Romans 15:8-9a For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.
God worked through the Jews to reach the Gentiles. At the focus of this engagement was Jesus Christ. He became a servant to the Jews in both how he lived among the people, doing miracles, healing, and teaching, but also by his death on the cross. Paul may have in his mind here ideas similar to Philippians 2:5-11, where Jesus took on the form of a servant and willingly died in our behalf. His life, death, and resurrection showed God’s truthfulness by fulfilling the OT promises stretching back all the way to the patriarchs. Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise to bless all nations. This was an exhaustive and inclusive promise that includes both Jews and Gentiles. These verses bring together many of Paul’s arguments throughout this letter. Since both Jews and Gentiles experience salvation in the same way and only in this one way–God’s grace through Christ–then all people of the world can look to God and experience his mercy upon them. Salvation is available to all people because God is merciful. Likewise, all people will be held to account according to the revelation God has given them. These verses also show a fulfillment of God’s purposes for Israel found in Exodus 19:5-6. There are many other passages throughout the OT that point to God’s desire for the whole world. That is the mission to which we much be devoted. Every person has a part and every part is important in this mission.
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