Bible Study on Romans Session 30

Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans;

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

Study Guide – May 5, 2020 – Romans 15.14-24 – Homily 29

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 15, verses 14-21

  • St Paul begins to wrap up his letter. SJC “In every way Paul showed a love for his disciples that knew no equal. And so it is that, at the beginning of his epistles, Paul always starts them in this way and brings them to a conclusion in the very same fashion.” Pg. 6, #32)
  • St Paul is convinced the Romans are now ready to move forward. SJC “I think that here he is calling their virtue complete in every respect. He does not say that they possess goodness, but that they are filled with it.” (Pg 1, #4)
  • St Paul begins to give the cure. SJC “Notice Paul’s humility, see his wisdom. Consider how he had cut them deeply in his earlier admonitions but, after he had succeeded in his purpose in what he had said earlier, see how he next administers curative treatment in abundance.” (Pg 1, #5)
  • Mutual love can lift each other up. SJC “Paul came down from his place as their teacher and talks things over with the Romans as brothers and friends of equal rank, both at the beginning and end of his letter. And this is a teacher’s function, namely, to handle his discourse in varied ways for the benefit of those who hear him.” (Pg 2, #8)
  • St Paul is constantly reminding them that these teachings are from God. SJC “Therefore, do not be harsh with me. I am not exalting myself. God is the one who commands me.” (Pg 2, #9)
  • St Paul uses prayer and worship to teach. SJC “Paul now brings his discourse to a more lofty plane. He now speaks not of mere worship as he did at the beginning of his letter, but his theme is now one of priestly service and ministry.” (Pg 2, #10)
  • St Paul’s purpose from God is to save others. SJC “Surely, what he is saying is this. My knife is the gospel, that is, the word I preach. And the reason I do so is not that I may receive glory nor that I may appear famous, but that: “The gentiles may be offered up as a pleasing sacrifice, consecrated by the Holy Spirit.” That is, that the souls of those whom I have taught may be accepted. For God did not bring me to this so much because he was honoring me as because of his concern and care for you.” (Pg 3, #11)
  • The Holy Spirit makes us worthy. SJC “And how are they to become an acceptable sacrifice? By the action of the Holy Spirit. For we need not faith alone but also a spiritual way of life so that we may retain the Spirit who was given to us once and for all.” (Pg 3, #12)
  • We should only boast in God’s works SJC “ I boast not in myself nor in my zealous efforts, but in the grace of God….He means that no one could say that his words are a mere boast. For he can show many signs of this priestly ministry of his and proofs of his selection for this service. I do not mean the long robes and tinkling bells worn by the priests of old, nor their headbands and tiaras, but signs and wonders far more filled with awe than these. Nor could it be said that these miracles had been entrusted to him or that he had failed to perform what he was ordered to do. For Paul did not perform them, but Christ did. Therefore, it is in Christ that he is boasting.” (Pg 3, #15-16)
  • All good things come from God. SJC “For if Paul should say anything, or do anything, or perform miracles, it is God, it is the Holy Spirit who accomplishes everything. And he says this because he is proving the dignity of the Spirit.” (Pg 4, #17)
  • New Testament times are more marvelous than Old Testament times. SJC “Do you see how these things are more marvelous and more filled with awe than the things of ancient times, such as the sacrifice, the offering, the symbols? For when Paul says: “By word and deed, by mighty signs and wonders,” he means this, namely, the doctrine, the contemplative life in God’s Kingdom, the example of good deeds and the Christian way of life, the dead who have been raised to life, the demons who have been driven out, the blind who have been cured, the lame who have leaped up, the other marvels, all of which the Holy Spirit has wrought in us.” (Pg 4, #18)

Chapter 15, verses 22-24

  • St Paul always worked to keep people humble. SJC “Paul puts them in their place when he says: “As soon as I shall set out for Spain I hope to see you as I am passing through.” For the reason he made this statement was to keep the Romans from thinking proudly of themselves.” (Pg 5, #28)
  • St Paul wasn’t just planning a “stop over” SJC “What Paul means is this, namely, that you may be witnesses that it is not because I am slighting you, but because I am forced by necessity that I am just passing through. But since this seemed to bring some grief to them, he heals their feelings and makes their hurt easier to bear when he says: “After I have been filled with the joy of being with you for a while.” (Pg 6, #29)
  • St Paul’s love was fulfilled by being filled with joy for being with his people. SJC “Do you see how Paul proves his love when, even though he is in a hurry, he does not rise up to leave until he has had his joy filled? And this, too, is a sign of his deep affection, namely, that he expresses it in such warm terms. For he did not only say: “I shall see you,” but, “I shall be filled with joy,” (Pg 6, #31)

Life Application – He who loves Christ loves his flock

  • Shepherds/leaders love their flock more than themselves – God put Moses in charge of the Jewish people when Moses showed that he was kindly disposed toward the Israelites. And David came to be king for this reason, namely, that he had earlier shown that he loved the people of Israel. Indeed, although he was only a young boy, he grieved so deeply for his people that he risked his life when he slew that barbarian Goliath.’ (Pg 6-7, #34)
  • Shepherds/leaders stand up for their flock – David did this on many other occasions when that frightening anger from above came down on the entire nation. For while all were perishing from starvation, he said: “I, the shepherd, have done wrong, but these sheep, what have they done?” And so, in the choice of those punishments, he did not pick famine or flight from his enemies. He chose death sent from God by which he expected to put the others in a place of safety. He chose that he would be struck down instead of all the others. (Pg 7, #37)
  • Shepherds/leaders grieve the suffering of their flock – Such should a ruler be and grieve more for the calamities of others than for those which befall himself. At least David endured some such suffering in the case of his son, so that you might learn that he did not love Amnon more than the people who were subject to him as king. (Pg 8, #41)
  • Shepherds/leaders take responsibility for their flock – Abraham approached God not once or twice or three times. Many times he took refuge before God and found an excuse for the sinning cities in his own lowly nature when he said: “I am dust and ashes.” Because he saw that the wicked inhabitants were betraying themselves and making God angry because of their own sins, Abraham prayed that they be spared because of those others [who had not sinned]. (Pg 8, #45)
  • Shepherds/leaders never give up on their flock – If there is such great zeal for irrational creatures, what excuse would we have, we who are entrusted with reasonable souls and yet slumber on in this deep sleep? Should we be drawing a single restful breath? Should we be enjoying peace and quiet? Should we not be running around everywhere and exposing ourselves to ten thousand deaths on behalf of these sheep? Or do you not know the worth and dignity of this flock? (Pg 9, #48)
  • Shepherds/leaders fight harder for spirituality than for earthly things  – Men who wish to lead the people in everyday matters link night to day in watchful care. Do we, whose struggle is in behalf of heaven, sleep even during the very hours of the day? Who is going to set us free from the punishment for such a lack of activity? For if the body had to be cut to pieces, if it had to endure ten thousand deaths, ought we not to run to meet this fate as if we were rushing to a festival? (Pg 9, #50)

Send Off – A Good Shepherd/Leader must toil Therefore, since you know how the shepherd must toil, cooperate by your prayers, by your readiness, by your zeal, and by your love, so that we may be a reason for you to boast and you may be a reason for us to do the same. This is why Christ entrusted this task to the prince of the apostles since Peter loved him beyond the other apostles. But first Christ asked Peter if he loved him more than the others, so that you might learn that this loving him more than the rest and before other things provides a guaranteed proof of one’s true love for Christ. And this requires a sturdy and vigorous soul. (Pg 9, #52)