Romans - March 15, 2009

SECTION --- Five: Vindication of God (9:1 -- 11:36) .
(continued from previous Class Follow Up)

23. (9:5) What is the significance of the statement following the source Christ’s humanity, i.e., “who is over all”?
5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. KJV
5 whose are the fathers, and of whom is Christ as concerning the flesh, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. ASV
5 whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.NASB
5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen. ESV

a. He is also deity — 100% human and 100% God.
(1) He is over all and also blessed by God forever;
(2) Or, (cf. ESV) He is God over all and this is followed with the normal doxology “blessed forever” usually added by Jewish writers after the mention of the name God, as an expression of reverence.
24. PONDER: What does “who is over all” (9:5) imply?
a. Christ is currently over all, no where is it suggest Christ is to be exalted to the high state of being over all at some point in the future. Not saying Satan is without influence today, but it is only because Christ allows Satan to have an influence for awhile, i.e. until Christ returns and time, space, and mass ceases.
25. PONDER: Would it be correct to say because we do not have a record of God making a covenant with or giving laws to any other people God did not care about them as much as He did Abraham descendants? Why that answer?
a. The Bible’s main function is to record the efforts of God to fulfill the promise of [Gen 3:15]; this does not mean God is not concerned with all humans, i.e., the descendants of Noah’s other boys. Compare Melchizedek’s meeting with Abraham (Gen14:17-20; Heb 7:1) and Jonah’s involvement with Nineveh’s repenting (Jonah 1:2; 4:11). To say God only cared about the descendants of Abraham is to draw a conclusion without evidence [cf. Num 14:11-12]. God’s love for humans in giving of Christ is based on physical relationship with Adam and Eve and Noah.
OBSERVATION (9:4-5)
Paul acknowledges the fact the Israelites, as a group of people as a tribe, are God’s special people, thus, are worthy of respect because of their history and family tree.

D. Evidence Applied [Discussion Question Answered] — Why should they believe, much less listen to, Paul’s teachings about Christ?
1. The only way the Jews who are Christian can refute Paul is to show what Paul is teaching about Christ makes Paul, thus Christ, their enemy and also the enemy of God. Paul is making the point he is not a renegade but one devoted to and emotionally concerned about his own people, God’s special people — Paul is not their enemy but of them.
E. Conclusion — In this passage Paul agrees the nation of Israel is a special nation made up of special people seeking to serve God. Paul is not saying what he is saying to get on the Jews right side so they will listen to what he has to say (being political). Paul believes what he is saying and he preaches such as truth. Paul’s statement are true, yet, the Jews are not saved — the physical Jews, as individuals, need Christ if they expect to receive the Messianic blessings. They are not saved because they are part of a special nation or because of their physical relationships.

II. {Rom 9:6-13} Argument 1st of 3 — God chooses as serves His purpose
A. Introduction
1. Review — Paul as established the physical decedents of Abraham (the Israelites) have reason to be proud of and deserve respect based on their “family tree”. It is because of their “family tree” Jews have been blessed by God.
2. Preview — Salvation is not determined by one’s family tree — i.e. one’s relatives does not determine one’s spiritual relationship with God — but promise based on God’s choosing.
B. Question For Discussion?
1. What is the proof who is God’s people is a matter of God’s purpose and not what one is owed because of their family tree?
C. Questions For Encouraging Discussion...
1. {PSA 105:6-15} With this passage, one of many, as a foundation how would Paul’s target audience (Law of Moses Christians) see their relationship with God?
a. Because of their physical relationship (family tree) they are God’s chosen people.

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A LOOK AHEAD

2. (9:6) If this is not “double talk” , and it is not, explain Paul’s statement?
a.
3. (9:6) PONDER: Considering the way Paul begins v.6 what do you think is the problem he is addressing?
a.
4. (9:6) PONDER: Do you think the targeted readers would agree with the position things mentioned in 9:4-5 is limited, i.e. not all of Israel’s descendants are Israel? Why that answer?
a.
5. (9:7) What is the significance of “neither” or “nor” as the first word of 9:7
a.
6. (9:7) PONDER: How does this verse refute the argument a physical family tree determines who is of Abraham, thus receiver of the Abraham’s promise and the things note in 9:4-5.
a.
7. (9:8) PONDER: This verse clearly support the doctrine God chooses who will be saved and who will be lost (TULIP). If not why not?
a.
8. (9:8) How does verse 8 build on verse 7?
a.
9. (9:7) PONDER: What is the relationship of this statement with the statement of 9:6?
a.
10. (9:8) PONDER: What could the Jews say that would in their mind justify Isaac over Ishmael to support it was not of promise but the logical way things operate?
a.
11. (9:9) How does this verse support Paul’s position salvation is based not on a family tree but on God’s promise?
a.
12. (9:10) If the receiving of Abraham’s promise is only family tree what is the problem with Jacob’s children being the receiver of Abraham’s promise?
a.
13. PONDER: What reason could the Jew give to justify Jacob being the receiver of Abraham’s promise and not Esau.
a.
14. (9:11) What was God’s criteria for choosing Jacob over Esau?
a. .
15. (9:12) Did Esau the man serve Jacob the man, i.e., did God promise Esau the man would serve Jacob the man?
a. .
b. The nation of Esau did serve did serve the nation of Jacob (Israel) 1Ch 18:12-13.
16. (9:13) By this action did God love the man Jacob more than he love the man Esau?
a.
17. PONDER: Why did God prefers Jacob over Esau?
a.
18. PONDER: Can this passage (6-13) be used to support the position God chose certain people to be saved by the gospel or lost by rejecting the gospel? Why that answer?
a.

D. Evidence Applied [Discussion Question Answered] — What is the proof who is God’s people is a matter of God’s purpose and not what one is due because of their family tree?
1.
E. Conclusion —

III. {Rom 9:14-18} 2nd of 3 arguments