Tag: me ouk

Romans 10:19 – Action, not Anger

Posted on by Will

Romans 10:19 – Action, not Anger

But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: “I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.”

Truth to Learn

God’s gentle prodding is to provoke us to action. If we continually resist Him, it may provoke us to anger.

Behind the Words

In the phrase “did not Israel not know?” Paul uses the same double negative, mē ouk, that he employed in the previous verse. We could paraphrase it as, “did Israel really not know?”

“Provoke” is from paradzēloō, which is made up of para, meaning “beside” or “alongside” and dzēloō, meaning “to be zealous.” It refers to coming alongside and exciting or provoking someone, like one would prod an animal to make it move.

The words “move you to anger” are from a similar word. It is parorgidzō, which means “to come alongside and anger someone” (perhaps by continually prodding them).

Meaning Explained

Paul starts off this verse with, “Did Israel not know?” The implication is that Israel should have known, but they didn’t. The question that we have to ask ourselves is, “Know what?” Clearly, Paul has been talking about all people having evidence of God’s supremacy and man’s inability to be as righteous as God. But I don’t think that’s what Paul is referring to in this verse. Based on what he says in the following verses, I think Paul is referring to the fact that Israel clearly should have known that God was going to turn from the Jews and the message was going to go out to the Gentiles.

In order to make this point, Paul now quotes Moses from the second book of the Bible. In Deuteronomy 32:21 he says:

They have provoked Me to jealousy by what is not God; they have moved Me to anger by their foolish idols. But I will provoke them to jealousy by those who are not a nation; I will move them to anger by a foolish nation.

Here’s a summary of what Moses is talking about in Deuteronomy 32: The Greatness of God (verse four), God’s care for Israel, (verses nine and ten), the way Israel turned from God (verses sixteen through eighteen), and how God will respond by provoking Israel (verse twenty-one). Israel continually turned away from God and resisted Him so that in the end He provoked them to anger.

Paul’s point is clear. If the Israelites had studied their scriptures then they would have known that God would turn to the Gentiles because of the unfaithfulness of Israel. The problem was that too many of the Israelites did not know what was written in their scriptures.

Application

Let us all take a word of caution from this. Do you know what God wants and expects from you? Do you know what He instructs us to be and to do? Do you read and study your Bible so you will understand God’s plan for you? Do you know what God has in store for you and the future of mankind?

If you do, that’s great! If you don’t, why not? Do you want God to provoke you to anger like He did to Israel? Or will you listen to Him and be stirred to action?

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2010 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Romans 10:18 – Worldwide Music

Posted on by Will

Romans 10:18 – Worldwide Music

But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: “their sound has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.”

Truth to Learn

The Gospel message continues to be proclaimed worldwide.

Behind the Words

“Have they not heard” is from the Greek mē ouk akousan. Both mē and ouk are negative particles. In Greek grammar the double negative amplifies the negative. Akousan is a form of akouō, which Paul has been emphasizing throughout these last few verses. We could paraphrase this as, “have they really not heard?”

The words “Yes indeed” are translated from menounge, an unusual word which we looked at back in Romans 9:20. We could paraphrase this as “Now wait just a minute” or “Of course they have!”

“Sound” is from phthongos, which refers to “a musical sound, whether from a musical instrument or the voice.”

The word “ends” is translated from peras, which refers to “the extreme end or the farthest parts.”

Finally, “world” is translated from oikoumenē, which refers to “the place where people live.”

Meaning Explained

Paul has just declared that faith comes by hearing the Word of God, that is, the good news (Gospel) of the Messiah. He now anticipates the objection from the Jewish Christians in Rome that not everyone has heard God’s message. He responds to this theoretical objection by asking one of his rhetorical questions, “Have they really not heard?” And his response is even more emphatic, “Of course they have!”

Remember how beautiful God considers those who proclaim the gospel message? Paul refers to the sound of that message being like a musical sound and he declares that it has gone out to the very ends of civilization.

Paul’s quotation here is from Psalms 19:4 in the Septuagint version of the Old Testament. Here’s what the first part of that Psalm says:

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. (Psalms 19:1-3)

The Gospel message continues to be carried to all inhabited parts of the earth. That is our responsibility as Christians. We are to boldly proclaim it to everyone. And even though there may be some who have not heard the gospel message of Jesus’ death and resurrection, they are not innocent because there is sufficient evidence in God’s creation that proclaims God’s magnificence and man’s sinfulness.

Application

Today when you walk outside, take a good look at God’s handiwork and think about how foolish and ashamed those people who want to believe in evolution rather than creation are going to feel when they appear before their Creator and their Judge! They may ridicule us and call us fools, but we are to love them with God’s love and tell them the glorious gospel message. Life is neither meaningless nor hopeless for those who believe God’s truth, and it is undeniable.

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2010 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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