Paul’s Messianic Epistle to Rome

I am the type of person who never does anything without researching it first. I would never write a post on Paul’s epistle to the Romans if I had not researched what I wanted to say first. As teachers of the Word, we have a high calling to teach accurately not just fact and knowledge but spirit life and application of that knowledge. I have just recently began to study the epistle to the Romans from the Messianic perspective. I’d like to share with some things I’ve been learning about this staple epistle of the christian church. It is also a staple epistle for the Messianic believer as well.

Paul, I can say with near certainty, in all of his epistles writes not to a christian church but to the House of Israel (the diaspora) living in the Mediterranean. He writes to Messianic Jews who learn the scriptures in synagogues. He also writes to those who are coming into the faith of Israel, the nations or gentiles. Did you know that the believers living in the time of the epistle to the Romans did not have personal bibles of their own? They only heard the scriptures in the synagogue. Their scriptures only consisted of the Torah, the Neviim (Prophets), and the Ketuvim (Writings).

Israel (Judea and Samaria) had been under Roman rule for quite some time. Rome, at the time of this epistle, had a Jewish society of around 7 million. To date, there have been a dozen synagogue communities positively identified in Rome.

Its interesting to note in verse 5 of chapter 1, Paul uses the word obedience. Obedience in the greek is “hupakoe” from “hupakouo” meaning to listen attentively and hearken. It is the same word used in the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) in the shema, Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear o’ Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one God.” Then he goes on to say in verse 7 that he longs to impart some spiritual gift to those in Rome. so that they can be established and built up. What gift could this be? Let’s look at Acts 15:19-21 for the answer. Acts 15:19-21 says,

“Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles (nations), but that we write to them that they abstain from things comntaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood. For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.” 

Paul never instituted another faith system for the nations or gentiles.  He always worked to bring them into the faith of Israel. The Abrahamic covenant is still in effect today. He was bringing the nations into the faith of Abraham. This is Paul’s discipleship. Paul gave those coming into the faith of Israel the essentials of the faith of Israel from the Torah. That is what it says in Acts 15:19-21. Those essentials come from the book of Leviticus. Leviticus is the Mosaic Covenant. The Mosaic Covenant restores the fallen tent of David. David’s tent would still be standing if we had the teaching of the Mosaic Covenant. Without the Mosaic Covenant, you can’t have the Abrahamic Covenant. It puts faith and obedience in the same boat together.

I am learning that I have always had the same faith as Abraham. I believed on the God of Israel. I never had the opportunity until 1 year ago March to learn about the Mosaic Covenant. Paul, in writing to the House of Israel in Rome, never set forth a separate faith for the nations (gentiles/you and me). He always wrote to the House of Israel and to those coming to have faith in the God of Israel by teaching them the same lifestyle he lived. I will edit this from time to time as I continue my study in Romans. This is only what I have learned thus far. I’ve only done one chapter, there are still fifteen more to go.

 

http://www.yashanet.com/studies/romstudy/rom1.htm