John Frame's Selected Shorter Writings, Volume 1 by John M. Frame

Author:John M. Frame
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Religion & Spirituality, Christian Books & Bibles, Theology
ISBN: 9781596387331
Publisher: P&R Publishing
Published: 2015-02-11T22:00:00+00:00

18

Meditation on Romans 11:33–36

Delivered at a Lunch for the Trustees

of Reformed Theological Seminary,

October 6, 2011

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

“For who has known the mind of the Lord,

or who has been his counselor?”

“Or who has given a gift to him

that he might be repaid?”

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Rom. 11:33–36)

This is one of my favorite passages, and I’ve used it in a number of ways over the years. Today, I’d like to focus on this passage as theology, and think of how it can serve as an example to us as we teach theology at Reformed Theological Seminary.

The letter to the Romans is, of course, one of the most theological books in the Bible, and more than anything else in the Bible, it resembles a modern systematic theology. Paul here summarizes his gospel, the basic content of his preaching. So he makes an orderly progression: All have sinned (chaps. 1–3). So we must be justified by the work of Christ alone, by faith alone (chaps. 3–5). Then some problems: shall we sin that grace may abound? Of course not (chap. 6). Why is it that I can’t do the things I want, and I naturally do the things I don’t want (chap. 7)? Then the great chapter on walking in the Spirit, chapter 8. Chapters 9–11 deal with the problem of Israel’s unbelief. At the end of this comes our passage.

Although this letter is an orderly discussion of systematic theology, in some ways it is very different from modern-day systematic theologies. It is, of course, a letter, a personal communication. Theologies today follow an academic model, in which authors are not supposed to talk about themselves; personal reflections are frowned upon. Luther and Calvin were different. And Paul is more like them than like us. Paul constantly interrupts his exposition to present his personal reflections, to express his personal emotions:

But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) By no means! For then how could God judge the world? (Rom. 3:5–6)

Paul carries on constant dialogue with imaginary, or perhaps real, opponents: “What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means!” (9:14).

He cries out when the truth hurts him personally: “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Rom. 7:24–25).

Our passage in chapter 11 is also a personal exclamation and, like the last one, an act of worship. Paul doesn’t see anything inappropriate in breaking away from his theological argument to praise, to worship God. We think maybe this is more appropriate in a letter than in a treatise. But who says so? And even if that is true, why do

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