Romans 15:8

Romans 15:8

Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:

a. NLT: Remember that Christ came as a servant to the Jews to show that God is true to the promises he made to their ancestors.

b. NIV: For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed

c. YLT: And I say Jesus Christ to have become a ministrant of circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises to the fathers,

d. Amplified Bible: For I tell you that Christ (the Messiah) became a servant and a minister to the circumcised (the Jews) in order to show God’s truthfulness and honesty by confirming (verifying) the promises [given] to our fathers,

e. Worrell Translation: For I say that Christ hath become a minister of the circumcision, in behalf of God;s truth, that He might confirm the promises made to the fathers.

1. “Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God…”

b. Now [Strong: 1161 * de deh a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

c. I say [Strong: 3004 * lego leg'-o a primary verb; properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas 2036 and 5346 generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while 4483 is properly to break silence merely, and 2980 means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean:--ask, bid, boast, call, describe, give out, name, put forth, say(-ing, on), shew, speak, tell, utter.]

d. that Jesus [Strong: 2424 * Iesous ee-ay-sooce' of Hebrew origin (3091); Jesus (i.e. Jehoshua), the name of our Lord and two (three) other Israelites:--Jesus.]

e. Christ [Strong: 5547 * Christos khris-tos' from 5548; anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus:--Christ.]

f. was [Strong: 1096 * ginomai ghin'-om-ahee a prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be ("gen"-erate), i.e. (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literal, figurative, intensive, etc.):--arise, be assembled, be(-come, -fall, -have self), be brought (to pass), (be) come (to pass), continue, be divided, draw, be ended, fall, be finished, follow, be found, be fulfilled, + God forbid, grow, happen, have, be kept, be made, be married, be ordained to be, partake, pass, be performed, be published, require, seem, be showed, X soon as it was, sound, be taken, be turned, use, wax, will, would, be wrought.]

g. a minister [Strong: 1249 * diakonos dee-ak'-on-os probably from an obsolete diako (to run on errands; compare 1377); an attendant, i.e. (genitive case) a waiter (at table or in other menial duties); specially, a Christian teacher and pastor (technically, a deacon or deaconess):--deacon, minister, servant.]

h. of the circumcision [Strong: 4061 * peritome per-it-om-ay' from 4059; circumcision (the rite, the condition or the people, literally or figuratively):--X circumcised, circumcision.]

1). Jesus ministered under the Old Covenant.

a). Matthew 8:1-4 When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.

8:2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

8:3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

8:4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

2. “…for the truth of God…”

a. for [Strong: 5228 * huper hoop-er' a primary preposition; "over", i.e. (with the genitive case) of place, above, beyond, across, or causal, for the sake of, instead, regarding; with the accusative case superior to, more than:--(+ exceeding, abundantly) above, in (on) behalf of, beyond, by, + very chiefest, concerning, exceeding (above, -ly), for, + very highly, more (than), of, over, on the part of, for sake of, in stead, than, to(-ward), very. In the comparative, it retains many of the above applications.]

b. the truth [Strong: 225 * aletheia al-ay'-thi-a from 227; truth:--true, X truly, truth, verity.]

c. of God [Strong: 2316 * theos theh'-os of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with 3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very:--X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).]

3. “…to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:”

a. to [Strong: 1519 * eis ice a primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases:--(abundant-)ly, against, among, as, at, (back-)ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore, + forth, in (among, at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto), throughout, til, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), ...ward, (where-)fore, with. Often used in composition with the same general import, but only with verbs (etc.) expressing motion (literally or figuratively).]

b. confirm [Strong: 950 * bebaioo beb-ah-yo'-o from 949; to stabilitate (figuratively):--confirm, (e-)stablish.]

c. the promises [Strong: 1860 * epaggelia ep-ang-el-ee'-ah from 1861; an announcement (for information, assent or pledge; especially a divine assurance of good):--message, promise.]

d. made unto the fathers [Strong: 3962 * pater pat-ayr' apparently a primary word; a "father" (literally or figuratively, near or more remote):--father, parent.]

1). There are a couple passages that show that the promises regarding Christ Jesus are all through the Old Testament. One is Jesus rebuking two of his disciples for their failure to believe and the other is Paul witnessing to the Jewish leaders in Rome.

a). Luke 24:25-27 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:

24:26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

b). Acts 28:23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.