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| Study to show yourself approaved |
It has been a while. Yes. And I have been posting study methods.
I have decided to now move into a book of the Bible using the methods of study so as to instruct.
Let us start with the epistle to the Romans. It is the first letter after the book of Acts in the portion of the Bible known as the New Testament.
We see it is written by a fellow named Paul to a group of people in Rome.
So using the question method to crack it open we first ask who is this person named Paul? (Who wrote it?)
He was born a Jew. He studied to be a Pharisee. A Pharisee emphasized the observance of the Mosaic law in both oral and written forms. He was the best of the best. He was there at the murder of Stephen by stoning. He was the one who held the coats of the executioners. He had to make sure the killing was kosher.
It was he who wanted to kill all Christians and he even got a permit to do so. On the way to the city of Damascus he was met by Jesus in a bright light and blinded. "And he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul (That was his name) Saul, why are you persecuting me?" And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And HE said,"I am Jesus whom, you are persecuting."
Saul was lead to Straight Street and there he was given his sight back. He also became a believer in Jesus Christ and also became a child of God, A Christian then.
Who better than an expert in the scriptures to be writing this epistle that concerns the gospel? The gospel is that Jesus was crucified according to the scriptures and was buried and rose again on the third day according to the scriptures.
Now as to the book.
It starts out with Paul calling himself a bond-servant. A bond-servant, we find out when we consult our Bible Dictionary, is a free agent who decides to be a servant of someone else. Called as an Apostle- an apostle was someone who saw the Lord. See above for how he saw him and what qualifies him to make this statement. Set apart for the gospel. He had a purpose for being called. We should expect the rest of this letter to expand on that.
Paul was a very learned man. By the time he got to writing this letter to the Romans whom he has not yet seen but has heard about, his theology has been developed by study and interaction with people,to a point he could explain it. After all, as a Pharisee he knew how to teach.
In the coming posts I may go slow and fast at times depending on the chapters and the content. Not that there is any less important scripture portion but because I may feel the need to explain deeper in some places over others.
Read along and do your own study work. Anticipate and communicate.
Until next time, may God bless you.
