Rabbi’s Reflections – Thursday, March 30, 2023
Shalom,
We Also Boast – Romans, part 55
Romans 5:11 And not only that, but we also boast in God through our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
“And not only that…” Paul continues in his “giddy” description of reconciliation. Yesterday, we studied the previous verse. Let me paraphrase it here…. “For if we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son (while still His adversary), how much more, now, shall we be saved by His resurrection.” That leads us to this “not only that, but also this” moment.
Rabbi Trail: We didn’t really do much analysis of the word “reconciliation,” although we have used it repeatedly. To reconcile something means to “square the account.” It is an accounting term that implies a verification of the facts. In terms of relationships being reconciled, it means to “restore to friendship or harmony.” Beyond that, we become one with Him. However; that’s a subject for another day. For more on this right now, see Yeshua’s prayer in John 17.
This is why God sent His Son. Yeshua told Zacchaeus salvation had come to his house… Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” What was lost (in the Garden of Eden) through the fall of mankind, was relationship with God. Yeshua came to reconcile (or repair) that separation, and make us one with Him. End RT.
Paul seems to be saying, “But wait… there’s more.” Not only are we reconciled to God and saved from destruction, but we also “boast in God through… Yeshua.” However; that word “boast” carries some baggage. We tend to view boasting negatively, and Paul is clearly being very positive here. We even sense that he is overjoyed at what God has done for us through Yeshua. And he wants us, his readers, to share his joy.
The Greek word that is translated as “boast,” comes from the Greek word for “neck” (what holds the head up high). Figuratively then, we come to a better understanding of “boasting.” Rightly understood, boasting would be having our heads properly positioned to live with God-given confidence that we are pointed in the right direction. This is a connection to the word “Torah” which means “direction.” The Torah instructs us to walk in the right (righteous) direction.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God…. 14 And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us. We looked upon His glory, the glory of the one and only from the Father, full of grace and truth.
That’s what Paul is “boasting” about, and we should too. Shalom shalom.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Thu 30 Mar-2023 8th of Nisan, 5783
Le 8:14-21 Isa 33 Pr 24 Ac 23 (Rev 17)