Bible Study on Romans Session 20

Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans;

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

Study Guide – October 23, 2019 – Romans 11.7-36 – Homily 19

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 11, Verses 7-10

  • To show that God has not cast them off, Paul again invokes the Prophets. SJC “These are no more the words of one who is asking a question; they are the words of one who is making an accusation. What Paul means is that the Jews are only fighting against themselves, because they are seeking after a justification which they are unwilling to accept.” (Pg 1, #2)
  • Paul is slowing shifting to using his personal voice to consol the Jews.
  • History of the Jews should teach them (and us). The punishment would never end. SJC “ But if you Jews wish to argue about the outcome, learn about the present from the past. You went down into Egypt….With a swift hand, God freed you from that servitude….When you were set free from Egypt, after you worshipped the calf, you sacrificed your sons to Baal Peor, you defiled the temple, you turned to every form of evil, you ignored nature itself…. After God gave you up to the Babylonians for seventy years of exile, he led you back again to your former freedom. God restored for you your temple, your fatherland, your ancient way of prophecy….After that restoration, you again returned to your wicked ways…And what makes us marvel most of all is the fact that, as the evils in your lives grew less, the punishment increased, nor is there any hope of change.” (Pg 2-3 #10-13)

Chapter 11, Verses 11-15

  • To stay on their good side, Paul uses the Prophets to convict the, but he uses his personal voice to console them. SJC “For the gentiles were more likely, in this way, to remain firm in their faith, because they had learned to act with moderation. In the same way those Jews who have been freed from despair were likely to be more eager to come to grace.” (Pg 4, #20)
  • God’s plan was always to save the Jews first and then the Gentiles. SJC “All this evidence makes it clear that the natural sequence of events was this, namely, that the Jews would be the first to come to God and then, later on, the gentiles. But when the Jews refused to believe, the order was changed; the Jews’ failure to believe and their transgressions caused the gentiles to be brought in first. This is why Paul says: “By their offense, salvation has come to the gentiles to stir the Jews to jealousy.” (Pg 4, #22)
  • There was a mutual honor between the Jews and the Gentiles. SJC “For what would you Jews have to say? Would it be that if we Jews had not been cast forth, you gentiles would not have been called so soon? And the gentiles respond by saying that if we had not been saved, you would not have been stirred to jealousy. But if you wish to learn what advantage we have over you, it is that we are saving you because we believe; because you have transgressed and fallen, you have given us access to salvation before yourselves.” (Pg 6, #33)

Chapter 11, Verses 16-32

  • This entire section should be read as Paul’s attempt to console the Jews. SJC “Do you see how, in this whole portion of his letter, Paul shows that he is working to this end, namely, his desire to console them? If you deny this, many contradictions will follow.” (Pg 7, #40)
  • Gentiles received honor as a gift. SJC “When you hear: “You were grafted on,” Paul does not want you to think that the gentiles might be inferior when compared to the natural branches. See how he makes them equal when he says: “You have come to share with the other branches in the rich root of the olive tree.” That is, you have been put into the same noble rank, the same nature.” (Pg 8, #44)
  • It is not nature, but belief that saves. SJC “For it is not a matter of nature, but of belief and unbelief. Again, Paul seems to be curbing the mouths of the gentiles, but he is teaching the Jews that they must not cling to their natural kinship.” (Pg 9, #50)
  • Both Jews and Gentiles must have faith in order to be saved. SJC “What Paul means is that if you do not abide in your faith, you will be cut off.” (Pg 9, #53)
  • God has all the power He needs to save us. SJC “For even if the Jews were cut off and torn away, and if others took their place, they must not despair on that account. For Paul says: “God is able to graft them back,” because he does things which go beyond our expectation.” (Pg 10, #58)
  • Salvation is a mystery. SJC “entire race of Israel was not torn up by the roots, but that many did believe and many more were going to believe… if this was promised but had not yet happened in their case, nor did they enjoy the forgiveness of their sins through baptism, surely it will come to pass…..Nevertheless, God did not cut short his calling to you, but he is waiting for all the gentiles who are going to accept the faith to enter the fold. Then the Jews, too, will come in.” (Pg 11-12, #67,70,72)
  • The Jews are not forever destroyed. SJC “God has imprisoned all men in unbelief,” that is, God has convicted them, has shown that they were disobedient. But God does not imprison them so that they may continue to disobey, but so that he may save the one group by the obstinacy of the other group; and the other by the obstinacy of the first.” (Pg 13, #75)

Chapter 11, Verses 33-36

  • Paul is expressing his amazement at the elaborate plan of God. SJC “He considered how elaborately God has planned and managed all things. He was struck with wonder and shouted aloud. In this way he makes his audience sure that what he has said will certainly come to pass.” (Pg 13, #77)
  • Paul offers doxology every time he says something great
  • This ends a major section of the Epistle. What will follow is moral teaching.

Life Application – Focus on Way of Life

  • Don’t put your trust in ancestors Therefore, let us not put our trust in the upright lives of our ancestors. But even if you have a wonderful father, do not think that this is enough to win salvation for you, or to bring you honor and glory unless you become his kinsman in your character and way of life. In the same way, then, if you have a wicked father, you must not think that you are to be condemned and put to shame because of your parent if, at least, you manage your own life well.” (Pg 14, #86)
  • True brethren are those who live the Way of the Church But the relationship which deserves the crown of victory is the relationship which separates us from the wicked. For in this kinship, all cannot be related, but only those of a like character and way of life. For we do not call our brothers those who issued from the same womb as we did, but our brothers are those who manifest the same desires as we do. In this way, Christ calls men children of God or, on the other hand, children of the devil, sons of unbelief, of Gehenna, of perdition.” (Pg 14-15, #88)
  • Become sons of God Therefore, let us become sons of the saints. Rather, let us become sons of God. So that we may learn that we can become God’s sons, listen to what Jesus said: “Be perfect, therefore, as your Father in heaven is perfect.”…Someone may say: “How is it possible to be a son of God?” By freeing yourself of every passion, by showing gentleness to those who hurt you and do you wrong. For your Father is gentle towards those who blaspheme him.” (Pg 15, #90-91)
  • Mercy and money are not the same Surely, every day we commit many sins. Therefore, we need much mercy. However, the great and the less great are not judged by the measure of what is given, but by the ability and resources of those who give. Therefore, the rich man must not feel proud, nor must the poor man feel downcast and dejected because what he gives is little. For oftentimes the poor man has given more of his goods than the rich man has given of his wealth. Hence, there is no need for us to measure our generosity because we are poor. Surely that makes almsgiving less burdensome for us. Indeed, the man of many possessions is gripped by his madness and passion for even greater wealth. But the man who possesses little has been freed from this tyranny. And so, he has more opportunities for doing good.” (Pg 15, #92-93)
  • Consolation is a greater gift than money For there are times when a word of consolation can win over one who is suffering no less and even more than money can do. This is also why God bids us to contribute money to the needy so that he may not only come to their aid in their poverty, but also so that he may teach us to have compassion for our neighbor in his troubles.” (Pg 16, #95)

Send Off – Show MercyTherefore, let us put forward this disposition to show mercy, and all the blessings will follow. For he who is endowed with a kind and merciful soul, if he has money, he will give it away; if he sees someone in critical circumstances, he will weep and lament with him; if he comes upon someone who has suffered wrong, he will stand up for him; if he sees someone who has been treated unjustly, he will reach out his hand. Since he possesses this treasure-house of blessings, namely, a kind and merciful soul, he will make all the blessings gush forth to help his brothers. And he himself will enjoy all the rewards which God has stored up for him. (Pg 16, #97-98)