 |  |
(3)
The ministry of many belonging both to the circumcision and to the
uncircumcision, and their mutual service and salutation are further evidence of the
acceptance of the Gentile (Rom. 15: 1-23).
In the process of this argument, God is given the titles of "The God of Hope" and
"the God of Peace", both of which make for unity.
In those sections which refer to the Gentile, the Apostle uses the words "fill", "full",
and "fulness" several times (d1 | 13-15, d2 | 17-20, d3 | 22-29).
The word "acceptance", or its equivalent teaching, occurs five times, as follows:
a1
|
15: 8-9. The Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy.
a2
|
15: 16-18. The offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable.
a3
|
15: 30-32. That the Gentile service Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints.
a4
|
16: 1-16. Salutation. The holy kiss. Circumcision and uncircumcision.
a5
|
16: 21-23. The whole church. Circumcision and uncircumsion.
With this analysis before us, let us now return to the opening argument, beginning at
verses 8 and 9:
"Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to
confirm the promises made unto the fathers: and that the Gentiles might glorify God for
His mercy" (Rom. 15: 8, 9).
It is quite characteristic of the Apostle to use the phrase "I say", when he wishes to
emphasize a particular point. Here in Romans we find this expression six times, while
the phrase "I speak after the manner of men" or "I speak as a man" occurs twice. Three
times the expression introduces the pre-eminence of the Jew (9: 1, 11: 1, 15: 8), and
twice it is used to stress the place of the Gentile (11: 11, 11: 13). The Received Text in
Rom. 15: 8 reads lego de, "But I say". The Revised Text, however, gives lego gar,
"For I say"--which links up the passage with the argument concerning the reception of
the believer in Christ.
The Apostle's statement here is twofold:
(1)
The ministry of Jesus Christ was to the Circumcision.
(2)
It also has the Gentile in mind.
In Israel's case, it is the truth of God and the promises made to the fathers that are in
view, while in the case of the Gentiles, it is simply His mercy that is mentioned.
The recognition of what is implied in Rom. 15: 8 is fundamental to dispensational
truth, for it reveals the true dispensational character of the earthly ministry of Christ, and
the true dispensational place of the Gospels. This is contrary to orthodox tradition, but is
in entire harmony with revealed truth. As an example of this confirming evidence, let us
consider Matthew's testimony to the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ came (a) for the