Romans 16:16-18 Romans 16:16

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Romans 16:16-Paul Requests That Romans Greet One Another With A Holy Kiss And Passes Along Greetings From Churches He Planted

Thus far in our study of this chapter we have noted that in Romans 16:1-2 Paul introduces Phoebe to the Roman believers and commands them to welcome her and put themselves at her disposal. Romans 16:1, “Now, I introduce to you Phoebe, our spiritual sister, who is also serving the church at Cenchrea 2 in order to welcome her into fellowship with yourselves with great honor and hospitality on the basis of the Lord’s teaching to love one another in a manner worthy of the saints and in addition that you place yourselves at her disposal for the purpose of providing her with anything at all she needs from you because she in fact has demonstrated herself to be of assistance for many including myself as well.” In verse 1, Paul gives a two-fold description of Phoebe, both of which were designed to facilitate Phoebe’s acceptance into the fellowship of the Roman believers. The first description “ our spiritual sister ” denotes the common spiritual relationship that Phoebe has with not only Paul and his companions with him in Corinth but also the common spiritual relationship she has with the Roman believers. The second description “ who is also serving the church at Cenchrea ” describes Phoebe as one who serves both Paul and the Roman believers as an intermediary between the two in the sense that she is the courier of this epistle. It does not denote the office of “deacon” since Paul’s teaching in 1 Timothy 2:11-15 and 3:12 prohibit a woman holding this position of authority in the church. “Cenchrea ” refers to a seaport seven miles east of Corinth on the Saronic Gulf, which was used for trade with Asia and was mentioned in the writings of Thucydides, Pausanias, and Strabo. It served as the southern harbor of Corinth. In Romans 16:1, it is identified as the home of Phoebe. Then, in Romans 16:2, he presents the two-fold purpose for Paul introducing Phoebe to the Roman believers. First of all, he introduced her to them so that they would welcome her into their fellowship with great honor and hospitality. The reason why they should do so is because of the Lord’s teaching to love one another. They were to welcome her in a manner worthy of the saints or that was the proper way among Christians of welcoming a fellow believer, which is in accordance with the Lord’s teaching to love one another. The second purpose for Paul introducing Phoebe to the Roman believers was so that they would place themselves at her disposal for the purpose of providing her with anything she

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 1 needs. Then, he presents the reason why they should do this, namely, because she has demonstrated herself to be of assistance for many Christians including himself. Then, in Romans 16:3-15, Paul commands the Roman believers to greet on his behalf 26 individuals, 2 families and other unnamed individuals. Romans 16:3, “All of you please give my regards to Prisca as well as Aquila, my co-workers in the cause of Christ, who is Jesus 4 who, indeed are of such character, risked their own necks for my life. Not only am I grateful but also each and every one of the churches from among the Gentiles. 5 Also, all of you please give my regards to the church, which is in their private home. Please give my regards to Epenetus, my dear friend who possesses the particular distinction of being the first convert to Christ from Asia. 6 All of you please give my regards to Mary, who is of outstanding character, having worked very hard on behalf of all of you. 7 All of you please give my regards to Andronicus as well as Junia, my fellow-workers as well as my fellow- prisoners who possess depth of character being well-known to the apostles, who have entered into the state of being in union with Christ before me. 8 All of you please give my regards to Ampliatus, my dear friend with respect to serving the Lord. 9 All of you please give my regards to Urbanus, our co- worker in the cause of Christ as well as Stachys, my dear friend. 10 All of you, please give my regards to Apelles, the battle tested one in the cause of Christ. All of you please give my regards to those from the household of Aristobulus. 11 All of you please give my regards to Herodion, my fellow-countryman. All of you please give my regards to those from the household of Narcissus, who are under the authority of the Lord. 12 All of you please give my regards to Tryphaena and Tryphosa, hard workers with respect to serving the Lord. All of you please give my regards to Persis, the beloved, who possesses depth of character, having worked very hard with respect to serving the Lord. 13 All of you please give my regards to Rufus, who is outstanding with respect to serving the Lord as well as his mother and mine. 14 All of you please give my regards to Asyncritus, Phlego, Hermes, Patrobas and Hermas as well as those spiritual brothers associated with them. 15 All of you please give my regards to Philologus as well as Julia, Nereus as well as his sister and in addition, each and every one of the saints associated with them.” In Romans 16:3-15, Paul sends greetings to 26 individuals. Paul sends greetings to 17 men (Aquila, Epenetus, Andronicus, Ampliatus, Urbanus, Stachys, Apelles, Herodion, Rufus, Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, Philologus, Nereus and Olympas). He sends his greetings to 9 women, 7 of which he names (Prisca, Mary, Junia, Tryphaena, Tryphosa, Persis, Rufus’ mother, Julia and Nereus’ sister). Of these individuals, 2 are married couples (Prisca and Aquila; Andronicus and Junia) and one more could either be husband and wife or brother

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 2 and sister (Philologus and Julia). The apostle also sent greetings to the slaves or freedmen connected to the families of Aristobulus and Narcissus. There could be as many as five house churches, one headed by Prisca and Aquila, one each connected to the household of Aristobulus and Narcissus, one connected to Asyncritus’ group and those connected to Philologus. Of these individuals, Paul identifies 4 as being dear friends, Epenetus, Ampliatus, Stachys and Persis and 5 are Jews, Prisca, Aquila, Andronicus, Junia and Herodion.

Next, we will study Romans 16:16 and in this passage Paul commands the Roman believers to greet on one another with a holy kiss and also tells them that all the churches sends their greetings. Romans 16:1, “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea; 2 that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been a helper of many, and of myself as well. 3 Greet Prisca and Aquila (AK wih luh), my fellow workers in Christ Jesus 4 who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. 5 Also greet the church that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus (ih PEE neh tus), my beloved, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia. 6 Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus (an DRAHN ih kuhs) and Junias, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus (uhr-BAY-nuhs), our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys my beloved. 10 Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. 11 Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet those of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord. 12 Greet Tryphaena (trigh FEE nuh) and Tryphosa, workers in the Lord. Greet Persis the beloved, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, a choice man in the Lord, also his

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 3 mother and mine. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon (flee-gahn), Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brethren with them. 15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus (nee roos) and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.” Once again, the apostle Paul employs the figure of “asyndeton” in Romans 16:16 since he does not use a connective between the previous greeting in Romans 16:15 and Paul command to the Romans to greet one another with a holy kiss. He uses this figure since he wants his Christian readers in Rome to consider those whom he sends greetings to as worthy of great respect by them. It emphasizes with his readers in Rome that the individuals mentioned by him in verses 3-15 were extremely important to Paul and were not insignificant to him and his ministry to the Gentiles. “ Greet ” is the second person plural aorist middle imperative form of the verb aspazomai ( α ) (ah-spaz-owe-meh), which does not mean “to give my regards” since Paul is not using the word here as he did in verses 3-15 with respect to himself greeting individuals he knew in Rome. Rather it means “to greet” since he is commanding the Romans and those whom he sends his regards to in verses 3- 15 to greet one another with a holy kiss. The aorist imperative form of the verb is a pure ingressive aorist imperative of the verb aspazomai expressing Paul’s desire that the Romans believers and those whom he sends his greeting to in verses 3-15 greet one another with a holy kiss. The middle voice of the verb is an intensive or indirect middle emphasizing that this is Paul’s command. This is an imperative of entreaty where Paul is requesting that the Roman believers and those whom Paul sends his greetings to in verses 3-15 to greet each other with a holy kiss. We will translate aspazomai , “ I myself request that all of you greet .” “One another ” is the accusative masculine plural form of the reciprocal pronoun allelon ( ), which is a unique term and is used in the Greek New Testament only as the object and not as the subject of the action of verbs since it does not have any nominative form. It comes from allos , which means “other.” Allelon is an expansion of allos and means the quality or state by which there is a mutual exchange between others and ourselves. The doubling of the stem allo - forms the reciprocal pronoun allelon , which is attested from the beginnings of Greek literature. It originally means one to the other (s), thus it corresponds to the English “each other.” The translation “each other” is sufficient for every instance that it is used in the New Testament. When a plural subject is represented as affected by an interchange of the action signified in a verb, it is called a reciprocal construction.

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The term “reciprocal” means “mutual, shared, shown or felt alike by both sides; united in feelings, actions, responsibilities, and attitudes.” Reciprocal implies a return in due measure by each side in the matter discussed. This reciprocal pronoun is frequently used in statements and injunctions to Christians regarding the responsibilities that believers are to engage in for the mutual help and blessing of one another. The frequency of these injunctions indicates the importance of this truth to the growth, health, and ministry of the body of Christ. Allelon is used primarily in the description of the obligatory conduct of Christians in the community toward each other, with emphasis on mutuality and culminating in the love commandment. The New Testament uses three methods for the expression of this idiom: (1) Regular Reciprocal (2) Reflexive Reciprocal (3) Middle Voice. Liddell and Scott (Greek-English Lexicon, New Edition, page 69): (1) Of one another, to one another, one another (2) Mutually, reciprocally, used of all 3 persons (3) With prepositions, en allelon, among one another. The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised (page 16): (1) One another (2) Each other. The New Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon (page 28): (1) One another (2) Reciprocally, mutually. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition: (1) each other (2) one another (3) mutually. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains, “a reciprocal reference between entities – ‘each other, one another’” (volume 2, page 816). In Romans 16:16, allelon is used with reference to the relationship between the Roman believers and those whom Paul sends greetings to in verses 3-15. It denotes a mutual exchange between these two groups in that they were to greet each other with a holy kiss. It denotes that they were to welcome each other into their fellowship. This exchange between each other is the proper, appropriate and obligatory response by them to each other since all were created by God, according to His image, redeemed at the Cross, justified through faith alone and Christ alone and fellow members of the body of Christ. This mutual exchange is the result of experiencing fellowship with God by operating in God’s love and is an expression of that love. In Romans 16:16, allelon functions as an accusative direct object meaning that it is receiving the action of the verb aspazomai . We will translate the word “ one another .” Corrected translation thus far of Romans 16:16, “I myself request that all of you greet one another…”

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Romans 16:16, “Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.” “With a holy kiss ” is composed of the preposition en ( ), “ in ” and the dative neuter singular form of the noun philema ( ηα ) (fee-lee-mah), “ kiss ” and dative neuter singular form of the adjective hagios ( ) (eye-yoce), “ holy .” The noun philema means kiss as an expression of greeting, affection, appreciation, intimate fellowship among Christians in the first century and unity. The kiss was a common form of greeting in the ancient world and was employed in Judaism as well. Cranfield writes, “The earliest clear reference to the kiss as a regular part of the Church’s worship is in Justin (I Apol. 65) according to which it was given between the intercessory prayers and the offertory. Tertullian refers to it as ‘the kiss of peace.’ Origen, commenting on this verse says, ‘from this injunction and several similar ones the custom has been handed down to the churches, that after the prayer the brethren shall greet one another in turn.” (Cranfield, C.E.B., International Critical Commentary, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, volume 2, pages 795-796; T and T Clark, A Continuum imprint, London, New York, 1975) Dunn writes, “Kissing as a form of social respect and regard, at greeting or parting, was widespread throughout the Orient (TDNT 9:121; see further 9:119- 24); similarly within Jewish tradition (TDNT 9:125-27). Mark 14:45 par.; Luke 7:45; 15:20; and 22:48 indicate that it was customary among Jesus’ contemporaries and disciples, and Acts 20:37, for Paul too.” (Dunn, James D.G., Word Biblical Commentary, volume 38b, Romans 9-16; pages 898-899; Thomas Nelson, 1988) Morris comments “The kiss was, of course, a regular greeting in the society in which the early Christians moved (cf. Mark 14:45), and we should understand it in this way and not as a liturgical action like the ‘kiss of peace’ which was taken into the service of Holy Communion. This probably came about because the time when Christians came together and thus exchanged a greeting tended to be that of worship. It is usually held that men kissed men and women women, but Tertullian refers to a wife being kissed by ‘any one of the brethren’ (To His Wife ii.4) Clement of Alexandria speaks of people speaks of people who ‘make the churches resound’ with kissing; he points out that ‘the shameless use of a kiss…occasions foul suspicions and evil reports’ (Instructor iii.12). This led to its restriction and general abandonment.” (Morris, Leon, The Pillar New Testament Commentary, The Epistle to the Romans, page 537; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan/Cambridge, U.K., 1996) Robertson writes that the kiss was “The near-east mode of salutation as hand- shaking in the Western. In China one shakes hands with himself. Men kissed men and women kissed women.” (Robertson, Archibald Thomas, Word Pictures in the

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New Testament, Romans 16:16; Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1931) Harper’s Bible Dictionary has the following comment, “While 1 Sam. 20:41 and 2 Sam. 19:40 show that close friends might kiss upon taking leave of each other, kissing is generally reserved in the OT for greeting close relatives (Gen. 29:11, 13; 33:4; 45:15; 48:10; Exod. 4:27) or taking leave (Gen. 31:28; 32:1; 50:1; Ruth 1:9, 14). The purely erotic kiss is mentioned in the Bible only in Prov. 7:13 and Song of Sol. 1:2; 8:1. The kiss of betrayal is attested only in 2 Sam. 20:9 and Matt. 26:49 (parallels, Mark 14:45; Luke 22:47). In the NT the kiss is a greeting exchanged between Christians (see Acts 20:37; Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:12; 1 Thess. 5:26; 1 Pet. 5:14) (Pages 342-343). G. Al Wright Jr. writes that the kiss was “most often used of the touching of the lips to another person’s lips, cheeks, shoulders, hands, or feet as a gesture of friendship, acceptance, respect, and reverence. The location of the kiss carried different meanings as Jesus made clear in the episode of the woman kissing his feet (Luke 7:36–50). With the exception of three occurrences (Prov. 7:13; Song 1:2; 8:1), the term is used without any erotic overtones. Kiss translates two Hebrew words and three Greek words; the basic Hebrew term is found 32 times, and the basic Greek term is found 7 times. In the OT close relatives kissed at greeting and departing with the connotation of acceptance most often in the foreground (Gen. 27:26–27; 29:11; 50:1; Exod. 18:7; 1 Sam. 10:1; Ruth 1:9). The term was further used of the gesture of reverence to idols (1 Kings 19:18; Hos. 13:2) as well as to the Lord (Ps. 2:12). A kiss of betrayal is also found (2 Sam. 20:9). The term “kiss” in the NT is used of Judas (Mark 14:44–45), of the father to the prodigal as a sign of acceptance and reconciliation (Luke 15:20), of the Ephesian elders to Paul as a sign of gratitude (Acts 20:37), of the woman who kissed the feet of Jesus (Luke 7:38), and of the “holy kiss” (1 Thess. 5:26; 1 Cor. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:12; Rom. 16:16). The holy kiss was widely practiced among the early Christians as a manner of greeting, a sign of acceptance, and an impartation of blessing. This custom could well have been used to express the unity of the Christian fellowship. The substitute kiss involved kissing the hand and waving it in the direction of the object to be kissed (Job 31:27). The kiss of betrayal from Judas does not belong to the category of the kiss of Joab to Amasa (2 Sam. 20:9) but was the sign of respect from pupil to master. Either the action of Judas did not accord with his inner feeling, or his action had other motivation than betrayal. The kiss still survives in the Near Eastern culture as a sign of love, respect, and reverence.” (Holman’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, page 997) W.L. Walker writes, “The kiss is common in eastern lands in salutation, etc., on the cheek, the forehead, the beard, the hands, the feet, but not (in Palestine) the lips (Cheyne, Encyclopaedia Biblica, under the word ‘Salutations’). In the Bible there

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 7 is no sure instance of the kiss in ordinary salutation. We have in the Old Testament naschaq , ‘to kiss,’ used (1) of relatives (which seems the origin of the practice of kissing; compare Song 8:1, ‘Oh that thou wert as my brother .... I would kiss thee; yea, and none would despise me’); Gen 27:26-27 (Isaac and Jacob); 29:11 (Jacob and Rachel); 33:4 (Esau and Jacob); 45:15 (Joseph and his brethren); 48:10 (Jacob and Joseph's sons); 50:1 (Joseph and his father); Ex 4:27 (Aaron and Moses); 18:7 (Moses and Jethro, united with obeisance); Ruth 1:9,14 (Naomi and her daughters- in-law-a farewell); 2 Sam 14:33 (David and Absalom); 1 Kings 19:20 (Elisha and his parents-a farewell); see also Gen 29:13; 31:28,55; Tob 7:6; 10:12. (2) Of friendship and affection; compare 1 Sam 20:41 (David and Jonathan); 2 Sam 15:5 (Absalom and those who came to him); 19:39 (David and Barzillai-a farewell); 20:9 (Joab and Amasa); Prov 27:6 (‘the kisses ( neshiqah ) of an enemy’); 1 Esd 4:47 (‘the king stood up, and kissed him’). (3) Of love; compare Song 1:2, ‘Let him kiss me with the kisses ( neshiqah ) of his mouth’; Prov 7:13 (of the feigned love of ‘the strange woman’). (4) Of homage, perhaps; compare 1 Sam 10:1 (Samuel after anointing David king); Gen 41:40, ‘Unto thy word shall all my people be ruled,’ the Revised Version margin ‘order themselves,’ or ‘do homage,’ the King James Version margin ‘Hebrew be armed or kiss’ ( nashaq ); Ps 2:12, ‘Kiss the son’ (American Standard Revised Version), the English Revised Version margin ‘Some versions render, 'Lay hold of (or receive) instruction'; others, 'Worship in purity' OQ; some ancient versions give 'Kiss (or, do homage) purely.' (5) Of idolatrous practices; compare 1 Kings 19:18; Hos 13:2 (compare 8:5-6; 10:5); Job 31:27, probably, ‘kissing the hand to the sun or moon’ (compare verses 26, 27). (6) A figurative use may be seen in Ps 85:10; Prov 24:26; Ezek 3:13, where ‘touched’ is nashaq (see the King James Version margin). (7) In Ad Esth 13:13 we have ‘I could have been content .... to kiss the soles of his feet,’ and in Ecclus 29:5, ‘Till he hath received, he will kiss a man's hands’-marks of self- humiliation or abasement. In the New Testament we have phileo , ‘to kiss,’ ‘to be friendly,’ and kataphileo , ‘to kiss thoroughly,’ ‘to be very friendly’-the first in Matt 26:48; Mark 14:44; Luke 22:47, of the kiss with which Judas betrayed his Master. This was probably meant to be taken as an expression of special regard, which is expressed by the kataphileo of Matt 26:49; Mark 14:45; the same word is used of the woman who kissed the feet of Christ (Luke 7:38,45); of the father's greeting of the returning prodigal (15:20); and of the farewell to Paul of the Ephesian Christians (Acts 20:37); philema , ‘a kiss,’ ‘a mark of friendship,’ is used by Our Lord as that which Simon omitted to give him (which may refer to ordinary hospitality), but which the woman had bestowed so impressively (Luke 7:45); of the kiss of Judas (Luke 22:48); and of the ‘holy kiss’ wherewith Christians greeted each other, which, according to the general usage we have seen, would be as the members of one family in the Lord, or as specially united in holy love (Rom 16:16

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1 Cor 16:20; 2 Cor 13:12; 1 Thess 5:26; 1 Peter 5:14). There is reason to believe that, as a rule, men only thus greeted men, and women, women. In the Apostolical Constitutions (3rd century) it is so enjoined. (International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, Electronic Database Copyright (c)1996 by Biblesoft) Smith’s Bible Dictionary “Kissing the lips, by way of affectionate salutation, was customary among near relatives of both sexes, in both patriarchal and later times. Gen. 29:11; Son. 8:1. Between individuals of the same sex, and in a limited degree between those of different sexes, the kiss on the cheek, as a mark of respect or an act of salutation, ha, s at all times, been customary in the East, and can hardly be said to be extinct even in Europe. In the Christian Church, the kiss of charity was practiced not only as a friendly salutation, but as an act symbolical of love and Christian brotherhood. Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:12; 1 Thess. 5:6; 1 Pet. 5:14. It was embodied in the earlier Christian offices, and has been continued in some of those now in use. Among the Arabs, the women and children kiss the beards of their husbands or fathers. The superior returns the salute by a kiss on the forehead. In Egypt, an inferior kisses the hand of a superior, generally on the back, but sometimes, as a special favor, on the palm also. To testify abject submission, and in asking favors, the feet are often kissed instead of the hand. The written decrees of a sovereign are kissed in token of respect; even the ground is sometimes kissed by Orientals in the fullness of their submission. Gen. 41:40; 1 Sam. 24:8; Ps. 72:9 etc. Kissing is spoken of, in Scriptures, as a mark of respect or adoration to idols. 1 Kgs. 19:18; Hos. 13:2.” Nelson’s Bible Dictionary “A symbolic act done to various parts of the body, especially cheeks, feet, forehead, and lips (Prov 24:26). Ideally, a kiss shows a close relationship to another person, although the relationship and purpose may vary greatly. Romantic kisses are mentioned infrequently in the Bible, whether genuinely loving (Song 1:2; 8:1) or seductive (Prov 7:13). The most common type of kiss, however, was that between relatives (Gen 29:11-13). A kiss could serve either as a greeting (Ex 4:27) or a farewell (Ruth 1:9,14; Acts 20:37). It can even express one's anticipation of departure by death (Gen 48:10). The family kiss was extended in the New Testament to apply to the Christian family (1 Cor 16:20; 1 Peter 5:14). Friends might kiss in greeting (1 Sam 20:41; 2 Sam 19:39) although occasionally such a kiss could be given insincerely (Prov 27:6). Kissing also has figurative meaning when righteousness and peace are pictured as harmonious friends kissing each other (Ps 85:10). A kiss can also mean betrayal. Judas' treachery is eternally symbolized by a kiss (Luke 22:47-48).” (Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright (c) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers) Therefore, in Romans 16:16, the noun philema means kiss and was an expression of greeting, affection, appreciation, intimate fellowship among Christians in the first century and unity between them. In western civilization in

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 9 the twenty first century, this kiss would be equivalent to a hug or handshake. The word is modified by the adjective hagios , “holy,” which indicates that this kiss is reserved exclusively for fellow Christians. The noun is the object of the preposition en , which functions as a marker of means indicating the means by which the verbal action is accomplished, which in our context, is aspazomai . This indicates Paul is commanding the Romans and those whom he sends his regards to in verses 3-15 to greet one another “by means of” or “with” a holy kiss. Therefore, we will translate the prepositional phrase en philemati hagio ( ), “ with a holy kiss .” This request was standard at the end of Paul’s letters and appears in Peter’s letters as well. 1 Corinthians 16:20, “All the brothers and sisters send greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.” (NET Bible) 2 Corinthians 13:12, “Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.” (NET Bible) 1 Thessalonians 5:26, “Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy kiss.” (NET Bible) 1 Peter 5:14, “Greet one another with a loving kiss. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.” (NET Bible) This “holy kiss” was an expression of affection between believers. In Romans 12:10, Paul commands the Romans believers to continue to make it their habit to be affectionate with one another. Romans 12:10, “Concerning affection among spiritual brothers and sisters, all of you must continue to make it your habit to be affectionate with one another. Concerning honor, all of you continue to make it your habit to regard one another more highly than yourselves.” “Affectionate ” is the nominative masculine plural form of the adjective philostorgos ( filovstorgo$ ) (fil-os-tor-gos), which is a compound word composed of the adjective philos , “beloved, friendly” and the adjective storgos , “affection,” thus the word literally means “affection between friends or family.” The adjective pertains to love or affection for those closely related to one, particularly members of one’s immediate family. The word’s negation, the adjective astorgos ( a*storgo$ ) (as-tor-gos) appeared in Romans 1:31 where it meant “unloving, unaffectionate, without affection for loved ones.” The adjective astorgos describes a person who is without natural, instinctive affection for their parents or children and has an uncaring attitude towards those who are of their immediate family. Now, the adjective philostorgos appears only once in the Greek New Testament, namely here in Romans 12:10 where it means “affectionate” and refers to the affection for members of the body of Christ. This affection is produced by the Holy Spirit in the believer who obeys the command to love his fellow believer as Christ loved Him (John 13:34). Thus, it is the direct

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 10 result of the believer operating in the agape , “ divine-love ” of God and is an expression of it. As we noted in our study of agape in Romans 12:9, the word in this passage means “ divine-love ” since the believer’s love for God and his fellow believer is the result of the believer responding by faith to the love God has demonstrated toward him through the Son and the Spirit and expresses itself in obedience to God. Therefore, philostorgos denotes affection for one’s fellow Christian that is the direct result of operating in agape , “ divine-love ” and responding by faith to the love God has demonstrated to him through the Son and the Spirit by being obedient to the Lord’s command to love one another as He loved all men. Marvin Vincent makes the following comment regarding this word in Romans 12:10, he writes, “Only here in the New Testament. From [ stergoo ], ‘to love,’ which denotes peculiarly a ‘natural’ affection, a sentiment innate and peculiar to people as people, as distinguished from the love of ‘desire,’ called out by circumstance. Hence, of the natural love of kindred, of people and king (the relation being regarded as founded in nature), a tutelary god for a people. The word here represents Christians as bound by a family tie. It is intended to define more specifically the character of philadelphia , ‘brotherly love,’ which follows, so that the exhortation is ‘love the brethren in the faith as though they were brethren in blood’ (Farrar). The English Revised Version (1885): ‘be tenderly affectioned;’ but the King James Version, in the word ‘kindly,’ gives the real sense, since ‘kind’ is originally ‘kinned;’ and ‘kindly’ affectioned is having the affection of ‘kindred.’” (Vincent's Word Studies of the New Testament, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft) Corrected translation thus far of Romans 16:16, “I myself request that all of you greet one another with a holy kiss…” Romans 16:16, “Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.” Once again, Paul employs the figure of “asyndeton” meaning he does not use a connective between the previous command and the statement to follow. He uses this figure because he wants the Roman believers to understand that they are not alone and that the churches that he planted were identifying with them and regarded them as worthy of great respect. It emphasizes with his readers in Rome that the churches that he planted from Jerusalem to Illyricum regarded them as extremely important. Also, Paul wants to build unity between the Roman church and the ones he planted from Jerusalem to Illyricum. Romans 16:16, “Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.” “All the churches of Christ ” is composed of the nominative feminine plural form of the adjective pas ( ), “ all ” and the articular nominative feminine plural

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 11 form of the noun ekklesia ( ηα ) (ek-klee-see-ah), “ the church ” and the articular genitive masculine plural form of the proper name Christos ( ) (cree-stoce), “ Of Christ .” The noun ekklesia refers to the local Christian assemblies which Paul established among the Gentiles in the Roman Empire. The word functions as a nominative subject meaning that it performs the action of the verb aspazomai as indicated by its articular construction. We will translate ekklesia , “ the churches .” The adjective pas is attributive modifying the noun ekklesia , “ the churches ” and is used in a distributive sense referring to each and every one of the churches, which Paul established in the Roman Empire from Jerusalem to Illyricum. The word denotes “no exceptions,” which would indicate that each and every one of the Gentile churches in the Roman Empire which Paul established were sending their greetings through Paul to the Roman believers. We will translate the adjective pas , “each and every one .” The noun Christos is a technical word designating the Lord Jesus as the promised Savior for all mankind who is unique as the incarnate Son of God and totally and completely guided and empowered by the Spirit as the Servant of the Father. The word is a genitive of possession indicating that these churches that Paul established among the Gentiles throughout the Roman Empire “belong to” or are “owned by” the Lord Jesus Christ. The articular construction of Christos emphasizes that Jesus of Nazareth who is called the Christ is in a class by Himself. It denotes that there are many who claim to be the Savior but Jesus of Nazareth is superior to them since these so-called Christ’s but are in fact imposters. It emphasizes that Jesus of Nazareth is in a class by Himself and superior to all the other so-called Messiahs since He unlike them did not please Himself but denied self and self-sacrificially served the Father by delivering sinful humanity from sin, Satan and his cosmic system through His substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths and resurrection. Therefore, we will translate the expression hai ekklesiai pasai tou Christou ( η ), “ each and every one of the churches owned by the one and only Christ .” Corrected translation thus far of Romans 16:16, “I myself request that all of you greet one another with a holy kiss. Each and every one of the churches owned by the one and only Christ…” Romans 16:16, “Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.” “Greet ” is the third person plural present middle indicative form of the verb aspazomai ( α ) (ah-spaz-owe-meh), which means “to give their regards” and is used this time with each and every one of the churches that Paul planted among the Gentiles from Jerusalem to Illyricum as its subject.

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The present tense of the verb is an “instantaneous” present used to indicate that the greeting that Paul passes along to the Roman believers from each and every one of the churches that he planted among the Gentiles from Jerusalem to Illyricum is completed at the “moment” of writing. The middle voice of the verb is an intensive or indirect middle emphasizing that this is a greeting that Paul is passing along from each and every one of the churches that Paul planted among the Gentiles from Jerusalem to Illyricum. The indicative mood is “declarative” presenting this assertion as a non- contingent or unqualified statement of fact. We will translate aspazomai , “ give their regards to .” “You ” is the accusative second person plural personal pronoun su ( ) (see), which is used in a distributive sense meaning “each and every one of you” and refers to “each and every” member of the body of Christ in Rome without exception regardless of race, gender or social status. The word functions as an accusative direct object meaning that it is receiving the action of the verb aspazomai indicating that each and every one of the Roman believers without exception is the object of this greeting from each and every one of the churches that Paul planted among the Gentiles from Jerusalem to Illyricum. We will translate the word “ each and every one of you without exception .” Completed corrected translation of Romans 16:16, “I myself request that all of you greet one another with a holy kiss. Each and every one of the churches owned by the one and only Christ give their regards to each and every one of you without exception.” To summarize our findings, in this passage, Paul requests that the Roman believers and those whom he sends his regards to in verses 3-15 greet one another with a holy kiss. This kiss in the first century among Christians was an expression of greeting, affection, appreciation, intimate fellowship and unity. In western civilization in the twenty first century, this kiss would be equivalent to a hug or handshake. The adjective hagios , “holy” emphasizes that this kiss is reserved exclusively for fellow Christians. In the second statement in the verse the apostle passes along a greeting to the Romans from each and every one of the churches that he had planted among the Gentiles from Jerusalem to Illyricum. He passes along this greeting because he wants the Roman believers to understand that they are not alone and that the churches that he planted were identifying with them and regarded them as worthy of great respect. It emphasizes with his readers in Rome that the churches that he planted from Jerusalem to Illyricum regarded them as extremely important. Also, Paul wants to build unity between the Roman church and the ones he planted.

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Romans 16:17-Paul Warns Romans To Watch For And Avoid Those Causing Divisions And Temptations Contrary To Doctrine They’ve Been Taught

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Then, in Romans 16:3-15, Paul commands the Roman believers to greet on his behalf 26 individuals, 2 families and other unnamed individuals. Romans 16:3, “All of you please give my regards to Prisca as well as Aquila, my co-workers in the cause of Christ, who is Jesus 4 who, indeed are of such character, risked their own necks for my life. Not only am I grateful but also each and every one of the churches from among the Gentiles. 5 Also, all of you please give my regards to the church, which is in their private home. Please give my regards to Epenetus, my dear friend who possesses the particular distinction of being the first convert to Christ from Asia. 6 All of you please give my regards to Mary, who is of outstanding character, having worked very hard on behalf of all of you. 7 All of you please give my regards to Andronicus as well as Junia, my fellow-workers as well as my fellow- prisoners who possess depth of character being well-known to the apostles, who have entered into the state of being in union with Christ before me. 8 All of you please give my regards to Ampliatus, my dear friend with respect to serving the Lord. 9 All of you please give my regards to Urbanus, our co- worker in the cause of Christ as well as Stachys, my dear friend. 10 All of you, please give my regards to Apelles, the battle tested one in the cause of Christ. All of you please give my regards to those from the household of Aristobulus. 11 All of you please give my regards to Herodion, my fellow-countryman. All of you please give my regards to those from the household of Narcissus, who are under the authority of the Lord. 12 All of you please give my regards to Tryphaena and Tryphosa, hard workers with respect to serving the Lord. All of you please give my regards to Persis, the beloved, who possesses depth of character, having worked very hard with respect to serving the Lord. 13 All of you please give my regards to Rufus, who is outstanding with respect to serving the Lord as well as his mother and mine. 14 All of you please give my regards to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas and Hermas as well as those spiritual brothers associated with them. 15 All of you please give my regards to Philologus as well as Julia, Nereus as well as his sister and in addition, each and every one of the saints associated with them.” In Romans 16:3-15, Paul sends greetings to 26 individuals. Paul sends greetings to 17 men (Aquila, Epenetus, Andronicus, Ampliatus, Urbanus, Stachys, Apelles, Herodion, Rufus, Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, Philologus, Nereus and Olympas). He sends his greetings to 9 women, 7 of which he names (Prisca, Mary, Junia, Tryphaena, Tryphosa, Persis, Rufus’ mother, Julia and Nereus’ sister). Of these individuals, 2 are married couples (Prisca and Aquila; Andronicus and Junia) and one more could either be husband and wife or brother and sister (Philologus and Julia). The apostle also sent greetings to the slaves or freedmen connected to the families of Aristobulus and Narcissus. There could be

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 15 as many as five house churches, one headed by Prisca and Aquila, one each connected to the household of Aristobulus and Narcissus, one connected to Asyncritus’ group and those connected to Philologus. Of these individuals, Paul identifies 4 as being dear friends, Epenetus, Ampliatus, Stachys and Persis and 5 are Jews, Prisca, Aquila, Andronicus, Junia and Herodion.

Next, in Romans 16:16, Paul commands the Roman believers to greet on one another with a holy kiss and also tells them that all the churches sends their greetings. Romans 16:16, “I myself request that all of you greet one another with a holy kiss. Each and every one of the churches owned by the one and only Christ give their regards to each and every one of you without exception.” In the first statement in this passage, Paul requests that the Roman believers and those whom he sends his regards to in verses 3-15 greet one another with a holy kiss. This kiss in the first century among Christians was an expression of greeting, affection, appreciation, intimate fellowship and unity. In western civilization in the twenty first century, this kiss would be equivalent to a hug or handshake. The adjective hagios , “holy” emphasizes that this kiss is reserved exclusively for fellow Christians. In the second statement in the verse the apostle passes along a greeting to the Romans from each and every one of the churches that he had planted among the Gentiles from Jerusalem to Illyricum. He passes along this greeting because he wants the Roman believers to understand that they are not alone and that the churches that he planted were identifying with them and regarded them as worthy of great respect. It emphasizes with his readers in Rome that the churches that he planted from Jerusalem to Illyricum regarded them as extremely important. Also, Paul wants to build unity between the Roman church and the ones he planted. This evening we will study Romans 16:17 and in this passage Paul warns the Roman believers to watch out for those who cause divisions and temptations to sin

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 16 and apostasy contrary to the doctrine they’ve been taught and that they were to avoid them. Romans 16:1, “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea; 2 that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been a helper of many, and of myself as well. 3 Greet Prisca and Aquila (AK wih luh), my fellow workers in Christ Jesus 4 who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. 5 Also greet the church that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus (ih PEE neh tus), my beloved, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia. 6 Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus (an DRAHN ih kuhs) and Junias, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus (uhr-BAY-nuhs), our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys my beloved. 10 Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. 11 Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet those of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord. 12 Greet Tryphaena (trigh FEE nuh) and Tryphosa, workers in the Lord. Greet Persis the beloved, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, a choice man in the Lord, also his mother and mine. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon (flee-gahn), Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brethren with them. 15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus (nee roos) and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you. 17 Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. 18 For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. 19 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.” “ Now ” is the “transitional” use of the post-positive conjunction de ( ) (theh), which is correctly translated and marks a transition from the previous paragraph in Romans 16:3-16 to the paragraph that follows it in Romans 16:17-20. In Romans 16:17-19, the apostle Paul warns the Roman Christians about false teachers. Then, in Romans 16:20, he assures the Roman believers of their ultimate victory over Satan and also he prays that the grace of God will be manifested among them.

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Romans 16:17, “Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.” “I urge ” is the first person singular present active indicative form of the verb parakaleo ( ααα ) (para-kah-leh-owe), which is a compound verb composed of the preposition para , “beside” and the verb kaleo , “to call, invite,” thus the word literally means “to call to one’s side.” This verb appears extensively in classical literature and has a wide range of application. First of all, it was a general term meaning “to call someone.” Secondly, it was used in religious contexts of “summoning or sending for someone” such as the gods. Connected to this meaning, in legal contexts it was used of “summoning” one’s friends to attend a trial, “summon” a defendant into court or “call” someone as a witness. Thirdly, the verb was used for the act of exhorting or encouraging someone and included the idea at times of “consoling” or “comforting.” The fourth usage of the word is that it could mean “require” or “demand” something of someone. Lastly, parakaleo could mean “beseech” or “implore,” which has a stronger sense than the general idea of inviting or calling. Otto Schmitz lists the following classical meanings: (1) “to call to” (2) “to beseech” (3) “to exhort” (4) “to comfort.” (Theological Dictionary volume 5, pages 774-776) Liddell and Scott list the following meanings: (1) Call in, send for, summon; summon one’s friends to attend one in a trial, to call them as witnesses; invite; appeal to (2) Exhort, encourage, comfort console; excite (3) Demand, require (4) Beseech, entreat (5) Relent; repent, regret. (Greek-English Lexicon, New Edition, page 1311) In the Septuagint, parakaleo appears 134 times and is used to translate a number of Hebrew words. It is used to translate the verb nacham and is most often translated “to comfort, console.” The verb parakaleo can also stand for nacham in the niphil and hithpael stems meaning “to be sorry, to have compassion on, to have pity on” (Ps. 135:14). This usage only appears in the Septuagint. Parakaleo is occasionally used for God’s compassion in judgment (Deut. 32). Where parakaleo is used for other Hebrew equivalents, it also means “to encourage, strengthen” (Deut. 3:28; Job 4:3), “to lead astray” (Deut. 13:6), or “to lead along, guide” (Ex. 15:13). The verb parakaleo occurs 109 times in the Greek New Testament. Schmitz lists the following New Testament usages for the word: (1) Asking for help (2) Exhortation (3) Consoling for help (4) Comforting by men and as God’s act. (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, volume 5, pages 794-799)

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Braumann lists the following New Testament meanings: (1) Summon, invite, ask, implore (2) Exhort (3) Comfort, encourage (The New International Dictionary of the New Testament, volume 1, page 570). The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised lists the following meanings for the verb parakaleo , “to call for, invite to come, send for; to call upon, exhort, admonish, persuade; to beg, beseech, entreat, implore; to animate, encourage, comfort, console; pass. To be cheered, comforted” (page 203). The New Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon has compiled the following lists: (1) To call to one’s side, call for, summon (2) To address, speak to, (call to, call on) which may be done in the way of exhortation, entreaty, comfort, instruction (3) To admonish, exhort (4) To beg, entreat, beseech (5) To console, to encourage and strengthen by consolation, to comfort (6) To encourage, strengthen (7) It combines the ideas of exhorting and comforting and encouraging (8) To instruct, teach. (Pages 482-483) Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, “ Parakaleo , primarily, ‘to call to a person’ ( para , ‘to the side,’ kaleo , ‘to call’), denotes (a) ‘to call on, entreat’; (b) to admonish, exhort, to urge one to pursue some course of conduct (always prospective, looking to the future, in contrast to the meaning to comfort, which is retrospective, having to do with trial experienced), translated ‘exhort’ in the RV of (Phil. 4:2; 1 Thess. 4:10; Heb. 13:19,22), for KJV, ‘beseech’; in (1 Tim. 5:1), for KJV, ‘intreat’; in (1 Thess. 5:11), for KJV, ‘comfort’; ‘exhorted’ in (2 Cor. 8:6) and (12:18), for KJV, ‘desired’; in (1 Tim. 1:3), for KJV, ‘besought.’” A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third edition: (1) to ask to come and be present where the speaker is, call to one’s side; invite someone; summon to one’s aid, call upon for help; (2) to urge strongly, appeal to, urge, exhort, encourage (3) to make a strong request for something, request, implore, entreat (4) to instill someone with courage or cheer, comfort, encourage, cheer up (5) to treat someone in an inviting or congenial manner, something like our ‘be open to the other, have an open door’: invite in, conciliate, be friendly to or speak to in a friendly manner (Pages 764-765). Louw and Nida list the following: (1) To ask for something earnestly and with propriety – ‘to ask for (earnestly), to request, to plead for, to appeal to, earnest request, appeal’ (33.168). (2) To ask a person to accept offered hospitality – ‘to invite’ (33.315). (3) To call to come to where the speaker is – ‘to call together to’ (33.310). (4) To cause someone to be encouraged or consoled, either by verbal or non-verbal means – ‘to encourage, to console, encouragement’ (25.150) (Greek- English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains) Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament, “from a basic meaning call someone to oneself (1) call to (one’s side) (a) summon, call for (b) invite (c) call on (for help), summon to one’s aid (2) as speaking with persistence earnestly ask

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 19 for, implore, beg (3) as speaking authoritatively exhort, urge, encourage (4) as speaking to relieve sorrow or distress comfort, cheer (up), encourage (Page 296). The verb parakaleo appears 4 times in the book of Romans. It appeared in Romans 12:1 where it means “to appeal” since this word denotes asking earnestly for something on the basis of something, which is what Paul is doing here by appealing to what God has done for his readers as the basis for his appeal to present their bodies as a living, holy sacrifice, acceptable to God. Romans 12:1, “Therefore, I appeal to each and every one of you spiritual brothers and sisters on the basis of the merciful acts produced by God the Father to offer your bodies as a sacrifice-alive, holy, extremely pleasing and beneficial to God the Father, which is your reasonable service.” In this passage, Paul is making his appeal to his readers to present their bodies as a living, holy sacrifice, acceptable to God on the basis of what God has done for them and not on the basis of his apostolic authority. In Romans 12:8, the verb parakaleo means “to encourage” and refers to the function of the permanent spiritual gift of encouraging members of the body of Christ to live in a manner worthy of their calling, to grow up to become like Christ. Romans 12:8, “Or, the one whose function it is to encourage by encouragement or the one whose function it is to give sincerely or the one who devotes himself to exercising leadership diligently or the one whose function it is to demonstrate compassion cheerfully.” In Romans 15:30, the verb parakaleo means “to appeal” since this word denotes asking earnestly for something on the basis of something. Paul is appealing to the Roman believers on the basis of the common relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ that he shares with them and on the basis of the divine-love produced by the Spirit to fight together with him in prayer for him. Romans 15:30, “Now, I appeal to each and every one of you spiritual brothers and sisters without exception on the basis of the common relationship we share with our Lord, namely Jesus, who is the Christ as well as on the basis of the divine-love, which is produced by the Spirit to fight together with me by means of your prayers in the presence of God the Father on behalf of me.” Now, in Romans 16:17, the verb parakaleo means “to warn” since in context Paul is giving admonishing advice to the Roman believers of the spiritual danger of false teachers coming into their midst and causing divisions and temptations contrary to the teaching they have received from him in this epistle and their pastors. The first person singular form of the verb is an obvious reference to the apostle Paul.

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The present tense of the verb is an “instantaneous” present used to indicate that the action of Paul appealing to his readers is completed at the “moment” of writing. The active voice refers to Paul as the subject producing the action of warning his readers to keep an eye out for those who cause divisions and temptations contrary to the teaching they have received from their pastors as well as him in this epistle. The indicative mood is “potential,” which is used with verbs of obligation, wish or desire followed by an infinitive. In our passage, we have the verb parakaleo , which expresses Paul’s desire that his readers to keep an eye out for those who cause divisions and temptations contrary to the teaching they received from their pastors as well as from him in this epistle and is followed by the infinitive form of the verb skopeo , “ to keep your eye on .” Therefore, we will translate parakaleo , “ I warn .” “You ” is the accusative second person plural form of the personal pronoun su ( ) (see), which is a reference to Paul’s Gentile and Jewish Christian readers in Rome and is used in a distributive sense. This indicates that Paul is warning “each and every one of” his Jewish and Gentile Christian readers “without exception” to keep an eye out for those who cause divisions and temptations contrary to the teaching they have received from their pastors as well as him in this epistle. The word functions as an accusative direct object meaning that it is receiving the action of the verb parakaleo , “ I warn ” indicating that Paul’s Jewish and Christian readers in Rome are being addressed and warned. We will translate su “each and every one of you without exception .” “Brethren ” is the vocative masculine plural form of the noun adelphos (ε ) (ah-thel-foce), which means “fellow-believer, fellow-Christian, spiritual brother or sister.” It refers specifically to each and every one of the Roman believers without exception as indicated by the personal pronoun su , “ each and every one of you without exception .” This word adelphos emphasizes with the Roman Christians that they are on equal footing with the apostle in that they are sons of God like him (cf. Jn. 1:12-13; Gal. 3:26-28). The anarthrous construction (no definite article) of the noun adelphos is “qualitative” emphasizing the qualitative aspect of the word. Thus, it emphasizes that the Roman believers are Paul’s “spiritual” brothers and sisters through regeneration. This is a vocative of direct simple address indicating Paul is directly addressing in writing his spiritual brothers and sisters who were located in the city of Rome. We will translate the word, “ spiritual brothers and sisters .” Corrected translation thus far of Romans 16:17, “Now, I warn each and every one of you without exception, spiritual brothers and sisters…”

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Romans 16:17, “Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.” “To keep your eye on ” is the present active infinitive form of the verb skopeo ( ) (sko-peh-owe). In the classical period, the verb skopeo meant “to look at,” especially “to look at critically” as the judge does or the philosopher or the historian. Thucydides used the word for the one in the theatre who inspects the faces of the spectators with reference to their callings. This inspection can also be with a view to ascertaining a propitious time, or avoiding danger, or accomplishing a purpose. Skopeo can also mean “to hold something as a model before one’s eyes.” Liddell and Scott list the following meanings in classical literature: (1) “to behold, to observe, to contemplate” (2) “to examine, to inspect, to look out, to watch” (3) (metaphorically) “to look to, to look into, to consider, to examine, to look to one’s own affairs or interests” (4) “to look out for” (5) “to consider in a deliberate manner” (Greek-English Lexicon, pages 1613-1614). The verb skopeo appears only twice in the Septuagint (LXX). In the LXX it is closely related to its cognate, skopeuo , appear 9 times, in each case with the meaning “to keep a watchful eye on something” (cf. Esther 8:13; 2 Maccabees 4:5). Skopeo appears 6 times in the NT and twice in this epistle (Luke 11:35; Rom. 16:17; 2 Cor. 4:18; Gal. 6:1; Phil. 2:4; 3:17). Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, “ Skopeo , ‘to look at, behold, watch, contemplate,’ (akin to skopos , ‘a mark,’), is used metaphorically of ‘looking to,’ and translated ‘mark’ in (Rom. 16:17), of a warning against those who cause divisions, and in (Phil. 3:17), of observing those who walked after the example of the apostle and his fellow workers, so as to follow their ways.” The New Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon lists the following meanings: (1) To look at, observe, contemplate (2) To mark; to fix one’s eyes upon, direct one’s attention to, anyone (3) To look to, take heed to yourself, lest (Page 579). A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition defines the word “to pay careful attention to, look (out) for, notice” (Page 931). The Analytical Revised Greek Lexicon: (1) To view attentively, watch, reconnoiter (2) To see, observe, take care, beware (Lk. 11:35; Gal. 6:1). (3) To regard, have respect to (2 Cor. 4:18; Phlp. 2:4). (4) To mark (Rom. 16:17; Phlp. 3:17) (Pages 369-370). Louw and Nida provide the following: (1) “to continue to regard closely-to watch, to notice carefully” (24.32). (2) “to be ready to learn about future dangers or needs, with the implication of preparedness to respond appropriately-to beware of,

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 22 to watch out for, to pay attention to” (27.58). (3) “to exert effort in continually acquiring information regarding some matter, with the implication of concern as to how to respond appropriately-to be aware of, to be concerned about, to consider” (27.36). (4) “to keep on giving serious consideration to something-to ponder, to let one’s mind dwell on, to keep thinking about, to fix one’s attention on” (30.20) (Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains). Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament lists the following: (1) keep a watchful eye on, notice carefully, watch out (2) of self-examination based on inspection of a model or example before one consider, be concerned about, keep thinking about (Page 351). The verb skopeo is used in Luke 11:35 where the Lord warns His students to careful to avoid self-righteous arrogance. It is used again by Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:18 where states that mature believers are occupied with the invisible spiritual and eternal aspect of life rather than the visible, natural and temporal side of life, the latter of which is passing away. In Galatians 6:1 Paul warns believers in Galatia to be careful that they don’t succumb to temptation by being arrogant when correcting another believer. In Philippians 2:4, Paul warns the Philippians to not be occupied with self. In Philippians 3:17, the verb skopeo means “all of you continue observing carefully” observe carefully the conduct of other mature believers who are imitating Paul’s code of conduct. In Romans 16:17, the verb skopeo means “to keep a watchful eye on” those individuals who cause divisions and temptations contrary to the teaching that the Roman believers received from their pastors and Paul in this epistle. The present tense of the verb is a “customary” or “stative” present used to signal an ongoing state. This indicates that Paul is warning the Roman believers to “exist in a state of” keeping a watchful eye out for those individuals who cause divisions and temptations contrary to the teaching that they received from their pastors as well as himself in this epistle. The active voice is “stative” indicating that the subject exists in the state indicated by the verb. The subject is the Roman believers. This again indicates that Paul is warning the Romans to “exist in the state of” keeping a watchful eye out for those individuals who cause divisions and temptations contrary to the teaching that they received from their pastors as well as himself in this epistle. The verb skopeo functions as a “complementary infinitive” meaning that it is completing the thought of the verb parakaleo . We will translate skopeo , “ to keep a watchful eye out .” Corrected translation thus far of Romans 16:17, “Now, I warn each and every one of you without exception, spiritual brothers and sisters to keep a watchful eye out for…”

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Romans 16:17, “Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.” “Those who cause ” is composed of the articular accusative masculine plural present active participle form of the verb ( ) (pee-eh-owe), “ those who cause .” The verb poieo means “to cause to be” indicating that Paul is warning the Romans to keep a watchful eye out for those individuals who “cause” divisions and temptations contrary to the teaching they received from their pastors and himself in this epistle. As we will note poieo is used of the legalistic teaching of the Judaizers, which caused divisions in the churches in the Roman Empire and believers to sin and enter into apostasy. The verb functions as a “substantive” participle as indicated by the definite article modifying it, which functions as a substantiver meaning that it converts the participle into a substantive. Therefore, this can be reflected by translating the article with the phrase, “ those who .” The article refers to the Judaizers whose legalistic teaching caused divisions in the churches in the first century and believers to sin. This is indicated by the prepositional phrase para ten didachen hen humeis emathete ( ε εε ), “ contrary to the teaching which you learned .” The substantival participle form of poieo functions as an accusative direct object meaning that it is receiving the action of the verb skopeo . The present tense of the verb is a “customary” or “stative” present used to signal an ongoing state. This indicates that Paul is warning the Roman believers to keep a watchful eye out for the Judaizers who “existed in a state of” causing divisions and temptations contrary to the teaching that the Romans received from their pastors as well as himself in this epistle. The active voice is “stative” indicating that the subject exists in the state indicated by the verb. The subject is the Judaizers whose legalistic teaching caused divisions in the churches in the first century and believers to sin and which teaching was contrary to the teaching the Romans received from their pastors and Paul in this epistle. This again indicates that Paul is warning the Romans to keep a watchful eye out for those individuals who “exist in a state” of causing divisions and temptations contrary to the teaching that they received from their pastors as well as himself in this epistle. We will translate the substantival participle form of poieo , “ those who cause .” Corrected translation thus far of Romans 16:17, “Now, I warn each and every one of you without exception, spiritual brothers and sisters to keep a watchful eye out for those who cause…”

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Romans 16:17, “Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.” “Dissensions ” is the articular accusative feminine plural form of the noun dichostasia ( αα ) (thee-ho-stah-see-ah), “ dissensions .” The noun dichostasia is related to dischotateo and is from dicha , which is both an adverb and a preposition meaning, “in two, apart” and the verb histemi , “to stand.” Therefore, the word is a “standing apart,” thus it is a “dissension” or “an act of sedition.” It appears only once in the Septuagint, in the apocryphal section, 1 Maccabees 3:29 where it means “division.” It occurs only twice in the Greek New Testament, Romans 16:17 and Galatians 5:20 where in both instances it means “dissension.” A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition defines the word “the state of being factious opposition, dissension (Page 252). Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament defines the word “strictly standing apart; hence disunity, dissension, division within a community” (Page 118). Louw and Nida define the verb “a division into opposing groups, generally two – ‘division, discord’” (39.13) (Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains). In Romans 16:17, the noun dichostasia is in the plural and means “divisions” referring to that which is caused in the Christian community by false teachers. The word functions as an accusative direct object meaning it is receiving the action of the verb poieo . The articular construction of the word indicates that these divisions were well-known to Paul’s readers since their pastors warned them about these divisions and Paul did as well in this epistle. Though Paul does not explicitly identify these individuals, his teaching in Romans chapters 2-4 does strongly suggest that he is referring to the Judaizers since these chapters are designed specifically to refute their legalistic teaching. Further suggesting that Paul is referring to that which is caused by the Judaizers’ teaching is that Paul’s epistles and the book of Acts reveal that the Judaizers’ caused divisions in the churches that Paul established from Jerusalem to Illyricum. In particular, their teaching caused divisions in Galatia, which Paul addressed in the Galatian epistle. The fact that Paul would use three chapters in this epistle to refute their teaching, which his other epistles and the book of Acts reveal caused divisions in the churches, strongly suggests that this noun dichostasia in Romans 16:17 is a reference to the divisions caused by the Judaizers’ legalistic teaching.

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The Judaizers originated with the Pharisees and those who adhered to their teaching and were composed of both believing and unbelieving Jews who taught strict adherence to the 613 mandates found in the Mosaic Law as well as the oral traditions of the Rabbis, which are now, documented in the Mishna and the Talmud. They elevated the oral traditions of the Rabbis to be on a par with the Scriptures and in some cases elevated them above the Scriptures (cf. Mk. 7). Many of the Judaizers were believers since Acts 6:7, 15:5 and 21:20 state that many of the priests and Pharisees who were teachers of the Mosaic Law believed in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation but after salvation they still adhered to the Mosaic Law rather than the mystery doctrine for the church age that Paul was teaching. The NT Scriptures described the Judaizers with the following phrases: (1) “dogs, evil workers, the false circumcision ” (Phil. 3:2). (2) “ Drifting off course from grace ” (Gal. 5:4). (3) “ Enemies of the cross ” (Phlp. 3:18). (4) “ Coming short of the grace of God ” (Heb. 12:15). They are referred to in the following NT passages: (1) Acts 13:45 (2) Acts 15:5 (3) Acts 17:5 (4) Acts 21:20 (5) Galatians 1:6-7 (6) Philippians 1:12-18 (7) Philippians 3:1-3. The Judaizers taught that one had to observe and practice the Mosaic Law in order to get saved whereas Paul taught salvation by grace through faith in Christ and not through the works of the Mosaic Law (Eph. 2:8-9; Gal. 2:16). They followed Paul throughout his missionary journeys seeking to discredit and destroy his ministry (Acts 13:45; 17:5). Paul denounces their teaching in the book of Galatians since they taught a “ different gospel ” according to Gal. 1:6 and “distorted the gospel of Christ ” (Gal. 1:7). Galatians 5:1-13, “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love. You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is. But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished. I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves. For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 26 turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” Galatians 6:12-15, “Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For those who are circumcised do not even keep the Law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh. But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.” Consequently, the apostle Paul describes the Judaizers as “enemies of the cross” in Philippians 3:17-19. Philippians 3:17-19, “Brothers, all of you continue being joint-imitators of me and continue observing carefully those who are living in this manner just as all of you continue having us as an example because many, about whom I often told all of you, but I now say even weeping, are living as the enemies of the cross of the Christ whose destiny is certain destruction, whose god is the stomach, and whose glory will certainly result in their shame, those who are continually occupied with earthly matters.” The Gospel message demonstrates that all of humanity is totally and completely dependent upon God and His grace for not only human existence itself but also for salvation. They could do nothing to earn or deserve salvation and were totally and completely dependent upon God to provide salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. The Judaizers also hated the gospel message because the gospel taught that all of humanity, both Jew and Gentile have absolutely no merit with God and that only Jesus of Nazareth, who is the Christ has merit with God since He is the only sinless human being in history. Therefore, the gospel rejects human arrogance and pride. The Judaizers distorted Paul’s teaching of justification by grace through faith in Christ by saying that this doctrine encourages people to sin or gives them license to sin, which is called “antinomianism.” They rejected the grace message since it rejects human arrogance, which expresses itself by attempting to perform some sort of system of works in order to be justified before a holy God (Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 2:16; Titus 3:5-7). They also rejected it because they were involved in evil, which is independence from God (Isaiah 14:12-14). The Judaizers twisted and distorted the gospel message that Paul and the apostles communicated since it exposed their sin and hypocrisy and self-righteousness and thus their need for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (John 3). The Judaizers claimed that circumcision was necessary for salvation but the first church council in Jerusalem disagreed since the Holy Spirit revealed to the

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 27 council that it was through faith in Christ that was one received the promise of eternal life regardless if you were a Jew or Gentile racially (Acts 15). The Judaizers were very religious and legalistic people. Theologically, religion is the antithesis to Biblical Christianity in that it is the ignorant, presumptuous, vain and arrogant attempt by man to gain the approbation of God by depending upon a legalistic, meritorious system of human works rather than the impeccable Person and Finished Work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary defines the noun legalism, “strict adherence, or the principle of strict adherence, to law or prescription, especially to the letter rather than the spirit.” The Judaizers like the Pharisees taught strict adherence to the letter of the Law, especially to the letter rather than the spirit of the Law (Mk. 2-3)! The legalism of the Pharisees from whom the Judaizers originated is illustrated by their critical attitude of our Lord Jesus when he healed on the Sabbath. Under the Mosaic Law, the Sabbath was designed to benefit Israel by prohibiting Israel from working on this day and yet the Pharisees criticized the Lord for healing on the Sabbath, thus they strictly adhered to letter of the Law rather than the spirit of the Law. In Philippians 3:2-3 Paul issues a warning to the Philippians to beware of the Judaizers and their legalistic teaching, in which they taught that man must be circumcised in order to be saved. Philippians 3:2-3, “Beware of those dogs, beware of those evil workers, beware of the mutilation because we are the circumcision those who are serving (God the Father) by means of the Spirit of God, who are priding themselves in the nature of Christ Jesus, who have no confidence in the flesh.” “The mutilation ” was a term used by Paul to mock the Judaizers who taught one must be circumcised in their flesh in order to be saved. God is concerned about the condition of the heart and not the male phallus. 1 Corinthians 7:19, “Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God.” Circumcision of the flesh is useless unless there is a circumcision of the heart. Deuteronomy 30:6, “Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.” Colossians 2:11, “and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.” Philippians 3:2 is composed of the three successive warnings to the Philippians regarding the Judaizers: (1) Blepete tous kunas ( Ble/pete tou\$ ku/na$ ), “ beware of those dogs .” (2) Blepete tous kakous ergatas ( ble/pete tou\$ kakou\$ e)rga/ta$ ),

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“beware of those evil workers .” (3) Blepete ten katatomen ( ble/pete th\n katatomh/n ), “ beware of the mutilation .” Each warning identifies a certain aspect regarding the Judaizers: (1) Modus operandi or mode of operation: Attacking in packs. (2) Policy: Evil (3) Issue: Circumcision. The first warning identifies the modus operandi of the Judaizers which is to always attack its enemy in packs or groups. It identifies the Judaizers with the most contemptuous animal in the ancient world, the dog, thus by identifying them with the dog, he is attributing to them certain qualities or characteristics which this animal possessed as it was known in the first century A.D. Paul is definitely referring to Isaiah 56:10-11 when referring to this group of individuals, “ His watchmen are blind, all of them know nothing. All of them are mute dogs unable to bark, dreamers lying down, who love to slumber; And the dogs are greedy, they are not satisfied. And they are shepherds who have no understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each one to his unjust gain, to the last one .” References to the dog, both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, are usually of a contemptuous character. A dog, and especially a dead dog, is used as a figure of insignificance. Each quarter of a city has its own pack of dogs, which vigorously resents any invasion of its territory. A dog which for any reason finds itself in foreign territory gets home as quickly as possible, and is lucky if it does not have to run the gauntlet of a pack of vicious foes. In ancient Israel, the dog was not “man's best friend.” In fact, calling someone a dog was one of the most offensive ways of insulting that person. The Bible mentions dogs frequently; most of the references are derogatory. Even in New Testament times, Jews called Gentiles “dogs” (Matt. 15:26). The term “dog” also referred to a male prostitute (Deut. 23:18). They often banded together in packs and lived off the refuse and food supplies of a village. Some dogs were useful as watchdogs or guardians of sheep, but even they were not altogether reliable (Is. 56:10). In Bible times, as now, troops of hungry and half-wild dogs roamed the fields and the streets feeding upon dead bodies and other refuse (1 Kin. 14:11; 16:4; 21:19,23; 2 Kin. 9:10,36; Jer. 15:3); etc.) and thus became objects of dislike. Fierce and cruel enemies were called dogs (Ps. 22:16, 20; Jer. 15:3). The dog being an unclean animal, the terms “dog,” “dead dog,” “dog's head” were used as terms of reproach, or of humiliation if speaking of one's self (1 Sam. 24:14; 2 Sam. 3:8; 9:8; 2 Kin. 8:13). The watch of the house, and of the flock (Isa. 56:10-11; Job 30:1). More commonly ownerless, and banded in troops which divide cities into so many quarters; each half-starved, ravenous troop keeps to its

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 29 own quarter, and drives off any intruder; feeding on blood, dead bodies, and offal; therefore regarded as “unclean” (1 Kings 14:11; 16:4; 21:19,23; 22:38; 2 Kings 9:10,35-36). Thus, like the dog of the ancient world, the Judaizers traveled in packs throughout the city seeking to attack and destroy Paul and his message of grace. They preyed upon his spiritual flock throughout the Roman Empire as the dog of the ancient world would prey upon unsuspecting persons in a city. They were ferocious and vicious in their attacks upon Paul and members of the royal family who were advancing spiritually. The Judaizers were very territorial in the sense that they did not want Paul, the other apostles and their students to communicate the message of God’s grace policy in the fear that they would lure away their students from their ritualistic teaching of the Mosaic Law. Like the dog of the ancient world fed off dead bodies and the refuse of a city, so the Judaizers fed off the spiritually dead (temporal and positional). The second warning in Philippians 3:2 describes the policy of evil which characterizes the nature and origin of the Judaizers’ actions. They were operating in the old sin nature and were indoctrinated by the evil of Satan’s cosmic system. Evil is Satan’s policy as the ruler of this world. It is the way that Satan operates as ruler of this world. He seeks to capture and control the human soul with his policy of evil. Satan seeks to establish his own millennium and become the victor in the angelic conflict through his policy of evil. God’s policy of grace is antithetical or totally opposite to Satan’s policy. Grace and Bible Doctrine represent the genius and thinking of God in relation to the human race. Evil represents the genius and thinking of Satan regarding the human race. Evil is a system of thinking just as Bible Doctrine is a system of thinking. All of sin is evil but not all evil is sin. Human good is evil because it is based upon improper motivation from the influence of the old sin nature and the cosmic system of Satan upon the human soul. All sin is evil but not all evil is sin. Evil includes much more than sin even though sin and evil often overlap. Evil includes human good. Human good is the attempt by man to solve his problems apart from Bible Doctrine and apart from divine establishment. The area of strength in the old sin nature is the source of human good. God hates human good (Isa. 64:6). The area of strength in the old sin nature produces human good or “dead works” (Heb. 6:1). Both believers and unbelievers produce human good because both possess a sin nature. The third warning in Philippians 3:2 identifies the issue that the Judaizers champion which is circumcision. In Philippians 3:3, Paul presents three great fundamental principles of Biblical Christianity that the Judaizers rejected: (1) “ those who are serving by means of

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 30 the Spirit of God ”: Dependence upon omnipotence of the Spirit (2) “who are priding themselves in Christ Jesus ”: Dependence upon the new Christ-nature (3) “who have no confidence in the flesh ”: Rejection of the old Adamic-nature. These three great fundamental principles of Biblical Christianity form the spiritual code of conduct referred to by Paul in Philippians 3:16, “In any case, having progressed this far, let us continue to live in agreement according to the same code of conduct.” These individuals nullify the impact in their lives of the work of Christ on the cross. The old Adamic-nature was crucified at the cross. The concept of living for self therefore, was nullified. The old Adamic-nature will be permanently eradicated at the end of human history. Christ’s work on the cross was not benefiting the Judaizers because they were self-righteous and their lives manifested the fact that they lived for self. An enemy of the cross of Christ is an individual whose attitude and lifestyle are antagonistic to the message of the cross of Christ. This antagonism is revealed in religion and the observance of human traditions, rituals, rules and regulations. The unregenerate rejects the work of Christ on his behalf for salvation. The regenerate individual is an enemy of the cross of Christ because they consistently choose to live according to the old Adamic-nature and not in the new Christ-nature, thus they reject the three great fundamental principles of Christianity as noted in Philippians 3:3. Paul weeps for the unregenerate Jew because they reject the Lord Jesus as their Messiah (cf. Rm. 9:1-5; 10:1-4). He weeps for the regenerate Judaizers because they will die the sin unto death and lose rewards and privileges for the eternal state (1 Jo. 2:28; 5:16). The Judaizers defamed the character of Paul and the apostles and other communicators of the gospel of Jesus Christ as a result of bitterness towards them. In Rome, they expressed their jealousy by proclaiming Christ while Paul was under house arrest in the Praetorian Camp in Rome during his first Roman imprisonment in 60-62 A.D. in order to turn the Roman government against Paul according to Philippians 1:12-17. Philippians 1:12-17, “Now, at this particular time I want all of you to thoroughly understand royal family that my circumstances have resulted to an even greater extent in the propagation of the proclamation of the gospel so that as a result my imprisonment because of the proclamation of the gospel of Christ has become well known throughout the entire Praetorian Guard and to all the others. Even, the majority of the members from the royal family are confident in the Lord because of my imprisonment with the result that they are at this particular time increasingly daring, fearlessly communicating the Word originating from God. In fact, on the one hand, some even are at the present time proclaiming the Christ because of envy and inordinate competition but some also on the other hand because of good intentions. In

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 31 fact on the one hand, the latter are at the present time proclaiming the Christ motivated by divine-love while at the same time discerning that I had been appointed for the defense of the gospel. But on the other hand, the former are at the present time proclaiming the Christ everywhere, motivated by inordinate selfish ambition, with absolutely no sincerity at all, while at the same time assuming they can stir up trouble at this particular point during my imprisonment.” In Romans 3:8, Paul indirectly addresses the Judaizers’ charge that his gospel of grace was “antinomianism,” which comes from the Greek anti , “against” and the noun nomos , “law,” thus the expression literally means, “against the law.” Romans 3:8, “Furthermore, what is the conclusion that we are forced to? (As we have been slanderously charged with in the past and continue to be up to the present moment and as some have in the past alleged we say and continue to do so up to the present moment), ‘Let us perpetrate evil acts in order that blessings might result.’ No! Their condemnation is, as an eternal spiritual truth, deserved. ” Paul was accused by the Judaizers that he was “against the Law” meaning that his message of grace gave one a license to sin when in reality Paul taught that grace is a license to obey and serve God (Romans 7:1-13). Romans 7:12, “So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.” The Judaizers were accusing Paul of teaching that grace encourages people to sin, which is of course false since Paul taught that God’s grace is so that we might obey and serve God and was not a license to sin as the Judaizers accused him of teaching. As we noted earlier, Paul refutes the legalistic teaching of the Judaizers in Romans chapters 2-4. Not only did the Judaizers teach that circumcision guaranteed them entrance into the kingdom of God but also, they believed that their racial background would as well. They also thought that being the recipients and custodians of the Old Testament Scriptures would gain them entrance into the kingdom and deliver them from eternal condemnation. All this, Paul addressed in Romans chapter 2-4. In Romans 2:1-3:8, the apostle Paul addresses the sin of the Jews and will do so in three stages: (1) Without naming his opponent, he establishes the principles of divine judgment by which the Jew is clearly condemned, just as the pagan Gentiles (Romans 2:1-16). (2) Paul explains how the Law condemns (2:17-29). (3) He adds a parenthetical response to possible misconceptions of what he has said (3:1-8). In Romans 3:9-10, Paul summarizes his statements made in Romans 2:1-3:8 that he has made clear that God has declared not only the Gentile guilty but also

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He has declared the Jew guilty before Him and thus is in need of salvation like the Gentile. In Romans 2, he presents twelve principles of divine judgment by which the Jew is clearly condemned, thus the Jews are as guilty as the pagan Gentiles and will likewise receive the wrath of God. In Romans 2:1-16, Paul states that the Jews are as guilty as the Gentiles and will likewise are under eternal condemnation. This of course would refute the Judaizers since they taught that being circumcised and being a racial descendant of the patriarchs gains the Jew entrance into the kingdom of God. Romans 2:1-16, “For this very reason, you are, as an eternal spiritual truth, without excuse O man, each and everyone of you without exception who as a lifestyle judge as guilty for by means of that which you as a lifestyle judge as guilty the other person, you, as an eternal spiritual truth condemn yourself for you, who as a lifestyle judge as guilty, make it a habit to practice the same things. Now, we know for certain that God’s judgment is, as an eternal spiritual truth according to truth, against those who as a lifestyle practice such things. But, do you continue to presume this that you will escape God’s judgment, O man, when you, who as a lifestyle, judge as guilty those, who as a lifestyle, practice such things and you do, as a lifestyle, the very same things? Or do you continue to hold in contempt His infinite kindness and tolerance and patience, habitually ignoring the fact that the kindness originating from God’s character and nature is, as an eternal spiritual truth, leading you to repentance? But according to your obstinacy and unrepentant heart, you are, as an eternal spiritual truth, storing up for yourselves righteous indignation on a day characterized by righteous indignation, yes, when the righteous judgment executed by God is revealed who will recompense each and every one without exception according to their works. On the one hand, according to perseverance, which produces work that is divine in quality and character: glory and honor and immortality for the benefit of those who as a lifestyle make it a top priority to diligently and tenaciously pursue after eternal life, sparing no effort for it is of the highest value. While on the other hand, for the disadvantage of those who are motivated by inordinate selfish ambition and continue not to be persuaded so as to believe and disobey the truth but rather continue to obey unrighteousness, there shall be righteous indignation, yes, the manifestation of that righteous indignation. There will be tribulation and distress upon each and every soul of man, who continue to accomplish that which is evil, namely, both to the Jew first and also to the Greek. But not only this, there will be glory and honor and peace for the benefit of each and every one who works hard to accomplish the good, which is divine in quality and character, for both the Jew first and also the Greek. For there is as an eternal

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 33 spiritual truth absolutely never any partiality in the presence of God. For as many as have sinned without the Law have caused themselves to be destroyed without the Law and as many as have sinned under the jurisdiction of the Law will be condemned by means of the Law. For you see, the hearers of the Law are, as an eternal spiritual truth, absolutely never righteous before God but rather the doers of the Law will, as an eternal spiritual truth, be justified. Since, whenever Gentiles, who, as a fact of history, do not possess the Law, obey, at any time, instinctively the principles belonging to the Law, although, these, as a fact of history, do not possess the Law, they, as an eternal spiritual truth, manifest that they possess inherently, a law, which belongs to them who, indeed by virtue of their obedient character, demonstrate, as an eternal spiritual truth and fact of history, the conduct produced by obedience to the Law as written on their hearts. During which time their conscience does confirm the testimony, namely, their thoughts alternately, at any time, making an accusation or else, at any time, making a defense. On a day when God will judge the secret motives of mankind according to my instruction in the gospel through Christ, who is Jesus.” In Romans 2:17-24, Paul teaches the Jews that their racial background as well as their being the recipients and custodians of the Old Testament Scriptures does not guarantee them entrance into the kingdom of heaven or deliver them from eternal condemnation. This would refute the Judaizers who taught the opposite. Romans 2:17-24, “Now, if-and let us assume that it’s true for the sake of argument-you do identify yourself by the name ‘Jew’ and you do rely upon the Law and do boast in a relationship with God. And know His will through instruction and can discern the essentials because you have received oral instruction in the past in a detailed, systematic and repetitious manner by means of the Law and continue to do so. Moreover, you are confident in yourself, namely that you are as a guide for the blind, a light to those in darkness. An instructor of the ignorant, a teacher of the immature because in the Law you are in possession of the unique embodiment of that, which is full of knowledge well as that, which is full of truth. Then, you who do teach another person, do you ever teach yourself? You, who do publicly proclaim (the Law) as a herald in a dignified and authoritative manner: don’t steal, do you steal? You, who do command: Don’t commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who do abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who do boast about possessing the Law, by means of your transgression of the Law, do you cause the (Son of) God to be dishonored? Consequently, ‘the reputation of the character of God’s person as a fact does get slandered among the Gentiles because of all of you’ just as it stands written, for all of eternity.”

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In Romans 2:17-29, Paul destroys the Jews false security, which was based upon six privileges God had given to them: (1) Security in their Racial Heritage: “Jew ” (Romans 2:17) (2) Security in Being the Recipients of the Law: “ Rely upon the Law ” (Romans 2:17) (3) Security in their Relationship with God Obtained through the Covenant Promises to the Patriarchs: “ Boast in God ” (Romans 2:17). (4) Security in their Knowledge of the Will of God Obtained through the Law: “Know His will ” (Romans 2:18). (5) Security in their Awareness of Spiritual Essentials that they Obtained through the Law: “ Approve the things that are essential ” (Romans 2:18). (6) Security in Being Instructed out of the Law: “ Being instructed out of the Law ” (Romans 2:18). These privileges did not produce obedience in the Jews but rather arrogance towards their relationship with the Gentiles, which was manifested in four pretensions according to Paul in Romans 2:19-20: (1) They believed they were a guide to the spiritually blind Gentiles: “ Are confident that you yourselves are a guide to the blind ” (Romans 2:19). (2) They believed they were a light to the Gentiles who were in spiritual darkness: “ A light to those who are in darkness ” (Romans 2:19). (3) They believed they were instructors of the foolish Gentiles: “ A corrector of the foolish ” (Romans 2:20). (4) They believed they were teachers of the spiritually immature: “ A teacher of the immature ” (Romans 2:20). In Romans 2:25-29, Paul addresses the issue of circumcision with his unsaved Jewish audience. Romans 2:25 teaches his unsaved, self-righteous Jewish audience that circumcision can not deliver them from eternal condemnation since disobedience to the Law negates the value of circumcision. This passage refutes the Judaizers teaching that being circumcised secures entrance into the kingdom of God. This passage teaches the principle that Jewish disobedience with the ritual of circumcision is meaningless and unrighteousness in the eyes of God. Romans 2:25, “Indeed, on the one hand circumcision is, as an eternal spiritual truth, beneficial if you should always practice the Law. On the other hand, if you should be at any time a transgressor of the Law, (then) your circumcision has become uncircumcision.” In Romans 2:26, Paul poses a rhetorical question, which demands a positive response from his unsaved Jewish audience that believed that because they were circumcised that they could escape eternal condemnation and gain entrance into the kingdom of heaven. This rhetorical question implies in a hypothetical sense that although the Gentile is uncircumcised his perfect obedience to the principles of the moral code inherent in the soul of the Gentile would make him circumcised in the eyes of God and is designed to destroy Jewish confidence in circumcision to be justified before God. This passage teaches the principle that perfect Gentile obedience without the ritual of circumcision is righteousness in the eyes of God.

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Romans 2:26, “Therefore, if the uncircumcision always observes the righteous regulations originating from the Law, then, will not (God) consider and treat accordingly His uncircumcision as circumcision?” In Romans 2:27, the apostle Paul addresses his unsaved Jewish audience with a hypothetical case that would destroy their confidence in circumcision as the means of avoiding eternal condemnation and receiving entrance into the kingdom of heaven. He presents to the unsaved Jew a hypothetical case of the Gentiles fulfilling perfectly the Ten Commandments that are inherent in their soul, which would serve as evidence against them resulting in condemnation at the Great White Throne Judgment. Romans 2:27, “In fact, the physically uncircumcised by fulfilling perfectly the Law will condemn you who are by means of Scripture and circumcision a transgressor of the Law.” In Romans 2:28, Paul taught us that authentic Jewishness is not based upon being a biological descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob nor is authentic circumcision based upon receiving the surgical procedure of circumcision as an eight day old infant. This too would refute the Judaizers. Romans 2:28, “Therefore, as an eternal spiritual truth, he is absolutely never a Jew who is one by means of the external, nor, as an eternal spiritual truth, is circumcision, that which is by means of the external in the human body.” Then, in Romans 2:29, Paul teaches that authentic Jewishness is by means of the internal and authentic circumcision is by means of the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit, which refutes the teaching of the Judaizers. Romans 2:29, “But rather, as an eternal spiritual truth, he is a Jew who is one by means of the internal and circumcision originates in the heart by means of the omnipotence of the Spirit, never by means of the letter whose praise is as an eternal spiritual truth never from men but from God.” In Romans 3:1-8, Paul clarifies his statements in Romans 2 by anticipating three objections from his opponents, the Judaizers: (1) Paul anticipates the objection that he attacked the nation of Israel (Romans 3:1-2). (2) Paul anticipates the objection that he called into question the faithfulness of God (Romans 3:3-4). (3) Paul anticipates the objection that he attacked the righteousness of God (Romans 3:5-8). In Romans 3:1, the apostle Paul asks two direct questions of his audience. The first direct question pertains to Paul’s teaching in Romans 2:17-24 regarding the Jew’s false security in his racial heritage and anticipates the objection of the Judaizers. It asks the question: “If the Jews are just as worthy of eternal condemnation as the Gentiles since their racial heritage cannot save them, then what advantage is there to being a Jew?” Romans 3:1a, “Then what advantage has the Jew?

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The second direct question pertains to Paul’s teaching in Romans 2:25-29 regarding the Jew’s false security in circumcision and anticipates another objection of the Judaizers who were champions of circumcision (Acts 15; Philippians 3:2). It asks the question: “If the Jews are just as worthy of eternal condemnation as the Gentiles since circumcision cannot save them, then what advantage is there to being circumcised?” Romans 3:1b, “Or, what is the benefit of circumcision ?” In Romans 3:2, Paul answers his own question in order to anticipate the objections of the Judaizers by writing that the primary advantage of being a Jew was that God had entrusted the Old Testament Scriptures to the care of the Jews. Romans 3:2, “Great in every respect! Indeed, the primary one that they were entrusted with the declarations by God.” In Romans 3:3, Paul poses another question to his readership and answers this question as well, teaching that Jewish unfaithfulness does not render inoperative God’s faithfulness. Romans 3:3, “So then, what if-and let us assume that it’s true for the sake of argument some did not believe, then will their unbelief render inoperative God’s faithfulness? No!” In Romans 3:4, Paul employs an emphatic negation to further reject the idea that God’s faithfulness is rendered inoperative by the unbelief of some Jews and also declares that God will be justified in His judgment of unregenerate humanity. Romans 3:4, “Absolutely not! God must be acknowledged as true but each and every member of the human race a liar. Just as it stands written, for all of eternity, ‘that You will be acknowledged as righteous by means of Your pronouncements so that You will be victorious while You are undoubtedly being accused of injustice.’” In Romans 3:5, Paul poses another question to the unsaved Jew that rejects the idea that God is unrighteous for exercising His righteous indignation against Jewish unbelievers if their unrighteousness makes conspicuous God’s righteousness. In this passage, Paul addresses another objection of the Judaizers as to whether or not God is justified in exercising His righteous indignation towards the unsaved Jews when their unrighteousness magnifies the righteousness of God. He addresses this objection since it could be implied from Romans 3:3-4 that if the unrighteousness of unregenerate Jews serves to demonstrate the righteousness of God, is not God unrighteous for exercising His righteous indignation upon Jewish unrighteousness? Romans 3:5, “But, if-and let us assume that it’s true for the sake of argument our unrighteousness does cause God’s righteousness to be made conspicuous. What then is the conclusion that we are forced to? Is God

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 37 unrighteous, while inevitably exercising His righteous indignation? (I am speaking according to human viewpoint.) No!” In Romans 3:6, Paul emphatically rejects the idea that God is unrighteous and responds with another question that rejects the idea, asking the rhetorical question as to how then could God judge the world? Romans 3:6, “Absolutely not! For how will God condemn the unsaved inhabitants of the cosmic system?” In Romans 3:7, Paul picks up the argument of his opponents, the Judaizers that appears in the protasis of Romans 3:5. He argues that “Wouldn’t it be unrighteous to judge me as a sinner when according to your argument God would be unrighteous for exercising His righteous indignation upon Jewish unrighteousness when Jewish unrighteousness makes more conspicuous God’s righteousness?” Romans 3:7, “But, if-and let us assume that it’s true for the sake of argument by means of my lie God’s truth achieved fame resulting in His glory. Why then have I in the past been singled out to be condemned as a sinner and continue to be up to the present moment?” Then, in Romans 3:8, Paul addresses the Judaizers’ charge that his gospel of grace was “antinomianism” meaning that they contended that his message of grace gave one a license to sin when in reality Paul taught that grace is a license to obey and serve God (Romans 7:1-13). Romans 3:8, “Furthermore, what is the conclusion that we are forced to? (As we have been slanderously charged with in the past and continue to be up to the present moment and as some have in the past alleged we say and continue to do so up to the present moment), ‘Let us perpetrate evil acts in order that blessings might result.’ No! Their condemnation is, as an eternal spiritual truth, deserved. ” Romans 3:9-20 can be treated like a court room trial and can be divided into four parts: (1) The Arraignment: The entire human race is brought before the Supreme Court of Heaven to answer to the divine indictment (Romans 3:9). (2) The Indictment: The entire human race faces the charges of crimes against a holy God (Romans 3:10-17). (3) Motive: The motive for man’s crimes against God (Romans 3:18). (4) The Verdict: The entire human race stands condemned before a holy God (Romans 3:19-20). In Romans 3:9, Paul writes that both Jew and Gentile are under the power of the old Adamic sin nature and thus under eternal condemnation. This refutes the teaching of the Judaizers. Romans 3:9, “What shall we conclude then? Are we (Christians) as an eternal spiritual truth, superior? By all means, absolutely not! Since, we have already previously indicted both Jew and Greek, with the result that each and every one is under the power of the sin nature.”

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In Romans 3:10-20, the apostle Paul inspired by the Holy Spirit employs six Psalms and Isaiah 59:7-8 to present a thirteen count indictment against the entire human race, which demonstrates that they are enslaved to the old Adamic sin nature and thus totally depraved and thus in need of salvation in the eyes of a holy God. Romans 3:10-20, “As it stands written for all of eternity, ‘there is, as an eternal spiritual truth, absolutely none righteous, not even one. There is, as an eternal spiritual truth, absolutely none who, at any time, comprehends. There is, as an eternal spiritual truth, absolutely none, who, at any time, diligently seeks after God. Each and every one has deviated from the way (of righteousness). Together, they have become useless. There is, as an eternal spiritual truth, absolutely none, who at any time performs an act of kindness. There is, as an eternal spiritual truth, absolutely none, so much as one. Their conversation is like an open grave. With their tongues they were always deceiving. Venom produced by poisonous snakes is always under their lips. Whose mouth is always full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are always swift to shed blood . Destruction and misery characterize their ways. Indeed, they totally refused to acknowledge the way, which is peace. There is, as an eternal spiritual truth, absolutely no reverence for God before their eyes. Now, we know for certain that whatever the Law says, it speaks for the benefit of those under the jurisdiction of the Law in order that each and every mouth may be silenced and in addition all the unsaved inhabitants of the cosmic system may be demonstrated as guilty in the judgment of God. Because each and every member of sinful humanity will never be justified in His judgment by means of actions produced by obedience to the Law for through the Law there does come about an awareness of the sin nature.” In Romans 3:21-26, Paul teaches that a person is justified as a gift of God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. This refutes the teaching of the Judaizers. Romans 3:21a teaches that the righteousness of God as revealed by the Person and Work of Jesus Christ is manifested through the communication of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Romans 3:21b teaches that the righteousness of God as revealed by the Person and Work of Jesus Christ and the gospel, which offers the gift of God’s righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ were attested to by the Old Testament Scriptures. Romans 3:21, “But now, independently of seeking to be justified by obedience to the Law, the righteousness originating from God is being manifested at the present time while simultaneously being attested to by the Law and the Prophets.”

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Romans 3:22 teaches that the righteousness of God can be received by anyone whether Jew or Gentile, through faith in Jesus Christ. This refutes the teaching of the Judaizers who excluded the Gentiles from receiving salvation. Romans 3:22, “Namely, the righteousness originating from God through faith in Jesus who is the Christ for the benefit of each and every person who does believe for there is, as an eternal spiritual truth, absolutely no distinction .” Romans 3:23 teaches that the reason why anyone, whether Jew or Gentile can receive the gift of righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ and be declared justified by God is that both groups have sinned and thus are always failing to measure up to the glory of God, who is Jesus Christ. This too refutes the teaching of the Judaizers. Romans 3:23, “For each and every person has sinned consequently, they are always failing to measure up to the glory originating from God.” Romans 3:24a teaches that justification is based upon God’s grace. Romans 3:24b teaches that justification is made possible by means of the work of redemption that was accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ’s spiritual death on the Cross. Romans 3:24, “with the result that they might, as an eternal spiritual truth, be undeservedly justified based upon His grace by means of the redemption, which is by means of the spiritual death of Christ who is Jesus.” Romans 3:25a teaches that God the Father offered publicly at the Cross of Calvary His Son Jesus Christ to sinful mankind as a propitiatory gift. Romans 3:25b teaches that the spiritual death of Jesus Christ on the Cross demonstrated the righteousness of God. Romans 3:25, “Whom God the Father offered publicly as a propitiatory gift through faith by means of His blood in order to demonstrate His righteousness because of the deliberate and temporary suspension of judgment of the sins, which have taken place in the past on the basis of the tolerance originating from the character and nature of God the Father .” Romans 3:26 teaches the communication of the gospel during the church age demonstrates the righteousness of God. Romans 3:26, “Correspondingly, in relation to the demonstration of His righteousness during this present distinct period of history, that He Himself is, as an eternal spiritual truth, inherently righteous, even while justifying anyone by means of faith in Jesus.” In Romans 3:27, Paul teaches that the law or the principle of faith in Jesus Christ in order to be justified before God excludes human merit and pride. Romans 3:27, “Under what conditions then, is there at any time pride and boasting? It has, as an eternal spiritual truth, been excluded! By what kind of

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 40 principle? By means of actions produced by obedience to the Law? Absolutely not! But rather by means of the principle, which is faith.” Then, in Romans 3:28, he teaches that justification is by means of faith in Jesus Christ, independently of actions produced by obedience to the Law. Romans 3:28, “Because we are always of the firm conviction that a person is, as an eternal spiritual truth, justified by means of faith independently of actions produced by obedience to the Law.” In Romans 3:29, Paul teaches that God is not the God of the Jews only but also the God of the Gentiles as well. This refutes the teaching of the Judaizers who excluded the Gentiles from receiving salvation. Romans 3:29, “Or, is God, as an eternal spiritual truth, in authority over the Jews only? Is He, as an eternal spiritual truth, unequivocally not in authority over the Gentiles also? Absolutely! Also, over the Gentiles.” In Romans 3:30, Paul writes that there is one and the same God for both Jew and Gentile and who therefore has only one means of justifying both groups, namely, faith in Jesus Christ. Romans 3:30, “If, in fact-and let us assume that it’s true for the sake of argument, there is, as an eternal spiritual truth, one and the same God, who will certainly, as an eternal spiritual truth, justify the circumcision by means of faith as a source and the uncircumcision by means of faith.” In Romans 3:31, Paul teaches that faith in Jesus Christ upholds the Law rather than rendering it useless. Romans 3:31, “Are we then attempting to render useless at the present time the Law by means of faith? Absolutely not! On the contrary, we do uphold the Law.” In Romans 4:1-8, Paul calls two witnesses to the stand to testify to the fact that the justification of the sinner is by means of faith apart from observing the Law or circumcision. According to Jewish jurisprudence, a question was settled by two or three witnesses. Deuteronomy 19:15, “A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed .” Therefore, Paul calls two witnesses from the Old Testament to testify that justification is by means of faith apart from observing the Law, namely “ the Law and the Prophets ,” which he mentions in Romans 3:21. In Romans 4:1-5, Paul presents Abraham as an example from the Mosaic Law whose story is recorded in the first book of the Law, Genesis. Paul quotes Genesis 15:6, which emphasizes that Abraham was declared justified by means of his faith in the Lord. Then, in Romans 4:6-8, he presents David as an example from the Prophets.

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On the day of Pentecost, Peter attested to the fact that David was not only a king but also a prophet from God (See Acts 2:29-30). Thus, in Romans chapter four, Paul presents incontrovertible evidence from the Old Testament Scriptures that justification by means of faith has always been the method by which God saves the sinner, thus refuting the teaching of the Judaizers who taught salvation was by works, circumcision and being a descendant of the patriarchs. Therefore, his gospel message of faith in Jesus Christ is not a new method of salvation but the same method that was used in Old Testament dispensations (Compare Romans 1:2 with Romans 3:21). In Romans 4:1, Paul introduces the subject of Abraham to support his teaching that justification is by means of faith and never by means of obedience to the Law. Romans 4:1, “Therefore, what is the conclusion that we are forced to with respect to Abraham’s experience, our forefather with respect to genealogical descent?” In Romans 4:2, Paul presents a hypothetical situation that if Abraham was justified by means of meritorious actions, then he would have reason for boasting but never in the judgment of God. Romans 4:2, “For instance, if-and let us assume that it’s true for the sake of argument that Abraham was justified by means of meritorious actions, then, he does possess a reason for boasting but never in the judgment of God.” In Romans 4:3, Paul explains the reason why Abraham was never justified by means of meritorious actions and had no basis for boasting in the judgment of God. Romans 4:3, “For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham had absolute confidence in (the Son of) God. Consequently, for his benefit, it was credited and regarded as righteousness.’” Then, in Romans 4:4, Paul employs an illustration from human affairs of a laborer who works hard and receives his wages as what is due him rather than as a gift. This illustration amplifies Paul’s point that justification is by means of faith rather than attempting to earn one’s own salvation by means of one’s own merits. Romans 4:4, “But for the benefit of the one who does work hard, his compensation is never considered at any time as a gift but rather, what is due.” In Romans 4:5, Paul writes that justification is never by means of a meritorious system of works or actions but rather by means of faith in Jesus Christ. Romans 4:5, “On the other hand, for the benefit of the one who does not work hard but does exercise absolute confidence in the One who, as an eternal spiritual truth, justifies the ungodly, his faith is, as an eternal spiritual truth, credited and regarded as righteousness.” In Romans 4:6-8, Paul calls to the witness stand, the Prophets, which record the example of David who was justified by faith as evidence by the fact that he broke

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 42 the Law. David was justified by faith as manifested in the fact that the Lord forgave him of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah the Hittite. Romans 4:6, “In fact, in the same way, David also describes the blessing that produces a happiness in the person that is divine in quality for the benefit of whom God (the Father) as an eternal spiritual truth credits (divine) righteousness independently of meritorious actions.” Romans 4:7 teaches that justification by faith results in the forgiveness of sins. Romans 4:7, “Spiritual benefits belong to those whose crimes have been fully pardoned and whose failures to measure up have been covered.” Next, in Romans 4:8, the apostle teaches that God the Father absolutely never ever takes into account the sins of the sinner who has been justified by faith in His Son Jesus Christ. Romans 4:8, “A spiritually prosperous man, whose personal sin the Lord, as an eternal spiritual truth, absolutely never ever takes into account.” Then, in Romans 4:9-10, he refutes the Judaizers’ teaching that Abraham was justified by his obedience to the Law and in particular his obedience to the Lord’s command to be circumcised. He refutes them by pointing out that Abraham was declared justified by God when he was uncircumcised and not while he was circumcised. Romans 4:9-10, “Then is, as an eternal spiritual truth, this blessing that produces a happiness that is divine in quality upon the circumcised, or also upon the uncircumcised? For we contend, ‘Faith was credited and regarded as righteousness for the benefit of Abraham.’ In what condition then, was it credited, at the point of time when he was circumcised, or when uncircumcised? By no means, when circumcised but rather, when uncircumcised.” In Romans 4:11a, Paul pointed out that the Lord’s first purpose in commanding Abraham to be circumcised was so that circumcision would be the distinguishing mark that would serve as confirmation of the divine righteousness he received by means of faith in the Lord. Then, in Romans 4:11b, he taught that the second purpose in the Lord commanding Abraham to circumcise himself was so that he might become the spiritual father of all the Gentiles who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. Therefore, since Abraham was declared justified by God by virtue of his faith in the Lord before he was circumcised, then it follows that Abraham is the spiritual father of the uncircumcised who trust in Jesus Christ as Savior as well as the circumcised who do so as well as Abraham did before he was circumcised. Romans 4:11, “In fact, he had undergone the distinguishing mark, namely, circumcision as confirmation of the righteousness, that is by means of faith, which he had when uncircumcised in order that he himself might, as an

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 43 eternal spiritual truth, be the spiritual father over each and every person who does believe while uncircumcised so that righteousness might be credited to them for their benefit.” Romans 4:12 teaches us that Abraham is not only the father of the Jews racially or biologically but also, he is the spiritual father of those Jews who have trusted in Jesus Christ as their Savior. Romans 4:12, “In addition that he himself might, as an eternal spiritual truth, be the spiritual father over the circumcision, not only with reference to those from the circumcision, absolutely not. But also, with reference to those who do imitate the example produced by our father Abraham’s faith, which he exercised when uncircumcised.” Then, Paul in Romans 4:13 teaches that the promises of the Abrahamic covenant were received by Abraham through faith and not by obeying the Law. Romans 4:13, “For the promise to Abraham or to his Descendant that he himself, as an eternal spiritual truth, would inherit the earth was, as an eternal spiritual truth, never by means of obedience to the (Mosaic) Law but rather by means of the righteousness produced by faith.” In Romans 4:14, he Paul teaches us that if the inheritance was based upon obedience to the Law, then faith is useless and the promise of inheriting the earth is meaningless. Romans 4:14, “For, if-and let us assume that it’s true for the sake of argument, those who by means of obedience to the (Mosaic) Law are, as an eternal spiritual truth, heirs, then faith is useless and in addition, the promise is meaningless.” Paul writes in Romans 4:15 that the purpose of the Law was to bring about wrath but where there is no law, there is no violation. Romans 4:15, “For, the Law, as an eternal spiritual truth, produces righteous indignation but where there is, at any time, the total absence of the Law, neither, is there, as an eternal spiritual truth, violation. ” Romans 4:16a teaches that the promise of inheriting the earth can only, be received by means of faith in order that it might be fulfilled in accordance with God’s grace policy. In Romans 4:16b, Paul teaches that the promise of inheriting the world is guaranteed to both Jewish and Gentile believers who are spiritual descendants of Abraham. Romans 4:16, “On account of the following, it (the promise of inheriting the world) is, as an eternal spiritual truth by means of faith as a source in order that it might be fulfilled in accordance with grace with the result that the promise is, as an eternal spiritual truth, guaranteed to each and every one of the descendants. Not only for the benefit of those descended from the jurisdiction of the Law, absolutely not but also for the benefit of those

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 44 descended from Abraham’s faith who is, as an eternal spiritual truth, the spiritual father of each and every one of us.” In Romans 4:17a, Paul quotes Genesis 17:5, which teaches that God appointed Abraham to be the father of many nations. Next, in Romans 4:17b, he writes that Abraham believed in the Son of God who gives life to the dead and commands the non-existent to exist. Romans 4:17, “(Just as it stands written for all of eternity, ‘I have appointed you to be the spiritual father of many nations.’) He is, as an eternal spiritual truth, the spiritual father of each and every one of us in the determination of God whom ( God ) he ( Abraham ) had absolute confidence in, the One who, as an eternal spiritual truth, gives life to the dead ones and in addition, as an eternal spiritual truth, commands the non-existent to exist.” Romans 4:18a teaches that Abraham had absolute confidence in the Lord that He could do that which was humanly impossible. The Lord promised Abraham that He would give him and Sarah a child and innumerable posterity. However, they were both advanced in age when they received this promise. Yet, both Abraham and Sarah had absolute confidence that the Lord could do what was humanly impossible. From the human perspective, the fulfillment of the promise was impossible but from the divine perspective, nothing is impossible with an omnipotent God. The faith of Abraham and Sarah demonstrates the spiritual principle that you appropriate the omnipotence of God by operating in faith. Then, in Romans 4:18b, Paul teaches that Abraham’s faith in the Lord enabled the Lord to make Abraham a father of many nations. Romans 4:18, “Who had absolute confidence upon the object of confident expectation contrary to human expectation with the result that he himself became the father over many nations according to that which is solemnly declared, ‘In this way, your descendants will be.’” Paul writes in Romans 4:19 that Abraham’s faith in the Lord’s promise to give him and his wife Sarah a child did not waver even though he and Sarah were sexually dead. Romans 4:19, “In fact, without becoming weak with respect to his faith, after careful consideration and observation he was thoroughly aware of his own physical body as now being sexually impotent while already being approximately a hundred years of age as well as the impotence of Sarah’s womb.” In Romans 4:20a, Paul teaches that with respect to God’s promise to give him a child, Abraham did not permit himself to doubt by means of unbelief. In Romans 4:20b, he writes that despite Abraham’s sexual impotence, he did not enter into unbelief but rather he was empowered by means of his faith in the Lord’s ability to

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 45 bring to pass that which He had promised him while simultaneously giving glory to God. Romans 4:20, “Yet, with respect to the promise from (the Son of) God, he never permitted himself to doubt by means of unbelief but rather he permitted himself to be empowered by means of his faith while simultaneously giving glory to (the Son of) God.” Next, Paul writes in Romans 4:21 that not only did Abraham give glory to God by empowering himself by means of his faith in the Lord but he was also simultaneously being fully assured that God could deliver on His promise of a child. Romans 4:21, “Also, he was being fully assured that what He had promised to do in the future, He is also, as an eternal spiritual truth, able to fulfill.” In Romans 4:22, Paul teaches that Abraham’s faith in the Lord’s ability to fulfill His promise of a child to him was credited to Abraham by God as righteousness. Romans 4:22, “Therefore, for this very reason, ‘for his benefit it was credited and regarded as righteousness.’” Romans 4:23-24 teaches that the judicial decision recorded in Genesis 15:6 that Paul quotes in Romans 4:3, 9 and 22 was written down for the benefit of his fellow Christians. Abraham’s justification by means of faith that is recorded in Genesis 15:6 has relevance for his fellow Christian and serves as a pattern for their justification. Romans 4:23-24, “Now, by no means was it written on behalf of him alone that it was credited for his benefit. But also for our sake. For whose benefit, it is without a doubt, as an eternal spiritual truth, credited when we do exercise absolute confidence upon the One who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead ones.” The fact that Paul is addressing his fellow Christian and not his Jewish countrymen in Romans 4:23-25 is indicated in that in Romans 4:24 he states that divine righteousness is credited to those who believe in the Father who raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Lastly, in verse 25, Paul declares that the Lord Jesus Christ died because of our sins and was raised from the dead because of our justification, which refutes the teaching of the Judaizers. Romans 4:25, “Who has been delivered over to death because of our transgressions and in addition was raised because of our justification.” There is another factor that strongly suggests that Paul is speaking of the Judaizers when he warns the Romans in Romans 16:17 to watch out for those who cause divisions. In Romans 16:18, Paul uses the noun koilia , “ appetites ” to

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 46 describe these individuals who cause divisions, which is the same word he uses in Philippians 3:19 to describe the Judaizers. Philippians 3:17-19, “Brothers, all of you continue being joint-imitators of me and continue observing carefully those who are living in this manner just as all of you continue having us as an example because many, about whom I often told all of you, but I now say even weeping, are living as the enemies of the cross of the Christ whose destiny is certain destruction, whose god is the stomach , and whose glory will certainly result in their shame, those who are continually occupied with earthly matters.” In Philippians 3:19, this word koilia means “stomach.” It does not refer to the emotions and there is no precedence in classical, the LXX or the NT for the use of the word in this manner. Paul is being sarcastic with his use of this word. He is referring here to the Judaizers’ fanatical observance of the many dietary laws of the Mosaic Law, which Paul addressed in Romans 14. This word koilia does not refer to licentiousness or immorality, but rather moral degeneracy. Many expositors identify these individuals in Philippians 3:18-19 and Romans 16:17-18 as antinomianists because of the presence of the word koilia in both passages, but the antinomianists were not causing divisions by being immoral degenerates. The Judaizers were causing divisions in the church by attempting to impose the ritual of circumcision upon the Gentile believers (Acts 15; Gal. 5) and by imposing the observance of laws of food of the Mosaic Law on the Gentiles (Col. 2:16-17). The entire context of this passage in Philippians 3:19 refers to the Judaizers who were involved in moral degeneracy and who observed circumcision and the dietary laws of the Mosaic Law. Behm commenting on the use of the noun koilia in Romans 16:18 and Philippians 3:19 writes, “When we turn to the polemical and sarcastic expressions in Romans 16:18: h oi gar toioutoi to kurio hemon Christo ou douleuousin alla te heauton koilia , and Phil. 3:19: hon ho theos he koilia , it is hard to say what the reference is. If, in contrast to 1 C. 6:13, Paul is here using koilia in the common Greek sense, he is speaking of unbridled sensuality, whether gluttony or sexual licentiousness. But the context in both instances seems to point to Judaizers rather than libertines. Hence, the older view is more plausible that Paul is alluding to the observance of laws of food and that he is pouring bitter scorn on the Judaizers with their belly god” (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, volume 3, page 788). Therefore, in Romans 16:17, we will translate the articular form of the noun dichostasia , “ those divisions .”

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Corrected translation thus far of Romans 16:17, “Now, I warn each and every one of you without exception, spiritual brothers and sisters to keep a watchful eye out for those who cause those divisions…” Romans 16:17, “Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.” “And ” is the “adjunctive” use of the conjunction kai (α ) (keh), which introduces another thing that the Roman believers were to watch out for with regards to the Judaizers, which is “in addition to” the divisions they cause by their teaching. We will translate the word “ as well as .” “Hindrances ” is the articular accusative neuter plural form of the noun skandalon ( α ) (skan-dah-loan). The noun skandalon does not appear in classical Greek, though its derivative skandelthron does. It doesn’t appear in Philo, or Josephus or Hellenistic Jewish literature. The noun skandalon is from a root, which means, “jump up, snap shut,” and was originally the piece of wood that kept open a trap for animals. The English word “scandal” is derived from the noun via the Latin scandalum . Liddell and Scott: (1) Trap or snare laid for an enemy (2) Metaphorically, stumbling-block, offence, scandal (Greek-English Lexicon, New Edition, page 1604). The word appears 20 times in the Septuagint. It is used to translate the Hebrew moqesh ( vq@w)m ), “snare,” which appears in Josh. 23:13; Judges 2:3; Psalm 106:36. The noun skandalon is used to also translate the noun mikhshol ( lw)vb+m!), “stumbling block,” which appears in Leviticus 19:14. The primary meaning of the term in the Septuagint is simply “cause of ruin.” The noun skandalon appears 15 times in the Greek New Testament where the word’s meaning in the New Testament follows the use of the word in the Septuagint. The New Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon: (1) The moveable stick or tricker (‘trigger’) of a trap, trap-stick; a trap, snare; any impediment placed in the way and causing one to stumble or fall [a stumbling-block, occasion of stumbling] (2) Figuratively applied to Jesus Christ, whose person and career were so contrary to the expectations of the Jews concerning the Messiah, that they rejected Him and by their obstinacy made shipwreck of salvation. (3) Metaphorically, any person or thing by which one is (‘entrapped’) drawn into error or sin (page 577). The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised: (1) A trap-spring; a stumbling-block, anything against which one stumbles, an impediment (2) Metaphorically, a cause of ruin, destruction, misery (3) A cause or occasion of sinning (4) Scandal, offence, cause of indignation (page 368).

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A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition: (1) a device for catching something alive, trap (2) an action or circumstance that leads one to act contrary to a proper course of action or set of beliefs, temptation to sin, enticement to apostasy of false belief (3) that which causes offense or revulsion and results in opposition, disapproval or hostility, fault, stain (Page 926). Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains: (1) A trap, probably of the type, which has a stick, which when touched by an animal causes the trap to shut – ‘trap’ (6.25). (2) That which or one who causes someone to sin – ‘that which causes someone to sin, one who causes someone to sin’ (88.306). (3) That which causes offense and thus arouses opposition – ‘what causes offense, offense’ (25.181). Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament lists the following: (1) strictly, the movable bait stick or trigger in a trap, trap stick; by synecdoche, the trap itself, snare (2) metaphorically trap, i.e. what causes a person to sin, cause of ruin, occasion of falling; (3) figuratively (a) as an enticement to sin or apostasy temptation, offense (b) as what gives offense or arouses opposition stumbling block, offense (Pages 349-350). In Matthew 13:41, 16:23, 18:7, and Luke 17:1 the word means a temptation to sin or an enticement to sin. The word is used by our Lord in Revelation 2:14 where He is addressing the churches in Pergamum. In this passage the Lord states that in this city there were some believers who held to the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to “put a stumbling block” before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality. Skandalon is employed by the apostle John in 1 John 2:10 of believers. John states that the believer who obeys the Lord’s command in John 13:34 to love his fellow believer as Christ loved all men is abiding in the light and furthermore there is no “cause of stumbling” in him meaning that there is no cause of sin in him since obeying this command is the fulfillment of the Law (cf. Rm. 13:8-10). In 1 Corinthians 1:23, Galatians 5:11 and 1 Peter 2:8, the noun skandalon is used figuratively of that which gives offense or causes revulsion, that which arouses opposition, an object of anger or disapproval” (A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (page 753). 1 Corinthians 1:21-24, “For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”

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Galatians 5:11, “But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished.” 1 Peter 2:4-8, “And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in Scripture: ‘BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.’ This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, ‘THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone,’ and, ‘A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE’ ; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.” In Romans 9:33, the word emphasizes that Jesus Christ and His crucifixion were a cause of revulsion to both Jews and Gentiles and hindered them from accepting Him as their Savior. The word is used figuratively of the Lord Jesus Christ and His crucifixion, both of which were contrary to the expectations of the Jews concerning their promised Messiah and which became an “obstacle” to accepting Him as their Savior causing them to reject Him. It describes the Lord Jesus Christ in relation to those Jews who reject Him as Savior as one who will offend and oppose them because He condemns with His teaching their self- righteous arrogance, and presumptuous ideas that their racial background, circumcision or observance of the Law could justify them. It describes the Lord as one who will cause the Israelites revulsion because of His crucifixion. The word describes Jesus of Nazareth as one who will be the object of anger and disapproval among the majority of Israelites because of His words and works. Romans 9:33, “As it stands written for all of eternity, ‘I solemnly charge you to consider now for yourselves, I will most certainly lay a foundation among the citizens of Zion, a stone, which causes stumbling and in addition a rock, which causes offense . However, those who at any time do exercise absolute confidence in Him will never be disappointed.’” Paul uses the word in Romans 11:9 in a figurative sense to denote that unsaved Israel’s righteousness produced by obedience to the Law in order to be justified would serve like the bait stick of a trap in that it would trigger divine judgment upon them. Romans 11:9, “Also, David says, ‘May their table become as a snare and as a trap and as a bait stick of a trap and as a retribution against them.’” In Romans 14:13, the word is refers to any word or action on the part of the strong believer that could cause their weak brother to sin against their conscience. It speaks of a word or action on the part of the strong believer that leads his weak

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 50 brother to act contrary to what their conscience says that they should do or contrary to their convictions that they should eat only kosher foods. Romans 14:13, “Therefore, let us continue making it a habit of never ever condemning one another but rather, on the contrary, I solemnly charge all of you to make it your top priority to determine this, namely, continue to make it a habit of not placing an obstacle or a temptation in the life of your spiritual brother that causes them to sin .” In Romans 16:17, the noun skandalon means “temptations to sin and apostatize” in the sense of leading one to act contrary to a set of beliefs. The word is used of the Judaizers since the noun like the noun dichostasia functions as an accusative direct object of the articular substantival participle form of poieo “ who causes ” and the noun dichostasia is used of the divisions caused by the Judaizers legalistic teaching. This is indicated by the prepositional phrase para ten didachen hen humeis emathete ( ε εε ), “ contrary to the teaching which you learned .” This indicates that the same group of individuals namely, the Judaizers is causing both divisions and temptations to sin by their legalistic teaching. Therefore, Paul is warning the Romans to not only watch out for the divisions caused by the legalistic teaching of the Judaizers but also watch out for their teaching since it will tempt them to sin and to go into apostasy if they adhere to this teaching. It would cause the Romans to sin and go into apostasy since if they do adhere to this legalistic teaching they would no longer be living their lives according to the Lord’s teaching and that of the apostles. They would no longer be living according to God’s grace and no longer living by faith. Paul warns Titus about the false teaching of the Judaizers. Titus 1:7, “For the overseer must be blameless as one entrusted with God’s work, not arrogant, not prone to anger, not a drunkard, not violent, not greedy for gain. 8 Instead he must be hospitable, devoted to what is good, sensible, upright, devout, and self-controlled. 9 He must hold firmly to the faithful message as it has been taught, so that he will be able to give exhortation in such healthy teaching and correct those who speak against it. 10 For there are many rebellious people, idle talkers, and deceivers, especially those with Jewish connections , 11 who must be silenced because they mislead whole families by teaching for dishonest gain what ought not to be taught.” (NET Bible) In Romans 16:17, the articular construction of skandalon indicates that this legalistic teaching of the Judaizers which can cause believers to sin and go into apostasy was well known by Paul’s readers since their pastors warned them about this legalistic teaching and Paul did as well in this epistle. We will translate the word, “ those temptations to sin and apostatize .”

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Corrected translation thus far of Romans 16:17, “Now, I warn each and every one of you without exception, spiritual brothers and sisters to keep a watchful eye out for those who cause those divisions as well as those temptations to sin and apostatize…” Romans 16:17, “Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.” “Contrary to the teaching ” is composed of the preposition para ( α ) (pah- rah), “ contrary to ” and the articular accusative feminine singular form of the noun didache ( α ) (thee-thah-hee), “ the teaching .” Like the noun didaskalia , the didache means “teaching.” At times didache means “something which is demonstrated or proven.” The word can refer to the exchange of information or to the training in some skill or art. Moulton and Milligan note that in the papyri, the word is used of military “instruction” or “training” in an Imperial letter. They also note only one instance of didache being used in connection with religious “doctrine” (Page 159). The noun didache appears only once in the Septuagint, in Psalm 60:1 (LXX 59:1). Psalm 60:1, “For the music director; according to the shushan-eduth style; a prayer of David written to instruct others. It was written when he fought against Aram Naharaim and Aram-Zobah. That was when Joab turned back and struck down 12,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt.” (NET Bible) The word appears 30 times in the Greek New Testament. Louw and Nida list the following meanings for the noun didache : (1) “To provide instruction in a formal or informal setting – ‘to teach, teaching’” (33.224) (2) “the content of what it taught – ‘what is taught, doctrine, teaching’” (33.236). A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition lists the following meanings for didache : (1) the activity of teaching, teaching, instruction (2) the content of teaching, teaching (Page 241). Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament lists the following: (1) transitively (a) active, as making known one’s approval commend, recommend; passive be recommended (b) as making known by action, demonstrate, show, bring out (2) intransitively (a) stand together, stand with or by (b) exist, have existence, continue (Page 368). It was used of the Lord’s doctrinal teaching or instruction (Matthew 7:28, 22:33; Mark 1:22, 27, 4:2, 11:18, 12:38, Luke 4:32; John 7:16, 17, 18:19; 2 John 9, 10). It is used of the apostles’ doctrinal teaching or instruction (Acts 2:42; 5:28; 13:12; 17:19l; Romans 6:17; 1 Corinthians 14:6). It is used of doctrinal instruction by the pastors in Corinth (1 Corinthians 14:26). Paul uses didache in an exhortation to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2 to be fully engaged in the task of

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 52 communicating Christian doctrine or teaching. In Titus 1:9, Paul instructs Titus that the overseer, i.e. the pastor-teacher must firmly adhere to the apostles’ teaching so as to communicate healthy teaching or instruction to his flock. The word appears in Hebrews 6:2 with regards to Christian instruction regarding baptisms. It is used in Hebrews 13:9 to warn Jewish believers to not be carried away by false teaching that is contrary to the teaching of the Lord and the apostles. Didache appears in Revelation 2:14 of the teaching of Balaam. In Revelation 2:15, it is used of the teaching of the Nicolaitans. It is used with reference to the teaching of Jezebel in Revelation 2:24. In Romans 16:17, the noun didache refers to the content of the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ and the apostles that was passed down to the pastors in Rome and communicated to the Roman believers. It refers to instruction concerning Jesus Christ and His teaching, i.e. Christian doctrine or in other words a set of truths or practices to be learned and obeyed that originate with Jesus Christ. The word also refers to historical facts concerning the Person and life of the Lord Jesus Christ that are absolutely essential for unregenerate man to know in order to make a rational decision to accept Jesus Christ as Savior or not since the acceptance by faith of His Person and Work results in justification. Didache would also include information regarding the meaning and significance of the spiritual and physical deaths of Jesus Christ as well as the meaning and significance of His burial, His resurrection, His ascension and session and how these facts apply to the Roman believers. These historical facts about the perfect life of the Lord Jesus Christ serve as the basis for the believer’s spiritual life. Thus, the content of that doctrinal instruction would include the fact that the Roman believers have been positionally crucified, buried, raised and seated with Christ. The articular construction of the noun didache in Romans 16:17 indicates that this doctrinal instruction or teaching was well known to Paul’s readers since it was communicated to them by their pastor-teachers and Paul in the main argument of the epistle. Didache is the object of the preposition para , which functions as a marker of that which is contrary to what should be indicating that Paul is warning the Romans to avoid the Judaizers legalistic teaching because it is “contrary to” the teaching of the Lord and the apostles, which was passed down to their pastor- teachers in Rome and communicated to them by these pastors and Paul in the main argument of this epistle. We will translate the prepositional phrase para ten didachen ( ), “ contrary to the teaching .” The Word of God, Bible doctrine is a body of historical facts, which are full of spiritual meaning and God Himself makes these facts and their meaning understandable to the believer.

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The terms doctrine and theology in the church today are not very popular in Christian circles and in fact, these terms are often ridiculed. We hear ignorant statements from Christians and I’m sure many of you have too where they say the following: “We don’t need to know all that theological or doctrinal stuff. We just need to know Jesus.” Or you hear something like: “Well, I’m not a theologian, I just love Jesus.” How can you say that you love Jesus when you don’t know anything about Him? The reason they don’t know anything about Him is that they are ignorant of the Bible and they are ignorant because they are arrogant. You see doctrine is simply another name for teaching and theology means “the knowledge of God.” The term doctrine is mentioned many times in Scripture. Matthew 7:28-29, “When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His doctrine; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.” Matthew 22:33, “When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His doctrinal teaching.” John 7:16-17, “So Jesus answered them and said, "My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself.” John 18:19, “The high priest then questioned Jesus about His disciples, and about His doctrine.” Acts 2:42, “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 5:27-28, “When they had brought them, they stood them before the Council. The high priest questioned them, saying, ‘We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.’” Acts 17:19, “And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, ‘May we know what this new teaching is which you are proclaiming?’” 1 Timothy 4:6, “In pointing out these things (warn against false doctrine mentioned in 1-5) to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, {constantly} nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.” 2 Timothy 4:1-3, “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but {wanting} to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires.”

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Titus 1:7-9, “For the overseer must be above reproach as God's steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.” Titus 2:1, “But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine.” Titus 2:7, “in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, {with} purity in doctrine, dignified.” Titus 2:9-10, “Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.” Biblical theology is simply truths of God’s Word that give us knowledge of God, man, salvation, sanctification, the church, or life. So when these Christians reject doctrine and theology and say that they just love Jesus what they are saying in effect is that they are relying upon emotional experiences and their own misconceptions that they learned in another denomination. Such an attitude of ignorance from arrogance is the result of ignoring the fact the Bible is God- breathed and is authoritative. 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” Believers are in rebellion when they reject the Word of God. This attitude treats God’s Word as unnecessary and outdated information. Something they say they don’t really need and they elevate the wisdom of men above God’s wisdom when the opposite is really the case. The Scriptures also emphasize the importance of avoiding false doctrine. Matthew 16:12, “Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Romans 16:17, “Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.” 1 Timothy 6:3-5, “If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited {and} understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 55 friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.” Hebrews 13:9, “Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.” 2 John 9-10, “Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting.” Obedience to Bible doctrine is absolutely essential in order to experience fellowship with God. It also serves as a protection for the soul against false doctrine that is propagated by the kingdom of darkness. 2 Corinthians 10:5-6, “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.” Obedience to Bible doctrine purifies the soul. 1 Peter 1:22-23, “Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.” Paul thanked God for the positive volition in Thessalonica. 1 Thessalonians 2:13, “For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.” Paul warned his students to hold fast to the doctrinal instruction that they had received from him. 2 Thessalonians 2:15, “So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.” 2 Timothy 1:13-14, “Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.” Corrected translation thus far of Romans 16:17, “Now, I warn each and every one of you without exception, spiritual brothers and sisters to keep a watchful eye out for those who cause those divisions as well as those temptations to sin and apostatize contrary to the teaching…”

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Romans 16:17, “Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.” “Which ” is the accusative feminine singular form of the relative pronoun hos () (hos), which agrees in gender (feminine) and number (singular) with its antecedent, which the feminine singular form of the noun didache , “ the teaching .” Therefore, hos refers to Christian instruction or teaching that was communicated to the Romans by their pastor-teachers. The word functions as an accusative of simple apposition meaning that it stands in apposite to the noun didache introducing a statement that clarifies or identifies this teaching for the reader. We will translate the word “ which .” “You ” is the nominative second person plural form of the personal pronoun su ( ) (see), which is a reference to Paul’s Gentile and Jewish Christian readers in Rome and is used in a distributive sense indicating that “each and every one of” his Jewish and Gentile Christian readers “without exception” received this Christian instruction or teaching from their pastor-teachers. The word functions as a nominative subject meaning that it is performing the action of the verb manthano , “ learned ” indicating that Paul’s Jewish and Christians readers in Rome learned the doctrines of the Christian faith from the instruction they received from their pastor-teachers. We will translate su “ each and every one of you…without exception .” “Learned ” is the second person plural aorist active indicative form of the verb manthano ( α ) (mahn-thano), which occurs in classical Greek with various meanings such as “to learn by instruction, practice, experience.” It can also mean “to acquire the habit, to understand.” The verb manthano in the present tense has already various stages of development behind it when it first appears in Pindar. Homer uses only the strong aorist forms mathon , emmathes , emmathen , from the stem math -, from which is formed mathetes , which is first used by Herodotus. In Homer’s writings manthano has the sense of adapting oneself, preparing for, growing accustomed to (cf. Homer, Iliad 6, 444; Odyssey 18, 226 f.). There is an element of compulsion in so far as something essential to the man concerned is denoted. In another area of development, it comes to mean “acquire, adopt,” whether through teaching or experience, and “learn” (cf. Herodotus 7, 208). With the accusative of the person the word means “to learn to know” (Xenophon, II, 1, 1). In dialogue manthano is used to show understanding or non-understanding (Aristophanes, Ra. 195; Plato, Theaet. 174b). The verb is also used for “learning skills under instruction” (cf. Xenophon, Mem. II, 1, 28).

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Plutarch uses the word once for “receiving direction from deity in an oracle” (Parallela, 41 [II, 316a]). Manthano denotes the process by which one acquires theoretical knowledge (Heraclitus, Protagoras and others). The word therefore plays an important role in speculative thought from Socrates onwards. Socrates held that, when a man is learning something, he should penetrate deeply into the nature of everything (including his own nature). He should be able to proceed beyond this “insight” to a knowledge of morality so as to be able to act according to ethical principles. This is seen in the writings of Plato (cf. Tim., 88a; Theaetet., 114b, 150b ff.; Apol. 33a f.; Xen. Mem., 1, 4, 17; 4, 7, 1). Of Socrates’ pupils Plato was the only one to understand him and to develop his teaching. This is illustrated by the treatment of manthano by the philosophers of the period which followed. The word was increasingly intellectualized and rationalized. Plato goes further than Socrates in defining learning ( manthanein ) “as anamnesis, i.e., the recollection of what was known before time.” According to Plato, there exists in the human soul, albeit unconsciously, a factual knowledge of ideas and truths, known in a previous existence of which people can only be made aware through the process of teaching (Phaed. 72e; Meno., 86b). In later Greek philosophy manthano was rationalized and applied to the acquisition of theoretical knowledge. In Aristotle it is hard to see the intellectual link with Socrates and Plato when we consider his use of manthano . There are express references to Plato, but the total attitude is very different. In the mystery religions the use of the word approximates more closely to that of ginosko , “applied knowledge, experience knowledge by virtue of application of that knowledge.” Though broad, the ordinary use is consistent to the degree that, if not always with equal clarity, an intellectual process is always implied and this always has external effects. The process is related to the individuality of the man concerned, if there is a personal reference; and things are much the same with material subjects. The word also points to an intellectual initiative, whether conscious or unconscious. This means that manthano can be elucidated but not replaced by other words. Liddell and Scott: (1) To learn especially by study, but also by practice (2) Acquire a habit of, and in past tenses, to be accustomed to (3) Perceive, remark, notice (4) Understand (5) Under what persuasion, with what idea? (Greek-English Lexicon, New Edition, pages 1078-1079) The verb manthano appears 55 times in the LXX. It is used to translate the following Hebrew terms: (1) Alaph (verb), “to learn” (Prov. 22:25). (2) Yaghe (verb), “to be weary, to labor” (Is. 47:12). (3) Yadha (verb), “to know, to understand” (Ex. 2:4). (4) Lamadh (verb), Qal: “to learn, to teach” (Deut. 5:1; Ps.

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119:7 [118:7]; Ez. 19:3); Piel: “teach” (Jer. 9:5). (5) Limmudh (adjective), “accustomed” (Jer. 13:23). (6) Laqach (verb), “to take, grasp, seize” (Sir. 16:24). (7) Shama (verb), “hear, learn” (Sir. 8:9). (8) Talmidh (noun), “pupil, student” (1 Chr. 25:8). Manthano is employed 28 times in the LXX to translate the Hebrew verb lamadh . In Exodus 2:4 Miriam watched in order to ( manthano ) “learn by observation” what would happen to Moses. The Israelites were to hear God’s Word and obey and thus performed the revealed will of God (Deut. 4:10; 5:1; 14:23). Learning means the process by which the past experience of the love of God is translated by the learners into obedience to the Torah of God (cf. Deut. 4:14). It means fully understanding the Torah which in Deuteronomy is the whole story of the saving actions of God’s will. This understanding is to lead to an inner acceptance of the divine will (cf. Deut. 30:14). The goal of learning is action which corresponds to the Word of God (Ps. 119:101 [108:101]). In Deuteronomy 17:19 the people are to read God’s Word and “learn” ( manthano ). The verb manthano appears 25 times in the Greek New Testament. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains): (1) To acquire information as the result of instruction, whether in an information or formal context – ‘to learn, to be instructed, to be taught’ (27.12). (2) To learn from experience, often with the implication of reflection – ‘to learn, to come to realize’ (page 27.15). (3) To come to understand as the result of a process of learning – ‘to understand’ (32.14). The New Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon: (1) Absolutely, to increase one’s knowledge (2) To hear, be informed (3) To learn by use and practice (Pages 388- 389). A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition: (1) to gain knowledge or skill by instruction, learn (2) make the acquaintance of something, learn (3) to come to a realization, with implication of taking place less through instruction than through experience or practice, learn, appropriate to oneself (4) hear (Page 615). Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament: (1) Learn (2) Come to know (3) Discover (Volume 2, pages 383-384). Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, “ Manthano denotes (a) ‘to learn’ (akin to mathetes , ‘a disciple’), ‘to increase one's knowledge,’ or ‘be increased in knowledge,’ frequently ‘to learn by inquiry, or observation,’ e. g., (Matt. 9:13; 11:29; 24:32; Mark 13:28; John 7:15; Rom. 16:17; 1 Cor. 4:6; 14:35; Phil. 4:9; 2 Tim. 3:14; Rev. 14:3); said of ‘learning’ Christ, (Eph. 4:20), not simply the doctrine of Christ, but Christ Himself, a process not merely of getting to know the person but of so applying the knowledge as to walk differently from the rest of the Gentiles; (b) ‘to ascertain,’ (Acts 23:27), RV, ‘learned’ (KJV, ‘understood’);

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(Gal. 3:2), ‘This only would I learn from you,’ perhaps with a tinge of irony in the enquiry, the answer to which would settle the question of the validity of the new Judaistic gospel they were receiving; (c) ‘to learn by use and practice, to acquire the habit of, be accustomed to,’ e. g., (Phil. 4:11; 1 Tim. 5:4,13; Titus 3:14; Heb. 5:8).” Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament, “From a basic meaning learn, i.e. of directing one’s mind to something and producing an external effect (1) as learning through instruction be taught, learn from someone (2) as learning through inquiry ascertain, discover, find out (3) as learning through practice or experience come to know, come to realize (4) as achieving comprehension understand, learn (Page 253). In Romans 16:17, the verb manthano “to learn” since it refers to acquiring information as the result of instruction, whether in an informal or formal context. This indicates that Paul is warning the Roman believers to reject the Judaizers whose legalistic teaching is contrary to that which they learned. In other words, they were to reject the teaching of the Judaizers which is contrary to the information they received about the Christian faith through instruction from their pastor-teachers in both formal and informal settings. The aorist tense of the verb is a “constative” aorist describing in summary fashion the indefinite period of time in which the Roman Christians received doctrinal instruction from their pastor-teachers with regards to the Christian faith. The active voice indicates that the Romans as the subject performed the action of learning the doctrines of the Christian faith. The indicative mood is “declarative” presenting this assertion as a non- contingent or unqualified statement of fact. We will translate the verb “ learned .” Corrected translation thus far of Romans 16:17, “Now, I warn each and every one of you without exception, spiritual brothers and sisters to keep a watchful eye out for those who cause those divisions as well as those temptations to sin and apostatize contrary to the teaching, which each and every one of you without exception learned…” Romans 16:17, “Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.” “And ” is the “adjunctive” use of the conjunction kai (α ) (keh), which introduces a command that Paul issues to the Romans to stay away from the Judaizers and their legalistic teaching that is “in addition to” the previous warning for them to watch out for the Judaizers whose teaching caused divisions in the churches in the first century and enticed believers to sin and apostasy. We will translate the word “ Also .”

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Romans 16:17, “Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.” “Turn away ” is the second person plural present active imperative form of the verb ekklino ( ) (ek-klee-no), which is a compound composed of the preposition ek , “out from” and the verb klino , “to lean,” thus the word literally means, “to turn aside, deviate” from the right way. The word was used in classical Greek for changing direction, a course of action, principles of behavior and personal relationships. The Septuagint uses the word of “turning aside” from a road while traveling (Genesis 18:5; Judges 4:18). It was used figuratively of “turning away” from God (1 Samuel 12:20 [LXX 1 Kings 12:20]) or His Word (Joshua 23:6). The term applies to “turning away” one’s affections to foreign gods (1 Kings 11:2 [LXX 3 Kings 11:2]). In some instances, ekklino indicates a person “forsaking” his principles (Exodus 23:2) or perverting justice (1 Samuel 8:3) [LXX 1 Kings 8:3]). The verb appears only three times in the Greek New Testament where it is used only in a figurative sense (Romans 3:12; 16:17; 1 Peter 3:11). 1 Peter 3:11, “HE MUST TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD; HE MUST SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT.” In Romans 3:12, the verb ekklino means, “to turn aside, to deviate” from the way of living that God designed for mankind, which is accomplished by disobeying His commands and prohibitions that appear in His Word resulting in living independently of Him, which constitutes evil and rebellion. Romans 3:12, “Each and every one has deviated from the way (of righteousness). Together, they have become useless. There is, as an eternal spiritual truth, absolutely none, who at any time performs an act of kindness. There is, as an eternal spiritual truth, absolutely none, so much as one.” In Romans 16:17, the verb means, “to avoid” the Judaizers whose legalistic teaching caused divisions in the churches in the first century and enticed believers to sin and apostasy. This word means that the Romans were to purposely avoid association with the Judaizers and those who adhere to their teaching. Paul wants them to be on their guard for their teaching to avoid contact with them. This avoidance of false teachers was practiced by the Lord, His apostles and their disciples. Mark 8:15, “And Jesus ordered them, ‘Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod!’” (NET Bible) Luke 20:46, “Beware of the experts in the law. They like walking around in long robes, and they love elaborate greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.” (NET Bible)

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Philippians 3:2, “Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of those who mutilate the flesh!” (NET Bible) 2 Peter 2:1, “But false prophets arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. These false teachers will infiltrate your midst with destructive heresies, even to the point of denying the Master who bought them. As a result, they will bring swift destruction on themselves. 2 And many will follow their debauched lifestyles. Because of these false teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with deceptive words. Their condemnation pronounced long ago is not sitting idly by; their destruction is not asleep. 4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but threw them into hell and locked them up in chains in utter darkness, to be kept until the judgment, 5 and if he did not spare the ancient world, but did protect Noah, a herald of righteousness, along with seven others, when God brought a flood on an ungodly world, 6 and if he turned to ashes the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah when he condemned them to destruction, having appointed them to serve as an example to future generations of the ungodly, 7 and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man in anguish over the debauched lifestyle of lawless men, 8 (for while he lived among them day after day, that righteous man was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard) 9 – if so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from their trials, and to reserve the unrighteous for punishment at the day of judgment, 10 especially those who indulge their fleshly desires and who despise authority. Brazen and insolent, they are not afraid to insult the glorious ones, 11 yet even angels, who are much more powerful, do not bring a slanderous judgment against them before the Lord. 12 But these men, like irrational animals – creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed – do not understand whom they are insulting, and consequently in their destruction they will be destroyed, 13 suffering harm as the wages for their harmful ways. By considering it a pleasure to carouse in broad daylight, they are stains and blemishes, indulging in their deceitful pleasures when they feast together with you. 14 Their eyes, full of adultery, never stop sinning; they entice unstable people. They have trained their hearts for greed, these cursed children! 15 By forsaking the right path they have gone astray, because they followed the way of Balaam son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness, 16 yet was rebuked for his own transgression (a dumb donkey, speaking with a human voice, restrained the prophet’s madness). 17 These men are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm, for whom the utter depths of darkness have been reserved. 18 For by speaking high-sounding but empty words they are able to entice, with fleshly desires and with debauchery, people who have just escaped from those who reside in

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 62 error. 19 Although these false teachers promise such people freedom, they themselves are enslaved to immorality. For whatever a person succumbs to, to that he is enslaved. 20 For if after they have escaped the filthy things of the world through the rich knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they again get entangled in them and succumb to them, their last state has become worse for them than their first. 21 For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than, having known it, to turn back from the holy commandment that had been delivered to them. 22 They are illustrations of this true proverb: ‘A dog returns to its own vomit,’ and ‘A sow, after washing herself, wallows in the mire.’” (NET Bible) 2 John 9-10, “Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting.” The apostle John avoided false teachers, Eusebius writes, “The same Polycarp, coming to Rome under the episcopate of Anicetus, turned many from the aforesaid heretics to the church of God, proclaiming the one and only true faith, that he had received from the apostles, that, viz., which was delivered by the church. And there are those still living who heard him relate, that John the disciple of the Lord went into a bath at Ephesus, and seeing Cerinthus within, ran out without bathing, and exclaimed, “Let us flee lest the bath should fall in, as long as Cerinthus, that enemy of truth, is within.” And the same Polycarp, once coming and meeting Marcion, who said, “acknowledge us,” he replied, “I acknowledge the first born of Satan.” Such caution did the apostles and their disciples use, so as not even to have any communion, even in word with any of those that thus mutilated the truth, according to the declaration of Paul: “An heretical man after the first and second admonition avoid, knowing that such an one is perverse, and that he sins, bringing condemnation upon himself.” (Eusebius Pamphilus, Eusebius’ Ecclesiastical History (reprint, Grand Rapids: Guardian, 1955) 141-42) Irenaeus, a disciple of Polycarp practiced avoiding false teachers, Eusebius writes, “Inasmuch as certain men have set the truth aside, and bring in lying words and vain genealogies, which, as the apostle says, “minister questions rather than godly edifying which is in faith,” and by means of their craftily-constructed plausibilities draw away the minds of the inexperienced and take them captive, [I have felt constrained, my dear friend, to compose the following treatise in order to expose and counteract their machinations.] These men falsify the oracles of God, and prove themselves evil interpreters of the good word of revelation. They also overthrow the faith of many, by drawing them away, under a pretense of [superior] knowledge, from Him who founded and adorned the universe; as if, forsooth, they had something more excellent and sublime to reveal, than that God who created the

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 63 heaven and the earth, and all things that are therein. By means of specious and plausible words, they cunningly allure the simple-minded to inquire into their system; but they nevertheless clumsily destroy them, while they initiate them into their blasphemous and impious opinions respecting the Demiurge; and these simple ones are unable, even in such a matter, to distinguish falsehood from truth.” (Against Heresies, volume 2 of The Ante-Nicene Fathers, ed. A. Roberts and J. Donaldson (reprint, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1956) 315.) Satan promotes religion through his false prophets. The Lord warned His disciples of these false teachers. Matthew 7:15-29, “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell -- and great was its fall. When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.” Paul warned the pastors in Ephesus in his farewell address to beware of these false teachers that promote religion. Acts 20:28-30, “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.” Paul warned the Galatians of these false teachers that teach a counterfeit gospel.

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Galatians 1:8-9, “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!” Peter warned his readers of being deceived by false teachers. 2 Peter 2:1-3, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.” The Holy Spirit working through the Word of God is the Divine Provision that God has given every believer without exception to protect them from the lies of false teachers who are energized and promoted by the kingdom of darkness. The sword that the Spirit employs in spiritual combat is the Word of God. Ephesians 6:17, “And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” The Holy Spirit is the resident teacher or mentor whom the Father has sent through the Son to indwell every New Testament believer as God’s special anointing to teach and make the truths of the Word understood and real to the heart or mind of believers (John. 14:16-20, 26; 15:26; 16:7-16; 1 Co. 2:10-16; 2 Co. 13:14; Ga. 5:5, 16-25; Eph. 3:16-19; 5:18; 1 Jo. 2:20-27). This anointing, which is the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit as our true teacher and mentor, protects us from the lies of the cosmic system, which are promoted by Satan’s false teachers. 1 John 2:20, “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know.” “Anointing ,” in 1 John 2:20, is the noun chrisma and is a synonym for the indwelling of the Spirit, who provides the believer the spiritual capacity or power to understand and apply spiritual phenomena for producing, in the believer, Christ- like character. In its broadest sense, chrisma refers to anything smeared onto something else, such as coatings of plaster applied to a wall. It is used in the anointing of pots, when a glaze is applied to pottery before it is fired to give it color and finish. Chrisma , therefore, denotes a scented ointment, consisting of an oil and herb mixture, used to anoint persons or things. It is used as the “spiced oil of anointing” to consecrate, or set apart for service, the priests of Israel and the tabernacle and its fixtures (Ex 29:7; 30:25).

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In the Old Testament, kings, priests, and prophets were anointed with oil, symbolizing their empowerment by the Holy Spirit and authority to accomplish the appointed tasks given to them by God. The word chrisma is John’s terminology for what Paul called the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who serves as the believer’s true teacher and mentor. The Holy Spirit’s purpose during the Church-Age, therefore, is to indwell every believer in order to provide a temple for the indwelling of the Shekinah Glory, the Lord Jesus Christ, which serves as the principle of victory over the indwelling old sin nature. He provides the believer the spiritual capacity to understand the Word of God, since the Spirit serves as the believer’s true teacher and mentor in place of the absent Christ. Corrected translation of 1 John 2:20: 1 John 2:20 “All of you without exception possess permanently spiritual power ( chrisma ) from the Holy One (Lord Jesus Christ) so that all of you comprehend everything (pertaining to the doctrines of Christ ).” The word chrisma is John’s terminology for what Paul calls the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit who serves as the believer’s true teacher and mentor. This anointing, which is the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit as our true teacher and mentor, protects us from the lies of the cosmic system, which are promoted by Satan’s false teachers. 1 John 2:18, “Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.” “The last hour” is a time of great crisis in the world, in which Satan and the fallen angels are waging war against the kingdom of God in order to prevent the millennial reign of Christ. “The last hour ” began with death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and also entails both the church age dispensation and the tribulation period and will terminate with the 2 nd Advent of Christ. The phrases ‘ the last hour, the last days, last times ” do not refer to a “duration” of time but a “kind” of time where false teachers will increase in number and influence to deceive the entire world and disrupt the church’s influence in the world. The church is to wage war against the kingdom of darkness with the Word of truth and Satan’s wages war against the church with lies. Ephesians 6:17, “Also, I solemnly charge all of you to take hold of your helmet, which is your salvation as well as your sword that originates from the Spirit, which is, as an eternal spiritual truth, God’s Word.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 66 divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” 1 John 2:18, “Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.” “Antichrists ” refers to the false teachers (the Gnostics) from Satan’s cosmic system that teach doctrines that contradict the apostle’s teaching concerning the Person of Christ. Now, it is interesting that John was writing to believers in Ephesus in order to protect them from false teachers and the emergence of false teachers in Ephesus was in fulfillment of the prophesy made by the apostle Paul to the pastors in Ephesus some 25 years earlier. Acts 20:28-30, “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you , not sparing the flock and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.” Paul warned Timothy who was a pastor to guard the teaching that he received that was resident in his soul through indwelling mentorship of the Holy Spirit. 2 Timothy 1:14, “Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.” 1 John 2:19, “They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.” The antichrists, the false teachers of whom John spoke came from the ranks of believers and in particular pastors. John used a play on words when he pointed out that they went out “from us” but were not really “of us.” The first use refers to their physical location -they had been in the local churches but had left. The second use refers to the source from , which they came-their separation showed that they had never really shared in the same fellowship as the others. These believers that left the fellowship of the church had not lost their salvation but would forfeit their eternal inheritance and lose rewards and will be ashamed and embarrassed before Christ at the Bema Seat Evaluation of the church. The context clearly indicates this. 1 John 2:27-28, “As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him. Now, little children, abide in Him, so that

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 67 when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming .” John is commanding his readers to remain in fellowship by obeying the apostolic teaching and not to desert it since those who do would be ashamed before Christ at the Bema Seat Evaluation of the church. 1 John 2:20, “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know.” “Anointing” is the noun chrisma and is a synonym for the indwelling of the Spirit who provides the believer the spiritual capacity or power to understand the Word of God and apply it for the purpose of producing in the believer Christ-like character. Corrected translation of 1 John 2:20 from the original language: 1 John 2:20 “All of you without exception possess permanently spiritual power ( chrisma ) from the Holy One (Lord Jesus Christ) so that all of you comprehend everything (pertaining to the doctrines of Christ ).” The word chrisma is John’s terminology for what Paul calls the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit who serves as the believer’s true teacher and mentor. 1 Corinthians 3:16, “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and empowered ( chrio ) us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.” 1 John 2:21-24, “I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. As for you, let that abide in you, which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.” In 1 John 2:21-24, the apostle John is reaffirming the doctrine of the hypostatic union that Jesus of Nazareth is the God-Man in order to protect his readers from the false teachers who rejected this doctrine. Our fellowship with God is based upon the merits of the Person and Work of Christ on the cross and our union with Him and to reject that Jesus Christ is God prevents one from having fellowship. 1 John 2:25, “This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life.” The Lord Jesus Christ is the incarnate Son of God and therefore He is also the incarnate eternal life of God and to reject that He is God is to reject eternal life.

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1 John 2:26-27, “These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.” The Gnostic teachers whose teachings John’s readers were being exposed to taught that they were the sole source of truth, and that they exclusively possessed the capacity to understand spiritual phenomena. But the indwelling of the Spirit and His mentorship give every believer the spiritual capacity or power to understand and apply truth. The Gnostic teachers proclaimed superior knowledge because they had received a ritual anointing that gave them gnosis , “knowledge.” The apostle John is refuting the Gnostics by clearly teaching that every believer in the church age without exception has received at the moment of salvation the indwelling of the Spirit who provides the believer with the spiritual capacity to understand and apply the truth, i.e. the Word of God, which is spiritual phenomena. Through the teaching of the Word of God, the Holy Spirit communicates to the believer in Jesus Christ that he is a child of God and thus loved by God personally and affectionately and unconditionally. So in Romans 16:17, the verb ekklino means, “to avoid” and is used of the Roman believers in relation to the Judaizers whose legalistic teaching caused divisions in the churches in the first century and enticed believers to sin and apostasy. This word means that the Romans were to purposely avoid association with the Judaizers and those who adhere to their teaching. Paul wants them to be on their guard for their teaching to avoid contact with them. The second person plural form of the verb refers of course to Paul’s readers in Rome as a corporate unit. The present imperative form of the verb is a “customary present imperative” whose force is for Paul’s Christian readers in Rome to simply continue avoiding the Judaizers. The customary present imperative is a command for action to be continued, action that may or may not have already been going on. It is often a character building command to the effect of “make this your habit,” “train yourself in this, discipline yourself.” This is the use of the present imperative in general precepts. The present imperative of ekklino means, “to continue or make it your habit of” keeping away from the Judaizers. The present imperative of the verb is used of a general precept for habits that should characterize one’s attitude and behavior. Therefore, it denotes that Paul’s Christian readers were to be characterized as those who keep away from the Judaizers and other false teachers whose teaching contradicts the Lord Jesus Christ’s teaching and His apostles.

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Paul’s statements in Romans 1:8, 15:14-15 and 16:19 indicate that they were in fact already doing this. Therefore, the present imperative form of the verb indicates that Paul’s command is simply giving his readers a reminder to continue doing what they were doing and was designed to protect their fellowship with God, each other and their testimony among the unsaved. The active voice of the verb indicates that Paul’s readers were responsible to obey this command. We will translate ekklino , “ all of you continue making it your habit of keeping away .” Corrected translation thus far of Romans 16:17, “Now, I warn each and every one of you without exception, spiritual brothers and sisters to keep a watchful eye out for those who cause those divisions as well as those temptations to sin and apostatize contrary to the teaching, which each and every one of you without exception learned. Also, all of you continue making it your habit of keeping away…” Romans 16:17, “Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.” “From them ” is composed of the preposition apo ( ) (ah-poe), “ from ” and the genitive third person masculine plural form of the intensive personal pronoun autos (α ) (awf-toce), “ them .” The intensive personal pronoun autos refers to the Judaizers and is the object of the preposition apo , which functions as a marker of separation indicating Paul is commanding the Roman believers to continue avoiding association with the Judaizers and any other false teachers. We will translate this prepositional phrase “from them .” Completed corrected translation of Romans 16:17, “Now, I warn each and every one of you without exception, spiritual brothers and sisters to keep a watchful eye out for those who cause those divisions as well as those temptations to sin and apostatize contrary to the teaching, which each and every one of you without exception learned, Also, all of you continue making it your habit of keeping away from them.” To summarize, this verse marks a transition from the previous paragraph in Romans 16:3-16 to the paragraph that follows it in Romans 16:17-20. It contains a warning for the Roman believers to keep a watchful eye out for those who cause divisions in churches and who entice believers to sin and apostatize. This group of individuals is the Judaizers and their legalistic teaching is what causes divisions in churches and believers to sin and apostatize. The Romans were to keep a watchful eye out for these individuals because their teaching was contrary to the teaching they have learned from their pastor-teachers who received their teaching from the

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Lord and the apostles. On the heels of this warning, Paul commands the Romans to continue making it their habit of keeping away from these individuals.

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Romans 16:18-The Judaizers Do Not Serve Christ But Their Own Stomach And Deceive The Naive By Their Smooth Talk And Flattery

Next, we will study Romans 16:18 and in this passage Paul informs the Romans that the Judaizers who cause divisions in churches and temptations to sin and apostasy by their teaching do not serve Christ but their own appetites. He also writes that they deceive the spiritually immature by their smooth talk and flattery. Romans 16:17, “Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. 18 For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.” “For ” is the “causal” use of the conjunction gar ( ), which introduces a statement that presents the reason for the previous warning and command in Romans 16:17. Romans 16:17, “Now, I warn each and every one of you without exception, spiritual brothers and sisters to keep a watchful eye out for those who cause those divisions as well as those temptations to sin and apostatize contrary to the teaching, which each and every one of you without exception learned. Also, all of you continue making it your habit of keeping away from them.” This verse contains a warning for the Roman believers to keep a watchful eye out for those who cause divisions in churches and who entice believers to sin and apostatize. On the heels of this warning, Paul commands the Romans to continue making it their habit of keeping away from these individuals. Now, in Romans 16:18, he uses the conjunction gar to introduce a statement that presents the reason why the Roman believers were to keep a watchful eye out for those who cause divisions and temptations and continue avoiding them. Therefore, the Romans were to keep a watchful eye out for those who cause divisions and temptations and continue avoiding them “because” they are by no means slaves to the Lord Jesus Christ but to their own appetites and in addition they deceive the immature by their smooth and flattering speech. Romans 16:18, “For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.” “Such men ” is composed of the nominative masculine plural form of the definite article ho ( () (owe) and the nominative masculine plural form of the demonstrative pronoun toioutos ( ) (tea-oo-toce). Toioutos appears in classical times from Homer onward and three basic usages: (1) Adjective: such as, like this (2) Correlative adjective (a) with hoios : of such a

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 72 kind; (b) with hopoios : of such a manner. (3) Substantive in place of a noun: such a person, such a thing. Liddell and Scott list the following meanings: (1) Such as this, so good, so noble, so bad such a wretch, such a condition just as, so disposed such (2) Such a one, in this wise. (3) Such a proceeding, such a reason, such a case, such a state (4) In narrative refers to what goes before (5) And such like (6) In such wise (Page 1802). The New Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon list the following meanings: (1) Such as this, of this kind or sort (2) One who is of such a character, such a one (Page 627). The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised: (1) Such, such like, of this kind or sort (2) Such, so great (3) Such a fellow (4) The one alluded to (Page 406). Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains: (1) pertaining to being like some identified entity or event—‘such, like such, like that’ (64.2) (2) a reference to that which is of such a kind as is identified in the context—‘of such a kind, of a kind such as this’ (92.31). Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament lists the following: (1) a qualitative correlative with hoios (what sort of, of what kind) (2) as an adjective with a noun such, such as this, of such a kind, of this sort (3) as a substantive (a) of persons, referring to a definite individual with special characteristics or certain qualities such a one, a person like that; (b) of things, things like that, such things (Page 382). A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition state that this “correlative adjective pertains to being like some person or thing mentioned in a context, of such a kind, such as this, like such (Page 1009). The demonstrative pronoun toioutos functions as a substantive as indicated by the article. The word means “such individuals” and is used of persons referring to a definite group of individuals with special characteristics or qualities. Here it refers to those individuals Paul warns about in Romans 16:17 that cause divisions and temptations contrary to the teaching the Romans received from their pastor- teachers. The substantive use of the demonstrative pronoun toioutos in Romans 16:18 functions as a nominative subject meaning that it is performing the action of the verb douleuo , “ are slaves .” We will translate the expression hoi toioutoi ( ), “ such individuals .” Romans 16:18, “For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.”

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“Are not slaves ” is composed of the third person plural present active indicative form of the verb douleuo ( υε ) (thoo-lev-owe), “ are slaves ” and the emphatic negative adverb ou ( ) (oo), “ not .” Douleuo word group refers to the status or the condition of a slave or the attitude of one whereas the douloo word group refers to “enslaving” someone,” or “to make another or oneself a slave.” Douleuo refers to carrying out the duties of a slave, or to the relationship between a slave and his master. The verb douleuo to the Greeks of the ancient world meant to be a slave to someone or to perform the duties of a slave. The verb also meant to serve, to be subject to someone and could also mean to make oneself a slave to one’s land and also to render service. The word appears 134 times in the Septuagint and attests to extensive use of douleuo , usually as an equivalent of the Hebrew ` avadh ( dbu ), “serve,” or one of its derivatives. The verb douleuo is the most usual Septuagint word to describe worship in relation of God and man (Jdg. 2:7; 2 Ch. 30:8). The emphasis of the words with the doul - stem lies on the service being that of a slave, i.e., on a repressive or at least dependent form of service under the complete control of a superior. In the Greek world and in Hellenism the word group has, because of the high evaluation of personal freedom, almost exclusively a demeaning, scornful significance. On this basis and because God was not considered the absolute Lord, the word group plays no role in the religious realm. A totally different understanding is expressed in the Old Testament and in Judaism: God is the absolute Lord. The individual knows he is dependent on God. To be chosen by God, to be able to serve Him, is not demeaning; on the contrary, it is an honor. In Gnostic dualism the word group serves to express slavery to matter and to the world powers. The verb douleuo appears 25 times in the Greek New Testament. Alfons Weiser commenting on the verb’s usage in the New Testament, states that “ Douleuo is used of relationship: to be a slave, to be subjugated, John 8:33; Acts 7:7; Rom. 9:12; 1 Tim. 6:2. As a designation of conduct it means to do the work of a slave, serve: Matt. 6:24 par. Luke 16:13; Luke 15:29; Eph. 6:7... douleuo expresses the serving which people exercise toward the following ruling powers: to God as the absolute Lord: Matt. 6:24 par. Luke; 1 Thess. 1:9; Jesus Christ as Lord: Acts 20:19; Rom. 12:11; 14:18; 16:18; Eph. 6:7; Col. 3:24; 7:6 to the law of God: Rom. 7:25; to the gospel: Phil. 2:2; to the idols: Gal. 4:8 f.; to sin: Rom. 6:6; 7:25; to the desires: Titus 3:3; of people to each other: a son to his father, Luke 15:29; service to each other in love, Gal. 5:13. Douleuo appears in an allegorical sense for

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 74 the condition of Israel as that which rejects the realm of the sovereignty of Christ: Gal. 4:25” (Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament volume 1, page 350). The New Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon lists two categorical usages for the verb: (1) prop. to be a slave, serve, do service (2) metaph. to obey, submit to (a) in a good sense: absol. to yield obedience, to obey one’s commands and render to him the services due (b) in a bad sense, of those who become slaves to some base power, to yield to, give one’s self up to (page 157). Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament lists the following: (1) of relationship be a slave, be subjected (2) of action or behavior perform the duties of a slave, serve, obey (3) figuratively, of spiritual service to God serve, obey; of spiritual or moral enslavement to sin, appetites, etc. be a slave to, be controlled by (Page 120). A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition lists the following meanings for the verb douleuo : (1) to be owned by another, be a slave, be subjected (2) to act or conduct oneself as one in total service to another, perform the duties of a slave, serve, obey (Page 259). Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains lists the following meanings for the verb douleuo : (1) to be a slave of someone - ‘to be a slave’ (87.79) (2) to be under the control of some influence and to serve the interests of such - ‘to be a slave to, to be controlled by’ (37.25). (3) to serve, normally in a humble manner and in response to the demands or commands of others - ‘to serve’ (35.27). The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised lists the following meanings for the verb douleuo : (1) to be a slave or servant; to be in slavery or subjection (2) to discharge the duties of a slave or servant (3) to serve, be occupied in the service of, be devoted, subservient (4) metaphorically, to be enthralled, involved in a slavish service, spiritually or morally. (Page 107) This is the seventh time that we have seen this verb in the Roman epistle. It first appears in Romans 6:6, where it means, “to become a slave to another” and is used with reference to the justified sinner’s relationship with his old Adamic sin nature and its meaning is negated by the adverb meketi , “ no longer .” Therefore, it means that the believer no longer needs to be a slave to his old Adamic sin nature and subject himself or yield himself to its desires since his old Adamic sin nature was crucified with Christ and has thus been deprived of its power over his life. He now has the capacity to reject being a slave to the desires of the sin nature and the alternative now to reject its desires. The verb douleuo is “personifying” the noun hamartia , “ sin ” as a cruel master or tyrant over the sinner. Romans 6:6, “This we are very familiar with through instruction, namely, that our old man was crucified with Him in order that the sinful body would

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 75 be deprived of its power with the result that we are no longer in a perpetual state of being slaves to the sin nature.” In Romans 7:6, the verb douleuo refers to Paul’s Jewish Christian readers’ status or the condition of being servants of God. It emphasizes their “position” of being a servant of God rather than their experience since Paul is contrasting the Jewish Christians’ former position of being married to the Mosaic Law with that of their new position in Christ as servants of Christ and the Father. Romans 7:6, “But now in our present state, we have been discharged from the Law as a result of having died with respect to that which we were once in a perpetual state of being bound. Consequently, we are, as an eternal spiritual truth, forever slaves for the benefit of God the Father by means of the extraordinary work of the Spirit and never by means of the useless observance of the letter, which is the Law.” In Romans 7:25, the verb douleuo refers to Paul’s “status or condition or position of being a servant” of the Law of God, which is accomplished by means of the new nature. Romans 7:25, “Thank God (the Father) through Jesus who is the Christ, who is our Lord! Therefore, based upon what has been previously stated, on the one hand, I myself by means of my mind am, as an eternal spiritual truth, a servant of God’s Law but on the other hand, by means of my flesh the propensity of the sin nature.” In Romans 9:12, the verb douleuo means, “to be in subjection” and refers to the status or condition of Esau’s descendants, the nation of Edom being servants to the descendants of Jacob, the nation of Israel. Romans 9:12, “It was said to her, ‘The older will be in subjection to the younger.’” Paul does not employ the verb douloo but rather douleuo in Romans 9:12. The former emphasizes the “act” of being made a slave whereas the latter emphasizes the “relationship” between the slave and the master and the “position” of being a slave. Therefore, Paul chooses douleuo here because he wants to emphasize the “position” or “relationship” that the descendants of Edom would possess in the future in relation to the descendants of Jacob. The verb speaks of the descendants of Esau being under the dominion, rule and authority of the descendants of Jacob. Then, in Romans 12:11, the verb douleuo means to act or conduct oneself as one in total service to another or perform the duties of a slave and denotes that the Roman believers were to continue to conduct themselves in total service to the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 12:11, “Concerning zeal, do not be lazy. All of you continue to make it your habit to be on fire by means of the omnipotence of the Spirit. All

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 76 of you continue to make it your habit of conducting yourselves in total service to the Lord.” Lastly, in Romans 14:18 the verb douleuo means “to serve as a slave” and is used with the strong believer as its subject and Christ as its object. Romans 14:18, “For the one who serves Christ as a slave by this means is, as an eternal spiritual truth extremely pleasing in the judgment of God the Father and in addition respected in the judgment of this particular group of people, i.e. the weak.” In Romans 16:18, the verb douleuo refers to the status or the condition of being servants of the Lord Christ. The word is used of those who cause divisions in the churches in the first century and temptations for believers to sin and enter into apostasy, who, as we noted, were the Judaizers. The verb’s meaning is emphatically negated by the emphatic negative adverb ou , which emphatically negates the idea that the Judaizers possessed the status or condition of being a servant of the Lord Christ because they caused divisions in the body of Christ and temptations for members to sin and enter into apostasy. Paul does not employ the verb douloo but rather douleuo since the former emphasizes the “act” of being made a slave whereas the latter emphasizes the “relationship” between the slave and the master. Therefore, Paul chooses douleuo here because he wants to emphasize the servant/master “relationship” that emphatically does not exist between the Judaizers and the Lord Jesus Christ. The present tense of the verb douleuo is a “gnomic” present indicating that the Judaizers and individuals like them are by no means “characterized” as slaves of the Lord Christ. The present tense is also a customary present signaling an ongoing state indicating that the Judaizers and individuals like them by no means “exist in the state” of being characterized as slaves of the Lord Christ. The active voice of the verb is a “stative” active indicating that subject exists in the state indicated by the verb. Therefore, the “stative” active voice indicates that the Judaizers and individuals like them by no means “exist in the state of being” characterized as slaves of the Lord Christ. The indicative mood is “declarative” presenting this Pauline assertion as a non- contingent or unqualified statement of fact. Therefore, we will translate the expression ou douleuousin ( υευ ), “are by no means characterized as being slaves .” Corrected translation thus far of Romans 16:18, “Because, such individuals are by no means characterized as being slaves…” Romans 16:18, “For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.”

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“Of our Lord Christ ” is composed of the articular dative masculine singular form of the noun kurios ( ) (ker-dee-oce), “ of Lord ” and the genitive first person plural form of the personal pronoun ego ( ) (eh-go), “ our ” and the dative masculine singular form of the proper name Christos ( ) (cree-stoce), “Christ .” The noun kurios indicates the following about Jesus Christ: (1) His equality with the Father and the Spirit. (2) His joint-rulership with the Father over the entire cosmos. (3) His highest ranking position as Chief Administrator in the divine government. (4) His absolute sovereign authority as Ruler over all creation and every creature. (5) His victory over the sin nature and Satan and His kingdom. In His deity, Jesus Christ is “ Lord ” (See Luke 20:42). However in His human nature He received this title as a result of His obedience to the Father’s will, which called for Him to suffer a spiritual and physical death on the cross as a substitute for every member of the human race-past, present and future (See Philippians 2:5- 11). Paul uses this term to emphasize the sovereign authority of Jesus of Nazareth who is the Christ, over the church. It emphasizes the servant/master relationship that exists between the church and Christ. The articular construction of kurios is used with the plural form of the personal pronoun ego , “ our ” to denote possession. The personal pronoun ego is a genitive of possession indicating that the Lord Jesus Christ “belongs to” not only Paul but also to Paul’s Christian readers in Rome. The noun kurios functions as a dative direct object meaning it is receiving the action of the verb douleuo . This category of the dative is found with verbs of serving, which douleuo denotes in Romans 16:18. The word is put in the dative rather than accusative case since Paul is emphasizing the personal relationship that exists between Paul and his Christian readers in Rome and Jesus Christ. The proper name Christos is a technical word designating the humanity of our Lord as the promised Savior for all mankind who is unique as the incarnate Son of God and totally and completely guided and empowered by the Spirit as the Servant of the Father. The word denotes the Messiahship of Jesus of Nazareth, thus He is the Deliverer of the human race in three areas through His death, resurrection, ascension and session: (1) Satan (2) Cosmic System (3) Old Sin Nature. The word Christos also signifies the uniqueness of Jesus of Nazareth who is the God-Man and signifies His three-fold office: (1) Prophet (2) Priest (3) King. The Lord’s Messiahship has a four-fold significance: (1) Separation unto God. (2) Authorization from God. (3) Divine enablement. (4) The coming Deliverer. Christos signifies that Jesus of Nazareth served God the Father exclusively and this was manifested by His execution of the Father’s salvation plan which was accomplished by His voluntary substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths on the

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Cross. The word also signifies that Jesus of Nazareth has been given authority by God the Father to forgive sins, give eternal life, and authority over all creation and every creature as a result of His execution of the Father’s salvation plan. Furthermore, it signifies that Jesus of Nazareth was perpetually guided and empowered by God the Holy Spirit during His First Advent. Lastly, Christos signifies that Jesus of Nazareth is the promised deliverer of the human race from the bondage of Satan, his cosmic system and the old Adamic sin nature. The proper name Christos functions as a “dative of simple apposition” meaning that it stands next a noun in the same case and clarifies who is mentioned. The noun it stands next to is of course kurios , “ Lord .” Therefore, Christos , “ Christ ” is clarifying or identifying who this Lord is, namely it is the Savior. Thus, we will translate the word “ who is Christ .” Corrected translation thus far of Romans 16:18, “Because, such individuals are by no means characterized as being slaves to our Lord, who is Christ…” Romans 16:18, “For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.” “But ” is the adversative use of the conjunction alla ( ) (ah-lah), which functions as a marker of an emphatic contrast. It is used to introduce an expression that stands in direct contrast with the idea of the Judaizers being slaves to the Lord Christ. We will translate alla , “ but rather .” Corrected translation thus far of Romans 16:18, “Because, such individuals are by no means characterized as being slaves to our Lord, who is Christ but rather…” Romans 16:18, “For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.” “Of their own appetites ” is composed of the articular dative feminine singular form of the noun koilia ( α ) (kee-lee-ah), “ of…appetites ” and the genitive third person masculine plural form of the reflexive pronoun heautou (αυ)~ (owf-too), “ their own .” The earliest Greek references to koilia in the fifth century B.C. apply the word to the “hollow of the body,” i.e., the abdominal area. The term comes from an adjective meaning “hollow” and carries the idea of a hollow place or cavity. Although most classical references to koilia speak literally of the “abdomen” or “stomach” area, the word conveys two other meanings as well. Writers used koilia to denote the “womb” and reproductive organs. As a metaphor koilia also stands for the “inner man.”

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Most occurrences of koilia in the papyri fit into one of these three categories. The literal idea of a “hollow place,” however, is seen clearly in a third century B.C. document, which speaks of “filling in the koilia before the king arrives.” Wibbing list the following meanings of the word in Greek: (1) Belly, abdomen, bowels, stomach (2) The abdomen as the site of the sexual organs, the womb (The New International Dictionary of the New Testament Theology, volume 1, page 169). Behm lists the following meanings in classical Greek: (1) Hollow of the body (2) Belly, lower part of the body, entrails, stomach, intestines (3) The belly as the seat of the sexual organs, i.e., the womb (4) Other hollows in the body, for the brain, the heart (5) Of hollows in the earth (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, volume 3, page 786). Liddell and Scott list the following meanings (Greek-English Lexicon, New Edition, pages 966-967): (1) Cavity of the body, i.e. thorax with abdomen (2) Belly, abdomen, stomach (3) Intestines (4) Excrement (5) Any cavity in the body, ventricle, chamber, as in the lungs, heart, liver, brain (6) Socket of a bone (7) Supposed cavities inside the muscles (8) Womb (9) Any hollow or cavity, in the earth (10) Perh. Finger-tip. The Septuagint (LXX) and Rabbinical literature also use koilia metaphorically for the inner man as a synonym for the heart. In the LXX, the word displays three basic uses of koilia as well. It sometimes speaks of the abdominal cavity, the belly (Jonah 2:1), sometimes of the womb (Gen. 25:24), or in a figurative sense, of man’s innermost being (Proverbs 20:27). The noun koilia appears 22 times in the Greek New Testament. Louw and Nida list the following meanings in the NT for this word (Greek- English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains, volume 2): (1) The entire digestive apparatus, including stomach and intestines – ‘belly, internal organs’ (8.67). (2) The uterus – ‘womb’ (8.69). (3) The psychological faculty of desire, intent, and feeling – ‘heart, feelings, desires’ (26.11). (4) Desire for gratification of the body – ‘physical desires, desires of the body’ (25.28). A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition: (1) the organ of nourishment (2) womb, uterus (3) seat of inward life, of feelings and desires, belly (Pages 550-551) The New Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon lists the following: (1) The whole belly, the entire cavity (2) The lower belly, the alvine region, the receptacle of the excrement (3) The gullet (4) The womb, the place where the fetus is conceived and nourished till birth (5) The innermost part of a man, the soul, heart, as the seat of thought, feeling, choice (Page 351). The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised: (1) A cavity; the belly (2) The stomach (3) The womb (4) The inner self (Page 234).

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Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament: (1) Belly, abdominal cavity (2) Womb (3) Innermost being (volume 2, page 301). Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament lists the following: (1) literally, the hollow part of the body (a) where food is digested stomach, belly (b) where reproduction takes place womb, uterus (2) figuratively (a) the inner self innermost being, heart (b) desires, appetites (Page 233). The noun koilia is used with reference to the stomach in the context of the Pharisees fanatical observance to their many dietary laws, which are now embodied in the Mishna and the Talmud (Mt. 15:17; Mk. 7:19; Rm. 16:18; Phlp. 3:19). It is used of the womb (Mt. 19:12; Lk. 1:15, 41, 42, 44; 2:21; 11:27; 23:29; Jn. 3:4; Ac. 3:2; 14:8; Ga. 1:15). The word is also used for the stomach (Mt. 12:40; 1 Cor. 6:13; Rev. 10:9-10). Lastly, the Lord used it in a figurative sense in His prophecy regarding the filling of the Spirit (Jn. 7:38). In Romans 16:17, the noun koilia means “stomach” and contains the figure of “synecdoche” of the part where the stomach of the Judaizers is put for their strict adherence to the dietary restrictions of the Mosaic Law. It does not refer to the emotions and there is no precedence in classical, the LXX or the NT for the use of the word in this manner. Paul is being sarcastic with his use of this word. He is referring here to the Judaizers’ fanatical observance of the dietary laws of the Mosaic Law. Paul uses this word in Philippians 3:19 in the same manner. Philippians 3:17-19, “Brothers, all of you continue being joint-imitators of me and continue observing carefully those who are living in this manner just as all of you continue having us as an example because many, about whom I often told all of you, but I now say even weeping, are living as the enemies of the cross of the Christ whose destiny is certain destruction, whose god is the stomach , and whose glory will certainly result in their shame, those who are continually occupied with earthly matters.” In Philippians 3:19 and Romans 16:18, koilia does not refer to licentiousness or immorality, but rather moral degeneracy. Many expositors identify these individuals in Philippians 3:18-19 and Romans 16:17-18 as antinomianists because of the presence of the word koilia in both passages, but the antinomianists were not causing divisions by being immoral degenerates or being self-indulgent. Rather, they were causing divisions in the church by attempting to impose the ritual of circumcision upon the Gentile believers (Acts 15; Gal. 5) and by imposing the observance of laws of food that were a part of the oral traditions of the Rabbis and were not a part of Scripture (Col. 2:16-17). If you recall, in Romans 14, Paul addressed the proper attitude to the dietary restrictions of the Mosaic Law, which the Judaizers insisted upon. So Paul is saying that the Judaizers serve the dietary laws of the Mosaic Law rather than Christ since they do not adhere to the Lord’s

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 81 teaching concerning these dietary laws (See Matthew 15:10-20; Mark 7:14-19; Acts 10:1-15). In Romans 16:18, the articular construction of koilia is used with the reflexive pronoun heautou to denote possession. The reflexive pronoun heautou is a genitive of possession indicating that this stomach “belongs to” the Judaizers and other individuals like them. The noun koilia functions as a dative direct object meaning it is receiving the action of the verb douleuo . This category of the dative is found with verbs of serving, which douleuo denotes in Romans 16:18. The word is put in the dative rather than accusative case since Paul is emphasizing the personal relationship that exists between the Judaizers and their stomachs, which again refers to their strict adherence to the dietary laws found in the Mosaic Law. The plural form of the reflexive pronoun heautou refers to the Judaizers and other individuals like them and is used to highlight their participation in the verbal action, as indirect object. Its force is frequently to indicate that the subject is also the object of the action of the verb or in other words, it reflects back on the subject. Therefore, the reflexive personal pronoun heautou means “their own” and emphasizes the action of the Judaizers being slaves to “their own” stomach. The word functions as a genitive of possession indicating that stomach “belongs to” the Judaizers who emphasizes strict adherence to the dietary restrictions of the Mosaic Law. We will translate the expression te heauton koilia ( υ ), “ their own stomach .” Corrected translation thus far of Romans 16:18, “Because, such individuals are by no means characterized as being slaves to our Lord, who is Christ but rather their own stomach…” Romans 16:18, “For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.” “And ” is the “adjunctive” use of the conjunction kai ( α ) (keh), which introduces a second reason why the Roman believers were to keep a watchful eye out for those who cause divisions and temptations and continue avoiding them. We will translate the word “ and in addition .” “By their smooth and flattering speech ” is composed of the preposition dia ( ) (thee-ah ), “ by ” and the articular genitive feminine singular form of the noun chrestologia ( ηα ) (cree-stoe-low-gee-ah), “ smooth speech ” and the “adjunctive” use of the conjunction kai (α ) (keh), “ and ” and the genitive feminine singular form of the noun eulogia ( εα ) (ev-low-yee-ah), “flattering .”

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The noun chrestologia is a compound word composed of the adjective chrestos , “kind, good” and the verb lego , “to speak.” It refers to “eloquent and attractive speech involving pleasing rhetorical devices (Louw and Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains, 33.30). The word is used in a positive sense of speech of an excellent quality and in a negative sense ironically, similarly to the English figure of speech “a smooth talker.” The noun does not appear in the Septuagint and only once in the Greek New Testament, here in Romans 16:18 where it means “smooth talk.” The conjunction kai is copulative uniting the nouns chrestologia and eulogia . From Pindar onwards, the noun eulogia in classical Greek means “speaking well.” (The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Colin Brown, General Editor, volume 1, page 206; Regency, Reference Library, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1967, 1969, 1971) It refers its aesthetic appeal, the attractive presentation of what one is saying (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, volume 2, page 754; Gerhard Kittel, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1964) Applied to its content, eulogia expresses praise and extolling and can be of things or persons and occasionally the gods (The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Colin Brown, General Editor, volume 1, page 206; Regency, Reference Library, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1967, 1969, 1971) The noun appears 93 times in the Septuagint. Its cognate verb eulogeo appears throughout the Septuagint, over four hundred times where it usually translates the Hebrew barakh (Er^B*). This Hebrew term can mean, “to endue with power for success, prosperity, fecundity, longevity, etc.” or “to praise (God).” So to be blessed in the Old Testament meant to be endued with power. Eulogia occurs 16 times in the Greek New Testament. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition lists the following meanings for the word: (1) act of speaking in favorable terms, praise (2) in an extended sense of ‘fine speaking’ and of words that are well chosen but untrue, false eloquence, flattery (3) act or benefit of blessing, blessing (4) generous gift, bounty (Pages 408-409). Louw and Nida list the following usages: (1) to speak of something in favorable terms—‘to praise, to speak well of’ (33.356). (2) excessive praise—‘flattery, flattering talk’ (33.366). (3) to ask God to bestow divine favor on, with the implication that the verbal act itself constitutes a significant benefit—‘to bless, blessing’ (33.470). (4) the content of the act of blessing—‘blessing, benefit’ (88.70) (5) that which is bestowed or given as a blessing or benefit—‘gift, blessing, contribution’ (57.105) (Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based upon Semantic Domains)

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Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament lists the following: (1) strictly good or fine speech; hence praise, eulogy (2) in a bad sense flattery, plausible arguments (3) of persons invoking God’s favor on other persons blessing, benediction (4) of favor or benefit bestowed by people, gift, bounty (6) of things on which God’s blessing has been pronounced consecrated (Page 180). In Romans 15:29, the noun eulogia means “blessing” in the sense of a spiritual benefit that is bestowed upon the Roman believers. It is used here to describe that which the gospel produces. The gospel would be a spiritual benefit to the Roman believers in that it would endue them with divine power when Paul communicates it to them in a face to face manner and when applied would reproduce the character of Christ in their lives, i.e. fruit of the Spirit. Romans 15:29, “Indeed, I know for certain that when I am permitted to enter into the company of each and every one of you, I will for my own benefit enter in the state of possessing abundant blessing , which is produced by Christ.” In Romans 16:18, the noun eulogia means “flattery” which refers to praising someone excessively especially from selfish motives. It is used here of the Judaizers who praise immature believers excessively for selfish interests. Both the noun eulogia and chrestologia are the object of the preposition dia , which functions as a marker of the instrument by which something is accomplished indicating that smooth speech and flattery are the “means by which” the Judaizers deceive immature believers. The expression tes chrestologias kai eulogias ( η ε ) contains the figure of “hendiadys.” This figure takes place when two nouns are used to express one idea or concept and it literally means “one by means of two” and takes place when the author uses two words but only one idea is intended. The two words are of the same parts of speech, i.e., two nouns, and are always joined together by the conjunction “and” and are also always in the same case. One of the two words expresses the thing, and the other intensifies it by being changed (if a noun) into an adjective of the superlative degree, which is, by this means, made especially emphatic. In Romans 16:18, we have two nouns chrestologia , “ smooth talk ” and eulogia , “flattery ” and they are separated by the conjunction kai , “ and .” The noun eulogia , “flattery ” modifies and intensifies the meaning of the noun chrestologia , “ smooth talk .” Therefore, the figure of “hendiadys” indicates that these two expressions do “not” refer to two separate things but rather refer to one thing. Therefore, we will translate this expression “ smooth talk, yes, flattering talk too .” The Granville Sharp rule is in effect in this expression. This rule states that “When the copulative connects two nouns of the same case, [viz. nouns (either substantive or adjective, or participles) of personal description, respecting office,

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 84 dignity, affinity, or connexion, and attributes, properties, or qualities, good or ill], if the article , or any of its cases, precedes the first of the said nouns or participles, and is not repeated before the second noun or participle, the latter always relates to the same person that is expressed or described by the first noun or participle: i.e. it denotes a farther description of the first-named person.” (Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics, Page 272). In Romans 16:18, the nouns chrestologia , “ smooth talk ” and eulogia , “flattery ” are personal describing the Judaizers and the article precedes the first noun and is not repeated with the second. This indicates that both nouns are speaking of the same individuals. Corrected translation thus far of Romans 16:18, “Because, such individuals are by no means characterized as being slaves to our Lord, who is Christ but rather their own stomach and in addition by means of their smooth talk, yes flattering talk too…” Romans 16:18, “For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.” “They deceive ” is the third person plural present active indicative form of the verb exapatao ( αα ) (ex-ah-peh-ta-owe), which is a compound word composed of the verb apatao , “to deceive” and the preposition ek that intensifies the verb’s meaning. Thus, the verb literally means, “to deceive or seduce completely and thoroughly.” Richards commenting on the word, writes, “ Apatao and its derivatives indicate ethical enticement...Deception sometimes comes from within, as our desires impel us to deceive. But more often in the NT, deceit is error urged by external evil powers or by those locked into the world’s way of thinking.” (Richards, L O: Expository Dictionary of Bible Words: Regency) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition defines the verb “to cause someone to accept false ideas about something, deceive, cheat (Page 345). Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament defines the verb “to deceive completely, entice, delude (Page 154). Louw and Nida define the word “to cause someone to have misleading or erroneous views concerning the truth—‘to mislead, to deceive, deception’” (Greek- English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains, 31.12). The verb appears five times in the Greek New Testament. It appears in 2 Corinthians 11:3 where Paul uses it of Satan deceiving Eve. 2 Corinthians 11:3, “But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.”

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The word is used again by Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 in order to warn the believers in Thessalonica of false teachers who taught that the day of the Lord had already come. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, “Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.” It is used by Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:18 to warn the Corinthian church of becoming involved in self-deception. 1 Corinthians 3:18, “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise.” In Romans 7:11, the verb is used with the sin nature as its subject in relation to the apostle Paul and means not only to give a false impression but to actively lead astray. The word indicates that Paul’s sin nature “thoroughly and completely deceived” him. It means to cause someone to believe or accept false ideas about something with the implication of that one is led out of the right way into error and especially to sin. Romans 7:11, “For you see because the sin nature seized a base of operations by means of the tenth commandment, it deceived me and in addition by means of it, put me to death.” Paul uses the word in Romans 16:18 where it again means “to deceive” and is used of the Judaizers “deceiving” unsuspecting Christians by teaching that they must adhere to the Law. The present tense of the verb is a customary present signaling an ongoing state indicating that the Judaizers “existed in the state” of deceiving immature believers. It denotes deceiving the immature is the lifestyle of the Judaizers. The active voice of the verb is a “stative” active indicating that the Judaizers “existed in the state of being” deceiving unsuspecting believers. The indicative mood is “declarative” presenting this Pauline assertion as a non- contingent or unqualified statement of fact. We will translate exapatao , “ they deceive .” Corrected translation thus far of Romans 16:18, “Because, such individuals are by no means characterized as being slaves to our Lord, who is Christ but rather their own stomach and in addition by means of their smooth talk, yes flattering talk too, they deceive…” Romans 16:18, “For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.”

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“The hearts of the unsuspecting ” is composed of the articular accusative feminine plural form of the noun kardia ( αα ) (car-thee-ah), “ the hearts ” and the articular genitive masculine plural form of the adjective akakos ( α ) (ah- ka-koce), “ of the unsuspecting .” The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised: (1) The heart; the heart, regarded as the seat of feeling, impulse, affection, desire (2) The heart, as the seat of intellect (3) The heart, as the inner and mental frame (4) The conscience (5) The heart, the inner part, middle, centre (Page 213). Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains: (1) The causative source of a person’s psychological life in its various aspects but with special emphasis upon thoughts – ‘heart, inner self, mind’ (26.3). (2) A location deep within a large area – ‘depths, far inside’ (83.14). Johannes Behm lists the following New Testament meanings of the noun kardia : (1) The thought of the heart as the central organ of the body and the seat of physical vitality is found only in Lk. 21:34 and the select poetic expressions of Acts 14:17. (2) That the heart is the centre of the inner life of man and the source or seat of all the forces and functions of the soul and spirit is attested in many different ways in the NT. (a) In the heart dwell feelings and emotions, desires, and passions, e.g. joy, pain and sorrow, love, desire, of God; lust (b) The heart is the seat of understanding, the source of thought and reflection (c) The heart is the seat of the will, the source of resolves; thus kardia comes to stand for the whole of the inner being of man in contrast to his external side; the heart, the innermost part of man, represents the ego, the person (d) Thus the heart is supremely the one centre in man to which God turns, in which the religious life is rooted, which determines moral conduct (3) “in the inward part, the bosom, of the earth” (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, volume 3, pages 611-613). The New Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon: (1) Prop. that organ in the animal body which is the centre of the circulation of the blood, and hence was regarded as the seat of physical life (2) Univ. kardia denotes the seat and centre of all physical and spiritual life (3) The vigor and sense of physical life. (4) The centre and seat of spiritual life, the soul or mind, as it is the fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, endeavors; of things done from the heart i.e., cordially or sincerely, truly; spec. of the understanding, the faculty and seat of intelligence; of the will and character; of the soul so far forth as it is affected and stirred in a bad way or good, or of the soul as the seat of the sensibilities, affections, emotions, desires, appetites, passions; of the cultivation of endurance; in reference to the good-will and love; of a soul conscious of good or bad deeds (5) Used of the middle or central or inmost part of any thing, even though inanimate (Pages 325-326).

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Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, “ Kardia , ‘the heart’ (Eng., ‘cardiac,’ etc.), the chief organ of physical life (‘for the life of the flesh is in the blood,’ (Lev. 17:11), occupies the most important place in the human system. By an easy transition the word came to stand for man's entire mental and moral activity, both the rational and the emotional elements. In other words, the heart is used figuratively for the hidden springs of the personal life. ‘The Bible describes human depravity as in the `heart,' because sin is a principle which has its seat in the center of man's inward life, and then `defiles' the whole circuit of his action, (Matt. 15:19,20). On the other hand, Scripture regards the heart as the sphere of Divine influence, (Rom. 2:15; Acts 15:9).... The heart, as lying deep within, contains `the hidden man,' (1 Pet. 3:4), the real man. It represents the true character but conceals it" (J. Laidlaw, in Hastings' Bible Dic.). As to its usage in the NT it denotes (a) the seat of physical life, (Acts 14:17; Jas. 5:5); (b) the seat of moral nature and spiritual life, the seat of grief, (John 14:1; Rom. 9:2; 2 Cor. 2:4); joy, (John 16:22; Eph. 5:19); the desires, (Matt. 5:28; 2 Pet. 2:14); the affections, (Luke 24:32; Acts 21:13); the perceptions, (John 12:40; Eph. 4:18); the thoughts, (Matt. 9:4; Heb. 4:12); the understanding, (Matt. 13:15; Rom. 1:21); the reasoning powers, (Mark 2:6; Luke 24:38); the imagination, (Luke 1:51); conscience, (Acts 2:37; 1 John 3:20); the intentions, (Heb. 4:12), cf. (1 Pet. 4:1); purpose, (Acts 11:23; 2 Cor. 9:7); the will, (Rom. 6:17; Col. 3:15); faith, (Mark 11:23; Rom. 10:10; Heb. 3:12). A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition: (1) heart as seat of physical, spiritual and mental life (a) as the center and source of physical life (b) as center and source of the whole inner life with its thinking, feeling and volition (2) interior, center, heart (Page 509). Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament lists the following: (1) viewed as the seat of physical vitality (2) viewed as the innermost self, the source and seat of functions of soul and spirit in the emotional life, the volitional life, the rational life (3) viewed as the human dwelling place of heavenly beings and powers (4) figuratively, of the depths of the earth interior, center (Page 215). The kardia refers to the dominant lobe of the soul, the right lobe and is the mental activity or function of the psuche , “soul.” The kardia is that aspect of the soul, which circulates thought or mental activity and is where one’s frame of reference and memory center resides. It is also the place where one’s vocabulary and the classification of thoughts reside as well as the conscience where the norms and standards reside. A person’s entire mental attitude circulates in the kardia as well as the sub conscience where various categories of things that shock or impress from adversity, sin, failure or disappointment are located. Among the Greeks, the noun kardia was primarily used literally in a physiological sense as the central organ of the body of man or beast (Homer Iliad,

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10, 94). It also appears in the figurative sense, especially in the poets, infrequently in prose, for the heart as the seat of moral and intellectual life. The word was used to denote the seat of emotions and passions like anger (Homer, Iliad, 9, 646). Kardia was used as the seat of power of thought (Homer, Iliad, 21, 441). Homer, in particular, brought together the heart and reason without clearly separating thought and feeling (Iliad, 21, 441). In philosophical terminology we find in Plato a weak trend toward ascribing to the kardia functions of the soul (Symp. 218a). But the basic physiological concept is maintained (cf. Tim. 65c). In Stoicism the heart is in some sense the central organ of intellectual life, the seat of reason, from which feeling, willing and thinking proceed (cf. Chrysippus). Behm suggests that kardia came to be ascribed as the “functions of the soul” (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, volume 3, pages 608-609). In the LXX, the noun kardia appears 891 times and is used primarily to translate the Hebrew noun lev . The Old Testament uses the heart in both a literal and metaphorical sense and rarely is kardia used for the physiological heart since it is used primarily for the mental activities of a human being. The emotions of a person were expressed from the kardia, such as joy (Deut. 28:47), or pain (Jer. 4:19) of tranquility (Pr. 14:30) or excitement (Deut. 19:6). The heart in the Old Testament was used as the seat of the understanding and of knowledge, of rational thought and was the place of intellectual activity. Evil thoughts took place in the heart (Hebrews 3:17) and the heart can reject Bible teaching (Prov. 5:12, 13), and is the source of discord and troublemaking (Prov. 6:14, 18). Hatred emanates from the heart (2 Sam. 6:16) and the heart suffers disappointment from promises not kept (Prov. 13:12). The heart promotes mental attitude sins: (1) Bitterness (Prov. 14:10). (2) Sorrow and disappointment (Prov. 14:13). (3) Pride (Prov. 21:4; Obad. 3). (4) Worry (Eccl. 2:23). The frantic search for happiness is related to the heart (Eccl. 1:13) and apostasy is described in terms of the heart (Jer. 17:5, 9; Zech. 7:12). Revolution and insubordination are described as being in the heart (2 Sm. 15:6; Jer. 5:23; Ezek. 6:9) as well as hypocrisy is related to the heart (Job. 36:13; Ps. 55:21). The heart is related to psychosis (Is. 13:7, 8) and mental attitude sins relate the old sin nature to the heart (Ps. 66:18; 101:5; Prov. 6:18; Mt. 12:35; 15:18, 19; Lu. 6:45; 24:25). The noun kardia appears 156 times in the Greek New Testament and refers to the inner person, the seat of understanding, knowledge, and will, and takes on as well the meaning of conscience. Kardia is the center of the person, that which determines one’s life and from which one must determine one’s life. The kardia is a part of the essence of the soul. The perceptive apparatus in the unregenerate is different from the regenerate. A regenerate person possesses a

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 89 body, soul and human spirit thus making them trichotomous whereas the unregenerate person possesses only a body and a soul making them dichotomous (See 1 Corinthians 15:45). The body is called soma , the soul is called psuche and the spirit is called pneuma in the original language of the Greek New Testament. The mentality of the soul is divided into two parts: (1) Nous ( nou~$ ), “left lobe of the soul” (2) Kardia ( kardiva ), “right lobe of the soul.” Essence of the soul: (1) Self-consciousness (2) Conscience (3) Mentality (4) Emotion (5) Volition. The Essence of the Heart: (1) Frame of reference (Proverbs 4:4) (2) Memory center (Philippians 1:13) (3) Vocabulary storage (4) Categorical storage, i.e. classification of thoughts (5) Conscience, i.e. norms and standards (Rm. 2:15; 9:1; 13:5; 1 Co. 8:7; 2 Co. 4:2; 5:11; Tit. 1:15; Heb. 9:14; 1 Pet. 2:19). (6) Mentality (7) Subconscious. The kardia in the Bible is the mental activity or function of the psuche , “soul.” In the psuche , it “circulates” thought, mental activity just as the physiological heart does the same with blood. It is the thinking part, analytical, reasoning part of the soul and dominant thinking part of the soul and is the target of Bible teaching, the Word of God. The kardia is that aspect of the soul, which circulates thought or mental activity and is where one’s frame of reference and memory center resides. It is also the place where one’s vocabulary and the classification of thoughts reside as well as the conscience where the norms and standards reside. A person’s entire mental attitude circulates in the kardia as well as the subconscious where various categories of things that shock or impress from adversity, sin, failure or disappointment are located. Also, it contains the volition, which enables a person to make decisions. The mentality of the soul is divided into two parts: (1) Nous ( nou~$ ), “left lobe of the soul” (2) Kardia ( kardiva ), “right lobe of the soul.” Essence of the soul: (1) Self-consciousness (2) Conscience (3) Mentality (4) Emotion (5) Volition. The Essence of the Heart: (1) Frame of reference (Proverbs 4:4) (2) Memory center (Philippians 1:13) (3) Vocabulary storage (4) Categorical storage, i.e. classification of thoughts (5) Conscience, i.e. norms and standards (Rm. 2:15; 9:1; 13:5; 1 Co. 8:7; 2 Co. 4:2; 5:11; Tit. 1:15; Heb. 9:14; 1 Pet. 2:19). (6) Mentality (7) Subconscious. In Romans 16:18, the noun kardia means “hearts” of believers who are naïve and denotes that aspect of the soul, which circulates thought or mental activity and is where one’s frame of reference and memory center resides. It is also the place

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 90 where one’s vocabulary and the classification of thoughts reside as well as the conscience where the norms and standards reside. A person’s entire mental attitude circulates in the kardia as well as the subconscious where various categories of things that shock or impress from adversity, sin, failure or disappointment are located. Also, it contains the volition, which enables a person to make decisions. The noun kardia functions as an accusative direct object meaning that it is receiving the action of the verb exapatao indicating that the hearts of believers who are naïve are the object of the Judaizers’ deception. The articular construction of the word indicates that these hearts belong to a unique group of individuals who are identified by Paul with the adjective akakos . The adjective akakos pertains to being unsuspecting or naïve with regard to possible deception (Louw and Nida, 31.34). It obviously refers to an immature believer because a mature believer has his senses trained by the word of God to discern good and evil (see Hebrews 5:14). The word refers to believers who are deficient in godly wisdom because they are either ignorant of the Word of God or they are not fully educated in it and therefore trained to discern false teaching from accurate teaching. The word’s articular construction functions as a substantiver meaning that it converts the adjective akakos into a substantive. It functions as a genitive of possession indicating that the word possesses the noun kardia indicating that the Judaizers deceive the hearts which “belong to” the naïve. Therefore, we will translate the expression tas kardias ton akakon ( ω ), “ the hearts of the naïve .” Completed corrected translation of Romans 16:18, “Because, such individuals are by no means characterized as being slaves to our Lord, who is Christ but rather their own stomach and in addition by means of their smooth talk, yes flattering talk too, they deceive the hearts of the naïve.” To summarize, we noted that in Romans 16:17, Paul warns the Roman believers to watch out for those who cause divisions and temptations to sin and apostasy contrary to the doctrine they’ve been taught and that they were to avoid them. This group of individuals were the Judaizers and their legalistic teaching is what caused divisions in churches and believers to sin and apostatize. Then, in Romans 16:18, he presents two reasons why they were to watch out for the Judaizers and their legalistic teaching and avoid them. The first is that they do not serve Christ but their own stomach, which contains the figure of “synecdoche” of the part where the stomach of the Judaizers is put for their strict adherence to the dietary restrictions of the Mosaic Law. They were causing divisions in the church by attempting to impose the ritual of circumcision upon the Gentile believers (Acts 15; Gal. 5) and by imposing the observance of laws of food that were a part of the

2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 91 oral traditions of the Rabbis and were not a part of Scripture (Col. 2:16-17). If you recall, in Romans 14, Paul addressed the proper attitude to the dietary restrictions of the Mosaic Law, which the Judaizers insisted upon. The second reason why the Romans were to watch out for the legalistic teaching of the Judaizers and avoid them is that they deceived the spiritually naïve or immature by their smooth talk and flattery.

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