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:
God wrote the Bible for our benefit. One of the great benefits from Bible reading is that it will furnish a firm basis for us to have hope. In the light of current events, where if one were to believe the news reports, disaster and destruction are always impending or ongoing somewhere in the world, the Bible tells us the “end of the story” before it happens. When personal tragedy strikes, we can rest upon the comfort of the scriptures to give us strength and hope. But to get this benefit, one must learn from Scripture itself by reading it yourself!
For those who wish to DIG DEEPER into this important passage:
(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1298.
(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 further given below:
4. whatsoever. Ro *+4:23, 24. 1 C *9:9, 10. *10:11. 2 T +**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, **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. +*12:24. Jn +*5:39. **20:31. 1 C 1:5. *10:6, 11. Col 2:17. 1 T 1:16. 2 T +**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. *5:3-5. 8:24, 25. *12:12. Ps 119:81-83. Lk +*8:15. 21:19. 1 C *13:4, 5. 2 C 6:4-6. 12:12. 1 Th 1:3. 2 Th 1:4. He *6:10-19. +*10:35, 36. *13:5, 6. Ja 1:3. *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. +*119:50, **52, 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 C +14:3. 1 Th 3:7. 4:13. Ja 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 T +**3:15-17. hope. T#1042. Ro 4:18. 5:2, 4-6. 8:24. 12:12. Ps +*34:4. *71:14. +*119:49, 74, 81, 114, 116. 130:5. Pr +*3:5. 14:32. Jn 15:16. Ac 23:6. 26:6. 1 C 9:10. 13:13. 2 C 3:12. Ga 5:5. Ep 1:18. +**2:12. 4:4. Col 1:5, 23, 27. 1 Th 1:3. 2:19. *5:8. 2 Th +*2:16. 1 T 1:1. T *1:2. *2:13. 3:7. He *3:6. +*6:11, 18. 7:19. 1 P +*1:3, 4. +*3:15. 1 J **3:3.
When teaching, I like to provide material suitable for students of every level and capacity. I do not like to leave the very bright students sitting bored all through class saying “we’ve had all this before.” So in Bible teaching, and even here in this post, I have provided material that goes from the very simple to the very challenging. If any reader here musters the courage and the time to consult all the cross references I’ve compiled as given above, you must be at the top level. But anyone with the willpower and the time (like retirees and pastors!) can do it, and will be very blessed and encouraged if they do.
rom 15.4 great promise for his children to claim everyday. i found some more nuggets
when i looked up some encouraging cross references for the key words in this passage. i am going to share a few of my favorite ones. for our learning! thats a key point because we all need to be learners of the word of god. ii tim 3.16-17 the word of
god is inspired by god. vs 17 he promises us that the word of god will equip us for every good work. another key word is patience, the bible has alot to say about patience. rom 5.3 and not only so, but we glory in tribulation worketh patience. vs 4
and patience,experience,and experience,hope: vs 5 hope maketh not ashamed: be
cause the love of god is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy spirit which is given unto us. comfort is another encouraging word. isa 41.10 fear thou not: for i am
with thee: be not dismayed: for i am thy god: i will strengthen thee; yea, i will help
thee:yea, i will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. i am not through yet with this verse ! what about the hope we have in the lord jesus christ he is our hope
many scriptures on hope. i pe 1.3 blessed be the god and father of our lord jesus christ
which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of jesus christ from the dead. i learned alot from rom 15.4 praise the lord!