Woe to the world because of its stumbling-blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling-blocks come, but woe to that man through whom the stumbling-block comes! Matthew 18:7 Woe – Apparently Jesus never read “The Emily Post Guide For Prophets.” He wasn’t trained in the etiquette of delivering a condemning message nicely. His word choice is…
We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. (NIV) Romans 12:6 Gifts – Paul introduces the subject of gifts with the word charismata. The Greek text does not designate these as spiritual gifts. Church doctrine often views this word as though it is confined to the spiritual realm, but that is an extension…
We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. (NIV) Romans 12:6 Given – Take three steps backward. Verse 3 uses the phrase, “according to the measure of faith God has given you.” That previous verse sets the stage for this one. Remember that the measure (metron) is not a quantity but rather a…
so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Romans 12:5 (NIV) To All The Others – Can you see what Paul does not say? Paul is comparing the congregation of the faithful to the physical body. He says that the various members of a physical…
For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ Romans 12:4-5 Function – Even in Greek it’s hard to miss the implication here. The Greek word is praxis. The implication is that each member…
“For I know the plans that I have for you,” declares YHWH, “plans for welfare and not calamity to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 Hope – Did you know that this famous passage in Jeremiah is connected to Paul’s remarks about transformation in Romans 12? Probably not. When we read this…
For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ Romans 12:4-5 Just As – The exclamation point comes first. In the Greek text, this word (kathaper) is the first word in the sentence. We…
For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ Romans 12:4-5 For – If we’ve learned anything about Paul, it has to be this: he loves to draw conclusions. Paul always seems to move…
as God has allotted to each a measure of faith Romans 12:3 Measure – I told you Paul was difficult! Now you will see just how difficult he really is. When you read this verse, what do you think it means? Do you think that Paul is saying that God gives you some amount of…
not to think more highly of himself that he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has afforded to each a measure of faith. Romans 12:3 Ought – Understanding Paul is perhaps the most difficult task in New Testament theology. Even Peter complained that he was far too…
