Romans 16

Thursday, 27 February 2014

I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle, greet you in the Lord. Romans 16:22

We find in this verse much more than might be at first apparent. “I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle” tells us that Paul used an amanuensis or “penman” who wrote what Paul had either first written, or what he directly dictated to Tertius. Paul’s writing was unusually large as is noted in Galatians 6:11 – “See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand!”

It is believed because of this, and several other pertinent clues, that Paul’s vision was poor. If he wrote with such large letters, the epistle delivered to Rome would be many pages long and rather unwieldy. Further, it wasn’t uncommon for people to use a scribe to pen their letters as they let their thoughts out. Some people think more clearly as they speak and this may be the case with Paul. It is certainly not the case that Paul first spoke in Hebrew, Aramaic, or some other language and then Tertius translated the epistle into Greek. Paul was fluent in Greek as is seen in Acts 21:37.

Further, it was his custom to sign each epistle that was sent in his name even if he used a scribe. He notes this in 2 Thessalonians 3:17 – “The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every epistle; so I write.” The unusually large letters and the style of his penmanship ensured that an epistle from him was easily recognized.

The words which state “who wrote this epistle” are graphas ten epstolen. It means “wrote” not “translated” or “interpreted.” The substance of the letter is Paul’s entirely. Tertius simply put the words down as he received them.

His name, Tertius, is a Latin name and some have tried to connect it with “Silas” who is noted 13 times from Acts 15-18. This doesn’t seem likely because Silas is named so prominently in Acts by that name. For him to change to the Latin name when Jews were also being addressed in Romans seems quite a stretch, but it’s not impossible.

This “Tertius” then has been given the liberty by Paul to make his own greeting to the Romans. When he does, he says “I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle, greet you in the Lord.” Two possibilities for “in the Lord” arise. One is that he “wrote” the epistle in the Lord, meaning under divine inspiration. The second is that “greet” is being tied to “in the Lord.” This would mean that his greeting is as a Christian and with brotherly love because of it. The second is certainly more likely. It has already been indicated (as noted above) that Paul is the author and he is the scribe.

However… in this sentence he becomes the author and therefore, under divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he has the high honor of being one of the authors of the Bible, even if it is for a short thought or two! It is an amazing thing to contemplate. This honor is not unlike that of Jeremiah’s scribe, Baruch, in the Old Testament. In Jeremiah 45, after so many trials and with the future very uncertain, the Lord took the time to address Baruch personally. The entire chapter is devoted to this exchange –

“The word that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch the son of Neriah, when he had written these words in a book at the instruction of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to you, O Baruch: ‘You said, ‘Woe is me now! For the Lord has added grief to my sorrow. I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest.’ ‘Thus you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, what I have built I will break down, and what I have planted I will pluck up, that is, this whole land. And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I will bring adversity on all flesh,’ says the Lord. ‘But I will give your life to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go.'”

Tertius and Baruch were both given high honor regardless of how they may have felt about what they were doing. They are noted in God’s word and are no less important than those they served.

Life application: Tertius is known for doing only one thing for the Lord, being a scribe for someone else who is writing a letter. It seems menial, but the Lord honored Tertius with the signing his name and giving a greeting. Thus he became a partial author of God’s eternal word. Like Baruch and Tertius, if you are in Christ, you too are a valued member of God’s community and what you do will never go unnoticed by Him. He will reward you for your acts of faithfulness and your name will be eternally inscribed on heaven’s rolls.

Lord God, I sometimes feel that what I do in life isn’t of great value. I know there are preachers, teachers, missionaries, authors, scholars, professors and the like who are dedicated to serving you faithfully. But when I read your word, I see that you also favor the common man and look upon the work of his hands with delight when it is done for you. I will serve you in my duties and I am confident that You notice my efforts. Amen.

Wednesday, 26 February 2014

Timothy, my fellow worker, and Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my countrymen, greet you. Romans 16:21

In the first portion of Romans 16, Paul greeted many in Rome. After this came his thoughts concerning the need to avoid divisions and strife by avoiding those who would otherwise tear apart the harmony within the church. With that thought complete, he now extends greetings from those with him. First noted is the famous Timothy who is seen throughout the New Testament and to whom two epistles were written.

Timothy is first introduced into the Bible in Acts 16 –

“Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek. He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek. And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.” Acts 16:1-5

After this, Timothy seemed to never be far from Paul. He is noted in the introduction of five of Paul’s letters as being there with him. In Philippians 2:19-23 he is mentioned in a most honorable way when Paul calls him “a son with his father” –

“But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state. For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me.”

In Hebrews 13, we learn that Timothy had even been imprisoned for his faith at one time. He was eventually ordained as the first bishop of the church at Ephesus and is a person never noted as anything but firm and resolute in his friendship with Paul and his integrity and endurance in his work for the Lord.

After mentioning “Timothy my fellow worker” Paul goes on to note Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater. Some teach that Lucius is actually Luke who wrote Luke and Acts, but Jamieson-Faucett-Brown disagree. They say that “the fuller form of ‘Lucas’ is not ‘Lucius’ but ‘Lucanus.'” He is probably the same person noted again as Lucius of Cyrene in Acts 13:1 among a list of “prophets and teachers.”

Jason is mentioned in Acts 17:5-9 in connection with a disturbance at his home where they met to share the gospel. This occurred in Thessalonica. And Sosipater is most likely known as “Sopater of Berea” in Acts 20:4. Collectively, these three are called “my countrymen” by Paul. They were of Jewish descent and therefore of the same stock as Paul. They each had extended their greetings to those in Rome and at the same time added both note and credibility to the letter Paul penned to them.

Life application: Consider how faithless many people are. When trials or troubles come along, they fly off like a bird. But Timothy held to Paul like a son to his father. If your church goes through a bumpy patch which isn’t involving wrong doctrine, will you just get up and leave or will you stick with it through the trial? And what about those you are close to as friends and associates? How willing are you to stand with them in their own times of need? Be faithful like Timothy who stayed with Paul through the most amazing trials and difficulties.

Lord Jesus, from time to time we find out how faithless many friends and colleagues are. When difficult times come, they are gone like birds out an open window. I would pray for that not to be how I am remembered by others. Instead, help me to be there for them in their time of need and to be remembered as a faithful friend. But Lord, be with me and remind me of this. With You, I know I will remain faithful to those around me. Amen.

Tuesday, 25 February 2014

And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. Romans 16:20

“And” connects this verse directly to Paul’s imperative for the Romans to “be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil.” By doing this and following the instruction given in the epistle “the God of Peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.” Paul uses the title “the God of peace” to show that even among those who are contentious, self-serving, and who cause divisions, God is still in control and He is our peace. Where those filled with Satan come against the church, He is our safety, our hiding place, and our calm refuge in the world that rages around us.

The thought that He “will crush Satan under your feet” goes right back to Genesis 3:15 –

“And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.”

The work of Christ as the Suffering Servant is past. The church is currently engaged in the spiritual warfare which rages around us (see Ephesians 6), and the work of Christ will be completed when He returns and vanquishes Satan forever. Eventually, he will be cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:10).

And this will occur, as Paul states, “shortly.” It is the same word used in Revelation 1:1 & 22:6 when speaking of the things which must occur “shortly.” Because of this terminology, the church has picked up on the notion that it must have happened already. But “shortly” from our perspective can’t be applied to God. To Him, a day is like a thousand year and a thousand years is like a day (2 Peter 3:8). So “shortly” doesn’t have to mean that God has failed if it hasn’t happened yet, almost 2000 years after the epistles and Revelation were written. Further, the Greek word for “shortly” is tachei. It is often translated as “quickly” rather than “shortly” in other verses where it can only mean “quickly,” and also in these referenced verses by differing versions.

Why is this important? Because those who believe the church has replaced Israel attempt to justify their stand by saying that these things are already accomplished. One way to do this is to state that “Satan” here isn’t speaking of the proper name of the devil, but rather it is a collective term speaking of those false teachers mentioned in Romans 1:17, 18. However, this is unreasonable and doesn’t represent the Bible’s continuous use of “Satan” as a proper noun; it is stretching for a reason to justify why the word “shortly” and not “quickly” is correct.

Another wholly unfounded explanation used by preterists is that this is speaking of either the destruction of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem in AD70 or the establishment of Christianity by Constantine within the Roman Empire. Again, these are completely unfounded explanations because Romans is a part of the Christian Bible and therefore applies to the entire Christian era which is on-going today. We still have Satan actively working against us. There are dividers within and foes without. To claim that Satan is crushed under our feet is completely contradictory to the truth of the world around us; it is really crummy theology.

Be assured and comforted – Christ is coming again and he will shut up Satan for 1000 years and then He will eventually toss him into the Lake of Fire. Until then, we will suffer trials, woes, and tribulations, but we also have our refuge in the God of Peace. Because of this comfort, Paul finishes the verse with a thought which is extremely close to John’s final words at the end of Revelation, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.”

No matter what our headache or affliction, no matter who the enemy is who comes against us, and no matter what we do which is contrary to the salvation we have once-for-all-time received, we are secure in the grace of Jesus Christ. We have the absolute confidence that He has our eternal souls securely in His capable hands. Paul desires us to remember this and then finishes with “Amen;” so may it be.

Life application: Preterism does not align with either the Bible or with the events in the world around us. It is faulty and causes us to divert our eyes from what God is doing in redemptive history. Israel’s disobedience in no way negates God’s faithfulness. When the church age ends, Christ will rule from Jerusalem and from among His people, Israel. Pray for them. The tribulation is coming and they must endure many hardships before they are refined and purified.

Heavenly Father, I stand with Israel. You have remained faithful to them and You are readying them for the time when You will send Jesus to rule among them, just as Your word proclaims in the Torah, the Prophets, the Writings, and in the New Testament. Be their safe refuge in the troubled times ahead and be glorified through them, O God. Amen.

Monday, 24 February 2014

For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. Romans 16:19

“For” refers back to the previous two verses. What he said about “those who cause divisions and offenses” precipitates this admonition. By staying away from such ungodly people, they had thus far been able to keep free from stain and they had grown in Christ, being faithful and obedient to their calling. In order to keep them on that track, the words of this doctrinal epistle were shared with them. We know this is certain because in Romans 1:8, he said this –

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.”

Their “faith” was “spoken of throughout the whole world” and now he states that their “obedience has become known to all.” He is tying the two together. Being obedient is to remain faithful. Thus the epistle was given to them to bolster their faith and keep them on a sound path. Every portion of the letter is directed to faith. Even those things which could be considered “works” are not works of obligation, but works of faith. This is the attitude that Paul desired in them always.

In order to spur them onto this, he states “therefore.” This word asks us to go back and review what it is there for. In this case, it is referring directly to the first thought of the verse – “For your obedience has become known to all.” Because of this, “Therefore I am glad on your behalf.” He is rejoicing in the recognition the Romans had earned through their faithful obedience.

His words here would be comparable to a letter from, for example, Billy Graham. In the letter he applauds the church for its high rate of conversions to Christ. This would be most notable because Billy Graham is an evangelist. Being noted for great evangelistic efforts by a great evangelist would be a note of high commendation. This is similar to what Paul is saying to the Romans.

However, despite his happiness, he adds in a warning… “But I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil.” Hence, he gave them the warning in verses 17 & 18. By highlighting these ungodly people with their perverse agenda and then contrasting it to the recognition of those in Rome, he was hoping to instill in them how to not let their faith diminish or get sidetracked. In his admonition, he uses the same type of thought as Jesus used when speaking to the disciples he was sending out in Israel –

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” Matthew 10:16

Like them, Paul desired the Romans to be wise in all things good, but be harmless and simple in faithful obedience.

Life application: Our work can be summed up in one verse from the Lord’s mouth – “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent” (John 6:29).  Everything that we do in Christ and for Christ is either based on our faith in Him and what He has done, or it is not a work that can be credited to our account. Have faith in Him and set your heart and attitude on doing those things which are based on that precious faith.

Heavenly Father, my confidence in coming to You is based solely on the merits of Jesus my Lord. I know that there is no thing I can do to add to His work. My hope, my trust, and my heart belong to Jesus. What could I add to make me more right with you? Notta thing. He is my all-sufficient Savior! Hallelujah and Amen.

Sunday, 23 February 2014

For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. Romans 16:18

“For those who are such” takes us back to the previous verse – “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.”

These people have motives that are intentionally self-directed and destructive of the church. They “do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ.” The people Paul speaks of here are comparable to the “Judaizers” he mentions elsewhere. These people were coming into the churches and teaching that one had to be circumcised and follow the law of Moses in order to be saved.

This is stated or implied in several epistles. It is also noted explicitly in Acts 15:1 –

“And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.'”

They were preaching a false gospel of works rather than grace in order to steal away the brethren for themselves. If you think this was just a warning for the church in Rome, think again. It is one of the most common heresies perpetrated in churches today. Legalism and adding to what Christ has done infects almost all churches in one way or another. And it is usually introduced from within.

Those who teach such things serve “their own belly.” They are directed to the lust of the flesh as if they were feeding on those they pull astray. Factions within the church are very often started by such perverse people. They hear something they don’t like and, regardless of the truth, they countermand it with their own inventions of piety and supposed honoring of God.

And Paul tells how they do this. They do it first with “smooth words.” This is the Greek word chrēstologias. This is its only use in the New Testament and is directly translated “good speaking.” Regardless of the truth, they utter words which sound authoritative, honoring of God, pious, and noble. But in fact, they are words which are contrary to any of these. They have no authority because they countermand what the Bible teaches. They don’t honor God because they call into question the truth and veracity of His word. They aren’t pious because true piety would be honoring of God, not reviling of His word. And they lack any sense of nobility because they fail to give God the true glory He deserves. Instead of glorifying Him through the reception of grace, they dishonor him by proclaiming a righteousness of self, not of Christ.

In addition to the smooth words, they utter “flattering speech.” This is the Greek word eulogias. It means adoration or praise. When we eulogize someone at their funeral, we put aside their faults and failings and heap praises upon the departed. This is what they do to those they want to capture. With pats on the back, smiles from the lips, and hearty praises, they pull away the unsuspecting for themselves and heap up condemnation in the process.

It is through these wicked devices that they “deceive the hearts of the simple.”  The word “deceive” is exapatōsin. It doesn’t just mean to make a false impression, but to intentionally lead another astray. It is to beguile them. The implicit warning here is that we are to be well-versed in our doctrine and well trained in proper theology, lest we are swept up in their lies. As Paul warns in Ephesians 4:14, being properly trained is vital so that “we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting.”

Instead of remaining “simple” we are to be well-trained, ready to defend, and on the guard against the devices of the people Paul warns about.

If we look at the church as if it were planet earth, we could see how these people disrupt. On the surface of the planet are storms, floods, famines, and the like. These would be comparable to those outside the church who attack and harm. But inside the earth are other forces, much more destructive – volcanoes, earthquakes, and other uncontrollable things. These come unexpectedly and cause massive harm. This is what we see in the people Paul is speaking about. They appear to be a part of the church which has a good purpose, but they spew forth only destruction.

Life application: We are saved by grace through faith. If we are saved by grace, then what can we add to that? Nothing. If we attempt to do so, then it is no longer grace and our salvation is to be questioned. “Have I truly trusted Christ alone for my salvation?” If you feel obligated to do something to merit God’s favor apart from trusting Christ, you are heading down a bad path. Hold fast to what Jesus did and be ever-so grateful for His glorious provision.

Lord, if You are our righteousness, as Abraham discovered before ever being circumcised, then what could I possibly add to that? You consistently demonstrate in Your word that we are saved by Your grace and clothed in Your righteousness alone. May I never trust anything but the work of Jesus Christ for my righteousness. The pressure is off, the deed is done, and I can rest in His wondrous work. Great stuff God… great stuff. Thank You for Jesus. Amen.