The Surprising God

This post exegetes Philippians 1:20-30, providing context for the 9/20/26 Epistle reading drawing on commentary from Warren Wiersbe ("Bible Expository Commentary") and Francis Foulkes ("New Bible Commentary"). "Without Purse or Scrip" by Liz Lemon Swindle (used with artist's permission) Introduction  Note this statement from Paul, which gives us context for what we'll look at in this exegesis of the first chapter of Philippians: Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. (Phil. 1:12) Desiring to advance the gospel into new territory, Paul had prayed and made detailed plans to travel to Rome. He knew that a beachhead in the capital city of the mighty Roman Empire would afford entrance into the far reaches of the Mediterranean world. His deep desire to get to Rome was eventually realized, but not in the way he planned. Rather than travelling there as a preacher, he went as a prisoner.  Now ...

This post exegetes Romans 14:1-15:13 providing context for the Epistle reading on 9/13/26. Insights are drawn from John Stott’s "The Message of Romans" and "The Expositors Bible Commentary." "The Apostle Paul" by van Dyck (public domain vie Wikimedia Commons) Introduction In Romans chapters 12 and 13 Paul presents love as the ethical center of the gospel, which fulfills the Law of Moses. In Romans 14:1-15:13 Paul then gives a lengthy example of how love is to be lived in the real circumstances of the church in Rome. The issue is the strained relations between two church groups, which Paul refers to as the ‘weak’ and the ‘strong’. His plea is that the ‘strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak’ (Romans 15:1) and the weak must not sit in judgment of the strong.  Who are the weak? There are four possibilities: 1.   New converts from paganism.   There was such a group in Corinth (1Cor 8) whose over-sensitive consciences forbade them to eat meat which ...

This post exegetes Romans chapter 13, providing context for the Epistle reading on September 6, 2026. Insights are drawn from "Romans: God's Good News for the World" by John Stott, and from "The Expositor’s Bible Commentary." St. Paul by Barbieri (public domain via Wikimedia Commons) Introduction In Romans chapters 12 and 13, Paul concludes his epistle with a list of practical duties (ethics) that flow out of his presentation of the gospel, thus giving us a gospel-focused, grace-based approach to Christian living where behavior flows from belief and doing flows from being. For Paul, this behavior/doing focuses on relationships firstly with God and then with people. By grace we are rightly related to God in Christ. And now through Christ we are (by grace) rightly related to people, and as we see in Romans 13, even to the State (governing authorities). This is the transformation that happens through the Holy Spirit at work in our lives, and Paul's point is tha...

This post exegetes Romans 12:1-21, providing context for the Epistle readings on August 23 and August 30, 2026. Insights are drawn from "Romans: God's Good News for the World" by John Stott, and from "The Expositor’s Bible Commentary." "Christ with His Disciples" by Mironov (public domain via Wikimedia Commons) Introduction Paul concludes Romans (as he does most of his epistles) with a list of practical duties (ethics) that flow out of his presentation of the truths of the gospel. This is the gospel-focused, grace-based approach to Christian living where behavior flows from belief; where doing flows from being. And the behavior/doing to which Paul now turns focuses on relationships—beginning with our relationship with God and extending from there into our relationships with people. By grace we are rightly related to God in Christ. And now through Christ we are (by grace) rightly related to people and even to the State (Rom. 13). This is the transformat...

This post exegetes Romans chapter 11, providing context for the Epistle reading on August 16, 2026. Insights are drawn from "Romans: God's Good News for the World" by John Stott, and from "The Expositor’s Bible Commentary." "Paul" by Wyatt (public domain) Introduction In Romans 9 and 10 Paul has treated the issue of Israel’s relation to God from two standpoints. In chapter 9 he emphasized the sovereignty of God in Israel’s election. In chapter 10 he dealt with Israel’s responsibility in her failure to respond to God’s grace, ending with the verdict that she is ‘a disobedient and obstinate people’ (Rom. 10:21). These two presentations involve a serious tension. Will Israel’s sin and stubbornness defeat God’s purpose, or will God find a way to deal effectively with the situation so as to safeguard his purpose? To this question Paul now turns. His answer will dip into Israel’s past, encompass her present, but focus on her future. In doing so, he calls upo...