Chapter 15
The function of the royal family honour code.
Outline
Maturity function of the royal family honour code, verses 1-12
The three principles of momentum (Parenthesis), verses 13-15
The apostolic function of the royal family honour code, 16-33.
In chapters 13-15 the entire principle of doctrine is structurised around the weak and the strong believer.
The strong believer
1. The strong believer is defined as one who through maximum doctrine resident in the soul has attained maturity adjustment to the justice of God.
2. Therefore the strong believer functions under the royal family honour code, rightly dividing the Word of Truth in such areas of personal and impersonal love, plus making the distinction between the essential and the non-essential.
2. The strong believer has received the initial increment of the 6th imputation of blessing
in time, and he will continue to receive blessing from the justice of God until he reaches the point of dying grace.
3. The strong believer has maximum production. He advances to maturity through his
priesthood, through the perception of doctrine by means of the function of GAP.
5. The strong believer is also known as the crisis personality, which is another way of saying that the mature believer is totally oriented to reality. There is no problem in life too great for the mature believer.
6. Since the mature believer has his priorities straight, and his priorities are related to Bible doctrine resident in the soul, he is inflexible with regard to the essentials and flexible with regard to the non-essentials.
7. It is flexibility regarding the non-essentials which provides such excellent orientation to life.
8. All high priorities are assigned to the essentials which to the believer include the perception of doctrine and the utilisation of doctrine in the norms and standards of the conscience.
9. Therefore the crisis personality combines inflexibility regarding the essentials with flexibility with regard to the non-essentials.
10. The crisis personality, then, can cope with any disaster in life, personal or historical. The crisis personality does not follow any overt mould or pattern but possesses the inner dynamics of doctrine to meet every situation as it occurs in his circumstances.
11. Therefore the crisis personality is a synonym for the strong or mature believer, with emphasis on undeserved suffering.
12. The historical or personal crisis gives the strong believer the opportunity to apply doctrine to the reality of the situation, demonstrating the total adequacy of doctrine in his life, the total adequacy of divine provision for the believer in the devil’s world.
13. The imputation of divine blessing to the strong believer includes undeserved suffering, which demonstrates the dynamics of Bible doctrine resident in his soul and labels the strong believer as the crisis personality.
14. The strong believer demonstrates the principle that if God doesn’t promote you, you are not promoted.
1. There are two categories of weak believer we will consider at this point: a) the ignorant believer who is positive toward doctrine; b) the ignorant believer who is negative toward doctrine.
2. The weak believer is defined as one who for several different reasons is ignorant
of Bible doctrine, therefore is in the state of being spiritually weak.
3. Bible doctrine resident in the soul is the strength of the believer.
4. The weak believer is flexible regarding the essential and inflexible regarding the non-essentials.
5. For this reason, then, the weak believer is totally divorced from reality.
6. The weak believer is either distorting grace into antinomianism or is zealously working for divine blessing, and therefore legalistic.
7. Because he is ignorant of doctrine the weak believer is arrogant, rejecting all authority. (Authority orientation is a part of adjustment to reality)
8. As an arrogant person divorced from reality the weak believer is frustrated by a saturation of mental attitude sins which motivate verbal sins—judging, maligning, gossiping, bearing grudges, revenge tactics.
9. The weak believer, then, is a sociopath having no doctrinal norms and standards in his soul. He is a law unto himself.
10. The weak believer is ignorant of the royal family honour code, therefore totally unaware of the imputation structure of the plan of God for his life.
11. The weak believer does not understand or utilise the provision of logistical grace. Logistical grace is designed for his advance to maturity and therefore the meaning and purpose of the Christian way of life are nebulous and abstruse. They have eluded him.
12. The positive weak believer toward doctrine, though, is tolerated through the strong believer’s flexibility in the non-essentials. All believers start out as weak, and only as they learn doctrine do they gain momentum and advance to maturity and spiritual strength. Therefore all of us are tolerated by someone in the Christian community until we make that advance.
13. While toleration is the order of the day for the weak believer who is positive toward doctrine, separation is the divine order regarding the weak believer who is negative toward doctrine.
14. When the weak believer is negative toward doctrine and involved in reversionism he is constantly under divine discipline, and association with him invites disaster by association.
15. The weak believer has false norms and standards. He has a conscience distorted through rationalism and empiricism, or emotionalism.
16. The weak believer has erroneous concepts of Christian virtue. He places emphasis on superficialities—such as sincerity, human good, self-righteousness, socialism, the welfare state, pseudo-morality, asceticism, taboos, legalism.
17. Because the weak believer is ignorant of doctrine, therefore flexible regarding the essentials and inflexible regarding the non-essentials, he possesses very strong opinions which are completely erroneous.
18. In the weak believer lack of doctrine means erroneous application, therefore lack of common sense, lack of capacity for life, lack of orientation to reality, lack of authority orientation, lack of grace orientation.
19. The weak believer parlays human good into evil and rationalises his modus operandi as the Christian way of life.
20. The weak believer, then, can only gain strength by discrediting the strong believer. Therefore the weak believer constantly seeks to judge and vindictively criticise.
21. Such action only weakens the weak believer and subjects him to divine discipline for his presumptive assumption of divine authority. It is God’s authority to judge, not human.
2. The weak and strong are relative terms, they are based upon the amount of doctrine resident in the soul of the believer rather than lifestyle.
3. Nomenclature strong is not unconditional praise and approbation. While nomenclature weak is not unconditional reproach and condemnation.
4. Both strong and weak believer continue to possess in this life the old sin nature with the potentialities of sin, good and evil, which all emanate from the old sin nature.
5. Therefore the difference between the weak and strong believer is the difference between ignorance and cognisance of doctrine, plus the amount of time logged in the filling of the Holy Spirit. But it is not a difference in lifestyle.
6. Both strong and weak believer have their own peculiar occupational hazards and the principle that no one is perfect must be understood by all.
7. Pride is a subtle sin, as subtle as the originator of sin—Satan or Lucifer the son of the morning.
8. Therefore pride creeps into bed and seduces the sleeping, non-alert believer, whether weak or strong.
9. However that pride manifests itself in different ways regarding the weak and strong believer.
10. For the weak, pride is demonstrated in judging others, revenge tactics, maligning, gossiping, retaliation, expressing bitterness through retaliation.
11. For the strong believer, pride is demonstrated by intolerance of the weak believer.
12. The weak believer has the arrogance of ignorance while the strong believer has the pride of cognisance and achievement.
13. False standards are used with arrogance in the weak believer to turn him into a spiritual tyrant and bully, while true standards are linked with pride in the strong believer to vent sarcasm and intolerance toward the weak believer.
14. Both impersonal love and privacy of the priesthood in the honour code provide the necessary freedom and breathing-room for every believer to live his life as unto the Lord and to advance to maturity.
15. Freedom of opportunity is equality of opportunity, but freedom always results in the greatest inequalities.
16. Freedom plus equality is a guarantee of inequality.
17. Ignorance of doctrine makes one believer weak while cognisance of doctrine makes another believer strong.
18. Normal spiritual growth through perception of doctrine involves variations of standards. By the time anyone attains spiritual maturity his norms and standards are the standards of doctrine.
19. The strong believer lives by the mature standards formed through doctrine resident in the soul; the weak believer lives by the background standards, including environmental standards, academic standards, and other categories of pre-Christian norms.
20. Christianity sanctions tolerance for immaturity and recognition that each stage of growth has its own standard for that stage. Therefore variation in standards is not only permissible for those stages of growth but necessary for advance to the next stage. The believer can only adopt the standard for his own stage of growth, he cannot adopt a standard for a higher stage of growth.
The function of the royal family honour code provides for variation in standards at each stage of growth
1. Around the principle of live and let live are a series of encapsulating doctrines. These give living and breathing space for every believer to advance to maturity.
2. Such honour code principles such as impersonal love, privacy of the priesthood, and inflexibility regarding the essentials and flexibility regarding the non-essential, all result in orientation to reality—spiritual reality. They also result in Christian common sense, elimination of the subjective, and the inclusion of objective perception of doctrine within the framework of the body of Christ.
3. In other words, each believer must live his life as unto the Lord.
4. Each believer is not required to meet the standards of a more advanced believer. Instead, each believer must meet God’s standards for that stage of growth. You are not responsible to other believers, you are responsible to God for your standards at a certain stage of growth. In other words, the principle makes doctrine the true issue in the Christian life.
5. Therefore only doctrine has the right to intrude on the privacy of your priesthood. And doctrine must intrude, otherwise you will have false standards from start to finish.
6. In fact, doctrine must interfere with the privacy of your priesthood for your spiritual advance and growth in grace. Everyone grows because doctrine infiltrates the soul and changes the norms and standards as it provides building material for the edification complex of the soul.
7. All positive believers must be tolerated and accepted into the fellowship of the body of Christ.
8. Variation of standards and differences of opinion, then, must be tolerated under the principle of impersonal love in the RFHC, as well as the privacy of the priesthood.
9. God does not reject nor punish believers on the basis of non-essentials. Therefore it is presumptuous to reject the believer whom God has accepted.
2. The honour code demands rigid adherence to the essentials of Bible doctrine.
3. Variation in application or differences in non-essentials does not permit or consent to variation in essential doctrines.
4. Due to variation of growth different stages of ignorance do not change the absolute truth of Bible doctrine. Bible doctrine is true regardless of your stage of growth.
5. Therefore, about doctrine we must be dogmatic; about application of doctrine we must demonstrate elasticity rather than tenacity. We must be lubricated by the honour code rather than the abrasiveness of our personal arrogance.
6. Tolerance for the various stages of growth does not imply toleration of error in the essentials of doctrine.
7. The royal family honour code, then, binds the strong and weak believer together in their mutual advance together through Bible doctrine. It does this is such a way as to overshadow their differences of application at different stages of growth.
8. Noted from the previous chapter is the fact that two Christians can believe in the deity of Christ (an essential of doctrine), yet differ in their attitude toward non-essentials, such as food taboos and holy days.
9. Two Christians can believe in the doctrine of eternal security, which is an absolute, yet differ in their attitude toward non-essentials.
10. Two Christians can accept the doctrine of the baptism of the Spirit which unites them in the royal family of God, yet differ in their attitude toward the non-essentials.
11. Two Christians can subscribe to the eschatology of the pre-Tribulational Rapture, yet differ in their attitude toward the non-essentials.
2. Every believer possesses under the honour code freedom. Freedom includes three factors from which it cannot be divorced, and which are a part of the freedom: privacy and property. So every believer possesses under the honour code the freedom and the privacy to advance to the objective under the plan of God—maturity adjustment to the justice of God through Bible doctrine resident in the soul.
3. Freedom guarantees that there is no equality among believers in either time or eternity.
4. All believers are given both freedom and time to advance to maturity.
5. However such freedom cannot manufacture equality or guarantee equality in the Christian life, or even human life. We are born equal only in the sense that we are all born spiritually dead and condemned from birth.
6. Some use freedom in time to reject doctrine, and some believers use freedom in time to learn doctrine.
7. God starts all believers on an equal basis at salvation by giving them 36 items.
8. But from the point of salvation and on inequalities exist through the use of freedom to accept or to reject Bible doctrine.
9. The result is the weak and strong believer.
10. Some believers are mature and some are immature. This is inequality.
11. Some believers are positive toward doctrine and some are negative. This is inequality. It results in inequality.
12. Some believers advance to super-grace and some retreat through reversionism. There is inequality.
13. Some believers have blessing of dying grace, and some the cursing of the sin unto death. This is inequality.
14. Some believers are blessed in time and some are disciplined. This is inequality based on freedom.
15. Some believers are rewarded at the judgment seat of Christ and some have none. This is inequality.
16. Equality is a myth; freedom is a reality.
17. Freedom does not guarantee equality.
18. Equality is a device of the arrogant; freedom is the motivation of the grace-oriented.
19. Forced equality is the policy of Satan; grace freedom is the policy of God.
20. Equality is the epitome of evil when demanded; freedom is the vehicle of grace.
21. Freedom is dogmatic and inflexible regarding the essentials of doctrine, and at the same time freedom is flexible and pliable regarding the non-essentials of life. Therefore freedom is both common sense and orientation to reality. But freedom must have content of thought and that content of thought is Bible doctrine, the mind of Christ.
Therefore impersonal love is the application of freedom
2. Impersonal love emphasises the subject rather than the object of love.
3. Impersonal love observes establishment principles as well as the Christian honour code principles in recognising freedom, privacy, property, the umbrella of authority, imputed righteousness, and even recognises the non-essential opinions of the weak believer.
4. Impersonal love does not lower one’s standards to those who are antagonistic.
5. When you are the victim of gossip, maligning, judging, the victim of a grudge or retaliation or revenge, you do not reciprocate under the principle of impersonal love.
6. To retaliate or to reciprocate by emulation is to lower yourself to the standards of your antagonists, the standards of the weak believer.
7. Every time the believer holds a grudge, retaliates, seeks revenge, expresses hatred and reprisal or retorts, that believer has abandoned the principle of impersonal love.
8. Impersonal love gives breathing space for the function of freedom.
9. All of these principles are a prerequisite to understanding the function, the modus operandi of the royal family honour code.
Verse 1 – the responsibility of the strong believer under the honour code. “We then
that are strong.” The postpositive conjunction de is used as a transitional particle. This is not setting up a contrast here as it usually is, it is a transitional going from a terrible road block which is destroying the image and dynamics of the ambassadorship for Christ in fundamentalist Christianity. We go from the roadblock to clearing it to developing dynamics, therefore the transitional particle is translated “now”. Then the nominative plural subject of the personal pronoun e)gw—“we.” God has seen fit to use people who are believers. This refers to the believer as a priest who must advance to maturity under the plan of God, and as an ambassador for Christ who must produce as an ambassador. Advance under the priesthood, produce under the ambassadorship is the standing order. If this function is going to become operational advance to maturity under the priesthood and production under ambassadorship then there must be the clearing out of the roadblock, a roadblock made up of weak believers. Then comes the nominative masculine plural from the adjective dunatoj, the “strong”—“Now we the strong.” Note that the writer considers himself strong, and that is not arrogance, it is a correct estimate of the situation. A believer who has maximum doctrine and is an advanced believer knows it. And he doesn’t know it in terms or in the framework of arrogance, looking down his nose at anyone, he looks at it from the standpoint that he has attained enough doctrine to be very strong in life. He recognises it from his own life because he has a mirror in the world of God which says: he has essential doctrine, yes; non-essentials: flexible, yes. There is also the generic use of the definite article to indicate the category of the mature believer—“the strong,” and the generic use here means, once again, that self-consciousness is not arrogance. The self-consciousness of the mature believer is aware of the fact that he is strong, that he is a mature believer. It is a true, correct evaluation of his own life in the light of the Word of God which he understands. There is a principle here: The more you advance in the Christian life the greater becomes your responsibility to other believers.
“ought to bear the infirmities of the weak” – present active indicative of o)feilw
means to owe, to be indebted, to discharge an obligation, to be obligated. With an infinitive following it means to be obligated, and this is the meaning here. This is an obligation under the royal family honour code. The customary present tense denotes what habitually occurs. The mature believer under the RFHC is obligated to the weak believer, and this obligation is his part on the honour code. It is something that belongs to those who are mature; it is not the responsibility of all believers; this is a specialised order. He is obligated to the weak or immature believer who is positive toward doctrine. He does not have an obligation toward the weak believer who is negative toward doctrine; he must separate from him. The active voice: the strong believer only produces the action. The indicative mood is declarative for the reality of the honour code and the reality of the mature believer functioning under the honour code; and functioning in such a way that he takes responsibility for weak believers in his periphery. In other words, the royal family honour code demands much more of the mature believer than the weak believer. And this responsibility cannot be fulfilled unless you have strength in flexibility. Now the more flexible you become, the more people are going to misunderstand you, the more people are prone to judge you, the more people are prone to underestimate you. They are going to think of you in terms of being weak because you are flexible, because you are nice, because you are thoughtful. When you begin to develop flexibility in life, and strength through flexibility, you are moving into the area of reality. At last you are able to cope and face reality. People who are not flexible are people who become psychotic, neurotic, sociopathic, other types of weirdos. Inflexibility cracks up under pressure. The active voice: the strong believer produces the action of the verb. When you have a command given in the indicative mood with the active voice it becomes passive. That is why it is translated, “Now we the strong are obligated” – passive. Why not use an imperative? Because there aren’t too many strong in any generation to whom this command can be given so that there will be an enlarged pivot and more strong. The honour code demands more of the mature believer than the weak believer, and obligation under the honour code increases as the believer advances toward spiritual maturity. Much more is expected of the mature believer than the weak believer, quite obviously. Next comes the present active infinitive of the verb bastazw, which means to take up, to carry, to bear. We translate, “are obligated to keep on bearing.” The retroactive progressive present tense denotes what has happened in the past and continues into the present time. The active voice: the mature believer under the royal family honour code produces the action of the verb. The infinitive is the infinitive of purpose. The infinitive may be used to express the aim or the action which is denoted by the finite verb preceding it. Then the accusative plural direct object from the noun a)sqenhma which means “weaknesses.” This refers to the weaknesses of the weak believer who is positive toward doctrine. The spiritual weakness of the believer is always because of lack of Bible doctrine in the soul. He is weak, not because he wants to be weak, but simply because he does not have the equipment to be strong, for strength in the spiritual life is measured in terms of doctrine resident in the soul. With this is the generic use of the definite article, also in the accusative plural. It represents the weak believer as a category, a classification or a group, and it distinguishes between the two basic concepts of a weak believer. There is the weak believer who is positive toward doctrine and the weak believer who is negative toward doctrine. Both suffer from the same problem—ignorance of doctrine. The positive believer will eventually rectify that; the negative believer will go into reversionism and the sin unto death. In this particular passage we are dealing with the weak believer who is positive toward doctrine. The mature believer has a much greater responsibility in the Christian life than the weak believer. This is followed by a descriptive genitive plural from the adjective a)dunatoj. This is the adjective which tells us that we are dealing with a positive believer who is still ignorant of doctrine. The word means impotent, impossible, weak or powerless.
1. The royal family honour code assigns additional duties to the strong or mature believer.
2. Part of this obligation is described here as bearing the weaknesses of the weak. This is the maximum utilisation of impersonal love and total toleration, flexibility, in the areas of the non-essentials. Only the strong believer has a total grasp of the non-essentials.
3. Maximum function of impersonal love fulfils this mature believer’s honour code duty to the weak believer. It fulfils it because the mature believer operates on his own norms and standards of doctrine. The mature believer through doctrine develops a sensitivity toward the feelings of others.
“and not to please ourselves” – the connective use of the conjunction kai followed
by the negative mh, used with the present active infinitive of a)reskw, which sometimes means to please, to strive to please, or to accommodate. Since the positive side of this passage is going to come a little later under the concept of pleasing God the negative side, obviously means that God is pleased sometimes when we are not pleasing ourselves. Not pleasing ourselves is a mature modus operandi only. It is the modus operandi of being so aware of the problems and the difficulties and the heart-aches and areas of sensitivity of those around you that you are flexible enough not to offend them, and therefore to make an issue out of doctrine. This can be translated, “and not to accommodate ourselves.” The pictorial present tense denotes what happens negatively when the mature believer fulfils the honour code in this area. The active voice: the mature believer in fulfilling the principle of impersonal love toward the weak fulfils a negative purpose. Then the dative plural of advantage from the reflexive pronoun e(autou. This places emphasis on the norms and standards of the subject which is the strong believer.
Translation: “Now we, the strong [mature believer], are obligated to keep bearing the
weaknesses of the weak, and to accommodate ourselves.”
2. Obligation and responsibility under the honour code increases with advance to maturity.
3. There is a much higher standard for the strong believer than the weak believer, which brings up a very important doctrinal principle: There are definitely different standards in the Christian life. There is the standard for the spiritual baby, the standard for the adolescent, the standard for the person approaching maturity, the standards as you crack the maturity barrier. There is a standard which God approves for each stage.
4. The royal family honour code assigns additional duty to the strong believer.
5. Bearing the weaknesses of the weak is maximum utilisation of impersonal love and both toleration and flexibility in the areas of the non-essentials.
6. It is maximum function of impersonal love which fulfils the strong believer’s honour code duty and responsibility to the weak believer.
7. Do not accommodate yourself to the weak believer who is reversionistic. On the other hand, by not accommodating ourselves to the weak positive believer the emphasis is placed on the norms and standards of that person. We lower ourselves; we lose every time we fail to accommodate ourselves to the weak believer and tolerate his standards which are erroneous.
8. Impersonal love always emphasises the norms and standards of the subject and assigns no merit to the object.
9. To the mature believer it is quite a burden to see and hear the weak believer babbling nonsense based on ignorance of doctrine. The weak believer is weak because he has minimum doctrine combined with maximum arrogance to formulate inconsequential opinions about superficialities in life.
10. Therefore the strong/mature believer must carry a heavy burden by tolerating the silly, the inconsequential, without refuting of the non-essentials.
11. Through perception of Bible doctrine the weak believer will become strong and the doctrine resident in his soul will not only change his norms and standards but at the same time will provide enough poise, enough common sense, enough sense of humour, to laugh at his former norms. Doctrine must change the conscience. You are no one else’s conscience; you are not to form their norms and standards; doctrine must change the conscience.
12. Furthermore he will see the humour of the inflexibilities with regard to non-essentials.
13. How is all this accomplished? Avoidance of argumentation, avoidance of refutation or retaliation. In other words, the strong believer must bear the weaknesses of the weak believer in order that doctrine might be the true issue, and therefore the weak believer can advance to maturity. While flexibility may appear as a weakness to the weak it is the strength of the strong to be flexible in the field of non-essentials. The honour and integrity of the strong believer contributes the spiritual growth and advance of the weak believer who is positive toward doctrine.
Verse 2 – the principle of sensitivity under the honour code, the ability to
correctly estimate the feelings and the life of someone else. It is possible to be aware of someone else’s existence without ever intruding on their privacy. The adjective e(kastoj begins the verse, it recognises that every Christian is an individual, and as an individual has a soul, and as a person with a soul has areas of strength and areas of weakness, has areas of sensitivity and areas of insensitivity. This is an adjective but it is used here as a substantive in the nominative masculine singular in order to become the subject. It should be translated “Each one.” God regards us as “Each one.” With this is the descriptive genitive plural from the personal pronoun e)gw, translated “of us.” It indicates that there are other people in the body of Christ with you and that these people are just as human as you are human, and while they may have unpleasing personalities and may be very irritating to you, nevertheless they are members of the royal family of God. Then the verb, the present active imperative of a)reskw which means to strive to please, to accommodate. The verb implies a positive relationship between two factors, therefore expressing the action of trying to please. It doesn’t mean to try to please by simply complimenting someone, to be pleasing in the sense of being a flatterer. It doesn’t mean that you should try to build up everyone in your periphery by finding out something nice about them and saying it. That is superficial. The word means here to accommodate. “Let each one of us accommodate.” The customary present tense is for what habitually occurs where a mature believer is thoughtful about other people. The active voice: the strong believer produces the action of the verb. This is the imperative of command. Then the word from chapter 13, plhsion, meaning someone in your periphery and is translated “neighbour.” This is an adverb used as a substantive and here it simply means those with whom you have contact. It means to take the responsibility for weak people. Weak people need your strength, and your strength comes from impersonal love. With this is the dative singular indirect object from the definite article used as a personal pronoun—“his.”
“for good to edification” – the prepositional phrase e(ij plus the accusative singular
of a)gaqoj, plus the definite article to denote the concept of a separate category: “for the purpose of the good.” What is the good? Momentum in the plan of God. X + Y + Z = the plan of God. The second prepositional phrase is proj plus the accusative of o)ikodomh, used for the edification complex which is completed when the believer is attains maturity adjustment to the justice of God. In other words, the completion of the ECS parallels arriving in the field of impersonal love. There is no definite article with o)ikodomh, making it anartharous and emphasising the high quality of the ECS.
Translation: “Let each one of us accommodate his neighbour for the purpose of the
good to the edification complex.”[1]
Verse 3 – the illustration of the mature believer functioning under responsibility. The
more you progress in the Christian life the greater becomes your sense of responsibility to those in your periphery. Maturity means occupation with Christ so that becoming thoughtful of other people and making occasional sacrifices. And replacing the law of liberty with the appropriate laws is really not that much of a sacrifice, because you have the privilege and the honour of impersonal love which gives you such a fantastic capacity for life and such a capacity for personal love that there is no strain in this function.
“For even Christ pleased not himself” – the ascensive use of kai used with the
postpositive conjunction gar, “For even.” The subject in the nominative case is o( Xristoj—“the Christ.” This is the generic use of the definite article to emphasise the uniqueness of Christ and to indicate the area in which sacrifice is made. Jesus Christ as God cannot make sacrifice; sovereignty cannot make any sacrifice. Next is the negative o)u and the aorist active indicative of the verb a)reskw which means to please or to accommodate, and with it the dative singular indirect object from the reflexive pronoun e(autou—“For even the Christ did not accommodate himself.” The constative aorist tense gathers into one entirety the 33 years of the incarnation, the first advent of Christ. The active voice: Christ produced the action of the verb. The indicative mood is declarative representing the verbal action from the standpoint of reality. This phrase emphasises the fact of our Lord’s objectivity. Subjectivity and selfishness, living to please and accommodate self, is arrogant disorientation to personal existence, and our Lord was totally free from any form of sin, including the most subtle of all sins: the arrogance factor. Therefore the phrase emphasises the fact that our Lord was not only totally objective but He was totally thoughtful of others. Christ lived on earth as the God-Man (1st Advent) to please God the Father, but at the same time to accommodate mankind.
“but, as it is written” – the adversative conjunction a)lla means that we are about to
get some information from another portion of the Word of God—“but,” to set up a contrast. The adverb kaqowj indicates comparison with scripture used as a formula to document scripture. Then the perfect passive indicative of the verb grafw—“but as it stands written.” The perfect tense is the intensive perfect emphasising an existing fact: the Old Testament Scripture. The passive voice: the Old Testament canon receives the action of the verb through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The indicative mood is the reality of the existence of the Old Testament canon on a par with the New Testament as far as inspiration is concerned and the reality of a specific verse which is now quoted—Psalm 69:9.
“The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me” – the nominative plural
subject is o)neidismoj. It means insults, abuses, reproaches. Here reproaches refers to the sins of the Jews, including their blasphemous insults while He was hanging on the cross—“These blasphemous insults.” There is a definite article here used as a demonstrative pronoun to indicate a specific category of sin, namely the sin of blasphemy. This was what the religious Jews were saying to our Lord hanging on the cross. The articular present active participle of the verb o)neidizw means to insult. The present tense is pictorial present, it presents to the mind a picture of the cross: how over the period of some six hours while our Lord was being crucified the Jewish people who were unbelievers, reversionistic, constantly offered blasphemy and insults to our Lord. The active voice: the negative Jews of our Lord’s incarnation produce the action. The participle is circumstantial. With it is the accusative singular direct object from the personal pronoun su, referring to God the Father, author of the divine plan—“the blasphemous insults of those who insulted you.” They were insulting God the Father. Plus the aorist active indicative of the verb piptw. The constative aorist tense gathers up into one entirety the judicial imputation of all personal sins to Christ on the cross. This is piptw with the preposition in front of it, e)pipiptw [e)pi = on], i.e. on Christ on the cross. The active voice: personal sins produce the action of the verb as the result of the judicial imputation at the cross. The indicative mood is declarative for the reality of the judicial imputation of all personal sins at the cross. With this is a prepositional phrase, e)pi plus the accusative singular of the personal pronoun e)gw—“on me.” All sins in the history of the human race were imputed to one person only—Jesus Christ.
Translation: “For even the Christ did not accommodate himself; but, as it stands written [Psalm 69:9], The blasphemous insults of those who insulted you [God the Father] fell on me [Christ].”
Verse 4 – hope as the motivation for the honour code. Momentum plus motivation
equals advance. “For whatsoever things were written aforetime” – a quotation from the Old Testament in the previous verse leads to the explanatory use of gar. We have to explain. Why does Paul constantly quote from the Old Testament? This is followed by the nominative neuter plural from the correlative particle o(soj, translated “as many things as.” The verb is the aorist passive indicative from prografw [grafw = to write; pro = before], referring to the Old Testament scriptures. “For as many things as has been written before.” The constantive aorist gathers into one entirety the writing of Scripture—from Genesis to Malachi, it looks at the formation of the Old Testament canon as a succession of events written over a long period of time. The passive voice: the Old Testament canon received the action of the verb, it was written by human authors under the direction of God the Holy Spirit. The indicative mood is for the reality of the existence of the Old Testament canon of Scripture.
“were written for our learning” – the preposition e)ij plus the accusative feminine
singular from the pronoun h(meteroj, meaning “our”—“for our.” Then the accusative singular of didaskalia, teaching, inculcation—“for our instruction.” The pronoun is possessive, instruction that belongs to us. Plus the aorist passive indicative of grafw—“were written.” This is a culminative aorist tense, it views the function of the writing of the Old Testament canon in its entirety, but it emphasises the existing results, namely instruction in the field of doctrine. With the exception of Church Age doctrine we learn doctrine from the Old Testament. The passive voice: the Old Testament canon receives the action of the verb under the principle of verbal plenary inspiration. The indicative mood is declarative for the reality of the existence of the Old Testament canon. The culminative aorist views these things from the standpoint of the formation of the Old Testament but emphasises the blessing we receive from studying it. Blessing is the result—perception.
“that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures” – the conjunction i(na, used
with the subjunctive mood to introduce the final clause which denotes purpose, aim, objective or goal. It is translated “in order that.” Then comes the way in which we all have to learn certain doctrines, dia plus the genitive singular from u(pomonh—“through perseverance.” You cannot advance to maturity without facing areas where you are not stimulated, you are not interested, you are not fascinated, you are persevering. Notice the order: comfort follows perseverance. Dia plus the genitive of u(pomonh means “through perseverance.” Next comes the sequential kai indicating that one follows the other, then the preposition dia plus the genitive of paraklhsij. When it is your time to face disaster and catastrophe in life you will never succeed without perseverance. You will never be able to handle your problem because you went to sleep, you were bored, you didn’t persevere when you weren’t interested. You have to have perseverance to have comfort. It is not just the verse you need, it is the structure of doctrine in your soul so that you will stabilize in disaster;
“from the scriptures.” Then the final phrase, the present active subjunctive of the verb e)xw, to have, or to have and to hold. The perfective present tense denotes the continuation of existing results when the believer is positive toward doctrine and perseveres in his perception of doctrine, and comes to the place where he has enough doctrine to receive and derive comfort. Perseverance in the perception of doctrine results in having inner comfort to carry with you always, and when you need it, it is there. The active voice: the believer who perseveres in perception of doctrine produces the action of the verb. The subjunctive mood used with the conjunction i(na denotes a purpose clause. Plus the accusative singular direct object from the noun e)lpij—“hope.”
Translation: “For as many doctrines as have been written before [Old Testament], for our instruction they were written, in order that through perseverance and comfort from the scriptures we might have hope.”
Hope is absolute confidence and assurance, and often comfort. It is a confidence and assurance which has one source: perception of doctrine.[2]
Verse 5 – the function of mental attitude in the royal family honour code. “Now the God of patience and consolation” – the postpositive conjunctive particle de is used as a transitional conjunction and means “Now.” The subject is o( qeoj—“the God.” Then the descriptive genitive singular from the noun u(pomonh, used also in the previous verse and translated “perseverance.” With it is the descriptive genitive singular from paraklhsij, used also in the previous verse for comfort or encouragement—“Now the God of perseverance and comfort.” Perseverance and comfort, mentioned in the previous verse, are mentioned again because the true meaning of life, true capacity for life, true blessing in life, everything that is meaningful and great in life, inevitably must be related to these two words. In the previous verse perseverance and encouragement from the Scriptures is the basis for momentum; now the God of perseverance and hope is so mentioned. The God of perseverance and hope refers to God who in grace has provided the very means of advancing in His plan, glorifying Christ and receiving great blessing. But blessing does not come through our talent or anything that we can do. Perseverance is what God demands. It means to be listening to and learning doctrine even when you are not interested in the subject.
Principle
1. God who is comfort and encouragement transmits these attributes to us through Bible doctrine.
2. Bible doctrine must be transferred from the page of the Word to our frontal lobes where perseverance and encouragement become the function of mental attitude.
3. Inasmuch as perseverance, encouragement and motivation are human characteristics this phrase, then, becomes tantamount to anthropopathism.
4. The anthropopathism is to provide royal family guidelines for the fulfilment of the plan of God. What is expected of the royal family? When it comes to perception of doctrine there is just one virtue: perseverance. Perseverance is a virtue because it gives the motivation to listen to passages where you are not particularly interested.
5. The servant is not greater than his master. We are not greater than the Lord, the God of the universe.
6. Therefore God is a God of perseverance and encouragement. Therefore He expects us to persevere in learning doctrine so that we might have encouragement and comfort from that same doctrine, once learned. You cannot have comfort and encouragement from doctrine you do not have in your soul.
7. Encouragement is the result of such perseverance in perception of doctrine. Encouragement and comfort become mental attitude motivation to keep on keeping on in learning Bible doctrine.
“grant you” – aorist active optative of the verb didomi which means to give. With the optative it means “may give.” So we have to change it a little and say, “Now may the God of perseverance and comfort give.” The aorist tense is a constantive aorist, it contemplates the action of the verb in its entirety. It refers to an action extended over a period of time. The active voice: God produces the action of the verb through perception of doctrine. He works through doctrine. The optative mood is a voluntative optative, it expresses a wish for the future. The optative is the mood of possibility or strong contingency. It contains no definite anticipation of realisation but presents the action as conceivable. Here the voluntative optative expresses Paul’s wish or desire for the royal family of God. The wish can only be fulfilled through maximum doctrine resident in the soul. With this is the dative plural indirect object from the personal pronoun, second person, su, referring to all members of the royal family. The dative of indirect object indicates the one in whose interest the act is performed.
“to be likeminded one toward another” – the present active infinitive from fronew means to think, to form thought, to hold an opinion, to sculpture thought, to set your mind on certain thoughts, to be a computer to select thoughts for the moment, to have thought, to have attitude. This is a customary present denoting what habitually occurs among believers who persevere in perception of Bible doctrine. The active voice: believers positive toward doctrine who persevere in learning doctrine are the ones who produce the action. The infinitive is the infinitive of intended result, where the result in indicated as fulfilling a deliberate aim. In other words, it blends purpose and result into one concept. The accusative neuter plural direct object is from the definite article, and the intensive pronoun is the attributive use of the intensive pronoun, a)utoj. It means literally, the same things—“to be thinking the same things [same category of things].” The intensive pronoun emphasises identity, which in this case is Bible doctrine, the divine viewpoint of life.
The prepositional phrase, e)n plus the locative plural of the reciprocal pronoun, plus a)llhlwn. When this pronoun is in the plural it is represented as affecting an interchange of action. The interchange of action should involve thought, for this is signified by the infinitive. The locative denotes presence, and therefore the translation: “in the presence of one another.”
2. Reciprocity must be based on thinking doctrine.
3. This means if you are going to think doctrine it means inflexibility regarding the essentials and flexibility regarding the non-essentials.
4. Thinking doctrine, the mind of Christ, means applying doctrine, which means the function of doctrine in the honour code in our human relationships.
5. Many people have eaten and drunk themselves to death but no one has ever thought himself to death.
6. Thinking is not anti-Christian. In fact, thinking doctrine is the motivation, the fulfilling, the momentum of the plan of God.
“according to Christ Jesus” – kata plus the accusative of Xristoj and I)hsouj.
Translation: “Now may the God of perseverance and encouragement give to you to
be thinking the same category of things [Bible doctrine and resultant divine viewpoint] in the presence of one another, according to Christ Jesus.”
1. Verse 5 requires unanimity of believers and the fact that we must have something with which to think—Bible doctrine.
2. Even doctrinal perception is at different levels, resulting in different stages of spiritual growth among believers. The real issue is: Is the individual positive toward doctrine. Remember that attitude toward doctrine determines whether you are advancing or retreating in the Christian life.
3. Therefore the royal family honour code with its command to impersonal love, respect for the privacy of the other believer, distinguishing between the essentials and non-essentials, when to be flexible and when to be inflexible; this is the basis for proper freedom for every believer in his advance spiritually. There can be no advance unless in the family of the local church you are tolerated, your privacy is respected, your are loved on an impersonal basis, so that doctrine is an issue in your life.
4. The honourable and ethical function of the inculcated honour code gives each believer that breathing space to advance to maturity. This is the only way to glorify God in time. And therefore doctrine is essential, and therefore other believers must stay out of your way so that you can appreciate and enjoy and learn Bible doctrine.
5. Because of the various stages of growth we cannot think alike as believers, but we can think in terms of obedience to the honour code. Therefore, God has provided for each stage of growth. We do not think alike but we do have something in common: an honour code whereby we learn to respect each other’s privacy, property, freedom, so that doctrine is always the issue in every stage of growth. The honour code principles must be ethics whereby duty to God becomes the obligation of every believer.
6. Allegiance to Christ Jesus and obligation to the honour code demands that we respect the rights of every believer priest during our sojourn on this earth.
7. No believer is authorised to think of himself as an isolated ambassador for Christ. He is a part of a royal priesthood which demands impersonal love, thoughtfulness, and even sensitivity to the feelings of others.
8. In other words, there is no believer who is an island. There is no believer who is a part of the vast mass of believers who is above or below or in between. He is simply a royal priest with privacy having the breathing room to live his life as unto the Lord, to gain momentum from his thinking, to advance to maturity, so that the Lord Jesus Christ can be glorified by his personal and royal priesthood.
9. No believer is a star with preferred treatment. Every believer is a member of the team, subject to team policy and team discipline. There is no such thing as a special case.
10. So the believer must learn to think in terms of others, rather than just himself.
Verse 6 – one of the objectives with regard to honour code function. That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God” – the conjunction i(na plus the subjunctive mood introduces a purpose clause; “In order that.” The adverb o(moqumadon [o(mou = together or in the same place; qumoj = the mind or the soul under strong passion of anger, rage, or simply one without them] means one mind in life, one objective or one purpose. So it comes to mean, “In order that with one motivation.” Eventually the adverb came to mean the inner unity of a group of people engaged in similar action, like the advance to maturity. In the New Testament the general use is the inner unanimity of the royal family of God. But here it seems to connote motivation from doctrine resident in the soul. Doctrine is our ammunition with which we think, it is designed for our thinking, to awake thinking in us so that we can have the divine viewpoint of life. Doctrine resident in the soul being used for thought becomes the dynamic of the Christian life. Next is a preposition, e)n plus the instrumental of the numeral e(ij, used for the human mouth, and also for the jaws of an animal because the next word that comes up is stoma, a mouth—“by one message.” Stoma connotes a message. This is doctrinal teaching. Then the present active subjunctive of the verb docazw—“you may glorify.” The present tense is a perfective present, it denotes a continuation of existing results. The existing results are related to the daily function of GAP, the advance to maturity adjustment to the justice of God; you are advancing toward the glorification of the Lord Jesus Christ. The active voice: the mature believer produces the action of the verb by being persistent in his attitude toward doctrine. No one ever attains maturity without perseverance. The subjunctive mood plus i(na is both potential but is used here as a purpose clause. The object of the verb is the accusative singular direct object from qeoj, plus the definite article indicating that this is a previous reference, a reference to God whom we have previously studied.
“even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” – The ascensive use of the conjunction kai means here “even.” Then an appositional accusative singular from pathr. It is in the accusative case because it is in apposition of qeoj—“God, even the Father.” The possessive genitive, “our,” the genitive of kurioj, the deity of Christ, then I)hsouj and Xristoj, the humanity of Christ and the role of Christ.
Translation: “In order that with one motivation [Doctrine resident in the soul] by one
message [Doctrinal teaching] you may glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Glorification of God and God’s plan can only be accomplished through the teaching and perception of Bible doctrine. This requires objectivity and freedom from interference. This is why we have the honour code. The honour code has something for each stage of spiritual growth. For the weak believer who is positive toward doctrine the principle of the privacy of the priesthood. This forbids the weak believer from judging and maligning believers who have advanced beyond him. For the strong believer there is the policy of impersonal love and resultant flexibility, toleration in the non-essentials of life. Therefore the objective of the honour code is to allow each believer the full use of the privacy of his priesthood—freedom from distraction and interference so that he, too, can be inculcated with doctrine and glorify God. The objective of the honour code function is to advance every believer to maturity and the fulfilment of the plan of God. God’s plan is fulfilled with the 6th imputation for the mature believer in time, and the hope/absolute confidence of the 7th imputation at the judgment seat of Christ. Through the attainment of spiritual maturity, not only is God’s plan fulfilled but, at the same time God is glorified. The function of the honour code, then, is designed to glorify God.
Verse 7 – reciprocity application of the honour code. “Wherefore receive ye one
another” – the inferential conjunction dio denotes a self-evident inference and is translated “Therefore.” The verb is the present middle imperative of proslambanw which means to accept into one’s society, to accept into one’s acquaintances, therefore used both here and in Romans 14:1 for one believer of the royal family being receptive toward another believer. This is the reciprocity application of the honour code: “Therefore receive.” The present tense is the perfective present, it denotes a continuation of the existing results from the daily function of GAP, the existing doctrinal norms in the conscience provide motivation to live under the royal family honour code, and again to accept people at their particular stage of growth as just as much a part of the royal family as you are with your advanced stage of growth. The middle voice is a reciprocal middle in which the plural subject in which the weak and the strong believer represent an interchange of effort between the acting agents. This is sometimes called the redundant middle or the reflexive middle. The imperative mood is the imperative of command. Corrected translation: “Therefore be receiving.” It is a continual process. Next is the accusative plural direct object from the reciprocal pronoun a)llhlwn, which means one another of the same kind, each other or one another. Whom God has received we cannot reject, and therefore the principle:
2. This corrected translation introduces a principle which reognises that every believer is at a different stage of growth in his spiritual life.
3. This principle also recognises that no believer is perfect, and we are not to make an issue out of someone else’s sins or failures.
4. This principle recognises the privacy of the priesthood as the basic tenet of the royal family honour code. Live and let live overflows into the Christian life from the freedom principle of divine establishment to the honour code.
5. Live and let live now means that every believer must have equal opportunity in learning doctrine, with hindrance or distraction from another believer.
6. This principle, then, emphasises the flexibility in the non-essentials, for there is great strength in flexibility.
7. Vacillation and oscillation is weakness, but flexibility from the application of doctrine is great strength. The strongest people in life are those who can bend without breaking.
8. The stronger the believer, the greater the flexibility in his modus operandi. (By the way, the more flexibility you have the more you are misunderstood)
9. This principle, then, emphasises the importance of impersonal love in the fulfilment of the royal family honour code.
10. Impersonal love emphasises the subject rather than the object, therefore emphasises the norms and standards of doctrine in your conscience.
11. This principle emphasises orientation to authority as the only means of learning Bible doctrine.
12. This principle emphasises the fact that the mature believer through flexibility in the non-essentials has become oriented to reality.
2. If Christ has received us at salvation with all of our imperfections and weaknesses, then we can do no less than receive fellow believers regardless of their weaknesses and irritating sinfulness.
3. We are not looking for perfect people with whom to have fellowship. In other words, those who possess the same imputed righteousness and who are involved in the same plan of God, positive volition toward doctrine, gathering momentum in the advance to maturity.
4. Therefore the illustration or analogy is the fact that Christ receives all believers at the moment of salvation and we can do no less at any time during the spiritual life. The one exception is separation from the reversionist.
“as Christ also received us” – the adverb of comparison kaqwj indicates the standard of comparison is how Christ received us at salvation; “just as.” The subject is o( Xristoj – “the Christ.” There is also the ascensive use of kai, so it is translated “even as the Christ.” Plus the aorist middle indicative proslambanw, which this time means to receive, “has received.” The constative aorist tense contemplates the action of the verb in its entirety, it refers to a momentary action at salvation in which each Church Age believer received 36 things from God. In other words, Christ received each one of us at salvation. The middle voice is the indirect middle which emphasises Christ as the agent producing the action of the verb Although the participation in the results is present to some extent the emphasis is on Christ as the agent producing the action. The indicative mood is declarative for the dogmatic statement of a principle of doctrine. Christ has received us at salvation, even though we were sinful before and would be sinful time and time again afterward. Next comes the accusative plural direct object from the personal pronoun e)gw, referring to all believers at the moment of salvation.
“to the glory of God” – the preposition e)ij plus the accusative singular from doca, the object of the preposition; it means “glory.” E)ij here means “for the purpose of.” Then the possessive genitive singular of qeoj, referring to God—“for the purpose of the glory of the God,” literally. God is glorified by the formation of the royal family to compliment our Lord’s battlefield royalty and strategic victory in the angelic conflict. It is further glorification of God when the believer receives another believer as a function of the royal family honour code.
Translation: “Therefore be receiving one another of the same kind, even as Christ has received us for the purpose of the glory of God.”
2. If Christ could accept us having received imputed righteousness with our imperfections, so we can accept each other on the basis of the same imputation, knowing that each one of us has the same +R.
3. We are not using our arrogance to look for perfection but we are using doctrine to establish true reciprocity on the basis of grace and the function of the honour code.
4. If Christ glorified God the Father by receiving us as His royal family, certainly we can do no less with each other.
5. If Christ glorified God the Father by receiving us, then we, too, can glorify the Father by receiving or accepting each other with all of our imperfections; but also, remembering that each one of us with our imperfections possess the perfect righteousness of God.
6. If the integrity of Christ can glorify God by accepting us, certainly the integrity of the believer under the honour code can glorify God by accepting each other. There is, therefore, a legitimate reciprocity in Christian fellowship.
7. This analogy demands the function of the royal family honour code in the field of Christian reciprocity.
8. Differences of spiritual growth result in different standards in the conscience, but the royal family honour code and the reality of the doctrine combines to demand that we accept each other for the purpose of glorifying God. Furthermore we are accepting each other on the basis of doctrinal standards, not on the basis of impressing each other.
9. Our human differences do not exclude us from this function of the RFHC.
10. The RFHC not only covers our differences but provides the principles which bind us together in the unity of the royal family and the glorification of God the Father.
11. Since the Lord Jesus Christ has been used as an analogy in this verse He is now used as an example or illustration of this principle, verses 8-12.
Verse 8 – “Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God.” The postpositive conjunctive particle gar is used to express inference in a self-evident conclusion. The present active indicative of legw means here to report—“For I report.” The retroactive progressive present denotes a report given in the past by Paul, but a report which continues into the present time. The active voice: Paul as the human writer of Romans produces the action. The indicative mood is declarative representing the verbal action from the viewpoint of reality. Next is the accusative singular of general reference from the proper nouns Xristoj and I)hsouj. Then the perfect active infinitive of ginomai, which does not mean to be, it means to become. This is a consummative perfect emphasising completed action. The passive voice: Christ receives the action of the verb. This is the infinitive of actual result. “Consequently, I report that Christ has become.” Next is the accusative singular direct object from diakonoj, here used of Christ working on behalf of someone, namely on behalf of Israel. Next is the objective genitive singular from peritomh. It means “circumcision” and is used here as a synonym for the Jews.
“to confirm the promises made unto the fathers” – e)ij plus the articular aorist active infinitive from bebaiow which means to confirm, to make firm, to establish. It is translated “to establish,” but it is a little more complicated than that. E)ij plus the accusative of the definite article is used to introduce a purpose clause. The function of a purpose clause constructed from the accusative of the definite article with e)ij is to express the aim, the action denoted by the main verb; in this case, ginomai. Christ has become a minister to the Jews for a purpose hereinafter stated: to establish something, to confirm something. What is established or confirmed comes next: the accusative plural direct object from e)paggelia, referring here to the unconditional covenants. The function of a conditional covenant is immediate, and the meeting of the requirements of the unconditional covenant produce whatever the unconditional covenant has stated, e.g. the Mosaic covenant. Unconditional covenants means that God makes a promise in which there are no strings attached, and therefore the fulfilment of that promise demands that God keep His word. None of the unconditional covenants have ever been fulfilled, they are still outstanding. The promises are said to have been given to the fathers, i.e. the Old Testament writers/prophets who received bits and pieces, and lengthy dissertations, on these four unconditional covenants. So this introduces a principle: The integrity of God is responsible for the fulfilment of the unconditional promises made to the ancestors of the Jews. The aorist active infinitive of bebaiow is correctly translated to establish or to confirm. The aorist tense is a constative aorist, contemplating the second advent and the millennial reign of Jesus Christ in its entirety, plus the end of time with the Gog revolution. The active voice: Jesus Christ establishes or confirms, i.e. He fulfils divine promises to Israel, namely the unconditional covenants. This is the infinitive of purpose.
1. The principle of intercalation. Intercalation means insertion, interruption and insertion. The dispensation of Christ was interrupted by the strategic victory of Christ on the cross, His death, burial, resurrection and ascension. He is now without a royal family, but that is being formed in this dispensation. The insertion of the Church Age becomes the intensification of the angelic conflict. The Church Age was not revealed in the Old Testament and therefore it is classified under mystery doctrine. But the dispensation of Israel has a great deal to say about the unconditional covenants, and during the Age of Israel there were four promises which God made which have not yet been fulfilled—the Abrahamic, Palestinian, Davidic and New covenants to Israel.
2. The covenants to Israel. There are basically five covenants which were given to the Jews from the time they were formed into a nation at the Exodus, up to the concluding time of the 5th cycle of discipline. These covenants are classified as conditional and unconditional. There is one conditional covenant and four unconditional covenants. A conditional covenant requires some human function in order for the covenant to be operative. As far as the unconditional covenant is concerned nothing is required of man, it all depends upon the attributes and the character of God. The mosaic law is divided into three parts in order to explain the national heritage which began at the time of the Exodus. Codex #1 is the freedom heritage made up of the ten commandments of the Decalogue and it is used to describe freedom in terms of the laws of divine establishment. Codex #2 is the spiritual heritage called in the KJV “the ordinances.” It is a complete Christology and soteriology, and it includes the tabernacle, the holy days, Levitical offerings, and the modus operandi of the Levitical priesthood. It presents all aspects of the person and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Codex #3 is the political heritage or the judgments. This is called the establishment code and it includes many concepts—freedom through military victory, authority in public life; it explains privacy, property, taxation, sanitation, diet, universal military training, the principles of health and quarantine, criminal law. All of this is a conditional covenant and not in view in Romans 15 which talks about the promises of God. The next four covenants are the “promises to the fathers.” Berith in the Hebrew and diaqhkh in the Greek both mean approximately the same thing: a gracious bestowal by party of the first part on party of the second part. They are unconditional, party of the second part does nothing in order to receive the covenant.
3. The postponement of the Age of Israel. The dispensation of Israel had been sequential through the period of the patriarchs—Abraham down to the time of the Exodus. It was sequential during the period of the Law, the time of the nation of Israel from Moses to the Lord Jesus Christ. But suddenly it comes to a halt with the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ and the entire dispensation has not been completed but postponed until the calling out of the royal family of God. The purpose of the postponement of the Age of Israel is so that the royal family of God can be completed and removed prior to our Lord’s return, for He will return with a royal family.
4. The principle of measures of measurement. There are four principles. The simplest of all is called the nominal, a simple yes or no. There is a second one a little more complex called the ordinal. This means greater than. The third is the interval, the concept of the artificial zero. The final one is the racial, which is the concept of the absolute zero.
5. The variables when related to artificial and absolute zero. There are primary and secondary variables. There are three primary variables: a) temperature, which does have an absolute zero as a means of measuring; b) length, which establishes an absolute zero; c) there is mass. The secondary variable uses an artificial zero, and time is involved in this fact. The secondary variable is time because time has an artificial zero. Theologically time has an absolute zero from the fall of man to the present time, elapse unknown. When time does have an absolute zero we are looking simply at history. But from the standpoint of the function of time we have an artificial zero. Time is regarded here as a gift from God to mankind in general, and is a part of logistical grace to the believer, the means of fulfilling the plan of God. There is an artificial zero for your time which is sequential—the moment that you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. And you are allotted time to advance to maturity, and/or time to enter into reversionism, depending on your attitude toward doctrine. But all the time that is necessary is allotted to you.
6. There are two concepts of time, then, as a secondary variable. There is sequential time which means that there is no break as far as the plan of God is concerned. Sequential time is God’s plan for your life: X + Y + Z = the plan of God. The second concept of time is interrupted time, giving to Israel the concept of the fulfilment of their promises. There were many believers in Israel in the past and there will be many believers in Israel in the future. They have been given unconditional promises which have not been fulfilled. These promises were promised in sequential time but they are going to be fulfilled in interrupted time. Therefore we have the concept of the artificial zero, i.e. the Second Advent of Christ, the time when these covenants will all be fulfilled. At that time Israel will be regathered and there will be the fulfilment of these covenants, and all divine promises which are unconditional or gracious are always fulfilled. But to man who is living in sequential time and who is oriented to sequential time it is very difficult for him to see the interruption of time, until he understands that time has an artificial zero and that time can begin at any particular point when time has been interrupted. It’s just as if your watch had stopped and then after the elapse of time it resumes and works perfectly. It is impossible for God to default on an unconditional promise. Therefore the apparent slowness of God in fulfilling His promise to Israel is based upon the fact that the Age of Israel has been interrupted, and that an artificial zero in the interval level of measurement has been created—the Second Advent of Christ.
Translation: “Consequently I report that Christ has become a minister to the circumcision [the Jews] on behalf of the doctrine of God, to establish the promises [the covenants] made to the fathers.”
Verses 9-12, Christ is also a minister to the Gentiles.
Verse 9 – “And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy” – the postpositive
conjunctive particle de is used as a transitional conjunction, “and that.” Then the accusative plural of general referenced from the noun e)qnoj, used in this passage for Gentiles. With it is the generic use of the definite article in the Greek, representing a category, a group or a class. The accusative of general reference is the subject of the infinitive. The infinitive is the aorist active of the verb docazw which means to glorify. The culminative aorist tense views the advance of Gentile believers in the Church Age to maturity but emphasises the existing results. Every advancing believer, every believers who perseveres, who is consistent in the intake of doctrine after his salvation will go through the stages: the spiritual babyhood, the adolescent, close to maturity, then cracking the maturity barrier. And in the momentum of the Christian life the Lord Jesus Christ is the minister. So the culminative aorist views the advance of the positive believer. The active voice: in this case Gentile believers, in contrast to Israel in the previous verse, produce the action of the verb. It does not exclude Jews, they advance the same way. The infinitive is the infinitive of intended result, a result which indicates the fulfilment of a deliberate divine objective: the advance to maturity, God’s plan for each life. This infinitive blends purpose and result. Next is the accusative singular direct object from qeoj, plus the definite article to denote an individual member of the Trinity, namely God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Then a prepositional phrase, u(per plus the ablative of e)leoj which means mercy or grace. With this is the concept of a possessive pronoun, “for his mercy.” E)leoj or mercy refers to logistical grace, divine support of the individual believer in his advance to maturity.
It is obvious that in the dispensation of Israel that the Jews occupied a place of special privilege. But now in the dispensation of the Church the Gentile believer is equal with the Jew, having the same opportunity as the Jew, and having the same promises. Because of the baptism of the Spirit Gentiles are just as much under logistical grace as Jewish believers. Therefore, whether Jew or Gentile, when a person believes in Christ during the Church Age he is entered into union with Christ; he becomes a member of the royal family of God with the same freedom, the same opportunity, the same privileges at salvation are given. Since both Jew and Gentile are in the royal family they have the same privileges, the same logistical grace to support them in time. Therefore just as Christ is the minister to the Jews in the fulfilment of the unconditional covenants at the Second Advent, so now Jesus Christ is the minister to the royal family in the fulfilment of the plan of God. The royal family honour code takes cognisance of the fact that Jew and Gentile have the same rights and privileges and opportunities in their advance to maturity. Divine support under logistical grace is provided for both Jewish and Gentile believer alike, and the former privileges of the previous dispensation (the Age of Israel) no longer apply to this dispensation. In this dispensation the Lord Jesus Christ is the prince ruler of the Church and is said to be minister to the Gentiles. Inasmuch as Christ is a minister to the Gentiles it becomes necessary to have an honour code which guarantees equal opportunity to all believers in their advance to maturity, whether Jew or Gentile, and opportunity without distraction.
“as it is written” – the comparative adverb kaqwj. It indicates a comparison with Old Testament scriptures which anticipated the fact that the Gentiles of our dispensation would have equal privileges with the Jews, but in the Old Testament dispensation in the Age of Israel, even when a Gentile was positive toward doctrine he was given the opportunity, regardless of his geographical isolation or linguistic barrier, by means of the Lord Jesus Christ providing the necessary information for spiritual advance. So equal privilege has always been a historical fact, even though it is very difficult to find it in past history. Next is the perfect passive indicative from the verb grafw which means to write. In the perfect tense here it is translated “just as it stands written.” In the perfect tense we have a concept. When special attention is directed to the results of the action stress on the existing fact is intensified. This is the emphatic method in the Greek of presenting a fact or a condition which, in this case, is the existence of the Old Testament Scriptures and the quotation from this as from the Word of God. The fact of quoting the Old Testament Scriptures indicates that the Old Testament canon is equivalent to the New Testament canon, therefore both are equally the Word of God. This is the intensive perfect tense. In the passive voice the Old Testament canon receives the action of the verb, being used for documentation. The indicative mood is declarative for the dogmatic statement of fact: the Old Testament canon is just as much the Word of God as the in-preparation New Testament canon. The documentation which is about to be quoted extends from verses 9 through verse 12. In verse 9, a quotation from Psalm 18:49; in verse 10, a quotation from Deuteronomy 32:43; in verse 11, a quotation from Psalm 117:1; in verse 12 a quotation Isaiah 11:10.
The first Old Testament documentation, Psalm 18:49. The context is Psalm 18:46-50. The Psalm is David’s hymn of worship and praise for deliverance from Saul and his other enemies.
Verse 46, “The Lord lives,” a phrase representing occupation with the person of
Christ on the part of a very mature believer. Jesus Christ is more real than anything else, and David has learned, as all mature believers do, that about the essentials one must be totally inflexible. And about the Lord Jesus Christ David never wavers, he has the capacity to love the Lord; “and blessed be my rock” – David has been blessed in his circumstances; “therefore exalted be the God of my deliverance” – David mentions the rock, which is Zion, the place where he built his castle.
Verse 47 – “The God who executes vengeance for me.” David maintains the concept of impersonal love when He says this because he did not seek vengeance. He always put things in the Lord’s hands; “and subdueth the peoples under me” – even after David became king he was still a great general. He is referring to the military profession.
Verse 48 – “He delivered me from my enemies.” Here is one of the great imputed
blessings, our Lord’s deliverance from enemies. When the Lord does it, it is right and fair; if we do it, it is not right and it is not fair because our judgment is imperfect; “surely, you promote me above those who rise against me. You have rescued me from the violent man.” It is interesting that David understood the difference between good military procedure in killing the enemy and violence against the establishment principles of authority.
Verse 49 – all of these things have been accomplished by the Lord, and David has
written this hymn and is celebrating at this moment. Note that Jews are involved but also Gentiles are involved. “Therefore I will give thanks to you among the Gentiles, O Lord,” which means that he has Gentiles among his staff. Some of his generals are Gentiles. David’s body guard is made up of Gentiles; “and I will sing praises to your person.”
Verse 50 – “Great deliverance giveth he to his king [David]; and shows mercy
[grace] to his anointed [the one who has been commissioned], to David, and to his descendants forever [he is the recipient of the Davidic covenant].”
Continuing in Romans 15:9 and the first documentation, the quotation from Psalm 18:49. “For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto his name.” The prepositional phrase dia plus the accusative singular from the demonstrative pronoun o(utoj—“Because of this.” To what does the demonstrative pronoun refer? It refers to David’s deliverance, promotion, the imputation of divine blessing at the point of his maturity and thereafter. Then the future middle indicative of e)comologew, which means to acknowledge, to praise, to celebrate. The future tense is a gnomic future for a statement of performance rightly expected under normal conditions of receiving the imputation of divine blessing after maturity. In this case blessing is promotion, deliverance from his enemies, and continued success in his original profession—soldier. The middle voice is the indirect middle in which the agent [David] is emphasised as producing the action. The indicative mood is declarative representing the verbal action from the viewpoint of historical reality. The historical reality includes not only David’s praise to God, but the fact that such praise was uttered and expressed in the presence of Gentile believers. Gentiles went along with him and became great. They were not only under the principle of blessing by association with David but many of them advanced to maturity through perception of doctrine, even as David had done so. Therefore Paul quotes a meaningful passage in which the court of David and the national administration of Israel includes successful Gentile believers. That is the issue Paul is emphasising. This is followed by the dative singular indirect object from the personal pronoun su, referring to Jehovah in Psalm 18:49. The preposition e)n plus the locative plural of e)qnoj is literally, “among the Gentiles.” “The Gentiles” is referring to Gentile believers who are positive to doctrine, advancing to maturity in the dispensation of Israel. “And sing unto thy name” is the future active indicative from the verb yallw, meaning to sing to the accompaniment of musical instruments, plus the connective use of the conjunction kai—“and I will sing.” Again the gnomic future for a statement of performance rightfully expected under the normal condition of receiving divine blessing. The imputed blessing from the justice of God is both promotion and deliverance. It follows logically that such blessing from God will be expressed in the worship of singing. The active voice: David produces the action of the verb in response to the divine imputation of blessing. The indicative mood is declarative representing the verbal action from the viewpoint of historical reality. Plus the dative singular indirect object from o)noma, generally translated “name” but really meaning a person, a title, a category, plus the possessive genitive singular from the personal pronoun su—“and I will sing hymns to your person,” referring to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Translation: “And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; just as it stands written, Because of this [imputed blessing] I will praise you among the Gentiles [believers in David’s court], and I will sing hymns to your person.”
Principle
There are two categories of blessing by association with mature believer David in this quotation. The first category: blessing by association with David as a mature believer in ultra-super-grace. Secondly, the blessing by association with the doctrine which David sang. He sang in the presence of Gentile believers, indicating that Gentile believers were positive toward the doctrine he was singing and the doctrine that was being taught in Israel. Association with doctrine means cognisance of doctrine resulting in the advance to maturity. Association with a mature believer means blessing by association, which documents the fact that Gentile believers were being blessed in the Age of Israel. Christ is the minister to the Gentiles in the Age of Israel. Now in the Church Age Jewish believers can be blessed by association with a mature or strong Gentile believer, and vice versa. Jew and Gentile are in Christ but both can be blessed by association with the other. Consequently both Jewish and Gentile believers in the body of Christ have equal opportunity: the same freedom, the same logistical grace by which to advance to maturity. Under the royal family honour code both Jewish and Gentile believers who are strong in doctrine must be very careful not to distract weak Jewish or Gentile believers from receiving doctrine. No believer, Jew or Gentile, can advance to maturity and glorify God apart from perception of doctrine. Therefore in the RFHC this quotation is significant. Are you a Jewish believer? Do not distract a Gentile believers? Are you a Gentile believer? Do not distract a Jewish believer?
Prior to the first documentation from Psalm 19:49 a statement of principle as well as a statement of purpose is made: “and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.” This glorification of God is only possible through advance to maturity by means of doctrinal perception. Gentiles have equal opportunity with Jews in this dispensation Under the mercy of God [logistical grace] believers, regardless of race, status, or any background factor, have the same opportunity to attain maturity. Therefore note well that the Gentiles in Psalm 18:49 were being blessed by association. But the Gentiles in Romans 15:9 are glorifying God by advance to maturity. Therefore, never in human history has every race, colour, or nationality had better opportunity for spiritual advance to maturity than in the Church Age since the completion of the New Testament canon. The greater the opportunity, the less excuse for failure. There is no excuse for failure to attain maturity since doctrine is available through the teaching of one’s right pastor and time is available. There is no excuse for failure.
Verse 10 – “And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.” This is a quotation from Deuteronomy 32:43. The connective conjunction kai plus the adverb palin. The two words following the perfect tense of grafw in the previous verse indicate another citation from the Old Testament—“And again.” The present active indicative of legw refers to the Old Testament as the Word of God and to the human author, Moses. The present tense is a historical present viewing a past event, the writing of Deuteronomy, with the vividness of a present occurrence. The active voice: Moses as the human author under the ministry of the Holy Spirit produces the action of the verb by writing Deuteronomy 32:43. The indicative mood is declarative for the reality of this verse of this verse as a part of the Word of God. Deuteronomy 32:43 is the last line in the eschatological part of Moses’ death song. It is a prophetic utterance with regard to the Second Advent of Jesus Christ as related to His first advent. Significant to us is the fact that Gentiles in the time of Moses were to be rejoicing with the Jews of Israel, indicating the very purpose of the documentation that Jesus Christ has always been a minister to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews, even during the age of the Jews, the privileged Age of Israel. This indicates saved Gentiles living at the same time as saved Jews, and it indicates that Gentiles in the time of Moses were also enjoying the privileges of advancing to maturity. Literally from the Hebrew this verse says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people [the Jews]; for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance on his enemies, and will atone for the land, and his people.” This was not something that was fulfilled in the time of Moses or in the time of Joshua, or at any time when the Jews occupied a very small part of the land which is promised to them under the Palestinian covenant. Only the first line is quoted by Paul because Paul is documenting from the Old Testament for the express purpose of demonstrating that Jesus Christ has always been the God of the Gentiles as well as the Jews.
Next in verse 10 is the aorist passive imperative from the verb e)ufrainw. In the
active voice this word means to cheer up, but in the passive voice it means to be glad, to enjoy one’s self, to be at a very high and stimulating area socially, to be merry, or to rejoice. It is not the usual word for “rejoice” which is some form of xara, but we get an entirely different word to indicate that in this case the stimulation is not emotional but it is rational stimulating the emotion, or the emotion responding to a rational concept. This is the dramatic aorist tense which states a present reality with the certitude of a past event. This idiom is a device for emphasis. The active voice: the Gentile produce the action of the verb under the ministry of Jesus Christ and in their association with those who communicate doctrine. Principle: Gentiles are stimulated by doctrine in their positive volition, just as in the past in Deuteronomy men like Moses and Jews who advanced to maturity were stimulated by doctrine. The imperative mood is a command to Gentiles who have attained maturity adjustment to the justice of God, a command which was listed from the book of Deuteronomy. Then comes the vocative plural of the noun e)qnoj, which can refer to nations but often refers to Gentiles as a category; it is used for several categories of Gentiles: the historical Gentile who was saved in the time of Moses and to whom this was addressed at the time of writing Deut. 32:43; and a second concept. Prophetically it anticipates Gentiles who are saved in the time of the Tribulation and who are alive at the Second Advent. It applies also to Gentile believers who have attained maturity adjustment to the justice of God. The next phrase is prepositional, meta plus the genitive singular from laoj which has with it a possessive genitive from the intensive pronoun a)utoj, referring to God—“with his people.” The Jews are the people of God.
Translation: “And again he says, Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”
Verse 11 – the third documentation. “And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and
laud him, all ye people.” “And again” is not a part of the quotation. We have kai palin for the second time. It means “citing another passage,” a third area of the Old Testament. The adverb palin always means an additional citation. This time it is a reference to the shortest of all psalms, #117. Psalm 117:1 in the Hebrew says, “Praise the Lord, all Gentiles; laud him, all ye people.” It is addressed to Gentile believers in the dispensation of Israel. It provides not only the fact that Gentiles were saved in the Old Testament but that they were able to maturity, as indicated by the word “laud.” In Psalm 117:2 the Gentile believers are definitely said to have cracked the maturity barrier, for it says “For his grace [chesed] increases over us.” With this is the qal active indicative from the verb gabar, which means to be mighty, to be great, to be a hero. Whose grace? This isn’t quoted but it tells us what category of Gentile is here: a Gentile who is saved by grace but who experienced the increase of grace in the dispensation of Israel. The second line says, “and the doctrine of Jehovah endures forever. Praise the Lord.” It demonstrates the fact that Gentiles had systematic doctrine structurised in their soul through Bible teaching, and were therefore capable of cracking the maturity barrier and able to fulfil the command, “Hallelujah.”
1. This entire psalm reveals the fact that Gentiles were saved in the Age of Israel. Gentiles
were positive toward doctrine and advanced to maturity, sometimes with the help of
Israel and in some cases without the help.
2. This psalm was very familiar to the Jews, but not very popular with some of them because it placed total emphasis on the Gentiles.
3. Only a grace oriented and mature Jewish believer like Paul can appreciate and quote in such a brief and meaningful psalm about Gentiles.
4. Not only does it describe historically the fact of Gentile salvation through faith in Christ but the advance of Gentile believers to maturity—through doctrine resident in the soul. We do not know all of the ways in which the doctrine was available but we do know that there was doctrine, enough to advance to maturity and to fulfil the plan of God.
5. Prophetically this short psalm is messianic. It refers to the attitude of Gentile believers prophetically at the Tribulation—Tribulational believers who through spiritual maturity have been preserved in historical catastrophe by the grace of God, and who are alive at the Second Advent of Christ. In fact, these Gentile believers form the Gentile cadre for the millennial population of Gentiles.
6. While the style of this psalm is liturgical the content is doctrinal.
7. The doctrinal implications are both historical and eschatological, therefore Paul quotes it to confirm the fact that Christ is the minister to the Gentiles as well as the Jews in every dispensation of history, and in dispensations which are related to prophecy.
8. Mature Gentile believers worshipped Jehovah in the Old Testament. Mature Gentile believers will worship Christ during the Tribulation, at the Second Advent, and will carry over into the Millennium. In Romans 9:30-33 many Gentiles in the Old Testament were saved while Jews who had the advantage of evangelism were unsaved.
In the Romans quotation is a present active imperative from the verb a)inew. It means to praise, to celebrate. Here it is used for the expression of worship based on Bible doctrine resident in the soul. Hence, the mature Gentile believer is expressing his occupation with Christ in worship. The customary present tense denotes what habitually occurs in the worship of the mature believer. He is occupied with Christ. He has tremendous inner resources of doctrine, and therefore has the ability to concentrate on who and what Christ is. The active voice: the mature believer produces the action of the verb in worship. The imperative mood is the imperative of permission. The command signified by the imperative may be in compliance with an express desire or a manifestation inclining toward the one who is the object of the command. The mature believer is the object of the command. Furthermore, the mature believer is a Gentile in the dispensation of Israel. The accusative singular direct object from kurioj, one word for the battlefield title of royalty of the Lord Jesus Christ—King of kings and Lord of lords reduced to one word, kurioj, but refers to the entire title. With it is the generic use of the definite article to emphasise the 3rd category of our Lord’s royalty as well as His uniqueness in hypostatic union. Plus the vocative plural from the adjective paj and the noun e)qnoj—“all you Gentiles.”
“and laud him all ye people” – the connective use of kai followed by the aorist
active imperative of e)painew. The change from praise to laud is not in the verb which means
both. The e)p added here as the
prefix means to applaud. It is translated in the old English, “laud,” but it
means to applaud, an overt manifestation of an inner thought. The culminative
aorist tense views the worship in its entirety but regards it from the
viewpoint of existing results. The mature believer, in effect, applauds. The
active voice: the mature Gentile believer of Old Testament times and the
Tribulation occupied with the person of Christ produces the action of the verb.
This is the imperative of permission again. The accusative singular direct
object from the intensive pronoun a)utoj, used
primarily in the New Testament for the third person personal pronoun, is
correctly translated “him”—“and applaud him.” Then the final vocative plural, paj plus laoj, indicating a large number of people who have cracked
the maturity barrier at certain times in history, in the past, and skipping
over the Church Age, prophetically in the future.
Translation: “And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles, and applaud him, all you people.”
2. Eschatologically this is comparable to the big genuflect for the Church. After the resurrection of the Church at the Rapture the next event is the big genuflect which precedes the judgment seat of Christ.
3. A similar event occurs at the Second Advent in which the Old Testament believers are resurrected and receive their efficiency rating at an event comparable to the judgment seat of Christ.
4. Prior to this judgment seat of Christ there will be a period of worship, and that period of worship is also included prophetically in this quotation. It is described in Revelation chapter 5, also Revelation 19:1-6; 20:4.
Verse 12 – “And again” is kai palin. Reference to Isaiah 11:10 which, correctly translated from the Hebrew says, “Then it shall come to pass in that day [Second Advent] that the root sprout of Jesse [title for the Lord Jesus Christ: root = virgin birth; sprout = resurrection, ascension, session], who stands as a guidon [used for rallying and organization]; for him the Gentiles will search” – the Jews are being regathered; He is the guidon for the Jews. But the Gentiles also will search for Him – the qal imperfect of the Hebrew verb darash, which means to be motivated in a search from information contained in one’s soul. In this case it is Bible doctrine. Mature believers from among the Gentiles are searching for the Lord Jesus Christ – “and his temple shall be glory.” In that day, 2nd advent, the root shoot of Jesse, with emphasis on His humanity—root: David’s greater son; sprout: virgin birth; fulfilled in Revelation 5:5; 22:16. At the Second Advent we have the military standard used as the rallying point. The Jews rally for regathering and receiving the unconditional covenants. The saved Gentiles are mentioned as gathering also, they are seeking the Lord Jesus Christ. The Gentiles, then, in Isaiah 11:10 are very important: “For him the Gentiles will search.” Paul is making a big point in quoting this. He is pointing out once again that there never was a time when, because Jews had special responsibility and are God’s people, Gentiles are ever excluded. “And his temple shall be glory” is the qal perfect of hajah which means to become—“his temple shall become glory.” The word for “glory” here is the feminine singular noun menuchah, plus the suffix meaning “his glory.” This is the third masculine singular suffix, referring to the Lord Jesus Christ at the Second Advent. Menuchah is translated “glory,” but it really means “resting place,” place of prosperity, and it is used for the temple of Jehovah. Glory actually refers to the coronation of the Lord Jesus Christ in that temple.
Isaiah 11:10 in corrected translation: “Therefore it will come to pass in that day [Second Advent] that the root sprout of Jesse, who stands as the guidon [rallying point of the Jews of the dispersion]; that the Gentiles will also search for him, and his resting place shall be the glory.” The Gentiles will find him because they are just as well briefed as Israel. Even though they are not of that chosen race they have doctrine resident in their souls to the same extent, to the same degree, to the same amount and more so, and therefore they are included in blessing. The principle is that race, colour, creed, geographical location, etc., are never a handicap in the plan of God.
Paul continues: “Esaias saith,” present active indicative from legw, meaning to communicate. The present tense is a historical present, it views past event of Isaiah and the prophet writing the book of Isaiah with the vividness of a present occurrence. It is just as if yesterday Isaiah had said this to Paul, even though it had been in the canon of Scripture for a long time. The active voice: Isaiah as the human author under the ministry of the Holy Spirit produces the action of the verb. Isaiah was aware of the fact that he was writing sacred scripture. The indicative mood is declarative for the reality of Isaiah 11:10 as being a part of the Old Testament canon of scripture. “And again. Isaiah communicates.”
“There shall be a root of Jesse” – future active indicative from e)imi. This is a predictive future tense. The subject prophetically is the Lord Jesus Christ at the first advent, and the indicative is the absolute dogmatic reality of the first advent of Christ—the virgin birth, hypostatic union, impeccability, reconciliation, propitiation and redemption (at the cross), followed by physical death, burial, resurrection and ascension. The indicative views the action of the verb from the viewpoint of reality. Next is the predicate nominative from the noun r(iza. With the generic use of the definite article it comprehends Christ as a single whole in the hypostatic union and sets Him off in distinction from all other people—He is the impeccable God-Man. The proper name, David’s father Jesse in its Hellenised form is I)essai. This is a messianic title for the Lord Jesus Christ, emphasising both the Davidic dynasty and the importance of the virgin birth. There is a relationship here for sheresh [Heb.] and r(itza is an exact equivalent in the Greek—the root sprout. “There shall be the root sprout of Jesse” the Lord Jesus Christ descended from David, the son of Jesse, in His humanity.
“and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles” – the ascensive use of kai is correctly translated “even.” The articular present middle participle from a)nisthmi means to rise up in the sense of coming into existence, coming on to the scene historically. But it also means to rise up in the sense of a literal, bodily resurrection. Both are true with regard to Christ. Christ came into existence to rule and Christ was raised from the dead to rule. However, since the root of Jesse covers the virgin birth and the existence of the hypostatic union this refers to the resurrection of Christ—“even he who shall rise up.” The definite article is used here as a personal pronoun referring to the Lord Jesus Christ in hypostatic union. The perfective present tense denotes the continuation of existing results. Jesus Christ continues in hypostatic union forever. It refers to the resurrection of Christ as a past event but emphasises it as a present reality. Our Lord is seated at the right hand of the Father in hypostatic union and we are a part of His royal family. The direct middle refers to the fact that the subject, the Lord Jesus Christ participates in the results of His own resurrection. This is a circumstantial participle, it is a major part of eschatology. There is an express reason stated for the resurrection here. Not the resurrection as related to the Jews, which is a true doctrine—the fulfilment of the unconditional covenants, but the resurrection as a relationship to the Gentiles: “to reign over the Gentiles” – present active infinitive of the verb a)rxw which means to rule or to reign. The present tense is a futuristic present, it denotes an event which has not yet occurred but is so certain in thought that it is mentally already in existence. It is a reality, it is already here in the thinking of anyone who knows Bible doctrine. The significance: Jesus Christ is returning to deliver Israel, to fulfil God’s Word to Israel. But He is returning for another purpose. All the Gentile believers of the Old Testament and all the Gentile believers of the Tribulation are just as much in the picture as the Jews. The active voice: Jesus Christ produces the action of the verb at the Second Advent and during the Millennium. The infinitive is an actual result. With it is the objective genitive plural specifying the Gentiles, e)qnoj, to indicate that Jesus Christ is just as much God of the Gentiles as He is the God of the Jews.
“in him shall the Gentiles trust” – the preposition e)pi plus the locative of the intensive pronoun a)utoj used as a personal pronoun, and it means “in him.” Gentiles have just exactly the same position as the Jews without having all of the advantages that existed in the dispensation of Israel or in relationship to the unconditional covenants. The absence of the definite article emphasises the quality of these Gentiles, they are believers who survived the Tribulation because of doctrine. Flexibility through doctrine means survival. In the life of the mature believer the essential is doctrine; the non-essentials are everything else. The word translated “trust” in the KJV is e)lpizw. It is both an Attic Greek verb and a Koine Greek verb, but there are differences between the Attic and the Koine. Here Paul switches from Koine to the Attic future tense. But this is also a gnomic future for a statement of fact or performance which is expected of the mature Gentile believers of the Tribulation. With doctrine you can stand anything, you can handle anything, under any situation in life. The active voice: the Gentile believer with maximum doctrine in the soul produces the action of the verb in the Tribulation—future tense for a future event. The indicative mood is a dogmatic declarative indicative for an absolute statement of future fact. This will happen. Believers will survive the most awful conditions in history for one reason: they have remained inflexible about the e)pignwsij doctrine in their souls, but they are totally flexible with regard to its use and application in historical catastrophe.
Verse 13—“Now the God of the hope.” The postpositive conjunctive particle de is translated “Now.” Then the nominative singular subject o( qeoj “the God.” This is followed by the genitive of apposition from e)lpij, absolute confidence with regard to the future. Hope is both the motivation and the momentum in advance in the Christian way of life. Plus the aorist active optative of the verb plhrow plus the accusative plural direct object of su—“fill you.” If we have hope it is like a goblet, and the hope always demands filling. The fillings are the blessings. The hope is a goblet that God fills. What does God want to put in your goblet of hope? It must be filled up with something, and we have a series of things mentioned. First of all, what is called “all joy” – the objective genitive singular from the adjective paj plus the noun xara. Xara is +H, God’s happiness. The first thing that God pours into hope is all happiness. Next “and peace in believing,” – the connective kai plus e)irhnh which means “prosperity,” the thought content of the soul under the 3rd hope. There is a relationship with God that no one else can have. That is why Abraham was called the friend of God, he carried around the 3rd hope—“and prosperity.” This is the imputation of blessing in time which glorifies God, and an imputation that will never occur until you crack the maturity barrier. Then e)n plus the instrumental singular from the definite article, and with it the present active infinitive of the verb pisteuw—“by means of the believing.” The definite article indicates that the believing is a special process—transferring gnwsij doctrine to the right lobe and converting it into e)pignwsij which is usable doctrine. This is accomplished by believing and is actually a reference to the function of GAP. The perfective present denotes a continuation of existing results. It refers to the use of faith to transfer Bible doctrine from the left lobe to the right lobe and converting it to e)pignwsij in the mechanics of GAP. Hence, it refers to faith as the means of converting gnwsij into e)pigwsij. The active voice: the believer who is consistently positive toward doctrine produces the action of the verb. The infinitive is an actual result. “Now may the God [the Lord Jesus Christ] of the hope fill you with all happiness and prosperity by means of the believing.” Happiness is the content of doctrine in your soul which hooks up a line between you and God, so that you are aware of God in all of His attributes, you have new priorities which demand xara—thinking type happiness. The new priorities are the result of your advance in the plan of God. Therefore happiness is related inevitably to doctrine since doctrine is our awareness of God, our relationship with God, our understanding of God, our appreciation of God. And happiness is thinking, not emotion. There are many things that will stimulate emotion, there is only one thing that will stimulate xara, and that is Bible doctrine. “Now may the God [Jesus Christ] of the hope fill you with all happiness and prosperity by means of the believing [function of GAP].”
Principle
1. Flexibility plus doctrine in the soul is strength. But on the other hand, flexibility minus doctrine resident in the soul is weakness. So that flexibility in itself is not a sign of strength, it can also be a sign of weakness.
2. The honour code teaches strength through flexibility, but this flexibility is based on doctrine resident in the soul through the daily function of GAP and should never be confused with oscillation or vacillation.
3. Flexibility without doctrine produces unhappiness, uncertainty and defeat.
4. Strength through flexibility is an honour code function which demands inflexibility in the essentials of doctrine and flexibility in the non-essentials of life.
5. Doctrine is an essential. The application of doctrine produces flexibility in the non-essentials. So the essentials of doctrine relate to the non-essentials of life.
6. For example, what doctrine teaches about the woman is an essential about which man must be very flexible. He can be inflexible with regard to the principle but he must be flexible with regard to its application.
7. In the application of doctrine producing flexibility we have a principle: Too often the arrogance of man makes certain demands on the woman where the man is self-righteous and too hasty to correct the woman, or to be self-righteous with the woman over some trivia.
“that ye may abound in hope” – the preposition e)ij plus the accusative neuter singular from the definite article to introduce a purpose clause. The articular present active infinitive of the verb perisseuw, which means to abound, to overflow, to be extremely rich in, to excel in, to be prominent in—“that you may excel in the hope.” The present tense is a perfective present, it denotes the continuation of existing results of positive volition toward Bible doctrine. The active voice: the believer who is positive produces the action. The infinitive of purpose is the concept behind this preposition plus the articular infinitive. With this is the subject in the accusative case, called the accusative of general reference, from the personal pronoun su in the plural—“you.” Plus the preposition e)n plus the locative of e)lpij—“in hope.” Not hope in the sense of uncertainty but hope in the sense of absolute confidence and assurance with regard to a future event.
“through the power of the Holy Spirit” – this is a reference to spirituality: e)n plus the instrumental of dunamij, plus the possessive genitive from pneuma and a(gioj, a reference to the teaching ministry of God the Holy Spirit in the function of GAP: “by means of the power of the Holy Spirit.” The power of the Holy Spirit is the function of the filling of the Spirit in the perception of Bible doctrine. There is no perception of doctrine apart from the ministry of the Spirit. It also refers to the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the application of doctrine, in the application of the norms and standards which are developed in the conscience of the soul.
Translation: “Now may the God [Jesus Christ] of hope fill you will all happiness and
prosperity by means of believing [function of GAP], that you may excel in the hope, by means of the power of the Spirit.”
Verse 14 – “And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren.” The perfect passive indicative of peiqw—which means to obey, sometimes to believe, to be persuaded, and with the perfect tense of the passive voice it means to be convinced: “I am convinced.” With this is the intensive use of the postpositive conjunctive particle de, “in fact.” The intensive perfect emphasises the existing results. When special attention is directed to the results of the action of the verb emphasis on the existing fact is intensified. This is the emphatic method in the Greek of presenting a fact or a condition. It is a strong way of saying to us a thing is, therefore it is translated by the English present tense. In the passive voice Paul, the human writer, receives the action of the verb from the observation of the Roman believers and their positive volition toward doctrine, as well as their recognition of apostolic authority. The indicative mood is declarative indicating a simple statement of fact. Plus “my brethren” – the vocative plural from the noun a)delfoj, addressed to royal family in a specific location, translated “brethren,” but referring simply to those of like kind. Plus the genitive of relationship singular from the personal pronoun e)gw. “In fact I am convinced my brethren.”
Next in the Greek comes a phrase which may seem to be a little out of order with the English but in reality is the correct order: kai a)utoj e)gw peri u(mwn – “even I myself concerning you.” The ascensive use of kai is translated “even,” plus a repetition of the first person singular personal pronoun e)gw, plus the predicate use of the intensive pronoun a)utoj, plus the prepositional phrase peri plus the genitive of the personal pronoun su.
“that you are full of goodness” – the predicate nominative plural from mestoj, “that you are full.” The present active indicative of e)imi—“you are.” The present tense is customary, it denotes what habitually occurs when believers have been motivated to take in doctrine consistently and now have structurized doctrine in the soul. The active voice: positive believers produce the action of the verb. The indicative mood is declarative for historical reality. The word “goodness” is a possessive genitive singular from a substantive, a)gaqwsunh, indicating the quality which man has who is a)gaqoj, an adjective which means good of intrinsic value. The good of intrinsic value inside of us is Bible doctrine. A)gaqwsunh is the possession of the highest virtue, and this in effect becomes the possession of the honour code functioning under the principle, inflexibility with regard to the essential of doctrine and total flexibility with regard to the non-essentials of life. So it involves both doctrine and the function of the honour code. Therefore a corrected translation: “that you are full of goodness [in the sense of doctrine producing integrity].”
“filled with all knowledge” – perfect passive participle of the verb plhrow, “having been filled.” This is a dramatic perfect emphasising a completed action with emphasis on the results. In other words, this says that in the past we have taken in doctrine on a consistent basis and now we have cracked the maturity barrier, and now continue to take in doctrine and enjoy the benefits of the imputation of blessing in time. The passive voice: the believer who persists in +V toward doctrine produces the action. The participle is circumstantial for persistence and consistent function of GAP. The objective genitive follows from the adjective paj plus gnwsij, used here of knowledge as an attribute of God rather than knowledge in the first stage of the function of GAP. Cf. 1 Corinthians 2:16, “the mind of Christ.” The word is used in the non-technical sense of thinking: “having been filled with all thinking of doctrine.” Because we think doctrine we are constantly oriented to reality and therefore flexible in the non-essentials.
“able also to admonish one another” – the adjunctive use of kai is correctly translated “also.” The present passive participle of dunamai which means to be able—“also being able.” The perfective present tense denotes a continuation of existing results from maximum doctrine resident in the soul. The passive voice: the mature believer and the communicator of doctrine produces the action—the ability to communicate doctrine so that reality will persist in a group of people, a group of friends, or from the pulpit. The circumstantial participle emphasises the communication of Bible doctrine. The present active infinitive from the verb nouqetew which is made up of two words: nouj = mind; tiqhmi = to put]. It means to put into the mind, or to put or place in thought. It comes to mean to instruct, to impart understanding, and in some cases in the sense of setting something right. It means to communicate doctrine under the circumstances warranted. The verb connotes effect on the intellect, and it emphasises the one qualified to exercise influence over the intellect. It means to soothe, to remind, to correct, and here to have a corrective influence. The descriptive present tense is for what is now going on in the life of the mature believer. The mature believer produces the action. The infinitive is actual result. Plus the accusative plural direct object from the reciprocal pronoun a)llhlwn, which means each other of the same kind, referring to believers.
Translation: “In fact I am convinced, my brethren, even I myself concerning you are full of goodness [which is the function of the royal family honour code], having been filled with all knowledge, being able also to have a corrective influence on each other.”
Verse 15 – as this verse stands in the KJV one would never assume that the basic principle found in this passage is alertness. If you are not thinking, you are not alert. The comparative adjective from polmheroj which means bold, daring, audacious. The adverb is formed from the comparative adjective, and the adverb is tolmhroterwj and it means “more alertly.” Paul is suddenly alert to the problems of the believers in Rome and therefore he is writing in terms of alertness. With this adverb is a postpositive conjunctive particle de, translated “in fact.” The verb is the aorist active indicative of grafw. The active voice: Paul, as the human writer of the epistle, produces the action. He has become alert on behalf of the Roman believers. He is addressing this to them as believers. The vocative of a)delfoi, however, is not found in the original, we simply have the dative plural indirect object from su. This is also the dative of advantage, it is to the advantage of the believers in Rome to be alerted by the doctrine now being presented, just as it is to our advantage to become alert with regard to what is going to be hereinafter written. “In fact I have written to you more boldly [with more alertness].”
“in some sort” is simply a prepositional phrase, a)po plus the ablative singular of meroj, literally, “from apart.” This is an idiom meaning “in some part” or “in certain parts.” It means in certain parts of this epistle Paul has written for the purpose of making them aware of something, making them alert to the fact that the Christian way of life is not a system of self-righteousness, of keeping the law, of giving up things and observing taboos. Throughout the epistle there are certain alert passages in which the believer is to become aware of those around him, where he is to become sensitive, thoughtful and kind; those things which are so important in relationship to others.
“as putting you in mind” – the comparative particle w(j indicates the manner in which something proceeds, and it should be translated “in such a way as.” Plus the present active participle from a triple compound verb e)panamimnhskw [e)pi = on, over, above; a)na = again and again; mimnhskw = remember or remind] It means to remind someone again—“in such a way as to remind you again.” Alertness comes from repetition. The progressive perfect is for linear aktionsart. Repetition means being reminded again and again. The active voice: Paul produces the action of the verb as the communicator of doctrine. The participle is circumstantial.
“because of the grace” – dia plus the accusative singular of the noun xarij, and the definite article which is used as a demonstrative pronoun, calling attention with special emphasis to grace as the designated subject. Therefore it is translated “because of that grace.” That grace is specific, it is not some principle of abstruse concept. Two specific concepts are in view here. The first is divine support in time, called logistical grace. The second principle is the spiritual gift involved. Paul recognised that Paul has a purpose for his life and that that purpose must be related to doctrine, and that whenever a problem, crisis, disaster or difficulty comes there must be structurised doctrine resident in the soul on which to draw and on which to utilise. When Paul says “because of that grace” he is talking first of all about his spiritual gift of communication which is the gift of apostleship. But he is also talking about what he communicates to these Roman believers so that they will be ready for many difficulties which are coming historically to Rome. That means that they have the logistical support, that doctrine is available to them under logistical grace.
“that is given to me of God” – the articular aorist passive participle from the verb didomi, “which have been given.” The aorist tense is a constative aorist for a fact or action extended over a period of time. It contemplates the action of the verb in its entirety. The passive voice: Paul receives the action of the verb from salvation to the time he wrote Romans. The participle is circumstantial. Plus the dative singular indirect object from the personal pronoun e)gw—“to me.” The indirect object in the dative case indicates that the one, Paul, in whose interest divine grace is provided. Paul has been sustained to this very moment so he can write to the Romans. Next is a)po plus the ablative of source from qeoj—“from the God.”
Translation: “In fact I have written to you more boldly [with greater alertness] in part [in some parts of Romans], in such a way as to remind you again, because of that grace which has been given to me from God.”
Verse 16 – “That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles.” The preposition e)ij plus the accusative of the definite article to plus the infinitive introduces a purpose clause. The function of a purpose clause is to express the aim of the action denoted by the main verb. The main verb is in the previous verse. This aim may be of the nature of a deliberate design, or it may be a matter of general direction, or as in this case, contemplated result. This is simply translated, “That I.” Next is the present active infinitive from e)imi, and with it the accusative of general reference from the personal pronoun e)gw used as the subject of the infinitive e)imi. “That I should be.” The present tense is a historical present employed when a past event is viewed with the vividness of a present occurrence. The active voice: Paul produces the action through the grace ministry of God, specifically God the Holy Spirit in providing for him a spiritual gift. He is the twelfth apostle. The infinitive of intended result is used when a result indicates or fulfils a deliberate objective. This is a blending of purpose and result.
Principle: Whatever we are, whatever it is that God intends for us to be, whatever we should be, God has guaranteed complete and total logistical support. God’s grace is in total support of what He intends us to be. The same, of course, was true of the apostle Paul.
Next comes the accusative singular from the noun leitourgoj. The word has several related meanings. It means a servant, a government official—according to the laws of establishment are designed to be servants, never masters. It is also used in connection with the Levitical priesthood in Hebrews 8:2 where we have the priest as the minister, one who communicates Bible doctrine. “That I should be a minister” is a good translation. With this is a genitive of relationship from the proper noun Xristoj, used for the Lord Jesus Christ from the standpoint of His appointment, plus I)hsouj which is used of Christ with emphasis on His humanity—“of Christ Jesus.” The direction: a new prepositional phrase, e)ij plus the accusative plural of e)qnoj—“to the Gentiles.” The communicator of doctrine is a servant in the sense of providing spiritual food.
“ministering the gospel of God” – the present active participle of i(erourgew is translated “ministering.” It means to perform sacred rights as a priest. The priest places the animal on the altar, explains what it represents, then kills the animal. This is used to teach Christ being judged for our sins. This lamb gave up his life and died; Christ on the cross was judged. It means to officiate as a priest at an altar, to communicate doctrine with training aids. The present tense is a progressive present, it signifies the action in progress or in a state of persistence; it is linear aktionsart. To teach as a priest means to use something so that people can remember it. Then the possessive genitive singular from qeoj which belongs with the accusative singular direct object from e)uaggelion, called the “gospel of God,” but not really; it is “good news of God,” literally.
“that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable” – the conjunction i(na introduces a semi-final clause denoting purpose and goal or objective. The function of the purpose clause is to express the aim or the action denoted by the main verb. The nominative singular subject prosfora means the act of bringing or presenting an offering. Paul’s students know nothing about Judaism, nothing about Israel. They are Gentiles, the appositional genitive plural from e)qnoj. They have an inferior culture, an inferior heritage. It means they can hear for the first time about the tabernacle. Paul refers to the fact that his contribution is to read the Gentiles into the doctrinal picture by using Jewish training aids. Training aids help to understand doctrine. Next is the aorist active subjunctive from the verb ginomai.
“being sanctified by the Holy Spirit” – the royal family honour code has a supernatural means of function. In order that we might function properly under it and have great security and success in things that appear to be wrong to others, but in reality are right; and to be able to be right and to carry on in spite of being criticised as being wrong, the ministry of God the Holy Spirit is involved. The perfect passive participle of the verb a(giazw which means to be set apart for something unusual, and that is what we have here—“having been sanctified,” having been set apart for an unusual purpose. The dramatic perfect tense is the rhetorical use of the intensive perfect. The existing results of the completed action are emphasised in a very vivid and realistic way, therefore an emphasis on the existing state of sanctification, a state which demands honour code function. The passive voice: through the baptism of the Holy Spirit at salvation the Gentile believer receives the action of the verb and is on an equal basis with the Jewish believer who is also brought into the royal family the same way, and in contrast to the previous dispensation when the Jew was the basis of blessing for everyone. The participle is a modal participle which signifies the manner in which the action of the main verb is accomplished—the baptism of the Spirit and positional sanctification. Then the prepositional phrase, e)n plus the instrumental of pneuma and a(gioj—“having been sanctified by the Holy Spirit.”
Translation: “That I should be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, that the offering consisting of the Gentiles might have become acceptable, having become sanctified by the Holy Spirit.”
Verses 17-33, the apostolic function of the honour code.
Verse 17 – the context is talking about esprit décor in the ministry, not just the
ministry of communicating from the pulpit but the ministry of communicating on the mission field, the ministry anywhere where you communicate. “I have therefore whereof I may glory” – the inferential postpositive conjunctive particle o)un is correctly translated “therefore.” The present active indicative of the verb e)xw means to have or to have and to hold. This is the retroactive progressive present denoting that doctrine perceived in the past and the perception that continues in the present time has some tremendous implication. It is called the present tense of duration. Not only did you have it in the past but you still have it and always will have it. The indicative mood is declarative for the reality of an esprit décor that comes from doctrine. The accusative singular direct object kauxhsij which means esprit décor. “Therefore I keep on having esprit décor.” It says in effect, I keep functioning under the honour code. Then a prepositional phrase used to indicate aristocracy, e)n plus the locative singular of Xristoj and I)hsouj—“in Christ Jesus.”
“in those things” – the accusative neuter plural definite article. The neuter gender indicates Bible doctrine, the essential. The plural definite article is used as a demonstrative pronoun. With it is a prepositional phrase, proj plus the accusative of qeoj—“pertaining to the God.”
Translation: “Therefore I have esprit décor in those things pertaining to the God.”
Note that esprit décor is based upon “those things” – doctrine that has been learned
and been stored in the soul. It is based upon doctrinal norms and standards in the conscience of the soul. It is based upon advance to maturity and the function of the royal family honour code.
Verse 18 – “For I will not dare to speak of any.” The verse begins with the word
“not”—o)u, plus the postpositive explanatory use of gar, “For not.” Then the future active indicative of the verb tolmaw which means to dare or to presume. It means to dare where there is genuine courage, but it also means to presume, depending on whether there is courage or stupidity. Here it means “For I will not presume.” The predictive future tense is talking about a future event. The active voice: Paul produces the action of the verb in a negative way: “I will not presume.” He is actually saying that since he has maximum doctrine resident in the soul which is the source of his esprit décor he does not presume to tell of his great missionary experience, but he emphasises the doctrine which he has learned. The indicative mood is the reality of Paul’s grace humility and lack of arrogant presumption. Plus the present active infinitive of the verb lalew, which means to speak or communicate. Paul is talking about the honour code. In effect he is saying the honour code must be included in missionary function. The descriptive present indicates what is now going on in Paul’s experience. The action voice: Paul produces the action of communicating. The infinitive is a conceived result which is assumed as a consequence of doctrine in his soul. The word ti accusative neuter singular direct object of the infinitive from the indefinite pronoun tij—“anything.” The indefinite pronoun is not indefinite, it is used to delineate a category. “For I will not presume to speak about anything.”
“which Christ hath not wrought by me” – the objective genitive plural from the relative pronoun o(j combined with the negative o)u, “which not.” But it means “except what.” The negative o)u used with the relative pronoun is an idiom in the Greek. So it comes out exactly the opposite of what we expect. The KJV translation doesn’t make sense. It should be “except what Christ has done by me.” Then the nominative singular subject Xristoj for “Christ.” The verb is the aorist middle indicative of katergazomai, which means to achieve, to accomplish, to work out, to bring about—“except what Christ has accomplished.” The constative aorist contemplates the action of the verb in its entirety, it refers to a succession of events extended over a period of time—the missionary activity of Paul up to this time. The middle voice: a deponent verb, while middle in form it is active in meaning. Therefore Christ produces the action. The indicative mood is declarative for historical reality. Christ has accomplished a great deal and that is what Paul wants to talk about, not what he has accomplished. Then dia plus the genitive of e)gw—“through me.”
“to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed” – the prepositional phrase e)ij plus the accusative singular of u(pakoh, “resulting in obedience.” A result clause states a consequence of the main verb. The main verb is katergazomai which Christ has accomplished through Paul, resulting in obedience. It is a reference to salvation adjustment to the justice of God, maturity adjustment to the justice of God, and perpetuation of maturity. The subjects of Paul’s missionary activity: the subjective genitive plural from e)qnoj, translated Gentiles; sometimes it means “nations.” Obedience to what? The instrumental of logoj, used here as doctrinal communication. This is translated here, “by word.” The missionary’s primary function is communication of doctrine: gospel to the unbeliever and the teaching of the believer. Plus the instrumental singular from e)rgon which means deed, action, manifestation, but here it means occupation—the occupation of a missionary, his profession.
Translation: “For I will not presume to speak about anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in obedience of the Gentiles, by word [doctrinal teaching] and by occupation [professional missionary function].”
Verse 19 – “Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God.” The preposition e)n plus the instrumental of dunamij, “by the power.” This is a continuation from verse 18. The word “power” refers to the ministry of God the Holy Spirit. No one can function in the Christian life without the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer but does not fill every believer. It is the Holy Spirit controlling the soul that makes the difference. The power here is related to something which existed before the canon was completed but do not necessarily exist at this time. Next is the descriptive genitive plural from the noun shmeion, which in the plural means remarkable events, in some cases miracles but not necessarily. Plus a descriptive genitive plural from the noun teraj which means an omen, a portent, a wonder, or a miracle. While both words refer to extra-natural events each one has a different emphasis. Shmeion refers to unusual events which directed to the Jews established Paul as the twelfth apostle. Teraj emphasises Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles. So here these words have a technical sense. “By the power of signs [to the Jews] and miracles [to the Gentiles].” Then the preposition e)n plus dunamij with the possessive genitive of pneuma and a(gioj—“by the power of the Holy Spirit.” All teaching is accomplished in the power of the Spirit and perception after salvation in the power of the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 1:22 is a key to this passage: the Jews asked for signs and the Greeks [Gentiles] asked for wisdom. Prior to the completion of the canon of Scripture miracles were used to establish the communicator as being from God. Now that the canon of Scripture has been completed such miracles are unnecessary since we continue to have the ministry of God the Holy Spirit.
“so that from Jerusalem” – the conjunction w(ste is followed by the infinitive to introduce a result clause, and is translated “with the result that.” The accusative singular of general reference from the personal pronoun e)gw—“I”, plus the preposition a)po and the indeclinable noun for Jerusalem: “with the result that I from Jerusalem.” Paul’s starting point was Jerusalem. Note that Jerusalem is a Jewish city and that is the reason for the use of shmeion.
“and round about unto Illyricum” – the ascensive use of the conjunction kai, followed by the locative singular of place from kukloj which means “on a circuit as far as.” Plus the preposition mexri and I)llurikum—“even on a circuit as far as Illyricum.” This circuit includes Paul’s first three missionary journeys and therefore it is a circuit covering Palestine, Syria, Asia Minor, Greece, Macedonia, and the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea.
“I have fully preached the gospel of Christ” – the perfect active infinitive of plhrow, which means to fill up a deficiency, to fill up with a certain quality. There is +V at God-consciousness in central Turkey, so Paul goes to all of these places. The word “fully” which is really not an adverb but an infinitive is the key to this. It means to implement in an area where there is +V, to preach to people who want to hear it. They may not know they want to hear it, but they listen and respond.
Verse 20 – the honour code principle for missionaries. “Yea, so I have strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named.” The intensive use of the postpositive conjunctive particle de is correctly translated “In fact.” The adverb o(utoj refers to what follows by way of missionary policy. “In fact, in this way.” This is anticipating missionary policy. Then the present middle participle from the compound verb filotimeomai [filoj = love; timh = honour] which means to love honour, therefore we know we are dealing with the honour code. It comes to mean to aspire to have as a policy that which is honourable. Translation: “I consider it a point of honour.” The customary present tense is for what habitually occurs when the missionary is mature and functions under the honour code. The middle voice of the deponent verb—middle in form, active in meaning: Paul as the greatest of all missionaries produces the action of the verb. He operates on the principle of honour. All missionary function must be compatible with the royal family honour code. The participle is circumstantial, it delineates missionary policy related to the royal family honour code.
Principle: Function in the Christian life is the royal family honour code. The honour code can only be understood by means of persistence of perception of doctrine. Knowledge of doctrine, therefore, is the key to missionary modus operandi. Next is the present middle infinitive of the verb e)uaggelizw. It means in the middle voice to proclaim the gospel. It refers to the initial missionary function which is evangelisation. The retroactive progressive present denotes what is begun in the past and continues into the present time in missionary function. The middle voice stresses the agent producing the action, therefore special attention is focused on the subject—Paul as a missionary. The indirect middle here emphasises the agent as producing the action of the verb as a part of a policy, as a point of honour, rather than participating in the results of the action. The infinitive is of intended result in which the result fulfils a deliberate objective, therefore a blending of purpose and result. With it is the negative o)u with the adverbial particle of place o(pou—“not where.” Then the subject, the nominative singular from the proper noun Xristoj—“not where Christ.” Then the aorist passive indicative from the verb o)nomazw which means to name, to mention, but in the passive voice it means to be known—“not where Christ has been mentioned.” The dramatic aorist is used for stating Paul’s policy, a present reality with the certitude of a past event. This idiom is a device for emphasis and it states a result which has been accomplished, namely the application of the honour code to the mission field. The honour code has a greater application when one is a guest, a visitor in another country, therefore the application must be intensified. The passive voice: the missionary function receives the action of the verb, the function of the royal family honour code. The indicative mood is declarative of a dogmatic statement of policy.
“lest I should build upon another man’s foundation” – i(na plus the negative mh
introduces a negative purpose clause. “that I might not.” The present active subjunctive of o)ikodomew. The static present is for a policy to be taken for granted as a fact. The active voice: Paul produces the action. The subjunctive mood: it is a purpose clause. Then e)pi plus the accusative of qemelion. E)pi plus the genitive emphasises contact—on, at, by, before; e)pi plus the locative case emphasises position—at, over; e)pi plus the accusative emphasises motion or direction—on, up to, to, over. Here it means “on”—“on a foundation.” With this the genitive of a)llotrioj, “belonging to another.”
Translation: “In fact, in this way: I consider it a point of honour [application of the RFHC] to proclaim the gospel, not where Christ has been mentioned, in order that I might not build on a foundation belonging to another.”
Principle
2. There is an emphasis on the fact that there is a missionary ethic. This verse establishes the fact of a missionary ethic, summarised simply as royal family honour code intensified.
3. To be a missionary means to understand the royal family honour code and to live by it. This requires prior preparation—perception of doctrine and the metamorphosis of the missionary’s conscience. No one can go to the mission field without the norms and standards of Bible doctrine resulting in a full cognisance of the honour code.
Principle
1. This verse states a firm missionary policy, a policy which Paul himself violated shortly after this passage was written.
2. Anticipating verse 24 where Paul mentions Spain as the mission field where Christ has not been mentioned, Paul was consistent in his policy to go to Spain.
3. Anticipating verse 25 where Paul states the fact that he is going to Jerusalem, Paul is not only inconsistent but he is rationalising; he wants to go to Jerusalem.
4. Jerusalem had always had a special attraction for Paul because he is a Hebrew of the Hebrews and a Pharisee of the Pharisees. But ministering in Jerusalem was building on the foundation of another apostle.
5. Going to Jerusalem is emotional revolt, while going to Spain is rational obedience.
6. This stated policy of verse 20 is important in understanding the delay and the postponement of the fourth missionary journey.
7. Paul’s stated objective in coming to Rome on the way to Spain was fulfilled, not from direct volition of the apostle following the plan of God but through divine discipline for emotional reversionism involving an unnecessary journey to Jerusalem.
8. In other words, what Tarshish was to Jonah Jerusalem was to Paul.
Disobedience
does not hinder the plan of God. The plan of God marches on through doing the
will of God, or through being disciplined by God for not doing the will of
God.Paul could have gone to Spain via Rome, all he had to do was cross the
water. Instead, Paul went to Spain via Rome the hard way: reversionism. The
road to Spain is a tough one for Paul. It involves rejection by the Jews in
Jerusalem, being almost killed by the mob, being delivered by the Roman Army,
being imprisoned in Caesarea, taking a ship to Rome and being shipwrecked,
finally getting to Rome as a prisoner, cooling his heels for two years while
Nero decided his case.
Perception
and function under the honour code protects the believer from making
terrible mistakes which postpone blessing, as well as
production demanded by the plan of God. The RFHC policy is a safeguard against
emotional aberration. It is also a
safeguard against policy deviation. When in doubt consult the honour
code. Paul should have been inflexible about going to Spain and very flexible
about visits to Jerusalem. In other words, missionary activity must be an assignment with honour, not competition
for numbers.
Verse 21 – “But as it is written.” The rhetorical ascensive use of the adversative conjunction a)lla, which means “Not only this but.” The adverb kaqwj indicates a comparison between Paul’s policy and the previous verse—“just as.” The perfect passive indicative of the verb grafw which means to write. The perfect tense is intensive indicating a completed action—the canon of Scripture, Old Testament—but emphasising the existing results. The result: an Old Testament scripture is quoted for documentation of Paul’s honour code statement. The active voice: the OT canon produces the action of the verb by confirming Paul’s missionary policy as it applies to the RFHC. The indicative mood is declarative for the reality of the completion of the OT as the Word of God, and its citation here as documentation. The quotation is from Isaiah 52:15. “But not only this honour code application but just as it stands written” is the idea.
Isaiah 52:15 is translated literally: “So he will startle,” the hiphil perfect of nazah. It is a reference to the coming of Christ at the Second Advent, “many Gentiles; kings shall shut their mouths before him; for what had not been communicated to them” – the pual perfect of the verb saphar means communication – “they will see” – qal perfect of the verb ra’ah – “and what they had not heard” – qal perfect from shama, communication through the teaching of the Word – “they will discern for themselves” – the hithpael perfect from bin, perception; in this case empirical perception of the Second Advent. Translation: “So he will startle many Gentiles; kings shall shut their mouths before him; for what had not been communicated to them they will see, and what they had not heard they will discern for themselves.”
This explains the rhetorical ascensive use of the conjunction a)lla which, in effect,
sets up a contrast between Paul’s honour code application to the missionary policy with a statement of Isaiah 52:15 which illustrates the principle of preaching the gospel to those who have never heard. Notice that in Isaiah 52:15 the prophecy concerning the second advent says there are a lot of Gentiles who have never heard about this Second Advent, and are utterly shocked by our Lord’s coming. And when they come into His presence their mouth is shut; they are startled; they are shocked. This is to document the principle that there will always be, in every generation throughout all of history, those who have not heard, and who just as at the Second Advent are going to be shocked in time of judgment. But there is a slight difference because we are dealing with the Greek language.
It begins with the future active indicative of the verb o(raqw—“they shall see.” The
predictive future anticipates the Second Advent of Christ when every eye shall see Him, including all the Gentiles who hadn’t heard about Him. The Gentiles in every generation who have not heard is the principle that Paul is documenting from the Old Testament eschatological passage. The active voice: the Gentiles at the Second Advent produce the action of the verb in the context—Isaiah 52:13-15. Verse 13, the victory of Christ in the angelic conflict. Verse 14, the humiliation of Christ on the cross. Verse 15, the glory of Christ at the Second Advent. So in the context of this verse which is quoted we have a contrast between the humiliation on the cross when He is bearing our sins and the glory of the Second Advent when He returns as King of kings and Lord of lords. Why is this quoted? It documents a principle which believers can rapidly take up: the world is filled with Gentiles who have not heard.
“to whom he was not yet spoken of” – dative masculine plural indirect object from
the relative pronoun o(j, plus the aorist passive indicative of the verb a)naggellw which means to report, to announce, to proclaim, to teach. It should be translated with the negative, “those to whom it was not reported.” The constative aorist refers to an action extended over a period of time in the Tribulation. The passive voice plus the negative means the gospel was not receiving the action of the verb, being heard, in a time when the world is more saturated with missionary activity than at any time in history—the last seven years of the Age of Israel, the period of the Tribulation. The prepositional phrase following the verb is peri plus the genitive of the intensive pronoun a)utoj, used here as a third person singular pronoun referring to the Lord Jesus—“concerning him.” It is translated, “those to whom it was not announced/reported concerning him.”
“and they that have not heard shall understand” – the connective kai brings together two clauses. The nominative masculine plural definite article is used as a personal pronoun—“and they.” The third person plural (Attic Greek) second perfect active indicative of the verb a)kouw. There is no Koine way of expressing this, i.e. the qal perfect of shama in the Hebrew. This emphasises the fact that the language of the New Testament was a street language; the language of the Old Testament is one of the magnificent higher types of language ever. The writing of Isaiah who was a nobleman is a high class nobility language. Therefore when Paul, knowing the Hebrew so well, cannot use the usual Koine Greek form, he switches morphology under the ministry of the Holy Spirit to remind us that missionary function is one of the noblest and honourable functions of the Christian church—“and they who have not heard.” The perfect tense of existing state in which the past is dropped from the though and attention on the present status quo. The active voice: the Gentiles produce the action. The indicative mood is declarative for historical reality, there were Gentiles then who hadn’t heard. With this is also a future active indicative from the verb sunihmi, used for technical knowledge about a subject; here for technical knowledge of theology or doctrine. It means to know the underlying laws and the meaning of an object, and therefore to gain special insight on how it works and therefore to have complete comprehension of a subject. The subject here is the gospel. The gnomic future tense of sunihmi is for a statement of fact or performance which may be rightfully expected at the Second Advent on the part of shocked or startled Gentiles. The active voice: the Gentiles who were previously in ignorance of Christ and the gospel now have full cognisance by the startling event of the Second Advent. The declarative indicative represents the verbal idea from the viewpoint of historical reality in the future. But it is not just future. The principle applied in Paul’s day and it also applies in our day.
This
is obviously a reference to Gentiles who have not heard the gospel, and have
not therefore been evangelised through missionary effort. The documentation
does not refer to the fact that Paul’s missionary ministry is fulfilled in
Isaiah 52:15, but merely to the fact that there is a parallel situation in the
time of Paul and in every generation thereafter. The Church Age is the
dispensation of the mystery, which means that prophecy in the Old Testament is
never fulfilled in the Church Age. It will be fulfilled in the Tribulation,
Second Advent, Millennium. Unfulfilled prophecy in the Old Testament is
fulfilled in the Tribulation, 2nd Advent, or Millennial reign of
Jesus Christ. Quite frequently an Old Testament passage is cited to demonstrate
a similar event, a parallel event, to establish an additional frame of
reference. This is demonstrated by another passage which is quoted in the New
Testament—Peter’s quotation from Joel 2:28-32 in his Pentecostal sermon.
Translation: “But just as it stands written, Those to whom it was not reported [Gentiles] concerning him [Jesus Christ], shall see: and they [Gentiles] who have not heard shall comprehend.”
In other words, there will always be Gentiles on this earth who have not heard the gospel.
1. It is essential that every believer distinguish between the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the
Old Testament, the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament, and in understanding the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament to distinguish between the indwelling and the filling of the Spirit.
2. In the Church Age Christ is absent from the earth, seated at the right hand of the Father. Therefore once the difference between the indwelling Holy Spirit and the filling of the Holy Spirit is understood, the purpose for the filling of the filling of the Spirit during our Lord’s absence from the earth is also understood. His purpose is not designed for ecstatics or emotion, it is designed to fulfil the functions of the royal family enjoined by the New Testament epistles. It is designed to have Christ formed in us.
3. But in the Millennium Christ is present on the earth, and the purpose for the filling of the Spirit is simply appreciation of Christ. Only then is the filling of the Spirit related to ecstatics and emotional stimulation.
Verses 22-24, the timing of the ministry.
Verse 22 – “For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to
you.” Up until now God has closed the door on coming to Rome. In his missionary function God wanted Paul to cover the eastern half of the Roman empire first. Not all of it, but the important parts. The verse begins with dio, plus the conjunction kai, plus the imperfect passive indicative e)gkoptw. Dio is self-evident inference, an obvious inference, translated “For this reason.” The adjunctive use of kai is “also, for this reason also.” The imperfect passive indicative of e)gkoptw means to impede, to hinder, to prevent, to delay, to detain. Here it means to detain. This is the voluntative imperfect tense, lack of attainment in the case of a desire or wish, hence lack of realisation of fulfilling of a goal or project. Paul has always wanted to preach in Rome. “For this reason also I have been detained.” He has been detained in order to take up the slack in certain areas of positive volition in the eastern part of the empire. The passive voice: Paul receives the action of the verb, God has detained him as a part of settling certain positive areas in the east. The indicative mood is declarative for the reality of Paul being hindered or prevented from coming to Rome to minister. Then the accusative neuter plural direct object from the adjective poluj, meaning “many times.” The articular aorist active infinitive from the verb e)rxomai which means to come. With it is the ablative singular of source from the definite article, and it is translated like a preposition meaning “from,” with the infinitive—“from coming.” The aorist tense of the infinitive is constative, it refers to a series of events gathered up into one entirety. There were several times when Paul could have gone to Rome but he was always hindered or prevented. The active voice: Paul was hindered from producing the action of the verb, which was coming to Rome. Finally, the preposition proj plus the accusative of the personal pronoun su—“face to face with you” or “to you.”
Translation: “For this reason also I have been hindered many times from coming to you.”
Verse 23 – “But now having no more place in these parts.” The postpositive conjunctive particle de is used to emphasise a contrast with the previous part of the sentence in the previous verse. With it is the adverb of time, nuni, is used. It is now time to make a decision. This refers to Paul’s current status, and having covered the areas of the eastern empire he is now ready for the next step in God’s plan for his life. Plus the present active participle of the verb e)xw, and the negative adverb mhketi meaning “no longer.” “But now no longer having” is the correct translation. The historical present tense views a past event with the vividness of a present occurrence. The active voice: Paul produces the action of the verb. The participle is circumstantial. With this is the accusative singular direct object from topoj, a region, a place, to minister as a missionary. Then the prepositional phrase, e)n plus the locative of the demonstrative pronoun o(utoj, plus the locative plural from klima—“in these regions.” Paul’s missionary function has been replaced by the operation of the local church. He functioned on the indigenous principle and therefore he no longer has a mission in these places because everywhere he has gone he has not only evangelised but he has established churches.
“and having a great desire these many years to come to you” – the connective use of the conjunction de is translated “and.” The present active participle from the verb e)xw, “having.” This is a descriptive present for what is now going on in the soul of Paul. The active voice: Paul produces the action. The participle is circumstantial meaning it is time to move. The accusative singular direct e)pipoqia means a very strong desire. God often leads through a proper desire. It is now time to move on. The articular aorist middle infinitive from the verb e)rxomai means to come. The aorist tense is a dramatic aorist stating a present reality with the certitude of a past event. While this is in the middle voice it is a deponent verb, middle in form but active in meaning. Paul produces the action, a desire to travel to Rome. He is really coming as a visitor of the Roman church, to see a place he has never seen. The infinitive expresses his purpose. Then the preposition proj plus the accusative of su – “face to face with you.” He wants to be there in person and see the area and meet the people. Next is the preposition a)po plus the ablative from the adjective i(kanoj, which means sufficient, large enough, adequate. In the plural it means “many.” Plus the ablative plural from e)toj – “years.”
Translation: “But now no longer having a ministry in these regions, and having a desire to come to you for many years.”
1. Paul’s desires were compatible with the great genius of his soul and compatible with the plan of God for his life.
2. The greatest mind in history would have a normal interest in the capital of the Roman empire, the administrative centre for the fullness of time. Galatians 4:4. The fullness of time was the Roman empire, not the Roman republic.
3. Little did Paul realise that eventually his attention would shift from Jerusalem to Rome, which he would visit twice.
Verse 24 – “Whensoever I take my journey into Spain.” We are still dealing with the same sentence which began in verse 22. The comparative particle o(j indicates the manner in which something proceeds. Here it introduces an indefinite temporal clause. Next is an untranslatable particle, a)n. It means that in writing the Greek language certain things were brought out when you read them but you didn’t have to pronounce them because everyone understood them. This is was sort of help to make a person understand that the action of the verb was dependent upon some circumstance or condition. So they used the word a)n in a temporal clause for an actual future reference. The two particle o(j plus a)n plus the subjunctive mood introduce what is called an indefinite temporal clause in the Greek. It is translated, not “whensoever” but usually “as soon as” or “whenever.” Then the present middle subjunctive of the verb poreuomai, which means to go. The tendencial present is for an action which is purposed though it is not actually taking place at the moment. The middle voice: while the active voice emphasises the action the middle voice emphasises the agent. This is an indirect middle, emphasising the agent as producing the action rather than participating in the results of the action. The subjunctive mood is potential, with the a)n emphasising an indefinite temporal clause which refers to something qualified by an element of contingency. Then the preposition e)ij plus the accusative of the proper noun Spania —“to Spain.”
Paul wrote this indefinite temporal clause circa 58.Allowing time for Paul’s emotional reversionism and discipline he will reach Rome about 62. Paul will be placed under house arrest for two years in Rome, waiting for his trial before Nero—Philippians 2:23, 24; Philemon 22. During his imprisonment in Rome Paul will write the four great epistles: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon. They are called the prison epistles. Paul will be tried by Nero and released for lack of evidence in 63 or 64 AD. At this point Paul will begin the fourth missionary journey.
There is a parenthesis beginning after the word “Spain.”
“for I trust to see you in my journey” – the explanatory use of the postpositive
conjunctive particle gar, followed by the present active indicative of the verb e)lpizw, used here in the sense of future anticipation, future confidence—“for I expect.” The
expectation means that he anticipates with confidence something that will happen in the
future. This is a result of, first of all, having had a successful life at this point in the teaching of the Word. But more than that, it means that when you learn a lot of doctrine you develop a lot of confidence, not only about the present but a tremendous amount of confidence about the future. And you can often make application with regard to the future right into your present situation. That is what Paul is doing with regard to his own missionary activity. The present tense is a tendencial present used for an action which is purposed but not yet taking place. The active voice: Paul produces the action of the verb. The indicative mood is declarative for the reality of Paul’s intention and application. Next is an aorist middle infinitive from the verb qeaomai which means to see a perspective. The constative aorist
gathers into one entirety the action of the verb. The action whether momentary or extended is complimented in its entirety as far as this verb is concerned. This is a deponent verb. This is the infinitive of purpose. It is followed by the accusative plural direct object from the personal pronoun su. Translation: “for I expect to see you.”
Here is a person who is absolutely confident that he is going to continue to live. He doesn’t realise yet all that is ahead of him but he has absolute confidence that his death is not near.
Next is a present middle participle from diaporeuomai which means to pass through. This is a futuristic present. Paul produces the action. It is a deponent verb; it is a temporal participle, and it is translated “when passing through.” He knows he is going to see the Romans, but because of is own reversionism there will be no passing through experience. It will be halt, sit down, produce the prison epistles, have some wonderful fellowship and get some shock—all the Roman believers aren’t very nice, though some are wonderful.
“and to be brought on my way thitherward by you” – the connective use of the conjunction kai, then the preposition u(po plus the ablative of agency from the personal pronoun su should be translated “and by you.” Then the aorist passive infinitive from the verb propempw which means to escort, to assist with money, clothing, food, and even companion. Paul is saying, if effect, “and by you being assisted.” He is talking about money, clothes, food, and people to escort him. The constative aorist gathers up into one entirety all the assistance necessary to send the missionary to the field. The passive voice: Paul receives the action of the verb—to be helped by believers. The infinitive indicates intended result. When the result is indicated as fulfilling a deliberate objective it is called intended result, a blending of purpose and result. This is not the way it is going to work out historically but it still is the principle, therefore the Holy Spirit led Paul to put in something that would not happen. The Roman church would not send him out. It was churches in the Roman province of Asia that would send him out. The principle holds whether it works out the way Paul wanted it to or not. The principle is: People cannot go to the mission field without support from local churches.
Next is an adverb of place, e)kei, which means “there” or “to that place,” referring to Spain and Gaul.
“if first I be somewhat filled with your company” – the conjunction which introduces the third class condition is e)an, plus the subjunctive. The 3rd class condition is a more probable future condition. With it is the adverb prwton, first in sequence of enumeration, correctly translated “first.” The verb is the aorist passive subjunctive from e)mpiplhmi, which means to be satiated, to have the full enjoyment of something, to be filled with something, but generally it means to be satisfied with something: “if first I am satisfied.” The constative aorist contemplates the action of the verb in its entirety, i.e. the teaching of doctrine to the Romans, and fellowshipping with them over a period of time. The emphasis is on teaching, for Paul will have something for the Romans to learn before he departs to go to Spain. When he is satisfied that what he has for them is understood he will leave. The subjunctive mood is potential and is used for recognition of the 3rd class condition. With this is the objective genitive plural from the personal pronoun su, referring to Roman believers—“if first I am satisfied with you.” The prepositional phrase a)po, plus the ablative singular of meroj which means a division from the whole and therefore a part or a fragment. Literally, “from apart.” It is an idiom meaning “partly” or “in some measure” or “in part.”
Translation: “Whenever I go to Spain—for I expect to see you when passing through, and by you be assisted to that place, if first I am satisfied with you in part—”
1. The last phrase in the KJV, “if first I be somewhat filled with your company,” has often been construed as enjoying for a while the company, the fellowship or social life of the Roman believers. Such an interpretation is just too frivolous for the Romans, and for the apostle.
2. His travelling motives are related to the tremendous amount of doctrine he carries in his soul, plus his spiritual gift, plus the filling of the Spirit. Therefore he is not above having a couple of hours of social life, provided it does not interfere with evangelisation or teaching doctrine.
3. Paul will not be satisfied with part of the congregation until first he has communicated and ministered to those doctrines which they have never heard.
4. The doctrine Paul will communicate when he arrives in Rome will be the content of the prison epistles.
5. When Paul is satisfied that Roman Christians have responded to these doctrines so that some of them have advanced to maturity, then he will depart from Rome with confidence that he has secured his supply line to the west. He has left behind a missionary-minded church who will support him with prayer, personal interest, money, friends to accompany him, and whatever else it takes to get Paul operative in the mission field of the west.
6. A missionary must not leave behind any unmended fences as he goes into the mission field—no indebtedness, no bills, no problems.
7. In other words, any missionary starts by being one at home, not in a foreign land.
8. If you cannot witness at home you cannot evangelise on the mission field.
9. If you cannot apply doctrine and use common sense at home you will not do so on the mission field.
10. If you are inflexible regarding the non-essentials at home you will be inflexible regarding the non-essential on the mission field. And this is a disaster.
11. Going to a foreign country as a missionary does not change the missionary.
Anticipating verse 25, which begins with two particles: nuni de. It describes the beginning of Paul’s reversionism. Verses 25-27, Paul’s planned reversionism: a) Paul’s emotional aberration, verse 25; b) Paul’s opportunity for rationalism, verse 26; c) Paul’s administrative distraction, verse 27.
Verse 25 – “But now I go to Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.” Right before our eyes we see the great apostle dissolving into emotional reversionism. The postpositive conjunctive particle de sets up a contrast between what Paul desires and what God wills. The adverb nuni is an adverb of time—“But now.” In these three verses Paul is going to anticipate his own reversionism. He is still in fellowship, he is just describing what he is going to do. Once he does it, he is out of fellowship. Next is the present middle indicative of the verb poreuomai, meaning to go, to travel. The pictorial present presents to the mind events in the process of occurrence, though Paul has not made a move as yet. The middle voice is the indirect middle, emphasising Paul as the agent producing the action rather than participating in the results of the action. The declarative indicative mood is for historical reality or the beginning of a journey into reversionism. The fateful prepositional phrase, e)ij plus the indeclinable noun I)erousalhm, is “to Jerusalem.” “But now I go to Jerusalem.” The word “to minister” is the present active participle of diakonew, which means, as translated, to minister—doctrinal teaching. The futuristic present tense denotes Paul’s administration, the offering from Greece, and his hope of teaching doctrine at the same time. The active voice: Paul assumes the action of the verb in his thinking. The participle is a telic participle, it denotes a future purpose and is translated like a purpose infinitive. Next is the dative plural indirect object from the definite article, plus the dative plural indirect object from the noun a(gioj—“to the saints,” a reference to believers in Jerusalem.
Translation: “Now I go to Jerusalem to minister to the saints.”
Verse 26 – “For it hath pleased them of Macedonia.” The explanatory use of the
postpositive conjunctive particle gar. He is explaining why he is going to Jerusalem. The aorist active indicative of e)udokew [e)u = good or well; dokew = to assume and to think in terms of superficialities]means to think well, literally. It means here to be well pleased, to take a delight in, to take a pleasure in, and to decide for. “For I have decided with pleasure.” The constative aorist gathers into one entirety the great motivation of the subject. There was nothing wrong with the decision of the believers in Macedonia, they did the right thing. Only Paul will do the wrong thing in connection with their right decision. Principle: It is possible for some people to do something right + right = right (the believers in Macedonia), but Paul is going to take their rights and is going to rationalise. Right plus rationalisation = wrong. When you start to ride on the coat tails of someone who is right, you might turn out being wrong. The subject is Macedonia and Achaia. They have decided with pleasure. The declarative indicative views the action of the verb from the standpoint of reality.
“to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem” – the aorist middle infinitive of the verb poiew, which doesn’t mean to make a contribution. It means to do, to make, to manufacture. The dramatic aorist takes a present reality with the certitude of a past event. The idiom is a device for emphasis, it refers to the great offering which is being administered. The middle voice is the dynamic middle which emphasises the part taken by the subject, emphasising the fact of proper motivation and proper giving totally apart from any system of gimmicks. The infinitive is an actual result. Plus the accusative singular direct object of the verb from the indefinite pronoun tij, which is not indefinite but categorical. This is the emphatic use reflecting a sense of distinction and importance. Therefore we translate “certain” or “special.”
Next is the accusative singular direct object from koinwnia, which means fellowship or offering, and here it means to make a special offering. This phrase emphasises the principle of giving as a function of the Christian life without begging, without gimmicks, without any form of solicitation. Then comes e)ij plus the accusative plural of ptokoj, sometimes translated “beggar” but it really means “destitute. We translate it here, “the poor ones.” The ablative of comparison plural from a(gioj—“among the saints.” Plus e)n plus the locative of I)erousalhm—“who are in Jerusalem.”
There is no distinction made between the poor reversionist in Jerusalem and the poor positive believer. When people are destitute distinction are not made. This is impersonal giving, which means not based on emotion but based upon compassion from rationalism or doctrine. Impersonal giving emphasises the subject rather than the object. The subject is properly motivated by doctrine rather than impelled by emotionalism. Impersonal giving is motivated by impersonal love, therefore such giving becomes a part of the function of the royal family honour code. Many of the saints in Jerusalem are destitute as a part of the divine discipline. Other believers are positive toward doctrine and their poverty is a part of the principle of testing as a means of advance, testing for the purpose of determining priorities. In some cases it is undeserved suffering of the mature believer. But the reason for being destitute is not the issue, it is the question of the believer’s motivation in giving. The reason for the poverty is not the issue. Impersonal giving, like impersonal love, emphasises the doctrinal standards and grace motivation of the subject. Furthermore spiritual giving divorces emotion from the motivation factor. Emotion as the master of the soul is a distraction to the Christian way of life. Normal soul reflex finds emotion the slave, not the master. It should be remembered that emotion has no spiritual connotation in this dispensation. Therefore true motivation in giving is not based on emotion but on the impersonal love function of the honour code.
Verse 27 – “It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are.” The postpositive conjunctive particle gar is used as an emphatic particle. It means here, “In fact,” or
“Certainly,” or “Indeed.” Or it could even be translated “Yes.” The aorist active indicative of e)udokew – “Yes, they have decided with pleasure.” This is a culminative aorist viewing the action of the verb in its entirety but emphasising the existing results. These believers in Greece have done a great thing. First because their motivation was right. From their doctrine and motivation they have produced this wonderful offering; they have given with pleasure, and it was their decision. E)udokew eliminates emotion from giving. The active voice: the believers of Macedonia and Achaia produce the action of then verb. The indicative mood is declarative for the reality of true giving motivation. The emphatic use of kai is translated “in fact.” The third person plural present active indicative from e)imi—“they are.” The present tense is a historical present, it views a past event with the vividness of a present occurrence. The active voice: the Gentile believers produce the action of the verb. The indicative mood is declarative for historical reality. The predicate nominative plural from o)feilethj which means obligation. Honour code comes into the picture. They are “obligated.” Plus the objective genitive plural from the intensive pronoun a)utoj, “to them.” “Yes, they have decided with pleasure to do this; in fact they are obligated to them.” This is an obligation related to the royal family honour code.
1. The Gentile believers in Philippi, Corinth, Thessalonica, and other parts of both northern and southern Greece, were cognisant of the fact that Jewish believers were responsible for the existence of the Old Testament canon.
2. They were also aware of the fact that human writers of the New Testament (that which was available) were either apostles or someone intimately associated with the apostles, and the apostles were Jews.
3. They are further aware of the fact that all of these apostles were not only Jewish believers but that Jerusalem was their headquarters. This was the first city of the Church Age.
4. Understanding these facts they were obviously pro-Semitic, which means that no believer today has any right, under any circumstances, to be anti-Semitic. It is a violation of the honour code to be involved in anti-Semitism. Being grateful for doctrine and being motivated by doctrine they are anxious to assist financially the source of their spiritual blessings—Israel.
5. As God has prospered them financially they sought to share this prosperity with those who were humanly responsible, i.e. doctrine was the source of their prosperity and therefore they tried to share with those who were the source. The Jews had shared their spiritual prosperity of doctrine (through Paul), now these Gentiles desired to share their material prosperity with those who are the source. Therefore another honour code principle—reciprocity of categories: the sharing of spiritual prosperity in doctrine motivates the sharing of material prosperity in money.
6. The believers in Jerusalem were often poor, living in poverty, simply because they were negative toward doctrine. They were ignorant of doctrine. In some cases, however, they were also poor and impoverished because they were positive toward doctrine, and this was one of their tests in the advance. Some were mature believers who were going through the undeserved suffering stage. But regardless of the reason for their poverty the giver does not make the distinction. The giver gives on the basis of who and what he is, not who and what the recipient is. Like impersonal love, the honour code demands impersonal giving.
“For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things” – the explanatory use of the postpositive conjunctive particle gar should be translated “For you see.” The conditional particle e)i introduces the protasis of a first class condition, “if and it is true,” supposition from the viewpoint of reality. The subject is the nominative plural from e)qnoj, plus the generic use of the definite article setting up a category—“For you see if the Gentiles.” The verb is the aorist active indicative of koinwnew, which means to share. The gnomic aorist is for a fact which is so fixed in its certainty as to be axiomatic in character. This is also constative in the sense of a fact extended over a period of time—the entire Church Age. By application to us it is a constative aorist. The active voice: the Gentiles who are believers produce the action of the verb, sharing in the spiritual benefits of the Jewish spiritual heritage of doctrine. The indicative mood is declarative representing the verbal action from the viewpoint of reality, hence a first class condition. Plus the locative plural from pneumatikoj, meaning “in spiritual things.” Plus the possessive genitive plural of the intensive pronoun a)utoj which is used most of the time in the New Testament as a substitute for the third person personal pronoun. There is no 3rd person personal pronoun and a)utoj is used for it. It should be translated “belonging to them.” “For you see, if the Gentiles have shared in spiritual things belonging to them [the Jews]” – first class condition, “and they have.” Principle: Spiritual things such as doctrine from God is the monopoly of the Jew; it is their heritage. With several very rare exceptions all of the human writers of Scripture are Jew by race.
“their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things” – the present active indicative of the verb o)feilw, a verb of obligation: “they are obligated,” literally. The perfective present tense denotes the continuation of existing results. The active voice: Gentile believers, or any believers who prosper through the perception of doctrine, produce the action of the verb. The indicative mood is declarative representing the verbal action from the viewpoint of dogmatic doctrinal reality. The conjunctive use of the conjunction kai, “also.” The aorist active infinitive of leitourgew means to perform a service to God, to fulfil a civic responsibility like paying taxes, to discharge public responsibility like entering military service, to perform cultic functions at the altar and that is where it gets the concept from “to minister” – “they are also obligated to minister.” The constative aorist is for a fact or action extended over a period of time. He action of the verb is contemplated in its entirety. The action extends over the Church Age and is a principle of the royal family honour code. The active voice: the believer who has prospered from the Lord is motivated by doctrine to produce the action of the verb by giving money to those believers who have provided for them or shared with them in spiritual things. The infinitive is the intended result infinitive in which the result fulfils a deliberate objective, the objective of the honour code, a blending of purpose and result. The honour code requires the reciprocity principle always. Here the spiritual is exchanged for the material. Then the dative plural indirect object from a)utoj, the intensive pronoun used as a personal pronoun, 3rd person—“to them.” Then the preposition e)n plus the locative plural of both the definite article and the adjective sarkikoj, used as a substantive here for material things.
Translation: “Yes, they have decided to do this with pleasure; in fact, they are obligated to them. For you see, if the Gentiles have shared in spiritual things belonging to them [the Jews; and they have], they [Gentiles] are obligated to minister to them in material things.”
Christian giving is an honour code function. It combines doctrinal motivation with material prosperity to perform a divine service. Bona fide spiritual giving is really the function of the positive or strong believer who has benefited from doctrinal teaching by advancing in the plan of God. The true givers are those who have shared in the spiritual things from doctrinal teaching, so that doctrine resident in the soul motivates the believer to give, and nothing else. Giving is not the sharing of emotion, is not based on attraction or persuasion by flattery; giving is reciprocity between doctrinal teaching and resultant material prosperity. The strong believer has been spiritually blessed from doctrine and financially prospered by divine imputation. The doctrine provides motivation to give to the source of his doctrinal inculcation. In this context it is the Jew; in principle in the Church Age it applies to the communicator of doctrine. From the divine imputation of prosperity comes the money with which to give. God creates the wealth by imputation. And from doctrine resident in the soul comes the motivation.
Verses 28-29, bad tactics and good strategy.
Verse 28 – “When therefore I have performed this.” The inferential conjunction o)un
denotes that what it introduces is an inference from what precedes. Doctrine says go to Rome; emotion says go to Jerusalem. Everything from verse 23 to verse 27 is brought into sharp focus, to a conclusion: good strategy; bad tactics. The aorist active participle from e)pitelew which means to finish, to complete, to execute an order or protocol. The aorist tense is a culminative aorist, it denotes the attainment of an end, of a process. The administration of the offering to the destitute people in Jerusalem is something he is looking at from the standpoint of the end of the process. The process began when believers cracked the maturity barrier; they appreciated what the Jews had done for them from the Old Testament writers right down to the apostle Paul. Therefore they were glad to start collecting and forming an offering. The active voice: Paul intends to produce the action of the verb by travelling to Jerusalem. This is a temporal participle. The action of the aorist participle precedes the action of the main verb; the main verb is “I will come.”
“Therefore when I have accomplished.” Then the accusative neuter singular direct object from the demonstrative pronoun o(utoj, referring to the charity mission to Jerusalem – “this [mission].” Note that it is emotion controlling the soul that takes battle courage or moral courage and converts it into an inflexible system—converts the virtue into a terrible danger.
“and have sealed to them this fruit” – the connective use of the conjunction kai plus the aorist middle participle of sfragizw which does mean to seal. It means to provide with a seal, to mark with a seal as a means of identification, but it also means to certify, as here: “and have myself certified.” The aorist tense is a culminative aorist, it denotes attainment of the end of the process which includes the collection of the money. The direct middle refers to the results of the action directly to the agent, Paul, with reflexive force. This is a temporal participle. Again, the action of the aorist participle precedes the action of the main verb, “I will come.” Then the dative plural indirect object from the intensive pronoun a)utoj. It is used as a third person plural personal pronoun and translated “to them.” He is thinking about the believers in Jerusalem in a sentimental way and therefore his good strategy is about to be neutralised by bad tactics. To make emotion a criterion for your life is to enter into bad tactics, to enter into reversionism, and to neutralise any virtue that you might have from previous spiritual experience. Plus the accusative singular direct object from an immediate demonstrative pronoun o(utoj, and with it the noun karpoj which means fruit or production. This production is an offering. Translation: “and have myself certified this production to them.”
Using seals in the ancient world was a custom of identifying things with a sign, a letter, a word, or a combination of these things. Sealing was certification in the ancient world. An impression was made with a signet ring on the paper as a guarantee and legal protection of property. Here we find Paul is the seal and he is using his apostolic authority for a legitimate thing: the transfer and distribution of funds.
“I will come by you into Spain” – this is a good tactic, it is simply the deviation to Jerusalem that is wrong. The future middle indicative of the verb a)perxomai means “I will go.” The future tense is a predictive future for an event expected to occur in future time. The middle voice: a deponent verb which is middle in form but active in meaning. Paul intends to produce the action of the verb, which is good strategy. The indicative mood is potential of obligation in which the indicative is used to declare his obligation. It is God’s will for Paul to go to Spain. He is not going to Spain, he is going to deviate at this point. Then the preposition dia plus the ablative plural from the personal pronoun su – “by means of you.” Then the preposition e)ij plus the accusative of the proper noun Spania—“to Spain.”
Translation: “Therefore when I have accomplished this mission, and have myself certified this production to them, I will go to Spain by means of you.”
1. The good strategy is to go to Spain; the bad tactics, the diversion to Jerusalem.
2. The emotional pull to Jerusalem causes Paul to become inflexible with regard to non-essentials. The distribution of that money did not require Paul’s administrative ability.
4. Paul should be inflexible with regard to the essentials of doctrine and the will of God.
5. It is God’s will for Paul to minister to the Latin world of the empire, just as until now Paul has ministered to the Hellenistic part of the empire.
6. The Adriatic Sea divides the Roman empire into two parts: Latin in the west; Hellenistic in the east.
7. Now that Paul has fulfilled his unique missionary function—three missionary journeys in the Hellenistic area—he must go immediately to the Latin west.
8. Therefore Paul must be inflexible regarding Rome and Spain.
9. But the temptation to personally deliver the great offering to Jerusalem was too much for him, and Paul finds himself violating the honour code principle and neutralising the greatest virtue that has ever existed in the royal family of God.
Verse 29 – “And I am sure that when I come unto you.” The postpositive conjunctive particle de used as a transitional conjunction here, translated “Now.” Then the perfect o)ida used as a present tense for something in which Paul is totally confident. In indicates knowledge correctly applied from his soul. The pictorial present tense is for knowledge now going on before Paul has entered into reversionism. However when Paul finally reaches Rome he will be prepared. The active voice: Paul produces the action of the verb through maximum doctrine in his soul. The indicative mood is declarative for the reality of Paul’s spiritual gift in preparation for the reality of tremendous perception of doctrine, the reality of the fact that he is the one man in all of the world who is truly prepared to go west and do the job right. The conjunction o(ti, is used after verbs of perception to indicate the content of that perception, or in this case to indicate the application of doctrine—“that.” The present middle participle of the verb e)rxomai which means to come. The futuristic present tense denotes an event which has not yet occurred, but is regarded as so certain in thought that it is contemplated as already coming to pass. Paul in his thinking is already in Rome. The middle voice of the deponent verb means that Paul intends to produce the action, but in his timing, not God’s timing. This is a temporal participle, translated “when I come.” The prepositional phrase that follows indicates face to face teaching at a future time—proj plus the accusative plural of su, “face to face with you.”
Paul is confident that it is God’s will for him to come to Rome to minister the Word. In this he is correct. In fact it is the will of God for him to come immediately to Rome, now, in preparation for his missionary work in the regions beyond. Paul’s missionary momentum demands that he keep moving west and not be distracted by any personal desire or emotional connotation of taking that offering personally to Jerusalem. Paul has a special apostolic ministry to the Roman believers which is vitally necessary for securing his base in Rome. Furthermore the Roman believers have been brought to a certain level by their pastors. They are ready for Paul. Paul’s ministry is necessary to bring a lot of them to maturity. It is imperative that a mature remnant of believers be established in Rome since historically the expansion of Christianity must include that vital centre. For several hundred years after the death of Paul Rome will be the centre for the advance and expansion of Christianity and the pivot which will be eventually formed in Rome by Paul’s ministry will produce the greatest historical age anyone has ever known: one hundred years of the Antonine Caesars, 96-192 A.D. Therefore Rome, not Jerusalem, is the key city for the dissemination of doctrine.Jerusalem is actually being phased out as the centre of Christianity and historical positive volition is moving away from the Jews to the Gentiles in the west. Therefore, since the doctrine of Paul is unique it is inevitable that he must teach Bible doctrine in Rome and beyond. In fact, some of his greatest work in doctrine will be accomplished in Rome: the writing of the prison epistles.
“I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ” – the phrase “of the
gospel” is not found in the original manuscript, and it is definitely misleading. Paul’s primary mission in Rome is not evangelism. The future middle indicative of e)rxomai – “I shall come.” The future tense is predictive, he knows that it is God’s will for him to come now to Rome. He is going to delay it and rationalise it, but he does understand God’s plan. The middle voice of the deponent verb really means that Paul is producing the action. The indicative mood is historical reality. Then e)n plus the locative of plhrwma – “in the full measure.” This refers to the fact that he has more doctrine, more understanding, and more ability to communicate doctrine than anyone who has ever lived. He is unique and he is going to come and give them a full blast of what they need, the most advanced type of doctrine. The descriptive genitive singular of the noun e)ulogia refers to the six categories of blessing to the mature believer. These six categories are imputed to the believer after he cracks the maturity barrier. Then the ablative of source in the singular from the proper noun Xristoj – “Christ.” All blessing is from the Lord Jesus Christ, and the imputation of divine blessing to the mature believer is both the glorification of Christ as well as blessing from the source of Christ.
Translation: “Now I know that when I come face to face with you I shall come in full
measure of blessing from Christ.”
2. The ministry of Paul to believers is one of momentum and motivation under the honour code.
3. The doctrinal communication of the great apostle motivated believers to advance to the high ground of maturity and at the same time to become aware of and to function in the royal family honour code.
4. The attainment of maturity means blessing imputed from the Lord Jesus Christ. Attainment of maturity is the only way to glorify God, and maturity is the only way to function under the honour code.
5. The attainment of maturity is the motivation and the proper function of the honour code. It functions perfectly with the mature believer because it requires so much in the way of flexibility.
6. Paul’s ministry will bring many Roman believers to maturity through the pertinent doctrines.
7. The prison epistles are really the full measure of blessing from Christ.
Verse 30 – “Now I beseech you, therefore, brethren.” The postpositive conjunctive particle de used as a transitional conjunction, “Now.” The present active indicative from the verb parakalew, which means to summon to one’s aid, to appeal to someone for help, but here it means to encourage. The customary present tense denotes what may be reasonably expected when Christians recognise a man of Paul’s stature, and without any encouragement they should be supporting that man in prayer. The active voice: Paul produces the action of the verb by encouraging them to pray for him and to pray with him. The indicative mood is declarative representing the verbal action from the viewpoint of reality. With this is an accusative plural direct object from the personal pronoun su, referring to the Roman believers. The Roman believers are encouraged to act as artillery support and provide a prayer barrage for Paul’s advance. The nominative plural from the noun a)delfoj is referring specifically to the believers in Rome, but it also refers to all believers who are positive toward doctrine and who are making spiritual advances. Every believer possesses the great weapon of prayer.
“for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit” – dia plus the possessive genitive of e)gw, plus the ablative of means from kurioj, I)hsouj and Xristoj, “by our Lord Jesus Christ.” The ablative of means is used here because source is involved. Jesus Christ is the source of prayer. Then the connective conjunction kai, and dia plus the genitive of a)gaph – “through love.” Never in Scripture are we commanded to love the third person of the Trinity. This is not “of the Spirit,” this is the ablative of source from pneuma and it is “love from the Spirit,” love generated by the Spirit, love of which the Spirit is the source—impersonal love, honour code love. So it is a direct appeal to the honour code for the function of impersonal love in prayer.
“that ye strive together with me in your prayers” – aorist middle infinitive of a compound verb, sunagwnizomai [sun = along side with; a)gwnizomai = to carry on a conflict, to fight in a combat situation, to compete in the athletic games], which means to join in a team effort. With this is the dative singular indirect object from the personal pronoun e)gw – “that you join me in a team effort.” The constative aorist tense gathers into one entirety the concept of prayer as a team effort in which everyone participates in the function. The deponent verb: the Roman believers form a battery of artillery in prayer support for Paul’s advance. The infinitive is intended result in which the result is indicated as fulfilling a deliberate objective. It blends purpose and result. Then the prepositional phrase, e)n plus the locative plural of the definite article used as a possessive pronoun, plus the locative plural of proseuxh, “in your prayers.”
“to God for me” – the preposition proj plus the accusative of qeoj. All effective prayer is “face to face with the God.” Then u(per plus the ablative singular of the personal pronoun e)gw, referring to Paul—“on behalf of me.”
Translation: “Now I encourage you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ, and through love from the Spirit, that you join me in a team effort in your prayers to the God on behalf of me.”
Verse 31 – an erroneous prayer.
1. Erroneous prayer requests lead to ineffective prayer function.
2. Just as artillery must be on the target to give support to infantry, so the prayer petition must be accurate to result in effective prayer.
3. This verse expresses an inaccurate prayer request, for it is not the will of God for Paul to go to Jerusalem.
4. Therefore we have something equivalent to directing fire on the wrong target.
5. In the next verse there will be an accurate and correct prayer request compatible with the will of God.
6. While this petition is wrong for this situation the principle involved is correct for similar situations compatible with the will of God.
7. Paul will go to Jerusalem in reversionism, and Paul will be disciplined in Jerusalem for that reversionism.
8. This immediately cancels the effectiveness of any prayer offered with regard to this request.
9. Prayer, like artillery fire which does not hit the target, is ineffective.
10. The petition of prayer request must specify a correct target compatible with the will of God. The more doctrine you know the more you will know what is compatible with the will of God. If you are in doubt always preface your prayer, “If it be thy will.”
“That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea” – the conjunction i(na introduces a semi-final purpose clause. This is one in which the direction of the action of the main verb toward a given result is sought. In this case it is sought through prayer. Then comes the aorist passive subjunctive of the verb r(uomai – “that I may be delivered.” If there is one thing Paul will not be it is delivered in Jerusalem. He is completely out of line by going there. He goes under the principle of emotional revolt. On the way to Jerusalem he was warned twice—Acts 21, but he rationalised the whole situation. The constative aorist tense contemplates the action of the verb in its entirety. This is a prayer request for an action extended over a period of time. The passive voice: Paul wants to receive the action of the verb, which is deliverance. The subjunctive mood is potential, but being used with i(na introduces a purpose clause semi-final in which a prayer request is noted. With this is the preposition a)po plus the ablative plural from the definite article used as a demonstrative pronoun and translated “from those,” with the present active participle of a)peiqew. It means to disobey, to be disobedient or to be an unbeliever. Here it seems to refer to both believers and unbelievers because both categories exist in Jerusalem and both categories are negative to doctrine. The believer is just as antagonistic as the unbeliever when he is involved in reversionism. Therefore it is a reference to reversionistic believers as well as Judaistic unbelievers. Both categories are zealous in their opposition of the apostle. It should be translated, “from those who are disobedient.” “A)peiqew is in the present tense of duration, it denotes what has begun in the past and continues into the present time, both negative volition toward doctrine and intensive opposition to the apostle Paul. The actiove voice: both those who have rejected or have been disobedient to the gospel and those believers who have gone negative toward doctrine produce the action of the verb. The unbelievers are called Judaisers; the believers are called reversionistic legalists. The participle is circumstantial. Then the preposition e)n plus the locative of the proper noun I)oudaioj, referring to the south Roman province of Palestine and comparable to the southern kingdom of Judah.
Principle: The unbeliever rejects or is disobedient to that doctrine known as the gospel. The believer has accepted the gospel but after salvation has rejected Bible doctrine, and therefore has moved into reversionism; he has retreated instead of advanced.
“and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints” – this is what he wants. The connective kai continuing the semi-final purpose clause, “and that”; and with it the nominative singular subject diakonia plus the possessive genitive singular from the personal pronoun e)gw –“my ministry.” His ministry is teaching doctrine but he I also going to function administratively. At this point Paul has no openings to teach doctrine or to speak in the local churches at Jerusalem, only the administration of the offering for the destitute Jewish believers. Then the prepositional phrase, e)ij plus the accusative from the proper noun for Jerusalem – “to Jerusalem.” Next is the aorist active subjunctive from the verb ginomai – might become.” The aorist tense is a constative aorist, it contemplates the action of the verb in its entirety. The active voice: Paul’s ministry produces the action of the verb. The subjunctive mood is potential, and the potential is already zero. There is no “I have,” it is not found in the original. It is simply “that my ministry to Jerusalem might become.” Then the predicate nominative from the compound e)uprosdektoj, “acceptable,” the one thing that will never happen in Jerusalem. There comes a time when your personal desires and God’s will are going to be absolutely antithetical. Paul made a decision and he wants people to pray for him regarding it, and there is no way they can pray for him. There isn’t a thing you can do when people make mistakes.
1. Inasmuch as “ministry” covers both the teaching of doctrine and the administration of
funds it is obvious that Paul is using the generous offering of the Greek Gentiles as
an opportunity to get his foot in the door in Jerusalem. He has an intense desire to
minister to these people.
2. Paul has much to offer the Jerusalem believer by way of doctrinal teaching, but they have never forgotten Paul’s persecution when he was an unbeliever.
3. In fact, many of their relatives were killed or impoverished by the zealous young Pharisee, Saul of Tarsus.
4. Since then Paul has become the great advocate of grace which rips the heart out of Judaism. Because of this there is much controversy over Paul in Jerusalem, and even more antagonism toward Paul from the Jerusalem church.
5. Yet no one can offer more doctrinal teaching, no one is greater or more helpful for the advance of any believer than Paul. (Principle: The greatest ministry in the world is totally ineffective in the face of negative volition.) Even Peter had compromised regarding the law when he was in Jerusalem, and it was Paul who straightened Peter out – Galatians 2:11ff.
6. Peter came from Jerusalem to Antioch and became divisive regarding the Mosaic law so that the deception caused disunity and division among the believers in Antioch.
Translation: “That I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judaea; and that my ministry to Jerusalem might become acceptable to the saints.”
1. It has already been noted that this prayer request was incompatible with the geographical
will of God for the apostle Paul. He should be going to Rome.
2. An erroneous prayer request results in ineffective intercessory prayer.
3. Paul’s journey to Jerusalem is part of his emotional reversionism, and any request for his blessing is null and void; it is cancelled by reversionism. Principle: The most difficult prayer in the world for anyone is for a reversionist. There is very little can be done except for the prayer of importunity. Importunity is, in effect, begging God to spare someone that they might live long enough to recover.
4. Paul comes under divine discipline in Jerusalem, and because he is under divine discipline this nullifies the petition being answered through their intercession.
5. By analogy, intercessory prayer is like the use of artillery to support infantry in the advance. Artillery, like prayer, can only support when it is on the target. If it doesn’t hit the target it is totally ineffective. So is prayer that is not zeroed in on the target, the will of God.
6. The prayer request must specify a correct target compatible grid coordinates of God’s sovereign will.
7. However, in the next verse Paul makes a correct and accurate prayer request, and that one will be answered.
Verse 32 – the second request. In this verse we have accurate prayer resulting in efficacious prayer function. “That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God.” The conjunction i(na introduces and continues the concept of the purpose clause. The aorist active participle of e)rxomai has to do with Paul finally travelling in the right direction, and is translated “having come.” The desire is to preserve Paul and he will be preserved; he will not die in Jerusalem. But the petition that he might have an effective ministry is wrong and will get a “no.” The prayer to get Paul to Rome will be answered. Even erroneous petition cannot hinder the plan of God. Often God honours the desire behind the petition and answers that much of it. The constative aorist contemplates the action of the verb in its entirety. Paul’s arrival in Rome as a mature believer will see him with +H again. Paul will produce the action, and it is a temporal participle translated “So that when I come.” Then proj plus the accusative plural of su—“face to face with you,” referring to Paul’s face to face teaching. Then another prepositional phrase, e)n plus the locative singular of xara – “in happiness,” i.e. sharing the happiness of God. It assumes that Paul, by the time he gets to Rome, will be not only in fellowship but back to old status as a mature believer, and still have all that doctrine which these Roman believers desire. Finally, dia plus the ablative of qelhma plus the genitive of qeoj – “by the will of God.” Happiness and the will of God always go together. Doing the will of God involves three things: right thought, right function, right place.
“and may you be refreshed” – the adjunctive use of the conjunction kai should be
translated “also.” The aorist middle subjunctive of the compound sunanapauomai [sun = with; a)napao = to rest] means to rest with, literally, but it is used for married couples lying down together by Plutarch; it is used for relaxing with someone—mentally, physically. It is used here, however, for finding rest and refreshment with some specified here by the instrumental of association from the personal pronoun su, referring to the Romans. This means that when Paul teaches these people they are going to be refreshed by the doctrine he teaches, and he is going to be refreshed by their hospitality. Each has something to give to the other. The culminative aorist tense views the visit of Paul to Rome in tis entirety but regards it from the viewpoint of existing results. When Paul leaves Rome this will be true. He will have taught them doctrine, as well as all of us (the prison epistles), and they will have exercised hospitality to him under difficult circumstances. The direct middle refers the results of the action directly to the agent—Paul, and does so with reflexive force. Paul acts with a view toward participating in them outcome. Where the Word of God is taught the outcome is inevitable. Those who respond have a relaxed and loving attitude toward the one who teaches. The subjunctive mood, used here with i(na, indicates his purpose: “That I also myself may find rest and refreshment with you.”
Translation: “So that when I come face to face with you in happiness by the will of God, I also myself may find rest and refreshment with you.”
1. The subjunctive mood says that this rest and refreshment is potential. The potentiality
comes from the fact that Paul isn’t there yet, and that when he gets there, there must
be positive volition. The greatest rapport that can exist in human life is between
communicator and those who are responders to doctrine. The potential factor
involves the essentials of life, of course the essential being the doctrine that Paul has
and will communicate.
2. If the Roman believers are positive toward doctrine this will be mutual refreshment and blessing in the Lord.
3. Looking at the other side, negative volition toward doctrine will cancel this principle and therefore the application of the honour code demands inflexibility with regard to the essentials of doctrine and total flexibility with regard to the non-essentials.
4. The royal family honour code provides the atmosphere for rest and refreshment. There can be none of this apart from maximum doctrine resident in the soul.
5. For this reason the first degree of maturity (super-grace A) is characterised by rest and refreshment.
6. The second prayer request is legitimate and will be fulfilled in Paul’s first visit to Rome.
7. The effectiveness of intercessory prayer demands that the prayer request be compatible with the will of God.
8. This means that the barrage of prayer will be right on target, advancing Paul into their very presence under the conditions specified.
Verse 33 – a statement regarding the honour code objective. “Now the God of peace be with you all.” The transitional use of the postpositive conjunctive particle de is correctly translated “Now.” The nominative singular subject o( qeoj refers to God—“the God.” The genitive of possession from the noun e)irhnh which means primarily “prosperity.” God possesses an unlimited supply of prosperity, and inevitably for us as believers all prosperity comes from God. Because of ellipsis we have to insert a verb here, the verb to be—“be.” The prepositional phrase meta plus the genitive of the adjective paj and the personal pronoun su – with you all,” referring to the Romans.
The last word, “Amen” is amhn, which has many meanings. Here it is a liturgical word for the liturgical formula for terminating the subject, and it requires the response of positive volition in the soul.
Translation: “Now the God of prosperity be with all of you. Amen.”