Reflections on Romans #5

The Thanksgiving

Romans 1:8-10

Paul opens this thanksgiving with the word “first.” Most commentators think that Paul had in mind a series, but never got around to or failed to mark the additional points, as there is no second point.[1] I reject this idea. The word means first in time or in order. It also has the sense of “above all.”[2] I believe Paul is drawing our attention to the idea of priority instead of order, The idea of priority fits the context. Lenski catches this idea when he points out “it naturally implies all that follows without a following ‘furthermore’ or is ‘second place’.”[3] It denotes the idea of first of all or priority. His priority in this thanksgiving prayer is to direct it to God the Father. This likely means that the idea of priority is the intent and thought in this context.[4] The giving of thanks is in the present tense, denoting he is in the continual course of giving thanks. Paul is repeatedly giving thanks to God for the presentation of His grace. Likewise, we should give thanks for His grace and goodness to us.

It is “through Jesus Christ.” The word “through” is a preposition used with the genitive case, signifying the “means of which an action passes to its accomplishment.”[5] Here it speaks of the mediatory work of Christ.[6] This phrase is used a number of times in Romans and seems to be a formula phrase for an aspect of the mediatory work of Christ. It is through Christ, not by or to Christ. There is only one mediator between God and man (1 Tim. 2:5). No man can approach God except through Jesus Christ. Mediation is a two-way channel. All we give to God goes through Jesus Christ and all God the Father gives us by His grace comes through Jesus Christ. Christ is not a one-sided mediator. Our prayer, praise, and glory to God go through Him. “Christ is Mediator not only of God’s approach to me (as, e.g., in v. 5) but also, as the risen and exalted Lord, of their responding approach to God in worship” notes Cranfield.[7] In Romans, Paul is strongly mindful of Christs’ intermediate role. There is no access to God except “through Jesus Christ.”

“Through Jesus Christ” in Romans

Romans 1:8	Mediator in Prayer
Romans 2:16	Mediator of Judgment
Romans 5:1	Mediator of our Peace with God
Romans 5:11	Mediator of Joy and Reconciliation
Romans 5:21	Mediator of Righteousness to us
Romans 7:25a	Mediator in Prayer
Romans 15:30	Mediator of Petitions
Romans 16:27	Mediator of Glory to the Father

The thanksgiving denotes the following:

• Paul’s interest in the Romans. He is thankful “for you all because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world” (1:8).  The word “because” gives a reason for His interest and thankfulness for them. It centers upon their faith. The faith referred to is the Romans saving faith, not a special gift of faith (1 Cor. 12:4-9). In Corinthians, we see there is a special faith given by the Spirit to selected believers.[8] This special gift of faith is limited, but saving faith is processed by every believer. Faith was the hand that accepted Christ; the invisible work of God whereby the believer is incorporated into the crucified and risen Christ. Their faith leads them to proclaim the message throughout the world. It is clearly their missionary attitude and mission. Their outreach was to the whole world. Stam tells us: "Think of it! Paul had never even visited Rome to encourage and establish the believers there, yet their faith in Christ was such that it excited worldwide attention and discussion!" [9]

• Paul’s Sincerity. “For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the [preaching of the gospel] of His Son” (1:9). The Majority Greek text literally reads: “For God is my witness, whom I serve with (in) my spirit in the gospel of the Son” (so translated in the KJV). He calls on God as a witness of his sincerity as to his thanksgiving and prayer for the Romans. It displays his unselfishness. Prayer always is concerned about others and has the element of unselfishness. This may be a call on God to be a witness to his sincerity in his actions toward the Romans and to add an element of truth since they had never met Paul. The keynote of our service is the truth. It is to give an element of trust to his readers.  However, Lenski offers another explanation. He says Paul is speaking of his secret prayer life of which God only knows and can witness.[10] He is confirming the Omniscient God who knows the intents and actions of the heart. Truth is an element that God has witnessed in him. God is his witness “as to how unceasingly I make mention of you."
  
• It is this God, who Paul serves (1:9). How he serves God is “in his spirit.” It is a spiritual service. Spirit here speaks of the human spirit. It is the internal element in which we serve God. Jesus said that “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). Notice the two elements: spirit and truth. The spiritual nature of God requires spiritual worship. Carson observes that “The worshippers whom God seeks to worship him out of the fullness of the supernatural life they enjoy (“in spirit”) and on the basis of God’s incarnate Self-Expression, Christ Jesus Himself, through whom God’s person and will are finally and ultimately disclosed (“in truth”); and these two characteristics form one matrix, indivisible.”[11]   

The prayer life of Paul consists of two things: spiritual worship and intercession. It was in conjunction with the truth of God and continual prayer for others. “Prayer is one of the most definite and genuine proofs of sincere Christian affection”[12] that Paul exhibited.

• Paul’s request for following the will of God (1:10). The will of God is to be followed. It is to be supreme in all that we do. Here in his thanksgiving for the Romans, he requests that they pray for him for his coming by the will of God. The answer and the coming depends on God’s will. True service of verse 9 is guided by our submission to the will of God. Submission to the guidance of God’s will involves the following: (1) A desire to do the will of God. Although the fulfilling of that desire may not be immediate. (2) Submission should be bathed in prayer. (3) There is a need for patience in waiting for the guidance of His will. The text indicates that the desire to go to Rome was long on Paul’s mind, but the opportunity did not yet present itself. (4) God may fulfill His will in unexpected ways. Paul did go to Rome, but it was an all-expense paid trip by the Roman government as a prisoner of Rome. We need to be submissive to the outworking of God’s will, no manner what it entails.

Our prayers should always involve thankfulness to God, sincerity for others, and a desire that we do the will of God.  

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[1]  Richard N. Longenecker, NIGTC: ROMANS, 102. Leon Morris, PNTC: THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS, 55. James D.G. Dunn, WBC: ROMANS 1-8, 27. Charles Hodge, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS, [Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, Reprinted 1960], 24. Charles Lee Irons, A SYNTAX GUIDE FOR READERS OF THE GREEK NEW TESTMENT, [Grand Rapids MI, Kregel, 2016], 334.

[2]  C.E.B. Cranfield, ICC: ROMANS, 1:74.

[3]  R.C.H. Lenski, THE INTERPRETATION OF ST. PAUL’S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS, [Minneapolis, Augsburg Publishing, 1961], 55-56.

[4]  W.H. Griffith Thomas, ST. PAUL’S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS: A DEVOTIONAL COMMENTARY, [Grand Rapids MI, Eerdmans, 1946], 53: William S. Plumer, COMMENTARY ON ROMANS, [Grand Rapids MI, Kregel, reprint 1993], 45. James D.G. Dunn, WBC: ROMANS 1-8, 27.

[5]  COMPANION BIBLE, “Appendix 104: Prepositions,” 149.

[6]  Contra Douglas J. Moo, NICNT: ROMANS, 57 who downplays this.

[7]  C.E.B Cranfield, ICC: ROMANS, 174.

[8]  Cf. David E. Garland, BECNT: 1 CORINTHIANS, [Grand Rapids MI, Baker, 2003], 581.

[9]  C.R. Stam, ROMANS, 30.

[10]  R.C.H. Lenski, THE INTERPRETATION OF ROMANS, 57. 

[11]  D.A. Carson, PNTC: THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN, [Grand Rapids MI, Eerdmans, 1991], 225-226.

[12]  Griffith Thomas, ROMANS, 55.