How does Romans 9:5 describe Christ's relation to Israel and to believers?
Romans 9:5 presents Christ as coming from Israel according to the flesh, yet He is over all and blessed of God forever. The context calls Him the Messiah, the Christ, the one with whom believers are intricately involved, and Christ as the all in all.
Les explains that Romans 9:5 follows the list of Israel's fathers, showing that the nation and its history led up to the coming of the Messiah, the Christ. Concerning the flesh, Christ came from Israel, but He is over all, blessed of God forever. The Messiah is the one with whom we are intricately involved, so Christ is the all in all. Les also warns against reducing Christ to merely another prophet, stressing that the Lord Jesus we serve is the eternal creator God and the author and finisher of our faith.
Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
What does Romans 9:5 teach about who Christ is?
Romans 9:5 teaches that Christ came according to the flesh from the Israelite fathers, yet He is over all and God blessed forever. The context identifies Him as Creator and Sustainer of everything, the Almighty, whose finished work nailed religious rituals to the cross.
Why did God bring about all of Israel's covenant privileges according to Romans 9:5?
According to Romans 9:5, Israel's covenant privileges were brought about so that Christ could come. This coming was not only to be Messiah of Israel, but also to be Savior of the whole human race. God's purpose through Israel's covenants thus reached beyond Israel to all people.
More Questions
What was everything pertaining to the nation of Israel leading up to in Romans 9?
All of Israel's privileges listed by Paul were leading up to one thing: the coming of the Messiah, the Christ.
What does Paul mean that Christ came 'as concerning the flesh' in Romans 9:5?
As concerning the flesh, Christ came from Israel—the Messiah is the one who came in the flesh through that nation.
What was the whole list of Israel's privileges in Romans 9 leading up to?
All of the privileges pertaining to the nation of Israel were leading up to the coming of the Messiah, the Christ, who is the eighth item in the list of Romans 9:4-5.
What is the eighth item mentioned in Romans 9:4-5?
The eighth one Les names is the coming of the Messiah, the Christ, and it goes beyond Israel's finished national privileges.