Words are not proof of prayer. Prayer is the conversation of G-d at work in us, or else how do we cry, “Abba”? An examination of Romans 8:26-39
The beginning of this chapter has called us, “Sons, heirs and children,” through Messiah, who is the Son, heir and only begotten child of HaShem. It is G-d’s emunah (trust, firmness) in us that has birthed our emunah (trust, firmness) in Him, and it is upon this unseen but certain hope that we make our stand. This is why Paul/Shaul says in verse 26, “In the same way.” He means us to understand that the work of the Ruach ha-Kodesh is also purposed in an unseen but certain way. We have confidence not because we are strong but because He is strong in us, just as the prophet Daniel says: “We do not make requests of You because we are righteous, but because of Your great chesed, mercy, grace and loving kindness.” –Daniel 9:8 8:26In the same way the Spirit (helps) holds us up and together with us helps our weakness; The Greek text says so much more than simply, “Helps.” The Spirit, that is, He—a person, not an impersonal force—moves into position to strengthen and hold us. This brings to mind the struggle of Jacob which resulted in his overcoming in G-d, which is what the name Israel literally means: Yisra (to overcome) joined with El (Elohim) G-d. We also know Him as HaShem (YHVH) Elohim, our merciful Judge. The creator of the universe is strengthening us through His Spirit at work in our inner being. We lean into Him in our weakness and as we let go He takes hold, an immovable security. for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with deep sighing that can’t be expressed in words; By definition this is a form of prayer that doesn’t use vocalized words. This conversation is a deep sighing. Words are not proof of prayer. Prayer is the conversation of G-d at work in us, or else how do we cry, “Abba”? It’s okay not to know how to pray. A good friend and hero of mine once said: “I didn’t see the point in praying. I had asked G-d to heal and He hadn’t, so I thought, ‘why should I pray, You’re only going to do what You want anyway!’ Then a friend turned up in the hospital ward and asked if he could pray for us. I agreed and the moment he began to pray the Holy Spirit came and brought healing.” What if when we say, “Why should I pray, You’ll just do what you want anyway,” it’s actually the Holy Spirit in us who is speaking? What if when Moses said, “If You’re going to wipe out this people then wipe my name out of You’re book,” that it was the Holy Spirit in Moses who was speaking? What if when Paul/Shaul says later in Romans, “I would willingly give up my own salvation for the sake of my people Israel,” that it’s the Holy Spirit speaking? What if you were to let go and recognize G-d at work in you rather than constantly beating yourself up. Perhaps the greatest gift of the Holy Spirit is the gift of deep sighing. The suffering Messiah lives in us by His Spirit. When we don’t know what to say, when we’re overwhelmed and disillusioned, He aches and sighs, groans and cry’s out from within us. Just as it is written: “HaShem (YHVH) will fight for you, you need only be still!” –Shemot/Exodus 14:14 27 and He (Elohim) who searches the core being (Psalm 44:21) knows what the purpose of the Spirit is, because He (Ruach ha-Kodesh) intercedes for us (all who belong to Messiah) according to the will of HaShem. G-d knows the working of our inner being, He knows us intimately and has purposed His Spirit to advocate for us from within. This is His will, our reconciliation. 28 And we know that G-d causes all things to work together for good There’s a colloquialism, “It’s all good.” What nonsense! Suffering teaches us the foolishness of this youthful delusion, it’s not all good folks, death isn’t good, it’s the result of sin, sin isn’t good, it’s the result of rebellion; cancer isn’t good, heart break isn’t good, evil isn’t good, on the contrary, all those things are bad. The Scripture doesn’t say, “And we know that G-d causes all things to be good,” it says, “all things work together for good,” that is for the eternal fulfillment of G-d’s Kingdom. The point is clarified in the words of Yeshua, (this is a promise) “In this world you will have trouble, but fear not, for I have overcome the world.” –Yochanan/John 16:33 To those who love G-d, to those who are called according to His purpose. These words are a promise to us as believers. All things will not work together for good for those who reject G-d’s gift, in fact they will work together for the ultimate in bad, eternal punishment. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the likeness of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. These are all past tense statements. Because G-d’s perspective is outside of time and space He sees the end from the beginning and therefore knows what we will decide. This doesn’t negate freewill, in fact it affirms its need to exist within the continuum of time. Just as the first Adam was made in the likeness of G-d, so the children of the second Adam, Yeshua are made in the likeness of G-d’s Son. The use of the verb, “called,” in verse 30 infers the need for response. Those called are justified through the sacrifice of Yeshua and have been glorified from G-d’s perspective. The completion of this glorification will occur outside of time in the Olam Haba (World to come). 31 What then shall we say to these things? If G-d is for us, who is against us? The answer is, “All who oppose G-d are against us,” but the rhetorical question intends us to understand that no one has a chance against us if G-d is for us—that includes ha-Satan and his demons. 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him (Messiah) freely give us all things? This is a very clear and logical progression. “For G-d so loved the world…” 33 Who will bring a charge against G-d’s elect? We know the answer to this, it is the same one who brought the charge against Job, ha-Satan the accuser. Again, the intended rhetorical understanding is that the Devil has no chance of bringing a charge against us. G-d is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? G-d both justifies and condemns. He has justified us already, as seen in verse 30. Those who reject His gift of eternal life will be condemned. In fact Yeshua says, “He who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” Yochanan/John 3:18 The point is that G-d our judge has already justified us (past tense) so that we cannot be condemned. Messiah Yeshua is He Who died, yes, rather Who was raised, Who is at the right hand of G-d, Who also intercedes for us. Unlike others who have been resurrected and subsequently died again, Yeshua not only died but also rose eternal and is (not metaphorically or allegorically as some foolish scholars have suggested) seated at the right hand of G-d, circumcised penis and all. Yes, He is still a Jew, why? Because He has yet to fulfill His role as the reigning King of Israel and the nations, prophesied in the Tanakh. So yes, Messiah the Jew King and G-d the Son is seated outside the third heaven at the right hand of G-d. He intercedes for us. Therefore, Messiah in us, the Spirit intercedes with Messiah outside of us, the coming King and all this happens in G-d, because, “in Him all things exist and have their being.” 35 Who will separate us from the love of Messiah? It’s rhetorical, nothing and no one can. And to prove his point, Paul/Shaul reminds the Jewish believers of psalm 40 and the Gentile believers are directed to it for the strengthening of their growing understanding. Will trials, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” –Tehillim/Psalm 44:22 Insert Tehillim/Psalm 44: 44:1 O Elohim, we have heard with our ears, Our fathers have told us The work that You did in their days, In the days of old. 2 You with Your own hand drove out the nations; Then You planted them; You afflicted the peoples, Then You spread them abroad. 3 For by their own sword they did not possess the land, And their own arm did not save them, But Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence, For You favored them. 4 You are my King, O Elohim; Command victories for Jacob. 5 Through You we will push back our adversaries; Through Your name we will trample down those who rise up against us. 6 For I will not trust in my bow, Nor will my sword save me. 7 But You have saved us from our adversaries, And You have put to shame those who hate us. 8 In Elohim we have boasted all day long, And we will give thanks to Your name forever. Selah. 9 Yet You have rejected us and brought us to dishonor, And do not go out with our armies. 10 You cause us to turn back from the adversary; And those who hate us have taken spoil for themselves. 11 You give us as sheep to be eaten And have scattered us among the nations. 12 You sell Your people cheaply, And have not profited by their sale. 13 You make us a reproach to our neighbors, A scoffing and a derision to those around us. 14 You make us a byword among the nations, A laughingstock among the peoples. 15 All day long my dishonor is before me And my humiliation has overwhelmed me, 16 Because of the voice of him who reproaches and reviles, Because of the presence of the enemy and the avenger. 17 All this has come upon us, but we have not forgotten You, And we have not dealt falsely with Your covenant. 18 Our heart has not turned back, And our steps have not deviated from Your way, 19 Yet You have crushed us in a place of jackals And covered us with the shadow of death. 20 If we had forgotten the name of our Elohim Or extended our hands to a strange el, 21 Would not Elohim find this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart. 22 But for Your sake we are killed all day long; We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. 23 Arouse Yourself, why do You sleep, O Adonai (Master, not YHVH)? Awake, do not reject us forever. 24 Why do You hide Your face And forget our affliction and our oppression? 25 For our soul has sunk down into the dust; Our body cleaves to the earth. 26 Rise up, be our help, And redeem us for the sake of Your purposed chesed—loving kindness. How does the Ruach ha-Kodesh answer the psalmist? With the following words, spoken by Paul/Shaul and penned by his scribe: 37 But in all these things we vanquish beyond measure (a decisive victory) through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of G-d, which is in Messiah Yeshua our Lord. We are absolutely and utterly secure in the love of G-d which is in Messiah Yeshua our lord. © 2014 Yaakov Brown Our hope is not uncertain, it is both certain and unseen. An examination of Romans 8:1-25
8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Messiah Yeshua, who don’t follow their fallen humanity but instead follow the Spirit. What has gone before? In Chapter 7 Shaul/Paul has shown that even those who are in Messiah continue to be tempted by and at times fall into sin. This shows us the potential for condemnation if we forget who we now are in Messiah, unto G-d. Shaul/Paul is effectively saying, “Those who receive the gift of G-d in Messiah will have a realization of the reality of sin in their lives and will be strengthened by G-d to be progressively changed.” We are being transformed as we learn to see ourselves from G-d’s perspective, outside of time and space. Because G-d sees those of us who have accepted His gift (Messiah) as perfect, He seals that truth with these words, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Messiah Yeshua, who don’t follow their fallen humanity but instead follow the Spirit.” May HaShem engrave these words into the very core of your being, may you come to know what freedom truly means. Chapter 7 is directly prior, however the, “therefore,” of 8:1 is drawing our attention to all that has gone before. As we read on we find that Shaul/Paul is revealing a convergence of the various key concepts of chapters 1 through 7. Chapter 8 reminds us of creation, slavery, Torah, righteousness, Messiah and adds the revealing of the sons of G-d and the inseparable love of HaShem. It is of great importance that Shaul/Paul links the statement of freedom from condemnation with an illuminating reference to the Torah of the Spirit of life, in Messiah. Yeshua continues to be the focus of Shaul’s letter, his rhythm of affirmation followed by sober judgment and then returning to affirmation is continued throughout what is effectively a half time conclusion in the verses of chapter 8. 2 For the Torah of the Spirit of life in Messiah Yeshua has set you free from the anti-torah of sin and of death. The Torah of the Spirit of life in Messiah, is the Living D’var (Word) of G-d at work in us. The anti-torah is both the acts of rebellion against the written Torah and the legalistic misuse of the written Torah. Therefore it results in death, in fact it is in itself born of death. 3 For what the written Instruction could not do, because of the weakness of our humanity, There neither was nor is a problem with the written Torah of G-d. The written Torah is not responsible for sin or death, however, like any inanimate object, it is unable to animate us. Human sin addiction could only—up until Messiah’s coming—misuse the written Torah. It is humanity’s weakness and not the weakness of Torah that is being exposed here. G-d did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful humanity and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in humanity,4 so that the requirement of the Torah might be fully filled in us, who do not walk according to the sinful humanity but according to the Spirit. HaShem, the Author of Torah, has animated the Torah in us through His person within us, which is Messiah Yeshua. Yeshua was born to a sin addicted mother and thus was like us, and yet He was entirely without sin being also seeded by the Ruach ha-Kodesh and is fully G-d, with us. “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been proved in all things as we are, yet without sin.” –Hebrews 4:15 What is the requirement of the Torah? How is it fully filled in us? With regard to the context of this passage the requirement of the Torah relates to the shedding of blood for the remission or covering and wiping away of sin. Messiah—whose word is written as Torah—fulfilled the requirement of His own word essence by giving His life as a sacrifice for all sin, past, present and future. This sacrifice bears the fruit of resurrection life and is the inception of the hope of a glory yet to be seen, the resurrection of the dead at the last day. “’For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.’” –Vayikra/Leviticus 17:11 “And according to the Torah, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” –Hebrews 9:22 Therefore, the Torah requires both the shedding of blood and the resulting reconciliation of the offender. Messiah embodied these requirements, and for us, in newness of life He embodies resurrection, having swallowed up death with victory. 5 For those who are according to sinful humanity set their minds on the things of the fallen nature, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. There are two distinct motivations at work here. Sin addicted humanity motivates rebellion, but those who have received the gift of G-d are motivated by the Torah of the Spirit of life in Messiah. It is important to note then that having received the gift of G-d, the Spirit of G-d through Messiah lives in us to usurp the old motivation of the sinful nature, replacing it with the motivation toward good. Thus we do the things of the Spirit, not because we are able to obey in our own strength but because we have been given the very Spirit of G-d, who, in us, transforms our very being. “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” –2 Corinthians 4:18 6 For the mind set on the fallen nature is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, Death is a mindset, life is a mindset. Death is a mindset of the fallen nature, life is a mindset of the Spirit of G-d. Shalom, peace, wholeness, integrity, wellbeing and security are the blood that flows through the veins of life. 7 because the mind set on the fallen nature is hostile toward G-d; for it does not subject itself to the Torah of G-d, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are in the fallen nature cannot please G-d. The rejection of G-d’s gift is hostility toward G-d. There a very few things as offensive as the refusing of a gift which has been given with positive intention. To refuse Yeshua is rebellion. Why is this so? It is because in pride the fallen nature has refused to humble itself before G-d? Why? Because unless the Spirit of G-d is received through Messiah, the human addiction is insurmountable. Those who reject Messiah cannot subject themselves to the Torah because only the Spirit of G-d is able to motivate the human being to do so. Without humility no one can come to G-d. 9 However, you are not in the fallen nature but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of G-d dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Messiah, he does not belong to Him. You are not in the fallen nature but in the Spirit. Notice the beautiful rhythm of G-d, as He inspires Shaul/Paul to write, firstly to bring sober understanding and then an affirmation of freedom and hope in Messiah. We have G-d’s guarantee that we who have received His gift are already and always in the Spirit. Note the interchangeable use of G-d and Messiah, with regard to the Spirit (Ruach ha-Kodesh). The Ruach ha-Kodesh is both the Spirit of the Father and the Spirit of the Son. The following Rabbinical sources support this understanding: “‘And the Ruach (Spirit) of Elohim (G-d) hovered over the face of the waters.’ This phrase from Bereshit/Genesis 1:2 alludes to the spirit of Messiah, because Isaiah 11:2 says, ‘And the Spirit of HaShem will rest upon him’ [that is upon the ‘shoot of Jesse’, which is a name for Messiah]. Also we learn from the same text in Bereshit/Genesis 1:2 that this spirit of Messiah comes through the merit of repentance, for in Lamentations 2:19 repentance is likened to water: ‘Pour out your heart like water.’” (Bereshit/Genesis Rabbah 2:4) “At the beginning of the creation of the world the king Messiah had already come into being, because he existed in G-d’s mind even before the world was created.” (Pesikta Rabbati 33:6) 10 If Messiah is in you, though the body be dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Yeshua from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Messiah Yeshua from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. The body is dead in respect to the sin addiction that still permeates creation as a whole. We are new creations but we live in a fallen creation. However, we see that the mortal body is not forsaken by G-d, rather He also gives the mortal body life through His Spirit which dwells within us. Baruch HaShem! This can also be seen as the certain promise of the coming resurrection of the dead at the last day and the revealing of the sons of G-d 12 So then, ami--my people, we are under obligation, not to fallen humanity, to live according to the sinful nature-- 13 for if you are living according to the sinful nature, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the (anti-torah) deeds of the body, you will live. Notice that while Shaul/Paul has been speaking to the wider Roman ecclesia prior to this, he now uses specific Jewish terminology in order to briefly single out his own people once again. Thus he says, “So then ami, we are not under obligation to the fallen humanity so as to live according to its nature.” Any Jewish person familiar with the daily prayers and the penitent liturgy of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) will know that the words, “it is incumbent upon me.” Are a repetition that rings in the consciousness of our people.” Perhaps this same weight of condemnation is being addressed here by Shaul/Paul. It seems to me that Shaul/Paul is using this very idea in reverse. What I hear him saying is that as a Jew in Messiah I am obligated to become unobligated, or, it is incumbent upon me to be non-incumbent. We could read, “If by the Spirit you are putting death to death, you will live.” 14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of G-d, these are children (literally, sons, significant because in Hebrew culture sons are heirs) of G-d. The same Spirit that hovered over the waters in Genesis 1:2 is here present in the new creation of each believer. Why? Because in Messiah we have become heirs of the Glory of G-d. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery returning you again to fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption as children (sons, heirs) by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of G-d, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of G-d and fellow heirs with Messiah, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. We cry “Abba” because the Son in us cries “Abba.” This unifies us in relationship, destroying the illusion of separation that has been proliferated by the evil one. What is meant by, “If we suffer/endure hardship with Him (Yeshua)”? How will we be glorified with Him? In what way did Messiah suffer hardship? In every way. If we are known to belong to Him we will suffer, this is a promise of G-d through Messiah, “In this world you will have trouble.” We are glorified with Him in His resurrection and finally in our resurrection at the end of the age, we are yet to be revealed as children of G-d. And yet, we are already being revealed as heirs of G-d. Like Abraham we have received our reward, which is G-d Himself. This is a past, present and future reward which will find its completion in eternity. G-d with us in the New Jerusalem in the Olam Haba (world to come), this is the Glory that awaits us. Why do we read, “Sons, children and heirs”? It is because the Scripture says, “’Thus says HaShem Elohim, “If the prince gives a gift out of his inheritance to any of his sons, it shall belong to his sons; it is their possession by inheritance…” ‘His inheritance shall belong to his sons’ alone; it shall belong to them.” –Yechezk’el/Ezekiel 46:16-17 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons (sons, heirs) of G-d.20 For the creation was subjected to futility, unwillingly, for the purposes of Him (G-d) who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of G-d. In Chapter 1 of Romans we learned that there is no excuse for failing to accept G-d because the creation itself has proved His existence from the beginning. Here Shaul/Paul explains that although G-d can be seen at work in creation, the creation is also affected by the human addiction to sin. Death entered the world through human sin and leaves the whole of creation awaiting its ultimate freedom. This too is purchased by the blood of Messiah who has made atonement for the purpose of wiping clean the entire Universe and will manifest the completion of this work in the revelation of the reconciliation of all things to G-d. Why does creation eagerly await the revealing of the heirs of G-d? Because heirs inherit the land and no father worth his salt will leave a despoiled property to his sons. G-d, the perfect Father has already purposed to renew creation and give her as an inheritance to His Son who in turn will give it to His brothers and sisters, you and me. No longer will creation be enslaved to corruption because corruption will no longer be possible. Our hope is not uncertain, it is both certain and unseen. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. Child birth is a long process, I recall the birth of our first daughter, the contractions began in the afternoon and by nightfall had progressed only a little; at 1am they strengthened and then leveled out again, my wife yelled, “rub my back,” then as I began rubbing her back she yelled, “don’t touch me!” This went on for hours until finally it was almost too much for her. At one point both her and the baby were in great danger, their respective heart rates were in juxtaposition, one racing and one failing. The midwife acted quickly and the pain was eased slightly by an epidural, another temporary calm. In one final courageous act my wife Julia pushed through the last part of the delivery and as our daughter’s head came forth I placed my hands on her and offered her to HaShem with blessing. As I held my firstborn daughter in my hands I beheld the glory of new creation, I saw through the veil of time and space and into the future. My wife will testify that when she held our daughter for the first time she was utterly encapsulated by her innocent countenance and was in awe of the creator. We have watched this very same process taking place throughout history as we await the birth of completion in G-d. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons (children, heirs), the redemption of our fallen bodies. 24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. We too eagerly await the fulfillment of the promise which was purchased with blood and is sealed by the deposited Ruach ha-Kodesh. Our Father sent word to the adoption agency and having paid the price to redeem us He is on His way to pick us up, we are about to see the One who chose us to be His sons and daughters. We have known that He is near and we are preparing to behold Him with unveiled face. “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then we shall see face to face: now I know in part; but then I shall know completely, even as I am fully known.” –1 Corinthians 13:12 Our hope is not uncertain, it is both certain and unseen. Our hope is Yeshua Himself. © 2014 Yaakov Brown In G-d it is Mashiyach alone who is our salvation (Yeshua) and our transformation, all else is idolatry. An examination of Romans 7
In the previous chapter Paul/Shaul has presented a death to life argument that is best understood by the Greco-Roman members of the Roman ecclesia, now he turns the conversation toward his own people the Y’hudim (Jews). Shaul does not change the premise for his argument, rather he changes the delivery and the allegory associated to it. Formerly he spoke of death as a result of slavery to the personification of sin (former master), here he speaks of death to sin (former husband) by Torah through Messiah. Previously he spoke of life through joining in Messiah’s death and of submission to the new Master Righteousness, here he speaks of remarriage to G-d in Messiah and the fruit (progeny) of that new marriage. Many place their entire focus on “Law” here, I believe this takes our vision away from the center of belief/trust which Shaul/Paul is addressing. That belief/trust being in Messiah Himself and His saving work. The Torah is like a mystical mirror that filters out self-delusion and exposes humanity’s true nature. Apart from Messiah (which is not to say separate from but in rebellion to) that nature is observed in the Torah’s reflection as sin addiction (used by the yetzer ha-ra) leading to death. However, in Messiah Yeshua the Torah reflects life and blessing. When we gaze into the mirror of Torah we see ourselves as we truly are, in sin we reflect darkness, in Messiah we reflect light. Some have suggested that Shaul/Paul is putting an end to Torah for the believer in this chapter of Romans. “We are no longer under Torah but under grace,” they say, foolishly thinking that no longer being under something means the cessation of relationship to that thing. Paul here speaks of husbands dying and wives being set free to remarry but we would be unwise to neglect the fullness of his teaching. The fact is that the very analogy upon which he premises his argument is subject to the Instruction of Torah. Shaul/Paul is not doing away with Torah, as we will soon see, rather he is asking the hearer/reader to allow Messiah to change the way they think about Torah. Instead of presenting Torah as punitive law—Greek: nomos—Paul reveals it, in Messiah, as an inner instruction that must become central to our thinking. In order for an English speaker to learn the Hebrew language they must learn to think differently. An English student of Hebrew must do away with the notion that English is read from left to right and that Hebrew is read backwards. Hebrew is not read backwards, it is read from right to left: the Hebrew consciousness thinks from East to West, the characters are different, the songs are different, the food is different, and the Hebrew perspective is entirely of another world to the English mind. This is similar to what Shaul/Paul is attempting to convey here by the Ruach ha-Kodesh. The Roman ecclesia is being challenged to receive a different Spirit to the spirit of human sin addiction, that different Spirit (The Holy Spirit) does not cause death but exposes it and its cause. As we begin, let’s agree together with the words of Shaul/Paul: “I agree with the Torah, confessing that the Torah is good.” 7:16b This verse doesn’t say that the Torah was good, it says, “The Torah is good.” 7:1 Or are you not aware, ami--my people--(for I am speaking to those who know the Torah), that the Torah has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives? 2 For the married woman is bound by Torah to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the specific instruction concerning the husband. 3 So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress (according to the Torah); but if her husband dies, she is free from the instruction regarding marriage, so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man. As I have previously stated, in the previous chapter of Romans Shaul/Paul explored the meaning of dying in Messiah and sharing in His resurrection, he also addressed the concept of slavery/servitude to sin verses servitude to righteousness in Messiah. Therefore it is interesting to note once again that he is now moving on to another death metaphor, this time regarding marriage. Marriage is used throughout the Tanakh (Old Testament) as an allegory for G-d’s relationship to Israel and in the New Testament it is used as an allegory for Messiah’s relationship to the Ecclesia. It is therefore both an important teaching tool and a physical covenant that is of great significance to us, and of sacred value to G-d. With this in mind we must understand that even in regard to our prior marriage to sin, the Torah plays a pivotal role in determining the just separation from that previous marriage, all be it an illegitimate marriage. G-d, in Messiah must be seen here as legally qualified to enter into a new marriage covenant with those who were previously illegitimately married to sin. This same teaching regarding freedom from Torah at death is found in a number of rabbinical sources: “Rabbi Yochanan said, ‘What is meant by the phrase, “With the dead, free,” (Tehillim/Psalm 88:6)? Thant when a man dies he becomes free from the Torah and from the commandments,’”(Shabbat 30a; similar passages are found at Shabbat 151b, Niddah 61b, and in one of the oldest collections of midrashim, the Pesikta diRav Kahana, Supplement 1:20) —Quoted from JNTC by David H. Stern © 1992 David H. Stern 4 Therefore, ami--my people, you also were made to die with regard to the Torah (written instruction) through the body of Messiah, so that you might be joined to another (The Living Torah Messiah/G-d, the second husband), to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for G-d. (A marriage bears children/fruit) In English we've heard it said, "He's dead to me," meaning, as far as I'm concerned the person in question doesn't exist (even though in fact he does). This verse expressess a similar idea: from the Torah's perspective we are dead regarding the instruction concerning marriage as it relates to the allegory being used by Shaul/Paul in the previous verses. It’s not the Torah that was made to die, rather it is we who have been made dead regarding it. We have not been made dead to the entire instructional nature of the Torah but only to a certain aspect of the Torah. In particular we are dead with regard to our marriage to sin (As Shaul/Paul clarifies later in this chapter). The reason for this is that unless we are dead to sin (our former husband) through Messiah's sacrifice, we are unable to remarry according to the Torah's instruction regarding marriage (that is, allegorically). This verse then is directly related to the previous verses which use marriage as a physical example of our spiritual relationship to Messiah. We must conclude then, that we are dead to the Torah in the sense that the Torah recognizes us as dead according to the instruction of marriage (spiritually speaking) and therefore we are now free to remarry, that is, to be joined to the Messiah Yeshua in marriage. It is also important to note that Shaul/Paul is here being specific in defining Torah as only the books of Moses, it’s literal definition, as opposed to the entire Tanakh. Although we have been made dead in regard to the punitive legalistic observance of the Torah, we are none the less still instructed by the living nature of Messiah, Who is, the Author of the Torah. In Messiah we have been made dead to the penalties of Torah, but we remain subject to its convicting (not condemning) purpose through the Ruach ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit). We have been set free from our former marriage to sin for the purpose of remarriage to righteousness Himself, Yeshua (ha-tzadik) our new husband of righteousness. The result of the marriage bed is the progeny of righteousness. Therefore we are seeded with righteousness and that righteousness joined to our humanity produces fruit for the Kingdom of G-d. This is what it means to be raised from spiritual death. 5 For while we were in the body (of the whole sin addicted human being—spirit, mind, physical body = nefesh, soul), the sinful passions, which were governed by the Torah, were at work in the various parts of our body to bear fruit for death. Once again Shaul/Paul uses an argument of juxtaposition by using the phrase, “fruit for death,” to correspond to the phrase, “fruit for G-d.” Notice that by doing this Shaul/Paul is personifying death as the antithesis to G-d, Who is life. “While we were in the body,” does not separate the physical human being from the spiritual human being. The body here is the whole being, that which is sin addicted, body, mind, spirit and soul. Any other reading is born of a nonsensical Greco-Roman misunderstanding of the Hebrew consciousness. Shaul/Paul is not saying, as some have suggested, that the physical body is sinful as opposed to the pure spirit of humanity. These are the lies that became the foundation for Christian Gnosticism. This error is easily avoided by a correct, contextual and holistic Hebrew reading of the text. Notice that the Torah governs the sinful desires of the sin addicted human being, it does not inspire them. 6 But now we have been delivered because of the Torah, having died to that by which we were bound (we died to the first husband, sin), so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in the former legalistic way. The Torah in fact, has played an important role in our deliverance. Torah showed the need for death to sin and proposed the means of life from death. Therefore there is great truth in the colloquialism, “we are following the spirit of the law.” 7 What shall we say then? Is the Torah sin? A curse on it! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin if the Torah had not exposed it; for I would not have known about lust if the Torah had not said, “You shall not lust.” Torah doesn’t cause sin, rather, it exposes it for what it is. If we are unclear as to what is and isn’t error we have been given a very practical and life enhancing guide to help us make the distinction. This is added to the guidance of the Ruach ha-Kodesh and not in place of Him. 8 But sin, taking advantage of the commandment, produced in me lusting of every kind; for apart from the Torah sin is dead. Sin does not prosper because of the Torah, it misuses the Torah in order to produce lusting of every kind. The Torah shows us that sin leads to death, therefore without the Torah we end in death, apart from the clear knowledge of its cause. OR, when we die to the punitive aspects of the Torah sin dies also because it can no longer misuse the Torah to inspire lusting in us. Simply put, we become dead to the negative mitzvot (commandments) and alive to the positive mitzvot. An ancient form of positive reinforcement. 9 I once lived apart from the Torah; but when the commandment came, sin was exposed and (the just punishment revealed) I died (Just as Adam did not die instantaneously); The Torah once it was imparted to Israel, made a clear observational statement concerning the lives of all who had sinned prior to it being given, thus affirming the already manifest result of sin, that is death. 10 and this commandment, which was intended to result in life, proved to result in death for me; 11 for sin, taking advantage because of the commandment, deceived me and misusing the commandment it killed me. Notice that the Mitzvah (commandment) was intended to result in life. G-d’s purpose for Torah was to bring life through repentance (returning) based on the revelation of sin gained by a right understanding of the written Torah (Instruction). In what way did the Torah, “prove to result in death?” In that by failing to keep it, I died. Sin took advantage of the mitzvot and by misusing Torah it deceived me, leading me to death. “Rabbi Tanchuma said, ‘Ha-Kol (The voice) of HaShem went forth from Sinai in two ways: it killed the Goyim (Heathen, non-believer), who would not accept it; but it gave life to Israel, who accepted the Torah.’” (Exodus Rabbah 5:9) “Rabbi Yehoshuah ben Levi said, ‘What is the meaning of the verse, “And this is the Torah which Moses set before the children of Israel” (D’varim/Deuteronomy 4:44)? It means that if a person is meritorious, it becomes for him a medicine that gives life; but if not, it becomes a deadly poison.’ That is what Raba meant when he said, ‘If he uses it the right way it is a medicine of life for him, but for someone who does not use it the right way it is a deadly poison.’” (Yoma 72b) 12 So then, the Torah is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. 13 Therefore did that which is good (the Torah) become a cause of death for me? A curse on it! Rather it was sin (that became the cause of death), which is shown to be the cause of my death by that which is good (the Torah), so that through the commandment sin would be shown to be utterly sinful. Note that the Torah is not the cause of sin or death, it simply calls a spade a spade. The Torah is holy and the mitzvot are holy, not was but is, not were, but are! The good Torah exposed the result of the action of the sin nature, which is death. 14 For we know that the Torah is of the Spirit, but I am of the body/humanity, sold into bondage to sin. The Torah is of the Spirit of G-d, the Ruach ha-Kodesh. Therefore as sin addicted humans we have seen in its reflection the chains of our imprisonment to sin. That is prior to receiving Messiah. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.16 But if I do the very thing I don’t want to do, I agree with the Torah, confessing that the Torah is good. The issue of sin remains one of struggle for the believer. The difference for the believer is that by agreeing with the Torah in humility we find discipline in Messiah in place of punishment, which is the very thing we died to, in order that we might live in Messiah’s resurrection life. We have (past tense) been redeemed and are (present and ongoing) being made holy, set apart. Apart from Messiah we are in sin, in a sin affected world: Through Messiah we are in Messiah in a sin affected world. 17 So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my human body/humanity; for the will to do good is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. 19 For the good that I want, I don’t do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20 But if I am doing the very thing I don’t want, I am no longer the one doing it (I have become a slave to sin), but sin which dwells in me. In sin, we become slaves to sin, having sold ourselves into bondage to sin in order to be mastered by it (Romans 6). I believe Paul is impressing upon us the need to recognize who we are in Messiah, when he says, “I am no longer the one doing it,” he means that the real me is a child of G-d now, purchased by the blood of Messiah, a gift that I have already received, therefore I must see myself as G-d sees me outside of time, complete in fullness of life. That’s the real me. Whenever I allow myself to give in to sin I am putting on a costume, the sin costume is not the real me. Because I have been redeemed I must allow Messiah in me to strengthen my hand in removing the costume of sin which is a misrepresentation of who I really am. The costume is worn from the inside out, we are challenged to be on guard against allowing ourselves to be deceived into returning to slavery. Why? Because we are no longer slaves to the costume of sin, we are now servants of the King of Righteousness. 21I now understand this principle, that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 22 For I joyfully concur with the Torah of G-d in the inner person,23 but I see a different instruction in the members of my body, waging war against the Torah of my mind and making me a prisoner of the instruction of sin which is in my members (the parts of my body). The yetzer ha-ra—evil inclination—is present still, but the Torah is in my inner being and is able to govern the parts of my entire being from the inside out, as opposed to the written Torah which was only able to guide me from the outside in. The “Mind” here is not intended to be understood as separate from the body, rather it infers the mechanism for the guiding of the body’s nervous system. Therefore it is a metaphor for the fact that the Living Torah of G-d in me, is equipped to wage war against the anti-torah of sin which seeks to divert my attention and cause me to forget my identity, the real me, a child of Righteousness. 24 Wretched person that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? (That is the body of sin addiction) Without humility no one can receive the gift of G-d which is salvation in Yeshua our Adonai. In the light of HaShem I admit my wretchedness. 25 Thanks be to G-d through Yeshua Mashiyach our Adonai (Lord)! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the Torah of G-d, but on the other, with my body/humanity (sin addicted) the anti-torah—instruction of sin. Thank G-d through Messiah! My intention (mind) then, is to serve the Torah of HaShem which seeds my action from the center of my being. But on the other hand I am also aware that the spiritual battle against sin continues and that I must continue to resist it in the strength that has been given me through Messiah Yeshua. As I have stated previously, the Hebrew consciousness understands the human being in a holistic sense. While the human being has parts or members and various components that make up the whole, separation in an entirely detached sense is not acceptable to the Hebrew understanding of the person/human being. Notice that Shaul/Paul is showing that sin attempts to achieve the opposite of unity in us. G-d’s purpose for us is unity in Messiah, in G-d, and that unity will bring unity to our inner person so as to affect our entire being, our whole. We are to be echad (one) just as Messiah and the Father are echad. The Adversary seeks to pervert, destroy, sever, separate and detach us from the unity of G-d. In Messiah we find the means by which we can return to unity, not as assimilated non entities but rather as parts/members of a greater body. We are constantly challenged to retrain our thinking to come in line with our identity in Messiah. Shaul/Paul is reminding us that Messiah lives in us and that His Torah fills our minds for the purpose of distinguishing between who we are (servants of the good Torah/Messiah/G-d) and who we are not (slaves to sin). Thus, “be transformed by the renewing of your minds,” (Romans 12:2) not by controlling our own thoughts but by allowing the Torah/Messiah to renew our minds and redeem our humanity. It has become popular in our time to teach a sort of pseudo psychological renewing of the mind by one’s own will. This teaching has permeated the present Ecclesia of G-d and has now become quite prolific. By misusing the Scripture, “be transformed by the renewing of your minds,” (Romans 12:2) the false teaching presumes that we are the mechanism for that action. This could not be further from the truth, in fact, it is anti-Christ in nature because it sets the individual up as his or her own means of transformation: this is idolatry/rebellion, the root of sin. We must hold tight to the truth that we are saved by trust alone and not by our own efforts, lest anyone should boast (as many are now doing) that they have transformed themselves. In G-d it is Mashiyach alone who is our salvation (Yeshua) and our transformation, all else is idolatry. © 2014 Yaakov Brown It may come as a great shock to many disciples of Messiah to find that part of who we are, a component of our salvation in fact, and an identifying birthmark of new life, is suffering. An examination of Romans 6
6:1 What shall we say then, “Let’s keep on sinning, so that there can be more chesed (mercy, loving kindness, grace)”? 2 A curse on it! How can we, who have died to sin, still live by it? It’s safe to assume an air of incredulity in Paul/Shaul’s words as he rebukes the foolish notion that intentional sin gives birth to mercy. It’s the motivation behind this idea that is being addressed, the statement itself is just one of many false assumptions that the wicked will propose in contradiction to the truth of life in Messiah. Notice that Romans six doesn’t begin with a “therefore,” this is because it is a continuation of the dialogue of the previous chapter. The original Greek text did not include chapter headings and verse markers. As we progress we will find that the “therefore” of the current chapter comes much later in the chapter and returns our attention to the present verses. What we must keep in mind as we begin this chapter is that the concepts of original sin and the passing on of a sin addiction to humanity by Adam, are about be re-addressed and illuminated through the death and resurrection of Messiah. When we read of the “Old humanity,” we should understand the sin addiction which has perpetuated itself from Adam. 3 Don’t you know that those of us who have been immersed into the Messiah Yeshua have been immersed into his death? The practice of immersion in the mikvah (ritual bath) was part of daily Jewish religion for centuries prior to the birth of Messiah. This allegory is a powerful one for the Jewish mind. Some have rightly stated that the specific immersion being spoken of here is that of Messiah’s death, however this does not negate the intrinsic symbolism of the traditional Jewish mikvah as a platform for understanding what Shaul/Paul is trying to convey by the Ruach ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit). Note that had Paul only meant for this to refer to death he would not have said, “those of us who have (past tense) been immersed into Messiah Yeshua,” he is clearly speaking to immersed/baptized believers here. The mikvah was (and is) used for the cleansing of a woman’s body post menstruation, for the cleansing of a man’s body post nocturnal emission, for preparation in anticipation of the weekly Shabbat by devout orthodox men and for numerous other cleansing rituals. Immersion also plays a central part, along with circumcision, in the conversion of a gentile into the religion of Judaism. It is important to note that Judaism prefers full immersion to sprinkling except when specifically required by the Torah for certain functions such as anointing vessels, homes and with regard to oil used for anointing Priests and Kings. It is clear from Scripture that bodies of water are widely understood as a metaphor for death and in many cases the children of G-d pass through and or are brought out of the waters. Some examples are: Noah and the flood, Moses and Israel passing through the Sea of Reeds, Jonah the prophet cast into the deep and thrown up onto dry land after three days (Jonah was physically dead inside the great fish, his prayer was prayed from sheol—Jonah 2:2), and Peter the disciple of Yeshua who having sunk beneath the waves was lifted out of the raging waters by the Messiah. This adds weight to what Paul/Shaul is asking his listeners to identify with here. Immersion is also an accepted cleansing process, be it by fire, water or indeed death itself. Whatever takes place in death is revealed in the resurrected life. When we are immersed into the death of Messiah we are immersed through Him into death. This means we are taking on not only the characteristics of His resurrected self but we are also, prior to this, identifying with His suffering self. We cannot live a resurrected life without first having suffered with Him through a crucified life. This is not to say that we can earn our resurrection through our own suffering, on the contrary, it is only through His suffering that our suffering finds meaning. Messiah chose to die, He denied Himself and took up the instrument of His death. We are being asked by Shaul/Paul to identify with this. It may come as a great shock to many disciples of Messiah that part of who we are, a component of our very salvation in fact, and an identifying birth mark of new life, is suffering. “He was despised and rejected by humanity, A man of sorrows, familiar with anxiety and mourning; And like one from whom people hide their faces He was despised, and we did not honor Him.” - Yishaiyahu/Isaiah 53:3 (AJBV) Am I saying that we should chase after suffering? A curse on it! But we should be prepared to endure it if HaShem has purposed it for His glory. I didn’t say we had to enjoy it, I said we should be prepared to endure it. 4 Through immersion into his death we were buried with Him; so that just as, through the glory of the Father, the Messiah was raised from the dead, likewise we too might live a new life. Burial is the end of a physical life, a separation, but not a separation outside of HaShem, rather it is a temporary separation inside of HaShem. The physical separation of death here makes way for a metamorphosis, a metaphysical translation. That is, our new person takes on the minerals found in the soil of Messiah’s death and Messiah in us forms an intrinsic part of who we become in a spiritual resurrection. Not only are we spiritually transformed by the glory of G-d in Messiah, we also await a physical resurrection from the dead at the end of the age. Of course the one exception to this is for those who are still physically alive upon Messiah’s return, Shaul/Paul says elsewhere, “We shall not all die but we shall all be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:51) 5 For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we will also be united with Him in a resurrection like His. 6 We know that our old humanity was put to death on the cross with Him, so that the body of offense might be destroyed, and we might no longer be servants of sin. 7 For someone who has died has been freed from sin. Barukh HaShem! Here we are being given the seal to the promised good news that does away with the imputed addiction of original sin. The sin addicted body of the old humanity (permeated with the results of Adam’s rebellion) has been put to death on the cross of Messiah—He bore our transgressions. The entire body of our offence has been destroyed, not just covered but also wiped out completely. We have been emancipated, we are no longer servants to our previous master, sin. Having died with Messiah, metaphorically, and in another sense metaphysically, we are now free. 8 Now since we died with the Messiah, we emunah (trust) that we will also live with Him. 9 We know that the Messiah has been raised from the dead, never to die again; death has no authority over Him. Since we have (past tense) already died with Messiah, we trust that we will (present and future tense) also live with Him. Having been spiritually resurrected already, we also trust in G-d and look forward to the physical resurrection of the dead at the last day, when not only will we no longer live by sin, we will also no longer live in a sin affected creation. Once again we must turn our eyes to Messiah. All that we have become is only because of who He is and what He has done. Messiah has died and has been raised from the dead, never to die again! Why “never to die again?” Many of Israel’s prophets and even Messiah Himself had raised people from the dead: what makes Messiah different is that He will never return to the grave, in fact He holds the keys to death and hades in His hands. Yeshua has authority over death. “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, 18 and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.” - Revelation 1:17-18 10 For Messiah died once bearing sin; but now He lives, He lives for G-d. 11 In the same way, consider yourselves to be dead to sin but alive for God, by your union with the Messiah Yeshua. Messiah died once and now lives for G-d. We are to consider ourselves to have died once and to be dead to the old master sin. We are now alive in and for G-d through our having been united with Messiah. 12 Therefore, do not let sin rule in your mortal bodies, so that it makes you obey its desires; 13 and do not offer any part of yourselves to sin as an instrument for wickedness. On the contrary, offer yourselves to G-d as people raised from the dead, and your various parts to G-d as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will not have authority over you; because you are not beneath Torah but are beneath grace. Is Paul/Shaul contradicting himself here? He has just said we are considered dead to sin and now he warns us not to sin. How can we be dead to something and yet be in danger of continuing in it? Note the use of the terminology “mortal bodies.” We have been spiritually redeemed in Messiah but our mortal bodies will still receive the consequences of our temporal sin, one day we will physically die. The difference in those of us who have received the gift of G-d is that we are no longer servants to sin but are servants to G-d. We no longer live by sin but we still live in a sin affected creation (which crys out for reconciliation). Because we live in an environment that is permeated with sin (rebellion) we will continue to be tempted by sin. Therefore we must be aware of our surroundings and prepared to rely on our new Master, G-d Himself—in Messiah—for the strength to keep our mortal bodies from acting in the manner of the old humanity which has now died. This is not the same as attempting to earn salvation, to the contrary, the motivation of our heart to be intentional in keeping the Torah that is within us is proof of our having received chesed (grace), not out of obligation but simply as a type of metaphysical organic process. We no longer need a tank of Torah oxygen to aid our lungs because our lungs have been completely rejuvenated and are able to breathe Torah fluidly in order to filter out the sinful inclination—yetzer ha-ra—of the old humanity. 15 Therefore, what conclusion should we come to? “Let’s go on sinning, because we’re not beneath Torah but we are beneath chesed (grace)?” A curse on it! Here is the “therefore,” Paul/Shaul restates the opening statement of this chapter with the same incredulity. Some have said, “We are no longer under Torah, therefore we don’t need to worry about obeying it.” What nonsense, the reason we are no longer beneath the Torah is because Torah now lives in us through Messiah. Obedience is the fruit of trust. We are not saved for the purpose of breaking the Torah, nor are we saved by keeping it’s instructions, rather we are saved by the Instructor Himself and live in His Instruction (Torah), not by it. Once we lived by sin and in sin and outside of the Torah, now we live in Messiah by His resurrection and the Torah lives inside us. Therefore we are not beneath Torah but beneath chesed (loving kindness). 16 Don’t you know that if you present yourselves to someone to serve them, then you become a servant of the one whom you are obeying, you are servants — whether of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to being made righteous? We were once servants of sin which led to both physical and spiritual death. Now that we have been delivered from eternal spiritual death we must be intentional in our avoidance of those things that reflect a sin mastered life to others. We are being warned not to allow ourselves to return to the bondage of our old master like those who having left Egypt, complained to Moses, asking to return again to their bondage. 17 By God’s chesed (grace, mercy, loving kindness), you who were once servants of sin, obeyed from your heart the pattern of teaching to which you were exposed; 18 and after you had been set free from sin, you became servants of righteousness. The pattern of teaching we have believed and accepted is that of the Good News (Gospel) concerning Yeshua the Messiah. Our obedience comes from a heart of trust in G-d. We have (past tense) been freed from our old master sin and have now become servants/slaves to our new master righteousness Himself, ha-tzadik (The Righteous One, Yeshua). We are slaves because He purchased us, we are servants because He chose us, we are hired servants because we accepted His offer of remuneration, we are grateful slaves because we have been accepted as members of the commonwealth of His family Israel. 19 (I’m using physical analogies because your human nature is so weak.) Simply put, as infants in Messiah we are in need of physical allegories in order to hone our spiritual vision. For just as you used to offer your various parts as servants to impurity and lawlessness (anti-Torah), which led to more lawlessness (anti-Torah); so now offer your various parts as servants to righteousness, which leads to being made holy, set apart for God. We used to follow an anti-Torah, giving our mortal body parts over to its use. Now the Torah in us inspires us to use our bodies for right action as we are being set apart, we are a light to the nations for G-d’s good purpose. 20 For when you were servants of sin, you were free from righteousness; We should soberly contemplate this, after all, separation from HaShem (not that anything can exist outside of Him but rather that He seals it off from Himself within Himself) is the greatest terror of the human soul. Hell is just a word, the reality of being sealed in spiritual darkness is much worse than any earthly language could ever convey. 21 but what benefit did you derive from the things of which you are now ashamed? The end result of those things was death. When we look back we are not condemned, but we would be fools not to be embarrassed by our lack of self-control and our former pursuit of shameful sinful acts. The end result of those things is both physical and spiritual death. Thank G-d for His great love in His Son our Mashiyach Yeshua! 22 However, now that you are free from sin and have become servants of G-d, you bear fruit for the sake of being made holy, and set apart for G-d, the result is eternal life. We are set free, we are no longer mastered by sin, we are now servants/slaves of HaShem, we bear fruit (not, you will bear fruit, but “you bear fruit”), we are being (a process) set apart for G-d Himself, He is our reward and our worth, value. The result of what G-d has done for us through Yeshua is life everlasting. 23 For the wages of sin are death; but the gift of G-d is eternal life, in union with the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord. Death is earned but eternal life is received. And this is only possible in union with Mashiyach Yeshua our Adonai! © 2014 Yaakov Brown We have been reconciled in our suffering through His suffering An examination of Romans 5.
5:1 Therefore, having been justified by emunah (trust/faithfulness), Shaul/Paul asks us to remember what has already been said regarding the accountability of all humanity, the advantage of the Y’hudim, the acceptance of all who trust in the gift of G-d (Salvation) and our identity in trust having been recognized as children of Avraham. It is through trusting in G-d’s Son and His covering/wiping sacrificial death and resurrection that we have been (notice the past tense) justified. What does justification mean to the modern reader in light of its contextual meaning to Paul’s historical audience? The Greek dikaioō essentially means, to be pronounced righteous. Therefore, through trusting G-d in Messiah’s saving work we have become tzaddikim—righteous ones. This title, once reserved only for the heroes of Tanakh is now placed upon all who believe by trusting. It is interesting to note that Jewish mystical teaching suggests that there are 36 tzaddikim throughout the world in any given generation, however in my opinion and based on the teaching of Rav Shaul the Emissary of Mashiyach Yeshua, this is a gross underestimate. Barukh HaShem—Blessing comes from YHVH. We have shalom (Wholeness, structural integrity, security, deep peace) with G-d through our Lord Yeshua ha-Mashiyach, It is of fundamental importance that we understand that it is not trust in G-d alone that saves and justifies: rather it is the specific kind of trust that is born of the trust born sacrifice of Yeshua and His resurrection that saves and justifies. Only in this kind of trust (emunah) can we truly know the shalom of G-d. The Good News is that this is the trust that we have and because of this we have—past, present and future tense—shalom. Even more so, for we have received Sar Shalom—The Prince of Peace, Messiah Yeshua. 2 through whom we have entered by trust into this chesed (Mercy, grace, and loving kindness) in which we stand; and we rejoice in hope of the glory of G-d. Shaul/Paul continues to speak of Yeshua—you’d think he has meet Him face to face or something. How have we entered (past tense)? By trust. What have we entered into? Chesed, mercy, grace, loving kindness. We have entered into a continuing state of mercy, grace and loving kindness. This is the strength by which we stand firm. In what hope do we rejoice? In the hope of the Glory of G-d. What does the Glory of G-d look like? “It is the Glory of G-d to conceal a matter and it is the Glory of kings to search it out.” (Proverbs 25:2) The concealed matter has been found only by one King, King Yeshua the Son of HaShem. What is the Glory of G-d? His Glory is light, “and the earth shone with His glory.” (Ezekiel 43:2) When we hope we are looking to something that has yet to be fully realized. Light opens the way before us in this dark world, we no longer wander blindly flailing our way through the darkness, the hope of His Glory revealed leads the way. G-d’s Glory is a reflection of His character. We teach that “woman is the glory of man and that man is the glory of G-d. For a man ought not to wear his hair in an effeminate way, hanging down, since he is the image and glory of God; and the woman is the glory of man.” (1 Corinthians 11:7) We understand that the Son will come in the glory of His Father, “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father.” (Matthew 16:27) In part, we reflect that same glory. While we experience the guiding light of hope in Yeshua we also become—in ourselves—a guiding light to others who are walking in darkness. “For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; But the Lord will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you.” (Isaiah 60:2) 3 And not only this, but we also boast while we are in the midst of our suffering, knowing that pressure brings about patient waiting; 4 and patient waiting proves character; and proven character produces hope; But wait there’s more, remember when Paul told us that hypocritical actions were no cause to boast before G-d? Now he juxtaposes that concept with a right example of boasting, a form of boasting that promotes the work of G-d in the greatest struggles of life. I recall the first time I ever read this verse, “Are you kidding me?” I thought, “What kind of fakuchtah nonsense is this? You want me to boast about how good G-d is while I’m suffering? Are you completely meshugga? I don’t want to be patient, I want to be healed now and free of suffering. I don’t want my character proved, I don’t see any hope in any of this.” Fortunately for me G-d didn’t intend for me to manufacture my own hope, He didn’t require me to see the truth in any of my suffering. Instead He came along side me and suffered with me. What had been anathema to me has become my natural inclination in G-d, the more I have suffered the more His patience has been made available to me, the longer I have waited the more His faithfulness has been revealed, the impatience of selfishness is becoming the proven character of G-d in me and what is more I have done none of it. All this has born the fruit of hope. How ironic that the very thing the adversary might have used to destroy my trust was the very thing that strengthened it and more than that, it was the very thing that added hope to my trust. Let me now dust away the foolish formula of some that teach that we should be boasting about the suffering itself. “Boast about this cancer,” they say, “Glory to G-d,” they say. Is cancer the glory of G-d? Is suffering the result of a sinless creator? A curse on it! No, never. Suffering itself is the result of sin’s entering the world. This Scripture does not instruct us to boast in the suffering, rather it says that “in our suffering we are to boast of our hope in Yeshua, in G-d.” Let me be clear, death is garbage, suffering is abhorrent, but G-d is worth boasting about, Messiah is worthy of our boasting, for He is the One who has swallowed up death with victory. Notice the progression of verses 3-4: firstly we boast about G-d, then we take that knowledge as a secure foundation and hold tight to it in Messiah, after this we do the only thing a weak helpless sufferer can do, we let go and wait. Why? Because He never lets go. Letting go is the price of freedom. Waiting is letting go. We don’t produce patience, G-d produces patience in us. We don’t build character, G-d builds His character in us. We don’t produce hope, G-d does. He is our hope--Ha-tikvah! 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of G-d has been poured out within our hearts through the Ruach ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit) who was given to us. Why is it that hope doesn’t disappoint? It is because the love of HaShem has been (past tense) poured out (like the oil of the anointing of kings) within (not outside of) our core being (in Hebrew context the heart l’vav is the intersection of all the parts of the whole person, it is a metaphor for the center of our being) through the person of the Ruach ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit, the Spirit of G-d, the Spirit of Yeshua) who was (past tense) given (not a free gift but a gift which cost Yeshua everything) to us—we who received Him in humility. 6 For while we were still without strength, at the right time Messiah died for the ungodly. We are reminded here yet again that we were not redeemed through our own strength or action but through Messiah alone. Messiah entered time at a point when our weakness, our inability to save ourselves was most profoundly manifest in us. Messiah entered history at the perfect time in order to fill to perfection the requirements of the Tanakh and her prophetic pronouncement of Him. He also entered into the lives of each of us as individuals at the perfect time, while we were weak, suffering, without strength to save ourselves, He entered our chronology and although we were rebellious people, He died for us. 7 For one will hardly die for a good person; though perhaps for a tzadik (a righteous person) someone might dare to die. In fact, having seen the end from the beginning Messiah died for the righteousness that was to come through His righteousness. 8 But G-d demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Messiah died for us. The crucifixion and resurrection of Messiah Yeshua was and is a physical reality, a metaphysical transformation, a kinetic event, and an historical and eternal demonstration of G-d’s love. Our salvation preceded our consent and took place in the midst of our disobedience. 9 Much more then, having now been justified (given right standing before G-d) by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of G-d through Him. Now that we are secure in our justified position before and in G-d through the blood (sacrificial and atoning death) of Messiah, we need no longer be concerned with the wrath of G-d because we have (past tense) been saved from condemnation and have entered into discipline. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to G-d through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. We were reconciled through death, we are saved by life. Here we understand that death is a vehicle whereas life is a person. Death was used by G-d to defeat itself but Life Himself has become our life, having swallowed up death in victory. We were reconciled through Yeshua’s death and we are saved by His life. 11 And not only this, but we also rejoice in G-d through our Lord Yeshua ha-Mashiyach, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Again we rejoice, we boast in G-d through Yeshua our lord because we have been reconciled in our suffering through His suffering. 12 Therefore, just as through one Anthropos (human being) sin entered into the kosmos (world), and death through sin, and so death spread to all humanity, because all have missed the mark (sinned)-- It is here that many will want to address the so called doctrine of original sin. While the scope of this commentary does not allow for an in depth analysis of the doctrine of original sin, there are some important presumptions that need to be addressed regarding—at very least—the rigid and often incorrect Augustinian view of early Christianity. To put the above passage another way, “It was through the rebellion of one human being that sin entered the world and death using sin as a vehicle also entered. Having entered, death was passed on to all humanity; because, both as a race and as individuals we have chosen to miss the mark with regard to G-d’s standard.” Firstly it should be observed that this passage doesn’t presume guilt upon the inception of each human being, rather is states that all have missed the mark. It is important to note that death is a vehicle that finds its fuel in the errors of humanity. This does not mean that the components that make up the fuel are automatically guilty. One of the best ways to explain the inherent sin nature is to tell a parable, in Hebrew mashlam. Terra, Chavah and the Poppy – a mashlam of Yaakov: There was once a righteous father who had a beautiful daughter name Chavah. When his daughter came of age he married her to a young man named Terra and as a wedding gift he purchased some fine farm land in a remote and serene area of the country, in a place named Olam. Before he released his daughter and son in law to go to their new home he gave them a solemn warning: “There is an enemy of our tribe who seeks out our barley crops and seeds them with a dangerous plant called a poppy. This plant grows among the barley and produces beautiful flowers with pods that are consumed by our enemies to practice their dark religion. As soon as you see these plants among the grain, destroy them. Do not use these plants or they will cause you to become very ill and die.” Both Terra and Chavah agreed to heed his advice and they left for their new home filled with great excitement. One night soon after they had planted their first barley crop, the father’s enemy crept into the field and sowed the seeds of the poppy among the grain furrows. Some months hence when Terra and Chavah began to harvest the barley they noticed poppies growing among the grain. Chavah said to Terra, “Look how beautiful they are.” “But your father told us to destroy them if we ever saw them.” “Surely if father had seen them and how beautiful they are he would never have told us to destroy them.” “Okay,” Terra conceded, “lets pick them then, we can find a use for them tonight after we have finished binding the sheaves.” So, that evening Terra and Chavah crushed and consumed the poppy pods for the first time. The following morning they felt guilty for what they had done and resolved not to use the poppy again but the next night, being overwhelmed with desire for the poppies euphoria inducing properties they gave in and consumed the poppy for the second time. Having now become addicts they decided to grow poppies alongside their barley crop to feed their addiction. One year later Chavah gave birth to her first child and named him kosmo. Kosmo was a frail child who suffered from fevers and shaking sickness. One night Chavah and Terra concluded that the child might benefit from the poppy and so they administered the oil to their child. The child, who had been born with an inherited addiction to the poppy oil, soon became a frequent user of the oil and as he grew he developed more effective ways of propagating and using it. As time went by many generations of addicted children were born to the children of Chavah and Terra and thus the perpetual cycle of poppy consumption continued throughout the generations in the land of Olam. One day many centuries later a descendant of Chavah’s father came to the land of Olam and settled there. He married a local woman and she bore him a child. This child was different from the other children of Olam because his father’s genealogical make up had affected the addictive nature of his mother’s bloodline in such a way as to neutralize the addiction. The child’s name was Joshua and as he grew he began to observe the negative effects of the poppy and the way that it sent many a member of the community to an early grave. Because he loved his mother’s people he decided to try and convince them to destroy the poppies and return to the way of life of his father’s ancestors. This infuriated many but others were drawn to his teaching and supported him with food and lodging so that he could share his message throughout the land of Olam. As Joshua’s followers grew in number the leaders of the community of Olam became jealous and decided to have Joshua put to death on trumped up charges of treason. In spite of his followers best efforts Joshua was killed one night in his parent’s field and his blood ran into the soil and was soaked up by some recently planted barley. When morning came and his friends—having heard of his murder-- sought him out in his parent’s field, they found that his body was gone and in its place grew an oddly colored barley stalk that had grown up too full maturity overnight. In memory of their friend the followers of Joshua made a special loaf out of the blood colored barley and ate it together. The following day when they returned to the field two more blood red barley stalks had grown and so they again made a loaf and ate. On the third day after his death they discovered three stalks of blood red barley and as they ate the loaf made from the barley in their homes that evening Joshua appeared sitting at the table. They were all stunned by his appearance and could not speak. Then Joshua spoke to them asking: “Have any of you desired the poppy over the last three days?” After a few moments silence they responded in one voice: “No Joshua, not once.” Then one of Joshua’s closest friends Jacob piped up and said: “We have only desired to eat the bread made from the strange barley you planted in your parent’s field.” “The bread you have been eating is made from the barley seed that soaked in my blood and it has passed on to you the enzyme in my blood that neutralizes the addiction to the poppy. You are free,” he said, “Go throughout the land of Olam and tell everyone you can find about the new grain, for it will begin to take over my parent’s field until there is enough for all to eat and be restored to health and to the traditions of my father’s forebears.” Explanation of Chavah, Terra and the poppy: A baby born to a drug addicted parent is not guilty of the parents original choice to take the addictive substance, but without the proper treatment that same child will have an inherent tendency toward addiction and will eventually choose of their own free will to sin by taking the addictive substance, it is only at this point that the child becomes guilty, though he has always been addicted. It is the same with humanities fallen nature, we are all born into an addicted world but that doesn’t imply guilt at conception, rather we each die for our own sin because, as the Scripture says, “All have sinned.” Through Yeshua’s blood however we are able to receive a transfusion that neutralizes our addiction and enables us to choose what is right, thus we become righteous through His blood and by His life in us. After all, the Scripture also says, “The life is in the blood.” 13 for until the Torah (Instruction) sin was in the world, but sin is not accounted for when there is no Torah. It is clear from this Scripture that sin was still considered rebellion by G-d even when it could not be properly recorded by humanity. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses (Giving of the Torah), even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam (Specifically the first man), who is a type of Him who was to come. Because humanity continued to choose rebellion the consequence of the original rebellion remained and people continued to die in spite of the fact that the Torah wasn’t given until Moses. The death that came as a result of the one man Adam’s sin is the antithesis to the life that will come through the one man Yeshua, thus Adam is a type for Yeshua. 15 But the gift is not like the offence (Original rebellion). For if by the offence (Adam’s choice to rebel) of the one the many died, much more did the chesed (Mercy, grace, loving kindness) of G-d and the gift by the chesed (grace) of the one Man, Yeshua Mashiyach, abound to the many. The limited power of the offence (this is worth contemplating, I have just called the resulting death of sinful humanity “limited power”) is a like a snow flake on the surface of the Sun. The one man Adam may have been the catalyst for humanity’s demise but the one man Yeshua has swallowed up the temporary power of death with the eternal power of life. 16 The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one offence (rebellion/idolatry) resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the gift arose from many offences resulting in justification. 17 For if by the offence (of Adam) of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of chesed (grace) and of the gift of righteousness (right standing with G-d) will reign in life through the One, Yeshua Mashiyach. In Messiah Life takes precedent over death, His one righteous act redeems many. This gift is not free as some translations suggest (the word free is not present in the Greek text.) In fact it has cost Messiah everything. Thank G-d that in His life Yeshua receives an eternal inheritance and many sons. 18 So then as through one offence (that of Adam’s rebellion) there resulted condemnation to all humanity, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all humanity. This doesn’t mean that all humanity is automatically saved, Paul has previously stated that the gift of salvation must be received in order for it to take effect for the individual and so for the whole—that is those who have received the gift. Universalism is a foolish notion born of a singular non-contextual misinterpretation of limited Scriptural texts. All have the opportunity to accept the gift of salvation but as the Revelation of John affirms, not all will be saved. 19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. It is the obedience of Messiah that has made us righteous. One righteous act. 20The Torah entered to demonstrate that the offence had increased; but where sin increased, chesed (grace) increased all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, even so loving kindness/grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Yeshua Mashiyach our Adonai (lord). The Torah did not cause sin to increase as some translations suggest, rather at the point in time when the Torah was revealed, humanity had proliferated its rebellion and therefore out of love G-d gave us the Torah to expose our increased sinfulness so that we might be drawn back to Him in loving kindness. For although sin had increased, the increase of G-d’s chesed/mercy is eternal, past, present and future and was already beginning to consume death in the one righteous act of His Son, who, outside of time and space had already redeemed humanity through His death and given us the possibility of life in His resurrection. Therefore the loving kindness of G-d reigns through the right action of G-d unto eternal life through Messiah Yeshua our lord. © 2014 Yaakov Brown I am your shield, your very great worth! An examination of Romans 4
4:1 What shall we say therefore, that Avraham Aveinu--Abraham (father of many peoples) our father—has discovered regarding the flesh? 2 For if Avraham was justified by working, he has something to boast about, but not before G-d. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham trusted G-d, and it was credited to him as righteousness--right standing with G-d.” Shaul/Paul continues his diatribe/rhetoric/rabbinical discussion by addressing the first century Jewish understanding of z’khut-avot—merits of the fathers’. The Amidah (standing prayer) is an essential part of daily Jewish prayer. The words, “zokher chasdei-avot”--You remember the good deeds of the patriarchs—are pronounced in the first blessing of this prayer several times a day. The traditional rabbinical understanding infers a reward for the descendants of the patriarchs’. Shaul/Paul’s teaching doesn’t deny the value of being circumcised children of Avraham, rather he revises the way that z’khut-avot is to be understood. In Paul’s view the merit is G-d’s, the patriarchs offer an inheritance of trust, that is, they have accepted G-d’s gift by faith/trust and pass on this principal to their descendants. However each descendant must trust G-d for themselves, no one merits right standing with G-d based on the trust of an ancestor. This understanding is an affront to the then and present perspective of rabbinical Judaism, however it is by definition a Hebrew understanding, after all Avraham is ha-Ivri—the Hebrew. Note that Avram has something to boast about based on his working, but not before G-d. In other words, a man may boast to others about what he has done and achieved and at times this may impress his hearers but this will never give him right standing before G-d. The Scripture in question is Genesis 15:6. In typical rabbinical style Shaul/Paul is providing the premise for the remaining verses of the chapter. He intends that the whole portion of Genesis 15 be understood by the reader/hearer. INSERT: Genesis 15 15 After these things the Word (d’var, Yeshua) of the L-rd (YHVH) came to Avram (father of a people) in a vision, saying, “Do not fear, Avram, I am your magen—shield; Your me’od (very), rabah (great) sakar (worth).” Notice that the text here reads Avram (father of a people) and not Avraham (father of many peoples). The inception of Avram’s belief happens when he is father of only one people: a people without an heir. Avram had recently fought and won a great battle by G-d’s hand, now HaShem (YHVH) was assuring Avram of his security in Him. The love and protection of HaShem is offered to Avram prior to his accepting G-d’s gift by trusting/faithfulness. The New Testament reminds us that we love Him because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19) HaShem states as fact that He is Avram’s shield—protection, shelter, security—by extension He is the shield of all who believe by faith/trust. HaShem states that He Himself is Avram’s big, great worth. English translations that suggest that G-d is simply offering a great reward to Avram forget that Avram has earned no reward. Nor will he earn a reward for trusting. On the contrary, in the previous chapter of Genesis Avram refuses a reward for his role in defeating King Kedorlaomer and his allies. What G-d is giving is credited to Avram, the Hebrew, “sakar” should be understood as worth/value: in other words, “I am your great worth.” Avram and his descendants—both by flesh and by faith—find their worth/value in G-d. At this point the Word (d’var) appears to Avram in a vision but as things progress we see a transition in the appearance of the Word (Yeshua) 2 Avram said, “Adonai (lord, master) HaShem (YHVH), what will You give me, since I am childless, and the ben (son & heir) of my house is Eli-ezer (my G-d is a helper, advocate) of Damascus?” 3 And Avram said, “Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir.” It seems that at this point Avram is seeking a physical proof of G-d’s promise. At this time in history a man sought a son to continue his family name and line, Avram had only a male servant to pass on his name to. He clearly had his heart set on a male heir born of his own seed. Consider the names and their meanings: Avram, which has at its core the meaning father (HaShem) and Eli-ezer which represents G-d as Helper or Advocate (Ruach ha-Kodesh, the Holy Spirit). It seems that Avram’s request is not too far off the mark. After all a son is the only missing part of the whole from Avram’s point of view. From HaShem’s perspective however all are present: D’var (Yeshua, Son), Eli-ezer (Ruach ha-Kodesh, Advocate) and Avram (HaShem, The Father). 4 Then behold, the Word (d’var, Yeshua) of HaShem came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.” Thus, the Son (Yeshua, d’var) comes to Avram (father of a people) from ha-Av (the Father) to pronounce the birth of a son, Yitzchack (he laughs, with joyous fulfillment). The son born to Avram will manifest both his physical and spiritual hope. He will be a prophetic type for Mashiyach. Thus The Son prophecies a son. Note that this appearance of the Word (Yeshua) is not in a vision as before, in fact we will soon see that the Word acts in a physical way in leading Avram out to gaze at the stars. 5 And He (the d’var, Yeshua) took him outside (a physical interaction) and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” The Word took him outside, the Word didn’t lead him outside or tell him to go outside, rather He (The Word) took him outside, a physical act. Some have called this the pre-incarnate Messiah but it is not necessary for Him to be pre-incarnate: after all, upon resurrecting from the dead and going to be with the Father Messiah is once again beyond the limitations of time and space. In other words the one who was before creation, who had entered the chronology of humanity as the man-God Messiah is now, in his resurrected state, able to reenter the chronology of humanity at any point. Thus it is an incarnation of Messiah who meets with Avram, He is G-d with us, He knows the end from the beginning and reveals it to Avraham. The stars become a symbolic promise of the multitude of descendants of Avram. Many years hence a star will return the nations to G-d and they will send representatives to Israel, to Bethlehem to behold the Son of promise ha-melekh Yeshua the King of righteousness who would offer redemption to both Israel (a people) and the goyim (many peoples). The promised Son would once again be offered by a father only this time the Son would physically die and rise again for the purpose of redeeming all who would accept His sacrificial death and His life giving resurrection. 6 Avram trusted HaShem (YHVH); and HaShem credited it to him as righteousness. Avram accepts what HaShem has offered as a gift (not payment for services rendered) and has already completed outside of time. It is the relational act of trusting that is the catalyst for redemption. HaShem has trusted Avram to trust HaShem. HaShem trusts you to trust Him in the same way a parent trusts a teenager to trust in their parental protection and deep love and concern. Because G-d knows you and because He knows the end from the beginning He is able to trust you with His ultimate gift of love, the gift of His Son. Say these words to yourself, “G-d trusts me.” Now repeat the words with this addition, “G-d trusts me to trust Him.” Brother, sister, The Father of all creation trusts you to trust Him, He rejoices over you with singing. “HaShem your Elohim is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves (Yeshua). He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” –Zephaniah 3:17 7 And He said to him, “I am the HaShem who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess it.” 8 He said, “Adonai HaShem, how may I know that I will possess it?” 9 So He said to him, “Bring Me a three year old heifer, and a three year old female goat, and a three year old ram, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, and laid each half opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds. 11 The birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Avram drove them away. Avram admits to HaShem his frailty of belief, he asks for a physical, tactile, kinetic symbol of affirmation. Admission of the frailty of doubt is not the same as rebellious doubt: one is a show of humility, the other a rebellion born of pride. Avram exhibits the former here. Notice that this sacrifice does not emulate the later sacrifices of Israel’s priesthood. The High priest of creation is facilitating this sacrifice. The accuser Satan detests it because he sees in it the birth of salvation and a turning back to HaShem of the creation. Hence the birds of prey, G-d does not prey on humanity or her offerings, on the contrary He seeks her reconciliation. 12 Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Avram; Notice that Avram is in a deep sleep when this covenant promise takes place. The only one then responsible for its fulfillment is HaShem Himself. Where other covenants are conditional on right action on the part of Israel/humanity, this covenant is reliant entirely on the faithfulness of G-d alone. And behold, terror and great darkness fell upon him. 13 God said to Avram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years. 14 But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with many possessions.15 As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you will be buried at a good old age. G-d doesn’t hide pain and suffering from His children, He journeys with us through pain and suffering and in the midst of it He gives us hope and a promise of freedom and prosperity in the days ahead. Our suffering is real but temporary, G-d, who suffers with us will bring us into eternal peace. Like Avram we will rest in peace, this is not a colloquial expression denoting death, to the contrary it is a promise promoting life. The darkness may last for a night but joy comes in the morning! 16 Then in the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete.” This refers to the fact that the evil actions and practices of the Amorites will reach a time of judgment when G-d sends Israel against them to wipe out their rebellious and idolatrous worship of false gods. 17 It came about when the sun had set, that it was very dark, and behold, there appeared a smoking pot and a flaming torch which passed between these pieces. 18 On that day HaShem (YHVH) made a covenant with Avram, saying, “To you descendants I have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates: Notice yet again that Avram is not the one making this covenant nor is he participating in it, he is in a deep sleep. HaShem alone makes this covenant and offers as a physical promise the land of Israel to Avram’s direct descendants that is the descendants of the promised son Yitzchak. This is a promise reliant on G-d alone, a promise that He will credit the land of Israel to the Jewish people. As followers of Yeshua we can also see the allegorical truth that the promise of our saving relationship with G-d and our hope in the Olam haba (World to come) is not reliant on our ability but is entirely reliant on the faithfulness of G-d. This is Shalom (peace, security, wholeness, surrounding fidelity.) Back to Romans 4:4 4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his emunah (faithfulness) is credited as righteousness (right standing with G-d), 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom G-d credits righteousness apart from hypocritical works: 7 “Blessed are those whose (Adam) rebellious deeds have been forgiven, And whose offences have been kaparah (covered, wiped away.) 8 “Blessed is the human being (Adam) who’s Perversity HaShem (YHVH) will not take into account.” Shaul/Paul affirms what the account of Avram tells us, that G-d alone redeems us. We are entirely unable through any work of our own to earn salvation (Yeshua). Logically speaking, even our very nature tells us that we cannot earn another person. Salvation is a person, His name is Yeshua. Human beings who have received the free gift of G-d experience this wonderful truth, that our rebellion (perpetual sin nature, yetzer hara) has been forgiven, that the individual offences we have committed (past, present and future) have been covered over and wiped away by Yeshua our kaparah, and HaShem Himself will no longer hold our perversity against us: meaning we no longer stand in condemnation but have been (past tense) redeemed and are being made Holy (set apart) unto G-d alone for all eternity. It is finished! Paul does not end there however: the quotation of Psalm 32 leads us upon yet another midrashic journey of illumination. INSERT: A Psalm of David. A Maskil (rhythm). 32 How blessed are those (Adam) whose rebellion is forgiven, Whose offences are kaparah (covered)! 2 How blessed is the person (Adam) to whom HaShem does not impute perversity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit! This is the platform for all human hope. 3 When I kept silent, my bones decayed Through my groaning in the height of the day. 4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah. (I pause to contemplate) The psalmist reminds us that when we attempt to deny our sin by keeping silent before G-d we only hurt ourselves. G-d’s hand then becomes heavy upon us by means of discipline because He disciplines the ones He loves. We are asked to pause and soberly contemplate this. This reminds us again that G-d’s wrath is an act of love. 5 I acknowledged my offences to You, And my perversity I did not hide; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to HaShem”; And You forgave the perversity of my offences. Selah. (I pause to contemplate) The acknowledgement of sin on our part doesn’t benefit G-d, it benefits us. He has given us the gift of confession in order to birth in us a cycle of growth and renewal. Through confession we receive what has already been offered, forgiveness, not only of individual acts but also of the perpetual nature of sin itself. Again the psalmist sees this as a point of contemplation. 6 Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him. This is a challenge to be faithful (emunah). The alternative to faithful trust is drowning in our own folly. While G-d is always close to us we are sometimes unable to find Him because of the walls we have built up of our own fruition. When we act of our own strength we steal away the freedom of G-d. 7 You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah. (I pause to contemplate) We are utterly and completely secure in G-d. Ask a friend to grip your wrist with both hands and with all their strength, then try to pull your hand free. This is the grip of grace. Contemplate it. 8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; Which way should I go? “Peace child, rest, I will instruct you.” I will counsel you with My eye upon you. When my wife and I are in a crowded room some distance from each other and I need some fresh air, I am able to catch her eye and with a certain look and a glance toward the door I can indicate to her that I want to go outside with her. The leading of the eyes is an intimate action. This is what it means to belong to G-d in Messiah. 9 Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding, Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check, Otherwise they will not come near to you. 10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked, A final warning from one who has been there done that. Don’t allow your stubborn heart to refuse G-d’s loving hand or He will be forced to use the bridle for your good. A wicked core produces a sorrowful outcome, instead, choose joy. But he who trusts in HaShem, chesed (mercy, loving kindness) shall surround him. 11 Be glad in HaShem and rejoice, you righteous (right standing before G-d) ones; And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart. David finishes the way he began, affirming our position as children of G-d. You who trust HaShem, know that you are soaking in the chesed (mercy, loving kindness) of G-d. You are a sponge soaked in mercy. So be glad in this knowledge, shout for joy at the understanding that you are secure in Him. Back to Romans 4:9 9 Is this blessing then on the circumcised only, or on the fore-skinned also? For we say, “Faith was credited to Avraham (Avram) as righteousness.” Notice that Shaul/Paul uses Avraham, while the Scripture he had formerly quoted specifically says Avram. He knows that his Jewish listeners will realize the wordplay and understand that he is interchanging the meanings of the names. Shaul is saying that the father of many nations (Avraham) whom Israel claims as hers alone is in actuality the father of a nation (Avram) which is the commonwealth of Israel reconciled to the nations of the world through Messiah. This doesn’t negate Israel’s unique physical identity but it does make a way for all who believe by trusting to enter into the kingdom of G-d. 10 How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or fore-skinned? Not while circumcised, but while fore-skinned; 11 and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness (right standing with G-d) of the faith which he had while fore-skinned, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of Aveinu Avraham (our father Abraham) which he had while fore-skinned. Avraham’s righteousness was credited to him prior to him becoming ha-Ivri (The Hebrew) and thus all people who believe by trusting share Avraham as a venerated father of faith. As a sign of his faith he received circumcision just as all who believe receive the sign of a circumcised heart—which Paul has already alluded to. Shaul/Paul affirms the Jew as one who while being circumcised can also believe by faith and the sign of his physical circumcision will be a reminder of his heart circumcision. What advantage has the Jew? Much, in every way! 13 For the promise to Avraham and to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law of circumcision, but through the righteousness of faithfulness. 14 For if those who are of the Law of physical circumcision are heirs based on circumcision, faith is made void and the promise is nullified; 15 for the Torah brings about wrath (reveals sin), but where there is no Torah (That is when the issue is an entirely separate one, that of faith), there also is no violation. Something that is not governed by law is not subject to law. Shaul/Paul illuminates this principal further in his letter to the Galatian ecclesia: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” –Galatians 5:22-23 16 For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law of circumcision, but also to those who are of the faith of Avraham, who is the father (Av) of us all, 17 (as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even G-d, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist. All who believe by trusting will receive the free gift of G-d. This is affirmed by the fact that G-d both redeemed Avraham’s son Isaac with a ram and redeemed the nations with His Son the Ram of G-d who takes away the sins of the world. This is likened to the act of creation itself. G-d bara (creates from the nonexistent) a new heart in each of us, as the Scripture says elsewhere, “The old has gone, the new has come.” 18 In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” Avraham, leaning against Hope for support, placed all his hope in HaShem and His promise. 19 Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb;20 yet, with respect to the promise of G-d, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to G-d, Although he was physically incapable of seeding children and knew that his wife was also barren, he none the less did not even flinch in unbelief but became even more convinced of the faithfulness of G-d. 21 and being fully assured that what G-d had promised, He was able also to perform. Avraham was fully assured, that is G-d had fully assured him. We too can know this assurance, not by achieving it ourselves but simply by receiving it from G-d. He assures us, this is not our responsibility. 22 Therefore it was also credited to him as righteousness. Formerly Avram had trusted G-d for the Promised Land and it was credited to him as right standing with G-d, now for a second time he trusts G-d according to the promise of a son and heir. This too is credited to him as right standing with G-d. Notice that Avram is not a one hit wonder, rather his faith is shown as faithfulness, his trust as trustworthiness. 23 Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, 24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Yeshua (Jesus) our Lord from the dead, 25 He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification. We who have trusted G-d in Messiah Yeshua are children of the faith of Avraham. Like our venerated father Avraham we can be assured by G-d, trusted to trust Him and able to believe the impossible at the very Word of G-d Himself. Go outside and count the universes, if you can (I know you can’t) thus will your eternity be, this is the promise of G-d, that leaning on Him as our hope we will hope in Him for the reconciliation of creation, the physical resurrection of the dead and the Olam Haba (World to come), where we will dwell with Him forever. Child of the faith of Avraham, G-d has credited your trust in Him to you as right standing with Him through His Son Yeshua. You are in Messiah in G-d. Child of G-d you are blessed because your rebellion is forgiven, Your offences are kaparah (covered)! You are blessed because G-d no longer holds your perversity against you, His Spirit in you doesn’t deceive! G-d cannot lie! © 2014 Yaakov Brown Torah is established by G-d’s faithfulness, our trusting Him does not negate His Instruction, rather it illuminates it and gives it greater significance. An examination of Romans 3.
Romans 3 is one of the most misunderstood chapters of this wonderful letter: Calvin continues to demand predestination alone while Arminius insists on free will, neither one understanding that they have embraced a false choice. Rather than enter the mystery of faith and action, some modern Christian commentators have also demanded that we take sides. Thus begins the false battle between faith and works. It is almost as if we were being asked to choose sides between two friends who have no argument with one another. Faith and Works were having a picnic, then along came a group of Christian scholars who proceeded to fight over who had the better sandwiches. “It’s Faith” said one, “His sandwiches just seem to melt on my tongue, I don’t even need to chew.” “No,” said another, “Work’s sandwiches are much more satisfying, the flavor in the meat is released as I chew giving me a great sense of fulfillment.” The argument continued, becoming more and more animated and volatile: in the end it drew much blood. Meanwhile Faith and Works had sneaked away to another park to enjoy a peace filled afternoon, each eating what was left of the other’s sandwiches. I have stated previously that, faith and works do not oppose one another, faith is a beating heart and right action is its life blood, neither one can function without the other and both fulfill the meaning of emunah (faith) which is the joining of faith and fullness as faithfulness. As we begin this chapter of Romans, let’s hold lightly the teachings of our forebears and expose them to the light of Mashiyach that they might be gleaned for truth and that we might see the chaff blown away. We are about to cradle the mystery of faith and salvation and receive the sum of justification (being declared righteous) and eternal hope. The Pauline Rhythm: Shaul the rabbi to the Y’hudim and Paul the rabbi to the Goyim work in an authentic rhythm of key thought and explanation throughout Romans. At certain catalytic points Shaul seeds Jewish thought, sending the Jewish mind on a homiletic discovery and then proceeds to explain those core concepts in a way that the Gentile mind can comprehend. From the beginning of Romans Shaul/Paul initiates a rhythm of speaking first to those who first received the Logion—Word essence—of G-d and then he equally illuminates that Word essence to Jews and Greeks alike in a unique dialogue that each one can understand simultaneously. For example, in Romans 3:29 Shaul reminds the Jewish believers that G-d is echad—one, alone. This triggers a recollection of their tri-daily recitation of the Shema, meanwhile Paul solidifies the argument by presenting the obvious conclusion, that G-d’s oneness establishes the Torah through faith, an idea the Gentiles would rather do away with, not wanting to be exposed by that same Torah, preferring rather to participate in Greek freedom which leads to bondage. This rhythm allows Shaul/Paul to minister to two unique people groups while maintaining a unified Gospel message of redemption through the faithfulness of G-d in the sacrificial death of His Son, whose own faithfulness bears example to the adopted children of G-d, the members of the Way. Without Rhythm a song wanders aimlessly, boring the listener and ending unresolved. Rhythm drives a song, gives it purpose, steers it toward an objective. Rhythm unites the many instruments and guides them in singular passion toward completion. This kind of song is a pleasure to listen to and leaves the listener with a satisfied soul. This is the song of HaShem, the rhythm of a life in Him. Yeshua is Shaul/Paul’s rhythm, He also offers His eternal rhythm to our lives at the present time. 3:1 Then what advantage is there in being Jewish? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2 There is great advantage in every respect. Notice that Rav Shaul (Paul) says, “There is great advantage to being Jewish in every way!” Not just in some small way but in every way, not just advantage but great advantage. This is where we learn that favor is not the same as partiality, HaShem has said, “Jacob I have loved but Esau I have hated.” HaShem judges Jacob and Esau impartially but He favors Jacob. In Rabbinic methodology the previous verse reads as a kal v’chomer (lite and heavy) argument. HaShem doesn’t hate Esau as such, but the comparison is made to emphasis the favor placed on Jacob and his lineage. First of all, Jews have been entrusted with the logion—utterances; Aramaic: memra, Hebrew: d’var—words of G-d. So why do Jews have great advantage in every way? Because we have been entrusted with the very logion (cosmic word essence of G-d, a person) in written form. The memra (Aramaic) and d’var (Hebrew) are both personal representations of G-d’s Word (Yeshua: Yochanan 1:1). From the inception of the Hebrew nation at Sinai G-d imparted by flame the engraved words of the Torah. Words engraved by the finger of G-d Himself. So yes, firstly we have the Word, though at first we may not have recognized Him (Yeshua). Thus, “Great advantage in every way!” 3 What then? If some did not believe, will their unbelief nullify the emunah (trust/faith/faithfulness) of G-d, will it? 4 Heaven forbid/A Curse on it!--qelalah (Hebrew); ginomai-me (Greek) literaly ‘No, Never!’ So are the Jews that don’t believe now forsaken? Will their refusal of the Word/Torah (Yeshua) cancel out the faithfulness of G-d? Absolutely no way, I cough up a mucus clump and spit on that idea, cursing it to kever—the earth, dust, and to Abaddon—destruction! –A. J. Brown paraphrase Romans 3:3 While the Greek literally translates, “No, never!” the same Greek phrase is used in the Septuagint—Greek Old Testament—to translate the Hebrew “qelalah,” which means, “A curse on it,” or “Heavens forbid,” inferring G-d’s controlling interest but not naming Him directly. Jews would not have said “G-d forbid” as some translations read because the Name of G-d is holy and pronunciation even of the generic term for G-d Elohim was limited to sacred occasions in reverence for the Holy name. What this does mean is that the idea that G-d’s faithfulness could ever fail to offer salvation (Yeshua) to Israel, whom He had chosen as the least among the nations to be His people was anathema—a heinous contradiction—to Shaul/Paul and indeed to the Jewish people as a whole. Rather, let G-d be found true, though every human being be proved a liar, as it is written: “That You may be justified in Your words, And prevail in Your judging.” (Psalm 51:4) Shaul/Paul is now quoting directly from the Tehillim—Psalms—and by way of rabbinic tradition is expecting that his readers will understand that the whole of psalm 51 is intended. He then proceeds to present a Midrash— a homiletic, spiritual allegory—on Psalm 51 as a teaching tool for his readers. For the purpose of illuminating the text of Romans 3 further I have inserted the psalm in question you’re your reference. Insert: Psalm 51 “51:1 Be gracious to me, Elohim—G-d, according to Your chesed—loving kindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion machah—erase—my peshah—rebellion. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my avon—perversity And cleanse me from my chata—habitual sinfulness. 3 For I know my rebellion, And my habitual sinfulness is ever before me. 4 Against You, You only, I have sinned and missed the mark And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge. 5 Behold, I was shaped in perversity, And in habitual sin my mother conceived me. 6 Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. 7Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8Make me to hear joy and gladness, Let the bones which You have broken rejoice. 9Hide Your face from my offences And erase all my perversity. 10 Bara—create from nothing—in me a clean heart, Elohim, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Ruach ha-Kodesh—Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation (Yeshua) And sustain me with a willing spirit. 13 Then I will teach the perverse Your ways, And habitual sinners will turn to You. 14 Deliver me from blood guiltiness, Elohim, the Elohim of my salvation (Yeshua); Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your tzedakah—righteousness. 15 O Adonai, open my lips, That my mouth may declare Your praise. 16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of Elohim are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, Elohim, You will not despise. 18 By Your favor do good to Zion; repair the walls of Jerusalem. 19 Then You will delight in the sacrifices of the tzedek—righteous one, In burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar.” 5 But if our--humanity—unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of G-d, what shall we say? The G-d who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in human terms.) 6 Heaven forbid/A Curse on it!—No, never! For otherwise, how will G-d judge the world? 7 But if through my lie the truth of G-d abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner? 8 And why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say), “Let us do evil that good may come”? Their condemnation is just. This is a rhetorical argument based on the foundation of the psalm, which is written by a guilty David. Predestination devoid of free will produces the same absurd argument. The obvious answer to this foolishness is that those who perpetuate it are justly condemned. 9 What then? Are we (Jews) better than them? Not entirely; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; 10 as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; 11 There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for G-d; 12 All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.” (Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccles 7:20) 13 “Their throat is an open grave, With their tongues they keep deceiving,” (Psalm 5:9) “The poison of asps is under their lips”; (Psalm 140:3) 14 “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”; (Psalm 10:7) 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood, 16 Destruction and misery are in their paths, 17 And the path of peace they have not known.” (Isaiah 59:7-8) 18 “There is no fear of G-d before their eyes.” (Psalm 36:1) So are we Jews better off? Well, yes and no. We had a great head start and continue to have the wonderful guidance of the Torah and the covenant of circumcision, however the very Torah that guides us also accuses us just as it accuses all humanity. Shaul/Paul collects together a veritable plethora of proof texts from the Tanakh to confirm what his listeners already know to be true, “there is none who is righteous, not even one.” Of course there is one exception, ha-Tzedek—the Righteous One. 19 Now we know that whatever the Torah--Instruction—says, it speaks to those who are within the borders of the Torah, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to G-d;20 because by legalistic observance of the Torah no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Torah comes the knowledge of sin. What we already know is confirmed to us by the Torah. That there is no one who has an excuse. The borders of the Torah were always intended to be spread far and wide by Israel according to her calling to be a light to the nations in order to expose sin and bring all humanity into a Trust relationship with HaShem. Note that every mouth and all the world are held accountable to G-d based on the Torah. An observance of Torah devoid of relational trust in G-d will result only in the exposure of sin. 21 But now quite apart from the Torah, the righteousness (Messiah the tzadek) of G-d has been manifested, being witnessed by the Torah and the Prophets, What is meant here is that aside from the issue of Torah the righteousness of G-d, which is personified in Yeshua, has been revealed, having already been testified to and witnessed by the Torah and the prophets. 22 even the righteousness of G-d through the faithfulness of Yeshua Ha-Mashiyach (Jesus Christ) for all those who believe; Not through our faith in Him—as some English translations infer—but through His faithfulness. For it makes no difference whether one is a Jew or of another ethnicity; That is, “it makes no difference regarding salvation through faithfulness.” This doesn't refer to the cultural and practical differences between ethnicities. 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of G-d, This is an illumination/midrash on psalm 51. 24 being justified--declared righteous—as a gift by His chesed--loving kindness—through the ransom which is in Messiah Yeshua; 25 whom G-d displayed publicly as kapparah--atoning covering, wiping away—sacrifice in His blood through emunah--faithfulness. Notice that in psalm 51 the petitioner begins by saying, “Sacrifice and offering You did not require.” What this means is that there was no sacrifice that David could offer to atone for what he had done. All he could do was to show himself broken and contrite, humbling himself before G-d. But at the end of the psalm G-d accepts the sacrifice of the tzedek—righteous: this refers to the sacrifice of the Righteous One (Yeshua) who will not only cover but also erase David’s habitual sinfulness. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of G-d He passed over--Pesach—the sins previously committed; The first Pesach—Passover—was a temporary covering of former sins in anticipation of the fulfillment of G-d’s plan in the Pesach—Passover—of Yeshua the lamb of G-d. Yeshua’s sacrifice not only covers sin it also erases it. 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has emunah--faith, faithfulness, trust—in Yeshua. Because G-d has proved His loving kindness and righteousness from the beginning He is now seen to be irrefutably just and is able to justify all those who would accept His faithfulness through the faithfulness of His Son the tzedek—Righteous One. 27 Where then is (hypocritical) boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of Torah? One of legalistic observance? No, but by a Torah of emunah--trust, faith, faithfulness. You can’t boast about your legalistic miss observance of the Torah. Yeshua is proof that G-d’s faithfulness is the only means by which Torah can be lived. The kind of Torah—instruction—being offered here is a Torah of trust in the faithfulness of G-d. This kind of Torah is living and sharper than a two edged sword, dividing between bone and marrow. Yeshua had previously said that, “For truly I tell you, until the heavens and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means be removed from the Torah until everything is accomplished.” (Mattitiyahu 5:18) This will occur at the resurrection of the dead after the judgment. After this there will no longer be any need for instruction because G-d Himself will dwell with us in manifest glory. 28 For we maintain that a person is justified--declared righteous—by emunah--trust, faith, faithfulness—which has nothing to do with legalistic observance of the Torah. We are justified by G-d’s faithfulness and our receiving of the gift of G-ds Son, the Righteous One whose blood has made atonement for our habitual sinning. Because of G-d’s faithfulness toward us we are able, through Messiah to be faithful to Him, not through legalistic Torah observance but through a trust relationship with G-d. Those who say that our salvation has nothing to do with us are speaking nonsense. A husband cannot say “I do” on his wife’s behalf and love by definition must be chosen freely. As Stephen Hawking once said, “I have noticed that even those who assert that everything is predestined and that we can change nothing about it still look both ways before they cross the street.” 29 Or is G-d the G-d of Jews only? Is He not the G-d of all ethnos--ethnicities? Yes, of all ethnicities, 30 since indeed G-d will justify the circumcised on the origin of faithfulness and the uncircumcised through that same faithfulness. It is true that over 360 times in the Tanakh G-d refers to Himself either directly or indirectly as the G-d of Israel, however the Shema clearly states that He is G-d alone. Therefore, being the only G-d He is by definition the G-d of all. Notice that G-d will justify the Jews--circumcised—on the very origin of faithfulness, that is Messiah Yeshua—the Word made known first to Israel through the Torah and the Prophets—Himself and that in turn the Gentiles--fore skinned—come to faith through that revelation. Israel, in Messiah is now able to fulfill her calling to be a light to the nations. 31 Do we then nullify the Torah through trust/faith/faithfulness? Heaven forbid/A Curse on it! On the contrary, we establish the Torah. We are not saved/redeemed in order to break the Torah, on the contrary through faith our view of the Torah changes from punitive Law to Instructional discipline. We are not saved by it but we do live within its borders. After all, G-d disciplines the ones He loves. Trust is the key, one who trusts G-d has accepted the gift of G-d’s righteousness. The governance of the written Torah over the individual ends at physical death because its purpose is to reveal sin in a sin laced creation. In the Olam haba (World to come) we will have no need of the written Torah because we will know only good and G-d Himself will be our dwelling place. Unlike the borders of the written Torah the borders of eternity are limitless. © 2014 Yaakov Brown Equality doesn’t dissolve ethnicity An examination of Romans 2
2:1 Therefore you have no excuse, every one of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.2 And we know that the judgment of G-d rightly falls upon those who practice such things. It is important to note that Paul is using the singular here, “you—singular—have no excuse.” In chapter 1 of Romans Paul addresses everyone, but as he begins the diatribe/rhetoric of Romans 2 he changes tack, specifically challenging individuals. There can now be no standing on the side lines, he is addressing you directly. “For a person who keeps the entire Torah (Instruction) yet fails to keep one of the least of its commands, is guilty of breaking all of them.” Yaakov (James) 2:10 Paul ends Chapter one with an extensive list of sinful actions, his readers/hearers will most assuredly judge those who do these things to be lost—not of the Way. But Paul now says that those among his hearers—Roman ecclesia—who judge these acts to be wrong have no excuse either. The bad news is, that by living a lifestyle of hypocrisy we condemn ourselves. We have already agreed that G-d’s judgment upon these actions is just. Our sin is pride. We can’t stand outside of humanity, we are human and live among the wicked, full of our own evil thoughts and desires, and we too must turn from sin toward Messiah. One of the overarching core concepts of Romans is faith. Pistis the Greek for faith can also be translated faithfulness: this equates to the Hebrew word emunah (faithfulness.) We believe and continue faithfully, our belief, received from G-d, keeps us sober. Through salvation (Yeshua) in the Spirit of G-d, we are born to self-examination and are disciplined while we are being made Holy—set apart. “Rabbi Eli’etzer said, ‘Repent one day before you die.’ His talmidim (disciples) asked him, ‘who knows on what day he will die?’ He answered them, ‘All the more reason to repent today, because you might be dead tomorrow!’” –Shabbat 153a 3 But consider this, human being, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, do you think you will escape the judgment of G-d? 4 Or do you take for granted the riches of His kindness/grace (chesed) and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness/grace (chesed) of G-d leads you to returning (repentance/tishuvah)—to G-d? We must not take the completed work of Messiah for granted. This is not a threat to our salvation but an illuminating of our hearts: a challenge to soberly examine ourselves. Those in Rome who have become followers of Messiah are more than aware that G-d’s chesed (loving kindness) has brought them to faith (emunah) faithfulness. 5 But because of your stubbornness and unreturning heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of G-d, 6 Who will render to each person according to his deeds: 7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; 8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth (Yeshua), but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. Romans 1:18-19 tells us that the wrath of G-d is being poured out against the wicked actions of humanity. Storing up wrath is the practice of continual rebellion. This wrath will be swallowed up by victory for all who return to G-d in Messiah. These are not new concepts, they are found in the Tanakh (Old Testament) and the Gospels. In the Hebrew mind faithfulness (emunah) is the combining of faith and fullness, the fullness is the action born of faith which perpetuates faith. This is what emunah means. As I have said previously, faith and works are not opposed to one another. Faith and good works together oppose rebellion and bad works. Job 34:11, Matthew 16:27, John 5:29 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of humanity who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with G-d. Paul wants to make it clear to all, including devout Jews that religious observance alone cannot save them. In order to show how good the Good News really is he must first remind his hearers of the fact that no one is righteous, except of course the Tzadek (Righteous One.) Because G-d is just and impartial (He shows favor but doesn’t show partiality) He renders judgment sequentially according to the birth order of His chosen and adopted children, firstly the Jew and also the Greek. In the following verses Paul will show the equity with which G-d judges. 12 For all who have sinned outside the framework of the Torah—Instruction—will also perish outside the Torah, and all who have sinned in connection with the Torah will be judged by the Torah; We must ask the question, “Why do those who sin outside the Torah perish while those within the framework of the Torah are judged?” The Scripture says, “For HaShem so loved the world that He gave is only begotten Son, that whoever believes (continues in faith) in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” –Yochanan/John 3:16 Yeshua says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fully fill them.” –Mattitiyahu/Matthew 5:17 Yeshua Himself is the continuity and filling of the Torah, He is the d’var (Word) of HaShem. Therefore Paul uses the rabbinical technique called remez (a hint of something more profound) to show that Yeshua is the living Torah and that those who sin outside of His saving work (not outside of Him, because in Him all things move and breathe and have their being) will perish. On the other hand, all those who sin within the framework of Yeshua’s saving work will be judged and redeemed. This profound remez doesn’t detract from Paul’s p’shat (intended literal, contextual and cultural reading) of the text which specifically refers to a distinction between Jew and Greek. 13 for it is not the hearers of the Torah who are just before G-d, but the doers of the Torah who will be justified. 14 For when ethnicities who do not have the Torah do instinctively the things of the Torah, these, not having the Torah, are a Torah to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Torah written in their hearts, (Jeremiah 31:32, Hebrews 8:8-12) their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, G-d will judge the secrets of human beings through Messiah Yeshua. Our every action is our representation of what we think G-d looks like. The use of the term hearer is important because some Jews of the time may have heard the Torah read/chanted in the synagogue but did not have access to Torah scrolls themselves. The doer of the Torah is the one who by faith, of G-d, receives the gift of salvation (Yeshua), this faith becomes faithfulness and produces good works which are the proof of the gift of G-d. “The day when… G-d will judge the secrets of human beings through Messiah Yeshua.” Can refer either to the day of individual salvation or to the Day of Judgment at the end of history. 17 But if you bear the name “Jew” and rely upon the Torah and boast in G-d, 18 and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Torah, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Torah the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth, 21 you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the Torah, through your breaking the Torah, do you dishonor G-d? 24 For “the name of G-d is blasphemed among the Goyim—nations—because of you,” just as it is written. Both the bad news and the Good News are first for the Jew. Paul organizes his letter to follow this pattern of instructional discipline. He is beginning with himself and his own people, then he will move on to the Goyim (nations), specifically the Greeks. The person Paul is speaking to sounds an awful lot like the man he used to be. (Acts 22:3, 26:5, Gal 1:13-14) Israel has been called to be a light to the Goyim, (Isaiah 42:6, 49:6) when she fails in that calling she is a false witness to the true character of G-d, hence the quote from Isaiah 52:5. The irony here is that today many Christians misrepresent the Messiah to Jewish people who subsequently reject their false gospel of hypocrisy. It is important to note that Paul is again using the singular here, “you (singular) bear the name Jew.” He is speaking to a certain type of person among the Jewish believers of Rome. Some have suggested that this diatribe/rhetoric is not meant for members of the Roman ecclesia (believers) but for some other imaginary opponent. What nonsense. No one writes a letter to a specific group of people and then proceeds to speak to an entirely different audience. If there were not cause for Paul to suspect that this type of hypocrisy was present in the Roman ecclesia then he would not have written to address it. This is after all a letter, not a philosophy paper. Western scholarship loves to think of Paul as a Greek. He is not. He is a Jew, we are a people devoted to protecting ourselves from assimilation, this guides our consciousness, we think, eat, breathe, bathe, pray, walk and feel in Hebrew regardless of the colloquial language we may use to convey our thoughts, concepts, philosophies and emotions. “Those who lie freely to non-Jews and steal from them, are worse than ordinary criminals. They are blasphemers; for it is due to their guilt, that some say, ‘Jews have no binding Torah, no moral standards.’” –Rabbi Moses of Coucy 25 For indeed the covenant of circumcision is of value if you practice the Torah; but if you are a transgressor of the Torah, your covenant of circumcision has become a foreskin--without covenant. 26 So if the fore-skinned man keeps the requirements of the Torah, will not his foreskin--lack of covenant—be regarded as circumcision--a covenant? 27 And he who is physically fore-skinned, if he keeps the Torah, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Torah and the covenant of circumcision are a transgressor of the Torah? 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is true circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. 29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from G-d. Paul is specifically addressing a hypocritical Jewish person, regarding inward and outward Jewishness he is speaking to Jews, not Gentiles. True Jewish observance in Messiah is inward, as is true Gentile observance, however here the Jew and not the Gentile is being addressed. In verse 25 Paul explains that circumcision is of value if you honor the Torah, this refers to a life style born of heart circumcision rather than a single action. Romans 3:1-2, 9:4-5, 11:11-32. It is important to note that circumcision is a blood covenant between G-d and the people of Israel. Two types of covenant are being alluded to here, a physical one and a spiritual one. Yeshua embodies both covenants and is the author and finisher of the renewed covenant which circumcises the heart. The imagery of heart circumcision comes from Leviticus 26:41, Deuteronomy 10:16, Jeremiah 9:24-25. Notice that Paul doesn’t fault Authentic Judaism, rather he faults the one who is not Jewish inwardly, spiritually. Y’hudi (Jew) means praise, thus “don’t let your praise come from human beings who see only your outward performance, but let your praise come from G-d Who sees your heart.” This does not mean that Gentile Christians become Jews. Paul teaches in Galatians 3:28 that Jews and Gentiles, men and women, slave and free are equal in the sight of G-d regarding salvation (Yeshua), made one in Messiah, however, equality doesn’t dissolve physicality, genealogy, sociology or gender. A woman may be equal in standing with a man before G-d, this doesn’t mean that the two sexes trade their defining physical parts and become asexual in Messiah. We remain who we are as unique representations of creation and culture and together we share and delight in the beauty of our diversity, be it seen in gender, sociology or ethnicity. We are not assimilated into some sort of hive mind, rather we are welcomed into a family who are like minded. Throughout Romans Paul makes a clear distinction between the physical people of Israel chosen by G-d for His purposes and the ecclesia adopted by G-d through the Messiah (a Jew.) A Jew can be both a physical Jew and become a follower of Messiah, a Gentile can become a follower of Messiah and become one who gives praise (Y’hudah) to G-d inwardly but will never be a physical Jew. This is an important distinction that stops the false teaching of supersessionism/replacement theology in its tracks. G-d has orchestrated a wonderful plan for the salvation of humanity, this doesn’t negate the promises that He has made to a specific people group, namely Israel. We know that G-d cannot lie, therefore we know He will keep the promises He has made to Israel (the physical nation) that are yet to be fulfilled. Regarding the four key modes of Rabbinical exegesis: · P’shat – simple sense/literal-contextual · Remez – a hint of something more profound · Drash – an allegory or homiletic · Sod – secret meaning © 2014 Yaakov Brown G-d’s wrath is motivated by love and its purpose is to bring humanity to Salvation An examination of Romans 1
Before we examine the text itself, let’s take a look at the Composer, Historical/Cultural context and the approximate time of writing. Introduction: Many of Israel’s prophets and kings dictated their teachings to scribes, this practice was not uncommon. Perhaps in dictating ones thoughts there is less likelihood of confusing what is being said. Sometimes the act of writing can in itself be a distraction. Therefore it is possible that this technique offered room for the Ruach Ha-Kodesh to unify the thoughts and words of the inspired Scriptural composition of Romans. I have also wondered whether it is possible that Paul was unable to write as a result of injuries obtained from the beatings, whippings, shipwrecks and near death stoning he had undergone. Perhaps his fingers or hands were damaged and ill repaired following these events. Paul speaks of a thorn that G-d had not taken from him, while many conjecture otherwise, perhaps that thorn is a physical disability—there is no way of knowing this side of the Olam Haba. With the book of Romans, as in the case of many of Paul’s letters, a scribe recorded what Paul dictated. In the case of Romans Tertios—third—was the scribe. (Romans 16:22) Hence my use of the term composer to describe Paul as the human being who, inspired by the Ruach Ha-Kodesh--Holy Spirit, gave us the words of the letter to the Romans. The Composer: Shaul (Saul)/Paul Shaul means, inquirer. Paul’s Hebrew namesake king Shaul of Israel inquired of G-d but G-d didn’t answer him because he had willfully turned away from G-d. In Paul--Shaul—the apostle’s case, on the other hand, G-d inquired of him and he repented/turned to G-d who had appeared to him in the person of Yeshua the King of Kings. Shaul the king dishonored his tribe Benyamin and desecrated Israel, he persecuted G-d’s chosen king David and sort the death of his followers. In a similar way Paul--Shaul—the apostle also persecuted the followers of David’s greater Son Yeshua—King of Israel. On the road to Damascus Yeshua himself appeared to Shaul and said, “It is I Yeshua whom you persecute.” As a result of this encounter G-d redeemed Shaul and gave him an additional name—Paul—according to the ministry he would have in Messiah. Esther—a heroine of Israel; see Ha-Megilah, the book of Esther—had previously and physically completed the task Shaul the king of Israel had left undone—that is the destruction of the Amalekites, thus redeeming Benyamin’s honor on earth. Now in Shaul/Paul the apostle G-d redeems the tribe of Benyamin spiritually. Through the salvation--Yeshua—of this one man an entire tribe is reconciled to HaShem. It is fitting that this be the premise for Paul’s Gospel mission to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Why? Because ours is a ministry of reconciliation. Shaul is Paul’s Hebrew name, it always will be. Paul is an additional name, worn by Shaul as an emblem representing his ministry to the nations, many of whom were Greek speakers. Hence the Greek name Paulos meaning, to desist, stop, restrain—perhaps in reference to the fact that Shaul had ceased to persecute followers of Ha-Derakh—the Way, or in respect for the fact that he had found rest/Shabbat in Messiah: the Hebrew equivalent of Paulos in this case should be Shabbat—rest, desist, stop, seventh, cease. We also know the following about Paul: Fourteen of the twenty-seven books in the Brit Ha-Chadashah--New Testament--have traditionally been attributed to Paul, and approximately half of Acts deals with Paul's life and works. Shaul/Paul: · A Jew/Israelite · Of the tribe of Benyamin—son of my people · A Hebrew of Hebrews · A Perush—Pharisee—separated, set apart one · Born in Tarsus in Cilicia, south-central Turkey approx. 5 C.E. · Circumcised on the eighth day · Citizen of Rome · Sent to Jerusalem at a young age to study under the great Rabbi Gamaliel · Dramatically brought to faith in Messiah on the road to Damascus · Went on three major missionary journeys · Made a habit of returning to Jerusalem for important Aliyah--going up, pilgrimage--festivals · The most prolific minister, teacher, church planter and preacher of the Gospel among the dispersed Jews and the nations on behalf of the early Church · Thought to have died at the hands of Rome in 67 C.E. Philippians 3:4-6 4 Though I also have reason for confidence in my ethnicity. If any other man thinks he has reason for confidence in his being Jewish, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benyamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the Torah a Perush—Pharisee, 6 as to zeal a persecutor of the ecclesia—followers of Messiah, the Way, as to righteousness under the Torah, blameless. Historical/Cultural Context: Time of Composition Most scholars agree that the letter to the Roman believers was written after Paul’s letters to the Corinthians and at the end of Paul’s third missionary Journey. This puts the estimated date of Romans at 57 C.E. Paul had not yet brought the Gospel to Rome, though he clearly had a fierce desire to do so. He was writing to a group of believers of whom he knew only a select few. The believers in Rome were most likely born of the Jewish contingent returning from the Shavuot festival where the Ruach Ha-Kodesh was poured out. Many Jews from all over the known world were reconciled to Messiah on this wonderful occasion. Jews from Rome are specifically mentioned in the Acts 2 account. Initially this would have meant that the followers of the Way in Rome consisted largely of Jewish followers of Messiah Yeshua and G-d fearing Greeks who had been attracted to the religion of Israel. Later in the Roman ecclesia’s development things changed dramatically. In 49 C.E. Emperor Claudius, annoyed by the conflict that was developing between traditional Jews and the members of the Way, expelled all Jews from Rome. This meant that the Roman community of believers lost their Jewish contingent for a number of years. We know, due to Paul’s mentioning Jewish friends like Aquila and Priscilla in Romans 16: that the Messianic Jews had returned by the time the letter to the Roman ecclesia was being penned. The Messianic Jews returned to the Roman community of believers in approximately 54 C.E. and found a tragically different practice of worship amongst them. It is clear from Paul’s letter to the Roman community that the Greek believers were beginning to become disconnected from the Jewish roots of their faith and that the Jewish believers were now in the minority. We can conclude therefore that the Roman community of believers was largely Greek with a minority Jewish contingent at the time Paul composed his Letter to the Roman ecclesia—body of believers. All of this illuminates our understanding of the text and enables us to journey through the eyes of Paul and listen with the ears of the Roman ecclesia. Shaul/Paul: Theological Journey Before beginning our examination of Romans we should also consider the theological changes that Shaul has undergone from the time of his salvation in approx. 31-36 C.E. until the time of the composition of the Roman letter in approx. 57 C.E. It is clear from Paul’s writings that he maintained a strong Pharisaical life style and taught in a Pharisaical style. He had formed his progressive theology of Messiah and Israel and therefore G-d’s plan for the nations based on the unity of his upbringing and the inception of belief in the Messiah Yeshua as revealed to him by the Ruach Ha-Kodesh. Paul has had some 25 years since his personal meeting with Yeshua, to consolidate his thoughts and experiences of HaShem. It is from this developed theological position that Paul crafts a thoughtful Midrash on the Scripture of the Tanakh, specifically the quoted text of Habakkuk 2 in Romans 1, among others. From the beginning of this letter Paul makes it clear that he is presenting nothing new. He shows from the first verses that the Gospel of G-d is explained throughout the Tanakh and that it is from these teachings, joined in the revelation of the resurrection of Messiah and the Ruach Ha-Kodesh, that he will present to the Roman ecclesia the Good News of Messiah Yeshua. There are those who from the outset will want to interpret Paul’s letter to the Romans retrospectively as a systematic theology or an apologetic against works based religion, this is a mistake. If this letter is systematic it is not systematic in any linear sense, on the contrary, it spirals upward through spherical loops of thought and then comes crashing down to earth to taste the soil of Israel. Romans is as systematic as cloud formation, it is a beautiful view of the world from outside of the bubble of time and space. Romans is not a letter of doctrine so much as it is a letter of cultural—spiritual reconciliation. A reconciliation born from above that disperses into the world like air blown into a deflated balloon. Paul is not favoring Faith over works—as some suggest, nor is he advocating partiality with regard to the Jews—his own people. Rather than presenting Faith and works as opposing forces, Paul is seeking to help Greek thinkers understand the unity of parts within Messianic belief. Faith and works are no more opposed to one another than the lungs and the heart, in fact one cannot function or survive without the other. While the Greeks seek linear solutions, the Hebrew—Paul—seeks to share a spherical Hebraic way of thinking about faith. The Gospel it seems, is a group of parts functioning as a body. Paul wants to remind the predominantly Greco Roman ecclesia that she was born of Hebrew parents for the purpose of freedom in Messiah. It is with all this in mind that we now approach the text itself. Romans 1: 1:1 Paul, a servant/slave/bond servant of Yeshua Mashiyach—Jesus the Christ, This opening salutation is both utterly humble and appropriately honoring. Paulos—restraint, desist, stop—rather than promote himself—as was his right—as a learned rabbi of the Perushim—Pharisees, chooses to offer himself to his readers as a humble and willing slave/servant of Yeshua. In addition, those among the audience for this letter who know the Tanakh—Old Testament—also know that the title “Servant of HaShem—YHVH—“is an honorary title reserved for G-d’s prophets and kings. A Roman citizen would never consider willfully becoming a slave. The very essence of Roman citizenship is in personal freedom and a self-sustaining lifestyle. Slaves were rarely Romans, they were usual taken from lands conquered by Rome. Paul however was born a Roman Citizen and willfully submits himself as a slave to Messiah. From a Roman perspective this simple statement also reads as an affront to Caesar whose citizens called themselves his servants. Anyone claiming to be the servant of another authority or King was effectively making a proclamation of rebellion against Caesar’s authority. Paul is the first century C.E. equivalent of a dangerous 21st century activist. The pen is, after all, mightier than the sword. Called to be an apostle—sent one, set apart—separated, Perush, Pharisee, for the gospel of G-d ‘Called’ here is more than just a request for service, it is an appointment to a vocation—latin vocātiō. Paul is essentially saying, “My calling is to be sent as a Pharisee for the gospel of G-d.” This is the first reference to the Good News: 1. the Good News of G-d. 2 which He promised beforehand through his prophets in the Tanakh, 3 the gospel concerning his Son, All this was promised from the beginning and written in the Holy text of the Jewish people, which explains the Gospel of His Son. This is the second reference to the Good News: 2. the Good News of His Son. Who was descended from David according to ethnicity. The prophets, mentioned previously, say that the Mashiyach will be a descendant of David. Yeshua is indeed David’s greater son, the promised eternal King of Israel Who will sit on David’s throne and reign forever. Both His father Joseph and His mother Miriyam were direct descendants of King David. Yeshua is a human being. 4 and designated Son of God in power according to the Ruach Shel Kadosh by His resurrection from the dead, Yeshua Mashiyach our Lord, The prophets also predicted that He would be called “Mighty G-d, Everlasting Father, and Immanuel.” The fact that Yeshua is G-d is affirmed in His resurrection. While the Kings of the nations and in particular the Caesars of Rome were venerated as gods after they had died, Yeshua proved to be G-d Himself through His resurrection from the dead. What other king has ever lived who could claim the power of resurrection? In just four brief verses Paul has openly resisted the ethos of Rome and her rulers and has proclaimed a new King, not just a king of Rome but the King of nations, Yeshua Ha-Mashiyach. This is a courageous opening paragraph born of a man who has met Yeshua face to face and lived. 5 through whom we have received chesed—loving kindness, grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith—trust—for the sake of his name--Yeshua Mashiyach—among all the nations--ethnos, ethnicities, 6 including yourselves who are called--vocation, a way of life—to belong to Yeshua Mashiyach; Notice that Paul says that the believers have received chesed—loving kindness. They didn’t earn it but were offered it as a gift and those who were willing received it along with the directive to be sent out so that others among the ethnicities of the world could become obedient to that same faith and trust in G-d through the Name of Yeshua. All this because the recipients of the Gospel in Rome had been called to belong to Yeshua in the first place: having originally heard the Gospel from Jews like Shaul/Paul who had believed Messiah and received the Ruach Ha-Kodesh. 7 To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be Kedushav—Holy/set apart ones, saints: Paul is saying that through Messiah all may be called holy regardless of ethnicity. This doesn’t negate the special physical and spiritual calling of Israel. Just as the name Paul is added to Shaul, so too the nations can be added to Israel’s commonwealth. Chesed—loving kindness—Grace to you and Shalom—peace—from G-d our Father and the Lord Yeshua Mashiyach. Some believe that the use of Grace here is significant because it is a common Greek greeting and that in combination with the Hebrew greeting Shalom is meant to signify a unifying of the two ethnicities. While this may be the case I believe there is also a strong case for the Hebrew equivalent chesed to be used to affirm the fact that Loving kindness and Peace are pillars of Hebrew spirituality and that in Messiah these pillars are offered to the Jews first and also to the Greeks. 8 First, I thank my G-d through Jesus Christ for all of you, “My G-d,” is an important distinction that must be understood by Paul’s hearers. It is the G-d of Israel as G-d alone, unique among gods that Paul is thanking. He is wanting to make clear to the Greeks of the Roman congregation that G-d is not a universal monotheistic deity, He is the G-d of Shaul of the tribe of Benyamin, the Israelite, the Perush, and the Hebrew of Hebrews. Paul says this through his Mashiyach—also Jewish, Israelite, the Hebrew of Hebrews. Make no mistake, Paul begins and ends his letter with the zeal, thinking and passion of a Jewish teacher. He is not presenting Gnostic or stoic arguments as some mistakenly conclude. Because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. The Roman ecclesia are known throughout the Greco-Roman world for their strong and it seems, evangelical faith in Mashiyach as members of the Way. Notice that Paul never addresses the congregation in Rome using the term Christian. Even thirty years after the death and resurrection of Mashiyach Yeshua the Ecclesia were still known as the Jewish sect or followers of Ha-Derakh—the way. 9 For G-d is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, Paul is openly accountable before G-d. Here we have the third mention of the Good News: 3. The Good News of G-d’s Son. That without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, This is not the only time we are told of prayer without ceasing in the Brit Ha-Chaddashah—New Testament. How is this possible? It is only possible if prayer is understood as an eternal conversation which G-d began with us before the creation of the universe. 10 asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. Paul clearly aches for an opportunity to teach the Roman ecclesia. Perhaps in part—given the evidence of this letter in particular—to guide them into a future faith reconnected to its Jewish roots. It also may be that the few Roman believers he knows personally are dear friends. To this we add Paul’s fierce fervor for the Good News and its spread among the nations and we can understand Paul’s desperation as he begins this letter. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you a certain spiritual gift to strengthen you, Most English translations render the Greek tis as some. There has validity however if we translate this Greek word as certain—an equally valid translation--I believe we gain continuity in what Paul is saying regarding the Gospel itself. This translation also supports his desire to impart an authentic faith to his readers. If this rendering is correct then I believe the certain spiritual gift being offered is the unadulterated Good News as received directly from Yeshua. The following verse affirms this reading. 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. In humility Paul expresses his desire to receive teaching from the Roman ecclesia. This is consistent with the Talmudic teaching that says, “If you want to become a rabbi find yourself a talmid—student—and become his pupil.” 13 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the other ethnicities. Some ask, “What prevented him from coming to Rome? Was it illness, Satan, a word from G-d?” The answer is that, “G-d is over all things so whatever prevented a rightly motivated man from pursuing his mission was allowed for the sake of the kingdom by G-d Himself.” Elsewhere Paul has said that Satan had blocked his way, this doesn’t mean that Satan had any kind of control over Paul’s journey, after all the Tanakh speaks of G-d sending Satan to sway David’s judgment regarding a census over Israel. Even Satan is under G-d’s control. HaShem will have His way, the Way--Ha-Derakh! 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to non-Greeks, both to the wise and to the foolish: 15 so I am eager to preach the good news to you also who are in Rome. Some dislike the word obligation here: the Greek opheiletēs means to be indebted. Some would prefer that this indebtedness belong to Paul alone and therefore read it as oppressive law. However the truth is that if Paul has an obligation to pass on his faith to the nations then those who, like him receive that faith, also have an obligation. This is understood as Torah—instruction, discipline and not as Law. When we embrace the chesed—loving kindness—Grace of G-d we must not forget that the lungs and heart work together, they do not oppose one another. Freedom and obligation stand hand in hand. A married man is obligated to honor his wife and in doing so is freed from sexual sin, an adulterer on the other hand refuses his obligation, seeing himself as one who is utterly free and yet he is imprisoned by sexual sin. The common Hebrew literary tool of doubling is used here to show the width and breadth of the Gospel’s reach. Greeks were educated, thus they are matched to the wise, non-Greeks were considered uneducated, thus they are coupled to the foolish. Paul is saying that his desire is to preach the gospel to every person regardless of education or social standing, specifically he is eager to share the gospel in all its fullness with the Roman ecclesia. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel: it is the power of God for Yeshua—salvation—to everyone who has faith—trust, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness--Tzadek, the Righteous One—of G-d is revealed through faith for faith; Why does Paul say he is not ashamed? Perhaps he has met Jewish believers who have felt the need to hide their new found faith from family members who might reject them for their beliefs? Maybe he has heard that there are those in Rome who are fearful? Most likely he is aware that his claim to be a servant of Yeshua is a dangerous one and that his readers may be nervous about his letter getting into the wrong hands. He is assuring his readers that he will not be silent, or ashamed or embarrassed about his message of hope in Mashiyach. Why is he not ashamed? Because, “the gospel is the power of G-d for salvation to everyone who has faith,” and he has met that very Power Himself, the risen Mashiyach Yeshua. This has birthed in him eternal confidence. Notice here the fourth Good News reference: 4. The Good News is The Power of G-d for Salvation—Yeshua Salvation--Yeshua—is first for the Jew historically, chronologically and perpetually. It is also for the Greeks/nations as ones born of the Gospel that comes from the Jews. Yeshua Himself, speaking of Himself said, “Salvation--Yeshua—comes from the Jews.” This is as true today as it was in 57 C.E. when Paul composed this letter to the Roman ecclesia. Paul specifically uses the Greek word Hellen—Greek—rather than the Greek word ethnos—ethnicity, nation, why is that? It is because he has already declared in the preceding verse that the Gospel is the power of G-d for the salvation of all who believe—all nations. He now targets the Roman ecclesia specifically knowing that they are made up of Jews and educated Greeks. The righteousness of G-d is revealed first—soon we will read of the revelation of the wrath of G-d. The righteousness of G-d is a gift of faith that is received from G-d and returned to G-d in faith. As it is written, “The righteous one will live by faith.” Here Paul quotes Habakkuk 2:4 with the intention that it be understood that he is referencing the entire passage according to rabbinical tradition. Why does he do this? Firstly he quotes these specific words to solidify the point he is making about faith itself. Once faith is received as a gift it must be lived by. The text here can refer to any Israelite and his decision to stand firm in faith in the face of adversity. It can also be read to refer specifically to the Messiah, the Tzadek--righteous one--who lives by faith. This is also consistent to the Hebrew doubling device and the teaching that faith is both a gift and an obligation. The wider text of Habakkuk 2 is almost identical in theme to Romans 1:17-32. In fact Paul is writing a Midrash—illuminating commentary—on Habakkuk. In doing so he is reminding the Jewish believers in Rome of the Tanakh and redirecting the Greek believers so as to return them to the Jewish roots of their faith. He is also saying that from creation until this point nothing has really changed, humanity is still sinful and in need of a Redeemer and that Redeemer is The Tzadek—Righteous One Who lived by Faith. 18 For the wrath of G-d is revealed from heaven against all the ungodliness and wickedness of humanity who by their wickedness suppress the truth. What is the wrath of G-d revealed against? It is revealed against the sinful actions of humanity. His love is for human beings but His wrath is against sin. Why is His wrath revealed? Because by the sinful actions of humanity the truth is suppressed, covered up, so that human beings fail to receive it and are in danger of being utterly lost. Therefore G-d’s wrath is motivated by love and its purpose is to bring humanity to salvation--Yeshua. This is why He first revealed His righteousness through the Faithful One Yeshua our Mashiyach. 19 For what can be known about G-d is plain to them, because G-d has shown it to them. 20 Ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature, namely, His eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse; Who are they? They are all humanity living in rebellion toward G-d. Why are they without excuse? Because everyone has an opportunity to enjoy creation and recognize the order, continuity and design of a higher intelligence, G-d Himself. Apparently it takes an intentional act of the will to deny G-d’s existence. Therefore all humanity is without excuse. 21 for although they knew G-d they did not honor Him as G-d or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened. If we believe as the Scripture says, that “In Him all things exist and have their being,” then we must also agree that all things are in some way aware of G-d. Hence the words, “although they knew G-d they did not honor Him as G-d.” As a result of our refusal to acknowledge the obvious and honor G-d we have been left without purpose, we have become futile, our own thoughts frustrate us and our minds refuse the light of HaShem. We have purchased our own darkness through rebellion. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal G-d for images resembling mortal man or birds or animals or reptiles. Notice the doublets here that link back to verse 14. It is the wise who are now the fools and the glory—wisdom—they might have enjoyed in G-d has been exchanged for worthless dead images. In this we also see the hope seeded in verse 14. After all, Paul’s—and our—obligation is to preach the Gospel to both the wise and the foolish. 24 Therefore G-d gave them up to the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, G-d neither gave up on them nor abandoned them, rather He allowed them the free will to pursue their own sinful lust. We should note that the dishonor they receive is at their own hands. G-d does not dishonor them, He loves them and seeks to honor them. 25 because they exchanged the truth about G-d for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. The truth about G-d was already in view for these people or else how could they have exchanged it? Therefore the truth about G-d is even today still seen in creation and even today humanity both individually and corporately is intentionally refusing that truth and in exchange accepting the lie that creation itself is god, that we are god. This is the root of all sin, idolatry, the sin that caused the fall of Satan. G-d can be seen in everything because everything exists in Him. That doesn’t mean that everything is G-d. G-d is light but light is not G-d. A hamburger exists in G-d but G-d is not a hamburger. 26 For this reason G-d gave them up to dishonorable passions. Again, G-d simply allowed them to exercise free will, to pursue their own self destruction. This is the second giving up. There is a progression here, at each step of the way and at any time a person might repent, turn back to G-d. Likewise at each step of the way a person may choose to rebel further. Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural, 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error. The Bible is clear regarding Lesbian and homosexual acts. The Torah calls these sexual acts abominations and issues the penalty of death against them. However Paul is saying here that the practice of these perverse sexual acts bring about their own penalty regardless of the punishment of law or lack thereof. While homosexuality is beyond the scope of this study, suffice to say that many of those who enter this life style were initially seeking to fulfill a legitimate need for wholesome male relationships—Father, brother, close platonic male friend—but without access to positive manifestations of these relationships they have been seduced by a lie and have entered into darkness. It is important to remember that our battle is not against flesh and blood, we are called to love the lost. Like Paul we seek the salvation of those who are trapped in sin. G-d’s wrath is revealed against the evil actions of humanity and not against humanity itself. It is Satan who seeks our demise, not G-d. 28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge G-d, G-d gave them up to a depraved mind and to improper conduct. 29 They were filled with all manner of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity, they are gossips, 30 slanderers, and haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God’s decree that those who do such things deserve to die, they not only do them but approve those who practice them. Four the third and final time G-d gives them up to their sinful path. At this point their minds are depraved to such depths that the light is a distant memory. Therefore all forms of evil begin to manifest in their lives. Evil itself becomes so familiar to them that it seems normal: good becomes bad, evil becomes good, righteousness is mocked and deviousness is celebrated. This creates a society where evil perpetuates evil and honors those who practice perversity. This was the world that the followers of the Way lived in. This is the world that we live in. © 2014 Yaakov Brown |
Yaakov BrownFounder of the Beth Melekh International Messiah Following Jewish Community, Archives
February 2024
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