Logos Word of God – BT9:  Roman 15:4 does NOT teach Christians to use ALL scripture

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Video - Part 1:  Logos Word of God - BT9:  Roman 15:4 does NOT teach Christians to use ALL scripture

Part 1

 

 

Logos Word of God – BT9:  Roman 15:4 does NOT teach Christians to use ALL scripture

 

 

Please follow the BLOG Etiquette to stay on topic and pass the moderator’s check.  Bold, underlined text below = future links to the BLOG pages.

 

Some Christians will say, “Well what about Romans 15:4 as a supposed “proof-text” like 2 Timothy 3:16 that ALL Christians should use ALL of the Old Testament (OT) graphe scripture.  Again, upon close scholarly examination, it turns out to be FAR from a “proof text,” a terrible translation, but it actually argues for the use of ONLY the Messianic ‘portion of’ of graphe scripture!

 

The Greek text from Bible Hub says:Gar for hosos whatever-things were-already prographo ‘written before [in time] or depicted/portrayed openly before the public’s eyes’ [these] pas ‘every/each of a kind/class/category/portion of things’ were-already prographo ‘written . . . public’s eyes’ eis ‘toward and reaching the goal/purpose of’ ten ‘the specific’ didaskalia instruction/teaching [emphatic:] that-is-OUR’s, in-order-than dia ‘thru the realizing channel of’ THE-specific-kind-of hupomone ‘patient, steadfast endurance’ and/coupled THE-specific-kind-of paraklesis ‘alongside-calling, urging, exhortation, encouraging, comforting, consolation, counseling, instructing, teaching’ of/belonging-to-the graphe scriptures [plural with the definite article], THE-specific-kind-of elpis [Christian] Hope we’all MIGHT presently/ongoingly hold-to-have.”

 

Doesn’t that mean ‘the whole/entirety of’ scripture is meant for ALL Christians to read & study?   Only if you take it completely out of context!  Only if don’t understand the normal use of pas for ‘every/each of a kind/class/category/portion of things’ in the “distributed or portion of” sense instead of “the whole/entirety sense” – which is also the case for “pas graphe scripture” [here in the singular but without the definite article] as in 2 Timothy 3:16 in Logos Word of God – BT7, and that [plural] graphe scriptures often refers generally ONLY of the OT Prophets but more specifically of the Messianic prophecies as in Matthew 26:56 where it also uses the definite article to narrow it down even further to the persecution & suffering of the Christ – see definition B2 of Logos Word of God – BT5.

 

Only if you don’t understand that [plural] graphe scriptures are often even more narrowed down to be the prophetic “oracles/utterances of God” that are Messianic, used by the early Church to convert Jews that consists ONLY of 2.6% of the OT – see definition B3 of Logos Word of God – BT5, and also with the definite article to narrow it down even further to the Messianic ‘portion of’ OT Prophets that Christ fulfilled as in Matthew 26:54, Mark 14:49, Luke 24:25-27.  So in Roman 15:4 we have the same use of graphe scriptures in the plural with the definite article, so the meaning is the same!  Remember  “A text without a context is a pretext for a proof-text,” as the great professor & author D. A. Carson once stated!

 

However, it was THIS Messianic ‘portion of’ the definite-articled plural graphe scriptures that Paul reasoned with the Jews per Acts 17:2, that the Berean Jews checked Paul out on in Acts 17:11, that Apollos likely preached Jesus to be the Christ from in Acts 18:24 to even publicly refute-down-from in Acts 18:28, which is the same root elegcho meaning of rebuttal that Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that ‘portion of’ scripture that “is profitable/useful for. . . rebuttal.”  Jesus also refuted the Jews who persecuted Him appealing to the same ‘portion of’ the graphe scriptures that spoke about His rejection and exaltation to become “the chief cornerstone” in Matthew 21:42.

 

It was also  THIS ‘portion of’ the definite-articled plural graphe scriptures about Christ dying & His resurrection for our sins that Paul delivered as foremost per 1 Corinthians 15:3.  The resurrection ‘portion of’ the graphe scriptures is also what Jesus had in mind in Matthew 22:29 and Mark 12:24.  Clearly the gospel is referencing specific ‘portions of’ gramma writings collected in specific ‘portions of’ graphe scripture as in Romans 1:2 and 16:26 – see Logos Word of God – BT4.

 

There are also key words in Romans 15:4 that refer back to the context that help to define what is in mind in: “Gar for hosos whatever-things were-already prographo ‘written . . . for OUR’s.”  The Greek conjunction gar is “used to express cause, explanatory reason, or inference/continuation of the previous statement,” which is Romans 15:3 “Gar for Christ did not please Himself, but as it is grapho written, ‘The reproaches (a) of those who reproached You (Christ) fell on Me (God).’”  The context of Psalms 69:9 make it clear king David was speaking prophetically of the Messiah and His Father God, again this ‘portion of’ being what the NT cites from the OT graphe scripture (b). <Notes> a) insolent, abusive, insulting language and treatment, b) Matthew 3:17, 12:18, 17:5; Mark 1:11; John 5:19; Luke 3:22; Romans 5:19.

 

Paul used a specific prophetic ‘portion of’ the OT graphe scriptures, specifically about the persecution of Christ being actually against God, especially since we know that Jesus lived ONLY to please God in perfect obedience, thus whatever was being brought against Christ was actually being brought against God the Father.  Therefore, the specific gar ‘explanatory reason’ for Paul writing Romans 15:4 points back to Romans 15:3, but this is clearly indicating the ‘portion of’ “the graphe scriptures” in mind in v. 15:4 is the Messianic ‘portion of’ introduced in v. 15:3 and thus v. 15:4 is a gar “continuation of this previous statement” in v. 15:3.  It is THIS Messianic ‘portion of’ the graphe scriptures” that has to do with the Christian “OUR specific-kind-of teaching/instruction” that has to do with “THE-specific-kind-of patient-endurance and/coupled THE-specific-kind-of encouragement, for hopefully having THE-specific-kind-of [Christian] Hope” that we see later in v. 15:4.  This is Paul’s argument style of flowing from one idea to another to prove his point.

 

There’s more though!  But even that statement of Romans 15:3 “Gar for Christ did not please Himself, ….” is linked back again using gar to the “causal reason” for Paul’s main point in v. 15:2:  “[I strongly urge you to] presently/ongoingly you’all please-by-serving the plesion ‘neighbor, fellow Jewish-Christians in context’ of each of us eis ‘toward and reaching the goal/purpose of’ the agathos ‘God-like, excellent, distinguished, upright, pleasant, useful, salutary, good,’ pros ‘toward and reaching  [singular: the] building-up-of [of your fellow Jewish-Christians].  In Greek, verses 2-4 are one big sentence, not 3 as your English bible erroneously shows – see Bible Info for other translation problems!  In context, the reason for Jewish-Christians to please ‘others of like kind’ in order to build them up, even if we have to personally suffer, is because that’s how Jesus lived to please His Father.

 

The bigger context is Romans Chapter 14 where strong Jewish-Christians, those who broke free from the Law’s many regulations even of dietary rules, free NOW because of their trusting-relying-faith in Christ, shouldn’t use their freedom to eat prohibited food in front of ‘weak-in-faith‘ brethren still enslaved to the Law, because this may cause the weak-brethren to end up sinning because their actions are “not-coming-out-of-faith” when they violate their conscience. The strong Christian’s freedom caused the weaker brethren to sin.  This is not unconditional-love for others.  Instead of ‘the strong’ just ‘pleasing’ themselves, they should have thought about pleasing’ the weaker.

 

 

Video - Part 2:  Logos Word of God - BT9:  Roman 15:4 does NOT teach Christians to use ALL scripture

Part 2

 

In addition, the Greek word hosos in Romans 15:4 Gar for hosos whatever-things were-already prographo ‘written before . . . for OUR’s teaching/instruction.”  Hosos is a comparative or correlative pronoun meaning: “as/so great a space as, as many whatsoever as of, as/so long time as, as much of this as, so much more, in so far as.”  Paul is comparing or correlating his statement:  “were-already prographo ‘written before . . . publicly’ [these] pas ‘every/each of portion of things’ were-already prographo ‘written . . . ‘ eis ‘toward and reaching the goal/purpose of’ ten ‘the specific’ didaskalia instruction/teaching [emphatic] that-is-OUR’s” to his previous statement in v. 15:3 that quotes Psalms 69:9 as we saw in Part 1 video, just as the conjunction “for (gar)” in v. 15:4 is the “causal reason” for the statement in v. 15:3.  Paul is consistent!

 

Thus Paul is saying, I cited Psalms 69:9 in v. 15:3 for “as much of this as [comparatively] “was-already written before . . . publicly” about Christ’s pleasing others instead of just Himself, so NOW you can comparatively apply THIS to your current situation.”  That is ‘the portion’ that is NOW “eis ‘toward and reaching the goal/purpose of’ ten ‘the specific’ didaskalia instruction/teaching [emphatic] that-is-OUR’s . . . [for a Christian’s] . . . THE-specific-kind-of patient-endurance and/coupled THE-specific-kind-of encouragement for hopefully having THE-specific-kind-of [Christian] Hope.”

 

Again, there is a SPECIFIC reason it can be COMPARED/CORRELATED to them NOW, because the gospel logos message NOW has only 2 commandments in it combined into 1, 1 to the unsaved about trusting-relying-faith in Christ, and 1 to the saved about unconditionally-loving others, and both are part of Paul’s main argument of Christian “God-like good works” that we also saw in the previous BLOG Logos Word of God – BT8.

 

Romans 15:1-4 is all about this 1 subject!  We must not miss this larger context!  Seeking the good of others over oneself (a), insuring that one’s own liberty is NOT becoming a stumbling block for others (b), and here that “we who are strong in trusting-relying-faith in Christ have an obligation to bear the failings of the weak in faith, and/thus not to please ourselves . . . but to build them up” (c).  ALL this IS about building up the body through unconditional-love (d), all about “bearing one another’s burdens and so fulfilling the Law of Christ” (e), and all about “being transformed by the renewing of the mind . . . so let everyone among you in-possibility-NOT to think of himself more highly than he ought to think” but instead think of “the members of 1 body that do absolutely-in-fact-NOT have the same praxis function” (f).  From an impartially-loving God, none of us is ‘more special’ than another, because we are all equally ‘special.’  What differs is NOT the amount of God’s grace-gifts to us, but the way they praxis function “for the building up of the whole” body-of-Christ (g).  This is so important that it’s Christ’s only commandment to the saved:  to “unconditionally-love one another just as I have you” (h).

 

<Notes> a) 1 Corinthians 10:24, b) 1 Corinthians 8:9, c) Romans 15:1-2, d) Ephesians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 8:1, e) Galatians 6:2, f) Romans 12:1-4, g) 1 Corinthians 12:7, 14:12, 26; 2 Corinthians 12:19, 13:10; Ephesians 4:12, 29, h) John 13:34, 15:12; 1 John 2:7; 2 John 1:5.

 

Here’s more context leading to “us hopefully having The [Christian] Hope” of Romans 15:4.  The elpis hope Paul is speaking about is uniquely Christian:  “hope of the glory of God” as a result of “obtaining access to peace with God through Jesus Christ into this unconditional-loving-favor-of-grace in which we stand and rejoice” (a), a “hope that does not put us to shame, because God’s unconditional-love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (b), “For I consider the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.  For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God . . . the children of God . . . we wait eagerly for adoptions as sons, the redemption of our bodies (c) for in this hope we were saved. . . we wait for it with hupomone patient-steadfast-endurance” (d).  So we “rejoice in hope, be patiently-steadfastly-enduring (verb of hupomone) in tribulation/persecution” (e). This is the same hupomone patientsteadfastendurance that Paul associates to elpis hope in Romans 15:4. <Notes> a) Romans 5:1-2, b) Romans 5:5, c) Romans 7:24, d) Romans 8:18-25, e) Romans 12:12.

 

In fact, the hope Paul has in mind throughout Romans is our patiently waiting through suffering-tribulation-persecution with the endurance/steadfastness of trusting-relying-faith in Jesus Christ UNTIL our bodies are redeemed when we glorified with Christ because we suffered with Christ (a).  Paul speaks of this bodily transformation often (b) at Christ’s return, what Paul calls “our blessed hope” (c).  This “hope is in Christ” (d), “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (e), and “through the Spirit, by trusting-relying-faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness” (f).  This is when even our sinful bodies are made righteous! <Notes> a) Romans 8:17, b) 1 Corinthians 15:52; Philippians 3:21, c) Titus 2:13, d) Ephesians 1:12, e) Colossians 1:27, f) Galatians 5:5.

 

This is NOT the righteousness that comes from obedience to 613 commandments of the Torah Law of conditional-favor, because: “the graphe scripture imprisons ALL under sin” (g) for “the gramma letter kills” (h), exactly because 97.4% of the OT is Law-based – see Logos Word of God – BT5a, and so “when the Law came I died” (i), so Paul sure wasn’t asking Christians to find much hope in 97.4% of the OT.  No, the context makes it clear that it’s the prophetic ‘portions of’ scripture that Paul has in mind that gives us hope! <Notes> a) Romans 8:17, b) 1 Corinthians 15:52; Philippians 3:21, c) Titus 2:13, d) Ephesians 1:12, e) Colossians 1:27, f) Galatians 5:5, g) Galatians 3:22, h) 2 Corinthians 3:6, i) Romans 7:9.

 

Therefore the pas “whole/entirety of graphe scriptures” translations or interpretations of Romans 15:4 doesn’t give us any hope!  Most of Paul’s writings argue that 97.4% ‘portion of’ the graphe scriptures that are of the paradigm/mindset of The Law condemn us, giving us NO hope!  Paul tells us in Romans 15:4 the ‘portion of’ the graphe scriptures that DO are those that “might give us [Christians] hope.”  This is written in the subjunctive mood because it’s still up to the Jewish-Christians to consider these ‘portions of’ concerning Christ.  The problem they always had was listening more to the Law-teachers!

 

We’ve already seen that “THE-specific-kind-of hope” in mind has to do with “THE-specific-kind-of patient-steadfast-endurance” of trusting-relying-faith in Christ.  Only if we “endure to the end” shall we be considered devoted, faithful, or saved – see Obedient Steps of Faith – BT16. We see this close link between elpis hope and pistis trusting-relying-faith in Jesus often (a).  That is because hope is trusting-relying-faith for future events – see Obedient Steps of Faith – BT5<Notes> a) Hebrews 11:1, Romans 5:2; 1 Corinthians 13:13; Galatians 5:5; Colossians 1:23; 1 Thessalonians 1:3, 5:8; 1 Peter 1:21.

 

However, “THE-specific-kind-of patient-steadfast-endurance” in Romans 15:4 of trusting-relying-faith in Christ, is integrally coupled by the conjunction kai to “dia ‘thru the realizing channel of’ THE-specific-kind-of paraklesis encouragement of/belonging-to-the graphe scriptures.”  The Messianic ‘portion’ of/belonging to the OT is what is actually encouraging, and this is directly linked to “THE-specific-kind-of patient-steadfast-endurance” of trusting-relying-faith in Christ.

 

It is also no coincidence that Paul speaks so much about this special-kind of paraklesis encouragement as that which comes through salvation directly by God (a), specifically by-the-means-of the Holy Spirit’s paraklesis “alongside-calling, urging, exhortation, encouraging, comforting, consolation, counseling, instructing, teaching” (b), that comes from intimate koinonia relationship with the Spirit (c).  Jesus spoke often of the Holy Spirit as the Parakletos or Paraklete (d)!  The Holy Spirit is what makes the prophetic ‘portion of’ prophetic – see Rhema Word of God! <Notes> a) Romans 15:5, b) Acts 9:31, c) Philippians 2:1, d) John 14:16, 26, 15:26, 16:7; 1 John 2:1.

 

The context after Romans 15:4 also gives us more clues.  In Romans 15:9-12 Paul cites other OT Messianic prophecies, to explain that although “Christ became a servant to the circumcised (Jews) . . . to confirm the promises given to the [Jewish] fathers” (v.8).  Christ also did this “in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy” (v. 9), Paul specifically citing the Prophet Isaiah: “the root of Jesse will come, even . . . to rule the Gentiles; in Him will the Gentiles hope.”  Paul does all this to explain his mission to the Gentiles (vv. 14-21), giving both Jew and Gentile Christians this blessing: “May the God of hope fill you will all joy and peace presently/ongoingly by-the-means-of The-Trusting-Relying-Faith (The Christian Faith) eis ‘toward and reaching the goal/purpose of’ THIS presently/ongoingly to-abound to-you in/by/with The hope by-the-means-of [singular: the] dunamis dynamite-like-enabling-power [of/belonging-to the singular: the] Holy Spirit” (v. 13).  Can you see where hope comes from?  From the Holy Spirit by our trusting-relying-faith in Christ!

 

So, you can see from the context of Romans 15:4 that:  the Messianic prophetic scriptures about Christ’s servant-suffering and ultimate rule for our hope are what was in view here by Paul to specifically instruct Jewish-Christians to endure all kinds of suffering for the sake of Christ, and thus to patiently-steadfastly-endure in their trusting-relying-faith in Christ and also their unconditional-love for one another just as Jesus came not to be served or to please Himself but to serve by pleasing others.  They will indeed find “alongside-encouragement” of the Holy Spirit from specific Messianic prophetic scriptures concerning Christ and His sufferings for them.  They have to stop listening to the discouragement of the Law-teachers!   This need to stick with The Christian Faith long enough to realize their Christian hope, a hope that the Gentiles now even have – something that these Messianic prophetic scriptures also promised!

 

 

Video - Part 3:  Logos Word of God - BT9:  Roman 15:4 does NOT teach Christians to use ALL scripture

Part 3

Reflections:

 

 

As Christian musicians, do we really want to take verses out of context and build our theology on 1 of 900 English translations to push our pet doctrines, even erroneously believing that ‘the entire/whole of’ OT scripture was written for ALL Christian instruction/teaching, endurance, or encouragement to have hope?  Based on Paul’s select Greek vocabulary, sentence structure, prophetic OT verses quoted, and the context of Romans 14 and 15, there is just no way Paul could mean this, not to mention Paul’s extreme negativity towards the Law ‘portion of’ the graphe scriptures, as shown in the last 2 BLOGS Logos Word of God – BT7 and – BT8?

 

No, once again Paul is speaking about the Messianic prophetic ‘portion of’ scripture concerning Christ and His gospel logos message of salvation through trusting-relying-faith by unconditional-loving-favor-of-grace for a completely different-in-kind New Covenant, absolutely not through obeying commandments of the Law or old covenant.  Grace and Law simply can’t co-exist in 1 covenant.  You have to pick one or the other to live under!  Paul links patient-steadfastness-endurance of faith to the Holy Spirit’s encouragement many times, but neither come from the Law, which is 97.4% of scripture, but they both do from the Messianic prophetic ‘portions of’ the OT.  If you plan on converting Jews or encourage new Jewish-Christians still feeding on the ‘milk’ of Messianic prophetic scriptures, then don’t build doctrine from anything but a thorough understanding of the original Greek and Hebrew, because English as with all other translations can really botch it, especially when they violate the working vocabulary of the writers and the context – see Bible Info!

 

Paul’s main point is for these Jewish-Christians, who revere the scriptures, to learn from the Messianic prophetic ‘portions’ that speak of Christ pleasing His father despite His own sufferings.  Those ‘portions of’ the OT – Paul quotes many to prove his points to Jewish-Christians – should indeed give them patient-steadfast-endurance from the Holy Spirit’s encouragement during their own suffering.  A lot of Jews and even weak-in-faith brethren were criticizing their freedom from the dietary laws!  Paul tells them there are times to stand up for your freedoms and times when you lay them down in order to unconditionally love others, especially so the weak-in-faith Jewish-Christians don’t violate their conscience and thus sin.  It’s all about building others up by unconditionally-loving them.  The only 2 commandments in the New Covenant are trusting-relying-faith in Christ and unconditionally-loving others, so again this is Paul’s focus.  It’s wrong to interpret Romans 15:4 outside of this context.

 

Prayer:

 

 

Lord, thank You that you have freed every Christian from the Law, 97.4% of the scripture, and even freed some Jewish-Christians from the ‘milk’ of the Messianic prophetic scriptures of the OT, instead giving us the ‘solid’ food of the discernment by the Holy Spirit – see New Covenant Ways – BT16.  I thank You that You meet us where we are, still needing ‘milk’ or ready for ‘solid food.’  Thank You that the prophetic ‘portions of’ scripture STILL do convert Jews to Christ and that they can be encouraged by these ‘portions’ to patiently-steadfastly-endure in their faith even through persecution from other Jews, other religions, and even from brethren that are weak-in-the-faith still bound to a religion of obedience to commandments in order to please You.  Give us discernment Holy Spirit when to lay down our own personal freedoms in Christ to build others up by unconditional-love so that we may win as many as possible to You, Jesus.  Give us discernment when to stand up for our freedoms in Christ and when to lay them down to help others come to you.  Holy Spirit, we need your discernment to guide us into ALL the truth!

 

 

 

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Spiritual Education, Roman 15:4 does NOT teach Christians to use ALL scripture, Only Messianic portion of scripture was encouraging to endure in faith in Christ & Love for others, Paul uses the definite article with plural scriptures for Messianic prophecies, Context refers to Messianic prophecies, All the key words used are used by Paul elsewhere for Christians topics

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