Digging Deeper Days
Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!
Today is 2-for-1 Friday!
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The Questions
1) What is Paul’s overall message?
2) What is meant with the word ‘preach’? Can everybody preach or only pastors and church leaders?
3) Why does Paul refer to Isaiah 52:7?
Romans 10:14-15
14 How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.
Original Intent
1) What is Paul’s overall message?
From chapter 9 to the end of 11, Paul tells the Christians in Rome (both Jews and Gentiles) about God’s plan for Israel. In this chapter, he reminds them of the importance of believing in Jesus Christ, and that salvation is for all those who believe. But Paul states that people can’t call on Him if they don’t believe in Him; they can’t believe in Him if they’ve never heard about Him. He later points out that the good news was even rejected by some of them. (Romans 10:16) They simply didn’t want to receive it. During this time, the Jews believed that such divine messages needed to be delivered only by someone who was commissioned by God to do so. They were coming off the heels of a time period where God only spoke through set apart prophets. It’s not hard to understand why they would feel only called and ordained persons should be proclaiming such a powerful word from God. Paul’s urgent word here to the Romans is that All believers who have been given a transformed heart by God now also carry the responsibility to preach Christ.
2) What is meant with the word ‘preach’? Can everybody preach or only pastors and church leaders?
Albert Barnes Bible commentary defines preaching as follows: ‘To preach means to proclaim in a public manner, as a crier does. In the Scriptures, it means to proclaim the gospel to people’. As mentioned in the first question, the Jews believed that a true messenger was sent from God. In Jeremiah 23:21 we read that God didn’t send out these prophets, yet they went out on their own accord. Even God Himself states there are people who proclaim to share a divine message while He never called them to do so. In Jeremiah 1:7 God says, “you will go to everyone I send you to and speak whatever I tell you.” This shows that the Jews believed a true preacher was sent by God. People didn’t need to be pastors or leaders to share a divine message, but it was necessary that whoever went out must be called by God Himself to do so like in the example of the prophet Jonah who was clearly called and commissioned with a specific message.
3) Why does Paul refer to Isaiah 52:7?
In Paul’s time, people only had the Old Testament to rely on as only a few New Testament letters were beginning to be delivered and spread around the known world. The fact that Paul refers to Isaiah 52:7 in relation to the previous phrases intensifies the importance of his previous message regarding the need for true messengers who understand Scripture and can testify about them. The symbolism – found in the words “how beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news” reflect an image of joy and gladness when the messenger of God comes running quickly to preach the good news. For those waiting to hear the message, those running feet are a joyous event to behold because they carry the freedom and hope of the gospel intended to set sinners free from slavery to sin and death!
Everyday Application
1) What is Paul’s overall message?
People cannot believe in Christ unless they’ve been told about Him, His work, His mission, His sacrifice. Without anyone telling them the good news, they will not have the opportunity to believe. Jesus’ final words to his disciples, and all future disciples like you and me, were to “Go and make disciples of all nations teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you.” Every believer is commissioned to tell the good news! Still, there is a line of distinction between believers in the church and those who lead the church. These leaders, whether pastors or teachers, need to be called by God and understand the Word in order to preach and teach it to others. In 1 Timothy, Paul outlines the requirements for such leaders within the local church. They are to first of all, be above reproach as leaders in their own families. Paul writes, “If anyone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of God’s church?”. (1 Timothy 3:5) A church leader shouldn’t be ‘a new convert’ to Christianity either. While new believers have bundles of excitement in following Jesus, they haven’t yet developed the steady, disciplined rhythms of following Christ in difficulty and persecution when feelings of delight have waned. (1 Timothy 3:6) Leaders must also have a good reputation, being in good standing with their community members who know them best. (1 Timothy 3:7) Leaders cannot be hypocritical, drink in excess, or be greedy for money. They need to demonstrate their faith by living a life with a clear conscience, meaning they act and speak with honor and integrity. They are the same person at home as they are when meeting with others. (1 Timothy 3:8-9) Every believer is a reflection of God and His character and heart of love, but those called into pastoral leadership carry a higher degree of visibility within the church. Still, the bottom line for Paul’s emphasis in Romans remains, all believers are called to share the reason for the hope of Christ within them! (1 Peter 3:15)
2) What is meant with the word ‘preach’? Can everybody preach or only pastors and church leaders?
When we hear the word ‘preach’ in our culture, we generally think about pastors and ministers preaching at the front of the church. In the Bible though, the word preach isn’t only used when preaching in the synagogue, but in a general setting as well, or even along the way of travel or living ordinary life. Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He commanded us to share the good news in the great commission. Here in Matthew 28:19-20, every believer is called and commissioned to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit and teaching them to obey everything Christ had commanded”. While some Christians are set apart as teachers of God’s Word and pastors to shepherd God’s people, we every believer is called to share the gospel! Even if you don’t have a degree in Bible Studies, or aren’t a pastor or minister, you are still called to share! Follow where God leads you, and obey what He commands!
3) Why does Paul refer to Isaiah 52:7?
It’s unlikely that God’s messengers today are found running in such a way as described in this symbolism employed by Paul in his letter to the Romans. Nevertheless, its meaning is still relevant for us today. When God calls you to preach the good news, you’ll be so full of enthusiasm, completely on fire, to share the gospel’s hope and joy, that those who hear your words will feel exactly like this verse describes. Your coming as a messenger from God will be regarded with such deep interest and gladness that people may think, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news’. To those who are being rescued from sin and death through the sacrifice of Jesus, which is the good news your own lips declare, your presence is a gift, a delight, and the power of God! (1 Corinthians 1:18)
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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!
1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!
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Why Dig Deeper?
Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.
In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!
Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.
Study Tools
We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.
Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!
Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))
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