The Nugget:
Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
My Comment:
The Scriptures are designed for comfort. Jesus told us not to be anxious about anything because God cares for us. Paul, too, teaches us to be careful or anxious for nothing. Peter tells us we are to cast all our cares upon God because he cares for us. Those are some of the comforting things to be read in the Bible for our comfort and encouragement. When I was teaching public high school I had a couple of students who informed me, or their parents informed me, that they were under the care of a psychiatrist. The parents, and even the students, informed me that what I taught them in English class, and my encouragement to them to read great literature, including the Bible, so changed their lives they no longer needed the services of their psychiatrist. Dr. Lehman Strauss, my pastor at Highland Park Baptist Church, then of Highland Park, a suburb inside of Detroit but now of Southfield Michigan, in a series of messages he presented on the book of Philippians, told us that if we read, understood, and applied that Bible book to our lives we would never be anxious or have the need to have a psychiatrist. In any case, there is much help, encouragement, direction, and comfort to be found in the Bible. Check out the cross references I have shared below for Romans 15:4 for a good sample of such helpful passages.
For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:
(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1298 for Romans 15:4.
(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1318 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Romans 15:4.
(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:
Romans 15:4. whatsoever. +*Ro 4:23, 24. *1 Cor 9:9, 10. *1 Cor 10:11. +**2 Tim 3:16, 17. *2 P 1:19-21. written. +Ro 3:10. *Ps 102:18. Je 30:2. Da 7:1. *Mt 4:4. Jn 19:35. 20:30, **Jn 20:31. aforetime. Jb 8:8. Ga 3:1. Ep 3:3g. Ju 4. for our learning. or, teaching. Note: Rather, “for our instruction.” T#1030. Ro 2:18. 12:7. +*Ps 119:130. +*Is 8:20. Mt 13:44. Mk 1:44. +*Mk 12:24. +*Jn 5:39. **Jn 20:31. 1 Cor 1:5. *1 Cor 10:6, 11. Col 2:17. 1 Tim 1:16. +**2 Tim 3:16. He 10:1. *2 P 1:19. **1 J 5:13. patience. or, patient endurance. FS134, +Mt 3:9. In Hebrew the words “patience” and “hope” would be sabbar and subar, thus exhibiting the figure Parechesis, or Foreign Paronomasia. +*Ro 2:7. *Ro 5:3-5. 8:24, 25. *Ro 12:12. Ps 119:81-83. +*Lk 8:15. 21:19. *1 Cor 13:4, 5. 2 Cor 6:4-6. 12:12. 1 Th 1:3. 2 Th 1:4. *He 6:10-19. +*He 10:35, 36. *He 13:5, 6. James 1:3. *James 5:7-11. 1 P 1:13. 2:19-23. 2 P 1:6. Re 2:3. 14:12. and comfort. FS93A, +Ge 1:26. T#1051. Ro 8:28. 2 Ch 31:4. 35:2. Jb 5:19. 6:10. 11:16. Ps 27:5. 30:5. 42:5. 103:13. +*Ps 119:50, **52, +**Ps 119:82, 92, 143. 138:7. Is 46:4. 61:3. 63:9. +*Mt 5:4. Jn 14:1-3. Ac 4:36. 15:30, 31. +1 Cor 14:3. 1 Th 3:7. 4:13. James 5:7-11. 1 P 4:12, 13. Re 2:10. 3:10. 7:14-17. 14:13. the scriptures. +Ro 1:2. 16:26. Ps 19:7. +Mt 21:42. 22:29. +*Mk 12:24. +**2 Tim 3:15-17. hope. T#1042. Ro 4:18. 5:2, 4-6. 8:24. 12:12. +*Ps 34:4. *Ps 71:14. +*Ps 119:49, 74, 81, 114, 116. 130:5. +*Pr 3:5. 14:32. Jn 15:16. Ac 23:6. 26:6. 1 Cor 9:10. 13:13. 2 Cor 3:12. Ga 5:5. Ep 1:18. +**Ep 2:12. 4:4. Col 1:5, 23, 27. 1 Th 1:3. 2:19. *1 Th 5:8. +*2 Th 2:16. 1 Tim 1:1. *Titus 1:2. *Titus 2:13. 3:7. *He 3:6. +*He 6:11, 18. 7:19. +*1 P 1:3, 4. +*1 P 3:15. **1 J 3:3.
rom 15.4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our
learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have
hope.
encouraging cross refs(the best commentary on the bible is the bible)
1. gal 3.1 O foolish galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey
the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified
among you?
2. 2 tim 3.16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: v17 That
the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
3. tit 2.10 Not purloining, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn
the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.
4. tit 2.1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
5. lk 8.15 But on good ground are they,which in an honest and good heart,
having heard the word,keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
6. rom 5.3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that
tribulation worketh patience; v4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope;
7. rom 8.24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what
a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? v25 But if we hope for that we see not, then
do we with patience wait for it.
8. heb 10.36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God,
ye might receive the promise.
9. heb 12.1 Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and
let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
10. ac 4.36 And joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being
interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,
11. ac 9.31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea, and Galilee and Samaria,
and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord,and in the comfort of the Holy
Spirit, were multiplied.
12. 2 Co 1.3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
mercies, and the God of all Comfort; v 4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation,
that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort
wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. v5 For as the sufferings of Christ
abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by christ.