Deep in Scripture Radio

Jews and Gentiles Continued, Romans 11:25-36

A few thoughts to consider concerning today’s text, Romans 11:25-36:

1) Verses 23-24 set the context with Paul's insistence that faith on the part of the Jews is a condition for their being re-grafted back in. 

2) What is the mystery that Paul is speaking of?

      a) (25) partial hardening (What does "all Israel" mean?)

      b) (26) a promise of the fullness of Israel remains (cf. 11:2)

3) In verse 28 Paul is asking us to view the present situation through TWO lenses:

      a) Gospel: Jews are enemies

      b) Election: Jews are beloved. 

4) In verses 33-34, the consideration of God's providence leads to adoration of His wisdom.

5) The Doxology in v 36 provides the background for the Great Doxology of the Mass 'Through Him, with Him, and in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit etc.

From Twitter: Dear Marcus and Dr. Howell, on a recent Journey Home episode, the guest mentioned 1 Tim 3:14-15 as a rebuttal to non-Catholic Christians, but reading on to 4:1-3, you see why they are Protestant. Where they see the error of imposing forbidden doctrine law, even to marry, making them subjects; for in Christ we freely serve. We know all those who believe of Jesus, going His way in Spirit, are His. Though they fall short in the flesh are justified. It is of the spirit that we sin, taking on spirits of error, that which defiles; our denying the Truth of Spirits of error.”

“I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that, if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth” (1 Tim 3:14,15).

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by giving heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, through the pretensions of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and enjoin abstinence from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth” (1 Tim 4:13-3).

Gal 5:13, “For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another.”

[Jesus and Paul both said that some disciples might be called to abstain from marriage and food: Mt 19:11f; 6:16f; 1 Cor 7:32f; 8:13).

Jews, Gentiles, & the Development of Modern Protestantism, Romans 11:11-24

Today Marcus and Ken discuss Romans 11:11-24 in which St. Paul explains God's mysterious plan of incorporating the Gentiles into his plan of salvation. Using the imagery of the vine from the Old Testament, Paul calls Gentile Christians to humility and hope for the return of the Jews to their Messiah. 

 Listener Email: Dear CHN, God bless you for the work you do. Can you discuss the development of modern Protestantism and of Protestant thought from the reformation forward. For instance, the novelties of altar calls, sinner's prayers, symbolic baptism, symbolic Eucharist, personal relationship, personal interpretations of scriptures, rejection of infant baptism, etc. I would find this useful in my discussions with Protestant family members to help illustrate the theological novelty of Protestant theology in the framework of Catholic salvation history. In Christ, Phillip (Future Tiber Swim Team Captain 2015)

Has God Abandoned the Jews, Romans 11:1-12

Today Marcus and Ken discuss Romans 11:1-12 where Paul asks, "Has God rejected his own people? 

They look at Paul's emphatic denial that God has abandoned the Jews. Also, they comment on a Facebook debate about the Catholic Church and the Early Church Fathers.

Being Sent to Preach, Romans 10:13-21

St. Paul quotes Joel that all who call upon the Lord will be saved. Did the Old Testament prophet Joel mean everyone or just the Jews? Building upon other OT prophesies, St. Paul emphasizes that for a person to call upon the Lord, that person must first believe the gospel, and for them to believe they must hear, and for them to hear someone must preach. But can just anyone decide that they are called to preach? And how can one know whether what one is preaching or hearing is true? This all has to do with being sent.

EMAIL: Dear Marcus, I heard you speak this weekend on Christ’s statement, “Unless you eat my body and drink my blood, you have no life in you: Symbolic or literal?” Can you and Dr. Howell discus this in relation to the passage you will be discussing this week from Romans? In other words, what is they have not heard or understood?

St. Paul, Why Haven’t Jews Responded to the Gospel of Christ? Romans 9:30-10:13

Continuing our study of Romans, we’re right in the middle of the section in which Saint Paul addresses the question: "Why haven’t all the Jews responded to the Gospel of Christ?" They were the chosen people, but yet the majority of the Jews did not accept Jesus as their Messiah. Why? In this first half of chapter 10, Paul addresses the question of faith versus works of the Law, and the necessity of confessing with our lips and believing in our hearts.

God's Foreknowledge and Human Free Will, Romans 9:14-33

A few key points for today's discussion:

1) This is Paul's Theodicy—i.e. his justification of the ways of God. 

2) His purpose is to explain the ways of God in allowing the Gentiles to share in the Jews' privileges of the Covenant.

3) The text never says that God predestines people to damnation.

Send us your questions and/or comments!

Twitter: @MarcusGrodi

Email: deepinScripture@chnetwork.org

Why Haven't Others Responded to the Call of Jesus Christ? Romans 9:1-13

In this passage, Saint Paul addresses a question that nearly every Christian wonders: Why haven’t my friends and family members, or even the majority of Mankind, responded to the call of Jesus Christ? Why are they set against coming to Church? Why don’t they believe in God? Is it their ignorance? Their stubbornness? Is it my fault? Or is it God’s fault? Did God predestine from the beginning of time that they would not believe and not be saved? Or did He just foreknow how they would respond? 

Listener Email:

Email: In Ps 116:17, we read, “I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving…” Did the early Church begin calling the Lord’s Supper the “Eucharist” (thanksgiving) because they saw it as the fulfillment of this? Thanks, Steve.

Romans 8:18-30

In this section St Paul builds upon what he assumes his Christian audience already accepts: that there is a close intimacy between God and His Creation. The Hebrews spoke often of this in their Psalms. St. Paul draws on this intimacy, as well as the separation and “groaning” that Creation experiences as a result of Man’s sin, as a metaphor of a Christian’s present experience in this world and the eventually resurrection of the body. Creation and Mankind stand side-by-side awaiting this redemption.

Romans 8:12-23

The Catholic Church and the "Mystical Body of Christ", Romans 8:1-11

Today on Deep in Scripture Marcus and Ken discuss a fine email concerning the relationship between the Mystical Body of Christ and the Catholic Church. They go on to examine Romans 8:1-11. In 6, Paul emphasized that anyone in Christ through baptism has been freed from death and slavery to sin. Then in chapter 7, Paul gives a candid personal testimony of his own struggle against temptation and sin—even though he has been united with Christ through baptism. He ends chapter 7 with a testimony that the only answer to the continuing struggle is Jesus. Then in chapter 8, he picks up again what he had summarized in chapter 6: there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ (through baptism), and who remain in Christ by walking / living by the Spirit who dwells within them—by setting our minds on the Spirit.