The National tribune., 1893-09-28

study the paragraph from The Holy Scriptures
indicated above. 5e .
INTRODUCTION.
st. Paul travelled, establishing churches He
felt interest in such churches. Here is the ex-
pianation Of the origin of the Epistles. He
wrote back to said churches giving instruc-
tions in essential items. What he wrote was
at times suggested by reports reaching his
as to complications existing in the churches he
planted He had authority, and what he said
had great weight. His opinions were sought,
and they helped much in settling difficulties,
doctrinal, governmental, etc.
One fact which aided greatly in spreading
the Gospel at the start was that Jews were so
scattered among the various nations and had
so many synagogs Rome had a large settle
ment from Palestine. Philo tells us Augustus
assigned Thorn a special district beyond the
Tiber The beginning of the Jewish colony
was not unlikely the slaves brought to Rome
by Pompey.
When ST. Paul was going to Rome he found
brethren at Puteoli. At April Forum Chris
tians from Rome met him to welcome him
into the city. This fact gave him courage.
Acts, % 1916.
Thouck says land with him compare
Josephus Ant, II. II, y: Under the regns
of Augustus, Tberius, and Nero there were
Jews even in the Imperial household and
Poppea, Nero's wife, was herself attached to
the jewish 1a1UU. 90 RTcdb WIS Tue uutuDcE VI
Jews in Rome that the Jewish embassy, sent to
Augustus after tho death of Herod, was joined
by 5000 Jews in Rome"
We are pleased to add that many of both Gen.
tiles and Jews became Christians, and as such
lived so consistently and effected works SO
great as to call for attention in nations abroad.
u:S.) This fact of correct faith, followed by
fitting conduct, was a comfort and encourage
ment to st. Paul.
The Epistle to the Romans.
DIR. Philip Sohaff says: "The EpistIe to the
Romans is tho Epistle of Epistles, as the Gospel
Of John is the Gospel of the Gospels. 1t is the
heart of the doctrinal portion OF the New Tesla
ment. 1t presents in systematic order the
Fundamentals truths of Christianity in their
primitive purity, inexhaustible depth, all con-
quering force and never-faling comfort. 1t is
the bulwark of the evangelical doctrines of sin
and grace against the observation Of the Gospel,
whether by Judaizing bigotry or paganizing
liceB tiousness."
Luther had high appreciation of this
Epistic. He said of it: "The chief part of the
New Testament and the purest Gospel, well
worthy to be committed to memory. word for
word. by every Christian man, and to be pom
dered daily and enjoyed as the daily bread Of
the soul. 1t can never be too often nor too well
read and considered, and the more it is under
stood, the better it tastes"
Coleridge declared it "the most profound
work in existence"
Meyer said of it: "The grandest, the boldest,
and, in all its depths and nights, the most COM
plete composition of the greatest Apostle"
The following quotation, without name. gives
a good idea of the first Epistle in our New Tes-
lament: Il urge you to tho study and inter-
probation Of the Epistle to the Romans. The
object of st. Paul I'M this Epistle is to furnish
the Roman Church with n complete encyclo-
pHiic statement of religious truth. In it he
includes natural religion. the Gospel, and
ethics, thus covering the whole field Of religion
and morals. In the first IL chapters the
Apostle after an Introductory survey Of mans
innate knowledge of God and law, discusses the
necessity, the nature the effects, and the appli-
cation TO the individual of gratuitous justifca-
ton; and in the last i've chapters he investi-
gates Christian ethics and morality, specifying
the duties of believer towards God and the
Church, towards the State and society. The
Epistle to the Romans therefore, comes nearer
to being body of divinity than any other
book of Scripture. 1t is systematic and logical
from beginning to end. Apostasy and redemp-
ton are the hinges upon which everything
turns. and in discussing these the writer
touches either directly or by implication upon
all the other truths of Christianity. The
Epistle to the Romans is, therefore, the N0Uum
Organum of the Christian religion, and whoever
understands it is a theologian."
1t is we'll the committee who selected our
lessons appointed a few in this Epistle. They
should be studied critically. To make them
full of interest one must give them close,
prayerfui reading. A good commentary is also
of good service. For these lessons in the
Episte to the Romans one will find his own
Christian experience the very greatest help.
Notes
l. Verse 49, 1t is not necessary there should
be code of laws issued in order that persons
become sinners. Natural law. intuition. OBJ
servstion are guides to human conduct. The
Jews had special laws, the decalog in particu-
lar. These were pful to them They could
not, however, save. They condemned. Vio-
lators of them were very gnity and did not es-
cape punishment. If Gentiles are condemned,
who have only the law of nature, much more
were Jews at fault who had q system of laws
aiding and instructive. " Mouth means per-
sons No one class is guiltess. ". 10.) So
we read, in V. 49, all the world is guilty. The
language Of the Bible against sinners is not for
Gentiles alone. The Jews. too, were gross sim
ners The last "that" in " 10 may be rem
dered, in order that" 1t is very important
to be convicted of sin. "That every mouth
may be stopped " is supposed by many to refer
to Jews. Having the law. and being fully
informed as to proper conduct and punishment
for the opposite, Jews could not utter a word.
The rest of the clause, "and all the world
may become guilty" is thought to embrace
Gentiles, for they have by nature light enough
from Heaven to render them responsible. So
again we have the statement of verse 8; both
Jews and Gentiles are proved to be under sin.
There is no chance for either to boast. There
is universal guilt, aud Christ saves all who
repent.
2. Law, in " 20, may refer in special to the
moral law embodied in the decalog AS means
of religious practice in the line of salvation for
Jews, we must include all the law, ceremonial
as well as moral. Because would be q good
rendering instead of therefore," Deeds ac-
cording to the law may become standard as to
whether We are obeying the law. They simply
reveal the fact. They have no redemptive
force. Laws rather condemn than justify. By
measuring for conduct, using the moral law as
our standard, we learn our spiritual condition.
No flesh" means no human being. The
knowledge of sin makes us miserable, but sal
walton from sin is our Joy. Since the law does
not justify, there is call for, grace. Hence. the
mission of Christ, which is another way of say
ing the righteousness of God" God knows
how to Justify without consideration savingly
of the law in its specific form. Law is the
means of the recognition OF sin. but the right
eousness of God explains the method of saliva
ton from sin. God knows how to consider Us
righteous without rendering himself upright
eous. This doctrine of redemption runs not
through the Gospel only, but is found alike in
the Old Testament. called. the Law and the
Prophets
3. We may road in v, % thus--the righteous
ness which we have from God The reference