Romans 8:34b-39, God's Everlasting Love Part II

^34b Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God [read Psalm 110:1], who indeed is interceding for us. [Read Isaiah 53:12.] ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? [Seven bad things symbolically standing for any and everything.] ³⁶ As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;    we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

[A quotation from Psalm 44:22, a plea to God for speedy aid in a time of sore need for Israel.]

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. [This is a list of ten power structures that might be against us—another complete number to go with seven. They are mostly paired as opposites to encompass all things. These troubles and threats stand for anything and everything that the world, the flesh, and the devil might throw at us.]

This is Wright’s translation of 8:34b-39:

^34b It is the Messiah, Jesus, who has died, or rather has been raised; who is at God’s right hand, and who also prays on our behalf! ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the Messiah’s love? Suffering, or hardship, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ³⁶ As the Bible says,

Because of you we are being killed all day long;

we are regarded as sheep destined for slaughter.

³⁷ No: in all these things we are completely victorious through the one who loved us. ³⁸ I am persuaded, you see, that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor the present, nor the future, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in the Messiah Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8 ends on a note of wonderful confidence. To play off of Descartes’ “I think, therefore I am,” we can say, “I am loved, therefore I am.” Here love is the love of God the creator, anchored in Jesus. Paul lists in verse 35 seven potential and actual threats that might go badly wrong for us, and in verses 38-39a the ten larger powers ranged against us. They would be quite enough to shake most people’s confidence. But the gospel itself, the message about Jesus crucified, risen, ascended, interceding, holds us in place despite everything. God’s love in the Messiah, Jesus our Lord, never fails. The question in verse 35, “Who shall separate us from the Messiah’s love?” is answered by the expanded statement in verse 39: nothing in all creation will be able to.

Part III continues tomorrow.