Some Key Words (10/15/00)

Truth (aletheia [225]):

the unveiled reality on which appearances are based, the manifest essence of matter, reality lying clearly disclosed, not a lie, not a type, integrity; that which is true in a matter, the candor of a mind free of affection and pretence;

Sorrow (lupe [3077]):

pain, grief, annoyance, affliction, the feelings of one in mourning; sadness

Grief (odune [3601]):

consuming pain, grief, sorrow; dejecting grief

Wish (euchomai [2172]):

pray to God, wish, pray for;

Accursed (anathema [331]):

to separate as a consecrated gift, a gift fulfilling a vow, devoted to destruction for God's sake, given over to the curse, estranged from Christ and salvation, divine condemnation; an offering due to a vow - consecrated to God and conspicuously displayed, a thing devoted to God without hope of redemption, a sacrifice or one doomed to destruction, a man accursed; excommunicated

Adoption as sons (hulothesia [5206]):

placed as a son; the relationship of God and Israel, the nature of Christ's true disciples;

Glory (doxa [1391]):

appearance, reputation, honor, renown, that which catches the eye, splendor, brilliance, all that is excellent in God's nature; an estimate resulting in praise, honor, and glory, brightness, magnificence, excellence, dignity, majesty, a most exalted state; very apparent glory

Covenants (diatheke [1242]):

the disposition of property in view of impending death, a will, an institution of God, the declaration of God's unconditional disposition; an arrangement of any sort which is to remain valid, a will, a compact; a contract

Service (latreia [2999]):

divine service, serving in sacrifices; ministration in the service of God, Levitical worship, performing sacred services; worship

Promises (epaggelia [1860]):

to declare upon, a summons or promise, the thing promised, a gift of grace rather than a security deposit; announcement, the act of promising, a promised good or blessing; a divine assurance of good

Blessed (eulogetos [2128]):

well spoken of, to bless, eulogize, worthy of praise, those well spoken of by God; praised; adorable

Amen (amen [281]):

faithful, in truth, so be it, may it be so, an expression of absolute trust and confidence; firm, trustworthy, surely

 

Paraphrase: (10/15/00)

1 I declare before God and man that this is true: 2 that I am always deeply grieved. 3 Yes, I would rather that I were cursed and removed from Christ for the sake of the salvation of my kinsmen 4 the Jews, who were given the covenants, the Law, the temple, and the promises - even the adoption. 5 They came from the fathers, and from their flesh came the Christ, who is supreme, eternally blessed of God. Amen.

Key Verse: (10/15/00)

9:3 - Paul's concern for the lost was deep enough that he was willing to lose his own salvation if it would bring the nation to Christ.

People Mentioned: (10/15/00)

N/A

Some Parallel Verses (10/16/00)

9:1

2Co 11:10 - Paul's boasting will not stop, because it is of the truth of Christ in him. Gal 1:20 - He calls on God as witness that he is not lying. 1Ti 2:7 - In truth, he was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher.

9:2

9:3

Ex 32:32 - Moses, too, preferred being cut off from God to seeing the nation cut off. 1Co 12:3 - Nobody curses Jesus when speaking in the Spirit, and nobody declares Him Lord except the Spirit speaks through them. 1Co 16:22 - Paul prays: Let all who don't love Christ be accursed. Gal 1:8 - Any who preach a different gospel are to be cursed. Ro 1:3 - Christ was David's descendant by flesh. Ro 11:14 - Paul hopes to provoke jealousy for the things of God amongst his countrymen. Eph 6:5 - Slaves are admonished to obey those who are their masters by flesh, working as though for Christ.

9:4

Dt 7:6 - Israel is declared holy, being chosen by God as His possession, Dt 14:1 - they are the Lord God's sons. Ex 4:22 - Israel is God's first-born son. Ro 8:15 - It is in this spirit of adoption that we are able to cry out to our Daddy. Ex 40:34 - The glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle in Moses' day, 1Ki 8:11 - and in Solomon's day, the tabernacle was so filled that the priests couldn't minister. Eze 1:28 - When Ezekiel saw God's glory, he fell on his face. Heb 9:5 - This glory used to rest upon the cherubim above the mercy seat. Ge 17:2 - God established His covenant with Abraham. Dt 29:14 - The Mosaic covenant was made not only with Moses, and not only with those who were present, but also with those who weren't present! Lk 1:72 - Zacharias' blessing recognizes that God has honored His covenants. Ac 3:25 - The Jews are sons of the prophets and the of God's covenant with Abraham. Eph 2:12 - Until Christ's work was done, the Gentiles had been strangers excluded from God's covenants, hopeless and Godless. Dt 4:13-14 - The Ten Commandments are the declaration of God's requirements for His covenant people, which He commanded Moses to teach so that they could do what was required. Ps 147:19 - He has declared His law to Israel. Heb 9:1 - From the first covenant, there were regulations for the order of worship and temple service [here, referring to the Mosaic covenant as the first.] Heb 9:6 - The priests were constantly performing these divinely appointed services in the outer court of the temple. Ac 2:39 - God's promise is for as many as the Lord shall call to Himself [thus limiting the "all" clause.] Ac 13:32 - The good news is that Jesus has fulfilled the promise given to the fathers. Eph 2:12 - We were strangers to the promises, as well as the covenants, until Christ came.

9:5

Ac 3:13 - The God that Israel's fathers worshiped has glorified Jesus, in spite of Israel's rejection of Him. Ro 11:28 - They may be enemies to us because of the gospel, but they remain God's beloved chosen people because of the fathers. Mt 1:1-16 - Abraham to David to Josiah to Joseph, the line goes unbroken from the fathers to Christ's birth, Ro 1:3 - for in terms of the flesh, Jesus is descended from David. Col 1:16-19 - All things - bar none - are created by Christ and for Christ, and it is only by Him that they have existence. He alone is the head of the Church, first in all things, as the Father is pleased to have the fullness of the Godhead resting in Him. Jn 1:1 - The Word from the beginning, with God, and very God. [eternal] Ro 1:25 - Although mankind is ever exchanging God's truth for lies and worshipping the created rather than the Creator, He remains forever blessed.

 

New Thoughts (10/16/00-10/17/00)

It's interesting to notice that the word translated 'accursed' is the same word used to identify those things set aside for sacrifice. Was Paul declaring a desire to be cut off from God's will so that Israel might believe? Perhaps. Probably, even. But there's that other perspective, that of an item offered up to God in fulfillment of a vow. Paul's training surely gave him a keen understanding of all that was involved in Levitical worship. He understood the importance of vows. Vows had been taken against his own life in Jerusalem. (Ever wonder what happened to those men? It's a terrible thing to leave a vow to God unfulfilled, no matter how foolish.) He also knew that the completion of a vow often entailed a sacrifice. Remember that he was arrested by the Romans as he went with a number of brothers to make that vow-closing sacrifice on their behalf. Thayer's Lexicon pointed out that such sacrifices were conspicuously displayed in the temple. Somehow, it seems that this thought may have been on Paul's mind as he wrote. He hoped by his conspicuous display, by his sacrificial devotion to God, by his willingness to give his life up in God's purpose, to bring his countrymen to recognition of the Messiah's accomplished work.

Notice that this same zeal was also with Moses. Here are two pillars of God's earthly work, perhaps the two men through whom God most fully shaped His people's understanding of Him. And what is it that rendered them so useful in God's economy? It was their complete devotion to Him. It was their deep compassion for those they served amidst. Both could cry out in honesty their willingness to lay down their own lives, their own well-being, if that would save their nation. These were true warriors in God's army, next to which we pale. This is the template for radical faith. Are we willing to give up everything - even our own salvation - to see the lost saved? Moses was. Paul was. Jesus, who alone among men knew what unity with God was really about, was willing to give up that unity with God so that we could be reunited with Him. Sure, He knew it was a temporary thing. But such an agony! The pain of crucifixion is enough to stop most of us today, but that was as nothing compared to the agony of soul He must have felt to suddenly be separated from the Father. This was a unity He had known throughout His earthly life, and known even more intimately from eternity. How it must have torn Him to lose that intimacy for even a moment! We know nothing of that feeling. But somehow, many of God's children throughout the history of the Church have come to the place Paul and Moses were at - willing to lay down their life to further God's purpose, and we're not even bold enough to walk our faith in any visible fashion for fear of offending somebody. God, forgive us. I'm most assuredly speaking to my own spirit in these words, for I know I've been weak in my faith, Lord. The world has taught me to fear man's opinions through teaching me to respect their beliefs. Feh! If a man believes a lie, shall we respect his right to be wrong? You've called me to expose the lie by the light of Your truth. Today, Lord. Today, I declare a stand. No more! I cannot, in the face of such a great witness, continue to fear to make Your name known. Be Thou my vision, my strength for the fight. Fill me with boldness, oh Father, for You are the mighty warrior. Fill me with passion, Lord, for I've grown cold. Fill me with Your Word, that I might speak only Your truth today.

10/17/00
Something that rather bothered me, as I read through all the verse references, was Paul's habit of calling on God as witness. What caused this to stick out is the exploration of the third commandment that we did a while back. I recall Calvin bringing out the fact that God had effectively precluded the use of His Name, His heaven, or His creation as witness to an oath. Jesus, we recall, told us to let our word be sufficient witness, as our reputation ought to be such as would uphold our word. With this foundation, I was puzzled to see Paul, an ardent student of the Law, and an apostle of Christ, so often calling upon God to be witness to the truth of his words. But, having gone back and reread my notes on that commandment, I am reminded that such oaths as serve the purpose of true religion, such as aid in establishing God's truth, are not only permissible, but declared a good thing by our God. The issue was and is with false or foolish oaths, not an absolute barring of the oath in violation of God's own command.

Ephesians 2:12 reminds us that we, the Gentiles, were once strangers to the covenants and promises. We knew nothing of His unconditional declarations, we were not party to the contract Israel had agreed to. As non-participants in the contract, neither were we participants in the promised good, the gifts of God's grace, that were wrapped up in that contract. Such was our estate, ignorant of the law, but without excuse; unaware of and incapable of attaining to the promised gifts, yet fully accountable for our failure nonetheless. But God. He intervened on our behalf, He sent word to us that we might know, He chose to open our ears to understanding that we might accept. Oh, God, the height of pride that insists that we somehow found You, that we somehow came to our senses. It had nothing to do with us, and it never has, and it never will. You opened our ears so we could finally hear You calling to us, as You had been from before our birth. You brought us to our senses, it's nothing we came to. In You we live, and move. Because of You, we are. We sing it, we say it, but do we know it? God, I thank You this morning that I am here, now, and where You would have me to be. I thank You that I can rest in knowing You are in control. I relinquish as best I can my need to be in control, for You are in control anyway, and so much better at it. I long to allow You that control unfettered by my foolishness. Guide me, Lord, as You desire. Work in and through me all that You have in mind. Be glorified in me, oh Lord, somehow. However You might desire. Work out of me, oh God, all that isn't according to Your plan, all that fails to unite with Your purpose for this life You created.

Yes, it's even as Colossians 1:16-19 declares to us. It is by Christ that I was created. Remember this! CHRIST CREATED YOU! It is for Christ that I was created. He had a purpose in mind, He is not a frivolous God, capriciously creating for no reason. There has been a plan from before the start, and that plan will proceed as designed until after the end. It is Christ who created the circumstances of my life, even the ones I don't like. Satan has never created diddly, he has only been able to corrupt what already was. Man has never created diddly, he hasn't even managed as well as Satan. Christ created it all. Whenever and however, it was His doing. He was there before the start, He is there now, and He's not going anywhere. And a good thing, too, because without His very present presence, nothing's going to remain. He is what holds it together. He is what keeps life living. He is the pre-eminent One, the only head of the Church, the only direction for the Church, and the only purpose of the Church is to declare this to be true. There is a plan for my life, and my life is a part of His Church. There is a plan for His Church, which is to declare His Lordship, His love, and His longing to all who might - just might - be able to hear what is being said to them. What is God's purpose for me? It's the purpose of His Church, for we are all parts of that one body, united to the Head, which is Christ. Oh, soul, hear this today. Heart, draw in this truth and etch it on your walls. Lord, work this realization into every fiber of my being, for I am weak, and have failed most horridly to fulfill Your purpose for me. I have fallen short of Your goal, and so must recognize that I have sinned against You. I pray Your forgiveness, and I pray that You would bring the change, oh dear Jesus, that I might be about the work You have always had in mind for me. You have an office for me, You had already selected me for that office before I was even conceived in the flesh. Lord God, enable me, mold me, shake away from me any chaff, anything that distracts me from Your intent. Build up the fire in my heart until it blazes forth beyond control, until Your Spirit within me enables my spirit to rise up and vanquish my foolish self. To God be the glory!