Chapter # 10 Paragraph # 2 Study # 7
August 26, 2018
Humble, Texas
(070)
1769 Translation:
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
1901 ASV Translation:
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek: for the same [Lord] is Lord of all, and is rich unto all that call upon him:
13 for, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
- I. Paul's Thesis of "No Difference".
- A. This is a return to Romans 3:22 where Paul claims that "the righteousness of God by faith ...[is]... unto all them that believe: for there is no difference...".
- 1. In Romans 1:5 Paul claimed that his "apostleship" was to be exercised "among all nations".
- 2. In 1:13-14 he referred again to his commission to take the Gospel to the non-Jewish nations.
- 3. Then, in 1:16 he pointedly declared that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one who believes, "to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (a gloss that includes all non-Jewish peoples)".
- 4. It is clear in this earlier setting that the "no difference" was not a lack of "national" difference, nor of a lack of a "genealogical" difference. This "no difference" is specifically in view of the universality of sin ("...there is no difference for all have sinned...") and in the willingness of God to extend the message of salvation beyond the borders of Israel. Jesus, Himself, said that one of the specific results of the coming of the Holy Spirit would be that the "witness" would go from Jerusalem to "the uttermost parts" of the world (Acts 1:8). Jesus also said that a prerequisite for His return in glory would be that the Gospel would be preached to all the nations (Matthew 24:14).
- 5. Plus, Romans 3:29-31 specifically asks the question: Is God only of the Jews and not of the nations? And he answers it: Indeed also of the nations since there is only one God and He justifies every man who approaches Him on the basis of the Gospel and not on the basis of "works of law".
- 6. Given the record of Acts 22:21-22, this was an extremely volatile claim for Paul to make to "Jews".
- B. In our current text/context Paul says that the "no difference" issues are two: the same Lord is "of all"; and this Lord is "rich" toward "all" who call upon Him to be saved.
- 1. The "Jews" could hardly complain that Paul was not supporting their "Theology" of there being only one true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Their problem was that they did not want this "God" to extend any benefits to anyone but themselves; a position that is hardly defensible in the light of any kind of legitimate morality. How can anyone who believes that God is of the character to be "good" to anyone (especially him/her self) disparage a "Theology" that allows Him to be "good" to someone else?
- 2. Paul also supports his claim by referring to the prophecy of Joel 2 where the prelude to the promise he quotes is that God will pour out His Spirit upon "all" flesh.
- a. The promise Paul quotes is that "all/anyone" who should "call" upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
- b. The Joel 2 text/context is precisely the same found in Peter's mouth in his message to the Jews in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost that followed the Passover of the Lord's death. Peter actually specifically addressed the question, To whom is this promise made? in Acts 2:39. He said, "to you" and "to all who are far off". The adverb he used to describe those "far off" is the precise adverb Paul used in Ephesians 2:13 and 17 to refer to "Gentiles". It was, apparently, a typical Jewish adverb with which to address those who were not "Jews".
- 3. The "offensiveness" of this doctrine was not so much rooted in the Jewish concept of God's inherent "goodness" as it was in God's universal condemnation of all "sinners". The humiliation of being declared to be "impossible to justify on the basis of law" was, then, compounded by the humiliation of being "demoted" from the privileged position of "the people of God".
- II. This Declaration is the Core of Paul's Explanation of God's Larger Plan.