A resource for The Big Read are these devotional notes covering the whole of Romans adapted from Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

Download Daily Read – Romans as a pdf

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The Big Read – Daily Read

Read Romans 16

Romans 16

v1-16: “Although Paul felt daily the burden of caring for all the churches… he could still retain the memory of so many people.”  He was able to greet them with “particular descriptions of them, expressions of love to them and concern for them.”

v17-20: Jesus, the offspring of the woman, has crushed the serpent’s head.  The proof of this is seen every time we are enabled by Him to resist and overcome the temptations of Satan.  Christ enables “all his faithful servants and soldiers to put their feet on Satan’s neck, to trample on and triumph over their spiritual enemies. Christ has overcome for us; he has disarmed the strong man armed, broken his power, and we have nothing to do but to pursue the victory and divide the spoil. Let this encourage us in our spiritual conflict; let it encourage us to fight the good fight of faith—the enemy we have to deal with is a conquered enemy, and the victory will soon be complete.”

v21-24: Tertius wrote Paul’s words down in this letter.  “The least bit of service done to the church and its ministers will not pass unremembered or unrewarded.”

v25-27: The gospel is to lead us to the obedience of faith.  “The obedience of faith is the obedience given to the word of faith and produced by the grace of faith.” The right kind of faith is that which leads to obedience, and the right kind of obedience is that which comes from faith.  The purpose of the gospel is to lead us to both.

Quotes from Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

(Photo: Brad Neathery)

The Big Read – Daily Read

Read Romans 15:14-33

Romans 15:14-33

v14-16: Observing and commending in Christians what is praiseworthy was something Paul was eager to do, and so must we be. One of the benefits of this is that it “stirs others to holy imitation.”

v17-21: Paul’s ministry of proclaiming the gospel had been effective and had brought people to obedience. But the fruit of his ministry was not because he was a great preacher, though undoubtedly he was, but because of the power of Christ and the effective working of the Spirit. Even Paul, with all his powerful signs and wonders, could not make a single person obedient to the gospel unless his labours were accompanied by the Spirit of God. It is the “Spirit’s activity that makes the difference.”

v22-29: It is expected that all Christian, as they are able, should support gospel work, especially that which seeks the conversion of souls.

v30-33: Paul was far away from the church in Rome, yet they could still join together in prayer. “Those who are far away according to God’s providence may still meet together at the throne of his grace.”

Quotes from Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

(Photo: Brad Neathery)

The Big Read – Daily Read

Read Romans 15:1-13

Romans 15:1-13

v1-4: What is written in the Old Testament (and in the New Testament) was written to to teach us. “Many things are to be learned from the Scriptures, and the learning that is the best is what is drawn from these fountains. Those who are mighty in the Scriptures are the most learned. We must seek, therefore, not only to understand the literal meaning of Scripture but also to apply it to ourselves so that it will do us good.”

v5-6: Paul prays for unity in the church so that God is glorified. When we pray, we should seek God’s glory as “our first request… as the foundation of all the others.”

v7-12: “No greater joy can come to any people than the coming of the Gospel among them in power.” When it comes in power it changes people’s hearts, so they want to praise God and it provides them with lots of reasons to do so.

v13: The prayer is directed to the God as the God of hope. “It is good in prayer to focus on those names, titles, and attributes of God that are most suitable to the mission we come on and that will best serve to encourage our faith in it.”

Quotes from Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

(Photo: Brad Neathery)

The Big Read – Daily Read

Read Romans 14

Romans 14

v1-12: As a general rule you are to be zealous “in those things on which you and all the people of God are agreed” and not “quarrel about matters that are disputable.” We are to receive those who we disagree with on disputable matters into our “company, conversations, and fellowship… and encourage [them] in every possible way,” because God has received them, and “we are reflecting badly on him if we reject those whom he has received.”

v13-23: We must seek both mutual peace and mutual edification, with mutual peace the way to mutual edification, because “we cannot edify one another while we are quarrelling and competing one another.” We all need to be edified and built up in the faith. “No one is so strong that they do not need to be further built up; no one is so weak that they cannot build others up; and when we build others up, we also benefit ourselves.”

Quotes from Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

(Photo: Brad Neathery)

The Big Read – Daily Read

Read Romans 13

Romans 13

v1-7: “Such is the power of sin and corruption that many will not be restrained from the greatest crimes, and such as are most harmful to human society, by any regard for the law of God and nature or the wrath to come, but only by the fear of temporal punishment.” It is necessary that that laws are put in place by those God has put in authority over us that have penalties for those who breaks them, and this is “in harmony with, and not contradictory to, the Gospel,” and unless they are contrary to God’s law, we should submit to them.

v8-10: We fulfil the law by loving one another. “Those who tempt others to sin and corrupt their minds and consciences, though they may claim the most passionate love, really hate them, just as Satan does.” To love one another is to avoid doing what may harm, offend, or grieve anyone, and to actively seek to do all the good we can possibly do to them. “It is a sin not only to plot evil against your neighbour but also to withhold good.”

v11-14: The Christian’s daily life includes four things: when to wake up, how to get dressed, how to behave, and what provision to make. We are to wake up now from “the sleep of worldly self-confidence, laziness and negligence, out of the sleep of spiritual death and spiritual lethargy.” We are to get dressed by putting off the sinful works of darkness and putting on the Lord Jesus Christ who is “the best clothing for Christians to adorn themselves with.” We are to put Him on “as Lord to rule you, as Jesus to save you, and in both as Christ, anointed and appointed by the Father to this ruling, saving work.” We are to behave in a way that is consistent with the gospel, abstaining from all excess in eating and drinking, from sexual immorality, and from strife and envying. And though our great desire must be for our souls, we are not neglect the body but we should ensure that “immoral appetites must be restrained and denied.”

Quotes from Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

(Photo: Brad Neathery)

The Big Read – Daily Read

Read Romans 12:3-21

Romans 12:3-21

v3-8: Individual believers are members of the body of Christ and have their “own place and role for the good and benefit of the whole and of every other member.”  The gifts they have are good gifts from a kind God. “Just as we must not, on the one hand, become proud of our talents, so, on the other hand, we must not bury them,” by not putting them to use.

v9-16: The love we have for one another in the church is to be an affectionate love, a respectful love, a generous love, a sympathising love, a united love, and a gracious love.  This love will be expressed in both word and action.

v17-21: We must show love to our enemies, whoever they are, but seeking to do to them all the good we can.  “When anyone has done you any harm, neither desire nor try to bring similar trouble or inconvenience on them.”  There are good reasons why we should not seek vengeance. “If we do, we step into God’s throne and take his work out of his hands,” and because “God will do so if we humbly leave the matter with him.”  By showing love to our enemies we may soften their feelings towards us and lead them to repent, or alternatively will prove that they are deserving of God’s vengeance towards them.

Quotes from Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

(Photo: Brad Neathery)

The Big Read – Daily Read

Read Romans 11:33-12:2

Romans 11:33-36

v33-36: All things, especially those to do with our salvation, is from God, He is “the source and fountain” and through Him, “through Christ, the God-man.” If it is from Him and through Him, “everything should be to him and for him.”  They are for His purposes and to His glory.  Our salvation is God’s idea and His work and reveals His glory and it is to Him we give our praise.

Romans 12:1-2

v1-2: In view of the mercies of God, our response is to surrender ourselves to God.  The “presenting of the body to God implies not only the avoiding of the sins that are committed with or against the body, but also the use of the body… in the service of God.”  It is the Word of God which tells us how to live this life of surrender to God.

Quotes from Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

(Photo: Brad Neathery)

The Big Read – Daily Read

Read Romans 11:1-32

Romans 11:1-32

v1-10: Not all Jews have been rejected by God. There will always be “a chosen remnant of believing Jews who have obtained righteousness and life through faith in Jesus Christ.” This chosen remnant is more than we might think it is, just like it was in the days of Elijah. It is often the case that things are “much better with the church of God” than it appears to be.

v11-22: The rejection of the Jews has led to the salvation of the Gentiles. God’s plan was for the gospel to be preached to the Gentiles after the majority of the Jews had refused it. This is what has happened. Gentiles now have the privilege of being included in the church, but they must not gloat over the Jews who have rejected this privilege, but instead long for them to be received again. They should also “watch themselves so that they do not stumble and fall, as the Jews did.”

v23-36: God’s rejection is not final. “By the working of the Spirit with the word,” a large number of Jewish people will “be convicted of their sin” and “be brought to believe in Christ, the true Messiah, whom they crucified” and “become one fold with the Gentiles under Christ the great Shepherd.”

Quotes from Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

(Photo: Brad Neathery)

The Big Read – Daily Read

Read Romans 9:30-10:21

Romans 9:30-33

v30-33: Salvation was made known to the Jews through the gospel but they did not accept this. Instead of depending on Christ, they sought justification by the works of the law, expecting to receive it “by observing the commands and ceremonies of the Law of Moses.” The Gentiles have obtained righteousness by faith, “not by being converted to the Jewish religion and submitting to the ceremonial law, but by accepting Christ, believing in Christ, and submitting to the Gospel.”

Romans 10:1-21

v1-11: Paul wishes that the Jews would be “saved from the wrath to come, eternal wrath, which is hanging over their heads.” He passionately desired their salvation, hoping that with them God would not be willing that any should perish. His desires turn into prayer. Do ours for our friends and family? “There may be desires in the heart but no prayer, unless those desires are presented to God. Wishing and willing, if that is all our desires are, are not praying.”

v12-21: The gospel is good news because it shows the way to salvation. The gospel is a word of reconciliation between God and humanity. The gospel is the most joyful news that ever came from heaven to earth. People need to hear it if they are going to be saved, because it produces and nourishes faith. “It is in no way strange, but it is very sad” to hear reports that the gospel is not being believed.

Quotes from Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

(Photo: Brad Neathery)

The Big Read – Daily Read

Read Romans 9:1-29

Romans 9:1-29

v1-5: Paul has a great concern for the Jewish people and nation because so many of them “are enemies of the Gospel and not on course for salvation.” He was willing to be cut off from the church is that would mean the Jews’ salvation. We are rightly to be concerned for the salvation of the Jews today, but we have a special concern for the spiritual state of those who are part of our families, and we should seek to do them good.

v6-13: “Not all who are Israel in name and profession are really Israel.” It has always been the case that not every descendant from Abraham and Jacob’s bodies were true Israelites who are numbered among the children of God. “Grace does not run in the blood,” because if it did, why did Ishmael and Esau not receive salvation? God is free to choose some and not choose others according to His own absolute and sovereign will.

v14-24: “Sinners prepare themselves for hell, but it is God who prepares saints for heaven, and all those whom God intends for heaven in the future are prepared by him for heaven now.” All people are guilty sinners and under God’s wrath, but God has chosen to pick out those He wants to receive his grace and mercy, without giving us any reason, while others he has chosen to pass over according to His own good pleasure. Those who receive salvation are not more deserving than those who don’t.

v25-29: It is a wonder of God’s mercy that any are saved, because the remnant who are “would have perished with the rest if God had dealt with them according to their sins.”

Quotes from Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

(Photo: Brad Neathery)