Note on Romans 1:16
The Greek word “EUAGGELION,” which was translated “gospel” in this verse, was used seventy-seven times in the New Testament in seventy-four verses. It was translated “gospel” seventy-four times and “gospel’s” three times. It means “good message” or “good news” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary). But it actually means more than that. This Greek word was so seldom used that I only found two examples of its usage outside of the Bible. The reason for that was because it really means the nearly-too-good-to-be-true news. And there is precious little outside of the news of what Jesus did for us that is nearly-too-good-to-be-true news. But when Jesus took all of our sin and paid the debt we owed and then gave us new life, that was nearly too good to be true. So, this word became correctly associated with the salvation Jesus provided for us.This Greek word, as used in the Bible, also stresses the means by which we appropriate the great benefits of our salvation. This all comes by faith in God’s grace (see my note at Ephesians 2:8). Galatians 1:6 and Acts 20:24 use the words “grace” and “gospel” interchangeably. This is very important. Any teaching that doesn’t emphasize grace as the way of receiving what Jesus provided isn’t the true Gospel. As Paul phrased it in Galatians 1:7, trying to receive from God by our own effort is a perversion of the Gospel. That’s often harder to deal with than out-and-out rejection, because it’s more subtle. That’s the condition of the church today.
The Greek word “PROTON,” which was translated “first” in this verse, means “firstly (in time, place, order, or importance)” (Strong’s Concordance). It was translated “beginning” in John 2:10 and “before” in John 15:18. In those verses, it is clearly speaking of being the first in a sequence.
Therefore, this verse is speaking of the Jews being the first to receive the Gospel, before the Gentiles–not being ahead in importance or closer to salvation.
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 1 at Romans 1:16: The Gospel is the power of God that releases the effects of salvation in our lives. Salvation is much more than just being born again. This refers to every benefit that the believer is entitled to through Jesus. Therefore, if we are not experiencing the abundance that Jesus provided for us–in any area of our lives–then we are having a problem understanding and/or believing the Gospel.The term “Gospel” has become so familiar to Christians that the true meaning and understanding have been lost. As discussed in note 5 at Acts 20:24 and note 7 at Matthew 24:14, the truths of the Gospel are not commonly preached or understood in many churches. This is the reason that so many Christians are not walking in all the benefits of their salvation. They don’t have the power of the Gospel working in them.
If a person needs healing, it’s in the Gospel. If deliverance is needed, it’s in the Gospel. Prosperity, answered prayer, joy, peace, love–they are all found through understanding and believing the Gospel.
Note 2 at Romans 1:16: In the Bible, most English words that end with the suffix “-eth” carry the idea of an act or process that continues. So, the person that “believeth” is a person who has believed and is continuing to believe.
In the Greek language, the word that was translated “believeth” here is a present participle that expresses the idea of a continuous and repeated action. Therefore, the faith that results in salvation cannot be abandoned and still produce its results (Hebrews 6:4-6, 10:29; and Colossians 1:21-23). It may appear to be abandoned, as in the case of Peter when he denied the Lord (Luke 22:57-62), but Jesus had prayed that his “faith fail not” (see note 2 at Luke 22:32).
The Scriptures present true Bible faith as an ongoing experience, not a one-time action.
Romans 1:17
Note on Romans 1:17
Notice that the righteousness of God has to be revealed. The Holy Spirit is the one who reveals God’s righteousness (1 Corinthians 2:9-16), and He does that through understanding the Gospel of grace.
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 3 at Romans 1:17: The expression “from faith to faith” describes the means whereby righteousness is given and retained. God’s righteousness cannot be earned; it can only be acquired through faith. As proof that righteousness received by faith is not a new idea or concept, Paul quoted Habakkuk 2:4, “The just shall live by his faith” (also quoted in Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38).Note 4 at Romans 1:17: The just shall live by faith. They don’t just visit faith every once in a while or vacation there once a year; they live in and by faith.
Romans 1:18
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 1 at Romans 1:18: Paul’s purpose in writing Romans 1:18-20 was to explain why the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16). The problem was that then, just as now, most people felt the way to get others to come to God was to condemn them and scare them out of hell. People doubted that Paul’s good news of the love of God would be enough to cause repentance.Therefore, Paul began to prove that every person already has an instinctive knowledge of God’s wrath against their sin. We don’t need to prove God’s wrath; God has already done that. What people need to know is the good news that God placed His wrath for our sins upon His own Son so that we could be completely forgiven. This good news will draw people to God more than the bad news will ever drive people to God.
Note 2 at Romans 1:18: In Romans 1:18-20, Paul was declaring that God has revealed Himself to all mankind. Old Testament scriptures proclaim that God has revealed Himself to everyone through nature (Psalms 19:1-3), but Paul was stating here that there is an intuitive revelation of God within every person.
There are five words used in these three verses to describe the extent to which God has revealed Himself to mankind, and they are worth special note. Any one of these five words used by itself would have made a strong argument for Paul’s case. However, the combination of these words in just two sentences emphasizes the certainty of Paul’s claims.
The use of the word “all” in Romans 1:18 shows the extent to which God has revealed Himself. God has placed a witness within every person against all ungodliness and unrighteousness.
In Romans 1:19, the Greek word that was translated “manifest” is the Greek word “PHANEROS,” and it means “shining, i.e. apparent” (Strong’s Concordance). The Greek word translated “shewed” in this verse is “PHANEROO,” which is derived from PHANEROS. PHANEROO means “to render apparent (literally or figuratively)” (Strong’s Concordance). These words make it very clear that this instinctive or intuitive knowledge is not so subtle that it can be overlooked. God gives every individual the right to choose, but there can be no doubt that every person has, at one time, clearly seen and understood (Romans 1:20) the basic truths of God’s existence.
In Romans 1:20, Paul said this inner witness of God causes the individual to clearly see the invisible things of God and even understand the Godhead. The Greek word that was translated “clearly seen” is the word “KATHORAO,” and it means “to behold fully, i.e. (figuratively) distinctly apprehend” (Strong’s Concordance). This leaves no doubt that every person who has ever walked the earth has had a clear revelation of God. The use of the word “understood” emphatically states that God gave man not only knowledge but also the understanding to use that knowledge.
Therefore, no one will be able to stand before God on the Day of Judgment and say, “God is not fair.” He has given all people who have ever lived, regardless of how remote or isolated they may have been, the opportunity to know Him. They are without excuse.
Someone might say, “If all this is true, then why can’t we observe more of this intuitive knowledge of God in the lives of those who have not heard the Gospel?” Paul gave the answer to this in Romans 1:21-23 (see note 1 at Romans 1:21).
Romans 1:19
Note on Romans 1:19
Notice this knowledge is in them. There is an intuitive knowledge of God’s existence and man’s transgression against Him within every person who has ever lived. We are without excuse (Romans 1:20).Romans 1:20
Note on Romans 1:20
Because God has revealed Himself in every person’s heart (Romans 1:18-20), there will be no excuse for those who didn’t respond positively to this inner witness. We are without excuse.
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 3 at Romans 1:20: The Easton’s Bible Dictionary definition of the word “Godhead” is “the essential being or the divine nature of God.” Therefore, Paul was stating that God has given every person an intuitive revelation of His divine nature. What a statement! And what a responsibility when people will have to stand before God and answer for the perversions they have perpetrated in the name of God. In their hearts, they knew better.Romans 1:21
Note on Romans 1:21
Romans 1:18-20 describes that everyone has an intuitive knowledge of the wrath of God on the inside of them. Beginning in Romans 1:21, Paul was describing the progressive steps that people take away from that God-breathed revelation. The fact that people depart from that revelation doesn’t void the fact that God has placed it there. The steps described here in walking away from that revelation apply to anything the Lord has shown us or spoken to us.The first step that people take away from any revelation that God has given them is they fail to glorify Him as God. The word “glorified” means “to render (or esteem) glorious” (Strong’s Concordance). The word “esteem” means “to place a high value on; respect; prize” and “to judge to be; consider” (Houghton Mifflin American Heritage Electronic Dictionary). Basically, people magnify, esteem, or place a greater value on something other than God.
Moses esteemed reproach to be greater than riches (see my note at Hebrews 11:26). Jesus disesteemed the suffering of the cross and focused instead on those who would be freed through His offering (Hebrews 12:2).
Psalms 69:30 says that we “magnify” God (one of the definitions of glorify) with thanksgiving. The same Greek word that was translated “glorified” in Romans 1:21 was also translated “magnify” in Romans 11:13. Also, Jesus said the leper who returned and gave Him thanks for his healing had glorified Him (Luke 17:16-18). In Romans 4:19-21, Abraham “was strong in faith, giving glory to God”. He esteemed God’s promise more than he valued anything else.
For instance, the doctor says you are going to die. That won’t stop you from being healed unless you place a higher value on what the doctor says than on what God says. If you glorify God instead of the sickness, you will retain the revelation and sickness will have to flee, because “to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:6). So, you should begin to magnify the Lord instead of the negative report. You do that by controlling your heart through controlling your thinking. Your thoughts magnify whatever you focus your thinking upon. If you see marital problems, what should you do? You should go to God’s Word and magnify what God says instead of what you see.
In Mark 6:41, Jesus “looked up” and blessed the five loaves of bread and two fish before dividing them among the multitude. The Greek word that was translated “looked up” was translated “receive sight” (or some form of this) fifteen times. This is referring to Jesus seeing with His spiritual eyes into the supernatural realm of God instead of being bound to the natural realm, where the five loaves and two fish were not enough. He glorified God’s ability beyond the limitations of the natural.
The spies who searched out the land of Canaan in Numbers 13 are classic examples of people who glorified the problem more than the Problem Solver. This took all thankfulness away, and their imaginations became vain. They had more to be thankful about than any of their ancestors, yet they forgot all that God had done for them and complained, glorifying the negative. The result was that they died in the wilderness and never saw the Promised Land.
In Hebrews 12:2, Jesus set joy before Him and despised the shame of the cross. The Greek word that was translated “despising” there means to “disesteem” (Strong’s Concordance). Jesus glorified the good and disesteemed the bad. That’s why He was able to endure the cross. In Hebrews 12:3, we are told to consider Jesus and what He went through lest we be weary and faint in our minds. Our minds are where the battle is being fought. Those who rule in absolute victory don’t usually have things different on the outside, but they think differently on the inside.
The second step away from the revelation of God is not being thankful. Thankfulness involves memory, humility, and reflection. Busy people are not usually thankful. They don’t have time for reflection. Again, Psalms 69:30 says that thanksgiving magnifies God. It takes time and effort to remember and be thankful. 2 Timothy 3:1-2 says that one of the signs of apostasy in the last days is that people will be unthankful. That characterizes our day and age. To be thankful, one has to remember. Psalms 103:2 says to “forget not all his benefits.” The reason we were commanded not to forget is because it is our tendency to forget. We will forget if we don’t make an effort to remember. Thankfulness helps us remember.
The next thing mentioned in Romans 1:21 is imagination (see my note at 2 Corinthians 10:5). Imagination is the main part of our memory. If we don’t glorify God and become thankful, our imagination just naturally begins to start picturing what we focus on. We picture and remember the negative. That’s a vain imagination.
The fourth and final progressive step away from God and/or any revelation we get from Him is that our foolish hearts becomes darkened. Ephesians 4:18 speaks both of the blindness of the heart and of the understanding being darkened. The foolish, darkened heart being spoken of here is the heart of a person whose understanding (imagination - see my note at Proverbs 15:28) is vain, or negative, and that makes them hardhearted (see my note at Mark 6:52).
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 1 at Romans 1:21: As Paul explained in Romans 1:18-20 (see note 2 at Romans 1:18), all people who have ever lived have had God reveal Himself to them, but this verse is explaining that revelation is not always received. Each individual has the freedom of choice.In Romans 1:21-23, Paul described different characteristics of those who reject God’s revelation. These could also be descriptive of progressive steps that one takes away from the true revelation of God.
The first step in rejecting God is not to glorify Him as the supreme, all-knowing, unquestionable God. This was what happened with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They questioned God’s intent behind His command (Genesis 3:1-6). They ceased to magnify and honor God like they once did. Submission to God as supreme is always humbling, and therefore “self” rebels. This is very prevalent today.
Second, they were not thankful. This is always a sign that self is exalting itself above God. A selfless person can be content with very little. A self-centered person cannot be satisfied. Thankfulness is a sign of humility, and cultivating a life of thankfulness will help keep “self” in its proper place.
After these first two steps have been taken, then the individual’s mind is free to begin imagining foolish, wicked, and idolatrous thoughts. This leads to a hardened heart (“foolish heart was darkened,” see note 10 at Mark 6:52) and being reprobate (see note 6 at Romans 1:28).
Romans 1:22
Note on Romans 1:22
This is happening in epidemic proportions today. Most of the people who are considered the smartest and the elite are people who don’t even believe in God (Psalms 14:1 and 53:1) or don’t fear Him (Proverbs 1:7).Romans 1:23
Note on Romans 1:23
Any person who believes that the God who created us is like an animal is a fool. It is obvious to any who pay attention that mankind is the smartest of all creatures and the crown of creation. So, why would the God who created us be less than us?Andrew Wommack's Living Commentary.
No comments:
Post a Comment