May 22, 2022
1SAMUEL 9-10:
In
yesterday's reading, Samuel was formally made a judge, and then he
led the people of Israel into victory over the Philistines. But
when Samuel was old and after the appointment of his two sons as
judges in his place, his sons perverted justice for bribes. So the
people asked to have a king. God had already long ago said this
would happen, in fact, this idea was in Hannah’s prayer. Samuel was
displeased, not for the sake of his sons, but because the people
were rejecting God as their king.
PSALM 95:
This
is a gem among the psalms. Note the exuberance of worship in this
psalm! And this is balanced by reverence to God. The last half of
this psalm is quoted in full in Hebrews and is an important topic
in that New Testament book.
ROMANS 3b:
In
Romans chapter 3 Paul refutes important misunderstanding and wrong
teaching in the process of resoundingly proving that Jews cannot
save themselves by their own power by means of fulfilling the Law.
(In his use of the term ‘the Law’, Paul was following the custom of
including other Old Testament books.) In the verses he quoted, he
made it very that not even one person can claim to be righteous in
God's sight. So God has provided another way to become right in His
sight, which is actually foretold in the Law and Biblical prophetic
writings.
NLT Translation notes:
Rom.
3:21 But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him[, and
this way is not based on// without keeping] the requirements of the
law, as was promised in the writings of Mosesi and the prophets long ago.
[The
Greek says “apart from the Law,” so NLT’s translation is
technically possible, but I think it is saying something Paul is
NOT saying and is doctrinally defective. In most of my suggested
changes to the NLT text, I am concerned with clear communication,
here however I am concerned with avoiding misunderstanding that
would lead to wrong teaching.]
22
We are made right with God by [fully believing//placing our faith]
in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no
matter who we are.
[Here is
an excellent example of the point I keep harping on. Note that
using the verb form ‘believe’ instead of the abstract noun form
makes it clear that the same word is used later in the verse.
Cohesion of ideas makes better understanding. Secondly, it is
easier for people to ‘do’ a verb than it is to ‘do’ an abstract
noun. It is easier to ‘practice’ something than it is to ‘make a
practice of’ something. It is easier to ‘eat’ apples than it is to
‘practice the consumption of’ apples.]
27
Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by
God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It
is based on [fully believing//faith].
[Notice
again the cohesion of the verb ‘believe’ in
26-31.]
28
So we are made right with God [by our fully believing//through
faith] and not by obeying the law.]
29
After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn’t he also the God
of the [non-Jews//Gentiles]? Of course he is.
30
There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only
by [believing in that message (the Good News)//fully
believing//faith], whether they are Jews or
[non-Jews//Gentiles].
31
Well then, if we emphasize [fully believing//faith], does this mean
that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when
we have [fully believe//faith] do we truly fulfill the
law.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.