Rom.1:4 – who was declared the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
This verse has the smell of authenticity about it. Paul was a personal witness of the resurrection of Christ. Even though Paul was not present at the resurrection or the days following before Christ returned to heaven, Jesus actually appeared to Paul at the great Damascus Road conversion. The encounter Paul had was not a vision but an appearance of Jesus Himself. In today’s verse Paul is sharing from His personal experience rather from a doctrinal belief that he had. Paul was convinced that the resurrection was the proof that Jesus of Nazareth was the eternal Son of God. The power of God raised Christ from the dead declaring the supernatural nature of Christianity. Here is how Adam Clarke describes this verse.
“The word horizo, which we render declared, comes from orizw, to bound, define, determine, or limit, and hence our word horizon, the line that determines the farthest visible part of the earth, in reference to the heavens. In this place the word signifies such a manifest and complete exhibition of the subject as to render it indubitable. The resurrection of Christ from the dead was such a manifest proof of our Lord’s innocence, the truth of his doctrine, and the fulfillment of all that the prophets had spoken, as to leave no doubt on any considerate and candid mind. With power – dunamis, With a miraculous display of Divine energy; for, how could his body be raised again, but by the miraculous energy of God? Some apply the word here to the proof of Christ’s sonship; as if it were said that he was most manifestly declared to be the Son of God, with such powerful evidence and argument as to render the truth irresistible.”
It speaks volumes that Paul started his letter to Romans, his great theological statement which is foundational to the Christian faith, with this statement about the resurrection. The resurrection proclaims that the offering of Christ’s blood for our sins was accepted by the Father and that death for mankind has been thoroughly overcome. Because of this we can approach the Lord with a clean conscience, our sins have been washed away. We can be filled with the Spirit of sonship making us sons and daughters of the Lord. We also have access to the dunamis power of God, the same Spirit that raised Jesus up from the dead dwells in us. Paul had tasted the effect of the resurrection the day of his conversion, the rest of his life was dedicated to proclaiming what he now knew, Christ Jesus is the resurrected Son of God.
Awesome Pastor