COMMENTARY ON ROMANS

Commentary (C) Copyright 2006 AFII [best viewed on the latest Microsoft Internet Explorer browser] on Romans in Dr Phillip Goble's translation, The Orthodox Jewish Bible with a Greek/English interlinear showing the Hellenistic Synagogue Greek and each word's Orthodox Jewish translation equivalent. "My heart's desire and prayer to G-d is for Israel, that they might be saved." Romans 10:1

Why your soul's salvation hangs on the inerrancy of the Bible, including Romans.

Many people do not know that Rav Shaul was a Torah-observant Jew whose halakhah [Ro 8:4] in the Derech Hashem was the Ruach Hakodesh. On Shabbos, according to Luke's eye-witnessed account in the Book of Acts, Rav Sha'ul was in shul, not travelling to the local market for shopping or working overtime at the tent-maker's shop. His preaching of the Besuras HaGeulah from the Torah on Shabbos in shul rested squarely on the Inerrant Hebrew Tanakh. In 57 C.E. in Corinth, when Rav Shaul dictated this letter to his amanuensis Tertius, there were four messianic Jews right there in the room in Gaius' house. On Rav Shaul's heart was Jerusalem, where he would be making his perilous stop-over [see Ac 21:19-31] at the Jerusalem messianic kehillah on his way to the messianic kehillah in Rome. He knew that there were many Torah-observant Jews in the messianic kehillah in Jerusalem as well as more than a few in the messianic kehillah in Rome, and many of these needed a clear presentation of the Besuras HaGeulah that Rav Shaul was preaching throughout the world. For Rav Shaul was no libertine, though his enemies and detractors tried to stigmatize him as such (RO 3:8; RO 6:1) in misrepresenting Rav Shaul to the Torah-observant messianic Jews. The man of G-d, especially the ministry of the man of G-d, is always a target of demonic slander (Ro 3:8), so, preceding his visit to Rome, the Rabbi from Tarsus sends ahead a complete tractate that lays out the Good News of Redemption by grace through faith just as he has preached and taught it since the other Shlichim of Moshiach endorsed it years before in Jerusalem (Ga 2:9). The rabbi's Message of Salvation is G-d's answer to this question: How can anyone, Jew or non-Jew, be declared right with G-d, and when this happens and the person finds redemption, where does such redemption leave the redemption of Israel? This is clearly a question for a rabbi to exposit, but only a rabbi in whom the Ruach Hakodesh indwells through obedience given to Moshiach as Adon kol HaAretz. Many commentators on Romans get bogged down in Romans chapter 7 because they, in their Gentile mindsets, cannot understand how one could possibly live a Torah-observant Jewish life in Shul on Shabbos and yet, at the same time, because of the sin-prone "Adam in me" nature, remnants of which are still resident in the believer, need the power of the Ruach Hakodesh, rather than merely and only the scrupulous observance of the letter of the Torah of Moshe Rebbeinu, in order to conquer sin and live UNDER GRACE a frum messianic Jewish life of kedushah with victory over sin in holiness. So by neglecting the Jewishness of the one book of the Bible which presents salvation in its quintessential Ro 1:16 Jewish essence, these expositors unwittingly distort this very presentation of salvation.

If you will come back regularly to this page you will see this entire interlinear/commentary filled out, starting with Romans chapter 7 and then taking the entire Textus Receptus manuscript, checking each Greek word for accuracy, and supplying not just a textual critical commentary on the Greek and the grammar, but a messianic exegetical commentary that will be very meaningful to Orthodox Jewish frum messianic believers who are now coming to the Moshiach Ben Dovid in great numbers. And here on this webpage you will begin to see why it is such a great pity for them as well as for Klal Yisroel that Romans 10:1 does not mean as much to exegetes as it should. Could this be one of the reasons that their commentaries on Romans are often flawed?

In order to spell out the words cited in the commentary you may need this and this or to check out this or this.

PAULOU TOU APOSTOLOU

H PROS

RWMAIOUS EPISTOLH

1:1 PauloV, douloV Ihsou Cristou, klhtoV apostoloV, afwrismenoV eiV euaggelion Qeou,

From Shaul (Paulos) an eved of [Rebbe] Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua/Yeshua, summoned to be a Shliach, set apart for the Besuras HaGeulah of Hashem,
THE WORD EVED (SERVANT) HERE IS NOT INCIDENTAL. THE READER WILL HAVE TO DECIDE WHOSE EVED HE IS, AS THIS WORD WILL APPEAR IN MOST OF THE CHAPTERS AND PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN GETTING THE MESSAGE ACROSS. NOTICE SHAUL IS NOT A KEHILLAH SHLIACH (PP 2:25) BUT A SHLIACH OF MOSHIACH. HE WAS SUMMONED ON THE DAMASCUS ROAD AS A WITNESS TO THE TECHIYAS HAMOSHIACH (AC 1:22). HE IS SEPARATED FOR A HOLY PURPOSE AND SET APART FOR SERVICE AS A VESSEL FOR THE MASTER'S USE, THE MOSHIACH ADONEINU. COMPARE ALPHA-PHI-OMICRON-RHO-IOTA-SIGMA-ALPHA-FINAL SIGMA ("TO SEPARATE", "TO MARK OFF FROM OTHERS") (GA 1:15) TO ALPHA-PHI-OMEGA-RHO-IOTA-SIGMA-MU-EPSILON-NU-OMICRON-FINAL SIGMA ("SET APART")(RO 1:1) TO ALPHA-PHI-OMICRON-RHO-IOTA-SIGMA-ALPHA-TAU-EPSILONE ("SET APART") (AC 13:2). A PARTICULAR DISH MIGHT BE SET APART FOR TABLE USE. IT MUST BE CLEAN. THIS REQUIRED MORAL DISCERNMENT (PROV 11:22) IN WATCHING ONE'S LIFE AND DOCTRINE CLOSELY, SINCE WE HAVE BEEN SEPARATED TO A HOLY G-D (SEE LV 20:26 AND 1K 1:16), AND TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN MUCH IS REQUIRED. WE MUST HATE OUR EVIL (PS 97:10). "IN MY FLESH DWELLS NO GOOD THING" (RO 7:18). WE MUST ALL STAND AND GIVE ACCOUNT AT MOSHIACH'S BET DIN (SEE RO 14:10 AND 2C 5:10). SATAN WANTS US TO LOSE OUR SEPARATION FROM THE WORLD BY TEMPTING US TO RETURN LIKE A DOG TO HIS VOMIT, BUT WE MUST RESIST THE DEVIL WHEN HE TRIES TO SIFT OUR FLESH AND, EVEN AS BELIEVERS, WE MUST NOT BE NAIVE ABOUT THE WICKEDNESS OF OUR OWN FLESH (7:18) AND WE MUST MAKE NO PROVISION FOR THE FLESH (RO 13:14) AND WE MUST NOT HIDE SECRET SIN WHEN THE PROPHET UNCOVERS IT (SEE RO 12:6 AND 1C 14:25) OR THE JEALOUS G-D (SEE MU-OMICRON-IOTA ("ME") IN ACT 13:2) WILL USE ANOTHER VESSEL FIT FOR THE MASTER'S USE (1SM 15:26-28). THE BESURAS HAGEULAH IS A TECHNICAL TERM AND ITS CONTENT WILL BE UNPACKED IN THE NEXT FEW VERSES. HOW DO WE KNOW THAT BESURAS HAGEULAH (GOOD NEWS OF REDEMPTION) IS USED AS A TECHNICAL TERM (SPECIALIZED TERMINOLOGY WITH A PRE-DEFINED CONTENT) HERE? BECAUSE THE DEFINITE ARTICLE TAU-OMICRON IN AC 13:2 THAT WE WOULD EXPECT TO SEE BEFORE EPSILON-UPSILON-ALPHA-GAMMA-GAMMA-EPSILONE-LAMBDA-IOTA-OMICRON-NU HERE IN ROMANS 1:1 IS MISSING. IN KOINE GREEK THE ABSENCE OF THE ARTICLE AFTER THE PREPOSITION OFTEN INDICATES THAT THE EXPRESSION FOLLOWING THE PREPOSITION IS A TECHNICAL TERM. IN THIS LETTER RAV SHAUL WILL EXHAUSTIVELY DEFINE THAT TECHNICAL TERM. IF YOU WANT TO BE SAVED, YOU SHOULD MEASURE YOUR LIFE BY THE DEFINITION THIS BOOK PROVIDES US.

1:2 o proephggeilato dia twn profhtwn autou en grafaiV agiaiV,

Which Hashem promised beforehand through His Nevi'im in the Kitvei HaKodesh. MESSIANIC PROPHECY IN THE TANAKH POINTS TO THE PROMISED MOSHIACH AND FUNCTIONS AS HIS CREDENTIALS TO AUTHENTICATE HIS IDENTITY.

1:3 peri tou uiou autou, tou genomenou ek spermatoV Dabid kata sarka,

The Good News of Redemption of Hashem concerns the Zoon Foon Der Oybershter (Ben HaElohim of Hashem) born from the Zera Dovid, as far as basar is concerned THE GENEALOGY OF MOSHIACH IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF HIS DAVIDIC HEIRDOM TO THE THRONE OF KING DAVID. NOTICE MOSHIACH IS ALSO THE BEN HAELOHIM. HERE YOU NEED TO SEE THESE PAGES ESPECIALLY.

1:4 tou orisqentoV uiou Qeou en dunamei, kata pneuma agiwsunhV, ex anastasewV nekrwn, Ihsou Cristou tou Kuriou hmwn,

But, as far as the Ruach Hakodesh is concerned, appointed to be Ben HaElohim in power by means of the Techiyas HaMesim, Yeshua/Yehoshua HaMoshiach Adoneinu. WHO IS MOSHIACH ADONEINU IF NOT THE WORLD JUDGE, THE ADON KOL HA'ARETZ, THAT IS, THE SHOFET KOL HA'ARETZ, THE BAR ENOSH (DAN 7:13) WHO IS SEEN IN RV 1:13-18 AND HAS POWER TO RAISE AND JUDGE THE DEAD AND SENTENCE THEM TO THE AGAM HAEISH (SEE RV 20:11-15)?

1:5 di ou elabomen carin kai apostolhn eiV upakohn pistewV en pasi toiV eqnesin, uper tou onomatoV autou,

1:6 en oiV este kai umeiV, klhtoi Ihsou Cristou

1:7 pasi toiV ousin en Rwmh agaphtoiV Qeou, klhtoiV agioiV cariV umin kai eirhnh apo Qeou patroV hmwn kai Kuriou Ihsou Cristou.

1:8 Prwton men eucaristw tw Qew mou dia Ihsou Cristou uper pantwn umwn, oti h pistiV umwn kataggelletai en olw tw kosmw.

1:9 MartuV gar mou estin o QeoV, w latreuw en tw pneumati mou en tw euaggeliw tou uiou autou, wV adialeiptwV mneian umwn poioumai,

1:10 pantote epi twn proseucwn mou deomenoV, eipwV hdh pote euodwqhsomai en tw qelhmati tou Qeou elqein proV umaV.

1:11 Epipoqw gar idein umaV, ina ti metadw carisma umin pneumatikon, eiV to sthricqhnai umaV,

1:12 touto de esti, sumparaklhqhnai en umin dia thV en allhloiV pistewV umwn te kai emou.

1:13 Ou qelw de umaV agnoein, adelfoi, oti pollakiV proeqemhn elqein proV umaV (kai ekwluqhn acri tou deuro), ina karpon tina scw kai en umin, kaqwV kai en toiV loipoiV eqnesin.

1:14 Ellhsi te kai barbaroiV, sofoiV te kai anohtoiV ofeilethV eimi

1:15 outw to kat eme proqumon kai umin toiV en Rwmh euaggelisasqai.

1:16 Ou gar epaiscunomai to euaggelion tou Cristou dunamiV gar Qeou estin eiV swthrian panti tw pisteuonti, Ioudaiw te prwton kai Ellhni.

1:17 Dikaiosunh gar Qeou en autw apokaluptetai ek pistewV eiV pistin, kaqwV gegraptai, O de dikaioV ek pistewV zhsetai.

1:18 Apokaluptetai gar orgh Qeou ap ouranou epi pasan asebeian kai adikian anqrwpwn twn thn alhqeian en adikia katecontwn

1:19 dioti to gnwston tou Qeou faneron estin en autoiV o gar QeoV autoiV efanerwse.

1:20 Ta gar aorata autou apo ktisewV kosmou toiV poihmasi nooumena kaqoratai, h te aidioV autou dunamiV kai qeiothV, eiV to einai autouV anapologhtouV

1:21 dioti gnonteV ton Qeon, ouc wV Qeon edoxasan h eucaristhsan, all emataiwqhsan en toiV dialogismoiV autwn, kai eskotisqh h asunetoV autwn kardia.

1:22 FaskonteV einai sofoi emwranqhsan,

1:23 kai hllaxan thn doxan tou afqartou Qeou en omoiwmati eikonoV fqartou anqrwpou kai peteinwn kai tetrapodwn kai erpetwn.

2:2 Oidamen de oti to krima tou Qeou esti kata alhqeian epi touV ta toiauta prassontaV.

2:3 Logizh de touto, w anqrwpe o krinwn touV ta toiauta prassontaV kai poiwn auta, oti su ekfeuxh to krima tou Qeou;

2:4 h tou ploutou thV crhstothtoV autou kai thV anochV kai thV makroqumiaV katafroneiV, agnown oti to crhston tou Qeou eiV metanoian se agei;

2:5 kata de thn sklhrothta sou kai ametanohton kardian qhsaurizeiV seautw orghn en hmera orghV kai apokaluyewV dikaiokrisiaV tou Qeou,

2:6 oV apodwsei ekastw kata ta erga autou

Who will render L'ISH K'MA'A'SEI HU ("to each according to his works" TEHILLIM 62:13[12]).
THE WORD EVED (SERVANT) IN RO 1:1 WE SAID WAS NOT INCIDENTAL BECAUSE WE SEE IN THIS SECTION THAT ONE'S FATE WILL BE METED OUT IN JUDGMENT BY HASHEM ACCORDING TO WHOSE EVED YOU ARE, FOR WE WILL DISCOVER THAT ONE PERSON MIGHT BE AN OBEDIENT EVED OF EMES AND ANOTHER PERSON MIGHT DISOBEY AND INSTEAD HOLD DOWN EMES IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, AND SO IN THIS SUPPRESSION OF THE TRUTH THE PERSON WOULD PREFER TO BE AN EVED OF EVIL. HASHEM WANTS THE OBEDIENCE OF EMUNAH (RO 1:5). THE ONE WHO SAYS I AM MEDAKDEKIM BMITZVOT (PP 3:6) YET IS NOT AN EVED OF EMES BUT INSTEAD HOLDS DOWN EMES IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS WILL BE GIVEN ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS, ACCORDING TO WHAT HE HAS DONE. FOR MR ALPHA-MU-ALPHA-RHO-TAU-IOTA-ALPHA (AMARTIA, SIN) IS A POWERFUL AND TERRIBLE SLAVE MASTER AND PAYS A FEARFUL WAGE, THE FURY AND ANGER OF A DEATH SENTENCE FROM A HOLY G-D (6:23). THEREFORE, REFUSING TO OBEY AS AN EVED OF EMES WILL UNRAVEL WHAT THE BRIS MILAH SIGNIFIES, MAKING SUCH DISOBEDIENT PERSONS LIKE ARELIM. A PERSON LIKE THIS CAN SAY HE IS TORAH-OBSERVANT FRUM, YET BECAUSE OF CHET KADMON DWELLING IN HIM, HE IS NOT AS OBSERVANT AS HE THINKS HE IS (COMPARE ON THIS PI-RHO-ALPHA-SIGMA-SIGMA-OMEGA [PRASSO, "OBSERVE"] IN RO 7:15 AND RO 2:25). IN FACT, WRETCHED MAN THAT I AM, WHEN I RELY ON CHUMRA AND THE LETTER OF THE TORAH, I FIND CHET KADMON'S ORIGINAL SIN IS RIGHT THERE WITH ME, AND THEN I KNOW THAT NO SINFUL FLESH WILL BE JUSTIFIED BY MA'ASEI HAMITZVOT. NOTE THAT AS RAV SHAUL LAYS OUT HIS ARGUMENT FROM HERE THROUGH CHAPTER SEVEN, HE IS NOT DEMEANING THE MA'ASEI HAMITZVOT OF THE TORAH OR THE HOLY WILL OF G-D THAT THE TORAH REVEALS; RAV SHAUL IS SIMPLY SHOWING THE ORIGINAL-SIN-IN-ADAM-SINFULNESS OF THOSE WHO ARE SHOMER MITZVOT SO THAT THEY TOO WILL SEE THAT THE TORAH STOPS EVERY MOUTH, EVEN THEIR MOUTH, AND BRINGS THE WHOLE WORLD CONVICTED AND CONTRITE TO MOSHIACH IN NEED OF A GOEL REDEEMER SAVIOR.

2:7 toiV men kaq upomonhn ergou agaqou doxan kai timhn kai afqarsian zhtousi, zwhn aiwnion

2:8 toiV de ex eriqeiaV, kai apeiqousi men th alhqeia, peiqomenoiV de th adikia, qumoV kai orgh,

But to those who are self-seeking and who have no mishma'at (obedience) to HaEmes Hashem (Ro 1:25), but instead have mishma'at to resha, there will be Charon Af Hashem and fury.
BY THE TIME WE GET TO RO 2:20 WE KNOW THAT THE RABBINIC MOREH OR MELAMMED IS IN VIEW HERE. IT IS FORBIDDEN TO SAY "Y'KHI ADONEINU MOREINU V'REBBEINU" BECAUSE THE RABBI JUDGES OTHERS BUT DOESN'T JUDGE HIMSELF, BECAUSE HE INSTRUCTS OTHERS, BUT DOESN'T INSTRUCT HIMSELF. ONE IS OUR REBBE AND HE ALONE IS ADONEINU. THE MORIM (TEACHERS) WILL BE JUDGED MORE STRICTLY (YA 3:1). THE MINISTERIAL CASANOVA WILL BURN IN THE LAKE OF FIRE BECAUSE OF THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT LAMED ALEF FOLLOWED BY TAV NOON ALEF FINAL FEH. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF THE ASERES HADIBROS? THE GANAF MINISTER WHO PILFERS FROM THE OFFERING OR PROFITEERS ON THE WIDOW'S MITE? OR THE ONE WITH OUTBURSTS OF RAGE AND LASHON HORA AND GIDUFIM (BLASPHEMIES) ON HIS VIPER TONGUE? OR THE ONE WITH A SPIRIT OF VAINGLORY AND VANITY AND NARCISSISTIC IDOLATRY? OR THE TEACHER WITH THE LYING SPIRIT WHO TEACHES FALSE DOCTRINE. OR THE CHILLUL SHABBOS PROFANE RABBI WHO DOESN'T PROPERLY TEACH JEWISH CHILDREN ABOUT MOSHIACH TZIDKEINU AT SUNDAY HEBREW SCHOOL OR ON SHABBOS (SEE MK 10:14) OR WHO, LACKING MORAL DISCERNMENT, IS A LAWLESS REVILER OF MESSIANIC ELDERS? THIS RO 2:8 SHOULD MAKE US FEAR BECAUSE IT SPEAKS OF SELF-SEEKING AS A SURE MEANS OF STIRRING UP THE WRATH AND FURY OF HASHEM (SEE RO 14:10). THOSE MORIM WHO HOLD DOWN THE TRUTH IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS OR WHO TRADE IN THE TRUTH FOR A LIE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT HARDENING THEMSELVES IN THIS WAY IS THE GREATEST INJURY TO THEIR OWN SOUL. RABBI SHAUL IS REMEMBERING THAT HE HIMSELF WAS ONCE A RABBI IN THE DARK. THINKING OF HIMSELF AS THE CHIEF OF SINNERS, HE IS NOT OVERLY UPSET WHEN HE SEES OTHERS ACTING AS LESS THAN SELFLESSLY DISINTERESTED PREACHERS, FOR HE USES TWO WORDS IN RO 2:8 ALSO IN PP 1:17-18: EPSILON-RHO-IOTA-THETA-EPSILON-IOTA-ALPHA-FINAL SIGMA (SELF-SEEKING) AND ALPHA-LAMBDA-ETA-THETA-EPSILON-IOTA-ALPHA (TRUTH, EMES), SHOWING THAT THE FARTHER WE MOVE FROM SELF-EMPTYING AND TOWARD SELF-SEEKING, THE FARTHER WE MOVE AWAY FROM THE SELF-EMPTYING MOSHIACH, WHO IS THE TRUTH.

2:9 qliyiV kai stenocwria, epi pasan yuchn anqrwpou tou katergazomenou to kakon, Ioudaiou te prwton kai EllhnoV

2:10 doxa de kai timh kai eirhnh panti tw ergazomenw to agaqon, Ioudaiw te prwton kai Ellhni

2:11 ou gar esti proswpolhyia para tw Qew.

2:12 Osoi gar anomwV hmarton, anomwV kai apolountai kai osoi en nomw hmarton, dia nomou kriqhsontai

2:13 ou gar oi akroatai tou nomou dikaioi para tw Qew, all oi poihtai tou nomou dikaiwqhsontai.

2:14 Otan gar eqnh ta mh nomon econta fusei ta tou nomou poih, outoi, nomon mh econteV, eautoiV eisi nomoV

2:15 oitineV endeiknuntai to ergon tou nomou grapton en taiV kardiaiV autwn,
summarturoushV autwn thV suneidhsewV, kai metaxu allhlwn twn logismwn kathgorountwn h kai apologoumenwn,

2:16 en hmera ote krinei o QeoV ta krupta twn anqrwpwn, kata to euaggelion mou, dia Ihsou Cristou.

In the Yom [HaDin (Day of Judgment)] when, according to my Besuras HaGeulah, Hashem, through [Rebbe,] Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua/Yeshua, is to judge the secrets of kol Bnei Adam (all men).
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT MOSHIACH'S BET DIN HERE. WE SEE RAV SHAUL USE THIS WORD KAPPA-RHO-UPSILON-PI-TAU-ALPHA (KRUPTA, SECRETS) IN 1C 14:25, WHERE HE IS TALKING ABOUT THE SECRETS OF MEN'S HEARTS LAID BARE BY THE PENTECOSTAL NAVI (PROPHET), FROM WHOM AN ANANIAS OR A SAPPHIRA CAN HIDE NO SECRET SIN. SINCE WITHOUT HOLINESS NO MAN SHALL SEE G-D, SECRET SIN IS LIKE TERRORIST DYNAMITE IN THE LUGGAGE BROUGHT ONBOARD A PASSENGER JET, BUT THE PENTECOSTAL PROPHET IS HEAVEN'S BOMB-SNIFFING DOG IN THE AIRPORT LUGGAGE ROOM, FINDING AND CONFRONTING THE SECRET SIN, BEFORE IT HAS A CORRUPTING EFFECT ON THE FLIGHT OF THE WHOLE HEAVEN-BOUND KEHILLAH (1C 5:6). JUST AS NATHAN WAS DISPATCHED FROM HASHEM'S THRONE ROOM TO CONFRONT DAVID AND HIS SECRET SIN, SO THE PROPHET'S IMPACT CAN BE LIKE A PROLEPTIC ARRAIGNMENT BEFORE THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF MOSHIACH, WHOSE HOLY OMNISCIENT EYES ARE LIKE A BLAZING FIRE (RV 1:14), SEEING AND BURNING THROUGH ALL SIN, NO SECRETS OF THE HEART ESCAPING THE FIRE. THIS IS WHY THE PENTECOSTAL NAVI IS LISTED FIRST, SHOWING HOW MUCH IMPORTANCE RAV SHAUL SAW IN THIS SPIRITUAL GIFT--SEE RO 12:6. THOSE ANTICHARISMATIC CONGREGATIONS THAT QUENCH THE SPIRIT (1TH 5:19) AND DESPISE PROPHESYING (1TH 5:20) AND FORBID SPEAKING IN LESHONOT CHADASHOT (1C 14:39) OFTEN BRING ON TERRIBLE REPROACH FOR THE BODY OF MOSHIACH AT LARGE WHEN THE SECRET SINS OF THE LEADERSHIP ARE LEAKED TO THE NEWS MEDIA. THE DARK SIDE OF THE LEADERS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HIDE SO ADROITLY IN THE FALSE FRONT OF RELIGIOUS HYPOCRISY IF THE PROPHETS HAD BEEN ALLOWED TO REMAIN, BUT OFTEN THESE ARE DRIVEN OUT AND THE CONGREGATION DOES NOT READ ROMANS AS WE ARE READING IT. HOW ARE WE READING ROMANS IN THIS COMMENTARY? WE ARE READING ROMANS AS A TRACTATE TO ULTRA-ORTHODOX MESSIANIC JEWS [SEE COMMENTARY BELOW ON RO 7:1] WRITTEN BY A PENTECOSTAL ULTRA-ORTHODOX MESSIANIC JEW, WHO PAUSES TO GEAR HIS MESSAGE FOR READERS OTHER THAN ULTRA-ORTHODOX MESSIANIC JEWS ONLY IN A FEW PLACES LIKE RO 11:13.

2:17 Ide su IoudaioV eponomazh, kai epanapauh tw nomw, kai kaucasai en Qew,

2:18 kai ginwskeiV to qelhma, kai dokimazeiV ta diaferonta, kathcoumenoV ek tou nomou,

2:19 pepoiqaV te seauton odhgon einai tuflwn, fwV twn en skotei,

2:20 paideuthn afronwn, didaskalon nhpiwn, econta thn morfwsin thV gnwsewV kai thV alhqeiaV en tw nomw

2:21 o oun didaskwn eteron, seauton ou didaskeiV; o khrusswn mh kleptein, klepteiV;

2:22 o legwn mh moiceuein, moiceueiV; o bdelussomenoV ta eidwla, ierosuleiV;

2:23 oV en nomw kaucasai, dia thV parabasewV tou nomou ton Qeon atimazeiV;

2:24 to gar onoma tou Qeou di umaV blasfhmeitai en toiV eqnesi, kaqwV gegraptai.

2:25 Peritomh men gar wfelei, ean nomon prasshV ean de parabathV nomou hV, h peritomh sou akrobustia gegonen.

2:26 Ean oun h akrobustia ta dikaiwmata tou nomou fulassh, ouci h akrobustia autou eiV peritomhn logisqhsetai;

2:27 kai krinei h ek fusewV akrobustia, ton nomon telousa, se ton dia grammatoV kai peritomhV parabathn nomou;

2:28 ou gar o en tw fanerw IoudaioV estin, oude h en tw fanerw en sarki peritomh

2:29 all o en tw kruptw IoudaioV, kai peritomh kardiaV en pneumati, ou grammati ou o epainoV ouk ex anqrwpwn, all ek tou Qeou.

3:1 Ti oun to perisson tou Ioudaiou, h tiV h wfeleia thV peritomhV;

3:2 polu kata panta tropon prwton men gar oti episteuqhsan ta logia tou Qeou.

3:3 Ti gar ei hpisthsan tineV; mh h apistia autwn thn pistin tou Qeou katarghsei;

3:4 mh genoito ginesqw de o QeoV alhqhV, paV de anqrwpoV yeusthV, kaqwV gegraptai, OpwV an dikaiwqhV en toiV logoiV sou, kai nikhshV en tw krinesqai se.

3:5 Ei de h adikia hmwn Qeou dikaiosunhn sunisthsi, ti eroumen; mh adikoV o QeoV o epiferwn thn orghn (kata anqrwpon legw);

But if our unrighteousness brings out and highlights the Tzedek Olamim, the Tzidkat Hashem (the righteousness of G-d), what shall we say? Rhetorically speaking, is G-d unjust in inflicting Charon Af Hashem (Ro 1:18)? (I speak from a human standpoint.)

IN RO CHAPTER 11 RAV SHAUL WILL SHOW G-D'S CONTINUING FAITHFULNESS TO ISRAEL. THEREFORE, SINCE IT IS TRUE TO SAY THAT THE G-D OF ISRAEL WILL ALWAYS OF NECESSITY BE TRUE TO ISRAEL, SOME MIGHT THEN INFER THAT A JEWISH BIRTHRIGHT CONSTITUTES THE EQUIVALENT OF A LICENSE TO SIN WITH IMPUNITY, SINCE ALL ISRAEL WILL BE SAVED (11:26), AND SINCE OUR (RAV SHAUL SAYS "OUR" BECAUSE HE IS SPEAKING AS A JEW IN SOLIDARITY WITH ISRAEL) JEWISH UNRIGHTEOUS SINFULNESS IS A FOIL TO MAKE MORE CONSPICUOUS G-D'S FAITHFULNESS.

3:6 mh genoito epei pwV krinei o QeoV ton kosmon;

Chas v'shalom! (G-d forbid!) For then how could Hashem be HaShofet kol ha'Aretz (BERESHIS 18:25)?

RAV SHAUL QUICKLY BACKS AWAY FROM THIS LIBERTINE CONCLUSION. WE REMEMBER THAT AMOS SAID JUST THE OPPOSITE: "YOU ONLY HAVE I KNOWN...THEREFORE I WILL PUNISH YOU FOR ALL YOUR SINS." SEE AMOS 3:2.

3:7 ei gar h alhqeia tou qeou en tw emw yeusmati eperisseusen eiV thn doxan autou, ti eti kagw wV amartwloV krinomai;

"But if the Emes Hashem (truth of G-d) has by my sheker overflowed to His kavod (glory), why am I still judged as a rashah (an evildoer)?"

IN CHAPTER 9 RAV SHAUL SPEAKS OF VESSELS OF WRATH AS A FOIL FOR VESSELS OF MERCY AND EARLIER IN THIS SAME CHAPTER 9 A DETRACTOR IS MADE TO SAY, "HOW CAN HASHEM STILL FIND FAULT, FOR WHO HAS RESISTED HIS WILL?" HERE A SIMILAR DISCLAIMER OF MORAL RESPONSIBILITY IS OFFERED. A PARODY OF RAV SHAUL'S MESSAGE OF GRACE IS PRESENTED IN SAYING THAT IF SIN ABOUNDS, MAKING GRACE MORE ABOUND (RO 5:20), THEN IN EXCHANGE FOR THAT HAPPY OUTCOME, SINNERS SHOULD SUPPOSEDLY BE ALLOWED TO HAVE THEIR SINS GO UNPUNISHED. THESE ARE FALSE INFERENCES CALCULATED BY HIS ULTRA-ORTHODOX JEWISH DETRACTORS TO PAINT RAV SHAUL'S PREACHING AS A LIBERTINE MESSAGE SO THAT FRUM MESSIANIC JEWS WILL TURN AWAY FROM BOTH RAV SHAUL'S PREACHING AND RAV SHAUL. THIS IS THE VERY TURN OF EVENTS THAT YA'AKOV AND THE ZIKNEI HAKEHILLAH OF TORAH-OBSERVANT MESSIANIC JEWS IN JERUSALEM ARE TRYING TO PREVENT IN AC 21:18-30.

3:8 kai mh (kaqwV blasfhmoumeqa, kai kaqwV fasi tineV hmaV legein oti), Poihswmen ta kaka ina elqh ta agaqa; wn to krima endikon esti.

Why do we not say, as some speakers of lashon hora slanderously report us to say, "Let us do rah that tov might come of it"? The gezar din (verdict) of ashem (guilty) on them is well deserved.

AS WE SAID EARLIER, RAV SHAUL KNEW THAT THERE WERE MANY TORAH-OBSERVANT JEWS IN THE MESSIANIC KEHILLAH IN JERUSALEM (AND MORE THAN A FEW IN THE MESSIANIC KEHILLAH IN ROME, AS RO CHAPTER 14 INDICATES). IF YOU WILL READ THE COMMENTARY BELOW ON RO 7:1 YOU WILL SEE HOW RAV SHAUL'S BESURAS HAGEULAH PRESENTATION COULD ME MOCKED AND MISCONSTRUED AS A LIBERTINE MESSAGE. BUT RAV SHAUL WAS NO LIBERTINE, THOUGH, AS YOU SEE HERE IN RO 3:8, HIS ENEMIES AND DETRACTORS TRIED TO STIGMATIZE HIM AS SUCH (SEE RO 6:1) IN MISREPRESENTING RAV SHAUL TO THE TORAH-OBSERVANT MESSIANIC JEWS. THE MAN OF G-D, ESPECIALLY THE MINISTRY OF THE MAN OF G-D, IS OFTEN A TARGET OF DEMONIC SLANDER (RO 3:8), SO, PRECEDING HIS VISIT TO ROME, THE RABBI FROM TARSUS SENDS AHEAD A COMPLETE TRACTATE THAT LAYS OUT THE GOOD NEWS OF REDEMPTION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH JUST AS HE HAS PREACHED AND TAUGHT IT SINCE THE OTHER SHLICHIM OF MOSHIACH ENDORSED IT YEARS BEFORE IN JERUSALEM (GA 2:9). WHEREAS RAV SHAUL WILL ATTACK THE SELF-CENTERED, EARTHLY-MINDED LIBERTINES LATER IN THIS LETTER AT 16:18 AND AGAIN NOT LONG AFTER THIS WHEN HE IS INCARCERATED IN ROME (SEE PP 3:18-19 AND CO 3:1-2), HERE RAV SHAUL IS ANTICIPATING AND ANSWERING IN ADVANCE OF THE MAIN THRUST OF HIS BESURAS HAGEULAH PRESENTATION THOSE DETRACTORS OF ORTHODOX JEWISH PERSUASION WHO WOULD TAKE HIM TO TASK FOR THE SUPPOSED LIBERTINE CONSEQUENCES OF HIS PREACHING.

3:9 Ti oun; proecomeqa; ou pantwV prohtiasameqa gar IoudaiouV te kai EllhnaV pantaV uf amartian einai,

3:10 kaqwV gegraptai oti Ouk esti dikaioV oude eiV

3:11 ouk estin o suniwn, ouk estin o ekzhtwn ton Qeon

3:12 panteV exeklinan, ama hcreiwqhsan ouk esti poiwn crhstothta, ouk estin ewV enoV

3:13 tafoV anewgmenoV o larugx autwn, taiV glwssaiV autwn edoliousan ioV aspidwn upo ta ceilh autwn

3:14 wn to stoma araV kai pikriaV gemei

3:15 oxeiV oi podeV autwn ekceai aima

3:16 suntrimma kai talaipwria en taiV odoiV autwn,

3:17 kai odon eirhnhV ouk egnwsan

3:18 ouk esti foboV Qeou apenanti twn ofqalmwn autwn.

3:19 Oidamen de oti osa o nomoV legei, toiV en tw nomw lalei, ina pan stoma fragh, kai upodikoV genhtai paV o kosmoV tw Qew

3:20 dioti ex ergwn nomou ou dikaiwqhsetai pasa sarx enwpion autou dia gar nomou epignwsiV amartiaV.

3:21 Nuni de cwriV nomou dikaiosunh Qeou pefanerwtai, marturoumenh upo tou nomou kai twn profhtwn

3:22 dikaiosunh de Qeou dia pistewV Ihsou Cristou eiV pantaV kai epi pantaV touV pisteuontaV ou gar esti diastolh

3:23 panteV gar hmarton kai usterountai thV doxhV tou Qeou,

3:24 dikaioumenoi dwrean th autou cariti dia thV apolutrwsewV thV en Cristw Ihsou

3:25 on proeqeto o QeoV ilasthrion, dia thV pistewV, en tw autou aimati, eiV endeixin thV dikaiosunhV autou, dia thn paresin twn progegonotwn amarthmatwn,

3:26 en th anoch tou Qeou proV endeixin thV dikaiosunhV autou en tw nun kairw, eiV to einai auton dikaion kai dikaiounta ton ek pistewV Ihsou.

3:27 Pou oun h kauchsiV; exekleisqh. Dia poiou nomou; twn ergwn; ouci, alla dia nomou pistewV.

4:11 kai shmeion elabe peritomhV, sfragida thV dikaiosunhV thV pistewV thV en th akrobustia eiV to einai auton patera
pantwn twn pisteuontwn di akrobustiaV, eiV to logisqhnai kai autoiV thn dikaiosunhn

4:12 kai patera peritomhV toiV ouk ek peritomhV monon, alla kai toiV stoicousi toiV icnesi thV en th akrobustia pistewV tou patroV hmwn Abraam.

4:13 ou gar dia nomou h epaggelia tw Abraam h tw spermati autou, to klhronomon auton einai tou kosmou, alla dia dikaiosunhV pistewV.

4:14 Ei gar oi ek nomou klhronomoi, kekenwtai h pistiV, kai kathrghtai h epaggelia

4:15 o gar nomoV orghn katergazetai ou gar ouk esti nomoV, oude parabasiV.

4:16 Dia touto ek pistewV, ina kata carin,
eiV to einai bebaian thn epaggelian panti tw spermati, ou tw ek tou nomou monon, alla kai tw ek pistewV Abraam, oV esti pathr pantwn hmwn

4:17 (kaqwV gegraptai oti Patera pollwn eqnwn teqeika se) katenanti ou episteuse Qeou, tou zwopoiountoV touV nekrouV, kai kalountoV ta mh onta wV onta.

4:18 OV par elpida ep elpidi episteusen, eiV to genesqai auton patera pollwn eqnwn, kata to eirhmenon, OutwV estai to sperma sou.

4:19 Kai mh asqenhsaV th pistei, ou katenohse to eautou swma hdh nenekrwmenon (ekatontaethV pou uparcwn), kai thn nekrwsin thV mhtraV SarraV

4:20 eiV de thn epaggelian tou Qeou ou diekriqh th apistia, all enedunamwqh th pistei, douV doxan tw Qew,

4:21 kai plhroforhqeiV oti o ephggeltai, dunatoV esti kai poihsai.

4:22 Dio kai elogisqh autw eiV dikaiosunhn.

4:23 Ouk egrafh de di auton monon, oti elogisqh autw

4:24 alla kai di hmaV, oiV mellei logizesqai, toiV pisteuousin epi ton egeiranta Ihsoun ton Kurion hmwn ek nekrwn,

4:25 oV paredoqh dia ta paraptwmata hmwn, kai hgerqh dia thn dikaiwsin hmwn.

5:1 DikaiwqenteV oun ek pistewV, eirhnhn ecomen proV ton Qeon dia tou Kuriou hmwn Ihsou Cristou,

Therefore, having been acquitted and declared not guilty, declared to be YITZDAK IM HASHEM (IYOV 25:4) on the yesod (basis) of our emunah (faith), we have shalom (peace) in relation to Hashem through Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua Adoneinu,
LIKE AVRAHAM AVINU (GN 15:6) WE HAVE ACCESS TO G-D, THAT IS, THE RIGHT STANDING OF ONE ACQUITTED, EVEN OF THE TZADDIKIM, ON THE BASIS OF FAITH. THIS MEANS THE WRATH OF RO 1:18 HAS BEEN ABATED AGAINST US, THE WAR IS OVER, OUR STRIFE WITH G-D IS FINISHED, AND THERE IS PEACE. THIS IS IMPUTED JUSTIFICATION.

5:2 di ou kai thn prosagwghn eschkamen th pistei eiV thn carin tauthn en h esthkamen, kai kaucwmeqa ep elpidi thV doxhV tou Qeou.

5:3 Ou monon de, alla kai kaucwmeqa en taiV qliyesin, eidoteV oti h qliyiV upomonhn katergazetai,

5:4 h de upomonh dokimhn, h de dokimh elpida

5:5 h de elpiV ou kataiscunei, oti h agaph tou Qeou ekkecutai en taiV kardiaiV hmwn dia PneumatoV Agiou tou doqentoV hmin.

5:6 Eti gar CristoV, ontwn hmwn asqenwn, kata kairon uper asebwn apeqane.

5:7 MoliV gar uper dikaiou tiV apoqaneitai uper gar tou agaqou taca tiV kai tolma apoqanein.

5:8 Sunisthsi de thn eautou agaphn eiV hmaV o QeoV, oti eti amartwlwn ontwn hmwn CristoV uper hmwn apeqane.

5:9 Pollw oun mallon, dikaiwqenteV nun en tw aimati autou, swqhsomeqa di autou apo thV orghV.

5:10 Ei gar ecqroi onteV kathllaghmen tw Qew dia tou qanatou tou uiou autou, pollw mallon katallagenteV swqhsomeqa en th zwh autou

For if when we were (G-d's) oyevim (enemies) we were reconciled to Hashem through the histalkus (passing), the mavet (death, YESHAYAH 53:12; DANIEL 9:26) of the Ben HaElohim [Moshiach], how much more, having been reconciled and no longer oyevim, shall we be delivered by his [Techiyah (Resurrection)] Chayyim!
RAV SHAUL HIMSELF WAS ONCE NUMBER ONE ENEMY SO ONE SHOULD NOT OVERLOOK THE AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ASPECT OF PAUL'S PERSONAL REFERENCE IN THIS VERSE. BUT ONCE WE WERE ALSO ENEMIES IN OUR MINDS (CO 1:20-21). RAV SHAUL WITH HIS ZEAL FOR HASHEM WITHOUT DA'AS (RO 10:2) WAS AN ACTIVIST ENEMY, CONSUMED WITH HOSTILITY AGAINST THE KAT (SECT) OF JUDAISM CALLED "HADERECH," PURSUING THEM EVEN TO FOREIGN CITIES. AT THAT TIME HE DID NOT REALIZE HE WAS IN THE FLESH AND THAT NONE OTHER THAN G-D'S MOSHIACH WAS IN ACTUALITY THE ENEMY HE WAS ATTACKING. FALLEN HUMANITY IS IN FACT ALIENATED FROM G-D AND UNDER HIS WRATH, AND, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE HAD A NEW BIRTH, YET IN MY FLESH (REMNANTS OF MY FALLEN HUMANITY STILL PRESENT IN THE BELIEVER) THERE DWELLS NO GOOD THING (RO 7:18), IN MY CARNAL MIND THERE IS NO GOOD THING [ON THIS SEE COMMENTARY BELOW ON RO 6:2 AND ALSO SARKIKOS, SIGMA-ALPHA-RHO-KAPPA-IOTA-KAPPA-OMINCRON-FINAL SIGMA, MEANING CARNALLY WORLDLY, AN EPITAPH OF BROTHERS OR BELIEVERS IN 1C 3:3, SHOWING THAT A BELIEVER CAN HAVE A CARNAL WORLDLY MIND IN WHICH DWELLS NO GOOD THING (RO 7:18). THEREFORE, IF MOSHIACH, WHO DID NOT HAVE A CARNAL WORLDLY MIND, DID NOT REASON WITH THE ENEMY (SEE MT 13:39 AND MT 4:1-11), BUT SENT HIM PACKING BY MEANS OF A RECITATION OF SCRIPTURE, HOW MUCH MORE SHOULD WE, WHO DO IN FACT HAVE CARNAL MINDS, NOT WALK AROUND IN A PASSIVE MENTAL STATE BUT HAVE A RECITATIVE FIREWALL OF SCRIPTURE PROACTIVELY BURNING AT ALL TIMES IN OUR MINDS AGAINST SATAN'S WILES AND DEVICES (SEE 1K 5:8 AND 2C 2:11). THEREFORE, MY CARNAL MIND NEEDS RENEWING DAILY (RO 12:2). THEREFORE, IN MY NEW BIRTH AND RENEWED MIND, SINCE I HAVE THE MIND OF MOSHIACH (SEE 1C 2:16), I CAN AND MUST BRING EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE TO OBEY MOSHIACH (2CO 10:5), KEEPING MY HEAD IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES (2TI 4:5), STAYING FULLY ARMORED AND ON DUTY IN THE SAFETY OF THE L-RD'S BATTLEFIELD (2SM 11:1), MAKING SURE THAT MY MEDITATION IS ON WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE NOBLE, JUST, AND PURE (PP 4:8), SO THAT THE MEDITATIONS OF MY HEART ARE ACCEPTABLE IN HIS SIGHT (PS 19:14[15]), QUOTING SCRIPTURE IN AN INCESSANT FIREWALL OF RESISTANT RECITATION TO THE TEMPTER (MT 4:1-11), KEEPING MYSELF IN THE LOVE OF G-D (YD 1:21), KNOWING THAT KINDNESS TO THE BESORAH TOVAH'S (EPSILON-CHI-THETA-RHO-OMICRON-FINAL SIGMA "ENEMY") WORKED FOR CHANANYAH (ANANIAS) AND IT WILL WORK FOR ME (RO 12:20). NO MORE THAN G-D HAS FORGOTTEN RAV SHAUL, SO RAV SHAUL SEES THAT THE G-D OF ISRAEL WILL NOT FORGET ISRAEL. FOR EVEN THOUGH, TO THE ADVANTAGE OF THE NON-JEW, ISRAEL HAS NOT MONOPOLIZED THE BLESSINGS OF THE BESURAS HAGEULAH AT THIS TIME, RAV SHAUL SEES THAT, AS WAS TRUE IN HIS OWN CASE, THEIR ANTAGONISTIC STANCE (RO 11:28) WILL ONE DAY CHANGE AND KLAL YISROEL WILL BE SAVED (RO 11:26). SO HASHEM WILL MAKE HIS ENEMIES SERVE HIM, PROVOKING THE JEWISH PEOPLE TO JEALOUSY BY MEANS OF THE NON-JEWS (RO 10:19). HERE IS RAV SHAUL'S RABBINIC QAL-VAHOMER ARGUMENT (I.E., ARGUMENT FROM MINOR TO MAJOR, IF SUCH-AND-SUCH IS TRUE, HOW MUCH MORE IS SUCH-AND-SUCH TRUE): IF G-D THUS BROUGHT SHALOM BETWEEN HIMSELF AND HIS ENEMIES WHEN MOSHIACH DIED FOR AND JUSTIFIED THE UNGODLY, HOW MUCH MORE WILL WE BE SAVED FROM HIS WRATH ON THE DAY OF WRATH COMING, THE YOM HADIN, THE DAY OF JUDGMENT, BY HIS TECHIYAH CHAYYIM.

5:11 ou monon de, alla kai kaucwmenoi en tw Qew dia tou Kuriou hmwn Ihsou Cristou, di ou nun thn katallaghn elabomen.

Therefore, just as through one Adam, Chet entered into the Olam Hazeh and, through Chet entered Mavet; and so Mavet passed through to kol Bnei Adam, because all sinned-
RAV SHAUL WILL RELATE THIS TO HIMSELF IN CHAPTER 7, BECAUSE HE WILL SAY IN 7:14 THAT HE IS SOLD UNDER SIN, JUST AS KOL BNEI ADAM ARE SOLD UNDER SIN THROUGH ADAM HERE IN 5:12. MOREOVER, SPEAKING OF HIMSELF, RAV SHAUL ADMITS TO "ADAM IN ME" BECAUSE HE SPEAKS OF HIS OWN SINFUL "FLESH" IN 7:18, AND DISTINCTLY CONTRASTS THE ADAM HAACHARON MOSHIACH FROM HIMSELF BY SAYING THAT THE LAST ADAM CAME IN THE "LIKENESS" OF SINFUL FLESH (8:3), MEANING THAT MOSHIACH HAS NO FALLEN SINFUL NATURE IN ADAM, THOUGH AS 5:12 SAYS, SUCH IS NOT THE CASE FOR ALL OTHER MEN, INCLUDING BELIEVERS, INCLUDING RAV SHAUL HIMSELF, BECAUSE ALL OTHER MEN OTHER THAN MOSHIACH DO HAVE A FALLEN SINFUL NATURE IN ADAM AND ARE UNDER THE POWER OF SIN AND SUBJECT TO DEATH BECAUSE ALL HAVE SINNED--

5:13 acri gar nomou amartia hn en kosmw amartia de ouk ellogeitai, mh ontoV nomou.

5:14 All ebasileusen o qanatoV apo Adam mecri MwsewV kai epi touV mh amarthsantaV epi tw omoiwmati thV parabasewV Adam, oV esti tupoV tou mellontoV.

5:15 All ouc wV to paraptwma, outw kai to carisma. Ei gar tw tou enoV paraptwmati oi polloi apeqanon,
pollw mallon h cariV tou Qeou kai h dwrea en cariti th tou enoV anqrwpou Ihsou Cristou eiV touV pollouV eperisseuse.

5:16 Kai ouc wV di enoV amarthsantoV, to dwrhma to men gar krima ex enoV eiV katakrima, to de carisma ek pollwn paraptwmatwn eiV dikaiwma.

5:17 Ei gar tw tou enoV paraptwmati o qanatoV ebasileuse dia tou enoV, pollw mallon oi thn perisseian thV caritoV
kai thV dwreaV thV dikaiosunhV lambanonteV en zwh basileusousi dia tou enoV Ihsou Cristou.

5:18 Ara oun wV di enoV paraptwmatoV eiV pantaV anqrwpouV eiV katakrima, outw kai di enoV dikaiwmatoV eiV pantaV anqrwpouV eiV dikaiwsin zwhV.

5:19 Wsper gar dia thV parakohV tou enoV anqrwpou amartwloi katestaqhsan oi polloi, outw kai dia thV upakohV tou enoV dikaioi katastaqhsontai oi polloi.

5:20 NomoV de pareishlqen, ina pleonash to paraptwma ou de epleonasen h amartia, upereperisseusen h cariV

5:21 ina wsper ebasileusen h amartia en tw qanatw, outw kai h cariV basileush dia dikaiosunhV eiV zwhn aiwnion, dia Ihsou Cristou tou Kuriou hmwn.

6:1 Ti oun eroumen; epimenoumen th amartia, ina h cariV pleonash;

What then shall we say? Are we to persist in Chet (Sin) in order that the unmerited Chen v'Chesed Hashem might increase?
AS WE SAID EARLIER, RAV SHAUL KNEW THAT THERE WERE MANY TORAH-OBSERVANT JEWS IN THE MESSIANIC KEHILLAH IN JERUSALEM (AND MORE THAN A FEW IN THE MESSIANIC KEHILLAH IN ROME, AS RO CHAPTER 14 INDICATES). IF YOU WILL READ THE COMMENTARY BELOW ON RO 7:1 YOU WILL SEE HOW RAV SHAUL'S BESURAS HAGEULAH PRESENTATION COULD ME MOCKED AND MISCONSTRUED AS A LIBERTINE MESSAGE. BUT RAV SHAUL WAS NO LIBERTINE, THOUGH HIS ENEMIES AND DETRACTORS TRIED TO STIGMATIZE HIM AS SUCH (RO 3:8; RO 6:1) IN MISREPRESENTING RAV SHAUL'S PREACHING AND DISTORTING IT TO THE EARS OF THE TORAH-OBSERVANT MESSIANIC JEWS (SEE AC 21:21). FOR THE MAN OF G-D, ESPECIALLY THE MINISTRY OF THE MAN OF G-D, IS OFTEN A TARGET OF DEMONIC SLANDER (RO 3:8), SO, PRECEDING HIS VISIT TO ROME, THE RABBI FROM TARSUS SENDS AHEAD A COMPLETE TRACTATE THAT LAYS OUT THE GOOD NEWS OF REDEMPTION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH JUST AS HE HAS PREACHED AND TAUGHT IT SINCE THE OTHER SHLICHIM OF MOSHIACH ENDORSED IT YEARS BEFORE IN JERUSALEM (GA 2:9). BY THE TIME YOU GET TO CHAPTER 7 YOU BEGIN TO SEE THAT RAV SHAUL IS PREACHING TO HIMSELF, AND TO THOSE LIKE HIM WHO KNOW THE TORAH, WHOSE EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN TORAH-OBSERVANT, WHAT WE WOULD CALL ULTRA-ORTHODOX JEWS "WHO HAVE A ZEAL FOR HASHEM." WHEN YOU COMPARE AC 21:20 AND RO 7:1, YOU SEE THAT THE BOOK OF ROMANS REALLY HAS THE ZEALOUS-FOR-THE-TORAH ULTRA-ORTHODOX JEW AND THE FRUM MESSIANIC JEW VERY MUCH IN THE FOREGROUND, AND THAT RAV SHAUL IS PREACHING TO HIMSELF AND TO THEM, EXTREMELY AWARE OF HIS UPCOMING STOP-OVER IN JERUSALEM WHERE HIS PREACHING WILL COME UNDER INTENSE SCRUTINY BY OTHER TORAH-ZEALOUS JEWS AND MESSIANIC JEWS. SEE COMMENTARY ON ROMANS 7:1 BELOW. HOW IRONIC THAT THE SUPPOSEDLY GREATEST EXPOSITOR OF THIS BOOK WROTE A TRACTATE CALLED "BURN THEIR SYNAGOGUES." WHEN A MAN THINKS HE IS SOMETHING WHEN HE IS NOTHING, HE DECEIVES HIMSELF (GA 6:3).

6:2 mh genoito. OitineV apeqanomen th amartia, pwV eti zhsomen en auth;

Chas v'shalom! Vi-bahlt (since) we have died to Chet, how can we still live in it?
AT ONE TIME WE WERE BLIND SLAVES OF A TYRANT NAMED SIN. WE HAD NEITHER EARS TO HEAR OR EYES TO SEE. BUT THEN WE DIED AND WERE BURIED AND THAT LIFE WAS OVER. A SPIRITUAL RENEWAL OCCURRED AS WELL, FOR WE WALKED OUT OF A WATERY GRAVE WHEN WE WERE ZIKH GETOYV'LT IN DER MIKVE AND WE WERE NO LONGER SPIRITUALLY BLIND, DEAF MEMBERS OF ADAM'S LOST RACE. WE NOW HAD EYES TO SEE AND EARS TO HEAR. WE NOW WERE ALIVE IN THE RUACH HAKODESH. THIS IS CALLED THE NEW BIRTH. NOW AFTER SUCH A SPIRITUAL RESURRECTION AND IN VIEW OF THE COMING BODILY RESURRECTION AND ALSO OUR ARRAIGNMENT BEFORE MOSHIACH'S BET DIN (RO 14:10), HOW COULD WE POSSIBLY STILL LIVE BLINDLY IN SIN AS IF NOTHING HAD HAPPENED TO US? IMPOSSIBLE! IT IS TRUE THAT IN GAL RAV SHAUL HAS TO WARN BELIEVERS NOT TO INDULGE THE SINFUL NATURE AND NOT TO USE THEIR LIBERTY AS AN OCCASION FOR THE SATISFACTION OF THE SINFUL NATURE, BUT THE SINFUL NATURE HAS BEEN NAILED TO THE TREE WITH MOSHIACH AND THE OLD ME NO LONGER LIVES. IF THIS WERE NOT TRUE, THE STRUGGLE AGAINST SIN WOULD BE HOPELESS AND FUTILE AS IT IS FOR ALL THOSE IN THE FLESH, THAT IS, ALL THOSE WHO ARE NOT REBORN AND WHO ARE NOT REGENERATED BELIEVERS. BUT BECAUSE THERE IS A "NEW ME" IN THE RUACH HAKODESH, BECAUSE THERE IS REGENERATION AND A NEW EXISTENCE, THERE IS THE POWER TO MORTIFY THE FLESH (IT HAS ALREADY BEEN NAILED TO THE TREE WITH MOSHIACH!). THAT MEANS THERE IS THE POWER TO OVERCOME TEMPTATION AND STRUGGLE AGAINST SIN AND MORTIFY THE MISDEEDS OF THE BODY. I HAVE BEEN FOREKNOWN, PREDESTINED, CALLED, AND JUSTIFIED (RO 8:29-30), BUT BECAUSE I HAVE NOT YET BEEN GLORIFIED, I STILL HAVE "ADAM IN ME" OR, BETTER, REMNANTS OF ADAM IN ME, AND IN MY FLESH (FALLEN NATURE) THERE IS NO GOOD THING (RO 7:18). IN THIS LIMITED SENSE THERE ARE TWO OF ME, THOUGH MY FLESH IS NOT REALLY ANOTHER ME, BUT ONLY A GHOST OF MY OLD LIFE THAT TRIES TO COME BACK TO HAUNT ME IN MY NEW LIFE AS A BELIEVER. NEVERTHELESS, THE SINFUL NATURE IS A MORAL PERIL TO ME BECAUSE IT DESIRES WHAT IS CONTRARY TO WHAT THE RUACH HAKODESH DESIRES AND THE RUACH HAKODESH DESIRES WHAT IS CONTRARY TO WHAT THE SINFUL NATURE DESIRES (GAL 5:17). THIS IS WHY I MUST NOT MAKE PROVISION FOR THE FLESH (RO 13:14), THIS IS WHY I MUST NOT GRIEVE THE RUACH HAKODESH. THIS IS WHY THE BELIEVER LIVES IN MORAL PERIL WITH SIN A CONSTANT DANGER. BUT THE SLAVE MASTER SIN NO LONGER OWNS US. AS FAR AS HIS INDENTURED SERVICE IS CONCERNED, WE DIED. THAT SAID, REMEMBER THIS: THERE IS ONLY ONE PERSON IN THE UNIVERSE WHO WAS NOT AND IS NOT SOLD UNDER ORIGINAL SIN, AND THAT IS MOSHIACH, WHO HAS NO SIN NATURE AND DID NOT SIN. AS FAR AS ORIGINAL SIN IS CONCERNED WE WERE SOLD UNDER SIN IN ADAM, AND AS FAR AS "ADAM IN ME" IS CONCERNED, THAT IS, MY FLESH OR SINFUL NATURE...THERE IS NO GOOD THING. WHEN RAV SHAUL SAYS "I DIE DAILY" HE MEANS HE FACES DEATH EVERY DAY, MEANING POTENTIAL MARTYRDOM, BUT AS FAR AS HIS FLESH IS CONCERNED, IT MUST BE MORTIFIED DAILY, IT MUST BE RECKONED DEAD DAILY (RO 6:11 AND LK 9:23). THIS WE CAN DO AND WE NEED THE PROPHETIC EDGE OF THE TEVILAH IN THE RUACH HAKODESH RO 12:6 TO HAVE THE MORAL DISCERNMENT TO SEE THAT THIS WE MUST DO, BECAUSE WE HAVE DIED AND ARE NO LONGER SIN'S SERVANT.

6:3 h agnoeite oti osoi ebaptisqhmen eiV Criston Ihsoun, eiV ton qanaton autou ebaptisqhmen;

Or do you lack da'as that all we who were given a mikveh mayim tevilah into [Rebbe,] Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua/Yeshua were given a tevilah into Moshiach's histalkus, into his mavet (death).
WHEN YOU READ THIS VERSE YOU NEED TO SAY, I DECLARE THAT NAAMAN (2KGS 5:14) IS THE ROLE MODEL FOR ME. FOR HE DESPERATELY WANTED TO RID HIMSELF OF THE NEGA OF HIS METZORAH, EVEN HUMBLING HIMSELF AND OBEYING THE WORD OF G-D. SO LIKEWISE I THANK HASHEM THAT WHEN I HAVE HUMBLED MYSELF AND OBEYED MOSHIACH AND MADE ZIKH GE'TOYVL'T IN DER MIKVEH TRUSTING IN THE NAME OF HASHEM AND MOSHIACH TZIDKEINU AND THE RUACH HAKODESH--ADONOI ECHAD--THEN THERE IS A POINT OF STRENGTH. FOR I THANK HASHEM THAT AFTER I MAKE ZIKH GE'TOYVL'T IN DER MIKVEH, THEN IT IS WHEN THE DEVIL COMES WITH HIS ACCUSATIONS, HIS CONDEMNATIONS, HIS STRICTURES OF FALSE GUILT, HIS SATANIC TEMPTATIONS, HIS ZCHUS DECEPTIONS AND DOCTRINES OF DEMONS AND ALL OF HIS OCCULT LIES, THEN IT IS THAT I CAN DRIVE BACK THE ADVERSARY OF MY NASHAMAH, BY REMINDING THE DEVIL ABOUT THE BLOOD OF MY JUSTIFICATION (RO 5:9) OF MOSHIACH'S TEMURAH AND KAPORAH AND KEDUSHAH AND GEULAH WHERE I DIED AND WAS BURIED WITH YEHOSHUA/YESHUA IN THE TEVILAH KEVER (IMMERSION GRAVE) AND THEN I WILL DAVEN IN THE RUACH HAKODESH LESHONOT CHADASHOT AND I WILL DO A TZOM, FASTING UNTIL SATAN SEES THAT HE CANNOT CORRUPT ME, THAT I HAVE RESISTED HIM.

6:4 sunetafhmen oun autw dia tou baptismatoV eiV ton qanaton ina wsper hgerqh CristoV ek nekrwn dia thV doxhV tou patroV, outw kai hmeiV en kainothti zwhV peripathswmen.

6:5 Ei gar sumfutoi gegonamen tw omoiwmati tou qanatou autou, alla kai thV anastasewV esomeqa

6:6 touto ginwskonteV, oti o palaioV hmwn anqrwpoV sunestaurwqh, ina katarghqh to swma thV amartiaV, tou mhketi douleuein hmaV th amartia

Having da'as of this, that, with Moshiach, our old humanity (in Adam) has been put to death on Moshiach's Etz (Tree [the Etz HaKelelat Hashem, the Tree of the Curse of G-d--DEVARIM 21:23]) in order that the etsem HaAdam HaChet (the essence of the sinful human condition) might be done away with, so that we might no longer serve Chet (sin) (cf Ro 6:23).
IF ONE HAD VISITED THE EMPTY TOMB WITH MIRYAM OF MAGDALA ONE WOULD HAVE SEEN THE MAN FROM HEAVEN WHO DID NOT BELONG TO THE OLAM HAZEH (THIS AGE) RULED BY SIN. THE MAN WHO APPEARED IN THIS AGE AND LIVED FOR OVER THIRTY YEARS AS A REAL HUMAN BEING HAD DIED. NOW HE WAS SEEN BY MIRYAM OF MAGDALA AS THE MAN FROM HEAVEN: HIS TRUE IDENTITY. WHEN THE MIRACLE OF THE NEW BIRTH OCCURS, THE ONE WE SEE ARISING TO THE NEWNESS OF LIFE FROM THE KEVER GRAVE WATERS OF MOSHIACH'S MIKVEH MAYIM IS A NEW CREATURE OF SAVING FAITH, A REGENERATED BEING, A BEING BETWEEN THE AGES, STILL IN THIS WORLD, STILL IN MORAL PERIL, STILL SUBJECT TO SIN'S TEMPTATION, YET AT THE SAME TIME A BEING DESTINED FOR HEAVEN. SUCH A ONE, THOUGH LIVING IN THIS AGE, IS DESTINED FOR THE AGE TO COME. IN THIS AGE, THE OLAM HAZEH, SIN'S DECEIT IS STILL A POSSIBLE ALLUREMENT TO GUARD AGAINST ("LET HIM WHO THINKS HE STANDS TAKE CARE LEST HE FALL"), BUT, FOR THE BELIEVER, A DEATH, A DISCONTINUITY WITH THE OLD AGE, HAS OCCURRED, AND THIS MEANS OLD THINGS ARE PASSING AWAY. THE WORLD WITH ITS ALLUREMENTS IS GROWING STRANGELY UNATTRACTIVE. THE WORLD IS NOT THE SAME PLACE. ITS TAWDRY AMUSEMENTS ARE NO LONGER AMUSING. AND THIS ALSO MEANS THAT ALL THE POWERS AND ENDUEMENTS OF THE AGE TO COME ARE BECOMING AVAILABLE SO THAT SUCH A HEAVEN-BOUND PILGRIM AS WE ARE DESCRIBING IS ON THE WAY NOW TO THE OLAM HABA ETERNAL HOME.

For he who has died is declared niftar (freed, deceased) from Chet.
SLAVEMASTERS HAVE POWER OVER THEIR SLAVES AND CAN SUBJECT THEM TO TERRIBLE PENALTIES... UNTIL THEIR SLAVES PASS AWAY. WHEN THE SLAVES ARE DEAD AND BURIED IN THE SLAVE CEMETERY, THEN THE SLAVEMASTER GOES OUT TO THE SLAVE CEMETERY, AND HE LAMENTS THAT HIS ENSLAVED WORKERS IN THE COTTON FIELD ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE TO SLAVE FOR HIM IN HIS FIELDS. SO IT IS IN THE FIELDS OF SIN, FOR NOW WE SEE IN ROMANS 6:7 THAT THE SIN SLAVES ARE NOW IN MOSHIACH'S GRAVE, AS IT SAYS IN ISAIAH 53:9 "HE MADE HIS KEVER (GRAVE) WITH THE RESHA'IM UNG-DLY ONES" FOR MOSHIACH DIED FOR AND JUSTIFIED THE UNG-DLY (RO 5:1,6). THE SLAVEMASTER STANDS IN THE SLAVE CEMETARY AND HE THROWS HIS WHIP DOWN. IT IS USELESS NOW. NO PENALTY THE SLAVEMASTER MIGHT IMPOSE WILL MAKE THE SLAVES RETURN TO THE FIELDS OF SLAVERY. THIS IS WHAT RAV SHAUL IS SAYING: ONCE BURIED IN MOSHIACH'S MIKVEH MAYIM, THE CEMETERY OF THAT IMMERSION BURIAL TEVILAH IS A TURNING POINT WHERE THE OLD SLAVEMASTER MR SIN LOSES HIS POWER AND HIS PENALTY, FOR "NIFTAR" MEANS THAT THE SIN SLAVE IS "FREED, DECEASED."

6:9 eidoteV oti CristoV egerqeiV ek nekrwn ouketi apoqnhskei qanatoV autou ouketi kurieuei.

6:11 Outw kai umeiV logizesqe eautouV nekrouV men einai th amartia, zwntaV de tw Qew en Cristw Ihsou

6:12 Mh oun basileuetw h amartia en tw qnhtw umwn swmati, eiV to upakouein auth en taiV epiqumiaiV autou

6:13 mhde paristanete ta melh umwn opla adikiaV th amartia alla parasthsate eautouV tw Qew wV ek nekrwn zwntaV, kai ta melh umwn opla dikaiosunhV tw Qew.

6:14 Amartia gar umwn ou kurieusei ou gar este upo nomon, all upo carin.

6:15 Ti oun amarthswmen, oti ouk esmen upo nomon, all upo carin; mh genoito.

6:16 Ouk oidate oti w paristanete eautouV doulouV eiV upakohn, douloi este w upakouete, htoi amartiaV eiV qanaton, h upakohV eiV dikaiosunhn;

6:17 cariV de tw Qew, oti hte douloi thV amartiaV, uphkousate de ek kardiaV eiV on paredoqhte tupon didachV

6:18 eleuqerwqenteV de apo thV amartiaV, edoulwqhte th dikaiosunh.

6:19 Anqrwpinon legw dia thn asqeneian thV sarkoV umwn wsper gar paresthsate ta melh umwn doula th akaqarsia kai th anomia eiV thn anomian,
outw nun parasthsate ta melh umwn doula th dikaiosunh eiV agiasmon.

6:20 Ote gar douloi hte thV amartiaV, eleuqeroi hte th dikaiosunh.

6:21 Tina oun karpon eicete tote ef oiV nun epaiscunesqe; to gar teloV ekeinwn qanatoV.

6:22 Nuni de eleuqerwqenteV apo thV amartiaV, doulwqenteV de tw Qew, ecete ton karpon umwn eiV agiasmon, to de teloV zwhn aiwnion.

6:23 Ta gar oywnia thV amartiaV qanatoV, to de carisma tou Qeou zwh aiwnioV en Cristw Ihsou tw Kuriw hmwn.

7:1 H agnoeite, adelfoi (ginwskousi gar nomon lalw), oti o nomoV kurieuei tou anqrwpou ef oson cronon zh;

Do you not have da'as, Achim b'Moshiach, for I speak to those who know the Torah, that the Torah exercises marut (authority, rule) over a man so long as he lives
WHEN WE HEAR THE PHRASE "SO LONG AS HE LIVES," OUR MIND IMMEDIATELY REVERTS TO CHAPTER SIX WHERE THE SUBJECT OF MORTIFICATION WAS DEALT WITH IN TERMS OF ZIKH GETOYLV'T IN DER MIKVE AND WE HEAR ABOUT A NEW CREATURE AND BEING FREED FROM SIN'S INDENTURED SERVICE (6:22) AND HOW IT IS NO LONGER THE OLD ME WHO LIVES, FOR A DEATH HAS OCCURRED AND THERE IS A DISCONTINUITY IN TERMS OF THE OLD BLIND ADAMIC HUMANITY I ONCE WAS PART OF. THIS MEANS I STILL HAVE A CARNAL NATURE BECAUSE GLORIFICATION HASN'T HAPPENED YET, BUT AS A NEW CREATURE, I AM AWARE THAT MY CARNAL NATURE IS SATAN'S ALLY, SO I MAKE NO PROVISION FOR IT. BUT WE ARE GETTING AHEAD OF OURSELVES. LET'S JUST FOCUS ON ONE THING HERE: THE QUESTION OF WHO IN HIS READING AUDIENCE IS RAV SHAUL SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSING. AND THE ANSWER BECOMES CLEAR THAT HE IS SPEAKING TO THOSE WHO HAVE TRADITIONAL TORAH LEARNING. RAV SHAUL EXCELLED IN THIS BEYOND HIS CONTEMPORARIES AS HE SAYS IN GALATIANS 1:14 AND PP 3:6. HE IS SPEAKING TO THE FRUM TORAH OBSERVANT MESSIANIC JEWS IN JERUSALEM AND ROME WHO THINK THEY CAN OVERCOME SIN BY PURSUING THE LETTER OF THE TORAH, IN OTHER WORDS, THE ONES WHO ARE MEDAKDEKIM B'MITZVOT, MEANING THE ONES WHOSE QUEST IS PRECISION IN EVERY DETAIL OF THE 613 MITZVOT OF THE TORAH, AND WHO CONSEQUENTLY NEED TO BE CONVINCED ABOUT THE GREATER EFFICACY OF THE TEVILAH OF THE RUACH HAKODESH AS FAR AS OVERCOMING SIN IS CONCERNED. NOTICE, FROM CHAPTER FOURTEEN WE KNOW THAT RAV SHAUL IS NOT TRYING TO CONVINCE THEM TO START EATING TRAIF, SO DON'T MIX THAT IDEA IN HERE. PEOPLE WHO DO NOT LIVE IN AN ORTHODOX JEWISH NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE BROOKLYN MAY NOT HAVE ANY CONCEPT OF WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE. LET'S SAY YOU ARE IN BROOKLYN AND YOU ARE WALKING AROUND HUNGRY AND YOU WANT TO GET A SNACK. SO YOU RUN INTO TO A BAGEL SHOP TO GRAB A BAGEL, WHICH IS A DONUT-LOOKING PIECE OF BREAD THAT IS NOT ONLY BAKED BUT BOILED. NOW WHAT IS SO COMPLICATED ABOUT RUNNING INTO A BAGEL SHOP TO BUY A BAGEL? BUT WAIT! YOU LOOK AT THE SIGN AND IT SAYS, "HALACHIC AUTHORITIES HAVE RULED THAT THE HAMOTZI MUST BE RECITED OVER EVERY KIND OF BAGEL WE SELL." SO YOU ARE REMEMBERING THE BRUCHA THAT OUR MOSHIACH SAID IN THE FIRST SEUDAS MOSHIACH, AND THEN TWO ULTRA ORTHODOX JEWS COME IN AND BEGIN INTERROGATING THE ORTHODOX JEWISH BAKER ABOUT VARIOUS GLATT KOSHER SPECIFICATIONS AS THEY INSPECT THE KOSHER SUPERVISION CERTIFICATION ON THE BAKERY SHOP WALL. WE DISCOVER THAT THE OVENS HAVE BEEN KASHERED BY BLOWTORCHING. EVERY THING IN THE STORE IS KOSHER, PARVE (MEANING IN THIS CASE, NEUTRAL, NO MILK OR MEAT) AND PAS YISROEL (BAKED ON PREMISES BY A JEWISH BAKER). NOW WE HEAR THEM SPEAKING IN YIDDISH ABOUT THE YOSHAN STATUS OF THE BAGEL. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FLOUR FROM WHEAT, BARLEY, OATS, RYE, SPELT, WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT AN ELEVATED LEVEL OF KOSHER. THE WORD "YOSHAN" MEANS "OLD" (IT IS A HEBREW WORD.) AND IT HAS TO DO WITH EATING THE FLOUR OF THESE FIVE GRAINS ONLY, AND I MEAN ONLY, IF THEY HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED AS HAVING BEEN HARVESTED IN AN "OLD" HARVEST BEFORE THE SECOND DAY OF PESACH (PASSOVER). SO WE SEE THE SIGN THAT HAS THE HEBREW WORD FOR FLOUR (QOF-MEM-CHET) AND THEN WE SEE THE HEBREW WORD FOR YOSHEN OR OLD (YOD-SHEEN-FINAL NOON). SO BY NOW YOU ARE A LITTLE DAZED. ALL YOU CAME IN HERE FOR WAS A SNACK! BUT THE TORAH HAS AUTHORITY OVER THAT SNACK! DOES THIS MEAN THAT THE TORAH HAS COMPLETE AUTHORITY AND RULE EVEN OVER A SIMPLE SNACKER? YES, UNTIL HE IS DEAD! AND THIS IS THE SPECIFIC ULTRA ORTHODOX JEWISH AUDIENCE THAT RAV SHAUL KNOWS HE WILL SOON BE CONFRONTING IN ACTS CHAPTER 21 (SEE 15:31) AND IS NOW SPEAKING TO IN CHAPTER SEVEN. MANY GENTILE BELIEVERS WOULD FIND WHAT HAS BEEN SAID HERE IN THIS PART OF THE COMMENTARY AS QUAINT OR TENDENTIOUS. TO THEM THE LAW IS JUST A WORD. BUT ANYONE WHO HAS EVER LIVED IN BROOKLYN'S ULTRAORTHODOX COMMUNITY KNOWS OTHERWISE. STANDING ON THE STREET CORNER, YOU OBSERVE RABBI AFTER RABBI SCURRYING DOWN THE STREET. NOTHING IS ON THEIR MIND 24/7 BUT THE TORAH. EVERY THOUGHT OF THEIR MIND, EVERY ACTION OF THEIR DAY, EVERY TINY THING THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT FROM THE MOMENT THEY OPEN THEIR EYES IN THE MORNING UNTIL THEY GO TO SLEEP AT NIGHT IS TORAH. WHEN THEY BEGIN TO SUSPECT THAT YEHOSHUA/YESHUA IS THE MOSHIACH THESE MESSIANIC JEWS NATURALLY WANT TO PROCEED WITH THEIR SANCTIFICATION IN MOSHIACH ACCORDING TO THE LETTER OF THE TORAH. SO RAV SHAUL PAUSES HERE TO SHOW THAT ORIGINAL SIN AND THE INBORN DEPRAVITY ALL MANKIND SHARE, A SUBJECT BROACHED IN CHAPTER FIVE, IS SUCH THAT SANCTIFICATION BY THE LETTER OF THE TORAH IS AN IMPOSSIBILITY. WHY IS SANCTIFICATION BY THE LETTER OF THE TORAH AN IMPOSSIBILITY? ONLY A MATURE BELIEVER WHO KNOWS THE HOLINESS OF MOSHIACH AND THE SINFULNESS OF HIS OWN HEART BEFORE THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL CAN UNDERSTAND WHY SANCTIFICATION BY THE LETTER OF THE TORAH IS AN IMPOSSIBILITY. THE SIN-PRONE "FLESH," THE WILEY AND DECEITFUL FALLEN NATURE OF THE SINFUL FLESH, REMNANTS OF WHICH STILL RESIDE IN THE BELIEVER THIS SIDE OF GLORIFICATION, MAKE SUCH A SANCTIFICATION STRATEGY BY THE LETTER OF TH