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Paul's Use Of The Old Testament Romans 15
Paul's Use Of The Old Testament Romans 15
Paul writes in Rom. 15:4 that "… whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." That made me wonder what all Paul had taught in Romans that he learned in his reading of the Old Testament. You might want to grab a fresh cup of coffee, your Old Testament, and compare the following list with the context and quote that Paul used. It is quite an instructive study.
1:1 - the gospel was promised in the Holy Scriptures - concerning Jesus, the Son, a descendant of David... (no specific scripture quoted).
1:17 - the people of God are those who live by faith (Hab. 2:4)
2:6 - the righteous judgment of God, for God will render to each person according to his deeds (Psa. 62:12; Prov. 24:12;)
2:20 - the Jews had 'in the law the embodiment of knowledge and of truth' ...
2:24 - YET, it was the law that condemned the Jews saying: "the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you" (Is 52:5; Ezek. 36:20ff)
3:2 - The Jews had been entrusted with great advantage in that they were given the Oracles of God
3:4 - When God judges, He will be proven to be true, impartial, and will prevail
3:10-18 - the Scriptures condemned the Jewish people for their sin (Psa. 14:1–3; 53:1–3; 5:9; 140:3; 10:7; Isa. 59:7f; Psa. 36:1).
3:21 - the righteousness of God has been manifested (in the gospel concerning Jesus vs. 22), being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets...
4:3 - Justification by faith was stated and shown in the story of Abraham (Gen. 15:6).
4:6-8 - The blessing of forgiveness of sins was stated and shown in the story of David (Psa. 32:1-2, read the story of Bathsheba 2 Sam. 11-12!)
4:17 - The promise to Abraham was NOT just Jewish, but was for ALL of every Nation who would have faith in God (Gen. 17:5).
4:23-25 - these things were written not for Abraham's sake alone, but for ALL who believe in God
5:12ff - Paul relates how sin entered the world through Adam and how it brought ruin unto all of us as we have sinned.
6:23 - The wages of sin is death, which is a restatement of Ezek. 18:4, 20; Gen. 1 & 2.
7:1f - Through the teaching of the law we learned that when we died to the law we were freed to be married unto Christ.
7:10 - Through the law we learned of that which was unlawful; however, such learning proved to be death unto us.
7:13 - The law is good (but we are weak).
7:14 - The law is spiritual, but we are of flesh...
7:16 - The law is good...
8:4 - Now, in Christ, the requirement of the law is fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit...
8:36 - Thru the law we learn that the people of God will be persecuted by the ungodly (Psa. 44:22).
9:4-6 - In the OT we learn that to the Jews belonged the adoption of sons, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the Law, the temple service, and the promises... especially that the Christ would come through Them.
9:7 - In the OT we learn that the promised seed was to come through Isaac (Gen. 21:12).
9:9 - In the OT we learn that the promised seed was to come by way of Sarah (Gen. 18:10).
9:12-14 - This promise was to come through Jacob and not through the linage of Esau (Gen. 25:23; Mal. 1:2f).
9:15 - We see in the story of Moses and Egypt that God chooses who He will use to bring about His plans and purposes. (Ex. 33:19).
9:17 - God demonstrates His sovereignty in raising up Pharaoh to accomplish His plans and bring glory to Himself (Ex. 9:16).
9:25 - God demonstrates his sovereignty in proclaiming that He would make those who were NOT His people to BE His people (Hosea 2:23; 1:10).
9:27-28 - Isaiah foretold that only a remnant of physical Israel would be saved. (Isa. 20:22-23)
9:32-33 - God foretold in the OT that Israel would stumble over Jesus (Isa. 28:26).
10:5-8 - Moses showed in his writing that the way of righteousness BY law would be to keep it without sin, but he also wrote of the sending of Jesus from heaven, the resurrection from the dead, and the proclamation os this good news (Deut. 30:12-14).
10:11 - The OT promised that WHOEVER believes in the Christ would be saved (Isa. 28:16).
10:12 - THUS we learn that God is the GOD OF ALL and the Lord of ALL - both Jew and Gentile.
10:13 - The OT promised that WHOEVER would call upon the name of the Lord could be saved (Joel 2:32).
10:15 - Isaiah foretold the preaching of the good news concerning Jesus (Isa. 52:7).
10:16 - Isaiah also foretold that many of the Jewish people would NOT believe (Isa. 53:1).
10:18 - Psalm 19:4 teaches that God's message was to go forth unto all the earth - to the very ends of the world.
10:19 - Moses foretold that God would save the Gentiles and thus provoke some of Israel into believing (Deut. 32:21).
10:20 - Isaiah foretold that the Gentiles would come to God (Isa. 65:1).
10:21 - Isaiah also foretold that the Jewish people in large would be disobedient and rebellious (Isa. 65:2).
11:2-3 - In the scripture we learn that although many Jewish people would be unbelieving, there would be SOME, as in the days of Elijah, that would be faithful. (1 Kings 19:10, 14, 18).
11:8 - Many of the Jews would be hardened against the gospel – (Deut. 29:4; Is 29:10)
11:9 - David also spoke of such hardness of heart among the Jewish people – (Psa. 69:22-23).
11:26-27 - The promise of salvation for the Jews was to be when Jesus came from Zion to remove ungodliness from Jacob and establish a new covenant with them in which their sins would be removed (Isa. 59:20-21).
11:34-35 - Thus the plans and ways of God have proven to be unfathomable without revelation (Isa. 40:13; Job 35:7; 41:11).
12:19 - From the OT we learn that WE are to not take personal vengeance upon those who do us wrong, but leave such to God who will repay evil with evil (Deut. 32:35; Psa. 94:1).
12:20 - From the OT we can learn that we ought to do good unto our enemies (Prov. 25:21f).
12:9 - We can see that practicing love toward one's neighbor would be to not commit adultery, to not murder, to not steal, and to not covet... (Ex. 20:13ff; Deut. 5:17ff)...
14:11-12 - We can learn from the OT that eventually EVERY knee will bow in acknowledgment of God / Jesus as LORD of all (Isa. 45:23).
15:3 - We can see from the OT that Jesus was to be rejected and suffer for us (Psa. 69:9), and thus, if He would have such a mind toward US, we ought to live so as to please our neighbor for our neighbor's good and edification.
What was written really is for our admonition and learning!
Hugh DeLong
