The Romance of Romans-Part 114

[Michael]

Chapter 15 cont’d:

Allow me to summarize the mystery I have unveiled to you in this
letter. Jesus the Messiah was sent to the Jews for the purpose of
confirming the truth of the prophetic promises God gave to the Jewish
patriarchs and to make a way for the Gentiles to glorify God for the
extension of his mercies to them. For scripture says, "To this end I
will declare your truth to the Gentiles and sing to them about your
great name." And again he says, "You Gentiles, rejoice together with
the Jews." And again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles and exalt him
all you nations." Isaiah also prophesied, "The root of Jesse will rise
to reign over all the Gentiles, and they will put their trust in him."

Comments:

I believe that this is the main biblical thematic context for all that
Paul has to say in the book of Romans...his inspired understanding
into the meta-narrative of the big God-Story that arches from Genesis
to Revelation. The "mystery" is something that was previously hidden
from the understanding of God's people (even the Hebrew prophets
themselves didn't always understand with the Holy Spirit was
indicating through their inspired proclamations), but that has now
been explained by the advent and teaching of Jesus Christ and the
spiritually authoritative revelation that he imparted to his apostolic
scribes.

God gave the magnificent promises of the universal and eternal good
news of the Messiah to all the ethnic groups of the earth...and to the
whole of creation...in "seed form"...to and through the Abrahamic
patriarchs and Jewish prophets of long ago. These prophetic promises
converged and coalesced in the person and work of Christ Jesus. The
result is that "the chosen people of God" now includes both believing
Jews and gentiles who have had the ancient and historic wall of
separation between them demolished...they have come together in Jesus
to make up "one new man" through their faith in him.

Paul states this clearly in Gal 3:28-29 (as well as in many other
passages in his epistles):

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free,
there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And
if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according
to promise."

Those who insist on continuing to make distinctions, in terms of
personal spiritual status, between Jews and gentiles based on their
ethnicity are, often unwittingly, limiting and minimizing the work
that Jesus Christ finished on the cross (and in his resurrection and
ascension). This is a terrible and tragic mistake that does
theological violence to the gospel.

The challenging of the "racism" that was lurking in the hearts of
people in the first century was a significant part of what led to the
executions of both Jesus and Paul. This same kind of "racism" still
lurks in the hearts of the people of our world and it is the source of
much ongoing conflict, tragedy and anguish to this day...all across
the world. The resurrection of Jesus represents, among many other
wonderful things, the defeat of all hateful bigotry and a faithful
witness to the ultimate triumph of the love of God in the human drama.