Top 12 of CiHD: #8

For a summary of what I’m hoping to accomplish in this blog series (the first week of every month of 2018), I recommend reviewing my explanation here.

As we continue our look at the Top 12 Blog Posts at Covered in His Dust, we will examine the post that got the eighth most views in the history of the blog. This brings us back to the pastoral letters of John and my post on 2 John. It was titled “2 JOHN: the ‘Woman’” — and you can find it here.

In this series, as we look at each post, I want to ask three questions: why, what, and what else? Why do I think this post got so many views; why were others drawn to it? What do I hope people found when they got here; what do I hope they heard? Finally, what else have I learned about this; what else would I say about these ideas?

WHY THIS POST?

If you have been following along and noticed that we hit 3 John and then 1 John, you might have thought it weird that the book of 2 John got skipped. Well, after a quick break to talk about atonement, we are back to round out our journey through the letters of John. As before, I am taken aback that these posts found themselves on the list. Whether it is the fact that people are doing studies in Johannine literature or that the name “John” is a thoroughly Googled name… I’m a little struck at the number of views here. I certainly never finished writing on the letters of John and thought to myself, “Now that was a good one!”

However, if there is one element that might have caused 2 John to rise above the other two pastoral letters, it is the great discussion about the nature and identity of this “woman” who John directs his letter to. Any search for “who is the woman mentioned in 2 John” could have led a reader to this post.

WHAT DO I HOPE THEY FOUND?

First, I hope they found a concise and well-presented argument for the different opinions on the identity of the woman/audience of 2 John. If I did my job, I hope that by pulling out a few key references in the letter, we noted how much credence there is to the different options. I also hope they didn’t sense me swaying the conversation toward my favorite option (more on that below); without a personal “dog in the hunt,” I wanted to let the potential Bible student use their own research to make a choice they felt good about.

In addition to this, I also hope that by asking these questions and provoking critical thinking without resolution that I encouraged a better way of engaging the biblical text. I do not mean this merely from a textual criticism perspective, for cold textual criticism is shallow and lacking in any power. But there is something to learn by engaging the Text from a place of critical (and yes, even western) thought. It causes us to become more intimate with the Text, grow closer to the God speaking through it, and consider the message He may be imparting to us through the original author’s intent.

WHAT ELSE WOULD I SAY?

There isn’t much I would add to the existing conversation. That is, of course, except my own favorite opinion. Now that the original conversation has run its course and I don’t have to worry about influencing the student/thinker, where do I personally land on the opinion? I love the third option, of course. I think John could have easily written and sent the letter to a prominent woman and her family in the church. In fact, I have a personal hunch that this woman was the leader of the larger church John wishes to speak to. We know from Paul’s writings (particularly letters like Romans) that the early church didn’t balk at placing women in places of leadership in the church. Knowing John’s role of leadership in the church of Asia and Asia Minor, I would imagine he followed suit.

But to cloak a deeper message within the trappings of surface-level reading would be exactly like John in his other writings. One of the things we find consistent within Johannine literature is a multi-layered approach to his writing where the reader keeps peeling back one layer after another to find John’s larger point being applied at deeper and deeper levels. We see John doing this all throughout his gospel and the book of Revelation. Many scholars have argued against the idea that the Apostle John penned all of the letters that are written under his name. Looking at 2 John, I would argue that the same John wrote the gospel, the letters, and Revelation. While I’m no Greek scholar, I see a lot of similarities in the style of writing.

JUDE: False Teachers

Before we get started in the book of Jude, it might be helpful to go back and review the letter of 2 Peter. The two are incredibly similar in their content and structure, and the student of the two would swear they were together as they penned their respective letters. The context of Jude is similar to that of 2 Peter in that Jude is concerned about the false teachers who are leading God’s people into horribly destructive practices. These pagan practices are leading God’s people to compromise in the areas of idolatry and sexual immorality because they want to advance in the Roman system, hungry after wealth, prestige, power, and influence. One might remember the guild systems we’ve spoken of before, where sexual immorality and idolatry ran rampant, and recall that if one is going to find financial peace and security in the Roman world, it’s going to come at a price. They will have to sell themselves to the idolatry of their culture.

Jude seems to be concerned.

Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James,

To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:

Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.

Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

There are apparently teachers within the movement who are using God’s grace and promise of free forgiveness to say it’s acceptable to engage this Roman culture of debauchery. They are saying compromise is the way of success, but Jude says they make a mockery of the way of God. He also claims this problem is nothing new; God’s been speaking to His people about this for some time. Jude’s now going to show that to be the case.

Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.

Notice the three groups Jude points out, drawing off of Hebrew Text and midrash. He speaks of the destruction of the idolators who were destroyed at the Golden Calf. He draws off of the midrash of 1 Enoch (a pseudepigraphal work that shows up in ancient midrash all throughout Jewish literature) and speaks of the fallen angels — a reference to the “sons of God” in Genesis 6:1–4, where Enoch says they were punished for their disobedience. For those familiar with how this plays into Greek mythology (an explanation of which would be beyond the scope of this writing), you will realize this is a reference to wanting advancement through disobedient means.

Jude also references Sodom and Gomorrah, a story that is about our call to love and show hospitality to all people. It should be noted that this is the only biblical reference connecting Sodom and Gomorrah to sexual immorality (the handful of references throughout the Old Testament always link the idea to pride, wealth, and failing to take care of the poor; see Ezekiel 16:49 and context). The reason for linking this story to sexual immorality is the cultural context of Jude. His larger point is that they are neglecting their true calling (love and hospitality) and engaging instead in the sexual immorality of their Roman world.

My point is to help us notice how culturally perfect these references are.

In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings. But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct—as irrational animals do—will destroy them.

In another reference to the midrash (this time to “the Testament of Moses,” another pseudepigraphal work), Jude talks about these false teachers who slandered true authority for the sake of advancement. One might also note the reference to the “beast nature” or sarx that we talked about in Romans, or the larger conversation we had years ago surrounding Adam and Eve.

Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.

These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.

Notice again, the intentionality of the references. There is a reference to Cain, which you might remember is a story about wealth and acquiring (Cain’s name means “to acquire”). There is a reference to Balaam, who — according to the midrash — told Balak to destroy the Israelites by enticing them into sexual immorality (and idolatry) with the Moabite women. There is also a reference to the story of Korah, who rebelled against authority.

The same three themes — over and over again.

Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.

Here Jude quotes directly from the book of 1 Enoch. Although this raises all sorts of good questions, it’s not the point we are making now. The point is that Jude is quoting from their context, to their context, to make an incredibly relevant point.

But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

Jude then reminds his readers to be faithful to the same three things we’ve been discussing the whole time. He calls them to purity and obedience. He calls them to respect the authority God places in their lives. He calls them to remain steadfast to the work of love and hospitality, committed to others, pure in their walk, respecting the teaching of the apostles — not giving in to the temptations and idolatry of their world.

EPHESIANS: Family Membership

The book of Ephesians is going to bring up topics that will run consistently in line with previous discussions we’ve had with Paul. The letter will open with more references to predestination, and Paul will speak in chapter three of his special revelation that he preaches in his gospel. You might remember the conversation within the book of Galatians where Paul was adamant that he did not receive his gospel from the teachings of men, but he received it directly from Jesus. Listen to his similar words to the Ephesians:

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—

Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

Paul says he has received a “mystery made known to [him] by revelation, … that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.” This not only finds itself to be completely consistent with Paul’s message, but as we’ve pointed out before, continues the main thrust behind so much of the New Testament (even outside Pauline literature).

It also serves as a good transition to talk about the unique message and flavor of the letter to the Ephesians. These Gentiles have become full members of one body and fellow heirs with Israel. This will be Paul’s primary argument through the first half of Ephesians. If we pay close attention to the pronouns of Ephesians 1–3, we’ll begin to notice what Paul is saying to the Ephesian church. Look at how Paul opens his letter:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

Paul starts his letter by — as usual — recognizing the origins of the story of God that lie within the Jewish people. This one narrative God has been telling began with God choosing a partner in Abraham, shaping a nation in the desert, and calling them to live at the crossroads of the earth as a kingdom of priests. As we mentioned in Romans, this is their story to tell.

This will become even more clear in the next statement:

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.

Who were “the first to put [their] hope in Christ”? The Jews. But after making this observation about his Jewish brethren, Paul will shift his use of pronouns. Watch:

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

This will become the theme of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians — a theme of family membership. His message is simple, but profound, and hard for many in his day to accept. In Christ, these Gentiles now have a place to belong — not as outsiders, but as insiders. Look at what Paul will say later at the beginning of chapter two and notice his use of pronouns and their implications:

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

It sounds as if Paul has taken a page right out of Romans. “Where, then, is boasting?” he had asked. He also uses the same argument about all of us having given in to the “cravings of our flesh” (sarx) and, just like in Romans, if this is true for all of us, then this gift of salvation comes as a free gift of grace and no one will find themselves able to boast.

Paul continues:

Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)—remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Paul says these Gentiles used to find themselves separated from the people of God. They were excluded from citizenship in Israel and were strangers to the covenant. But Jesus has changed all that and brought them near. In Jesus, God tore down any sense of division that resided between the groups and allowed the Gentiles to enter. From this new truth, God has created a “new humanity” (which is a great translation from the Greek) that is able to put on display the reconciliation of God.

But Paul isn’t done talking about family membership:

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

What fantastic news for all of Paul’s Gentile readers in Ephesus!

Paul will spend the last half of the letter applying what this means to the believers in Ephesus. If this gospel is true — this announcement of a new King (Jesus) and a new Kingdom (the new humanity) — then there is a new way the believers in Ephesus should live. In chapters 4–6, you will see Paul draw this out by calling the people of God in Ephesus to walk in the light and love others in a way that the world will see this gospel displayed. He will talk about a practical and more literal family membership in the ways people treat their spouses, their children, their parents, and everyone else in their households (that is, master and slave relationships). All of this will take into account the brilliant context of Ephesus.

Speaking of context, one should keep in mind as they read the passages about husbands and wives that Ephesus served as the neochorus for Artemis — the Roman goddess of sexual fertility (and the reader might be familiar with the riot in Ephesus [Acts 19] and the people shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”). As we saw in Corinth, this is going to play into the way Paul tells the men and women of Ephesus to conduct themselves. He says they are to live counter to the culture. In a world where women like to disrespect their husbands and flaunt their mythology and goddess worship, Paul tells them to submit to each other. In the context of Ephesus, it makes sense that Paul would make special mention of the wives, not because it is the “wifely role” to submit to the husband, but because in Ephesus it’s more important than ever.

One of my favorite passages comes in the middle of this conversation and is built around the context of the annual Artemisian festival held in Ephesus. Every year, at the festival of Artemis, the people would parade the statue from the Artemisan temple (one of the ‘Eight Wonders of the World’) down to the harbor. Once at the harbor, the Artemisian priests would wash the statue with water and begin the slow ascent back to the temple of Artemis. This procession would inaugurate a festival of sexual frivolity and debauchery that was rivaled by few festivals in the empire.

Consider this context as you read Paul’s words from chapter 5:

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

If this “family of God” in Ephesus is going to tell the world what God is like, they are going to need to love and submit to each other in a unique way. In the same way, if we wish to have anything to say to the world around us, we are going to have to find it within ourselves to pursue this “new humanity” that shows unity and love and service to those who were once far off.

It will be a battle. May Paul’s prayer be ours:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

ROMANS: God's Mission, Paul's Mission

Paul continues his last train of thought into the next chapter by inviting us not to be concerned about our own opinions and convictions first and foremost, but instead find ourselves primarily concerned with the needs of others — especially the weak — for this is the way of Jesus.

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

As we wrap up the letter of Romans, be prepared for a mess as I try to cover a lot of ground and a lot of “little ideas” that appear in Paul’s concluding comments. Throughout the conclusion of this letter, Paul will continue to break out into benedictory praises of exhortation and encouragement to the church in Rome.

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul then addresses what I consider to be “the big practical point in context” for the readers. Having directed most of this letter to the Jewish believers in Rome, Paul reiterates the whole point of this argument: If we are all justified by faith, the Jewish believers ought to work hard to accept their Gentile brothers and sisters.

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written:

“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles;    I will sing the praises of your name.”

Again, it says,

“Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”

And again,

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;    let all the peoples extol him.”

And again, Isaiah says,

“The Root of Jesse will spring up,    one who will arise to rule over the nations;    in him the Gentiles will hope.”

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Before launching into another benedictory exclamation, Paul very intentionally chooses to quote four different passages that speak of the mystery Rome is experiencing: The Gentiles are coming to worship the God of Israel! Paul points out (again) that this is what God has always been up to and they are a part of it. What I love about the quotations Paul chooses is that they speak to both groups. The Jews are reminded of God’s plan, proclaimed by the prophets, to have the Gentiles in worship next to them. At the same time, the Gentiles have an opportunity to realize that they “Rejoice … [in the company of] his people.”

Paul then tells them he believes they can and do understand this, and they are capable of partnering with God in His mission. He also says it is this very mission he has been called to; this is his life’s passion.

I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another. Yet I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done—by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. Rather, as it is written:

“Those who were not told about him will see,    and those who have not heard will understand.”

This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.

And it is this very calling that has kept him from coming to visit the people in Rome. God has kept Paul quite busy helping lead this church through a very difficult transition in Asia and Asia Minor.

Paul then works toward some closing thoughts about his plans and salutations:

But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you, I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord’s people there. For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem. They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this contribution, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way. I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.

I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Pray that I may be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea and that the contribution I take to Jerusalem may be favorably received by the Lord’s people there, so that I may come to you with joy, by God’s will, and in your company be refreshed. The God of peace be with you all. Amen.

And then, the list of all the people to greet in Rome:

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.

Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.

Greet also the church that meets at their house.

Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.

Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you.

Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.

Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.

Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys.

Greet Apelles, whose fidelity to Christ has stood the test.

Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus.

Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew.

Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.

Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord.

Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord.

Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.

Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the other brothers and sisters with them.

Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the Lord’s people who are with them.

Greet one another with a holy kiss.

All the churches of Christ send greetings.

Now, I am far from an expert who could speak on these things, I have no desire to stir the pot more than it ought to be stirred, and it is far beyond the scope of this writing — but one of my favorite things about the closing of the letter of Romans is the list of people Paul greets. For many of us, we have been given the impression that Paul is very “anti women” in his writings and theology. This list tells me quite the contrary. At least half of the names listed above are women — many of whom Paul addresses as fellow workers, deacons, and ministers.

Although Paul will write some instructions to other churches — instructions we love to wave around and trumpet in the conservative evangelical church, talking about the place of women in leadership — it is clear from this passage that Paul is either incredibly schizophrenic or there must be more to the context of the conversations. Could it be that the context of each particular letter drives the conversation within its instructions? However, the one thing we can say at this point is that Paul is no stranger or opponent to working alongside women in the church.

Before offering some final salutations, Paul utters one last exhortation toward unity:

I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.

The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Timothy, my co-worker, sends his greetings to you, as do Lucius, Jason and Sosipater, my fellow Jews.

I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord.

Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings.

Erastus, who is the city’s director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings.

Paul is serious about this idea of one family, one body, one community of God’s people that shows the world what God is like. A proper understanding of the love, salvation, and justification of God is what enables us to find unity with one another.

I will close with the closing of Paul himself; may his words ring true for us today:

Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith—to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.

ROMANS: Whether We Live or Die

One of my favorite chapters in the New Testament comes next. I think it’s some of the most practical instruction I’ve read in the teachings of Paul. It’s probably because of how it resonates with my mentality, but I love it nonetheless.

Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.

First, there are, apparently, matters of gray in our faith; despite the fact that many would have us believe everything fits into neat black-and-white categories, Paul clearly says there are such things as “disputable matters.” For some of us, this teaching alone is hard to swallow. But if we think about it, our own lives show this to be true and we know it.

Second, Paul describes a world where there are two dominant camps (not to oversimplify things, but merely as a means of example): one camp wants to abstain from disputable things, and another camp wants to live in their freedom to engage the disputable matters. Sound familiar? Of course it does. This is our world. This is our “Christian” world. We find ourselves locked in morality wars over whether we should do something, or not even touch it with a ten-foot pole.

Paul’s ruling: The one who lives out of their freedom must not look down on the one who abstains, and the one who abstains must not judge the one who does not.

Following this one paragraph of Scripture would change the entire tone of the Church universally. And I know that I myself stand convicted first.

One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

We make the decisions we make (hopefully) because of our convictions and desires to serve the Lord. Yet this isn’t just about us as individuals and our opinions — this is about others and those around us. This is about how we treat one another. Most importantly, this is about us and God. No matter what decision we make and where we land in the larger conversation, this is about walking out our faith well with the support of and in the company of those around us. Whether we eat or drink, whether we live or die — we do it all unto the Lord.

This isn’t about a morality code. This isn’t about being right. This is about our sacrifice of worship.

You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written:

“ ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,‘every knee will bow before me;    every tongue will acknowledge God.’ ”

So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.

Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.

So why do we pass judgment on our fellow brothers and sisters when we’re all just trying to do our best? I think there are some great answers to these questions, but I will leave that to the psychologists and sociologists, and I will recognize it as being beyond the scope of this conversation and my expertise. I do know from life experience that tearing others down gives us a false feeling of being built up. However, we have learned how to trust the story, as we’ve said a hundred times before in this series — it allows us to stop worrying about ourselves and enables us to worry about others. If we worried about others more than ourselves, we would strive to help others toward their own success. We would work hard not to put stumbling blocks in front of others that would have tripped them up in their pursuit of offering their lives as an act of worship to God.

I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.

Please notice that this “stumbling block” conversation has too often been co-opted by the abstinence crowd mentioned above. In our day and age of pop-Christianity, the “stumbling block” has become a buzzword used to justify our evangelical morality codes. That is not what Paul speaks of here. He speaks of making sure that our lifestyle and decisions have an awareness of the people around us and a desire to help them enter and experience the Kingdom of God.

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. 

So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

Paul says that at the end of the day, in these “disputable matters,” we all have to do what we are convicted is the best decision. If we feel like doing something is wrong, we ought not do it. And apparently, according to this teaching, if we do engage it, it has become sin because we are acting against our conscience and what we believe is best. We have to follow the convictions we hold between ourselves and God.

But we also have to make sure we help others do the same. We cannot impose our convictions in these disputable matters onto others. We have to be concerned about their pursuit of a God who loves and accepts. Earlier, Paul said that if this God justifies, then who condemns?

Woe to us if we become the condemner. If God is the one who justifies, who are we to condemn? And why in the world should people experience condemnation because of matters that are as silly as food and drink, holidays and hobbies, entertainment and…

“Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.”

Amen.

ROMANS: Servant Authorities

After making the case that we are all justified by the same grace, from the same forgiving God who loves to show grace and mercy to His creation, Paul then says the only logical response to this graciousness is to offer our own lives as sacrifices —instruments God can use as conduits of His love in the world.

When working through the last section, one of my editors made an incredible observation I’d never realized (thanks Laura!). I had been working off of my trusty old Bible sitting next to me with the translation I have used my whole life, the NIV of 1984. In that version, the translators had rendered the command to “offer your bodies as living sacrifices.” But the newer translation has changed the sacrifice from plural to singular. This is a great wrestling match that I think the newer translation captures.

The call is not for us to offer all of our individual bodies as individual sacrifices, but instead for us to offer our bodies — in service to one another — as a united sacrifice to God. This would be our act of worship. To honor and serve and love each other in a way that God would find our lives to be a pleasing aroma, and the world would see a proper depiction of who God is. Brilliant.

But Paul extends his calling even further, to places that might not sit as well with our postmodern, American mentalities.

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

Keep in mind that these “governing authorities” are the same people who have persecuted believers and made them suffer at the end of the sword (as we saw only a few sections back). They are not simply leaders from a differing political party with differing ideologies — they are truly enemies of the state.

For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason.

This verse sits in my head often as I think about all the times I feel as though the government wants to infringe on my rights, or when I start getting a little entitled about privacy or oversight. I am quick to remind myself that as a follower of Jesus, I am called to walk in the light and have nothing to hide. I should be living such a good life that there is nothing to condemn. If I live as I ought, I should have very little to fear.

They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

Again, Paul’s words remind me of the humility needed to see that God has a plan I don’t always understand or perceive. He makes vessels and instruments to use as He sees fit. It is very hard for me to know when an authority is being used by God to accomplish His purposes, so I ought to respect the place God has given them in my world.

This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Pay what you owe others — including the government — and when it comes to debt, make sure the only thing you owe other human beings is love and dignity.

Make sure this way of love is what we give ourselves to. Make sure we continue to learn how to master our sarx and be able to lay down our lives for our neighbors, our leaders, and even our enemies.

And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

As we come to the close of yet another chapter in Romans, we are reminded that our call — our offering of worship — is our ability to love each other. In our willingness to serve and see others as more significant than ourselves, we put God on display to a world that seeks to serve self. May we be true worshipers. May we offer up sacrifices of self-sacrificial living.

ROMANS: Therefore

Paul has spent the last eleven chapters of Romans arguing for unity in this blended family struggling with the full and free inclusion of the Gentiles. He opened with a theological treatise which explained that all of humanity struggles with the same essential condition. The good news (pun intended) is that this means it is the same faith that justifies us all. If we are all justified, by the same faith and the same gift of grace, then there is no reason for division or exclusion of any group.

Although this is hard to swallow when you are a part of the group on the “inside,” Paul reminds his Jewish readers that God is the potter and He gets to decide what He does with His vessels. So if He decides He wants to shower grace on ‘vessels prepared for destruction,’ He gets to. Paul moved on to explain this is all part of God’s plan and always has been; they’ve made their share of mistakes in the past and learned this lesson before. We Jews need to seize our calling to be a light to the Gentiles and welcome them in the family of faith — the children of Abraham.

But it’s not all fun and games for those Gentiles, either. They have to guard themselves against conceit and arrogance, reminding themselves of the kindness and sternness of God. They must remember that — if not for the grace of God — they are a wild olive tree which doesn’t belong.

In light of this larger argument, Paul turns his attention to the application of this truth. With a great “Therefore” statement to begin Romans 12, Paul calls God’s people to love:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

In view of this incredible mercy we described in the paragraphs above, the only logical response would be to let ourselves be shaped by this Potter. How would God shape these new vessels for His divine use?

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

If this is what God is up to in the world, neither one of these groups must think of themselves as better than any other group. (That should remind you of the opening chapters to the letter, right?) Instead, we ought to realize God designed each of us — Jew and Gentile alike — to serve others in the world. We all have something to give. Some of us are teachers and others are administrators. Some of us are prophets, while others encourage. We ought to offer our bodies as living sacrifices and lay ourselves down as an act of service to others around us.

The great Potter is shaping His vessels to be instruments of love.

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

This is what it means to partner with God in His project of redemption. We become His instruments of love and hospitality. We give ourselves as living sacrifices to bless others. Whether these “others” are fellow believers in the Body of Christ or our very enemies matters not. We love and we serve. We bless and we do not curse.

NOTE: While it is a tangential thought and outside the scope of this thematic study of Romans, many people have been confused by the “burning coals on his head” reference. Needless to say, as we’ve learned time and time before, the answer is in the Text. Our initial observation is that this line comes from Proverbs 25. What is often harder to see is that the reference to “burning coals” in the Hebrew is always connected to the presence of God. In Tanakh, whenever you see burning coals, you will also find God nearby. As a quick side note (far too quick), this reference in Romans is not inviting us to “torture our enemies with good deeds,” as if we are taking our vengeance on them in some passive-aggressive form of righteousness. Instead, the author is inviting us to bring the presence of God into their lives by not returning evil for evil. Respond to evil with good — and God will show up.

Might we all be inspired to offer ourselves as living sacrifices. May we offer ourselves to others in love and hospitality. Might we lay our lives down in acts of service, doing the very things God designed us to do for the good of others. May we not shrink back at the sight of evil, but overcome evil with good.