Romans 15:9b-12 As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.” 10 And again it is said, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” 11 And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.” 12 And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.”
Paul quotes a series of Old Testament passages to support his thesis that God worked through Jesus to reach the Gentiles. The gospel is inclusive of all people. Verse 9 quotes 2 Samuel 22:50 which is repeated in Psalm 18:49. The Gentiles will hear of the praises of the Lord. They will hear of the Lord’s name. This shows that the message of God’s love and salvation will go out to the whole world. Verse 10 quotes Deuteronomy 32:43 shows the result of when the Gentiles hear of the Lord’s salvation: they will rejoice along with Israel. The whole world will celebrate the salvation of the Lord. Verse 11 repeats the idea of verse 10 by quoting Psalm 117:1. All nations are called to praise the Lord. When the nations hear of the salvation of the Lord, they will rejoice and praise God. Verse 12 quotes Isaiah 11:10 to connect the whole sequence to Jesus. This passage from Isaiah is a messianic prophecy that identifies the common messiah with the root of Jesse. The Messiah would come from the lineage of Jesse. Isaiah wrote this prophecy many centuries after Jesse and David lived. The coming ruler will be from the lineage of David. Significant for Paul here is that the Messiah will rule the Gentiles and give them hope.
This inclusive idea should cause the believers in Rome who received this letter to praise God and celebrate. Paul has chosen four passages that connect Jesus, the son of David (Romans 1:3), to their hope of eternal salvation. The context for all of these quotes is a call to unity in the church and mutual encouragement. The Jews and Gentiles in Rome must realize that they both receive salvation in the both way. Salvation through Christ is for all people. There is no cause for division, bickering, judgmentalism, or jealousy among believers. We should all fall down in praise and worship for the grace we experience because of Jesus the Messiah, root of Jesse.
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