Romans 1:16 – Doesn’t shame me

For not ashamed am I of the evangel, for it is God’s power for salvation, to everyone who is believing…

In our language, we use verbs actively or passively. I’m ashamed, that’s active. I am shamed, that is passive. But the Greek in which Paul wrote has a third form: the so-called medial. That is a verb form that is somewhere between active and passive. It is that form that Paul uses in Rom.1: 16. This means that both the translation “I am not ashamed of the evangel” as well as the translation “the evangel does not shame me”, both of which do not reflect the original. Because both the passive and active side are contained in the Greek verb form.

Isn’t that a great thought? The Gospel doesn’t shame me. Because it is the truth and it guarantees what it promises. I can fully rely on it! Everyone who believes it will experience God’s saving power in it.

But just because it doesn’t shame me, I’m not ashamed of the Gospel either. In that order. It is not a bravado of “I am not ashamed …”, but the knowledge that the Gospel does not shame me! That gives me boldness!

Delen: