Author: Administrador

Paul never took a homiletics class. He did not know, therefore, that you are supposed to save the powerful theological affirmations for the last. He has a tendency to sprinkle his most profound and far-reaching insights into subordinate clauses–tossed off almost as asides in the larger argument. Here the larger argument is about Abraham and … Continue reading “Romans 4:13-25 Commentary by David Bartlett”

The overarching focus of Paul’s letter to Christian communities in Rome is the multifaceted nature of faith.1 Paul’s apostolic call to bring about the obedience of faith literally bookends the letter (1:5; 16:26). Throughout Romans, Paul declares that the gospel is the power of God whose goal is salvation for all who have faith, Jew … Continue reading “Romans 4:13-25 Commentary by Richard Carlson”

There is a story told among Zen Buddhists about a nun who one day approached a great patriarch to ask if he had any insight into the Nirvana sutra she had been reading. “I am illiterate,” the man replied, “but perhaps if you could read the words to me I could understand the truth that … Continue reading “Romans 4:13-25 Commentary by Daniel G. Deffenbaugh”

The text begins abruptly, about half way through chapter 4 of Romans. Since the chapter carries on a discussion running throughout its twenty-five verses, the reader and listener are caught off guard. Starting at 4:13 is like walking into a room where an intense and detailed conversation has been going on for some time. Consequently, … Continue reading “Romans 4:13-25 Commentary by Arland J. Hultgren”

Why would a preacher work with these pieces of a complex Pauline argument in her sermon? Perhaps because it puts before us a major understanding of what God was up to in Jesus and long before that, in Abraham. This chapter speaks to the very character of God. Granted, the vocabulary and speech patterns are … Continue reading “Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 Commentary by Sarah Henrich”

The epistle that Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome was a letter he intended to be sent, not to one, but to a number of church communities scattered throughout the city. Therefore, he knew that he was writing to diverse audiences that did not always agree with one another. He also knew that he … Continue reading “Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 Commentary by Lucy Lind Hogan”

Liturgical scripture readings and preaching have been sacred practices for Christians from the ancient Church to the present. The reading for this second Sunday in Lent lends itself into the text of Romans 4, where Bible readers and Christian believers encounter Abraham, whom Paul refers to as the “Father of us all,” who have come … Continue reading “Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 Commentary by Israel Kamudzandu”

I’ve been having trouble breathing, and today my ear-nose-and-throat specialist told me I need surgery to correct a deviated septum. He needs to put things right so air can flow in and out as it ought. He is enthusiastic about the prospect and assures me my quality of life will improve once things are straightened … Continue reading “Romans 3:19-28 Commentary by Bryan J. Whitfield”

Anyone commenting or preaching on these well-known verses better hesitate. For preachers, at least in the Protestant world, these verses have become like clichés. How does one preach a cliché without always saying the same thing? We have heard these verses so often that they simply go in one ear and out the other. And … Continue reading “Romans 3:19-28 Commentary by Dirk G. Lange”

“But Now!” Romans 3 and Reformation Sunday belong together. Both Paul’s witness and the day in the church’s calendar deserve to be taken joyfully, but not in the triumphal ways of the past. One preacher dragged a log chain into the pulpit and clanged it noisily to emphasize how Luther freed the Bible from the … Continue reading “Romans 3:19-28 Commentary by David Tiede”