Psalm 45:10-17; Genesis 27:1-17; Romans 7:7-20
Friday 3 July - Rev.Jerry Eve
Romans 7 is a notoriously difficult chapter, even for the most learned theologians. What on earth is Paul trying to say here, and why is he saying it? Ostensibly, Romans was written by way of a letter of introduction to a Church Paul had no previous contact with, and which he was intending to visit. He was seeking the support of fellow Christians, and once he arrived in Rome, fully intended to travel beyond there, and even as far as Spain (see Romans 15:24-28). Now, if I was Paul, and this was the case, I’d want to give a reasonably good impression of myself. Without appearing too immodest, I’d want the Romans to be predisposed to expect somebody who would be worthy of their support. And not the ardent sinner Paul seems to claim he is. In fact, as a member of the Church in Rome, on reading this I’d warn everyone to be quite wary of Paul.
So what is Paul up to here? Please don’t spend too long on this, but if you do have a lightbulb moment then I would be keen to hear. It’s probably best, though, if you read the first part of the chapter again, and also the last i.e. the whole of Romans 7. My best thought is that he’s maybe aware that he has developed a reputation for being critical of the Law, and wants to insist that this isn’t true i.e. that he agrees with people when they say the Law is holy. My second best thought is that there may be a development here of the notion Paul has introduced at Romans 5:12 of what the Church has called ‘Original Sin’. But my third best thought is just to leave it at that for now, and long for the simplicity of Christ who instead of all this philosophising manages to boil the whole of the Gospel down into just the one word, Love.
Talking of sin (and a lack of love), we do have an excellent example of it in our Old Testament passage for today from Genesis, in which Rebecca and Jacob are nothing less than conniving. I remember before Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum was refurbished a few years ago, one of my favourite works of art was a life-size marble sculpture of the moment Esau realises he’s been tricked. I was so looking forward to seeing it again, and so disappointed when, after the refurb, I discovered that a decision had been taken to no longer display it. I have heard that it was slightly damaged in storage, and one of the figures lost a finger. By way of some compensation, Glasgow City Council were able to come up with an old photograph of it which hangs on a wall in the vestry of Busby Church. For all the skill with which it was made as well as the poignancy of that moment which it depicts, my long-term hope, however, is that, with a small repair, the statue itself might possibly be reinstated one day. Its title is ‘Bless me, even me also, O my Father’, and it was sculpted by E. Roscoe Mullins (1848 – 1907).
Let us pray (and this can be adapted for our own use from Jacob’s prayer of contrition at Genesis 32):
O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands. Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, Amen.