The Weak and the Strong (Romans 14:1–15:13): Part 7 of 7

The Example of Christ

“Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you,¹ for the glory of God” (Romans 15:7, ESV).

“Therefore” [διό] initiates the conclusion of this section (14:1–15:13),² which is bracketed on each end (inclusio) between the dual occurrence of the compound verb προσλαμβάνω (“receive,” “accept,” “welcome”): “As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him …. for God has welcomed him” (14:1, 3); “Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you …” (15:7). Having a loving and welcoming spirit in line with God’s and exemplified in Christ is here enjoined on both the strong and the weak, whether Jew or Gentile, not for any self-serving purpose but “for the glory [δόξα] of God” (cf. vv. 6, 9; 3:7; 4:20; 11:36; 16:27). Just as Christ has welcomed, for God’s glory, both strong and weak, Gentile and Jew, they ought to welcome each other as a joint expression of glorifying God.³   

“For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy” (Romans 15:8-9a). 

The prefatory “For I tell [you]” [λέγω γὰρ] indicates that what follows is “a solemn doctrinal declaration … ‘For I declare’,”⁴  summarizing what Christ has done for both Jewish and non-Jewish people. “Christ” (the messianic figure of OT prophecy)⁵ has become [γεγενῆσθαι, perfect tense]—in the past with lasting effects in the present—a “servant” [διάκονος] …⁶ Rather than “to” the circumcised (ESV, NASB, NKJV), the genitival construction περιτομῆς is “of the circumcision” (ASV, CSB, ISV, KJV, LSV, MSB, NET, NIV, NRSV), positioning Christ’s servanthood in the context of historical Judaism, whether in the ablatival sense, “from [the] circumcision,” or adjectival, “characterized by circumcision” or “a circumcised servant.”⁷ Christ not only ministered to the Jews,⁸ he was a Jew (cf. 1:3; 9:5),⁹ even though his gracious outreach extends to “all the nations” (1:5; 16:26), “to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (1:16; 2:10; 10:12).¹⁰

Seeing that physical circumcision (3:1-2) was the centuries-old sign of the covenant God had established with Abraham and his descendants (4:10-12),¹¹ the label “circumcised” or “circumcision” [περιτομή] (cf. 3:30; 4:9a)¹² is used here—as opposed to the racial/religious designation “Jew”¹³ or nationalistic/theological term “Israel”¹⁴—indicative of an ethnic and social identity that is legitimately maintained in Christ. Even so, God’s love and blessings are intended for both “the circumcised” and “the uncircumcised” (3:29-30; 4:9-12; cf. 2:25-29; 3:22-26), although physical circumcision is no longer a doctrinal mandate or fellowship issue (1 Cor. 7:19; Gal. 5:6; 6:15; Col. 3:11). 

The reason for Christ’s service among, as, and to the circumcised is “to show God’s truthfulness” [ὑπὲρ ἀληθείας θεοῦ], i.e., “for the sake of God’s faithfulness,” “in order to show that God is faithful,” or “in order to show that God’s promises are true.”¹⁵ This serves a twofold purpose: (a) “to confirm [βεβαιόω]¹⁶ the promises given to the patriarchs,” and (b) “in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.”¹⁷ On glorifying God, see vv. 6, 7. Divine promises were not for the sole benefit of physical Israel but have consistently included all nations (cf. 4:13-25; 9:3-8; 11:28-36),¹⁸ particularly the extension of God’s “mercy” [ἔλεος] (cf. 9:23-24; 11:30-32). 

Scriptural Confirmation

“As it is written, ‘Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.’ And again it is said, ‘Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.’ And again, ‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.’ And again Isaiah says, ‘The root of Jesse will come,even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope’” (Romans 15:9b-12).

On the “as it is written” formula, see comments v. 3. Christ has fulfilled the expectations of the prophetic scriptures, accepting all who comprise his emblematic body, both Jewish Christians (v. 8) and Gentile Christians (vv. 9-12), glorifying God together as a summation of the overall message of Romans. Scriptural confirmation from the LXX is provided by a progression of quotations across the entire OT canon, from the Law (Deut. 32:43), the Prophets (Isa. 11:10), and the Writings (Psa. 18:49 [17:50 LXX]; 117:1 [116:1 LXX]).¹⁹

First, Psalm 18:49, a psalm of David, praises Yahweh “among … Gentiles” [ἐν ἔθνεσιν] for deliverance from Israel’s enemies. Next, Deuteronomy 32:43 includes “Gentiles” [ἔθνη] in praising Yahweh among his people. The last two passages are focused outside of Israel. Psalm 117:1 envisions “all” the “Gentiles” [πάντα τὰ ἔθνη] and “all the peoples” [πάντες οἱ λαοί] praising and extoling Yahweh, while Isaiah 11:10 pictures the messianic “root of Jesse” ruling over “Gentiles” [ἐθνῶν] as “Gentiles” [ἔθνη] hope in him. This is “right at the final climax of the long argument of Romans …. [and] closes the enormous circle that began with Romans 1.3-4, where Paul looks for all the world as though he is giving a deliberate summary of what his ‘gospel’ actually contains.”²⁰

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (Romans 15:13).²¹

With another prayer-wish (cf. vv. 5-6, 33), combining “invocation and exhortation,”²² Paul closes not only this section but the entire body of the letter with a statement that begins and ends with “hope” [ἐλπίς]. While God is “the God of endurance and encouragement” (v. 5)²³ and “the God of peace” (v. 33), he is here described as “the God of hope” [ὁ θεὸς τῆς ἐλπίδος], immediately following the scripture citation of v. 12 ending with the word “hope.” He is the source, sustainer, and object of hope,²⁴ accessed through Jesus Christ,²⁵ to “fill” [πληρόω]²⁶ our hearts with “joy” and “peace” (cf. 5:1-5). The concept of “joy” [χαρά],²⁷ as Paul understands it, is not a fleeting emotion or temporary feeling of happiness but a confident and abiding gladness of spirit assured of God’s promises and springing from the above mentioned hope (cf. 12:12). It is inseparably linked to “peace” [εἰρήνη]²⁸ (cf. 14:17), which begins with God (v. 33; cf. 5:1) and extends to relationships within Christ’s body and beyond (cf. 12:18; 14:19). 

Appreciating the critical role of faith,²⁹ these spiritual blessings are “in [ἐν] believing,” the present active infinitive form of the verbal πιστεύω (cf. 1:5, 16). This leads or enables [εἰς - “unto” or “for”] “you” plural [ὑμᾶς] (Christians) to “abound” or “overflow” [περισσεύειν] (cf. 3:7; 5:15) “in the hope” [ἐν τῇ ἐλπίδι] (of previous [recurring] reference),³⁰ which is “in” [ἐν] “power” [δύναμις], another frequently mentioned feature of Romans.³¹

In a miraculous sense, the gospel message [εὐαγγέλιον] that Paul preached was confirmed “in [ἐν] power of signs and wonders, in [ἐν] power of [the] Spirit …” (v. 19), which is the same divine “power” behind the extraordinary miracle of Christ’s resurrection, exaltation, and enthronement as messianic king (1:4). Yet the same descriptive term is employed for the salvific “power” invested in the gospel itself (1:16), through which God’s power is effected.³² With the verb form [δύναμαι] Paul also affirms that Christians are “able” [δυνάμενοι], with God’s provisions, to do what they are otherwise incapable of doing (15:14), because God himself is “able [δυναμένῳ] to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ …” (16:25a).

The prayer-wish further “begins and ends with the accent upon divine agency and resource,”³³ as the God of hope initiates the process and the power is “of [the] Holy Spirit” [πνεύματος ἁγίου], another familiar theme in Romans.³⁴ Besides the miraculous operation (noted above), the apostle also highlights the Spirit’s indwelling (5:5; 8:9), intercession (8:16, 26-27; 9:1), and revelatory and instrumental work (8:14; 15:14-19), particularly in providing hope through the scriptures (15:4; cf. 1:1-6, 15-17; 4:22-25; 6:17-18; 10:8; 16:25-27). For further commentary, see 5:1-5 and 14:17-19.

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ The reading “you” [ὑμᾶς] has better and broader textual support than “us” [ἡμᾶς] and is in harmony with the other instances of the second person plural in the context (contra BMT, TR).

     ² See C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans 2:729. It has also been argued that this verse signals a conclusion to the themes Paul has addressed in the entire letter (C. Bartholomew, “Paul and Caesar,” in A Royal Priesthood 3:173-93; T. R. Schreiner, Romans 753). 

     ³ C. K. Barrett, Romans 270; J. D. G. Dunn, Romans 2:846. It is commonly maintained “that the division between the weak and the strong with which Paul has been concerned in this section was also, to a large extent at any rate, a division between Jewish and Gentile Christians” (C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans 2:740-41).

     ⁴ C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans 2:740. Note also Rom. 12:3, and compare 9:1; 10:18, 19; 11:1, 11; 12:3. See also Matt. 5:18, 20; 10:23; 13:17; 17:20; 18:10; 23:39; Luke 3:8; 10:24; 14:24; 22:16, 18, 37.

     ⁵ Concerning messianic undertones, “we think it unlikely that Paul ever used the word [Χριστός] (whether with or without the article) as a mere proper name without any consciousness of its titular character” (C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans 2:732 n.5). Note the concentrated use of the Greek term for Messiah in this section (14:9, 15, 18; 15:3, 5, 6, 7, 8), extending through the rest of the letter (15:16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 29, 30; 16:3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 16, 18, 24, 25, 27), for a combined total of twenty-five times in these last three chapters, compared to twenty-three times in the first seven chapters and eighteen times in chaps. 8–13.

     ⁶ Matt. 20:26-28; 23:10-11; Mark 9:35; 10:42-45.

     ⁷ See D. B. Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics 76-112.

     ⁸ Matt. 10:5-6; 15:24; Mark 10:45. 

     ⁹ Matt. 1:1-17; Mark 1:44; Luke 2:21-27; 3:23-38; Gal. 4:4-5. “Christ was a Jew, both to confirm God’s faithfulness to the Jews, and to open the door of grace and faith to the Gentiles, in fulfillment of God’s overall purpose as indicated in Scripture” (J. D. G. Dunn, “Romans” in DPL 850).

     ¹⁰ On Christ’s ministry beyond the boundaries of Judaism, see K. L. Moore, “Beyond the Jordan,” Moore Perspective (9 June 2021), <Link>.

     ¹¹ Gen. 17:1-14; see also Gen. 34:14; Ex. 12:48; Judg. 14:3; 15:18; 1 Sam. 14:6; 17:26, 36; 31:4; 2 Sam. 1:20; 1 Chron. 10:4; Isa. 52:1; Jer. 9:26; Ezek. 28:10; 31:18; 32:19-32; 44:7, 9.

     ¹² Cf. also Acts 11:3; Gal. 2:7-12; Eph. 2:11; Phil. 3:5; Col. 4:11; Tit. 1:10. The verb περιτέμνω (1 Cor. 7:18; Gal. 2:3; 5:2, 3; 6:12, 13; Col. 2:11) does not occur in Romans. 

     ¹³ See Rom. 2:28-29; cf. 1:16; 2:9, 10, 17, 28, 29; 3:1, 9, 29; 9:24; 10:12.

     ¹⁴ See Rom. 9:4; cf. also 9:6, 27, 31; 10:19, 21; 11:1-2, 7, 11, 25, 26.

     ¹⁵ C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans 2:741; D. J. Moo, Romans 877; BDAG 1030.

     ¹⁶ The verb βεβαιόω is used to prove the reliability of promises by their fulfillment (BDAG 172-73; cf. C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans 2:741 n.5); note also the adj. βέβαιος in Rom. 4:16. Elsewhere Paul employs this verb in 1 Cor. 1:6, 8; 2 Cor. 1:21; Col. 2:7. Outside of Paul, only in Mark 16:20; Heb. 2:3; 13:9.

     ¹⁷ The sense here appears to be, “because of the mercy that he has shown to them” (D. J. Moo, Romans 878).

     ¹⁸ Note 1 Kings 8:38-43; 1 Chron. 16:7-36; Isa. 2:1-4; 9:1-2; 42:1-6; 49:6; 51:4; Jer. 16:19-20; Jonah 1:1–4:11; Mic. 4:1-4; Hab. 2:4, 14, 20; Zech. 8:20-23; et al. “In the Psalms there are seventy-six references to the ‘nations’, even though the Psalms are part of the worship of Israel. And if you add references to ‘all the earth’ and ‘the peoples’ it is quite startling to see how much the Psalms teach us of God’s concern for all mankind” (M. Griffiths, What on Earth Are You Doing? 12). See, e.g., Psa. 22:27-28; 33:5-12; 57:9; 66:7; 67:1-7; 72:11, 17; 82:8; 86:9; 96:1-13; 108:3; 117:1-2.

     ¹⁹ Luke 24:44, “Then [Jesus] said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.’” The Hebrew canon was arranged according to 24 books: (a) the Law (Genesis–Deuteronomy); (b) the Prophets (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isaiah, 12 Minor Prophets); and (c) the Writings (Ruth, Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Lamentations, Daniel, Esther, Ezra, Chronicles).

     ²⁰ N. T. Wright, “Paul’s Gospel and Caesar’s Empire,” Reflections 2 (1998), <Web>.

     ²¹ The ESV does not follow the Greek text’s word order, while most other English versions do.

     ²² J. Murray, Romans 2:207.

     ²³ Through the instrumentality of “the Scriptures” (v. 4). 

     ²⁴ Cf. Psa. 65:5; 69:6; 78:7; 146:5; Jer. 14:22; Acts 24:15; 26:6; Eph. 2:12; 1 Tim. 4:10; Tit. 1:2.

     ²⁵ Cf. Col. 1:27; 1 Thess. 1:3; 1 Thess. 1:1; Tit. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:3.

     ²⁶ This extends to “goodness” and “knowledge” (v. 14) and is the opposite of Rom. 1:29. Compare “full of mercy” (Jas. 3:17).

     ²⁷ The noun occurs three times in Romans (14:17; 15:13, 32), and the verbal “rejoice” [χαίρω] four times (12:12, 15; 16:19); cognate “grace” [χάρις].

     ²⁸ In Romans the noun is used in 1:7; 2:10; 3:17; 5:1; 8:6; 14:17, 19; 15:13, 33; 16:20; verbal εἰρηνεύω in 12:18.

     ²⁹ The noun πίστις occurs no less than forty times in Romans, and the verbal πιστεύω twenty-one times.

     ³⁰ The noun ἐλπίς is explicitly employed thirteen times in Romans (4:18; 5:2, 4; 8:20, 24; 12:12; 15:4, 13), and the verbal ἐλπίζω four times (8:24, 25; 15:12, 24). 

     ³¹ The noun δύναμις appears eight times in Romans (1:4, 16, 20; 8:38; 9:17; 15:13, 19[x2]), and the verbal δύναμαι five times (8:7-8, 39; 15:14, 25).

     ³² The gospel’s efficacy is of God (cf. 1:20)—the Father (Eph. 1:17-19), the Christ (1 Cor. 1:24; 5:4; 2 Cor. 12:9), and the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 2:4)—for “those being saved” (1 Cor. 1:18).

     ³³ J. Murray, Romans 2:207.

     ³⁴ In addition to explicit references to “the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 5:5; 9:1; 14:17; 15:13, 16) and “the Spirit of God” (8:9, 14, 16; 15:19), Paul also speaks less descriptively of “the Spirit” (8:16, 26-27), whereas elsewhere in Romans allusions are not as clear.

Related Posts: The Weak and Strong: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Romans 15:14-16

 

Image credit: https://www.denverprintingcompany.com/refer-a-friend/