“Enough, enough, convinced already…”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Friday, November 25, 2022
Romans 15:7-13 (Forward, p. 27) CEV p. 1186
Today’s passage is quite remarkable in one particular way. In the space of just seven verses (four verses actually) the apostle Paul has an amazing array of quotes from the Hebrew Scriptures:
2 Samuel 22:50; Psalm 18:49; Deuteronomy 32:43; Psalm 117:1 and Isaiah 11:10
This is a classic case of the ‘pearl-stringing’, the bringing together of words or phrases with a common meaning to highlight or make a particular point. It is the kind of Midrashic treatment that was quite common among first-century rabbis. In this case, the common meaning or thread are the words, ‘nations and ‘Gentiles’.
It would therefore appear that Paul wants to make it abundantly clear, clear to all of his readers whether Jewish or Gentile, that God’s mercy and love were meant for both groups and were planned this way right from the very beginning—whether ancients like Moses or David or more recent people like Isaiah. Paul doesn’t want there to be any doubt, any doubt at all, over this point. The hope that God gives to overflowing is meant for every single believer regardless of his or her ancestral background.
All of this is great news for us today as well. Over the years I have heard people say, “Oh, there’s no way that God could love, could accept, a person like myself—no, not with the kind of life that I have lived, the kind of background that I have.” What Paul is saying is, “No, that’s simply not true. God loves and accepts everyone.” Who knows what ‘baggage’ any of his readers, Jewish or Gentile, might bring to the table, and even so, God was still accepting and forgiving them. And so it is with any of us—and everyone that we might ever know or come into contact with: God is there for them, no matter what! What incredibly good news that is. Amen.
Forward notes: “’Therefore, I will confess you among the Gentiles, and sing praises to your name’; and again, he says, ‘Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people’; and again, ‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him’; and again Isaiah says, ‘The root of Jesse shall come, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles shall hope’” (verses 9b-12).
“Much of Saint Paul’s ministry involved breaking through old centers of tribalism and traditions and replacing them with Christian faith. Even old titles like Jew and Gentile would prove to be outmoded in this new unity. Our sources of pride, loyalty, identity, and ideology take a backseat to this new unifying presence. We’re no longer members of disparate groups, families, or races. From now on, we are brothers and sisters in Christ and members of his church body, brought together at the eucharistic table.
“I have very little in common with many people in my congregation. In fact, we may not agree on a single thing. But every week, we kneel at the same communion rail and confess our sins to the same Christ.”
MOVING FORWARD: “Read Galatians 3:28. How does its message fit within this passage from Romans?”