The Sound of Doctrine

Tag: faith

  • The Lord’s Care For His Church

    The Lord’s Care For His Church

    Luke 9:1–3 (LSB)

    1And calling the twelve together, He gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. 

    2And He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 

    3And He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; nor have two tunics apiece.

    The Lord entered into His ministry with an immersion into the Jordan River. After that, He was tempted and tested for 40 days. After that He was reunited with disciples He made while at the Jordan and then began to make more disciples. All the while, day-in and day-out, they needed to eat, sleep, and drink. The Lord cared for these men while He was with them for the over 3 years they ministered together. Whether it was taking tax money from the fish’s mouth, or multiplying food from a few loaves and fish, or being cared for by a prearranged meal of some sort for Passover, the Lord Jesus Christ cared for His dear flock, the flock which would inherit the kingdom one day (Luke 12:32).

    However, at the end of His ministry, just hours before His execution, He made a very interesting, and often overlooked, statement. Only Luke records it. A year earlier, He told them to go out and preach the gospel of the kingdom and take no provisions for that itinerant journey. This would mean that whatever their needs might be, they would be provided. Apparently, it was oftentimes from good people who housed these men. But, at the end of His ministry, the instructions changed.

    Luke 22:35–38 (LSB)

    35And He said to them, “When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Not a thing.” 

    36And He said to them, “But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword should sell his garment and buy one. 

    37“For I tell you that this which is written must be completed in Me, ‘And He was numbered with transgressors’; for that which refers to Me has its completion.” 

    38And they said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.”

    The instructions changed from, “Take nothing for your journey, not tunic, money, sandals…” to “But now, take a money belt, bag, and sword.” What changed? Well-meaning Christians and churches might quote the passage from the middle of His ministry, but ignore the teaching from the end of His ministry.

    When the Lord sent the men out earlier, He promised to care for them. At the end, His promise does not seem to be as miraculous, but it was different nonetheless.

    But Now….

    The key to understanding this passage in relation to the Lord’s provision is this simple phrase, “But now…” The New Testament Greek (UBS5): “Ἀλλὰ νῦν.” The first word is a conjunction (actually, “disjunction”) which emphasizes a contrast from one previous thing to another. The English contrast conjunction “but” is an okay translation, but it does not carry the weight that this conjunction does. It would be better translated, “Rather,” or “yet.” The idea is that it contrasts a previous condition, in this case, the condition of the question and answer discussion in v. 35, with the condition of v.36. Coupled with it is the adverb “now,” a timing indicator as well. It also contrasts the previous discussion in v.35. The timing of v. 35 was during the preaching excursion in the middle of His ministry. But, in contrast to that time, the current time, which is the time of the Lord’s crucifixion and return to the Father, ultimately, this time is different. No longer are you to expect v.35, the Lord’s presence and their lack of preparation. Instead, they are to prepare.

    Jesus is telling these men that the ministry that they are transitioning towards will be different in this regard. They must prepare properly because, even the though the message isn’t changing, and the need is not changing, one thing is changing-He’s leaving them for a while (2,000 years to date).

    The Lord’s provision may still be just as “miraculous,” but now His provision is related to their preparations. Let’s look at each part of His instructions.

    Take A Money Belt

    But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, 

    Matthew’s record says:

    Matthew 10:9 (LSB)
    9“Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts,

    The command from the Lord was to not take money for their ministry, only food and shelter. The verb there indicates that this gold, silver, or copper was in response to the their preaching. Jesus forbade that here, for a time. The money belt was like a little purse in which a man would carry his money. This money was for provisions, or taxes, or simply to carry his money safely from town to town.

    But, the Lord’s command here is to not use ministry as a means of making money. They were to concentrate on simply preaching and exercising the powers Jesus would give them to heal the sick, and raise the dead. It would not have been right for people to associate these miracles, and this message preached, with money.

    This change means that their ministry of preaching would change. Although there is no overt reference to it, the change likely also has to do with the cessation of the apostolic gifts associated with their ministry. The Messianic gifts which would accompany the presence of the Messiah, and His kingdom, must not have the appearance of dependence upon the people who are hearing the kingdom message for the first time. Rather, they must hear the message, and see the miracles, completely unattached to the normal fees associated with itinerant teachers and wandering philosophers of the day.

    However, since the formation of the church is about to take place (Acts 2), there is a group out of which a preacher (whether apostle, or elder, or pastor) could expect to receive something to put in his money bag. This is different from expecting money from the unsaved. Rather, this is the expectation that the laborer in the Word is to be supported by the church He is forming.

    …Likewise also a bag…

     likewise also a bag,

    This bag would be a kind of leather pouch in which to carry belongings. Sometimes it refers to a place to store food for travels, or game procured from hunting, or even weapons. The bag was forbidden in the previous charge, but is now directed to be taken along in ministry. The word “likewise” means that the bag, in the same way as the money belt, is to be brought along in the apostolic ministry.

    It would be in this bag that the preacher would, likely, carry his provisions. His bread, his outer tunic, his other wares for travel and stay in places of ministry. This would take planning, discussions, and payment to buy those things for the trip. Again, the idea is that the Lord wants these men to organize their belongings for their ministries. No longer (“But now”) are they to go out with nothing, as in the previous trips. Rather, with Jesus leaving and the formation of the church body beginning, it would be expected, even directed, by the Lord to the apostles and the church simultaneously, that provisions for ministry are made.

    …buy a sword…

    and whoever has no sword should sell his garment and buy one. 

    Of all the instructions, this one receives the least attention. As a result, we cannot read an adequate explanation in the commentaries, sadly. But, the continuation of the Lord’s teaching reaches to this instruction. Let’s look at it.

    A sword had various uses in the ancient world. It was used by government soldiers for war. It was used for weapons by thieves, and attackers. But, it was also used by regular travelers for self-protection. For example, Peter noted that two swords were already available with the men (Luke 22:38). That means that at least two of the men already carried a sword and was prepared to use it. Matthew 26:52 indicates that Peter possessed a sword. The other one must have been Simon, the Zealot, since the sword was necessary for his stock and trade.

    The sword, unlike the other provisions, is not forbidden in the previous ministry endeavor. Neither Matthew, Mark, or Luke mention the men being held back from owning, or carrying, a sword. Again, none of these men were soldiers, and certainly not thieves. But, they would, from this moment on, need to protect themselves.

    The self-protection in their ministry travels was of such import as to require the sale of the man’s tunic, if he does not own a sword. I believe this would be because of the increase of lawlessness that would characterize the days of the church. Either way, Jesus, with the same authority as the other instructions, commands that a sword be procured because of the days ahead.

    Conclusion

    The preacher’s food, shelter, protection, and clothing, comes from preparation. His provisions certainly come from the ministry itself, but not from unbelievers (see 3 John 5-8). Rather, their provisions must be from the church itself. Assuming the fact that a “laborer is (still) worthy of his wages” (see Luke 10:7; 1 Timothy 5:18), he still must expect his livelihood to be exclusively from the ministry. There can be no “part-time” preachers, in other words.

    This preparation assumes fundamental, objective, inscripturated, commands from the Lord around which to build a ministry. These include that a church is to save up on the Lord’s Day for the saints (1 Corinthians 16:1-3). The man of God is not to be a lover of money (1 Timothy 3:3). The church must make decisions based upon the discipleship purpose for which they are sent into the world (Matthew 29:18-20). And, there are many other factors that a church must objectively carry out in order to obey this short list of instructions in Luke 22.

    However, for our part, it is enough to realize that the provisions of the man of God are not to be sourced from the man himself. Rather, the commitment to the ministry, love of the man, and the love for Christ, must compel the church to value the work enough to keep gifted men fed and clothed in order to carry out the Lord’s Word to the ends of the world.

  • What Is Israel And When Will The World End?

    What Is Israel And When Will The World End?

    The following is an extreme summary of the teaching of Scripture regarding the role of Israel and end times (“eschatology”). A few working definitions are in order, however.

    • Israel means the twelve biological tribes who were sons of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham.
    • The church means the group of people, men and women, of all nations (including Israel) who believe that Jesus Christ is the OT Messiah, the Son of God.
    • Jews means those who are biologically confined to the nation of Israel.
    • Eschatology means a study of the events revealed in the Bible that explain the events of the end of time.
    • Epistemology means the study of the basis of knowledge itself. This is oftentimes referred to as “paradigm.”

    It is vital that we have these definitions, epistemology, in play as we work through the answer to the above question.

    Epistemology

    First of all, the nation of Israel began when God called to a man in the southern Iraqi town of Ur to leave Ur and travel to the Syrian town of Haran. That man’s name was Terah. His son, Abram, was given a vision by Yahweh to leave Ur and travel to the land of Canaan (Acts 7:2; cf. Genesis 15:7). Terah died in Haran. Abraham left Haran when he was 75 years old (Genesis 12:4) and finally arrived in Canaan. From biblical sources, we know that Abraham was born in 2166 B.C. While in Canaan, God appeared to Abraham a few times in order to reiterate, and confirm the promise that He gave him while in Ur. That promise is summarized in Genesis 12:1-3.

    Genesis 12:1–3 (LSB)
    1 And Yahweh said to Abram, “Go forth from your land, And from your kin And from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you;


    2 And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing;


    3 And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

    This promise, confirmed by a unilateral (one-sided) covenant recorded in Genesis 15:1-21, forms the four elements that are the basis for all of eschatology. Firstly, Abraham will become a magnificent nation. That is, from Abraham, who had only one son, Isaac by Sarah his wife, would come so many people that they would biologically be called a “nation.” Secondly, God will bless that nation. Thirdly, that name of Abraham, attached to that nation, will become great in the earth. Fourthly, that nation, subsequently, will become a blessing to the other nations of the earth (Paul calls this the “gospel” in Galatians 3:8). These promises were repeated only through Isaac, the son of Abraham, and Jacob, the grandson of Abraham.

    I said that this is the basis of all eschatology because these promises are repeated in the Scripture as the “hope of Israel” (Acts 26:6-7). This “hope” is squarely attached to the Messiah, the Savior promised to the nation of Israel alone (Acts 13:30; cf. Genesis 22:17). That Savior, of course, is Jesus of Nazareth. The promise of the Savior was realized when Jesus Christ appeared in His incarnation and ministry. He was crucified by Israel, at the legal hands of the world power at the time, Rome (Acts 2:23; 3:13). When Israel hated and crucified the Son of God, an act which was predetermined by the Father (Acts 2;23; cf. Psalm 2:6), they set themselves up for the supreme acts of justice by Yahweh, acts of judgment that have and will come upon that nation, specifically that particular “generation” to which the Savior was presented and from which the decision to reject and crucify was made.

    These judgments were part of the covenant that the nation of Israel agreed to with Yahweh through Moses (Exodus 20; cf. Exodus 24). These judgements are based upon the covenantal judgments that Yahweh promised in a series of four groups of sevens which, I am convinced, is the basis for the seven-year period of the Tribulation (“Jacob’s distress,” Jeremiah 30:7). Daniel prophesied of that time in a series of weeks (groups of seven periods of time, which, when the words are taken as they are written, refer to seven periods of seven years). All those weeks have been accounted for, except one period of seven years, one “week” (Daniel 9:26). That is the time frame for the Tribulation (Revelation 6-19).

    However, if Israel should keep the covenant, all the blessings of Abraham will come to them. This is the period of time which will last 1,000 years as the earthly promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is brought into history and completed. The basis for this understanding is a passage of Scripture which is largely overlooked, but is one of the most significant passages which teach us the correct orientation of proper eschatology.

    Leviticus 26:40–42 (LSB)
    40 ‘If they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, in their unfaithfulness which they committed against Me, and also how they walked in hostility against Me—


    41 I also was walking in hostility against them, to bring them into the land of their enemies—or if their uncircumcised heart becomes humbled so that they then make up for their iniquity,


    42 then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and I will remember also My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham as well, and I will remember the land.

    In short, Yahweh said that if Israel repents, confessing their sins, which include the horrific sin of the crucifixion of the Son of God (Zechariah 12:10), then, at that time of their repentance, all the promise of Abraham, which was a reiteration of the promise of the Father to the Son in eternity before creation (See Psalm 2:7-8), will happen in real time. Israel, then, is the only nation with which God is working through eschatologically. The entire world depends upon what Yahweh is doing with Israel.

    When will they repent so that “times of refreshing” (Acts 3:18-21) can come, the times of the Millennial kingdom? They will repent when once the covenantal judgments upon the twelve tribes has been exhausted. In short, that time will come at the end of the Tribulation (Revelation 19:11ff). When Jesus appears in the sky on His white horse, and the church saints with Him on their white horses (I believe they are literal horses), then the whole world will see Him (Revelation 19:11,14). But, especially Israel will see Him. He will enter from the East, from the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:1ff), and will enter the corrupted city of Jerusalem, cast out the Antichrist, the Beast, and his false prophet, and He will “restore all things” as promised to the sons of Abraham. There will be a feast, a celebration, welcoming all nations which enter into the Millennial reign of Christ, nations which He has separated between the elect and non-elect (see Luke 13:28-29). That kingdom will be the kingdom which was promised to the Son and all who believe in Him like Abraham did, as I mentioned above, from the foundation of the world (Matthew 25:34). All of history is funneling towards that Day when the Son receives His kingdom, the kingdom what was promised to Him through His “father” Abraham (Galatians 3:16-18; Romans 4:13).

    The Condensed Version

    1) The snatching of the church must occur before the Tribulation (1 Corinthians 15:23-24).
    2) The Tribulation will occur for seven years, as per the covenant made with Israel (Leviticus 26:14-46).
    3) Jesus will come at the end of the Tribulation in order to take over corrupted Jerusalem, the Harlot Headquarters of the Antichrist (Revelation 19:20-21; see also Revelation 11:8 and 17:18).
    4) Jesus will reign on the earth for 1,000 years as per the promise to Abraham by Yahweh (Revelation 20:1-6).
    5) Satan, who had been incarcerated in the Abyss during the time of the Millennium, will be released and he will attempt a coup…again (Revelation 20:7-10).
    6) The created earth and heavens from Genesis 1-2 will be destroyed since the eternal plan of God has been completed. The Son has received His possession and the nations (Psalm 2:6-8).
    7) The New Heavens and Earth will be instantaneously created with New Jerusalem coming from heaven, as per the promise to the Son (Psalm 2:6).

    And, according to Paul, the nation of Israel was the stewards of the Law, the Temple, the glory, the covenants, and the city of Jerusalem, etc… (Romans 9:4). But, most importantly, they were the appointed nation through which would come the Son of God into His inheritance (Romans 9:5)! Their rejection since 30 AD until the Second Coming of the Messiah is a consequence of their actions towards the Messiah. However, that does not mean that God will not complete His plan. He will. He has to.

  • The Commandment of Christ

    The Commandment of Christ

    There Is A Difference

    John 13:34 (LSB)
    34“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

    Jesus gave a “new commandment,” the fundamental commandment of the New Covenant. 

    This “new” commandment seems to echo the OT commandment to do the same-love one another (Leviticus 19:18). In fact, this commandment is the very hinge of whether a Jew was truly obeying the Law or not (Matthew 22:40). Of course, they weren’t-they couldn’t. 

    However, the OT commandment to love your neighbor is not like the NT commandment to love one another for a number of reasons. First, Jesus said that it was a “new” commandment. Second, the commandment is life and Spirit (John 6:63), not meant for condemnation as Moses was. Third, the church is separate from Israel, and this commandment is for the church. Fourth, this commandment is based upon a better sacrifice, the Son of God Himself. This commandment which Jesus gave to His disciples would go on to become the only commandment given to the disciples. The rest of the instructions for the church are simply expressions of how to carry out this command. Every NT instruction can be traced back to its source as a demonstration of love to God, and to the brethren. 

    Moses Spoke From A Mountain

    The commandments of God are essential to both the Jews and to Christians. In the Old Testament (OT), the “commandments” of God were specifically revealed to Israel, the 12 tribes of the patriarch, Jacob. They were revealed to Moses on the mountain to which the nation attended once they left Egypt. These commandments are what are contained inside of the Law of Moses.

    Exodus 24:12 (LSB)

    12Now Yahweh said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and remain there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law and the commandment which I have written for their instruction.”

    Deuteronomy 4:40 (LSB)

    40“So you shall keep His statutes and His commandments which I am commanding you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days on the land which Yahweh your God is giving you for all the days.”

    Deuteronomy 30:10 (LSB)

    10when you listen to the voice of Yahweh your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law, when you return to Yahweh your God with all your heart and soul.

    Jesus did not use the word “commandments” in the same way as Moses. Nor, did Jesus’ use of the word “commandments” refer to the Law of Moses or the teaching therein, every time. Rather, He infrequently referred to the OT Law as “commandments” and many other times His own “Law” as commandment. 

    The references to the OT Law as commandments, or containing the commandments, is clear. The following are a few examples of Jesus’s reference to the Law of Moses as commandments:

    Matthew 5:19 (LSB)

    19“Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

    Matthew 15:3–4 (LSB)

    3And He answered and said to them, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 

    4“For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother is to be put to death.’

    Matthew 19:17–19 (LSB)

    17And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 

    18Then he said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; 

    19Honor your father and mother; and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

    However, other times, Jesus’s use of the word “commandments” does not refer to Moses’s Law, but to His own Words.

     Matthew 28:19–20 (LSB)

    19“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 

    20teaching them to keep all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

    John 15:10 (LSB)

    10“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

    This is an example of a summary use of Jesus’s ministry. He described His ministry as containing “all that (He) commanded (the apostles).” Therefore, from this we can simply work through the epistles, including Acts, and search out the commandments of Christ which the apostles repeated. There are commands to make disciples (Matthew 28:19 cp. Acts 14:21), pray (Luke 18:1 cp. Ephesians 6:18), and to carry his own cross (Luke 14:26-27 cp. Galatians 2:20), and others. Oftentimes, the commands of Jesus are taught, explained, or described (i.e. the parables of Christ) rather than simple didactic lecture-style teaching.

    Jesus Spoke From Heaven Itself

    John 12:49–50 (LSB)
    49“For I did not speak from Myself, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. 
    50“And I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”

    At the foundation of His teaching is a fundamental distinction between Him and Moses, their teaching and ministries. The difference, as the writer of Hebrews states it, is the difference between the builder of a house and the house (Hebrews 3:1-6). The writer tells us that the builder of the house is more worthy of honor than the house. This is because, in the metaphor, the builder is a person and the house is an object. We don’t praise the house, we praise the builder. This simply means that Moses is a created man and does not receive the honor and praise which is admittedly reserved for God alone. Jesus Christ is God. 

    In the same way, Jesus’s teaching, His Word, is more honorable, more elevated, and more life-giving than Moses’s even though Moses wrote what God told Him to write. But, the power and purpose of those words were not mean to be the same as the Words which Jesus would give. Moses’s words brought condemnation upon Israel because they were dead to God (2 Corinthians 3:7). But, Jesus’s words brought life to Israel as they could regenerate the heart (John 6:63). Further, as Paul writes, Jesus’s own ministry, the very ministry which Paul himself continued, has more glory inherent in it than the lesser glory of the Law of Moses (2 Corinthians 3:9). And, according to Peter, this is the Word which the preacher preaches (1 Peter 1:23-25). 

    The teaching of Jesus Christ was given to Him by the Father before He left heaven, and He proclaimed those Words as He physically walked on the earth. He left heaven with a  command from the Father-“pour yourself out as an offering for the people” (John 10:17-18). But, Jesus also indicates that all that He said was actually given to Him to say from the Father (John 8:26, 28, 38). Moses was given tablets from Heaven on Mt. Sinai. Jesus was in heaven when He heard the Father instruct Him! 

    This, alone, makes all that Jesus said of greater honor and glory than all that Moses and the prophets said combined. This is not an issue of inerrancy, perspicuity, or sufficiency. It is an issue of revelation and the preacher. Jesus is greater than Moses and what He said is of greater revelation than Moses. Therefore, all that He said, which was greater revelation than Mosaic Law, is more glorious. 

  • Dialogue…

    Dialogue…

    I am in some discussion with a young man on Facebook. I am writing this for him, but also to specifically deal with a passage that is often quoted, misquoted, concerning the doctrine of the Active Obedience of Jesus Christ. I have dealt with this teaching in other posts before this, so I don’t want to hash that out here. However, the general summary of that teaching was repeated back to me by this gentleman, and it goes something like this:

    “You need both forgiveness of sins (the imputation of our sin to Christ) and the provision of righteousness (the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to us). Jesus as our substitute must not only pay our penalty but must also obey all the positive demands of the law (Mosaic). These include the positive demands of the law and the penal sanctions, this is why our Lord came to “fulfill” the law and the prophets.”

    The idea is that sin must be paid for and righteousness restored. Sin was paid for at the cross of Christ (Passive Obedience), but the righteousness was completed in the obedience of the Son of God to the Mosaic Law (Active Obedience). It is this righteousness that is imputed to the elect sinner, so they say. 

    There is much sordid history with this doctrine, and I really don’t want to go through that here. Besides, there are men better than myself to do that. However, what I do know, I want to write down here for clarification. 

    Romans 5:18-19

    This passage is the crux interpretum, at least as far as a summary is concerned. It is obvious that there are many other biblical texts going through Paul’s mind as he penned these words. I can hear Genesis 1-3, Isaiah 53, Matthew 27, and others. Paul is writing a summary here of what exactly happened between Adam and Christ. That is to say, what did each man/Man accomplish, and how does that affect the elect sinner?

    The way that I want to structure this post is by demonstrating the proper exegesis of these two verses, and then explaining them, and then drawing conclusions. It is likely that this will be a 2-3 part post. 

    Exegesis

    Parsing

    WordParseMeaningNotes
    V.18
    ἌραResultant strongThereforeShows conclusion, or deduction from previous statements.
    οὖνInferential ThereforeDouble inference
    ὡςComparativeAs
    διʼPrep instrumentalThroughCausal?
    ἑνὸςCardinalOne
    παραπτώματοςMsnomA transgression
    εἰςPrepInto
    πάνταςMplaccAll ones
    ἀνθρώπουςMplacc Men
    εἰςPrepIntoLocative
    κατάκριμαMsnomA judgmentCondemnation-the final act of judgment
    οὕτωςManner, coordinatedManner
    καὶConj, coordinatingAndAlso? 
    διʼInstrumental ThroughBecause of?
    ἑνὸςMsnom, cardinalOne man
    δικαιώματοςNsgen Of righteousness/a righteous thing
    εἰςPrepInto
    πάνταςMplaccOf all 
    ἀνθρώπουςMplaccMen
    εἰςPrepInto
    δικαίωσινNsaccA righteousness
    ζωῆςMsgen of referenceOf lifeAppositional
    V.19
    ὥσπερAdverbJust as
    γὰρConjFor Explanatory
    διὰInstrumentalThroughBecause of?
    τῆς παρακοῆςFsgenOf the obedience
    τοῦ ἀνθρώπουMsgen of referenceOf the man
    ἑνὸςMsnomOne man
    ἁμαρτωλοὶMplnomSinners
    κατεστάθησαν3pl apassindThey were constitutedNot forensic, but actual- see TDNT
    οἱ πολλοίMplnomThe many
    οὕτωςAdv mannerIn manner
    καὶConjAlso
    διὰInstrumentalThroughBecause of?
    τῆς ὑπακοῆςFsgenOf the obedience
    τοῦ ἑνὸςMsgenOf the oneCardinal
    δίκαιοιMplnomRighteous onesJust ones
    κατασταθήσονταιMplnom ppassptcpleBeing constituted/set down
    οἱ πολλοίMplnomThe many ones

    This table demonstrates the lexical work, very generally, of the Greek text of these two passages. For this, I have used the UBS5 version. There are four columns, and an appropriate number of rows for each word. 

    The first column is the Greek word as found in the UBS5 text. I will not be dealing with any variants issues here, or in these posts. The form of each word is as found in the text. 

    The second column is the parsing of those words. It is in shorthand, but if one is familiar with Greek studies, he can figure them out. The general arrangement is: gender, number, case for nouns. And for verbs, person, number, tense, voice, mood. If a word is a particle, conjunction, participle, or some other particle/adverb/adjective, I note it here. 

    The third column is the translation, according to the word. I do not regard the context here, but strictly the translation of the word as it stands alone. This helps in accuracy when I do have to consider the context (syntax phase).

    The fourth column is used for problems, notes, cross references, quotations, observations, etc… 

    This the beginning of almost all my studies. I rarely begin a new study without doing this table in some form.

    Sentence Diagram

    This is the next step in the process. This is a sentence diagram and I do this because it shows the relationship between words. The order of the sentence is by the parts of speech, not the macro-speech-act, as it were (which is a misnomer). That is to say, this sentence diagram is based upon the normal parts of speech of any language: subject, verb, direct object. Other parts of speech are put in accordingly; adjective, adverb, participles, conjunctions, indirect objects, etc… 

    This step shows me, unequivocally, what the Holy Spirit and human author are thinking in the text. The meaning of the verse usually becomes fairly clear at this point. This is not a block diagram because a block diagram assumes too much in order to organize it. I strictly use a sentence diagram in order to organize the sentence. 

    Once I have all of this, I begin to analyze the verse(s) with the data these provide me. By the way, it is usually in these two stages, by comparing them, that I catch my mistakes in translation. That objectivizes the process to keep presuppositions from creeping in. 

    For example, I can see that there are no predicates (verbs) in v. 18. There is a verb in v. 19. So, likely, given the obvious flow of thought (which is based upon the use of similar wording and organization in vv. 18-19), the verb in v. 19 should be supplied to v. 18. In other words , in Paul’s mind, vv. 18-19 are together in organization, and, therefore, he intends us to bind them together in interpretation. 

    Summary

    Once I have done this work, I consult technical lexical resources. These would include TDNT, Word Pictures In The New Testament (Robertson), grammars (old ones), and other good technical works. I need to say at this point, I almost never consult the modern linguistic (Discourse Analysis) works that are very popular today: Wallace, Mounce, Runge, Levinsohn, and others. They notoriously assume too much to be useful. Further, I have seen no benefit to the text to adhere to DA. I am not convinced it is in the “fabric of the text,” as they claim. 

    The words and the syntax are almost always sufficient to get the flow of the mind of the writer. However, usually my curiosity gets the better of me, and I will sneak a peak in commentaries to see what some may have concluded depending upon what I see in these steps. 

    But, overall, this the right way to study. This method is determined by the text itself, and is required if one truly adheres to Inerrancy. 

    Meaning:

    Romans 5:18 (UBS5)
    18 Ἄρα οὖν ὡς διʼ ἑνὸς παραπτώματος εἰς πάντας ἀνθρώπους εἰς κατάκριμα, οὕτως καὶ διʼ ἑνὸς δικαιώματος εἰς πάντας ἀνθρώπους εἰς δικαίωσιν ζωῆς·

    As a result of the context, beginning in v. 12, Paul writes that a single transgression rendered all men dead to God (v. 12). God had promised to kill Adam if he ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam ate, and God condemned him. As a result (Ἄρα, εἰς), and by only one act, all men are condemned by God, and rightly so. 

    By comparison (οὕτως καὶ), (διʼ-“through,” or “because of.” I favor “because of from the use of the verb) the “one (act) of righteousness” accomplishes something, presumably different. 

    Romans 5:19 (UBS5)
    19 ὥσπερ γὰρ διὰ τῆς παρακοῆς τοῦ ἑνὸς ἀνθρώπου ἁμαρτωλοὶ κατεστάθησαν οἱ πολλοί, οὕτως καὶ διὰ τῆς ὑπακοῆς τοῦ ἑνὸς δίκαιοι κατασταθήσονται οἱ πολλοί.

    In like manner (ὥσπερ – as the comparison of v. 18), because of the disobedience (single act-v. 18) of the one man, Adam, there resulted the condemnation of God upon all men. This one act resulted in the judgment and condemnation by God, which was promised Adam. The verb “appointed” is better translated “constituted” with the idea of the constitution of the people in view here. The verbs does not indicate a legal or forensic appointment by the decree of God. Verse 19 is a continuation of v. 18, remember. The resultant condemnation to all men is the “appointment,” or “constitution,” of the people by the sin of Adam. 

    “So also (οὕτως), because of the (single act of) obedience of the one Man, Jesus Christ, there resulted the “constitution” of the many into righteousness. That is, the many who were set down/constituted as condemned in Adam are now set down/constituted as righteous in Christ. Looking ahead, this is why we can be called “saints” even though we are not perfected in righteousness as far as our bodies are concerned. 

    Conclusion

    I think this gives us enough for now. I hope this is helpful. I would say that unless a pastor is working through the text in this manner, he is not working at all. The Scripture has been given to us in real language and in real history. I believe this conviction must drive our exegesis. Please note that up to this point, I am not concerned with commentaries, theologies, nor ideals of other writers. I am only working with the text itself.