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Romans 10:1 – 11:24

Calvary Chapel Bible College

April 22, 2020

Homework

Reading (ESV)

Memorize Romans 10:9

(Romans 10:9 NKJV) that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Introduction

The letter of Paul to the Romans is considered Paul’s most important letter. This is why it is placed in front of all his others writings.

When and Where

The year is around AD 57 or 58

In your Bible, we’d place the writing of this letter around Acts 20:2 – that’s about when Paul wrote to the Romans from the city of Corinth.

Paul had been in Ephesus for three years, yet when persecution arose, he makes his way up to Macedonia, writes 2Corinthians at Philippi, and then heads south to Corinth where he writes his letter to Rome.

What it’s about

The first five chapters dealt with justification, how a person is made right with God.

The next three chapters will deal with sanctification, the process where we grow to be more like Jesus.

The next three chapters will unpack the differences between the Jew and Gentile, and God’s plan for His people.

In the last five chapters, Paul will launch into personal, practical matters – how do we live as Christians? What does the Christian life look like? How do we get along with one another?

In building his case for justification, Paul started by showing that

The Gentiles were guilty of sin (ch.1)

The Jews were also guilty (ch.2)

God provided Jesus to pay for our sins (ch.3)

Paul showed that faith like Abraham is all that’s needed for salvation (ch.4)

Paul showed that it’s reasonable for one person (Jesus) to affect all mankind, like Adam (ch.5)

Several weeks ago we moved into Paul’s next section: Sanctification

Chapter 6 talked about the connection between baptism, and the reality that we’ve been buried and raised from the dead, and sin no longer has an unbreakable hold on us.

Chapter 7 was about our continuing struggle of living with the flesh.

Chapter 8 is all about learning to live in the Spirit.

Last week we started the section where Paul begins to contrast the Jews and the Gentiles.

Paul has been talking about the sovereignty of God – how God chooses us and shows mercy to us.

God has done an amazing thing and shown mercy to people who were “not” His people – that’s us.

Though of the “chosen” people, the Jews, have decided to reject God’s Son, that doesn’t mean that God is finished with the Jews.

Paul now takes a step back to make sure that any Jewish person reading this might not think that he really, secretly hates the Jews.

10:1-13 Call on the name

:1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.

:1 my heart’s desire and prayer to God

desire – eudokia (“well” + “to think”) – will, choice; good will, kindly intent; delight, pleasure

It would be Paul’s greatest delight to have the Jews saved.

prayer – deesis – need, want; a seeking, asking, entreating

This wasn’t some random “wish list” of Paul’s. This is an earnest prayer, one based on true need.

:2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

:2 a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge

bear them witness – martureo – to be a witness, to bear witness, i.e. to affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something

zeal – zelos – excitement of mind, ardor, fervor of spirit

knowledge – epignosis – precise, correct, fuller, clearer knowledge; more thorough knowledge.

Not “knowledge” as in what is acquired through “understanding” (oida), but “knowledge” on the basis of having experienced the truth, having come in contact with the actual thing.

It’s not knowledge like understanding the answer to a mathematical equation, but knowledge as in me knowing Debby because she’s my wife.

These people have a kind of fervency about God, about serving Him, but they don’t know Him.

Lesson

Religion ain’t enough

(keyword)

“Religion” could be defined as “zeal for spiritual things”.

Paul’s point here is that these people are very, very religious, but it’s not enough.

Some people say, “Well as long as you’re sincere …”.

You can be sincerely wrong.

If you visit Israel, you will see lots of examples of “religion”.

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher (where Jesus may have been crucified and buried) – there are regular fights between the six various groups that share the site –the police have to be called in to separate the “priests”.

There’s a ladder was put up by a mason in 1728. Shortly afterward there was a decree that resulted in the inability of any of the six groups to remove it without the agreement of the other groups. So it stays in place.

The Jews had a zeal for rituals, but not for God Himself.

(Isaiah 29:13 NKJV) Therefore the Lord said: “Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men,

Zeal alone isn’t enough. It’s important to have a passion about the right things, and about actually knowing God Himself.

:3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.

:3 seeking to establish their own righteousness

ignorant – agnoeo – to be ignorant, not to know; not to understand, unknown

righteousness – dikaiosune – the state of him who is as he ought to be, righteousness, the condition acceptable to God

This is the key word to this verse. It’s all about being “righteous” before God.

Being “saved” requires that we are “righteous” before God. It requires that we meet God’s standards.

Paul is saying that the Jews don’t have a full understanding of just how righteous God is and what He requires from us.

establish – histemi – to cause or make to stand, to place, put, set; to stand

The Jews have tried to stand on their own righteousness before God.

They have felt that they could be considered “right” before God.

submitted – hupotasso – to arrange under, to subordinate; to subject, put in subjection; to subject one’s self, obey; to submit to one’s control

A Greek military term meaning “to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader”. In non-military use, it was “a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden”.

They missed the fact that righteousness requires faith.

(Romans 1:17 NKJV) For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

Righteousness doesn’t just come from outward obedience, but a heart that trusts in God.

Lesson

My standards don’t count

It’s interesting to hear what people think is required to go to heaven.

Sometimes it’s some certain big sin that they think is the crucial thing. As long as they haven’t killed anyone or committed adultery, then they must be good enough for God.

Sometimes people get into comparing themselves with others. “Well I’m not as bad as Fred over there …”. The problem is that in God’s sight, we’ve all failed to meet admission standards because we’ve all sinned. It doesn’t matter how badly you’ve flunked, you’ve still flunked.

Video: ER - Atonement

https://youtu.be/IF6XhdKt4jU?t=69

In the end, what you think doesn’t count for anything. It’s what the judge thinks that is important.

Salvation isn’t based on what you think God’s standards of righteousness are, it’s based on what He thinks righteousness is.

That’s why it’s so important that we base our beliefs on what God has said Himself. We need to base what we believe on what the Bible says, not what we think and not what some fast-talking religious person says.

What we think is righteous isn’t even close.

(Isaiah 64:6 NKJV) But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.

In Jesus’ day the Pharisees were the ones who worked hardest at trying to be righteous. Yet Jesus said,

(Matthew 5:20 NKJV) For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

As an example of just how far off we are, Jesus gives one example after another showing how we take God’s ways and try to make them easier to do, lowering the bar for ourselves.

(Matthew 5:43–48 NKJV) —43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

:4 the end of the law for righteousness

the end – telos – end; termination, the limit at which a thing ceases to be; that by which a thing is finished; the aim, purpose

There are several possibilities in what Paul says here.

1. Jesus is the “goal” of the Law.

It’s all about Him. It all points to Him. He’s the one hinted at in the sacrifices. The difficulty of the Law and our inability to live by it point to a need for a Savior.

2. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law.

He’s the one who met the requirement of the Law. He has paid our debt.

(Matthew 5:17 NKJV) “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

3. Jesus has ended the Law as a means of salvation.

(Romans 6:14 NKJV) For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

(Colossians 2:14 NKJV) having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

This is why the writer of Hebrews says,

(Hebrews 10:26 NKJV) For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

Once you’ve found out that Jesus is the end of the Law, you can’t go back. There are no more sacrifices to cover you, only the blood of Jesus.

:5 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.”

:5 The man who does those things shall live by them

shall live – zao – to live, breathe; to enjoy real life; endless in the kingdom of God

Paul quotes from:

(Leviticus 18:5 NKJV) You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.

Paul isn’t talking about just “living your life” by following the law.

The point of the verse is to say that if you follow the Law perfectly, you will have “life”.

Yet the righteousness which comes from the Law only comes when you do the law perfectly.

(James 2:10 NKJV) For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.

:6 But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down from above)

:6 the righteousness of faith speaks in this way

speaks in this way – Paul is going to quote from Deuteronomy, but it’s a bit of a loose quote. He even changes some of the words (substituting “abyss” for “sea”), but if you follow carefully, you’ll see that Paul makes some important statements that all come back to this quote:

(Deuteronomy 30:11–14 NKJV) —11 “For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 14 But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.

Even though Moses was trying to tell the people that God’s commandments are right in front of them, there is something more to what Moses is saying.

Paul uses this quote from Moses to show how the gospel is found even in the writings of Moses.

:6 that is …

Paul is using a technique called “Midrash”, how the rabbis would teach, making a comment or interpretation on a passage.

Does that sound familiar? It’s what we’re doing now.

:6 to bring Christ down

Paul’s point is that it is not necessary for someone to ascend to heaven because Christ has already come down to us.

God has already taken on human flesh and dwelt among us. Someone has already come to earth from heaven.

Jesus is the Lord of heaven.

:7 or, “ ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).

:7 Who will descend into the abyss?

abyss – abussos – bottomless; the abyss, the pit; the common place of the dead

Paul changes Moses’ words from “the sea” (thalassa) to “the abyss” (abussos) because it fits the point of the gospel better. Jesus didn’t just go across some sea to save us, He died for us. He went to hell and back.

Jesus is risen from the dead

:8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach):

near – eggus – near, of place and position

:8 in your mouth and in your heart

Pay attention to where this word of salvation is – near us, in the mouth and heart (remember those two words, “mouth” and “heart”)

:8 the word of faith

There are churches who have taken this phrase and twisted it into a whole set of doctrines – the “health and prosperity” doctrines.

But Paul is using the phrase as a contrast to the Law (vs. 5), as to how a person is saved.

It is the message of salvation that Paul is preaching.

Paul uses this phrase as being connected to “the righteousness of faith” (vs. 6)

The righteousness of the Law is based on man accomplishing difficult, impossible things, things that God has already taken care of through Jesus.

Here the point is that God’s path to righteousness is not based on us doing some sort of impossible, “far off” feats of strength and effort, but that they are very close, in our mouth and heart.

:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Notice how Paul is going to use the “mouth” and “heart” from Deut. 30 and apply it to our salvation. Moses said,

(Deuteronomy 30:14 NKJV) But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.

The “word” was in the “mouth” and in the “heart”. Look what Paul says:

:9 if you confess with your mouth

confess – homologeo – to say the same thing as another, i.e. to agree with, declare; to profess; to declare openly

This is something you say with your “mouth”

:9 the Lord Jesus

He is the one who came down from heaven.

the NASB translates this, if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord

I wonder if this might not even be a hint at Paul saying “Jesus is Yahweh”.

In the Old Testament the name of God is usually substituted with “Lord” by the translators.

Paul will make this connection between Jesus and Yahweh a little clearer in a few verses (vs. 13)

To the Jew – the issue is understanding that Jesus is God, He is LORD, He is Yahweh.

To the Gentile – Caesar is not “lord”, but Jesus is Lord.

:9 believe in your heart

believe – pisteuo – to think to be true, to be persuaded of

This is what you do with your “heart”.

Note there is both verbal and non-verbal involved.

Both outward (“confess”, verbal) and inward (“believe”, non-verbal)

:9 God raised Him from the dead

Paul is simply following the outline of the passage that he’s quoted in Deuteronomy.

Jesus is the one who came out of the “abyss”, He rose from the dead.

:9 you will be saved

saved – sozo – to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction; to deliver from judgment

Future passive indicative

This is not a “subjunctive” mood as in, “you might be saved”, but a future indicative mood.

It will definitely happen.

:10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

:10 with the heart one believes … the mouth confession is made

Again, Paul is using the same two ideas found in Deuteronomy 30 – believing and saying – the heart and the mouth.

When you put your faith in Christ, God gives you righteousness.

(2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV) For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Your outward confession is important as well – it’s a part of the salvation process. There are no “Secret Service” Christians.

There is an open declaration made.

Jesus said,

(Matthew 10:32–33 NKJV) —32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

:11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”

:11 Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame

Paul is now going to bolster his argument about faith by quoting from:

(Isaiah 28:16 NKJV) Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily.

It doesn’t look like Paul quoted it correctly, but he actually did. He was quoting the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint (LXX), which uses the same language that Paul does:

καὶ ὁ πιστεύων ἐπʼ αὐτῷ οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ

put to shame – kataischuno – to dishonor, disgrace; to put to shame

If you put your trust in Jesus, you may be ashamed in front of some of your friends.

But in the end, when it really counts, you will not be ashamed before God.

You will know that your choice to believe was the right one.

Why does Paul quote from here?

Because it deals with the issue of “faith”, of “believing”. (righteousness requires “faith”)

:12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.

:12 there is no distinction between Jew and Greek

distinction – diastole – a distinction, difference

is rich – plouteo – to be rich, to have abundance; metaph. to be richly supplied; is affluent in resources so that he can give blessings of salvation to all

God doesn’t make a distinction between Jew or Gentile, He will save anyone who calls on Him.

The Psalmist writes:

(Psalm 86:5 NKJV) For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.

(Psalm 145:18 NKJV) The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.

Paul then quotes something to prove this point…

:13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

:13 whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved

calls – subjunctive mood (possibility, condition, if you should call)

shall be saved – future indicative – it will definitely happen.

Paul is quoting

(Joel 2:32 NKJV) And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved….

Why does Paul quote this?

This is the verbal part, the part of the “mouth”, the “confession”.

Note:

Call on the name of Yahweh – this is the way that Joel wrote it. Yet Paul has made it clear that salvation comes from Jesus.

Jesus is the LORD (Yahweh) of heaven who came down to earth.

Lesson

Salvation

Paul says it comes by faith, not by the Law.

It comes by believing and confessing.

There’s an inward part to salvation – your heart needs to be involved.

There’s an outward part to salvation – your mouth needs to be involved.

Here’s a clip from the old movie “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”. The king and his men have to cross a bridge that spans an abyss of eternal peril.

Video: Monty Python and Holy Grail – Bridge of Death

Aren’t you glad that the way to heaven doesn’t require you to answer unfathomable questions on some random test?

It’s by simple faith.

10:14-21 Send the preachers

:14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

:14 How then shall they call on Him

call on – epikaleomai – to put a name upon; to invoke; to call upon by pronouncing the name of Yahweh

This word comes directly from the previous verse, "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."

Paul is going to take this idea of “calling on the name of the Lord” and develop this idea.

He sets up a couple of hypotheticals getting you from “calling” to “preaching”.

believed – pisteuo – to think to be true, to be persuaded of, place confidence in

heard – akouo – to hear

:14 how shall they hear without a preacher?

a preacher – kerusso – to be a herald; proclaim openly

I sometimes think we make the word “preacher” to be something grandiose. It’s simply the king’s messenger, the “herald”.

Pay attention to these words – you’ll see them woven into the rest of the passage.

The idea is this, you CANNOT call on Him if you don’t believe in Him. You CANNOT believe in Him if you haven’t heard of Him. You CANNOT hear of Him unless someone preaches with you.

Lesson

Send the preachers

These verses are at the heart of why believers need to be trained and sent into the world.

This is why we send out missionaries around the world.

It’s at the very heart of why we must tell others about Jesus.

Illustration

A woman named Rose Crawford had been blind for 50 years. “I just can’t believe it!” she gasped as the doctor lifted the bandages from her eyes after her recovery from delicate surgery in an Ontario hospital. She wept for joy when for the first time in her life a dazzling and beautiful world of form and color greeted eyes that now were able to see. The amazing thing about the story, however, is that 20 years of her blindness had been unnecessary. She didn’t know that surgical techniques had been developed, and that an operation could have restored her vision at the age of 30. The doctor said, “She just figured there was nothing that could be done about her condition. Much of her life could have been different.”

There are people all around us that need to hear about Jesus.

Guilt. Loneliness. No purpose in life. Hopelessness and despair. Fear of death.

These are some of the many things that all those without Jesus have in common. We have the answer.

Lesson

Make the message clear.

We are to proclaim the message with clarity. Can you imagine a king sending a messenger to tell his subjects an important message when the messenger has a speech impediment or isn’t sure what to say?

In 2007 Denzel Washington made a movie (The Great Debaters) about a group of students in a negro college back in 1935. He was their debate coach. In the beginning of the movie, he teaches them a phrase they are to memorize. Then to practice their speaking skills, he asks them to recite it with a cork in their mouth.

Video: The Great Debaters – Who’s your opponent - corks

Don’t get caught up in what they’re saying. The cork is just a device to force you to speak clearly. We need work hard to be clear about what our message is.

We have a responsibility to share the message clearly. It’s hard to respond when the message isn’t clear.

One of the problems that Christians have is the danger of forgetting to think like an unbeliever. We get all “sanctified” and used fancy words that don’t mean a thing to a non-Christian.

One of the things I love about Greg Laurie is his ability to communicate the gospel in a way that is relevant and can be understood.

What is the message?

But be sure you don’t make it harder than it is. I think I can do it in three points:

1. We have a problem – our sin separates us from God.

2. God has a solution – He sent Jesus to die on a cross, to pay the penalty for our sins.

3. We must respond – we need to turn from our sins and receive God’s free gift. We need to believe and “call on the name of the Lord”.

:15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

:15 how shall they preach unless they are sent?

sent – apostello (“apostle”) – to order (one) to go to a place appointed

There’s a logical progression going on.

To call on the Lord, you have to believe in Him.

To believe in the Lord, you have to hear about Him.

To hear about the Lord, you need someone to tell you.

For someone to tell you about the Lord, they need to be sent.

Lesson

Go

Jesus sent His disciples:

(Matthew 28:19–20 NKJV) —19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

This is called the “Great Commission”. It is not the “Great Suggestion”. I’ve seen a Christian T-shirt that says, “What part of “GO” don’t you understand?”

We call the disciples “apostles”, or “sent ones”.

They were not to be the only ones to “go”.

Going should be the natural result of true worship.

When Isaiah had his vision of the Lord sitting on His throne, the scene ends with:

(Isaiah 6:8 NKJV) Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

We might get the idea that the natural outcome of worship should be a tingling feeling that goes up and down our spine.

For some of us, we have the idea that coming to church is all about coming to “feel better”.

When Isaiah was experiencing true worship, the outcome was, “Here am I, send me”.

If we are “doing church” right, then you ought to be uncomfortable just sitting in church.

You ought to be thinking, “Hey, I’ve got places to go, people to see, things to do”.

:15 How beautiful are the feet of those …

Paul quotes from Isaiah:

(Isaiah 52:7 NKJV) How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

mountains – to get the good news to Jerusalem, you have to go up into the hills, the mountains. Jerusalem sits on top of the Judean mountains, at 2500 ft. above sea level.

glad tidings … salvation – it’s possible that Isaiah’s original prophecy was dealing with salvation from an enemy like the Assyrians. But I think we’ll see that it has to do with eternal salvation, being saved from our sins.

who preach the gospel – euaggelizo (“good” + “message”) – to bring good news, to announce glad tidings.

A “messenger” is an aggelos, the word for “angel”, this is a messenger with good news.

who bring glad tidings – euaggelizo (same word) – to bring good news

The passage in Isaiah says these “glad tidings” is to “proclaim salvation”.

beautiful – horaios – blooming, beautiful; from hora, hour, period, means properly timely.

From “timely” comes the idea of being beautiful, since nearly everything is beautiful in its hour of fullest perfection.

Perhaps it would be better to translate this “timely” or maybe “appropriate” or “what good timing”…

Lesson

Good timing.

A wise old farmer once said:

Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.

Solomon wrote,

(Proverbs 25:11 NKJV) A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold In settings of silver.

There is a sense in which it is always the right time to be telling people about Jesus. The Bible says:

(2 Corinthians 6:2 NKJV) …Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

But there is also a sense in which having just the right timing is everything.

Look at Philip with the Ethiopian Eunuch:

(Acts 8:26–35 NKJV) —26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. 27 So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. 29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.” 30 So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 The place in the Scripture which he read was this: “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth. 33 In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.” 34 So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.

How could Philip have timed his arrival any better? In fact, how did he time it so well in the first place? Because he was being obedient to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

Pay attention to the Lord. Pay attention to the opportunities in front of you.

Sometimes the opportunities are ones the Lord brings to you. Sometimes the opportunities are ones you are sent to.

Get beautiful feet.

:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”

:16 Lord, who has believed

Paul quotes from Isaiah 53, just a few verses after where he quoted in Isaiah 52: (and right before where the Ethiopian eunuch was reading)

(Isaiah 53:1–6 NKJV) —1 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. 3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

God has been talking about salvation from sins all along, just as Paul has been teaching.

obeyed – hupakouo – to listen, to harken; to obey, be obedient to, submit to

This is a word related to the word “to hear” (akouo) used in verse 14 (unless they “hear”). This is hearing and then doing, obeying.

I wonder if it could almost be valid to say, “all have not heard”. But the idea of “heard” is that of hearing in order to obey.

the gospel – euaggelion – good tidings; the gospel; the noun form of “preach the gospel” (vs. 15).

believed – pisteuo – believe.

The essential ingredient to being saved.

report – akoe – the sense of hearing; this is the thing “heard”

Lesson

Not all are going to respond.

Don’t get discouraged.

Don’t twist arms.

Your responsibility is simply to share the message. What they do with the message and whether or not they respond by believing is a factor of their own individual free will in choosing whether or not they respond.

:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

:17 faith comes by hearing

faith – pistis – conviction of the truth of anything

This is the noun of pisteuo, “to believe”.

This is how we hope people will respond to God’s message.

hearing – akoe – the sense of hearing (same word as “report” in vs. 16)

These are basically the same two words used at the end of verse 16, “who has believed our report”.

This is like, “How will they believe unless they’ve heard” (v.14). Saving faith comes from hearing God’s message.

:17 hearing by the word of God

word – rhema – that which is or has been uttered by the living voice, thing spoken

Rhema is used of the words God speaks, but in turn it is used for the words that we are to speak.

There are two main words that are translated “word” in the New Testament, this is the one used less frequently (70 times). The one you hear about most is logos (330 times)

word – logos – of speech; a word, uttered by a living voice, embodies a conception or idea; its use as respect to the MIND alone; reason, the mental faculty of thinking, meditating, reasoning, calculating; In John, denotes the essential Word of God, Jesus Christ, the personal wisdom and power in union with God.

rhema is the word that Paul has just used back in verse 8, as the “word of faith”, the message that he has been preaching, the message of salvation through faith in Christ.

(Romans 10:8 NKJV) But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach):

The idea is that it all starts with God’s “word”. When God’s “word” is spoken, it is to be “heard”. Hearing God’s word is what produces “faith”.

We often use this verse as a way of growing our faith – the idea is that if we get into God’s Word more, we will be building our faith.

I think there is much truth to this concept.

But the context is “faith” as it relates to salvation.

The concept in this verse is that for a person to have saving faith, they need to hear God’s word.

Lesson

Share God’s Word.

Sometimes we almost get ashamed of our Bible, as if it’s “antiquated” or something that’s only for “weak people”. We’re afraid that someone will say, “Well, I don’t believe in the Bible”. We get the idea in our heads that if they don’t believe the Bible, then they aren’t going to listen to anything we have to say.

Yet if I’m reading this passage correctly, God’s Word comes first, then comes their “belief”.

Whether they believe in the Bible or not, the Bible is God’s Word.

And God’s Word is effective.

(Isaiah 55:10–11 NKJV) —10 “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, 11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

It will do a work in the person’s heart. For some it will soften their heart. For others, it will harden their hearts.

God’s Word is an effective tool.

(Hebrews 4:12 NKJV) For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Suppose a bank robber comes into a local bank, pulls out a gun, points it at a teller’s head, and tells him to fill up his bag with money. Let’s say that the teller is a wise guy, and responds to the robber, “I don’t believe in guns”. If the robber pulls the trigger, will the bullet have any effect on the teller, even if the teller says he doesn’t believe in it?

God’s Word is powerful. Don’t be afraid to use it.

Illustration

Follow the example of one of the greatest evangelists in the history of the world, Billy Graham. He’s famous for saying over and over again throughout his messages, “The Bible says …”

:18 But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: “Their sound has gone out to all the earth, And their words to the ends of the world.”

:18 their words to the ends of the world

they – who is Paul talking about?

Perhaps he’s talking about everyone in the world.

sound – phthoggos – musical sound, whether vocal or instrumental

Even though our English Bible has the word “line” in Psalm 19:4, Paul is quoting accurately from the Septuagint.

words – rhema – that which is or has been uttered by the living voice; same word used in vs. 17.

Paul is quoting from:

(Psalm 19:1–4 NKJV) —1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. 2 Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. 4 Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,

There is a sense in which all of mankind has had a witness of who God is through the work of creation.

Some might say that since some people haven’t heard the gospel, that they are off the hook with God. Paul has made the point several times (i.e. Rom. 1) that creation is an adequate witness to man about God. Man has no excuse in not seeking the Creator, the one who has made everything around us.

But the problem is that creation’s witness is a faulty one. It was marred by sin in the Garden of Eden. It’s been twisted by the curse that came as a result of man’s sin. It’s only when we hear from God’s Word that we understand clearest.

(Psalm 19:7 NKJV) The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;

:19 But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: “I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.”

:19 I will provoke you to jealousy … by a foolish nation

Paul is quoting from Deut. 32:20-21.

(Deuteronomy 32:20–21 NKJV) —20 And He said: ‘I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end will be, For they are a perverse generation, Children in whom is no faith. 21 They have provoked Me to jealousy by what is not God; They have moved Me to anger by their foolish idols. But I will provoke them to jealousy by those who are not a nation; I will move them to anger by a foolish nation.

While wandering in the wilderness, the nation of Israel kept backsliding and worshipping various other gods. They made God jealous. So God would in turn make them jealous by reaching out to nations that would be considered “foolish” to the Jews. Namely, us.

For the Jewish mind, this was totally unheard of, that God would have actually had a plan in mind from the beginning to save people who weren’t Jews.

foolish – asunetos – unintelligent, without understanding, stupid

Speaking of foolish people –

Illustration

A sailor meets a pirate at Starbucks, and talk turns to their adventures on the sea. The seaman notes that the pirate has a peg-leg, a hook, and an eye patch.

The seaman asks “So, how did you end up with the peg-leg?” The pirate replies “We were in a storm at sea, and I was swept overboard into a school of sharks. Just as me men were pulling me out, a shark bit me leg off”

“Wow!” said the seaman. “What about your hook”? “Well...” replied the pirate, “We were boarding an enemy ship and were battling the other sailors with swords. One of the enemies cut me hand off.”

“Incredible!” remarked the seaman. “How did you get the eyepatch”? “A seagull dropping fell into me eye”, replied the pirate. “You lost your eye to a seagull dropping?” the sailor asked incredulously. “Well...” said the pirate, “...it was me first day with the hook.”

provoke you to jealousy – parazeloo (“alongside” + “jealousy”) – to provoke to jealously or rivalry

Illustration

My wife and I had been dating off and on for a year. I broke up with her for a second time at the end of May 1977 because I was just too busy for a girlfriend between school and my ministry as a youth pastor. But a week after we broke up, she went out with three different guys in a single weekend. I was very confused. I found myself very jealous. I asked her to marry me two weeks later. A warning to all you gals, this is only something that’s to be done by trained professionals. Don’t attempt this at home.

God would use His reaching out to us foolish Gentiles to make His chosen people, Israel, jealous.

Paul will develop this concept in the next chapter

(Romans 11:11 NKJV) I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles.

Lesson

Make ‘em jealous

Let people know what God has been doing in your life.

God will use His love for you to work in the lives of others.

They will want what you have, a God who loves you.

move you to anger – parorgizo – to rouse to wrath, to provoke, exasperate, anger

:20 But Isaiah is very bold and says: “I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.”

is very bold – apotolmao – to assume boldness, make bold

made manifest – emphanes (“into” + “to shine”) – manifest; fig. of God giving proofs of his saving grace and thus manifesting himself

:21 But to Israel he says: “All day long I have stretched out My hands To a disobedient and contrary people.”

:21 To a disobedient and contrary people

Paul is quoting from Isaiah 65:1-2

(Isaiah 65:1–5 NKJV) —1 “I was sought by those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am,’ To a nation that was not called by My name. 2 I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, Who walk in a way that is not good, According to their own thoughts; 3 A people who provoke Me to anger continually to My face; Who sacrifice in gardens, And burn incense on altars of brick; 4 Who sit among the graves, And spend the night in the tombs; Who eat swine’s flesh, And the broth of abominable things is in their vessels; 5 Who say, ‘Keep to yourself, Do not come near me, For I am holier than you!’ These are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day.

all – holos – all, whole, completely

stretched out – ekpetannumi (“out of” + “to fly”) – to spread out, stretch forth

disobedient – apeitheo (“not” + “persuade”) – not to allow one’s self to be persuaded; to refuse belief and obedience

contrary – antilego (“against” + “to speak) – to speak against, contradict; declare one’s self against him, refuse to have anything to do with him

Descriptive of people who are always arguing against you; always contradicting what you say.

Have you ever met people like that?

Illustration

The pastor of a church decides that God is calling the church to a new vision of what it is to be and do. So at the elders meeting, he presents the new vision with as much energy, conviction and passion as he can muster. When he had finished and sat down, the senior elder called for a vote. All 12 elders voted against the new vision, with only the clergyman voting for it. “Well, pastor, it looks like you will have to think again,” says the senior elder. “Would you like to close the meeting in prayer?” So the pastor stands up, raises his hand to heaven, and prays, “LOOOOOOORD!...will you not show these people that this is not MY vision but it is YOUR vision!” At that moment, the clouds darken, the thunder rolls, and a streak of lightning bursts through the window and strikes in two the table at which they are sitting, throwing the pastor and all the elders to the ground. After a moment’s silence, as they all get up and dust themselves off, the senior elder speaks again. “Well, that’s twelve votes to two then.”

Lesson

God’s patience

We might look at this and think that God has no room for stubborn people.

We might tend to look at this and think that God is done with the nation of Israel.

Think again.

This doesn’t excuse stubbornness, but you need to keep in mind where Paul goes from here.

He will ask and answer the question, “Has God cast away His people?” (Rom. 11:1)

My point is not to test God’s patience by being stubborn.

My point is that if you are stubborn but still alive, God has not given up on you.

Break

11:1-10 Not all Israel rejected God

:1 I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

:1 has God cast away His people?

Is God finished with the Jews?

cast away – apotheomai – to thrust away, push away, repel

Paul’s answer is that he is an Israelite. How could he be saved if God has cast away His chosen people?

There are segments of the Christian church that think that God has finished using Israel; that they are no longer God’s chosen people. They think that the church is now the “chosen” people.

Benjamin – was supposedly one of the ten “lost tribes”, according to some goofy teachers, yet here is Paul claiming to be from the tribe of Benjamin.

There is quite a fundamental Biblical truth in this chapter.

There are some who teach that when Israel was destroyed in 70 AD, that God was finished with them, and now God’s “chosen people” is the church, and all of God’s promises in the Old Testament that were given to Israel are now properties of the church, that “Israel” in the Old Testament now equals the church.

When you begin to hold to this view, it will affect the way you see the end times. You will not be looking at an actual nation of Israel being on center stage, but it’s the church. They take all the promises to Israel, and since Israel isn’t Israel, they have to spiritualize and symbolize them. Almost without exception, those who hold to these views will teach that the church will have to go through the Great Tribulation. Why? Because Israel does go through the Tribulation.

The truth is, Israel is not the church.

God isn’t finished with Israel.

:2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying,

:3 “Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life”?

:4 But what does the divine response say to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”

:2 what the Scripture says of Elijah

Elijah’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad Day –

Elijah had just come off the great victory on Mount Carmel where he stood against the prophets of Baal and had called fire down from heaven. After that, he had ordered the prophets of Baal to all be killed.

(1 Kings 19:1–18 NKJV) —1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” 3 And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

Here was the great, fearless prophet Elijah…afraid of a woman’s threat, and running for his life.

James calls Elijah a man of “like passions” as we are. Even the bravest among us has scary days too.

4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” 5 Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 6 Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. 7 And the angel of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.”

It sounds kind of trivial, but if you don’t take care of your physical body, you ain’t gonna make it.

Illustration

The saintly young Scottish minister Robert Murray McCheyne lay on his deathbed when only twenty-nine, completely worn out by his unremitting labors. To the friend sitting at his bedside, McCheyne said, “The Lord gave me a horse to ride and a message to deliver. Alas, I have killed the horse and I cannot deliver the message!”

- J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Discipleship, pg.110.

Take care of your physical body. Don’t kill the horse (your body). There’s nothing spiritual about abusing your physical body.

8 So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 So he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”

Elijah was feeling like he was the only true follower of the Lord left. He was feeling like nobody served the Lord as good as he did.

When we are getting a little “burned out”, we too start thinking that nobody serves God like we do.

11 Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. 13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 And he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”

I wonder if it isn’t possible that the times when we get into our pity parties about serving the Lord, that perhaps it’s because we haven’t been spending enough time listening to the “still, small voice”.

It’s when we get away from the close, intimate communion with the Lord, that we are running on our own strength. It’s when we are running on our own strength that we burn out.

Take time to be quiet before God. Take time to be refreshed by Him.

15 Then the Lord said to him: “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. 16 Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. 17 It shall be that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill. 18 Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

And that’s what brings us back to our passage as Paul quotes vs. 18.

God was not finished with Elijah. He still had places to go, people to see, and things to do.

God also had quite a few more servants than just Elijah. It might be that they weren’t all doing the same thing that Elijah was doing, but God still had MANY servants.

Be careful about becoming burned out and embittered against God’s saints. Just because others may not be burning out like you, doesn’t mean that they aren’t serving God. It’s possible that they could even be a little bit closer to Him that you are.

Lesson

Avoiding burn out.

Sometimes we just feel like we can’t go on. We can’t do this anymore.

Video: Lord of the Rings – I can’t do this Sam

We don’t keep going on because there’s good in this world, but because we are looking forward to Jesus coming back.

So what do we do? There are some lessons from Elijah’s story:

Take care of your physical body.

Don’t kill the horse.

If you are struggling with depression and you have not been taking good care of your body, either by not getting enough rest or lack of exercise or poor eating habits – pay attention. Rest, exercise, and healthy diet are all connected to your mental health. Take care of yourself.

Take time with God.

If you don’t have that time alone with God, you are heading for burn out.

We need time when we can hear that “still, small voice”

Appreciate the saints.

If you start thinking you are all that God has left, you are wrong.

You aren’t the only one serving God.

Encourage the rest of the team, don’t criticize them.

Ministry is a team sport.

Back to our passage:

The temptation might be to think like Elijah that there are no more believers in Israel. We might think that God is now done with Israel. He’s not.

:5 Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

:5 there is a remnant according to the election of grace

remnant – leimma – a remnant

From leipo, the root of the words translated “left” (vs. 3) and “reserved” (vs. 4)

Even as there was a “remnant” in Elijah’s day, Paul is saying that there is a remnant today, those that have been chosen by God for receiving His grace.

There are Jews who are going to heaven. They are the ones trusting in Jesus.

:6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.

:6 if by grace, then it is no longer of works

How does salvation come? What is the basis on which God decides who goes to heaven?

Grace is a gift. An undeserving gift.

Works result in earning a wage.

Paul is saying that the two are mutually exclusive. You can’t be saved by grace and then think that you have to do good works to be saved.

The Catholic church has it wrong. Our good works do not save us.

Some teach that we are saved by grace, but then you have to stay saved by doing good works.

That is just as wrong.

:7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded.

:7 Israel has not obtained what it seeks

The nation of Israel as a whole has not been saved yet.

But those who have been chosen, the “elect”, have chosen to believe and receive salvation.

:7 the rest were blinded

blinded – poroo – to cover with a thick skin, to harden by covering with a callus; become dull

The rest of the Jews are for now “blinded”.

:8 Just as it is written: “God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And ears that they should not hear, To this very day.”

:8 Eyes that they should not see

stupor – katanuxis – a pricking; severe sorrow; exhaustion that comes from being too burdened or grief ridden.

Paul quotes from Is. 29:10

(Isaiah 29:10 NKJV) For the Lord has poured out on you The spirit of deep sleep, And has closed your eyes, namely, the prophets; And He has covered your heads, namely, the seers.

They have chosen not to believe, and so God has responded by making them “senseless”.

:9 And David says: “Let their table become a snare and a trap, A stumbling block and a recompense to them.

:10 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see, And bow down their back always.”

:9 Let their table become a snare and a trap

Paul quotes from Ps. 69:22-23

(Psalm 69:22–23 NKJV) —22 Let their table become a snare before them, And their well-being a trap. 23 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see; And make their loins shake continually.

Those of Israel that have not understood that Jesus is their Messiah have a sort of “blindness” on them.

Warren Wiersbe:

Their “table to become a snare” means that their blessings turn into burdens and judgments. This is what happened to Israel: their spiritual blessings should have led them to Christ, but instead they became a snare that kept them from Christ. Their very religious practices and observances became substitutes for the real experience of salvation. Sad to say, this same mistake is made today when people depend on religious rituals and practices instead of trusting in the Christ who is pictured in these activities.

11:11-24 God isn’t done with Israel

:11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles.

:11 have they stumbled that they should fall?

Will the Jews ever recover from a fall like this? Of course.

During Jesus’ earthly ministry, the preaching was done primarily to the Jew and very few Gentiles heard about Jesus.

He came to His people, Israel.

The rejection of Jesus by His own people opened a door for the gospel to be preached to the Gentiles.

:11 to provoke them to jealousy

We saw this back in Rom. 10:19.

(Romans 10:19 NKJV) But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: “I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.”

God wants Jewish people to see how God can be using pagan but now believing Gentiles, and to make them jealous for the same relationship with Yahweh that we have.

For the Jew to be provoked to jealousy, perhaps it’s important that they know that we “get it” as to who God is.

Many people have this idea that Christianity and Judaism are two distinct religions.

Christianity is dependent upon Judaism. Christianity comes from Judaism. Do we “get it”?

:12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!

:12 how much more their fullness

fullness – pleroma – that which is (has been) filled; a ship inasmuch as it is filled (i.e. manned) with sailors, rowers, and soldiers; in the NT, the body of believers, as that which is filled with the presence, power, agency, riches of God and of Christ

If the falling away of Israel from their Messiah has been such a blessing to the world by allowing the gospel to come to us Gentiles, what do you think will happen when God’s very chosen people wake up and get “onboard the boat” and one day embrace Yeshua as their Lord.

I can hardly wait for that day!

:13 For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,

:14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them.

:14 I may provoke to jealousy …

Paul’s ministry was primarily to Gentiles – though he did have a practice of always going into the local Jewish synagogue and preaching there first whenever he entered a new city.

This is the idea behind Paul’s phrase “to the Jew first” …

(Romans 1:16 NKJV) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

You see this in practice when Paul visited Thessalonica, a major city in Macedonia:

(Acts 17:1–3 NKJV) —1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.”

You see this practice throughout Acts. Paul preached first in the Jewish synagogue, and if the Jews rejected the message, Paul would either begin to reach out to the Gentiles, or leave the city if there was too much persecution from the Jews (as in Thessalonica).

One of Paul’s hopes for his ministry was not just bringing many Gentiles to the Lord, he was also hoping that he might make the Jews jealous of what God was doing among the Gentiles.

Paul was NOT anti-semitic.

:15 For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

:15 if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world

This is very similar to verse 12:

(Romans 11:12 NKJV) Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!

being cast away – apobole – rejection, repudiation; to throw away from one’s self, cast off, repudiate

Some have tried to make the case that the Jews’ being “cast away” is permanent, but it’s only temporary.

Their rejection of Jesus and being cast away will one day change, and their acceptance of Jesus will change everything.

When the Jews as a nation embrace Jesus as their Messiah, it will usher in the Millennial Reign of Christ on earth.

(Zechariah 12:10 NKJV) “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.

:16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

:16 if the firstfruit is holy … if the root is holy

firstfruit – aparche (“from” + “the first”) – to offer firstlings or firstfruits; the first portion of the dough, from which the offering was prepared

The picture Paul is giving goes back to the “Feast of Firstfruits”.

(Numbers 15:18–20 NLT) —18 “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. “When you arrive in the land where I am taking you, 19 and you eat the crops that grow there, you must set some aside as a sacred offering to the Lord. 20 Present a cake from the first of the flour you grind, and set it aside as a sacred offering, as you do with the first grain from the threshing floor.

The “first fruit” would be Abraham.

The argument is that if Abraham is holy, then the rest of the lump that he is a part of, Israel, is holy too.

Don’t think physical descendants, but spiritual descendants.

The root is also Abraham.

The point Paul is trying to make is not that Israel is saved because they’re descendants from Abraham, but that there’s a special relationship they have with God because of Abraham.

:17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree,

:18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

:17 you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in

The olive tree was a picture of the nation of Israel.

(Jeremiah 11:16 NLT) I, the Lord, once called them a thriving olive tree, beautiful to see and full of good fruit…

Side Note: We think of olives as being something to eat. The ancients didn’t eat olives. The fruit of the olive tree was used to produce olive oil. Olive oil was the ancient fuel for the ancient world – it’s how they lit their lamps.

It is interesting that oil is often symbolic of the Holy Spirit in the Bible.

The Jews who did not believe were the ones who have been broken off. The Gentiles are pictured as branches from a wild olive tree, which have been grafted into the proper tree.

As wild olive branches, the Gentiles have benefited of the life, the sap, of the main tree.

We Gentiles are like branches of a wild olive tree.

In order to become grafted into God’s special olive tree, branches were broken off, so we would have a place to be grafted in.

We Gentiles need to be careful that we don’t get a bad attitude against the original branches, the Jews, because we owe our connection with God to them.

Even if we boast in our relationship with God, we need to remember that we’re not the original branches, and it’s the original branches that form the foundation for what we believe in.

There is no place in the church for anti-Semitism.

:19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.”

:20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear.

:20 Do not be haughty, but fear

haughty – hupselophroneo (higher + minded) – to be high minded, proud

Lesson

Spiritual pride.

(keyword)

Pride is an ugly thing.

Illustration

The movie “Hidden Figures” follows a group of black women who are fighting against male white prejudice/pride in order to be a part of the team of mathematicians who support the early space program.

One scientist in particular can’t see these women being anything more than secretaries, when in fact they were far smarter than most of the men. Before the age of what we call “computers”, these women were called “computers” because of their ability to “compute” or do math in their heads.

Video: Hidden Figures – Give or Take

It’s a pretty ugly thing when our spiritual pride gets in the way of what God wants to do.

I think there are two kinds of spiritual pride that are dangerous:

1) When we think we’re better than other Christians.

Sometimes it’s because we think we go to a “superior” church.

Do you ever meet someone new, find out they’re a believer, then ask them what church they go to? What do you think if they responded with “I go to the Episcopal Church” or “I go to the Baptist Church”?

It could be because we think that we have a more “mature” walk in the Lord.

Only mature Christians go to church on a Wednesday night. Only mature Christians read their Bibles every day. What do you think of those people who don’t make the effort that you do with their Christian walk?

2) When we think we’re better than non-Christians.

We can cop an attitude because we were “smart enough” to believe in Jesus.

This is the attitude that Paul is warning the Gentiles about – not to be haughty toward the unbelieving Jews.

The Bible says:

(1 Corinthians 10:12 NKJV) Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

(Proverbs 16:18 NKJV) Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.

Spiritual pride is a dangerous thing. Watch out.

It was the spiritual leaders of the day, the scribes and Pharisees that just couldn’t get through their pride to accept Jesus as their Messiah. What? An uneducated carpenter? A group of uneducated fishermen? Coming from that backwoods area of Galilee when all the real preachers come from Jerusalem?

(Proverbs 13:10 NKJV) By pride comes nothing but strife, But with the well-advised is wisdom.

When we’re witnessing to friends, if we come off with a haughty attitude, we only end up arguing with them. Listen. Be humble. Are you teachable? Even from an unbeliever or a backslidden Christian?

Don’t misunderstand. Humility doesn’t mean that we tell people we must be wrong, and that we apologize for being a believer. But humility means that you take the time to listen to people. You can be teachable in that you learn about new aspects of life from them, but in reality you are the one who understands what spiritual truth is, and you stick to the truth.

:21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.

:21 He may not spare you either

It seems that Paul is hinting that if the natural branches could be broken off, then the grafted ones could be too.

Perhaps this could be speaking about the end times apostate church. There will be a “church” in the end times that will have fallen away from the Lord. They will be “cut off”.

(1 Timothy 4:1 NKJV) Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,

Could this mean that an individual person might lose their salvation?

It sounds like it’s a possibility.

:22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.

:22 Otherwise you also will be cut off

goodness – chrestotes – moral goodness, integrity; kindness

severity – apotomia – severity, roughness, sharpness

continue – epimeno – to stay at or with, remain; denoting the action persisted in

cut off – ekkopto – to cut out, cut off. It’s the same word used in:

(Mat 7:19 NKJV) "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

What happened to Israel in rejecting God’s Messiah could happen to us as well.

We need to maintain a healthy humility and fear about continuing with the Lord.

It sounds to me like Paul is saying that if you do not keep yourself in that place of communion with God, you may find yourself straying into unbelief and eventually face the possibility of being cut off.

:23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.

:24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

:23 if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in

continue – epimeno – to stay at or with, remain; denoting the action persisted in

Just as it’s possible for a Gentile believer to not continue in their faith, and end up being cut off, it’s also possible for a Jew to not continue in their unbelief and find themselves grafted back into God’s tree.

In fact, in a sense it’s much more natural for a Jew to be grafted into God’s tree than it is for us Gentiles.

Lesson

Hang in there.

We call this the doctrine of the “perseverance of the saints”. It means that truly saved people will continue to cling to Jesus.

There are two ways of looking at this, but it’s all really basically the same.

One view says that if you are truly saved, then you will continue to cling to Jesus as a natural result.

The other view says that to continue to be saved, you must continue to cling to Jesus.

Note that the perseverance (“continue”) is in the “goodness” of God (vs. 22), not perseverance in works.

It’s a matter of staying connected to God, communing with God, walking with God.

There will be good works in the life of the person who is connected to God’s goodness.

But you don’t get to the goodness by good works, you get there by grace.

The bottom line is that we must continue to cling to Jesus.

Jesus taught about this subject, even using a word similar to Paul’s “continue”:

(John 15:4–8 NKJV) —4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

The word for “abide” (meno) throughout the passage is the root of the word for “continue”.

Don’t look at this like God is putting a gun to your head and saying, “If you want to go to heaven you better work your tail off and stay close to Jesus!”

This is more like,

“If you want to keep dry during the thunderstorm, stay under the umbrella”

What do we do to “abide” in Jesus?

7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

I think the disciplines of reading the Scriptures and prayer are a great place to start.

Be careful you aren’t reading and praying out of obligation, but for the purpose of intimacy.

Pericope Project