Romans 15 Class Notes

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TLC Women’s Bible Study Romans 15 Paul Spurlock 4/24/18

15:1-3 In chapter 15 Paul continues his discussion of use of liberties. He reminds the “strong” (more mature in the faith and/or not offended by the enjoyment or use of “gray areas”), that they are to put aside personal preferences for the sake of “those without strength” (less mature in the faith or given to certain religious practices—but not “weak” in the sense of being lacking in character strength to refrain from certain liberties). Serving God and His people “ought” to be more of a priority to us than serving ourselves. As verse 2 ends, the “edification” of our brothers & sisters is the point. If we were to express it in a formula, it would look like this: Love of brother or sister personal preferences. Quoting Psalm 69:9 (“reproaches”), Paul points to Jesus as the ultimate example of sacrifice for the world since He took on the “reproaches” of humanity’s sins on the cross! Some may wonder, though, about Galatians 1:10 — For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ. Is this a contradiction to serving the needs & preferences of our weaker brethren? No. Contextually, the Romans account has to do with making personal sacrifices for the good of others. In Galatians Paul’s point is to avoid being a people pleaser over against being a God-pleaser as one’s #1 priority. 15:4 “Whatever was written in earlier times” refers to the Old Testament (as does 2 Tim. 3:16-17) (the New was in the process of being written when the epistle of Romans was being penned). Nevertheless, even though the New Testament has more relevance for Christians, the OT still has great benefit to us today as the phrase “the encouragement of the [OT] Scriptures” makes clear. After all, everything Christ taught in sermon on mount is in the OT, so it’s relevance remains! But, “whatever” does not mean we’re to follow the whole of the Law as was required in the OT. Ceremonial and ancient Israel civic matters are obsolete. (See extra notes: How to apply the Old Testament Laws & Commands (or not) Today for guidance on how to distinguish what’s still applicable today from the OT and what’s not). 15:5 “Be of the same mind together according to Christ Jesus” and be of “one accord” is about unity in essentials in Christ; it’s not saying that we have to agree on everything! The challenge is in knowing and agreeing on what’s negotiable and what’s non-negotiable. This mention of unity also sets up what is to follow. And that is that the Law, Prophets & Psalms are likely quoted for the purpose of, as we’ve seen before, to make the point that the OT / Jewish Scriptures support what Paul is about to state: it was God’s plan all along to include Gentiles in His promises to create one people of God. 15:7 At 14:1 Paul exhorted the more mature believers to accept the “weaker” brother/sister. Here he states “Therefore, accept one another” in a broader sense (perhaps having to do with the macro-book theme of mixed backgrounds or Jewish-Christian & Gentile-Christian distinctions). 15:8-12 By stating that Christ came “to confirm the promises given to the fathers, and for the Gentiles,” Paul reminds his hearers again of God’s plan of using the Jews as the chosen people to receive the Messiah and then take His gospel the whole Gentile world. Once again, we see multi-samplings of OT quotes.

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By citing Isaiah 11:10 (Rom. 15:12), Paul opens up a proverbial can of worms that has produced great debate! The verse reads: Again Isaiah says, “THERE SHALL COME THE ROOT OF JESSE, AND HE WHO ARISES TO RULE OVER THE GENTILES, IN HIM SHALL THE GENTILES HOPE.” Isaiah’s context is about a coming “Righteous Reign of the Branch” as the NASB topic heading describes it. Due to the mention of the “RULE” over the Gentiles, many believe this verse as one of many “Golden Age” (GA) passages that describe idyllic, blessed conditions of a new order on the earth for God’s people in a literal & future 1000 year “Millennium.” Others view the GA texts as symbolic of the present Church Age. All agree the “RULE” is future from Isaiah’s day (approx. 745 - 695 BC). But how far in the future from Isaiah’s day? Still future to us? And what is the nature of this “new order”? Primarily physical & literal or symbolic & spiritual? Such is what the debate is all about. The following are considered to be among the classic “Golden Age” passages: - Isa 2:4 And He will judge between the nations, And will render decisions for many peoples; And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war. - Isa 11:6-9 And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, And the leopard will lie down with the young goat, And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze,Their young will lie down together, And the lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra....They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. - Isa 60:20 Your sun will no longer set, Nor will your moon wane; For you will have the LORD for an everlasting light, And the days of your mourning will be over. (Sounds like eternity, but compare Isa. 13:10 & 30:26, which are common prophetic hyperbole that contrast “light” (= blessing) and “darkness” or lights going “out” (= judgment) upon a nation). - Isa 65:20-21 No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, Or an old man who does not live out his days; For the youth will die at the age of one hundred. And the one who does not reach the age of one hundred will be thought accursed. They will build houses and inhabit them;They will also plant vineyards and eat their fruit. - Joel 3:18 And in that day The mountains will drip with sweet wine, And the hills will flow with milk, And all the brooks of Judah will flow…; And a spring will go out from the house of the LORD…. - Mic 4:3-4 ….Then they will hammer their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they train for war. Each of them will sit under his vine And under his fig tree, With no one to make them afraid….

Again, “Premillennialists” believe the GA passages describe a still-future & literal 1000-year reign of Christ on earth called the “Millennium.” So how do those who apply the Golden Age passages symbolically to the Church Age do so? They point out how the NT writers link and/or apply the passages (at least to some degree) to their & our (Church Age) time in history. For example: - Isa 65:23 They shall not labor in vain...for they are the offspring of those blessed by the LORD, and their descendants.… - 1 Cor. 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. - Isa 65:25 “The wolf and the lamb shall graze together [be one], and the lion shall eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the serpent's food. They shall do no evil or harm in all My holy mountain,” says the LORD. - Lk 10:19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall injure you. - Gal. 3:28-29 There is neither Jew nor Greek [Gentile]…for you are all one in Christ…you are (all) Abraham’s descendants. - Isa 66:8d As soon as Zion [Jerusalem] travailed, she also brought forth her sons. - Gal 4:26 But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.

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- Isa 66:11 That you may nurse and be satisfied with her comforting breasts,That you may suck and be delighted with her bountiful bosom. - Mt 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. - Isa 66:12 For thus says the LORD, “Behold, I extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall be nursed, you shall be carried on the hip…. - Jn 14:27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you…. - Zech 14:7-8 For it will be a unique day which is known to the LORD, neither day nor night, but it will come about that at evening time there will be light. And in that day living waters will flow out of Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea; it will be in summer as well as in winter. - John 7:38-39b He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, “From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive…. - Isa 66:16 For the LORD will execute judgment by fire and by His sword on all flesh, and those slain…will be many. - Mt 22:7 But the king was enraged and sent his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and set their city on fire. - Isa 65:17 For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered.… -2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. - Isa 66:18 ….the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and see My glory. - Mt 8:11 And I say to you, that many shall come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. - Isa 66:19 And I will...send survivors from them to the nations...to [those]...that have neither heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they will declare My glory among the nations. - Eph 3:8 ….This grace was given, to preach to the [nations of] Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ. - Col 1:27 ….to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the [nations of] Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. - Isa 66:20 Then they shall bring all your brethren from all the nations as a grain offering to the LORD, on horses, in chariots…and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem, says the LORD, just as the sons of Israel bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the LORD. - Rom 15:16 [Paul]...a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, that my offering of the Gentiles might become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Why do Premillennialists not accept these Golden Age to Church connections? They believe the Millennium (Rev. 20:1-10) must be literal; since Christ isn’t literally reigning on earth yet, the Golden Age texts have yet to be fulfilled. They also argue that had Jesus’ people accepted Him at His first coming, the literal reign would have ensued; but since they rejected Him, it was postponed. Those who see the GA texts as referring to the Church Age (aka a non-literal “millennium”/“Amillennialism”) respond by arguing that since Paul is in sync with the rest of the NT writers in applying the GA passages to the Christians in his day (here in Romans and throughout the NT), that the fulfillment began spiritually at Christ’s first coming and continues to this day. 15:14 The verse sounds like a wrap up / benediction (& it kind of is—mostly “miscellaneous” matters of travel and personal greetings end the epistle). The phrase “full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to admonish each other” shows that we are capable of correcting & counseling each other using the Word as our guide. 15:16 Borrowing from Isaiah 66:20 (“offering of the Gentiles”), and referring to evangelizing the nations, Paul appears to be once again applying a GA text to the Church. 15:19 “Signs and wonders” is common Biblical wording for miracles. Historically, signs and wonders tend to accompany and/or be more common when God is initiating a major work (so here, it’s in

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establishing the baby Church). Conversely, miracles tend to decrease once the Church is more established in a given region. 15:21 Paul quotes Isaiah 52:15 and reveals that he’s a pioneer and evangelist at heart! 15:19-25 The book of Acts doesn’t confirm that Paul made it to Spain, but it’s farther out than “no further place for me in these regions” then he’s been to date; tradition holds that he reached Spain. Mention of the offering for poor in Jerusalem teaches us that we do good when we help the less fortunate. Ancient Illyricum were the lands due west of Italy or modern western Greece and as far north as Austria. When Paul claims that he has “fully preached the gospel” in the many lands included in Illyricum, he likely means strategically and not literally. 15:26-27 Dispensationalists believe that since we Gentiles are “indebted” to Jews for our spiritual heritage, it follows that we are indebted to the nation state of Israel. Non-Dispensationalists dismiss the link between the present secular nation state of Israel and Jewish believers, whom Paul is actually addressing. 15:29 “when I come to you” did happen, but Paul would do so in chains. 15:30 “strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient” was a prayer that didn’t come to pass as Paul desired (he was imprisoned); later, Agabus warned him that he will be bound if he went on to Jerusalem. Paul accepted this fate (Acts 21:10-14), even exclaiming that he was “ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” All that notwithstanding, Paul’s strong plea for prayer should alert us to the necessity of prayer!! And note too that real prayer involves “striv[ing]”!; this sounds a lot like “wrestling” with God!

Group Questions & Discussion Q.1: 15:7 commands us to “accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us” for the sake of unity and/ or being of “one accord.” But surely we’re not to “accept” everything! Give examples of things a church should not accept (as in expectations for members).

Q. 2: From the extra hand out / Appendix “How to apply the Old Testament Laws & Commands (or not) Today,” what is now clearer to you regarding what’s obsolete from the Old Covenant & what’s still obligatory in our New Covenant era? And, what is still unclear to you?

Q. 3: Do you think that the “Golden Age” texts are referring to a future & literal “Millennium” or symbolically to the present Church Age? Why? 4