen Gentiles. Even though Paul was totally committed to his calling, it should have been evident to everyone that although he did not back down from magnifying that he was an Apostle to the Gentiles, the waywardness and rejection of the Messiah by his fellow Jews tugged greatly at his heartstrings. Several times Paul made it clear, his ministry was always to the Jew first and then to the Gentiles.¹⁵

Preacher and scholar Charles Spurgeon was convinced that the Jews were certain that God would certainly save them no matter how bad they had been. This was based on their birth claim. After all, were they not the children of Abraham? Surely that qualified them for guaranteed salvation. By thinking this way they were being inconsistent with the Gospel. The fact of the matter is this: No person has any right to the grace of God without His approval; no one has ever been granted the right to free favor. When we stood before God as sinners we are all condemned to die. Therefore, if any of us were pardoned it was the result of God’s pure mercy and absolute grace. None of us could claim we deserved salvation based on our own merits.¹⁶

Scottish Bible scholar F. F. Bruce sees Paul’s opening lines here as evidence that he was taking on a subject that was one of intense personal concern to him. It is clear, says Bruce, that Paul was happy in his ministry as an Apostle to the Gentiles. He was glad they were getting the Gospel message. But for his own fellow Jews, he was crushed that they had, for the most part, refused to accept the message he brought about the Messiah and the new covenant that was made to carry out the salvation that was promised to Abraham. Even though Paul sought out the synagogues and preached to the Jews first in whatever city he entered, instead of being glad, they got mad and tried to shut him up with opposition and threats of death. What should Paul do? Should he simply write them off as a lost cause? Should he consider them as, “unworthy of eternal life.”¹⁷

But that is something Paul would never do to his own people. Just as Jesus took His message first to the Jews, Paul never intended to dissociate himself from them. He knew what this type of rebellion was like. After all, like so many other Jews, he too once opposed the Gospel and persecuted those who believed. But the risen Savior met him personally and turned him around to walk in the Christian way to heaven. And just as the scales fell from his eyes when Ananias prayed for him to believe,¹⁸ he longed that the disbelieving Jews might have their eyes opened to the truth. Yes indeed, if he knew that their salvation could be purchased by his losing his own, he was ready to do it. No matter how many Gentiles would be saved by the ministry given to him, it could never compensate for those who would be lost. No doubt this caused Paul constant and unceasing mental anguish.¹⁹

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

SUMMARY OF CHAPTER EIGHT

Romans 8 is one of the most exciting chapters of the Bible. Yet, many theologians claim that it is also one of the most challenging sections of the Bible. That’s because it is a chapter that helps us understand the doctrine of our security in God through Christ. After the internal struggle that Paul expressed at the end of Chapter 7, it is refreshing to see him open Romans 8 with these words: “There is, therefore, now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus…” These words are for those who have put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. It removes the death sentence that hangs over the head of all those described in in chapter 7 as convicted prisoners.

In chapter seven, Paul described the dilemma of a person who becomes a prisoner of the law of sin which makes all of their sinful tendencies outlaws under the Law. These sinful inclinations seem to overwhelm them from time to time as they struggle to get free. But in the last few verses of chapter 7, Paul makes reference to the hope of liberation made possible by God through Jesus Christ the Savior. So in chapter eight, Paul amplifies that freedom from sin found only in Christ. Furthermore, it is accomplished by genuine faith, not good works.

First, for those in Christ who continue to walk accordingly as the Spirit leads them, there is no condemnation, no death sentence, for having broken the law, which is what defines “sin.” However, the death of Christ for our breaking the law has made it possible for us to be set free from the punishment required. That’s because His death fulfilled the demands of the law (verses 1-4). Second, by placing our minds on the things above and not things below, we are able to enjoy an abundant life of peace and joy, which pleases God (verses 5-8). And thirdly, we now enjoy the indwelling of the Spirit of God, by whom we can control those sinful tendencies and enjoy both present and future blessings as the children of God (verses 9-17).

The blessings of being one of God’s children are laid out in the rest of the chapter. Our present sufferings mean very little given our ultimate redemption and rapture for which we eagerly and patiently wait (verses 18-25). We have the privilege of the Holy Spirit and Jesus interceding for us when we pray, which assures that all things will work together for good for those called according to God’s purpose (verses 26-30). Finally, as God’s elect we have the assurance that nothing can tear us away from God’s love because through Him we are more than conquerors over anything or anyone that might try to separate us from His love for us (verses 31-39). This was Paul’s way of putting the dot over the i or crossing the t in the divine plan of salvation in which we are Redeemed, Called, Chosen, Justified, Sanctified, Empowered with the Spirit, and Glorified as being the children of God.

There are some words and phrases that Paul uses that we should take a moment and look at since they shine a more significant light on the truths that Paul presents here. Here are some to consider:

Law of the Spirit of life – This is an expression referring to the Gospel which outlines how we live in this world with the Spirit’s help. It can also point to the principle involved in the life-giving Spirit who aids those in Christ to become victors over the sinful tendencies they are at war within their flesh (cf. Romans 7:23 with 8:11-13).

Spirit and spirit – These two words identify the Holy Spirit and a person’s spirit. The person’s spirit only comes alive when the Holy Spirit brings about their new birth in Christ. The two spirits must work in harmony with each other as the characteristics of Christ are developed in the believer’s life.

Creation – This is a little confusing at times. Various explanations are possible: 1) it means all of mankind; 2) only the saved; 3) the whole physical creation placed under the curse (Genesis 3:17; 8:21; Revelation 22:3), using the kind of language found in Psalms 98:7-9; 148:1-14. in any case, since it was all created by God, He is, therefore, the owner of all creation and creatures. So it is His decision on what will be part of the world-to-come.

Predestined – Another word that can be used here is “predetermined.” Note carefully in verse 29 it is based upon God’s “foreknowledge” (cf. 1Peter 1:2), and that which is predetermined constitutes WHAT those in Christ are to become, not WHO will end up being in Christ.

Elect – This is a synonym for “chosen.” According to 1Peter 1:2, this election is based on God’s foreknowledge, not some arbitrary choice or stroke of good luck or karma.

Intercedes – To make a petition on behalf of someone else. It is used of the Holy Spirit in v. 26-27 (interceding as a “spokesman,” not as a beggar), and of Christ in verse 34 (interceding as “defense counsel”), not as a plaintiff.

We have reached the halfway point in our study of Romans. If you have not been counting, we just finished Lesson 232! Just think, you’ve read 232 messages from Romans! I’m so proud of you, and I’m sure God is pleased with you as well. I pray that He will inspire you to continue reading and studying so that your knowledge of what God has done for you is enlarged and made more transparent for your understanding. God bless you. – Dr. Robert R Seyda

NOTE: We will begin studying Romans Chapter 9 on Wednesday the 01/10/18. I’m excited about exploring this chapter with you.

Both as a student and professor in seminary, I had been curious for some time about the usage of the terms “Old Testament” and “New Testament” to described the two sections of the Bible. That’s because the word “Old” makes it sound like nothing from Genesis to Malachi is of any use to us as Christians. Since this was and is today, what is called the Jewish Bible, Christians had no need for it except it made for excellent reading as far as the stories of Creation, Adam and Eve, Abraham, Jacob, and others were concerned. I’ve even heard it said that the New Testament is all we need as believers. Well, shock-time! What we call the Old Testament was the only Bible that Jesus and His disciples taught from and preached from, and is quoted some 855 times in the New Testament.

The first recorded incident of the Jewish portion of the Bible and the Christian portion being designated as the Old Testament and New Testament occurred in the late second century by Melítōn, the Bishop of Sardis who died in 180 AD.¹ Melítōn (also known as Melito) was Jewish by birth but converted to Christianity at a young age. In his listing of the books of the Hebrew Scriptures, the first such list among the extant Christian writings, he called the group of documents the “Old Covenant.” The Greek word for covenant diatheke was translated by St. Jerome in the fifth century into the Latin Vulgate as “Testamentum.” Since the Latin Vulgate was widely used throughout the Middle Ages, it greatly influenced later translations into vernacular languages.

One of the first English translations of the Bible, made by John Wycliffe in the fourteenth century (1382), also translated diatheke as “testament,” following the Latin. Then William Tyndale’s sixteenth-century English translation followed suit (1524), along with the Geneva Bible (1557), as did the translators of the 1611 King James Bible. Thus, today the two divisions of the English Bible are known as the Old and New Testaments. However, in the English text of the New Testament, diatheke is translated as “covenant” twenty times.² Everywhere else this same word used thirteen times as “testament,” especially at the Last Supper.³ Why the translators made the decision to substitute on that occasion must have been because they saw these two words as synonyms.

Now a question about these designations. I have actually heard preachers say that he never preached out of the Old Testament because it is not relevant to the Christian Church. So it appears that by calling the 39 books of the Hebrew Scriptures the “Old Testament” it can corrupt some minds into thinking it is out-of-date and no longer useful. To think this way removes every prophecy of about the Messiah and the end of the age and world-to-come. At this stage it is almost impossible to change people’s minds, however whenever I can I refer to them as the First Covenant and Last Covenant. Just something to ponder the next time you open your Bible. – Dr. Robert R Seyda.

IF GOD BE FOR US WHO CAN BE AGAINST US

A missionary on furlough told this story while visiting his home church in Michigan. “While serving at a small field hospital in Africa, every two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies. This was a journey of two days and required camping overnight at the halfway point.

On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I planned to collect money from a bank, purchase medicine and supplies, and then begin my two-day journey back to the field hospital. Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting, one of whom had been seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries and at the same time talked to him about the Lord. Then on my way back home, I traveled two days, camping overnight, and arrived at the hospital without incident.”

“Two weeks later I repeated my journey. Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the young man I had treated. He told me that he knew I would be carrying money and medicines. Some of his friends talked him into following the missionary into the jungle, knowing they would camp overnight. He told the missionary, “We rob you and take your money and drugs. But just as we were about to move into your camp, we saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards. At this, I laughed and said that I was certainly all alone in that jungle campsite. The young man pressed the point, however, and said, ‘No sir, I was not the only person to see the guards. My five friends also saw them, and we all counted them. It was because of those guards that we were afraid and left you alone.’”

At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the congregation jumped to his feet and interrupted the missionary and asked if he could tell him the exact day this happened. The missionary told the congregation the date, and the man who interrupted him then gave this testimony: “On the night of your incident in Africa, it was morning here and I was preparing to go play golf. I was about to get my equipment together when I felt this strong urge to pray for you. In fact, the urging of the Lord was so powerful, I called some of the men that attend this church to meet me here in the sanctuary to pray for you. In fact, they are all here tonight.” The man then turned around and asked, “Would all of those men who met with me on that day to pray please stand up?” The men who had met together to pray that day stood up.

The missionary wanted to thank them, and while doing so he noticed there were 26 of them. That’s when it hit him, these were the 26 armed guards that the young men saw who planned to rob him.

When he revealed this to the church, they all raised their hands and praised God for this miracle. It certainly should tell all of us that we may not know until heaven reveals all the secrets of earth that there were times in our lives when an accident, harm, or injury was prevented because of those who were praying for us. So the next time someone tells you, “I’ve been praying for you,” keep in mind that their prayers may have dispatched angels who were with you during your time of need. – Dr. Robert R Seyda

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER EIGHT (Lesson LI)

Early church preacher Chrysostom talked about our willingness to suffer for Christ’s sake. He points out that although Paul suffered everything for the Master, he didn’t do it in order to try and earn a special place in the kingdom of God nor for any high honor. It was all because of his great love for the Messiah.¹ But the problem with many believers today is that when they do follow Christ they want to drag along all the things of the world with them. Chrysostom says it reminds him of swine who like to walk and roll around in the mud on their way to the feeding trough. Yet, even for people like that, God was willing to give His Son for their salvation!² And about 100 years later another early church scholar makes the point that nothing will ever separate us from the rock of true faith on which we firmly stand. It is upon this rock that believers get to prove who they genuinely are and what they really can do for the One who redeemed them. The person in union with the Truth knows what’s best for them, even if everyone else thinks that they have gone out of their mind³.⁴

John Calvin ends his commentary on this chapter by saying that the assurances given here by Paul are totally dependent upon Christ as our bond, for He is God’s beloved Son in whom He is well pleased. As Calvin sees it, since we are united with God through Christ, we may rest assured that God’s changeless and endless kindness will never fail. For with Christ living in us, to lose us is to lose Christ. Calvin hears Paul speaking at this juncture more distinctly than ever before, as he declares that the fountain of love is in the Father, and that it flows to us through Christ.⁵

Wesleyan theologian Adam Clarke has a lengthy summary at the end of this chapter in his commentary. It is too extensive to reproduce here. But one important point he makes is that the true followers of Christ will never be forsaken by Him. And His church, which is founded on the rock, can never be shaken down by the tempests of persecution. He also points to the doctrine of the necessity of personal holiness that is laid down at the beginning of this chapter. He then goes on to note that not only with the creature (mankind) being restored to a perfect state of happiness, all creation will be relieved of the burden it has struggled under since Adam sinned. He also makes it clear that the doctrine of predestination should not be applied to individuals but to the whole world. And finally, Clarke cautions everyone who hears and receives the Gospel to guard it with great care. For him, the worst thing that can happen is when the grace of God is poured out in vain on an unresponsive sinner. That’s why every person who professes to be a child of God should be jealous of what they possess and should not fool around and end up losing something of eternal value. And should any person neglect for a moment so great a salvation, their escape would be impossible.⁶ Who would be so foolish as to subject themselves to such severe eternal punishment?⁷

Robert Haldane makes an excellent point here about this love from which we can never be separated. He starts by saying that God’s love flows to the believer entirely through Jesus Christ. That’s why John tells us how God loved the world so much that He was willing to give His only Son to die and save them.⁸ Too often, people think of God as a benevolent deity. So they try their best to flatter Him by telling Him how great and generous He is. But God went way beyond merely distributing favors on those who praise Him best. Instead He provides more than a momentary blessing to take one’s mind off their troubles. He wanted an eternal blessing so He had His Son make atonement for their sins so He could forgive them and set them free from sin’s bondage. That’s why those who rejoice in the Lord’s goodness are rejoicing because of His saving grace. Consequently, there is now no other name under heaven by which a sinner can be saved. Haldane notes, that just as there was no other protection for the children of Israel in Egypt from death by the destroying angel except in those houses sprinkled with the blood of the paschal lamb. Likewise, none will be saved in the day of judgment and revelation of the righteous by God except those to whom the blood of Christ’s atonement has been applied.

But Haldane has something further to say on this subject. He calls Paul’s line of thinking in this discourse, remarkable. First, he challenges everyone, and defies them to answer this question: “If God is for us believers, then who can be against us?” Then, he lays out the fact that neither good things nor bad things coming our way should trouble us. That’s because if God did not spare His only Son but offered Him up as a sacrifice. So would He then turn around and not give us blessings of far less value? Furthermore, even when we make mistakes because of something inside our hearts or something that we reach for, God will not forsake us. When we fall short of what He wants from us because of something inside, Paul says that God still has what His Son did as a reason to forgive us. So who could then come around and say we are still guilty and need to be punished? It was Christ, the Son of God who died so that we could be forgiven. And it is He who stands now at the right hand of the Father to ensure our salvation.

Also, if it involves something outside us that causes us to stumble and fall, God is understanding. Whether these come as our faith is being tested, or our being in distress, or under persecution, or going through hard times, or being forsaken by our family and friends, or our lives being put in danger, even under assault. Paul said that in the midst of all these things we will still come out victorious with help from Him who loved us so much. After presenting all of these reasons why we should not panic or be afraid when they come our way, Paul then lists them so we all know what he’s talking about. For Haldane, every believer should have peace and assurance that Paul is not describing the believer’s possible defeat, but this is a description of the eventual victory and triumph of faith.⁹

Albert Barnes also sums up what he feels Paul has established in this chapter and how all of it can only be found in Christ Jesus. Barnes writes that Christ is the One who holds it together. That’s what makes it work for the believer. Since He is our constant Mediator, He can secure the blessed assurance of those who really love Him, just by His divine influence on everything. Is that not what He did to the roaring winds and waves on the Sea of Galilee?¹⁰ True agape love does not exist outside that produced by the work of Christ. There is no one who can truly say they love the Father, unless they also love His Son. Barnes says that there is perhaps no other chapter in the Bible so interesting and consoling to the Christian as this eighth chapter of Romans. As Barnes sees it, we need to be reminded that it proves we have a blessed and comforting hope which nothing else can produce, and which nothing can destroy. By being safe in the arms of our Good Shepherd, we can unconditionally commit to following Him, whether it leads through persecutions, or trials, or sickness, or to a martyr‘s grave. The day of triumph will come when our adoption is eternally complete as the entire redemption of our soul and body come to pass.¹¹

In Charles Hodge’s assessment of what Paul said in this chapter, he exclaims how what we read here is so wonderful and glorious because it shows us how firm and unchanging the Gospel is. What makes it so wonderful is that those who are in Christ Jesus are as secure as God’s love for them. They know they are in good hands because Christ is constantly making intercession for them. They are surrounded by a hedge of mercy. They are enclosed in the ageless arms of everlasting love. Hodge then quotes Jude with this benediction: “Now unto Him, that is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy; to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen!¹²”¹³

Charles Spurgeon wraps up his treatment of this chapter by pointing out that the Apostle Paul has summoned all our foes, and set them in battle array against us, and when he has added up the total of all their legions, he says that he is persuaded that they shall not be able to give us the mark that would separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. So let us march forward into the future, however dark it may seem, with this confidence, that one thing we know for sure, – the love of Christ will never let us go, and by His grace we will be able to hold tightly to Him. In a spiritual sense, we are part of His bride and our union will never be broken.¹⁴

Frédéric Godet remarks that he can find nowhere else where Paul displayed his feelings in such an overflowing measure, while at the same time keeping his line of thinking unbroken. For Godet, this last passage sums up all that Paul has been trying to say so far in this Epistle. By doing so, Paul guides us to the end of this chapter now knowing much better how our salvation was a divine work of God. It is a work of grace that is complete, assured, and founded on faith alone. It is something that can touch us anew each time we need it for any reason. In Godet’s way of thinking, Christ lets us stop now and then to contemplate what we’ve been through and what lies ahead. Then, after a moment of reflection and rest, He takes us by the hand to guide us to the stage where, in God’s time, He will reveal all of His children for the entire world to see their glory. Oh what a day that will be!¹⁵

John Stott also shares his thoughts on how our confidence is not dependent solely on our love for Him, which can be feeble, frightful, and faltering. Rather, it is His love for us, which is steadfast, sure, and stubborn. In Stott’s estimation, “The Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints,”¹⁶ needs to be renamed: “The Doctrine of the Perseverance of God with the Saints.” Stott concludes by quoting from an old hymn:¹⁷

Let me no more my comfort draw

From my frail grasp of Thee;

In this alone rejoice with awe,

Thy mighty grasp of me.¹⁸”¹⁹

What a wonderful conclusion to a chapter that presents us with a glorious display of God’s divine grace and sustaining power, and of the promised provisions which God has promised to His people as a way of giving them courage in the time of trouble and persecution. Bible scholar Matthew Henry was born shortly after the Pilgrims left England to come to the new world. He often spoke eloquently about how the display of God’s free love in giving the world His only Son as a gift to be their atonement on the cross for the sin of all mankind outshines anything and everything in heaven and on earth. This adds to the glory of all that follows the believer’s union with Him as they love and serve Him with all their heart, soul, and body. This is followed by the victor’s crown He has prepared for them in a kingdom like no other that will come down from heaven to earth and reign for a thousand years. There may be some who will try bringing in full force all the accusations they can find against those who have been chosen. But since God is the One who justifies, that answers it all.²⁰

I like the way Puritan preacher Charles Simeon wraps up this chapter. For him, there is nothing that be conceived in the mind of man that is more delightful than to possess an assured hope of eternal happiness and glory. That’s why it should never be abused by thoughts of insecurity and doubt. If we truly believe and profess that nothing shall ever separate us from the love of God, let us make sure that we do nothing to separate ourselves from it. Do not let not the temptations of Satan, or the persecutions of men, nor the comforts of life, or the terrors of death, let nothing felt at present, or feared in the future, let nothing in the whole creation draw us aside from the path of duty, or retard our progress toward our divine destiny of life forever and ever in the presence of our loving and forgiving God²¹.²²

THE END OF CHAPTER EIGHT

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER EIGHT (Lesson LI)

Early church preacher Chrysostom talked about our willingness to suffer for Christ’s sake. He points out that although Paul suffered everything for the Master, he didn’t do it in order to try and earn a special place in the kingdom of God nor for any high honor. It was all because of his great love for the Messiah.¹ But the problem with many believers today is that when they do follow Christ they want to drag along all the things of the world with them. Chrysostom says it reminds him of swine who like to walk and roll around in the mud on their way to the feeding trough. Yet, even for people like that, God was willing to give His Son for their salvation!² And about 100 years later another early church scholar makes the point that nothing will ever separate us from the rock of true faith on which we firmly stand. It is upon this rock that believers get to prove who they genuinely are and what they really can do for the One who redeemed them. The person in union with the Truth knows what’s best for them, even if everyone else thinks that they have gone out of their mind³.⁴

John Calvin ends his commentary on this chapter by saying that the assurances given here by Paul are totally dependent upon Christ as our bond, for He is God’s beloved Son in whom He is well pleased. As Calvin sees it, since we are united with God through Christ, we may rest assured that God’s changeless and endless kindness will never fail. For with Christ living in us, to lose us is to lose Christ. Calvin hears Paul speaking at this juncture more distinctly than ever before, as he declares that the fountain of love is in the Father, and that it flows to us through Christ.⁵

Wesleyan theologian Adam Clarke has a lengthy summary at the end of this chapter in his commentary. It is too extensive to reproduce here. But one important point he makes is that the true followers of Christ will never be forsaken by Him. And His church, which is founded on the rock, can never be shaken down by the tempests of persecution. He also points to the doctrine of the necessity of personal holiness that is laid down at the beginning of this chapter. He then goes on to note that not only with the creature (mankind) being restored to a perfect state of happiness, all creation will be relieved of the burden it has struggled under since Adam sinned. He also makes it clear that the doctrine of predestination should not be applied to individuals but to the whole world. And finally, Clarke cautions everyone who hears and receives the Gospel to guard it with great care. For him, the worst thing that can happen is when the grace of God is poured out in vain on an unresponsive sinner. That’s why every person who professes to be a child of God should be jealous of what they possess and should not fool around and end up losing something of eternal value. And should any person neglect for a moment so great a salvation, their escape would be impossible.⁶ Who would be so foolish as to subject themselves to such severe eternal punishment?⁷

Robert Haldane makes an excellent point here about this love from which we can never be separated. He starts by saying that God’s love flows to the believer entirely through Jesus Christ. That’s why John tells us how God loved the world so much that He was willing to give His only Son to die and save them.⁸ Too often, people think of God as a benevolent deity. So they try their best to flatter Him by telling Him how great and generous He is. But God went way beyond merely distributing favors on those who praise Him best. Instead He provides more than a momentary blessing to take one’s mind off their troubles. He wanted an eternal blessing so He had His Son make atonement for their sins so He could forgive them and set them free from sin’s bondage. That’s why those who rejoice in the Lord’s goodness are rejoicing because of His saving grace. Consequently, there is now no other name under heaven by which a sinner can be saved. Haldane notes, that just as there was no other protection for the children of Israel in Egypt from death by the destroying angel except in those houses sprinkled with the blood of the paschal lamb. Likewise, none will be saved in the day of judgment and revelation of the righteous by God except those to whom the blood of Christ’s atonement has been applied.

But Haldane has something further to say on this subject. He calls Paul’s line of thinking in this discourse, remarkable. First, he challenges everyone, and defies them to answer this question: “If God is for us believers, then who can be against us?” Then, he lays out the fact that neither good things or bad things coming our way should trouble us. That’s because if God did not spare His only Son but offered Him up as a sacrifice. So would He then turn around and not give us blessings of far less value? Furthermore, even when we make mistakes because of something inside our hearts or something that we reach for, God will not forsake us. When we fall short of what He wants from us because of something inside, Paul says that God still has what His Son did as a reason to forgive us. So who could then come around and say we are still guilty and need to be punished? It was Christ, the Son of God who died so that we could be forgiven. And it is He who stands now at the right hand of the Father to ensure our salvation.

Also, if it involves something outside us that causes us to stumble and fall, God is understanding. Whether these come as our faith is being tested, or our being in distress, or under persecution, or going through hard times, or being forsaken by our family and friends, or our lives being put in danger, even under assault. Paul said that in the midst of all these things we will still come out victorious with help from Him who loved us so much. After presenting all of these reasons why we should not panic or be afraid when they come our way, Paul then lists them so we all know what he’s talking about. For Haldane, every believer should have peace and assurance that Paul is not describing the believer’s possible defeat, but this is a description of the eventual victory and triumph of faith.⁹

Albert Barnes also sums up what he feels Paul has established in this chapter and how all of it can only be found in Christ Jesus. Barnes writes that Christ is the One who holds it together. That’s what makes it work for the believer. Since He is our constant Mediator, He can secure the blessed assurance of those who really love Him, just by His divine influence on everything. Is that not what He did to the roaring winds and waves on the Sea of Galilee?¹⁰ True agape love does not exist outside that produced by the work of Christ. There is no one who can truly say they love the Father, unless they also love His Son. Barnes says that there is perhaps no other chapter in the Bible so interesting and consoling to the Christian as this eighth chapter of Romans. As Barnes sees it, we need to be reminded that it proves we have a blessed and comforting hope which nothing else can produce, and which nothing can destroy. By being safe in the arms of our Good Shepherd, we can unconditionally commit to following Him, whether it leads through persecutions, or trials, or sickness, or to a martyr‘s grave. The day of triumph will come when our adoption is eternally complete as the entire redemption of our soul and body come to pass.¹¹

In Charles Hodge’s assessment of what Paul said here in this chapter, he exclaims how what we read here is so wonderful and glorious because it shows us how firm and unchanging the Gospel is. What makes it so wonderful is that those who are in Christ Jesus are as secure as God’s love for them. They know they are in good hands because Christ is constantly making intercession for them. They are surrounded by a hedge of mercy. They are enclosed in the ageless arms of everlasting love. Hodge then quotes Jude with this benediction: “Now unto Him, that is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy; to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen!¹²”¹³

Charles Spurgeon wraps up his treatment of this chapter by pointing out that the Apostle Paul has summoned all our foes, and set them in battle array against us, and when he has added up the total of all their legions, he says that he is persuade that they shall not be able to give us the mark that would separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. So let us march forward into the future, however dark it may seem, with this confidence, that one thing we know for sure, – the love of Christ will never let us go, and by His grace we will be able to hold tightly to Him. In a spiritual sense, we are part of His bride and our union will never be broken.¹⁴

Frédéric Godet remarks that he can find nowhere else where Paul display his feelings in such an overflowing measure, while at the same time keeping his line of thinking unbroken. For Godet, this last passage sums up all that Paul has been trying to say so far in this Epistle. By doing so, Paul guides us to the end of this chapter now knowing much better how our salvation was a divine work of God. It is a work of grace that is complete, assured, and founded on faith alone. It is something that can touch us anew each time we need it for any reason. In Godet’s way of thinking, Christ lets us stop now and then to contemplate what we’ve been through and what lies ahead. Then, after a moment of reflection and rest, He takes us by the hand to guide us to the stage where, in God’s time, He will reveal all of His children for the entire world to see their glory. Oh what a day that will be!¹⁵

John Stott also shares his thoughts on how our confidence is not dependent solely on our love for Him, which can be feeble, frightful, and faltering. Rather, it is His love for us, which is steadfast, sure, and stubborn. In Stott’s estimation, “The Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints,”¹⁶ needs to be renamed: “The Doctrine of the Perseverance of God with the Saints.” Stott concludes by quoting from an old hymn:¹⁷

Let me no more my comfort draw

From my frail grasp of thee;

In this alone rejoice with awe,

Thy mighty grasp of me.¹⁸”¹⁹

What a wonderful conclusion to a chapter that presents us with a glorious display of God’s divine grace and sustaining power, and of the promised provisions which God has promised to His people as a way of giving them courage in the time of trouble and persecution. Bible scholar Matthew Henry was born shortly after the Pilgrims left England to come to the new world. He often spoke eloquently about how the display of God’s free love in giving the world His only Son as a gift to be their atonement on the cross for the sin of all mankind outshines anything and everything in heaven and on earth. This adds to the glory of all that follows the believer’s union with Him as they love and serve Him with all their heart, soul, and body. This is followed by the victor’s crown He has prepared for them in a kingdom like no other that will come down from heaven to earth and reign for a thousand years. There may be some who will try bringing in full force all the accusations they can find against those who have been chosen. But since God is the One who justifies, that answers it all.²⁰

I like the way Puritan preacher Charles Simeon wraps up this chapter. For him, there is nothing that be conceived in the mind of man that is more delightful than to possess an assured hope of eternal happiness and glory. That’s why it should never be abused by thoughts of insecurity and doubt. If we truly believe and profess that nothing shall ever separate us from the love of God, let us make sure that we do nothing to separate ourselves from it. Do not let not the temptations of Satan, or the persecutions of men, nor the comforts of life, or the terrors of death, let nothing felt at present, or feared in the future, let nothing in the whole creation draw us aside from the path of duty, or retard our progress toward our divine destiny of life forever and ever in the presence of our loving and forgiving God²¹.²²

THE END OF CHAPTER EIGHT

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER EIGHT (Lesson L)

Now, with a sense of confidence Paul goes on to list other things he has faced, and may face again, and why they will never, ever sever the link developed by love between him and God. The first cause is expressed with the Greek word thanatos, rendered by the KJV as “death.” Most Bible scholars agree with Thayer in his Greek Lexicon that this is a reference to physical death. Thayer references Paul’s words to the Corinthians: “He [God] has given you the whole world to use, and life and even death are your servants.”¹ In other words, death cannot keep us from being forever with God, it can only expedite our getting there.

Then Paul contrasts death with “life.” The Greek word zōē, used here is a little more complicated to explain than the effect of death. Thayer in his Lexicon references what Paul says to the Philippians: “I live in eager expectation and hope that I will never do anything that will cause me to be ashamed of myself but that I will always be ready to speak out boldly for Christ while I am going through all these trials here, just as I have in the past; and that I will always be an honor to Christ, whether I live or whether I must die.”² As far as Paul was concerned, living for God was more important than living for himself.

This is followed by “angels.” The Greek word aggelos translated as angels is used to describe an envoy or messenger; someone who is sent with a message. When we place this term in the context of the next two, we may safely say that Paul was not referring to heavenly angels, those whose mission is to serve God or be God’s messengers to mankind. Rather, any earthly emissary that may bring orders from a magistrate to appear before the court. But at the same time, we cannot rule out that this may also be a reference to evil spirits that may come to torment the mind and try to persuade us that what we are doing is useless and counterproductive. To give it up and go live the life you really want to experience.

Now comes “principalities.” The Greek feminine noun archē used here is translated into English by the KJV as: “beginning” (40x), “principality” (8x), “corner” (2x), and (6x) in various words such as “magistrates,” “power,” “first,” and “rule.” Thayer, in his Greek Lexicon, places this term in five categories as to their meaning. In the fifth category, we find: “at the top, principality, rule, or magistracy.” He further delineates by saying that as used here Paul is referring to celestial powers that hold dominions entrusted to them as part of the universal order of things. Thayer then references what Paul says to the Colossians: “Christ Himself is the Creator who made everything in heaven and earth, the things we can see and the things we can’t; the spirit world with its kings and kingdoms, its rulers and authorities; all were made by Christ for His own use and glory.”³

Bishop Lightfoot in his commentary on this verse tells us that some commentators refer to the terms used here as mainly earthly rulers and dignities. But he feels that there can be little doubt that their chief and primary reference is to the orders of the celestial hierarchy, as conceived by Gnostic Judaizers.⁴ In other words, this was for those Jewish leaders of the church in Rome who may have bought into this false teaching of rival spiritual powers to that of Christ that exist in the universe.

Then Paul adds, “powers.” The Greek word dynamis translated here refers to the inherent power that resides in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and enforces. Thayer makes reference to what Peter said: “Now Christ is in heaven, sitting in the place of honor next to God the Father, with all the angels and powers of heaven bowing before Him and obeying Him.”⁵ Thayer also points to what F. B. Meyer says on this subject that Paul mentions to the Ephesians: “Far, far above any other king or ruler or dictator or leader. Yes, Christ’s honor is far more glorious than that of anyone else either in this world or in the world to come.”⁶ For Meyer, this is a psalm of ascension.

We can almost follow our Lord’s tracks as all the evil powers which rule the darkness of this world drop further and further behind Him. Since our Lord ascended on high, if we rightly claim our place as members of His glorified body we will also stand above all our spiritual adversaries. Any commander knows that it is easier to attack an enemy from higher ground than to try and approach him from below. Never forget that Christ needs the Church as much as the head needs the body. In the same manner, it is through the Church that He fulfills His mission. So ask Him to fill all of us with all of Him.⁷

Now Paul adds to this, “things present.” Another way of putting this would be “present things.” Thayer says that Paul was referring to those things he and the believer’s faced at the moment of his writing this epistle. Things that are in clear sight, standing nearby, pending, almost upon us or that threaten us. Thayer points to what Paul said to the Thessalonians: “Please don’t be upset and excited, dear brothers, by the rumor that this day of the Lord has already begun.”⁸ In other words, don’t let the rumors going around at the moment distract you from what you know to be the case. Stay steady, keep your eyes on things above, not things below.⁹

Then Paul contrasts what is going on at the moment with “things to come.” This is another way of saying that the believers in Rome should not be shaken by the things prophesied for the future but have not yet taken place. Bible scholars suggest that Paul is referring here to what we would call, “speculation.” Thayer then points to what Paul says to Timothy about the future.¹⁰ But in Thayer’s mind, he sees Paul telling Timothy that these future things to come should be seen in the context of the more perfect state of things which will exist at that time. It’s another way of saying that nothing that happens now will change one iota what God has established to be the case in the future.

Paul now adds, “nor height.” The Greek word hypsōma actually means, “an elevated place or thing.” In some cases, it may figuratively imply a high barrier. Thayer references what Paul said: “I use God’s mighty weapons, not those made by men, to knock down the devil’s strongholds. These weapons can break down every proud argument against God and every wall that can be built to keep men from finding Him.”¹¹ But some scholars also believe that Paul may have been using the term “height” in referring to idols that were placed on high platforms. Yet others think it may be an allusion to the superficial arguments against mankind having such a close relationship with God. But in any case. Paul is saying that nothing can stand in the way of God keeping hold of us and us keeping hold of God.

This is followed by “depth.” The Greek word bathos refers to those things thought to be deep, such as the sea. But it can also by implication be used for something profound, as well as figuratively for a mystery – the unknown. Thayer references where this word is used by Paul to teach the Ephesians about God’s love: “So that you, with all God’s people, will be given strength to grasp the breadth, length, height, and depth of the Messiah’s love, yes, to know it, even though it is beyond all knowing, so that you will be filled with all the fullness of God.”¹² As we can see, Paul may have been comparing the silly thoughts of fools (height) with the deep profundity of scholarly arguments (depth) against what he was teaching about God’s calling, justification, and glorification of those who believe that His Son was the Messiah, the Savior of the world.

But then Paul adds a qualifier: “nor any other creature.” Thayer in his Greek Lexicon points out that this word ktisis can be used to mean: “the act of founding, establishing, building, etc.” Throughout the Last Covenant, it is variously translated as “creation” and “creature.” Thayer places the word as it is used here to mean any individual thing that is created. He also mentions that it is used by Rabbis to indicate a person who is converted from idolatry to Judaism. As such, Paul takes it and uses it in the same way. For instance, he tells the Galatians: “For neither being circumcised nor being uncircumcised matters; what matters is being a new creation.”¹³ Also, what Paul wrote the Corinthians: “Therefore, if anyone is united with the Messiah, he is a new creation — the old has passed; look, what has come is fresh and new!”¹⁴ However, in the context of how Paul uses it here, we can better understand it as part of Paul’s argument against those teachings by the Judaizers, whether what they taught was easily explained, or beyond comprehension.

So, no matter what they throw at us, says Paul, it will not dismantle nor destroy God’s plan of salvation that was created out of love, nor will they be able to make anything to aim at believers that will cause those who really love God, and are loved by God, to be driven apart. It reminds us again of what Jesus said about His disciples: “No one shall snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and He is more powerful than anyone else, so no one can kidnap them from me.”¹⁵ No wonder that Paul prayed for the Ephesians “To experience this love for yourselves, though it is so great that you will never see the end of it or fully know or understand it. And so, at last, you will be filled up with God Himself.”¹⁶

Augustine comments here that Paul was sure that neither the persecutions or problems of temporal life here on earth or even death could separate the believer from God’s love. If someone threatened the believer with death, it simply implies that instead of living and working here in the presence of sin they would rest in the presence of God. Even an angel shouldn’t be able to separate us from the love of God. Paul said that if one came and told you something other than what you received as the Gospel, let them be accursed.¹⁷ Nor can any powers on earth or powers in the air successfully separate us because Christ has triumphed over them by what He did on the cross¹⁸.¹⁹

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER EIGHT (Lesson XLIX)

Verse 37: Not one! In all these circumstances we have been able to gain a surpassing victory because of the One who loved us.

Now Paul leaves no doubt as to the answer to his challenge in verse 31. In his mind, nothing could ever overcome us to the point that even though we may think that God had forsaken us because of something wrong we had done, it still would not cause Him to withdraw His love from those He has chosen. To the contrary, His love will be the reason we conquer our fears and doubts. In fact, when Paul thought about all that God had brought him through during his years of missionary ministry, he told the Corinthians: “How we thank God for all of this! It is He who makes us victorious through Jesus Christ our Lord!”¹ And in his second letter Paul makes this statement: “Three different times I begged God to make me well again. Each time He said, “No. But I am with you; that is all you need.”² Paul was more or less saying that in our Christian walk we will encounter difficult times and circumstances, but do not fear because Christ is walking with us. Our Lord did not promise us smooth sailing in life, but He did say we will a safe landing on heaven’s shore.

In fact, Paul says that we will be more than just conquerors in our circumstances, that we will be able to go on to even greater heights of victory. There is no reason for a believer to live life as though defeat is inevitable. Jesus promised that we can have a victorious life. That doesn’t mean that all a believer’s problems will go away. But it does mean, that before the problem gets the best of the believer, the believer gets the best of the problem. While there are many explanations of what Paul meant by the phrase, “more than conquerors,” it certainly doesn’t mean being an “overachiever.” Instead, it means not only winning the victory but being able then to keep the peace and prevent any further uprising no matter how much extra effort it requires. Years ago, I heard of an incident where the Bible was being translated into an African language, and they did not have a phrase in their tongue that adequately expressed, “more than conquerors.” After the meaning of what Paul said was explained to those helping the missionary do the translating, one of them suggested the following: “We fight twelve, but conqueror thirteen!”

As Paul told the Galatians: “When the Messiah was executed on the stake as a criminal, I was too; so that my proud ego no longer lives. But the Messiah lives in me, and the life I now live in my body I live by the same trusting faithfulness that the Son of God had, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”³ In other words, it is not you that is living your Christian life alone, but it is Christ living in you, building up your Christlike character Paul told the Ephesians to let Christ be their example on how to live. In fact, he said that Christ’s love for us was like a sweet perfume to God.⁴

The early church bishop of Caesarea says that a person is considered more than a conqueror when they not only exert the force necessary to win the battle but willingly accept the pain and suffering that comes with the endurance required.⁵ And Pelagius also said that all these troubles we can count as very insignificant because someone loved us so much that He even died for us. His name was Jesus. So even if we died for His name sake we triumph because what He did for us, our sacrifice is a small thing compared to His.⁶

Martin Luther makes an important point here by saying that it is the love of Christ for us that makes us triumphant through our love to Him. Remember, we did not love Him first, He first loved us. Not only that, but He still loves us first whenever we let anything come between us and Him. Furthermore, our love for Him is not only because He loves us, rather, His love for us is what brings our love to Him. As the Apostle John said: “This is love! It is not that we loved God but that He loved us.”⁷ It is important to note that Luther does not say our love “for” Him, but our love “to” Him. Love is not an emotion, it is an act of the will. Just saying we love Him is not enough, it must be validated with what we bring to Him in the form of expressions of love. This then makes us more than conquerors. We not only have been made free from the bondage of sin under the law, but we are now kept free to serve God because He freed us.⁸

Robert Haldane has this to say about believers being more than conquerors. It is a powerful expression, but when fully understood it is proven true. When believers successfully pass through the worst of their trials, they not only avoid the traps laid by persecutors but, thereby, conquer the ones who put them in their path. For many people, they may swim hard and long against the stream, but end up getting nowhere. In fact, they may consider it a failure, not a win. But believers need not swim against the tide because God will bring their intended prize to them. All they have to do is learn to wait, remain faithful and steadfast.⁹ By doing so, believers not only overcome the force against them but deny the force a victory. In that light, it is better to be fighting battles than doing nothing at all. When believers are called to serve Him, they are also called to suffer for Him.

Haldane also said believers should think of themselves as warriors, not just winners. As God tries and tests believers, it’s like bringing them out of the furnace as refined gold.¹⁰ That’s why Paul called them “light afflictions.”¹¹ Because when we compare ourselves to what we will be it is a small price to pay. Haldane said that the term conquerors should remind the believer that life sometimes is a battle, in which they are called into combat against inner doubts and outer criticism. Haldane feels that we should know the difference between the judgment of God, and the judgment of people when it comes to the victory of believers. As the world sees it, persecutors and oppressors are judged as the conquerors. But Paul turns the tables here and says that those who are oppressed and persecuted are the victors. That’s because they are the servants of Him whom the world put to death on the cross, but who said to His disciples, “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.¹²”¹³

Albert Barnes sees us as more than conquerors because we have not only gained the victory over sin through Christ but because of Christ, sin cannot gain power over us again to subdue us, to alienate our love and confidence, to produce apostasy. Barnes notes that in the process our faith is not destroyed; our love is not diminished; our hope is not blown away. But it is more than a simple victory. It’s also more than carrying on, as usual, continuing to do what we’ve done before. It is also more than a single victory. We grow in faith, increase our spiritual strength, enlarge our capacity to love our Lord. This then prepares us for bigger victories. The word “conqueror” used here is a strong, emphatic expression, which the Apostle employs only once. But he uses it with great force and appropriateness here.¹⁴

Charles Spurgeon says that Paul’s reference to all these things, meaning the afflictions and obstacles that believers must deal with, have made us stronger and closer to the Lord instead of separating us from Him.¹⁵ As we find in Foxes’ Book of Martyrs, while their persecutors thought they were triumphing over them, it was the martyrs who were the victors in the end. And Frédéric Godet points out that instead of Paul saying that we are conquerors through the love of the Lord, he says that through the Lord that loved us we are conquerors. For Godet, this is because Christ who lives in us is the one who fights the battles. And not only is it His love that keeps us going, but this love is more than a simple thought of our mind; it is a force we sense and feel.¹⁶

Verses 38-39: For I am thoroughly convinced that nothing can separate us from God’s love – not death, life, angels, or ruling spirits. I am sure that nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us or nothing below us – nothing in the whole created world – will ever be able to separate us from the love God has shown us through Jesus the Messiah, our Lord.

At the end of the chapter Paul concludes by saying that he is persuaded: There is nothing, no calamity known to man, no conceived force or torture, no power in, on, or out of this world that can claim the title of “Who” in Paul’s question of “Who can separate us from God’s love?” Nothing, not anything, can separate a believer from being in the grasp of God’s love because it is not only their holding on to God but God is holding on to them. But some make the mistake of putting all the emphasis on God’s responsibility to keep that promise and ensure that His love is never removed from their grasp.

When reading this whole chapter, it suggests that what Paul is really saying is that despite his temptations and trials, he is so sold out and committed to God’s love, that come what may he will never let go of God because God will not let go of him. Ask yourself, who is facing the test of allegiance, you or God? Who is dealing with the distress, you or God? Who is enduring the persecution, you or God? Who is fighting the famine, you or God? Who is like a sheep being led to slaughter, you or God? We can go on and on with who is coping with life’s issues, you or God? Who is subject to death, you or God?

After what God did to show His love by giving His only Son to die on the cross for our salvation, we need never think or surmise that God will cancel the love that was given while we were yet sinners because that would be unthinkable now that we need it more than ever. But we do have to let God know that we are just as committed to keeping our part of the relationship, and out of sheer gratitude and thankfulness, we will never renege on our promise to love Him to the end.

But Paul is not finished. He has more to say about his confidence in God’s faithfulness in keeping His part of the covenant, and that this will help him to keep his part so that after being chosen and justified to be called a child of God. The fact he was chosen means he may enjoy the glorification God has prepared for all those who remain true and faithful to the end. In fact, while languishing in jail Paul wrote to young Timothy: “I know the One in whom I trust, and I am sure that He is able to safely guard all that I have given Him until the day of His return.”¹⁷

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER EIGHT (Lesson XLVIII)

Early church scholar Ambrosiaster explains what he feels Paul is saying here. For him, Paul is simply asking if there is anyone or anything that can pull us away from the love of Christ, the one who gave us such a wonderful gift as salvation and eternal life? No torments as those listed should ever override the love that a mature Christian has for their Savior.¹ And Chrysostom says that even though it may look easy to compose a list like this one, each word contains thousands of lines of adversity. Tribulation, for instance, includes prisons and chains, defamation and rejection, and all other such hardships. A single word can define oceans of danger and reveals to us all the obstacles believers will encounter in this life.²

These thoughts and insights are followed by what Augustine has to say about Paul exhorting his hearers not to be heartbroken by persecution. When it does, perhaps they were living according to the philosophy of the world.³ Pelagius also has some thoughts on this. He questions how, after receiving so many splendid benefits and promises from our Lord, any hardship could be so heavy as to tear us away from our love for Christ? And by saying “us,” Paul indicates that we should all become known as the sort of Christians that even dangers cannot separate us from Christ.⁴ And then we have a word from early church scholar Caesarius. As he sees it, faithful believers are not separated from Christ even by torture. Only the lukewarm and careless ones, however, are in danger of being separated from Him by their own carelessness. For some, even the slightest embarrassment causes them to immediately feel offended, and then they dare to murmur against God and return to their godless, detestable ways.⁵

Martin Luther answers Paul’s question of who can separate us from God’s love by saying emphatically that no one can accuse those whom God has called, redeemed, chosen, sanctified, and empowered of not being God’s legal heirs. Luther says there is absolutely no one! For it is God who justifies such selection and election of those who He declares to be right in His eyes. In the same way, no one can say we are still under the condemnation of the Law’s death sentence because Christ is now our Mediator and Chief Shepherd who died for His sheep, rose up from the grave because death could not swallow Him. As such, He is our personal representative at the right hand of God because He has been anointed as our High Priest by whose blood our sins were atoned for.⁶

Fellow Reformer John Calvin says that whatever happens, we must stand firm on this truth: that God, who once in His love embraced us, never ceases to treasure us as His priceless possession. Paul does not simply say that there is nothing which can tear God away from His love for us; but he means, that the knowledge and lively sense of the love which God has given us is so vigorous in our hearts, that it always shines in the darkness of afflictions. Calvin then uses “clouds” as an illustration when pointing out that although they may obscure the sun for awhile, they do not totally deprive us of its light. In the same way, God, even in times when the dark clouds of adversity cover us, He sends the bright rays of His favor through the darkness. He does not want worries and anxiety to overwhelm us with despair. In fact, our faith, when supported by God’s promises, become like wings that allow us to mount up as eagles so we can fly high above all the intervening obstacles blocking our way.⁷ Even during those times when God disciplines us, we must never forget His mercy is constant and everlasting.⁸ That’s because we receive a fresh delivery every morning.⁹ Calvin says, that whenever we are reminded of what we really deserve, God also reminds us why we are the object of His lovingkindness, while He leads us to repentance, and that’s because He paid our ransom and we are His.¹⁰

Adam Clarke puts the focus on those things that Paul is thinking of as threats to Christ’s love for us and our love for Christ. He writes that the Apostle Paul is referring to the persecutions and hardships which often come to Christians who stand up and declare their unwavering loyalty to their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But they need not fear because God will graciously provide for their support and final salvation. And in so doing, God expressed His infinite love for them by providing His only Son, Jesus Christ, as a sin-offering in their place. Then Jesus Christ showed His unconditional love by suffering death upon the cross for them. That’s why Paul brings up the love the followers should have for the one who first loved them. For Clarke, the question is not, Who shall separate the love of Christ from us? or prevent Christ from loving us? but, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? In other words, who or what has the power to remove His affection for us?¹¹

Robert Haldane writes that in contemplating those glorious truths and Divine consolations which the Apostle had been unfolding in this chapter, we see that he had demanded, Who shall accuse, who shall condemn, God’s elect people? Now here he triumphantly asks, Who shall separate them from the love of Christ? Having already pointed out how believers should deal with fears of behavior that come from within, he now strengthens their resolve against fears that come from without. This is the proper order to put them in because internal fears and misgivings are more formidable than external attacks. So, until a believer can overcome the inner misgivings of their relationship with God, they will not be prepared to withstand the external onslaught. Haldane notes that although the people of God are often exposed to all the turmoils that Paul enumerates, none of these will be able to separate them from the love Christ has for them.¹²

Albert Barnes also concentrates on how love is affected. But for him what Paul says here is somewhat ambiguous. It can either mean, “our love for Christ,” or “His love for us.” Barnes says he understands that it is supposed to search for an answer to this: Who can do anything to cause us to stop loving our Savior who never stops loving us? In other words, the love which Christians should have for their Redeemer must be so strong that it will withstand and survive all opposition and persecution, knowing that He will never leave or forsake them. The reason it should be understood this way is because it is not conceivable that hardships and difficulties should in any way alienate Christ‘s love for us. We should be willing to endure to the end. That is where salvation is assured.¹³

We know that such trials and adversities are often caused by a believer’s open profession of faith and their close attachment to Him and His Word. When such persecutions and trials come, it is often for the sake of making them weary of their service and dedication to His cause. Those who persecute want these Christians who are sold out to Christ to stop spreading the nonsense about some Kingdom of God. But the Apostle says, that will never happen! Their love for Him is so strong that they are willing to go through anything for His sake. Nothing these people can do that will destroy the peace believer’s have in their hearts for the one who gave His all for them. Therefore, Barnes sees that the argument involves the strong love of a believer to their Savior; and from the assurance that nothing will be able to keep them from their love for each other.¹⁴

Charles Hodge, sees it differently than Barnes. For him, the love Paul is talking about is clearly Christ’s love towards us, and not ours towards Him. He believes Paul is speaking about the great love God showed for us through the gift of His Son. Also, the love Christ has for us was exhibited in His dying, rising to life again, and now interceding for us before the Father. Not only that, but this great and abiding love is unending and unchangeable. After all, the Apostle’s objective in this chapter is to comfort and confirm the confidence of believers. Some have interpreted what Paul said as grounds for us to have faith that under no circumstances will we ever stop loving our Lord. Hodge says that such interpretation does not fit what Paul is saying. There is no reason for our having to submit any evidence that we will never forsake Christ, just to prove that we are really His followers. The strongest need for assurance is to be convinced that His love for us will never change.

Hodge then contends that if our hope of God’s mercy and love is founded only on our goodness or attractiveness, it is a false hope. We must believe that His love is gratuitous, mysterious, without any known or conceivable cause, certainly without thinking that it’s because we looked so good to Him. In short, the only thing that comes close to God’s love for His children is that which is analogous to the love parents have for a disabled or deformed child. Hodge notes that a father’s or mother’s love is often independent of the attractiveness of its object. In fact, they love them in spite of any deformity.¹⁵ Hodge goes on to say that verse 39 requires this interpretation, for there Paul expresses the same sentiment in language which cannot be misunderstood.

Frédéric Godet agrees with Hodge that the love of Christ, from which nothing will separate us, is not the love which we have for Him; for we are not separated from our own personal feeling. It is, therefore, the love He has for us.¹⁶ This interpretation is based upon this evidence: God’s love for us was expressed before we ever knew Him, let alone loved Him.¹⁷ He gave His only Son to prove that love for us. His Son gave up what He had in heaven to become one of us.¹⁸ Christ was persecuted, suffered, and was crucified to show that love for us. After His resurrection and before His ascension He promised to prepare a place for us so that when He returns He can take us with Him to our eternal abode. So the question is, what have we done for God and His Son to prove that nothing will separate our love for them? Charles Ellicott also agrees that Paul is referring to the love which Christ has for us, not that which we have for Christ.¹⁹

Jewish Bible scholar David Stern offers these thoughts on God’s blessed assurance: He points to the chain of assurances provided in verses 28–39. This gives Paul enough confidence to put his own argument under the microscope. That is if God is for us, who can possibly be against us? Certainly not God (verses 31–33). Also not his Son, the Messiah Yeshua (verses 34–37). In fact, there is no one or no thing that can be found, nothing (verses 35, 38–39), that will be able to separate us from God’s love which comes to us through the Messiah Yeshua our Lord. One thing is for certain, if we, Yeshua’s followers, are seen as sheep who are vulnerable to being attacked and killed by the wild animals of trouble, hardship, persecution, hunger, poverty, danger, and war (verse 35), our Lord as well was “led like a sheep to the slaughter.”²⁰ The Psalm quoted in this verse, speaks of Israel as oppressed by enemies and scattered among the nations, yet faithful to God’s covenant. The Psalmist prays for God’s deliverance and acknowledges the futility of self-effort, “I don’t rely on my bow, nor can my sword give me victory.”²¹ In quoting one verse Paul implicitly applies the entire Psalm to those who have come to trust in the Gospel, thus expanding on what he wrote in verse 18 above.²²