Chapter # 11 Paragraph # 7 Study # 3
December 15, 2009
Lincolnton, N.C.
(555)
1769 Translation:
34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
36 For of him, and through him, and to him,
are all things: to whom
be glory for ever. Amen.
1901 ASV Translation:
34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
35 or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
36 For of him, and through him, and unto him, are all things. To him
be the glory for ever. Amen.
- I. Paul's "Conclusion" of His Explanation of the Integrity of God.
- A. Romans 9-11 is an argument for faith in the integrity of God.
- B. Paul's outburst in 11:33-36 is an expression of his awareness of the complexity of the Large Plan of God and of his awareness that men need to be very circumspect in the matter of bringing any charges of infidelity against God (either passively [simply not believing Him] or actively [making charges against Him] -- this is Paul's phrase in 10:21, " ... an unpersuaded and gainsaying people").
- 1. The wisdom and knowledge of God are both "rich" and "profound".
- 2. The decisions (judgments) of God are impossible to "plumb" and His "roads" are indiscernible.
- 3. The "mind" of the Lord is infinite so that no creature can "know" it.
- a. The word translated "mind" is consistently used in reference to the ability to reason from one "truth" to another (like connecting the dots of a "dot-puzzle" by which a picture emerges). The process involves what we call "logic" as a way of reasoning that allows both the large context and the small details to stand in harmonious relation to one another.
- b. God's "mind" is the composite of omniscience and comprehensive wisdom (11:33) that forms the basis for all action.
- c. In a relational universe, "action" is all-important at the level of "impact". As long as no "action" is taken, the universe runs along unaffected. It is when "action" is inserted into the reality of "persons in connection" that changes begin to occur. At a most fundamental level, the "creation" is a cause/effect reality with an immutable connection between "cause" and "effect". Once an action is taken, the downline developments are inevitable, with the caveat that "developments" are often skewed from their purity by the overlap of other actions and their effects (like the balls on a pool table driving others and being deflected by others). Thus we see that in the beginning God "spoke" (His first recorded "action") and, out of His speech flowed an enormous and extremely complex material reality.
- 4. The "wisdom" of the Lord is so "beyond" man that no creature can serve Him as a counselor.
- a. The word translated "counsellor" is interesting. It is a combination term that puts the idea of "cooperation" together with the basic word for "intention". What it means is that a "counsellor" is a co-conspirator in the making, and executing, of plans of action. Two (or, perhaps, more) reason together in order to purify their "logic" so that they may take action that will prove to be effective.
- b. The terminology is deliberate: does God need any help in "purifying His logic"? And, even if He did (blasphemous thought), who would qualify to give that help?
- 5. Since God is the Source of all, none can "give" Him something that requires a compensation by Him. All that comes from Him is His.
- a. The word "recompense" means "to give back in kind". It is the root of "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction". It is used in "legal" settings where "Justice" must be met with a recompense that is suitable to the deed.
- b. In such a setting of action/reaction/reaction/reaction/reaction/ad infinitum, the key is the original Actor. All flows out of the initial action.
- 6. Out of Him, through Him, and for Him are all things. He is, after all, God.
- a. The "of Him" focuses upon "source".
- b. The "through Him" focuses upon "agency".
- c. The "for Him" focuses upon "objective" (though He is the focus of "objective", the issue is His "objective", not "Him" per se -- the issue here is the Love of God and its intentionality).
