Bible Study on Romans Session 9

Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans;

A Bible Study Based upon the Homilies of St John Chrysostom (SJC)

Study Guide – January 8, 2019 – Romans 4.1-22 – Homily 8

Prayer before reading of the Holy Scriptures: Shine within our hearts, loving Master, the pure light of Your divine knowledge, and open the eyes of our minds that we may comprehend the message of Your Gospel. Instill in us also reverence for Your blessed commandments so that, having conquered sinful desires, we may pursue a spiritual life, thinking and doing all those things which are pleasing to You. For You, Christ our God, are the light of our souls and bodies, and to You we give glory, together with Your Father who is without beginning and Your all holy, good and life giving Spirit, always now and forever and to the ages of ages.

Chapter 4, Verses 1-12

  • Opens by showing that salvation comes from glory rather than shame
  • Paul uses questions and dialogue to teach
  • Since the Jews kept focusing on a bloodline, Paul provides proof for faith.
  • Two types of boasting
    • Boasting in works – baseless
    • Boasting in God – glorified
  • SJC “For the man who boasts in good works can set before himself his own labors. But the man who prides himself in his faith in God shows forth a much greater basis for boasting inasmuch as he is glorifying God and magnifying the Lord.” (Pg 142, #7)
  • Genuine love for God is to believe that He can do the impossible
  • Love of God is revealed in forgiveness of sins
  • SJC “Therefore, the man of faith has reason to boast because he was deemed deserving of great love.” (Pg 142, #10)
  • SJC “Consider how great a blessing it is to believe and to be fully assured that God can not only immediately free from punishment that man who has lived in impiety, but can even make him just and deem him deserving of those immortal honors.” (Pg 143 #12)
  • Blessedness = Justification – Where there is blessedness, from there all shame is taken away
  • Abraham is the father of both the circumcised and the uncircumcised.
    • uncircumcised = faith = first =  superior
    • circumcised = flesh = second = inferior
  • Faith is required – SJC “For if Abraham is father of the uncircumcised, he is not father because he was uncircumcised, even though he received justification while he was still uncircumcised, but because they emulated his faith. And so much less will he be forefather of the circumcised because he was circumcised, unless faith should be added.” (Pg 146 #25)
  • Circumcision was the physical sign needed (then, not now) to show who to emulate. Without faith, the sign is worthless.
  • SJC “Paul has proved that faith is necessary, that it is older that circumcision, that it is stronger than the law, and that it establishes the law. For if all have sinned, faith is necessary; if Abraham received justification before he was circumcised, faith is older; if knowledge of sin comes through the law but was made evident apart from the law, faith is stronger; if the law has borne testimony to faith, and if faith established the law, faith is not opposed to the law, but is a friend and ally of the law.” (Pg 148 #32)

Chapter 4, Verses 13-22

  • SJC “Where there is grace, there is forgiveness; where there is forgiveness, there is no punishment.” (Pg 149 #36)
  • Two blessings
    • Things given by God are secure
    • Things given are for all offspring
  • Faith is the original point (Believe the impossible)
  • SJC “Tell me, what is so wonderful about being a father of those who are born from oneself? Every man has this power. The unexpected thing is this: that Abraham received by the gift of God those descendents whom he did not have from nature.” (Pg 150-151 #42)
  • Believing the impossible sets the stage for the resurrection = HOPE beyond all reason
    • Abraham old and half dead
    • Sarah was barren
    • Unnatural children (not be physical birth)
  • SJC “God offered no proof, nor did He give a sign; His mere words were unsupported by evidence, words that promised what nature did not promise.” (Pg 152, #49)
  • Faith requires great power – SJC “For if a man is persuaded by words, he can also have words change his persuasion. But the man who is strengthened by faith has fortified his hearing against arguments that would destroy that faith.” (Pg 153 #53)
  • SJC “Thus when people accuse us of believing, let us make against them a counteraccusasion of not believing, because they are pitiful, small-minded, foolish, and weak, with a disposition no better than that of asses. For just as believing is a characteristic of a lofty and noble-natured soul, so failure to believe is characteristic of a soul that is unreasonable and worthless, one that has sunken to the senselessness of sheep.” (Pg 154 #56)

Life Application – How to defeat the devil

  • We fall by playing at the same level as the devil. – “But the desert and dwelling place of the devil is nothing other than sin. Therefore, we are in need of ‘the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation.’ We need the sword of the Spirit, not only that we may suffer no evil, but that we may cut off the devil’s head if he should be of a mind to leap upon us. We have need of constant prayer so that he may be crushed under our feet. For he is shameless and brutal because he fights with weapons from below. yet even with this strategy, he wins the battle. The reason for this is that we are not eager to raise ourselves above the blows with which he strikes us…What then is this fighting with weapons from below? it is to strike us with the things from below, the things of this world: with pleasure, with wealth, and all the goods of this life.” (Pg. 155-156, #62-63)
  • Root out vices to chase the devil into hiding – “You must have nothing in common with earth and you will have no need to toil or labor. For the devil knows nothing of fighting face to face, but, like a serpent, he hides among the thorn bushes and lurks constantly in the deceit of riches and wealth. If you cut down the thorns, he will easily be put to flight, because he is a coward. And if you know how to charm him with divine incantations, he will be overpowered without delay.” (Pg 156 #64-65)
  • Imitate the Saints – “The difference between our will and purpose and theirs is great, although we have an equal and common nature. Paul was born and raised in a way similar to that in which we were born and raised. he lived on the same earth and breathed the same air. But in other respects he was much greater and much better – in his zeal, his faith, and in his love. let us imitate him; let us allow Christ to speak through us.” (Pg 157 #68)
  • Love is greater than miracles – “I do not say this so that we may bring the dead back to life or cleanse lepers. I say it so that we may show forth a sign greater than these miracles. I mean the sign of love. for in wherever place this beautiful virtue may be found, there immediately the Son is present together with the Father, and the grace of the Spirit comes again and again. ‘Where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I in the midst of them.’ for this is a sign of great affection and a mark of those who love dearly, namely, to have their loved ones surrounding them on every side.” (Pg 158 #71)
  • There is discord in the Church – “Here I see none; but when our gathering has broken up, one man levels an accusation at another; another hurls open insults at his neighbor; and still another speaks slander, is greedy and grasping and violent; and still another is gripped by an unlawful love affair; and still another is devising countless plots. If it were possible to reveal our souls, then you would see all these things in sharp focus, and you would know that I have not lost my mind.” (Pg 158 #73)
  • Discord in the Church should cause us shame – “This is why we might find many men who have greater confidence in pagans than in Christians. Therefore, how great a feeling of shame must we have? How much weeping, how much groaning, do these actions deserve? Someone might ask, ‘What will happen to me? So-and-so is a harsh and stubborn villain.’ Where are the principles of your Christian way of life? Where are the rules given to us by the Apostle, that we must bear each other’s burdens? For if you do not know how to deal well with your brother, when will you be able to deal with a stranger? If you have not learned how to treat a member of your own body, when will you be able to draw a foreigner to you and unite him to yourself?” (Pg 159 #76)
  • Our discord gives strength to the devil (Ο διάβολος) – “After we share in such a table and such food as is on this altar, we arm ourselves against each other. Instead we should be doing this against the devil, who is waging war against all of us. This surely is why with each passing day we become weaker and he becomes stronger. We do not help one another in building a wall to defend ourselves against him. Instead we stand by his side and take him as our commander while we would each other. But it is against him alone that we ought to be waging war. Yet now we let him escape as we aim our arrows against our brothers. ‘What kind or arrows?’ someone may ask. The arrows of our tongue and mouth. For it is not only javelins and darts, but also words, which are much sharper than spears.” (Pg 160 #78-79)
  • We are hurt when we hurt each other – “Only see that the arrow is killing not the one who was struck with it, but you, who aimed the bow and shot the dart. Only then will you be able to end this war. Did he do you some wrong? did he treat you badly? Groan for him, but do not speak ill of him,. Weep not for the wrong done to you, but for your brother’s perdition. Weep as your Master wept for Judas, not because your Master was crucified, but because Judas betrayed him. Did your brother insult you; did he abuse you? Pray to God that he may win His mercy and graciousness. He is your brother; he was born with the same birth pangs as yourself; he is a member of your body; he has been called to the same table.” (Pg 160 #80-81)
  • Instead of hurting others, pull them up with you – “For as long as you can stand, you can save him too. But if you tear yourself apart by returning his abuses, who will then raise both of you up? Will it be the one who was wounded? but he will not be able to do so, because he is lying on the ground. Will you do it after you have fallen along with him? Because you cannot lend a helping hand to yourself, how will you have the strength to help another? Show your nobility, therefore, and stand up with courage. Hold your shield before you with patience and forbearance drag your brother from the battle.” (Pg 161 #82-83)

Send-Off – Return love for love to one another

“Do you see that it is better to have a wrong done to you even if you come to the point of being murdered? Learn then how doing wrong is worse, especially if the wrongdoer has the strength to shed blood. That wrongdoer struck and slew his brother. But the brother received a crown; the slayer was punished [Cain and Abel]….bear these things in mind, and let us flee from envy; let us quench the fires of evil. Return love for love to one another, so that we may reap the blessings love brings both in the present life and in the life to come.” (Pg 162 #86,89)