Wow. Lately it's been like pulling teeth getting myself to sit down and read the stinkin' bible. Seven more days! I love you, bible, but it's been going on a long time. I think I am ready for this relationship to end.
Paul's letter to the Romans doesn't provide us with anything too scandalous or different from yesterday; he tells people not to concern themselves with judging others, to believe in God/Jesus, etc, etc. He emphasizes that God is not abandoning the Jews by allowing Gentiles into the church, but that they are "cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree" (Romans 11:24). Sounds good. I can get on board with this.
Chapter 12 contains a very nice little verse, reminiscent of the Beatitudes and ending with the line, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:21). That's so nice! Why can't the whole bible be like that?
Whatever good will I was feeling towards Paul after chapter 12 evaporated in chapter 13, when he tells his readers to submit to authority, because human authority figures represent divine authority figures... or something... "One must be in subjection," he writes, "not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience" (Romans 13:5). This chapter ends with a teaser of things to come; Paul bids that we "walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy" (Romans 13:13).
There'll be a lot more where that came from in Corinthians!
He wraps up Romans by telling his readers to respect their friends' opinions, and to not "make another stumble" (Romans 14:20). Then he bids that his reader say hello to ALL HIS FRIENDS IN ROME, who he lists by name and occupation, and says sayonara!
Paul's letter to the Corinthians provides us with one of our earliest depictions of the Christian church; here we get our first glimpse at the Eucharist, the resurrection, and assorted other fun teachings from that motley crew of apostles. Let's dive right in!
In chapter 1, Paul makes an interesting cultural distinction between Jews and Greeks: "For Jews demand signs," he writes, "and Greeks seek wisdom...but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, [we preach] Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 1:22-24). In other words, Jesus is fun for the whole family!
Paul talks about his role in the Christian tradition, explaining that "though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers" (1 Corinthians 4:15). He considers himself to be the "father" of the church and bids that the people obey him as children. He also emphasizes that he has little significance as an individual because although he "planted... only God... gives the growth" (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).
Another big theme here is the separation of the physical world and the spiritual world. Paul makes his point by warning against assorted impurities of the flesh, particularly SEXUAL DEVIANCE. Oh yes, this is pretty fun. Although he just got through telling us that we're not supposed to judge each other, he changes tact and says that any kind of sexual immorality should not be tolerated, and perverts should not be associated with! In fact, they should be "deliver[ed]... to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 5:5). Geez Louise.
Transgressors who will be subject to this treatment, by the way, include "the sexually immoral... idolaters... adulterers... men who practice homosexuality... thieves... the greedy... drunkards... revilers... [and] swindlers" (1 Corinthians 6:9). I think this is the second time in both Testaments that homosexuality has been explicitly labeled as a sin, if you Westboro Baptist Church members out in the audience want to jot down some notes for when you make your next set of signs.
Paul explains that just as a man and a prostitute "[become] one body" (1 Corinthians 6:16), a pious man can be joined to God as one spirit. That's kind of a neat (and weird) metaphor, I guess.
If you think this is fun now, just wait. It gets even better! Paul explains that because men are so feeble and lacking in self control, if they must succumb to base instincts, they are permitted to take wives: "Do not deprive one another," he writes, "except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come back together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self control" (1 Corinthians 7:5). Paul forbids divorce, and mentions that in general it's better not to get married at all. He seems convinced that the "end of days" is approaching, noting that "the present form of this world is passing away" (1 Corinthians 7:31) and it is therefore pointless to get married when so little time remains.
Some other points, before I sign off: Paul tells people not to get circumcised if they aren't already, and rather to "remain in the condition in which [they were] called [to Jesus]" (1 Corinthians 7:20). He also says that if you are married to a nonbeliever, your belief "saves" them, and your children are "holy." It's sort of like how if a wizard or witch marries a muggle, their kids can still go to Hogwarts!
That's it for today. I'm bored and we've covered pretty much everything of interest.
ONE WEEK LEFT OF THIS!!! STAY GOLD PONYBOY!!
Showing posts with label Romans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Romans. Show all posts
Friday, December 2, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Day 82, Acts 25-28, Romans 1-9
I totally put off doing this all day, but luckily it turned out to be pretty interesting! I kind of like this Paul guy. He's an interesting character.
When we left him last time, he had been imprisoned in Jerusalem and blown off by the governor, Felix. In chapter 25 he is tried by the new governor, Festus, as well as Herod the Great's (somewhat distant) successor, Agrippa II. He tells his cute little life story to the authority figures, and although Festus at first accuses him of being insane, he is pretty darn persuasive and seems to win their favor. During the trial, he expresses his fervor for his work, saying, "I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am -- except for these chains" (Acts 26:29).
As a Roman citizen, Paul is entitled to a trial in Rome, so he sets off in a boat for Italy. The trip is not without incident, and eventually the gang is caught in a storm and shipwrecked. They wash up on the island of Malta, where Paul heals a man named Publius and is revered as a god.
Upon arriving in Rome, the authorities announce that they have received no letters about Paul, but have nonetheless heard rumors of his weird ways and want to know what he's all about. He preaches to the Romans, converting some, then is put under house arrest for two years to await his trial. We never do find out what happens to him! Some scholars say he died in Rome, while others say he evaded conviction and moved to Spain.
Romans, or more specifically, The Letter of Paul to the Romans, is a work dating back to some time between 48-58 CE. It is -- as the title suggests -- a letter that Paul wrote to the Roman people explaining his theology, and it's pretty darn interesting! The big theme here is, once again, that God is impartial in his love and will embrace Gentiles just as he will Jews. Paul also emphasizes the role of faith over law.
The letter opens with a classically Greek introduction and "thanksgiving" or prayer for the reader's well-being, followed by Paul's thesis: that "it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16). He talks about how many people, regardless of whether or not they are familiar with the Law, are not sufficiently pious, and that God will judge everyone equally. He also emphasizes that it's GOD'S JOB to do the judging, NOT YOURS!! "For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself," Paul writes, "because you, the judge, practice the very same things... Do you suppose, O man... that you will escape the judgment of God?" (Romans 2:1-3)
Obviously, the exception to this rule is if you're doing this:
Paul also takes a pretty unorthodox view on circumcision, explaining that "circumcision is indeed of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision" (Romans 2:25). In Paul's opinion, the physical rite has no bearing on the state of a person's spirit.
Paul goes on to talk about how all people are sinners -- because "through the law comes knowledge of sin" (Romans 3:20) -- but that God has provided people with the gift of redemption through Jesus. He is careful to emphasize that this does not nullify the law, it just means that faith in Jesus is more important.
To illustrate the importance of faith in biblical history, Paul turns to the story of Abraham. He argues that Abraham's act of supreme faith -- his willingness to sacrifice Isaac -- suggests that "the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith" (Romans 4:13). Pretty interesting, huh?
Paul then says that people should embrace their suffering and believe that God cares for them. Yeah, tell it to Job, Paul! He makes another biblical allusion, explaining that just as Adam's first sin "led to condemnation for all men" (Romans 5:18), Jesus's sacrifice led to eternal life. Christ, he explains, "died to sin...[but] lives to God" (Romans 6:10). Well, okay. Whatever you say, Paul.
I think what this means -- and I might be wrong -- is that the law is no longer wholly applicable to believers? Paul uses a metaphor of a married woman, saying that if she should sleep with another man while her husband is alive, she will be an adulteress, but if he dies she is freed from the rules of marriage. Likewise, Christ's death freed his followers from the restrictions of the Torah? I dunno man! This is pretty wild!
Today's reading wraps up with Paul contrasting the body with the spirit, saying that "the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God," whereas if one lives by the "Spirit" they will "put to death the deeds of the body... [and] live" (Romans 8:7-10). He alludes to the historic lawlessness of the Jews -- which we know well was a reoccurring theme in the Old Testament -- and uses it to justify his claims: "Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith" (Romans 9:31-32).
Gee whiz! More of this tomorrow, and we'll also embark on 1 Corinthians. We are seriously in the stretch drive here!
When we left him last time, he had been imprisoned in Jerusalem and blown off by the governor, Felix. In chapter 25 he is tried by the new governor, Festus, as well as Herod the Great's (somewhat distant) successor, Agrippa II. He tells his cute little life story to the authority figures, and although Festus at first accuses him of being insane, he is pretty darn persuasive and seems to win their favor. During the trial, he expresses his fervor for his work, saying, "I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am -- except for these chains" (Acts 26:29).
As a Roman citizen, Paul is entitled to a trial in Rome, so he sets off in a boat for Italy. The trip is not without incident, and eventually the gang is caught in a storm and shipwrecked. They wash up on the island of Malta, where Paul heals a man named Publius and is revered as a god.
Upon arriving in Rome, the authorities announce that they have received no letters about Paul, but have nonetheless heard rumors of his weird ways and want to know what he's all about. He preaches to the Romans, converting some, then is put under house arrest for two years to await his trial. We never do find out what happens to him! Some scholars say he died in Rome, while others say he evaded conviction and moved to Spain.
Romans, or more specifically, The Letter of Paul to the Romans, is a work dating back to some time between 48-58 CE. It is -- as the title suggests -- a letter that Paul wrote to the Roman people explaining his theology, and it's pretty darn interesting! The big theme here is, once again, that God is impartial in his love and will embrace Gentiles just as he will Jews. Paul also emphasizes the role of faith over law.
The letter opens with a classically Greek introduction and "thanksgiving" or prayer for the reader's well-being, followed by Paul's thesis: that "it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16). He talks about how many people, regardless of whether or not they are familiar with the Law, are not sufficiently pious, and that God will judge everyone equally. He also emphasizes that it's GOD'S JOB to do the judging, NOT YOURS!! "For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself," Paul writes, "because you, the judge, practice the very same things... Do you suppose, O man... that you will escape the judgment of God?" (Romans 2:1-3)
Obviously, the exception to this rule is if you're doing this:
Paul also takes a pretty unorthodox view on circumcision, explaining that "circumcision is indeed of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision" (Romans 2:25). In Paul's opinion, the physical rite has no bearing on the state of a person's spirit.
Paul goes on to talk about how all people are sinners -- because "through the law comes knowledge of sin" (Romans 3:20) -- but that God has provided people with the gift of redemption through Jesus. He is careful to emphasize that this does not nullify the law, it just means that faith in Jesus is more important.
To illustrate the importance of faith in biblical history, Paul turns to the story of Abraham. He argues that Abraham's act of supreme faith -- his willingness to sacrifice Isaac -- suggests that "the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith" (Romans 4:13). Pretty interesting, huh?
Paul then says that people should embrace their suffering and believe that God cares for them. Yeah, tell it to Job, Paul! He makes another biblical allusion, explaining that just as Adam's first sin "led to condemnation for all men" (Romans 5:18), Jesus's sacrifice led to eternal life. Christ, he explains, "died to sin...[but] lives to God" (Romans 6:10). Well, okay. Whatever you say, Paul.
I think what this means -- and I might be wrong -- is that the law is no longer wholly applicable to believers? Paul uses a metaphor of a married woman, saying that if she should sleep with another man while her husband is alive, she will be an adulteress, but if he dies she is freed from the rules of marriage. Likewise, Christ's death freed his followers from the restrictions of the Torah? I dunno man! This is pretty wild!
Today's reading wraps up with Paul contrasting the body with the spirit, saying that "the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God," whereas if one lives by the "Spirit" they will "put to death the deeds of the body... [and] live" (Romans 8:7-10). He alludes to the historic lawlessness of the Jews -- which we know well was a reoccurring theme in the Old Testament -- and uses it to justify his claims: "Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith" (Romans 9:31-32).
Gee whiz! More of this tomorrow, and we'll also embark on 1 Corinthians. We are seriously in the stretch drive here!
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