City Life Starter

I. The Word: Romans 14:2-4

2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

II. Study Questions

1. What are the 3 subsections of the Romans 14:1-15:13?

2. What is the main issue of today’s text?

3. What is the result of self-righteousness?

Starting in Romans 14, we see the shift of Paul’s attention from the emphasis of agape (love) to specific discussion of the “strong” and the “weak.” (Romans 14:1-15:13)  Paul divided this passage into 3 subsections: the danger of the self-righteousness and judgments (14:1-12), priority of the responsibility of the others over individual (14:13-23), and Christ’s servant model as the model for Christians.  

It is important to note that Paul has not set his foot into the capital of the Roman empire when he prepared this epistle.  Though he has not been to Rome physically, Paul was well aware of the situation of Rome since it was possible for him to accumulate the information from Jews who have been expelled from Rome in the days of Roman emperor Claudius.  Once Jews were allowed to be back into the Roman capital, he was aware of the ecclesiastical issues between the believers (Jews and Gentiles).  Paul’s assessments with these issues and corresponding solutions can be seen throughout the Romans.  In particular, Romans 14:2-4 focus on the dietary issue, possible enforcement to observe Jewish dietary practices according to Jewish tradition and consumption of meat that were sacrificed to idols.

As the Jewish-Gentilic tension can be seen throughout the New Testament, this passage is no exception.  Paul was aware of this problem within the Roman Christians and desired to be sure that they would not run into similar divisions that happened at elsewhere (Acts 15; Galatians 4; 1 Corinthians 8 & 10).  In the previous verse, Paul admonishes the strong not to condemn or treat condescendingly against the weak.  The Paul’s reason?  They are fellow Christians.

In today’s reading, the dietary issue between Jews and Gentiles is once again addressed in the NT.  Roman church comprised of both Jews and Gentile Christians and how they should address this ecclesiastical matter is the main subject.  Kosher observance of the Jews were important as a mean to maintain and assert the Jewish identity.  In Romans 14, Paul is least concerned with what or how much one ate, but the passing of judgment that arose from consumption of non-Kosher food.  Paul’s main defense for the weak against the strong is “How can believers pass judgment to whom God has accepted?”

In verse 4, Paul intensifies his appeal from the previous verses to point out, “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?”  Paul uses Master-Slave analogy to further strengthen his appeal to Roman Christians.  According to James R. Edwards, “Its purpose is to remind the scrupulous weaker believer of the proper lines of authority.  It is not the weaker believer’s conscience to which the fellow believer is obliged, but to God.  A slave is accountable to his master, not to a fellow slave.”

The boundary that God has been given to us allow believers to operate freely without the legalism and safeguard us from self-righteousness. This does not mean that we are allow to do whatever we want without consequences of our action, but the Word of God is our boundary and it teaches us to obey Him and His Word.  It is the self-righteousness that leads to legalism, placing unnecessary rules and regulations that enslaves us from the freedom we have in Christ.  Let us remember that, at the foot of the Cross, we are all equal.  There is no one greater or more important than one another, for we have all fall short of the glory of God.  The great news is that it is at the foot of the Cross we are saved and restored.  JY