Romans - from Dr Ironside's Bible
The Epistle of the Forum.—Note the large use of legal terms.
Theme: “The Righteousness of God.”
Part 1 Romans 1—8 Doctrinal—“The Righteousness of God revealed in the gospel.”
Division 1—1—5:11—God’s way of dealing with our sins.
Section 1—1—3:20—The need of the gospel.
Romans 1:1–7 Sub-sec. 1—Salutation.
The key in verse one—“gospel.”Romans 1:3 Humanity of our Lord.
Romans 1:4 Deity of our Lord.
Romans 1:8–17 Sub-sec. 2—Introduction.
Romans 1:9 Acts 27:23—Service.
Romans 1:10 See Acts 27; 28 for the answer.
Romans 1:17 i.e., faithwise—not of works.
Romans 1:18–32 Sub-sec. 3—The barbarian’s condition.
Romans 1:20 things that are made—“poem”—See Ephesians 2:10.
Romans 2–3:20 Sub-sec. 4—The cultured Gentile’s condition. The moralist.
Romans 2:22 [last part] to buy and sell idols.
Romans 3 The summing up.
Romans 3:9 The great indictment.
Romans 3:21–5:11 The gospel in relation to sins.
Romans 3:24 freely—Dorion: same word is translated “without-a-cause” in John 15:25.
Romans 3:31 The law is not discredited, but its righteousness is fully recognized in the gospel.
Romans 4:4 Reward is for works; justification is by grace. See Hebrews 10:35.
Romans 4:5 God justifies the ungodly who believe in Christ who died for the ungodly—See chapter 5:6.
Romans 4:15 The law gives sin the specific character of transgression.
Romans 5:1 Note the 3 “therefores”:
Romans 5:1—“Justification.”
Romans 8:1—“Sanctification.”
Romans 12:1—“Consecration.”
Romans 5:10–11 Reconciled to God by the death of Christ. Colossians 1:21.
Romans 5:10–11 God received the atonement and we the reconciliation.
Romans 5:12–8:39 The gospel in relation to sin.
Romans 5:14 death—King. Note the five kings.
Romans 5:17 Believers—kings.
Transferred—from Adam to Christ.
Transformed—into the Spirit of Christ.
Translated—at the Coming of Christ.Romans 5:21 Sin—king.
Grace—king.
Christ—king.Romans 6:11 Reckon!
Romans 6:13 Yield! See 2 Chronicles 30:8.
Romans 6:16 Obey!
(George Matheson’s poem, “Make me a captive, Lord,” was pasted in Dr. Ironside’s Bible beside this verse. It appears in full in the poetry section in front.)
Romans 7 The two husbands.
Romans 7:1 Death severs relationship to law.
Romans 7:4 Christ’s death to law was my death to that principle.
Romans 7:7 The old husband not to be confounded with the old master (Pharaoh).
Romans 8:2 The Spirit’s law: life in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:9 Sealing with the Spirit.
Romans 8:16 The Spirit bearing witness. See Hebrews 10 and 1 John 5-
Romans 8:29 Note: Foreordination is not to salvation—but to Christ-conformity.
Part 2 Romans 9–11—Dispensational—The Righteousness of God in harmony with His dispensational ways.
All Israel’s past blessings depended upon sovereign electing grace.
Romans 9 God’s past dealings with Israel.
An elect nation cannot rightfully call in question God’s electing grace as applied to the Gentiles in this age.
Romans 9:2 Great heaviness and continual sorrow are not inconsistent with fullness of joy in the Lord.
Romans 9:6 Note—the theme here is that of a place of special privilege on earth.
Romans 9:22 Why object to God’s present work of grace when the Jew had rejected the mercy shown him?
Romans 10 God’s present dealings with Israel.
Romans 11 God’s future dealings with Israel.
Romans 11:11–12 The calling of the Gentiles—See Isaiah 49.
Romans 11:16–26 The olive tree—The natural branches torn out. See Jeremiah 11:16.
Romans 11:25 The mystery of the olive tree.
Part 3 Romans 12–16—Practical—The Righteousness of God apprehended produces practical righteousness in us.
Romans 12:1 A living sacrifice—See Numbers 8:11–21; Daniel 3:28; Acts 15:26. Exhortation based on chapters 1–8.
Romans 12:2 The free service of a willing mind as a result of the new life.
Romans 12:3 Responsibility toward brethren in Christ generally.
Romans 12:4–5 The One Body—1 Corinthians 12.
Romans 12:18–21 Belongs to the next chapter.
Romans 13 Responsibility toward governments and men of the world.
Romans 13:14 Augustine’s conversion.
Romans 14:1–15:7 Responsibility to walk charitably toward weaker brethren.
“First. Is it lawful? May I do it and not sin? Second. Is it becoming in me as a Christian? May I do it and not wrong my profession? Third. Is it expedient? May I do it and not offend my weak brothers?” —BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX.
Romans 15:13 believing what?—
- Man’s ruin—1:1–3:20.
- God’s remedy 3:21–5:11.
- In a new race with a new head—5:12–21.
- Dead to the sin within—chapter 6.
- Dead to law—chapter 7.
- In Christ—Christ in us, God for us—chapter 8.
Romans 15:29 Yet he came bound with a chain after being twice shipwrecked.
Romans 16:1–24 Salutations.
Romans 16:25–27 Appendix—the mystery.
Romans 16:26 the scriptures of the prophets—“prophetic writings,” i.e., of the N.T.