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LESSON 1, VERSE
1:
As Paul begins
his Epistles (thirteen of which bear his name as the writer) he
uses one of two names for himself.
Either he is
an "apostle" of Jesus Christ or a "servant" of the Lord.
Here in Romans
he is both!
"Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called
to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God ...."
Romans 1:1
The noun
"servant" translates "doulos" and means a common bond slave.
This title is usually associated with the lowest of all the
Roman slaves. Paul, a former Pharisee and graduate of
Gamaliel's school of theology and meticulous keeper of the law
... calling himself a "slave?" Yes, a slave of Jesus Christ. Not
a slave against his own will, mind you! But a slave of Jesus
with joy and gladness, voluntarily!
Then the word
"apostle" (in Greek = "apostolos") means "a sent one" and
carries the idea of a delegate commissioned by the King and
invested with authority to bear a message!
Generally
speaking, Paul uses the term "apostle" when he needs to
emphasize rank or power, when giving commands or correcting some
errant situation.
His "servant"
name is reserved for those whom he loves, whose loyalty and
respect are unquestioned!
Do notice the
order of these two names or titles please. One must first
learn to be a servant, a slave ... before he can be a leader!
Every
Christian is a servant because Jesus is Lord, Master, Governor
of all!
But as an
"apostle," Paul particularly notes his "call" to the ministry.
"Kletos" describes one who has been summoned or
invited or even constricted to a certain duty ... for
his master!
Next Paul has
been "separated" unto the Gospel! Gospel, meaning "good
news" certainly includes the Death, Burial and Resurrection of
Jesus ... but might be summarized by saying Christ Jesus and all
He is ... or has done ... or is doing ... or is yet going to do!
The Gospel is Christ our Saviour and Lord!
But what does
"separated" mean?
The verb, "aphorizo,"
contains what has become our English word "horizon." You know,
that line that one sees where it appears sky and earth meet ...
running across the landscape!
The idea of
the word is "to mark out" or "to outline" a boundary somewhere.
When combined with "apo" as here, it means to be set apart, away
from something (the world) and placed within something (the
Gospel) for the rest of one's life! One Text says " to
mark off by bounds or limits."
The first time
it's used in the New Testament, it is translated "sever" in the
King James Bible. Jesus said in Matthew 13:49 ...
"So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come
forth, and
sever the wicked from among the just and shall cast them
into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of
teeth."
Paul is
consecrated to the Preaching of the Word of God!
Every
God-called preacher should be!
In a real way,
Romans 1:1 has just given us Paul's spiritual biography, step by
step! How exciting!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 2, VERSE 2:
The second
verse in Romans is a brief commentary on the entire Old
Testament!
Speaking of
the Gospel, Paul writes: "Which he had
promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures."
Romans 1:2
The verb "had
promised" translates "proepaggellomai" and means "to announce"
something "before" it arrives.
The Old
Testament Prophets and Poets and other Writers had taught in
advance about the coming Saviour!
Let's read the
closing part of Romans 1:1 now, combining it with verse 2 which
follows. "... the gospel of God, (Which he
had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)"
It's the
Gospel which is promised afore!
But when did
the Old Testament preach the Gospel?
Where are its
"hints" and "foreshadows" of such good things to come?
Galatians 3:8
gives us one specific instance! "And
the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen
through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham,
saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed."
See!
Abraham, a
Father, miraculously produced a Son!
That Son died
(in symbol) on a mount in the land of Israel ... but returned
alive to the people waiting down below!
The Son then
took a wife, a Bride!
And He became
the Father of a whole nation!
All these
facts combine to produce a beautiful composite of the life and
ministry of Jesus Christ!
The Gospel ...
preached in Abraham's day!
And add this
please.
Abraham saw
this ... and believed!
Romans 4:3
says: "For what saith the scripture?
Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for
righteousness."
Then Galatians
3:6 adds: "Even as Abraham believed God,
and it was accounted to him for righteousness."
Even James
2:23 declares: "And the scripture was
fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed
unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of
God."
By the way,
Simon Peter says the same thing as Paul! "Of
which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched
diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come
unto you: searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of
Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified
beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should
follow." 1st Peter 1:10-11
That may be
referring to Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22 and many other such portions
of Scripture.
The Gospel!
In the Old
Testament!
Many times
over!
Hallelujah!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 3, VERSE 3:
This third
verse is loaded with Bible doctrine!
"Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord,
which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh."
Romans 1:3
Our four verse
Passage, ultimately dealing with the Resurrection of Jesus, has
many supporting points of truth too.
The opening
preposition "concerning" translates "peri" in Greek and means
"about" or "with reference to" or literally "surrounding."
This third
verse is all about Jesus!
He is God's
Son, "huios" in Greek, not "teknion" here. The distinction
between these two nouns may deal with dignity and authority.
Often "teknion" just means a son who has the family likeness. It
at times was even used of a follower of a great teacher. While
these are both great meanings, they fall short of the beauty of
"huios," the son. Here we have an emphasis on genuine
relationship! A "huios" son has all the privileges and
opportunities that honored position brings!
And Jesus is
God's Son!
The Name
"Jesus" means "Jehovah is salvation!" It is the New
Testament equivalent of the Old Testament "Joshua," the
deliverer!
"Christ" is an
English loan word. It is derived from "christos" in Greek,
meaning the "anointed" One. This is a distinct reference
to Jesus as the Spirit filled and God approved fulfillment of
the "anointed" ones of the Old Testament, those being the
prophets and priests and kings! "Christ" identifies our
Lord not only as the Saviour, but as our great High Priest and
coming King and certainly the greatest Prophet of all!
And "Lord" is
"kurios," which means master or possessor or even boss! Prince
or chief are synonyms as well. This is a term of respect and
even reverence at times.
Now for the
verb "was made." What could Jesus, the eternal Son of God, have
possible been "made?" He was made of the seed of David! He
became a Jew! One born into the godly and kingly line of future
rulers of Israel! "Made" is "ginomai" and means "to come to
pass" or possibly "to be born."
As God ...
Jesus is eternal. As David's relative, a Jew, a human
being, He had to be born, virgin-born mind you!
"According to
the flesh" is Paul's way of assuring us that Jesus Christ
literally took upon Himself a human body. He had eyes and ears
and flesh and blood (although sinless blood) and legs and feet
too.
"Flesh" here
("sarx") does not mean one's old sinful nature ... as Paul
sometimes uses it. Rather, it is referring to Jesus' humanity.
He is the God-Man! He is unique! The only begotten Son of
God!
And it is with
This JESUS that Paul begins his great letter to the Romans!
It also is
with this Jesus that we all must begin our Christian lives!
Apart from
Him, there is no Saviour!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 4, VERSE 4,
PART 1:
The Scriptures
teach us that the Resurrection of Jesus was "proof," was a
"declaration" of God the Father, that Jesus was indeed His Son!
His Son Who had successfully and victoriously died for sinners!
"And declared to be the Son of God
with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the
resurrection from the dead." Romans 1:4
That verb "delcared"
must claim our attention now. The all powerful Jesus,
approved by the Holy Spirit, justified in the Spirit says Paul
later ... was raised from the dead, proving His Deity and
validating His whole Ministry!
So God
"declared" through the Resurrection!
This verb, "horizo,"
means to appoint or determine or ordain someone to a certain
position!
Of its eight
Bible appearances, seven of them deal with God's pre-ordained
Will, His determinate counsel, His sheer Resolve!
God had
decided in advance that Jesus would die on the Cross, providing
salvation to lost mankind! "And truly the
Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe
unto that man by whom he is betrayed!" (Luke 2:22) Now
add Acts 2:23. "Him, being delivered by
the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have
taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain."
Then it was
resolved by God that Jesus will be the Judge of all the earth
some glorious day! "And he commanded us to
preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which
was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and
dead." (Acts 10:45) Plus Acts 17:31.
"Because he hath appointed a day, in the
which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom
he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance
unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead."
God has also
predetermined the ages to come! He knows history in
advance! "And hath made of one blood all
nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and
hath determined the times before appointed, and the
bounds of their habitation." Acts 17:26
And this same
God, God the Father, hath determined that Jesus would rise from
the dead too! Here's our verse again! "And
declared to be the Son of God with power,
according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from
the dead."
The
Resurrection, being a decree from God Himself, had to occur!
Just as was
Jesus' Death, so was the Resurrection a necessity! A necessity
for the salvation of sinners!
And, as
always, God did just exactly what He had said!
Jesus, the Son
of God!
Jesus, God the
Son!
God the Father
said so ... again and again!
Where?
One place
being ... the empty tomb!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 5, VERSE 4,
PART 2:
The noun
"power" translates "dunamis." It implies great strength or
ability ... especially in its "inherent" sense! Power God
has placed within someone through the Holy Spirit!
The
preposition "with" is spelled "en" in Greek, signifying fixed
position! Jesus was saturated with Holy Spirit Power!
He was ...
"Declared to be the Son of God with
power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection
from the dead." Romans 1:4
The "spirit of
holiness" is clearly the third Member of The Godhead, the Holy
Spirit Himself.
"According to"
is "kata" and can at times simply mean "by."
Then, just
because it is so interesting, the noun "resurrection" is derived
from the word "anastasis." This means a "standing"
("stasis") "up" ("ana") of someone! Jesus was dead in that tomb,
but on the third day ... He stood up! He returned to life!
He arose!
In this short
concluding verse of our Text, we have the method ("with power",
and the Means ("the spirit of holiness") and the manner ("by the
Resurrection") of Jesus' validation before His Father in Heaven!
All these
things being so ... what's next for the Believer in Christ?
What's beyond
that grand "horizon" of the Resurrection?
Paul, though
here vaguely, tells us: "But Christ being
come an high priest of
good things to come, by a greater and more perfect
tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this
building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his
own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having
obtained eternal redemption
for us."
Hebrews 9:11-12
I will tell
you what's beyond the "horizon" ... good things to come!
Amen!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LORD WILLING,
BROTHER BAGWELL IS GOING TO TRY TO PREACH THIS TEXT IN A REVIVAL
MEETING SOMEWHERE SOON! JESUS IS A RESURRECTED LIVING
SAVIOUR!
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