[00:00:18] Now listen, I don't want you guys to get tired. I'm looking at these seats.
[00:00:22] A lot of purple in this room. I guess people are getting worn out with Romans. It's a long road. You got to walk it. You got to get to the end of it. And today is no exception. If you are in the room, we've got a very big and lengthy topic to talk about, which is the book of Romans or the chapter Romans 9. And you might ask yourself, wait a minute, didn't we just talk about this last week?
[00:00:49] We did an overview right on Romans 9. 11. Do we really need a whole week to talk about one chapter? Yes. Next question.
[00:00:59] This is my friends.
[00:01:02] This chapter, Romans 9 is probably one of the most fundamental interpretations of a word that we've begun to just throw around casually. I don't think this phrase gets the weight that it needs.
[00:01:22] There is so much in Romans 9 that has come and brought all of its weight to bear on replacement theology. Okay, we say that word a lot. And as I said last week, a or the foundation of replacement theology is found in the traditional interpretation of Romans. We say it so much that it loses some of its punch. But we have to go back. Even this replacement theology idea goes back to Romans 2 for sure in the book of Romans where we talked extensively about verse 29. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly and circumcision is of the heart by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from people, but from God. Remember this. If you don't remember that conversation, if you don't remember it, then go back and listen to it. About chapter two, the so called Jew.
[00:02:21] Okay, that the Jewish story has absolutely changed replacement theology. Is this the idea that the church has replaced Israel in the eternal plan of God? Now, I did speak to it last week. Actually, I spoke directly to it. How incredibly damaging this idea is to God's reputation, to his righteousness, God's righteousness, to his faithfulness to his word. That God can go back on his word.
[00:02:59] Okay, this is where we lose some of the weight of replacement theology. That's what that means. God can go back on his word. Now think about it just for a minute. Think about what it means, this idea of replacement theology even beyond Israel.
[00:03:17] Think of the implications for Christians New Testament promises. If God can revoke his promises to Israel, then replacement theology means he might also retract promises that are made through Yeshua.
[00:03:30] The church puts all of its weight and emphasis on the promise of eternal life, the indwelling of the spirit, from John 3, from Romans 8. If replacement theology is valid, logically it suggests that even those promises can be taken away way impact on a. And that should be very scary for people to think that God can just change his mind.
[00:04:00] Because that should put you in a position of very precarious relationship with God. Actually the global church. That whole idea that diminishes the idea of a loving and covenant keeping God.
[00:04:15] So if he can do it there, why can't he do it anywhere? Throughout the Hebrew Bible I want to make this point. God makes an unconditional eternal promises to Israel like in Genesis 17, 7 and 8 we're talking about Abraham in this Torah portion in those chapters. In those verses he establishes an everlasting covenant with Abraham and his seed. In Exodus 32 after the golden calf incident, you remember this, right? It was kind of a big deal.
[00:04:48] Moses argues with God reminding him of those very promises that he made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Replacement theology that would make Moses whole appeal completely baseless. Why would he make an argument on something God had said before? If God can simply change his mind, what's the validity? There is no point, there's no valid argument. Clearly Moses didn't see it that way because the golden calf was a massive fish failure. But Moses appeals to God like Paul in Romans 9, understanding that God will not abandon his people because he is a promise keeping God.
[00:05:31] He'll finish what he begins. To quote a popular Christian song, Promise Maker promise. There's a reason I played it. He'll finish what he begins.
[00:05:45] So my friends, why do we need to revisit chapter nine when we just did this Overview. This is some of the firmest foundation of replacement theology. Layers and layers of misguided theology have paved over the true path that Paul has blazed here. The road he was laying out. So we need to tear this one up and we need to repave it now. 9 1. If you can put Romans 9 up, I should read you the whole chapter. But hopefully you have a Bible. Hopefully you can just follow along in your Bibles because I don't want to read an entire chapter. But this part, Romans 9:1 speaking the truth in Messiah. I'm not lying. My conscience confirms it. By the Holy Spirit I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish. Unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Messiah for the sake of my own brothers and sisters, my own flesh and blood. Why is Paul so distressed?
[00:06:40] Why does he have this anguish?
[00:06:45] And 99% of the world Says Rabbi, if you don't know that, you need to go back to seminary.
[00:06:56] Goodness sakes, Rabbi.
[00:07:00] He's concerned about the Jews burning in hell forever because they haven't said the sinner's prayer and accepted Jesus into their hearts. They have not become Christians.
[00:07:15] This is the assumption, of course, that has been made for a long, long time.
[00:07:20] Who would believe that? That's the common assumption in this room.
[00:07:24] The common assumption, of course, he's in anguish because his brothers and sisters are going to burn an eternal torment of hellfire.
[00:07:35] Common assumption. Let's pause. This anguish does have to do with what's coming. This anguish does have to do with the kingdom of God. This anguish does have to do with Yeshua, definitely. But what's Paul's thinking here? First of all, in a first century Jewish context where Paul was deeply rooted Jewish thought, he never abandoned the idea that I just presented that God would ever abandon his covenant with Israel. That's not the way Paul thinks. That's not the way Paul writes or teaches in Jewish theology. The eternal punishment idea, damnation, hell, all that, that was not a big thing we talk about. Gehenna. There are some sources in rabbinic literature, of course, that are talking about that the wicked will be tormented. But when you look over Paul's writings, this is not a thing Paul talks about. You don't find this idea very much because it wasn't that present. The Jewish view of the afterlife was much more complex than what we know today. Much more complex than the later Christian developments of damnation and tornation, damnation and torment, Sheol, Gehenna, the resurrection, all of these things that were a big part. I did an entire series on it called Is Our Hope in Heaven. If you've not watched it, go back and watch it if you want to learn about views of the Jewish afterlife. Secondly, the whole idea for Paul is a covenantal focus. Romans 9, 11. It's all about God's covenant with Israel. Paul expresses sorrow and anguish over his fellow Jews. But his concern is not framed out of a fear that they are going to have this damnable suffering of torment.
[00:09:30] He's focused on their relationship with God. He's focused on their covenant faithfulness. He's focused on the fulfillment of promises to Israel. Paul's grief comes because he wants his people to recognize Yeshua as the Messiah within the context of God's promises to Israel. Okay, let me elaborate on that because it sounds very vague. If we continue to read, Romans will see plainly that Paul's emphasis on God's faithfulness Despite some Jews not believing that Jesus is the Messiah, he sees their current unbelief as part of a larger divine plan.
[00:10:23] Paul's concern that larger divine plan includes salvation of the Gentiles, and it ultimately includes full inclusion of Israel. I didn't make that up. That's what the book says. That's what the letter says.
[00:10:42] Paul's concern is for Israel's present state of belief. Disbelief, I'm sorry, which he interprets, though, as temporary, not as cause for permanent condemnation. You have to read the rest of the letter.
[00:11:04] Lack of hellfire language. You just don't find it. He doesn't specifically mention that. He doesn't spend much time anywhere, as I said. Instead, if you read Romans 9 and you continue to read, you're going to see words that are very different than hellfire and damnation. You're going to hear see words like mercy, compassion, grace, ways that God is acting toward his people. He expresses sorrow. Certainly he does. He conveys, though, his hope for Israel's eventual reconciliation. Now, just a little future insight as we get to Romans 11 and the full inclusion later. He expresses in 1126, what part of Israel will be saved. Does he say in Israel in 1126, all Israel will be saved. Now, we know that all doesn't necessarily mean all in the Bible. It doesn't sometimes, but we're not there yet.
[00:12:01] But what he's saying and what it indicates is a future hope of redemption for the nation of Israel.
[00:12:11] The jealousy and the hardening that he's talking about, these are temporary states that lead toward a fuller restoration for all these things. We need to understand something bigger about Paul's anguish. Okay, you with me? I'm in anguish. He says the majority of his Jewish brothers and sisters everywhere remain unconvinced, unpersuaded that Jesus is the Messiah.
[00:12:40] How could this be?
[00:12:43] How could this be?
[00:12:47] How could they not see it everywhere? Well, let me remind you of something.
[00:12:56] It took a lot for Paul to be convinced, didn't it?
[00:13:02] Let me remind you that Paul was a persecutor of the way. Paul knew who Jesus was and knew what his followers were doing, and he went around trying to take them out.
[00:13:16] Paul was unconvinced and unpersuaded. What did it take? Jesus Christ showing up on a road and saying, paul, what's the matter with you, dude?
[00:13:27] Blinding him, having him go through this major ordeal and saying, you're going to be the apostle to the Gentiles.
[00:13:35] Listen, if I tell you that blue elephants are going to walk out of Those woods today, are you going to believe me?
[00:13:45] Does reason tell you you should believe me? No. But if you walk down the hall and there's Yeshua standing at the end of the hallway and he says, come here, Cody, blue elephants are going to come out of the forest today, are you going to believe it? Yeah, because it's Jesus telling you that that's what it took for Paul to be convinced.
[00:14:07] So it's not a big deal in Paul's mind that Jews are not convinced. What was the Messiah supposed to do?
[00:14:15] He's supposed to establish the Kingdom of God. He's supposed to subdue all enemies. All peace is supposed to come. None of that had happened. And as a matter of fact, Rome had killed the guy.
[00:14:27] I'm not being disrespectful by calling him the guy. I'm saying that's what they see. There's no kingdom, Rome remains in power, and Jesus is dead in their mind.
[00:14:42] So, no, they couldn't see that it was the King come to restore all of these things, to restore Israel. But something was happening.
[00:14:57] Something was happening. And Paul's distress centers on the fact that they could not see what was happening because of this. Yeshua. Do you know what that thing was that was happening?
[00:15:15] Well, it's been another incredible year for the community of Shalom. Macon.
[00:15:21] Let us walk in the light.
[00:15:24] Walk in the light.
[00:15:26] Walk in the light.
[00:15:28] Come out subject. Let us walk in the light. We've seen growth, growth like never before. Welcoming new families who've moved here to Macon and connecting with so many more of you online through Shalom at home, through YouTube, through visits, when you've come through Macon in person. Our mission to be a home for the hopeful is coming to life in a very real and exciting way.
[00:15:54] Now we've also hosted gatherings. Earlier this year, we had a Shavuot gathering. And as you can see in this video, our recent big Sukkot celebration, these moments of joy and connection have brought people together from all over to worship, to celebrate, and to form lasting relationships. We've seen the local community and the online community come together. It's beautiful. And next year, we want to make these events even bigger and have more of them so more of you can come and be a part of it. And a big part of how that will be possible is because of the progress we've made on the building project. We've just completed our new commercial kitchen to feed you and are beginning phase two to build new gathering areas, places that will allow us more space to build community in meaningful ways. And all of that is thanks to the incredible support of the Shalom Macon community.
[00:16:52] But with God's help, we're not stopping here. I'm excited to share a next big step as we develop the plan to build tiny homes, what we would call shabbat homes right here on the property. Places for traveling shalomis to stay when visiting Shalom Macon. It's a way to bring our online and local community together. We're going to start small, we'll start practical, but the vision is big. It's all tied back to the mission of being a home for the hopeful. A place where people can come and experience messianic worship and community in real and powerful ways right here in Macon. To make that happen, of course, we have to finish what we started. We still have to raise $250,000 to fully pay off the kitchen, the gathering space expansion. But here's great news about that. A generous donor has promised to match our year end giving every dollar up $125,000. That will get us there. It means your gift will go twice as far and we can do it. So I'm asking for your help. If Shalom Macon is your home, has been a blessing to you, whether in person or online, please consider giving a generous year end gift to support this work, these projects, this mission. There are a number of ways you can donate. You can learn
[email protected] build and thank you for your commitment to being a builder, not a bystander. Together we are building something special for God's people. So let's keep the momentum going as we continue building a home for the hopeful at Shalom Macon.
[00:18:52] Something incredible was happening among the nations, wasn't it? And Paul's been talking a lot about it. In the book of Romans, something was happening. And overall it seems more likely that Paul was more distressed over his people's current lack of acceptance of Messiah. Not out of fear of hell, but because he desired that they would see God's covenantal plan coming to pass. The prophets had talked about this.
[00:19:22] This is it, man. Paul's saying, how can you this? You gotta be able to see the nations, the idolaters, they're coming. They're declaring their faith in the God of Israel. They're laying aside their idols.
[00:19:39] And guess what, my fellow Jews, this time this is it. And he, Yeshua was special. This is what was reported as so incredibly miraculous. Where? In Jerusalem. When? Acts 15. At the apostles, at the council. You remember this? This is what was reported. The whole assembly kept silent. And listened to Barnabas and Paul as they told of all the signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles. Simeon. Well after they had finished speaking, James Yaakov, my brothers. He stood and said, my brothers, listen to me. Simon Peter has related how God first looked favorably on the Gentiles to take from among them a people for his name. This agrees with the word of the prophets as it is written. After this I will return. I will rebuild the dwelling of David which has fallen from its ruins. I will rebuild it and I will set it up so that all other peoples may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles, over whom my name has been called. Thus says the Lord, who has been making these things known from long ago. Paul is saying, the kingdom is on the brink of arrival. These Gentiles confirm it. Guys, get on board. It's your light.
[00:20:54] Deuteronomy 4. It's your Jewish calling. You are to be a light to the nations. They're to look at you and say, what a God these people have. And brothers and sisters. It's happening. Why do you not see that he's asking?
[00:21:17] You're stumbling over the stumbling stone. He says in Romans 9, what is the stumbling stone?
[00:21:26] It is this Jesus who's making all of this happen, who made this possible.
[00:21:33] You're stumbling over this.
[00:21:36] You're missing all that God is doing in the world for Jews and Gentiles. I want to point something out about Paul's words, though. It's very important. Romans 9. 3. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from God. The Word is anathema. For I could wish that I myself were anathema, cut off from Christ for the sake of my own brothers and sisters, my own flesh and blood. Now, listen, I'm not a Greek scholar. I'm terrible at Greek. I can read some Greek, but I don't claim to know a lot about Greek.
[00:22:10] But this is important. In Greek, Paul is using. When he says I could wish, he's using an imperfect tense of this Greek word, euchomai, often translated as I could wish, I could hope, I could, pray I could. The imperfect tense, it's a hypothetical ongoing action. This is a little bit boring. But listen, Paul could consider doing this, but he's not. He's not enacting it. He's not doing it. This imperfect verb, it's an unfulfilled desire. And here I could wish I could. Paul is essentially saying, I could wish that.
[00:22:58] And I know how bleak the situation looks but he stopped short of despair.
[00:23:07] Do you know why he doesn't have to pray that prayer? I could, but I don't have to. Because all is not lost.
[00:23:21] As he clarifies in verse 6, the Word of God has not failed.
[00:23:26] I could pray this, but the Word of God has not failed. So I don't have to. Okay, but fear not. Fear not. He goes on to say, it's not as though the Word of God has failed. What is the Word of God? He's talking about the Word of God. I've already alluded to it. The Word of God that he gave to Abraham, to Isaac and Jacob, that's found in the Word of God. The covenant promises that God made in God's own Word.
[00:23:55] The calling of God to the Jewish people, that's found in his Word. Paul is saying none of those things have failed.
[00:24:03] None of those aspects have failed. But how can you say it, Paul? How can you say it? Well, Here we go.
[00:24:12] 96A. This is how scholars describe it. It's one verse, but you have 96A, which is the Word of God has not failed. And 96B, which says, for not all descended from Israel are Israel, not all those descended from Israel are Israelites, and not all Abraham's children are his descendants. But it's through Isaac that descendants shall be named for you. This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants. And there it is, my friends, this is the great answer given by Paul. You ready? Okay. The Word of God has not failed. Why? Because all Israel is in Israel.
[00:24:57] Okay. What in the world does that mean?
[00:25:00] Well, we discussed from a traditional perspective last week, and probably in my dreams last night as I was wrestling this over, we discussed what that means. By traditional interpretation, God's written Israel out of the story. Basically, that's what it means. He's replaced a portion of Abraham's children, the Jews, with now his spiritual children, Christ, following Gentiles and, and the few Jews who believe in Jesus, that's what we call spiritual Israel versus natural Israel. That's the traditional take. But beyond the problems that I've already laid out and how that calls God's very integrity into question, we need to note one other thing. There is no evidence whatsoever in the text that that is what Paul means. There is no evidence outside of this one verse in Galatians 6 where Paul refers to the Israel of God. We don't find him using these things in the letters that we know Paul writes, he does not speak of the church as new Israel or a new humanity. But what does it mean? Because he's just listed out all these amazing blessings that I showed you last week about the covenants and the glory and the line of Messiah. And he's done all that in the present tense. That is, whether you're a believing Jew or an unbelieving Jew, these things belong to you. And then to say, but not anymore.
[00:26:27] And that's the solution. They did, but they don't. They've been transferred to somebody else. How does that help? What does that mean?
[00:26:36] And when you read the Greek literally, the Greek does not help us anymore because here's what it actually says.
[00:26:46] It says.
[00:26:48] I forgot what it says. The nrsv, the New Revised Standard says for not all Israelites truly belong to Israel. Okay, all right. Israelites who do not believe in Jesus are out. They're excluded from further identification. Their privileges are revoked. But by becoming a Christian, you can be Israel again. Here's a literal Greek for not all the ones from Israel, these ones Israel.
[00:27:13] You got it?
[00:27:16] Sure, I will. And then you come up and give me the interpretation for not all the ones from Israel, these ones Israel.
[00:27:30] What does that mean?
[00:27:33] Well, you can understand why it's translated the way it is because that's translators with a certain theological bias who are making sense of what is already kind of confusing Greek. So they say, okay, well that's what it means. Not all the ones from Israel. These ones are Israel. That means for not all Israelites truly belong. It's complicated, but stick with me. There are many opinions, even within my favorite school of Pauline studies, which is Paul. Within Judaism, there are multiple opinions on what that actually means.
[00:28:11] But what does it mean to Paul? And I'm going to give you my opinions based on what I've studied, concluded, which is reinforced by many other scholars opinions. But it is, as I said above. What does it mean? First of all, we can't ignore the fact that Paul is addressing a paradox. It's not just that the Jews haven't believed, it's that the Gentiles have.
[00:28:32] That doesn't seem like it should be part of the plan.
[00:28:36] Okay. Paul's point is, though, listen to this. I love this. This is from Stanley Stowers. This makes it very clear. For Romans, God's way of acting is X, but Israel is acting Y.
[00:28:53] Gentiles are acting X, but do not presume Z.
[00:29:03] Is that as clear as the Greek that I just read? It's actually very, very helpful.
[00:29:09] You can't Just go by what you think you see, that's what Paul's saying anyway here the promises to Israel, you cannot conclude Z that God has removed those promises. Even though it looks like this. Those promises, God's covenant, they remain. They will remain. Not all Israel are currently convinced or behaving as the Israel they were supposed to be. But in line with Paul's mission and purpose and calling of being a light and the light coming to the world through the Jewish Messiah. And yes, we'll see in a few weeks we'll talk about. Yep, the Jews, they have to have. Yeshua has got to be a connection. But in the context of Paul's overarching purpose, right now in Romans, Paul is saying this. All Israel is not acting in accordance with our calling. All Israel is not acting the way Israel should act.
[00:30:07] But fear not, I am not me, Paul.
[00:30:15] I am.
[00:30:17] And my colleagues, my co laborers, my gospel co laboring Jews as apostles to the nations. We are fulfilling the promise. We are. And he goes on into this remnant language. He says we are a remnant of the whole. And I talked to you last week. A remnant is not a bad thing. A remnant in the Old Testament is a look at a bigger picture of future redemption. If there's a remnant, there's a bigger story behind it. And Paul is saying we are doing it. And all of the arguments that he presents in nine going forward will come this idea of election. God has demonstrated this.
[00:31:04] He can choose those he wants to do the work he needs done. He can choose who he will, for what he wills, when he wills, for whom he wills it. And as a matter of fact, God will literally use anyone and he can choose them and he can harden them. He says in nine when he specifically talks about who got their heart hardened, most famously Pharaoh. For whose glory God's. God gets to do whatever he wants because he is sovereign. But that's not good enough. He gets to do what he wants because he knows in his sovereignty everything he's doing is working for the greater good of the universe. That's what Paul is saying God is doing. It does not depend on the one who wills or the one who strives, but on God who shows mercy. For the Scripture says to fair Pharaoh, for this very purpose, I raised you up to demonstrate my power in you so my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. So then he has mercy on whom he wills and he hardens whom he wills. Mercy, mercy, compassion. You hear those words?
[00:32:10] They're important. We will see in Romans 11 that God.
[00:32:14] God has done some Hardening.
[00:32:20] I don't want you brothers and sisters to be ignorant of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own eyes that a partial hardening has come upon upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved. God chose those he would use. It's just the way it is.
[00:32:39] Isaac was the promise. Jacob came the promise. And currently only part of Israel is convinced and God is using them for the grand purpose. The others have not seen it yet, but the rest of Romans reveals that according to Paul. They will hear me. They will. And all of the examples that Paul brings forth regarding election, you can just put that section up there and scroll through it. Storm, which talks about he was to have a special son, Abraham. Who was the special son?
[00:33:13] It wasn't Ishmael, it was Isaac. And that was the word of God. The older is to serve, the younger is to serve the older. Right? Jacob and Esau, who served who?
[00:33:25] The younger serve the older. I mean, sorry, the older serve the younger. That's out of order. Jacob is the child of promise. Isaac is the child of promise. They represented something that was for the greater good. I already mentioned Pharaoh. He denied the existence of God, yet he's part of the most amazing story of the Jewish people. God did that. God gets to do that.
[00:33:53] Paul is showing us that with God it doesn't always look like we imagine it should or would. Because guess why?
[00:34:03] We're not God.
[00:34:05] Isaiah 55, his ways, they're much higher.
[00:34:10] And so you don't get to see the parade from the roof. You're standing on the street watching the parade go by.
[00:34:18] Now I understand God gets it done how he wants, with who he wants. I understand the potential flaw in this argument. I do. If God can choose who he wants and he can upend the system at any time, then why in the world can't he just write Israel out of the story?
[00:34:42] If he can do it out of order and he can do that, why can't he just replace Israel with the nations? Paul sees this coming in Romans 9. He says, you will say to me, then why does he still find fault for who has resisted his will? It's not really the interlocutor here, but Paul is putting words into the interlocutor's mouth and saying, I know what you're going to say.
[00:35:07] I know what you're going to say. So let me provide you the answer. Paul says his argument in Romans 9, 11. It's not just that God can do whatever he wants to do. It's not just that God's sovereign. It's also that God is faithful to what Israel and his covenant promises. And anything that veers from that makes God a liar. Is God a liar?
[00:35:35] No. He's sovereign and he's faithful. Paul's argument is that God's sovereign choice to bless the nations through Israel is part of the plan. God's sovereignty does allow him to make unexpected choices. And Paul makes the point. Who the heck do you think you are to ask those questions? That's what he goes on to say in verses 20.
[00:36:03] Literally, who in the world are you, O man?
[00:36:09] O man who talks back to God? Well, what his form say to the one who formed it? Why did you make me like this? Does the potter have no right over the clay to make from the same lump one vessel for honor and another for common use? Okay, you get the point. Rather than replacing Israel, God expands the covenant to include the nations. He fulfills his promise to bless all the nations through Israel. This is Paul's vision of a God who is both sovereign and unwaveringly faithful. Romans 9 opens with these words. I tell the truth, I do not lie. My conscience assuring me my sorrow is great, the anguish in my heart unending, for I would pray that I myself were cursed. We've talked about what that's supposed to mean with hellfire and damnation.
[00:36:54] But I made the point that Paul's distressed about his brothers and sisters who are not convinced. If I say my brothers and sisters, he is talking here about ethnic Israel. He's talking about ethnic, natural Israel that received all these promises. Okay, okay, listen. Clearly that.
[00:37:15] But then to say, don't worry about my flesh and blood.
[00:37:22] Listen, don't worry about them.
[00:37:26] God's word has not failed because God actually wrote them out of the story. Anyway, all Israel is not Israel. They're not even really Israel. There's a new Israel that doesn't include them. Anyway, let me ask you, how could that provide consolation for Paul if he's worried about his natural born brothers and sisters? And then he's to follow that up by saying, but don't worry about them, they're out of here anyway. It's like me saying to you, you know what? Oh my gosh, I'm really concerned about my brother. He doesn't believe in God, but it's okay.
[00:38:10] God gave me a new brother and I don't even really like him that much anymore. And this new brother does everything right. So yeah, I was worried about him, but boop. See Ya, brother.
[00:38:28] It's ridiculous, isn't it? When you look at this logically, as if we're presenting a case in court, it's ridiculous.
[00:38:38] God wrote them out of the story with Jesus. So that makes it all right. That's not comforting.
[00:38:44] That does not console any of Paul's anguish or his feelings. It would only make it worse.
[00:38:52] All Israel is not Israel. That's no kind of comfort. So I want to point something out. He says God's word has not failed. Right? God's word has not failed. Now that's the way the majority of your translations read it.
[00:39:08] If we go Back to the 14th century, the Wycliffe translation, long before King Jimmy came along and did his.
[00:39:17] That's translated differently and it's a very, very accurate translation. God's word has not failed. The other way that it can be translated, God's word has not fallen.
[00:39:31] You will not find it in hardly any of your translations.
[00:39:37] God's word has not fallen. Here's what Wycliffe says, but not that the word of God hath fallen down, or for not all that be of Israel. These be Israelites. He gets it pretty close.
[00:39:50] Very close. Who am I to question him? He got it very close. He got it.
[00:39:57] God's word has not fallen.
[00:40:00] To fall out, to fall off, to lose it, to perish, to fall from a place which one cannot keep, to fall from a position. Why is it so important that we know this and we pay attention to the word, that God's word has not fallen in chapter nine?
[00:40:20] Because in chapter 11, Paul's going to come along and ask you another question. Do you know what it is?
[00:40:29] I'll tell you what it is.
[00:40:32] I say, then Israel. They. He says they. I say, then they did not stumble so as to fall, did they?
[00:40:44] How do you think the response comes from Paul?
[00:40:47] What do you think he says?
[00:40:50] Meganoito no, Israel did not fall. Chapter 9 Bookend God's Word has not fallen, has it? Did Israel fall?
[00:41:04] No, they stumbled.
[00:41:06] There's a difference.
[00:41:10] Meganoito May it never be. By their false step salvation has come to the Gentiles to provoke Israel to jealousy. The word of God has not fallen and neither has Israel.
[00:41:23] And Israel remains intact even if they are not convinced in fulfilling their God given responsibility at this moment.
[00:41:35] In conclusion, you guys have done so good.
[00:41:40] It's a long message. It's important.
[00:41:44] I could spend the next four hours talking to you about different translations and interpretations, particularly of Romans 9:6. The Greek is confusing. We can admit that. We can make room. We have to. We have to make room for a variety of interpretations. But here's what I can confidently tell you. Ready for me to speak with confidence? I know I don't do that a lot, but here I go. I'm feeling empowered.
[00:42:11] The mainstream interpretation that Paul is making the point that Israel is no longer Israel as God originally intended, that is the one conclusion we simply cannot arrive at.
[00:42:28] The one thing we can most definitely chuck out of the book is what 1900 Years of Theology has told you is what you should believe. That's the one thing we can almost certainly chuck when we take what we know about Paul, his connection to Israel. He says later in Romans 11, I ask then, has God rejected his people? Meganoito I myself, I am an Israelite.
[00:43:02] I am an Israelite, tribe of Benjamin, descendant of Abraham. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. These are Paul's words.
[00:43:13] His message is to the Gentiles in this letter. But most importantly, we consider the context of the previous eight chapters and especially the two that are coming. We read this as a unit of communication which the entire letter to the Romans is. He's not on a tangent. He's tying it all together. And when you pull one sentence which has been done one sentence, you pull it out of Paul, it's like taking this beautiful painting my mom did. It's like taking a masterpiece of art, looking at one brush stroke and expecting that you're going to be able to see the masterpiece in toto. You can't do it.
[00:44:04] Romans, a continuous deliberate argument. If we tear 9, 6 from the fabric of the letter, we lose its meaning. Paul's vision is cohesive. Cohesive interpretation demands context. Without it, you're going to have failure of interpretation. And what has happened for too long is that these chapters are filtered through.
[00:44:30] So consider it corrected. And note that Paul is making a case for Israel to the Gentiles. We'll see it clearly.
[00:44:40] And the repetitive theme that we find to the Gentiles from here on out is one of. Of tolerance, of acceptance, of mercy, of compassion, of accepting the Jews who may still remain unconvinced. But the word of God has not failed. Now, gotta just tell you this one quick thing. We must keep in mind the average Roman attitude. Rome, the most powerful superpower in the world at this time. When Rome goes in and takes something over, do you know what they do? They subjugate everyone. They're under Roman rule now. They gave them some autonomy. That's the way it worked. But Rome's deal was we are victorious over you, we have subjugated you and in essence we have replaced you.
[00:45:32] And so Paul, when speaking and writing to Romans from a culture and this mindset of when we win, we win, you're out of the story, we replace you, Paul is going to come along and say, say don't think for a minute, do not go Roman on me because you are going to find yourself in trouble.
[00:46:00] And so we'll move from here to chapter 10 where Paul talks about righteousness, God's righteousness, Israel's righteousness, Gentiles righteousness, and he helps us understand a little bit more about what it is and why Israel has stumbled and missed the message Shabbat Shalom Please Visit our website shalommacon.org to learn more about us. Join our Live Services Access other Teachings Sign up for our Newsletter Join our private network that will connect you with our greater community from around the world or contribute to the work of Shalom May. Thank you for watching and we look forward to connecting with.
