ROMANS ROAD
to RIGHTEOUSNESS |
Romans
1:18-3:20
|
Romans
3:21-5:21 |
Romans
6:1-8:39 |
Romans
9:1-11:36 |
Romans
12:1-16:27 |
|
SIN
|
SALVATION
|
SANCTIFICATION |
SOVEREIGNTY |
SERVICE |
NEED
FOR
SALVATION |
WAY
OF
SALVATION |
LIFE
OF
SALVATION |
SCOPE
OF
SALVATION |
SERVICE
OF
SALVATION |
God's Holiness
In
Condemning
Sin |
God's Grace
In
Justifying
Sinners |
God's Power
In
Sanctifying
Believers |
God's Sovereignty
In
Saving
Jew and Gentile |
Gods Glory
The
Object of
Service |
Deadliness
of Sin |
Design
of Grace |
Demonstration of
Salvation |
|
Power Given
|
Promises Fulfilled |
Paths Pursued |
Righteousness
Needed |
Righteousness
Credited |
Righteousness
Demonstrated |
Righteousness
Restored to Israel |
Righteousness
Applied |
God's Righteousness
IN LAW |
God's Righteousness
IMPUTED |
God's Righteousness
OBEYED |
God's Righteousness
IN ELECTION |
God's Righteousness
DISPLAYED |
|
Slaves to Sin |
Slaves to God |
Slaves Serving God |
|
Doctrine |
Duty |
|
Life by Faith |
Service by Faith |
|
Modified from Irving
L. Jensen's excellent work "Jensen's
Survey of the NT" |
AND IN THE SAME WAY: hosautos de kai:
What does in the same
way refer to? In context the comparison appears to be between the way
hope sustains us in the midst of present sufferings (v18-25) so (in the
same way) the Spirit sustains us by personally aiding us in our weakness. The
idea is that we have more than enough resources to keep us going in the
midst of earthly trials.
MacArthur
explains that...
In the same way refers back to
the groans of the creation (see note
Romans 8:22)
and of believers (see note
Romans 8:23)
for redemption from the corruption and defilement of sin. Here Paul
reveals the immeasurably comforting truth that the Holy Spirit comes
alongside us and all creation in groaning for God’s ultimate day of
restoration and His eternal reign of righteousness. (MacArthur,
J: Romans 1-8. Chicago: Moody Press
or
Logos)
Hodge
agrees writing that...
Not only does hope thus cheer and
support the suffering believer, but In the same way, the Spirit helps us
in our weakness. As hope sustains, so, in the same way, the Spirit also
does. Not that the type of help is the same, but simply that they do
both assist us. (Hodge, C. Commentary on the Epistle to the
Romans, 1835)
And so as the
creation and believers both groan for ultimate restoration, the Holy
Spirit does as well.
THE SPIRIT ALSO HELPS
(lends a hand together with, come to aid of) OUR
WEAKNESS: hosautos de kai to pneuma sunantilambanetai (3SPMI) te
astheneia hemon: (Ro
15:1;
2 Corinthians 12:5-10;
Hebrews 4:15;
5:2)
Helps (4878)
(sunantilambanomai from sún = together, + antilambáno
= to support, help) mans to take hold of anything with another, to take
part in his burden or work, and thus to give help. It speaks of the action of a person coming to
another’s aid by taking hold over against that person, of the load he is
carrying. The person helping does not take the entire load, but helps
the other person in his endeavor. The word is used where Martha says to
the Lord Jesus concerning Mary
But Martha was distracted with all
her preparations; and she came up to Him, and said, "Lord, do You not
care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell
her to help me. (Lu 10:40) (Comment: It is a
beautiful word -- to take hold oneself at his end of the task together
with one)
One could translate, “Bid her lend me a helping hand,” the idea being
that Martha would continue preparing the meal but needed Mary to help
her. Just so, the Holy Spirit indwelling the saint, comes to the
aid of that saint in his or her spiritual distresses and difficulties,
not by taking over the responsibility for them and giving the
saint an automatic deliverance without any effort on his or her part,
but by lending a helping hand, allowing the saint to work out his
problems and overcome the saint's difficulties, with His help.
A. T. Robertson says
The Holy Spirit lays hold of our weaknesses along with (sun) us and
carries His part of the burden facing us (anti) as if two men were
carrying a log, one at each end.
Weakness (769)
(astheneia) means literally without strength and speaks of the
state of incapacity to do or experience something. The infirmities here
are not physical but spiritual. This refers to our human limitation due
to sinfulness which produces a weakness that consists, at least in part,
in that “we do not know what we ought to pray.”
The writer of
Hebrews uses astheneia writing...
For we do not have a high priest who
cannot sympathize with our weaknesses (astheneia), but One
who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. (see note
Hebrews 4:15)
Wuest
explains that...
The weakness spoken of here is
defined by the context which speaks of prayer, one of the things in the
spiritual realm in which our weakness needs His power. The infirmities
here therefore are, not physical, but spiritual. The weakness spoken of
here is the inability of the saint to know what to pray for. We do know
what the general objects of prayer are. But we do not know what the
specific, detailed objects of prayer in any given emergency or situation
are.
(Wuest,
K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans
or
Logos)
Ryrie
explains that...
The Holy Spirit helps our weakness
(our inability to pray intelligently about situations) by praying with
unutterable groanings. This is not the gift of tongues, for these groans
are not in words. Such intercession is in accord with God's will (v.
27). (The
Ryrie Study Bible: New American Standard Translation: 1995. Moody
Publishers)
Vine says that...
Without the aid of the Holy Spirit our patience would fail and we
should succumb to despair. (Vine,
W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. Nashville: Thomas Nelson
or
Logos)
Robert Morgan
asks...
What kind of weakness? We are
weak in many ways, but in this passage the apostle Paul is specific
about the particular weakness he is addressing—our prayer lives. We are
weak when it comes to prayer. In what way? Well, we are weak in many
ways, but here again Paul has something specific in mind. We are weak in
our ability to know what we should ask. Many times we really don’t know
what we should specifically pray for. We are not omniscient. We don’t
know everything, nor can we see into the future. So we don’t know
whether the things we’re asking for will turn out good or bad for us.
An old story illustrates: A Chinese
gentleman lived on the border of China and Mongolia. In those days,
there was constant conflict and strife along the perimeter. The man had
a beautiful horse. One day, she leaped over the corral, raced down the
road, crossed the border, and was captured by the Mongolians. His
friends came to comfort him. “That’s bad news,” they said sadly. “What
makes you think it’s bad news?” asked the Chinese gentleman. “Maybe it’s
good news.” A few days later the mare came bolting into his corral,
bringing with it a massive stallion. His friends crowded around. “That’s
good news!” they cried. “What makes you think it’s good news?” he asked.
“Maybe it is bad news.” Later, his son, while riding the stallion and
trying to break it, was thrown off and broke his leg. “That’s bad news,”
cried the friends. “What makes you think it is bad news?” asked the
Chinese gentleman. “Maybe it’s good news.” One week later, war broke out
with Mongolia, and a Chinese general came through, drafting all the
young men. All later perished, except for the young man who couldn’t go
because his leg was broken. The man said to his friends, “You see, the
things you thought were bad turned out good; and the things you thought
were good turned out bad.”
And thus it is with us. We don’t know
if the things we want will really be good for us, or bad. We can’t see
the future. That’s why James tells to us to pray, saying, “If it be thy
will. . . .” But God does know the future. He is Alpha and Omega, the
First and the Last. He knows the end from the beginning, and He knows
how all things will turn out. Verse 26 says that the Holy Spirit prays
for us according to the will of God with intensity, with groanings that
words cannot express. And God answers the Holy Spirit’s pleas on our
behalf. The result is Romans 8:28! As the Holy Spirit prays for us, God
answers His prayers, therefore all the things turn out for our good in
the unfolding providence of the Lord. (Nelson's
Annual Preacher's Sourcebook: 2002 edition. Nashville: Thomas Nelson
Publishers)
Hudson Taylor once said:
Ill that God blesses is our good
And unblest good is ill.
And all is right that seems most wrong
If it be his sweet will.
><> ><> ><>
Spurgeon
wrote...
Never give up praying, even when
Satan suggests that prayer is in vain. Pray in his teeth. “Pray without
ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). If the heavens are brass and your prayer
only echoes above your head, pray on! If month after month your prayer
appears to have miscarried, if you have had no answer, continue to draw
close to the Lord. Do not abandon the mercy seat for any reason. If it
is a good thing that you have been asking for, and if you are sure that
it is according to the divine will, wait, tarry, pray, weep, plead,
wrestle, and agonize until you get what you are praying for.
If your heart is cold, do not wait
until your heart warms. Pray your soul into heat with the help of the
ever-blessed Holy Spirit, who helps in our weakness, who makes
intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered (Rom. 8:26).
Never cease prayer for any reason. If
the philosopher tells you that every event is fixed and that prayer
cannot possibly change anything, go on praying. If you cannot reply to
every difficulty that man suggests, resolve to be obedient to the divine
will. “Pray without ceasing.” Never, never, never renounce the habit
of prayer or your confidence in its power.
><> ><> ><>
Winslow
writes...
The word here rendered helps
properly means to take part with. It implies, not merely sympathy with,
but a personal participation in our infirmity. The Spirit helps our
infirmities by sharing them with us. Now take the general infirmities of
the believer–infirmities which, unaided by another and a superior power,
must crush and overwhelm–and trace the help thus afforded by the Spirit.
We are taught to adore the love of the Father, from where each rill of
mercy has its rise. We delight to dwell upon the love of the Son,
through whose channel all redemption-blessing flows. And shall we
overlook the love of the Holy Spirit? Shall we forget His comforts, His
grace, His succourings? Forbid it, oh eternal and blessed Spirit! Your
essential Deity–Your personal subsistence–Your tender love–Your Divine
power–Your efficacious grace–Your sovereign mercy–Your infinite
patience–Your exquisite sympathy–all demand our deepest love, and awake
our loftiest praise.
But how is this sympathy of the Spirit expressed? Seeing the soul bound
with an infirmity, all His compassion is awakened. Approaching, He takes
hold of the burden. Constrained by a love which no thought can conceive,
moved by a tenderness no tongue can describe, He advances, and places
the power of His Godhead beneath the pressure–and thus He helps our
infirmity. Do you doubt this? We summon you as a witness to its truth.
Why are you not a ruin and a wreck? Why has not your infirmity long
since dethroned reason, and annihilated faith, and extinguished hope,
and clad all the future with the pall of despair? Why have you ridden
serene and secure upon the crest of the billow, smiling calmly upon the
dark and yawning surges dashing and foaming around you? Why have you,
when your heart has been overwhelmed, found relief in a sigh, in a tear,
in an uplifted glance, in one thought of God? Oh, it has been because
the Spirit, all silent and invisible, was near to you, sympathizing,
helping, bearing your infirmities. Because around you the power of His
Deity was placed. And when you have staggered and turned pale, and have
well near given up all for lost, resigning yourself to the broodings of
despair, that Spirit has approached, all-loving and powerful, and
helped, by sharing your infirmity. Some appropriate and precious promise
has been sealed upon your heart–some clear and soothing view of Christ
has been presented to your eye–some gentle whisper of love has breathed
upon your ear–and you have been helped. The pressure has been lightened,
the grief has been assuaged, the weakness has been strengthened, and you
have risen superior to the infirmity that bowed you to the dust. Oh, it
was the Spirit who helped you. Grieved, and wounded, and slighted a
thousand times over though He has been, receiving at your hands the
unkindest requital for the tenderest love, yet when your infirmity bowed
you to the earth, and the sword entered your soul, He drew near,
forgetting all your base ingratitude, and administered wine to your
dejected spirit, and oil to your bleeding wound, and placed beneath you
the encircling arms of His everlasting love. (Octavius Winslow. Daily
Walking with God)
><> ><> ><>
Philpot writes that...
In all our prayers, in all our
approaches to the throne of grace, our mercy and wisdom will be to seek
to possess the mind of the Spirit; to desire to know the will of God,
and do it; to look up more believingly and continually to the Lord
Jesus, that he himself would teach and guide us; that he would by his
Spirit and grace conform us more inwardly and outwardly to his suffering
image; that he would grant unto us to know him more, and serve him
better; that our prayers may day by day be more and more fervent,
earnest, and sincere, more spiritual, more in accordance with the will
of God; that thus they may be more and more manifested as the
interceding breath of the Spirit of God in our hearts, and as such may
bring more clear and evident answers down.
Pray for the manifestation of Christ to your soul, for a revelation of
the Person, blood, righteousness, and love of Jesus; seek to have your
signs and evidences of divine life more cleared up; your Ebenezers and
tokens for good more brightly shone upon; your doubts and fears more
plainly dispelled, and a fuller and sweeter assurance of personal
interest given in the finished work of Christ. Desire also to have the
promises applied to your heart, the word of God brought with divine
power into your conscience, and a living faith raised up and drawn forth
to mix with the truth which you read or hear.
Beg, as the Lord may enable, for
submission, patience, resignation, brokenness, contrition, humility,
godly sorrow for sin, heavenly affections, and that sweet spirituality
of mind which is life and peace. Above all, seek an inward assurance
that your prayers are heard and accepted, and then watch for the answer.
This will give you the surest and best of all evidences that the blessed
Spirit is himself interceding for you with groanings which cannot be
uttered. (J. C. Philpot. Daily Portions)
FOR WE DO NOT KNOW HOW
TO PRAY AS WE SHOULD
(as we must - speaks of necessity): to gar ti proseuchometha (1PAMS)
katho dei (2SPAI) ouk oidamen (3SRAI): (Matthew
20:22;
Luke 11:1-13;
James 4:3)
The NASB translators understood Paul to be saying
We do not know how
to pray as we should
The NAS
thus implies we are ignorant concerning the proper
method and procedure in prayer.
The NIV renders it...
We do not know what we ought to pray for
Here the ignorance
is in regard to the content of the prayer. MacDonald interprets
it along the lines of the NIV rendering noting that we...
We do not know how to pray as
we should. We pray selfishly, ignorantly, narrowly. But once again the
Spirit comes alongside to assist us in our weakness, interceding for us
with groanings which cannot find expression. In this verse it is the
Spirit who groans and not we who groan, though that is also true.
There is mystery here. We are peering into the unseen, spiritual realm
where a great Person and great forces are at work on our behalf. And
although we cannot understand it all, we can take infinite encouragement
from the fact that a groan may sometimes be the most spiritual prayer. (MacDonald,
W & Farstad, A. Believer's Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson or
Logos)
The Greek text permits
either the NAS or the NIV interpretation, though it favors the NAS.
The basic principle of effective praying is that it must be in harmony
with the will of God (the "what" more than the "how") to be effective,
John clearly teaching that..
this is the confidence which we have
before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He
hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know
that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. (1John 5:14-15)
However what the
will of God is may be hard for us to
ascertain in a given situation. In those situations, the Holy Spirit
comes to our aid by interceding for us.
Vincent
agrees adding that this verse is...
Not with reference to the form
of prayer, but to the circumstances: in proportion to the need.
Vine also favors the what over the how of prayer in
this passage writing that...
A more literal rendering would be, “what we are to pray according to our
need we know not,” i.e., we do not know how to express ourselves so that
our prayers shall correspond to the need. Not a mode of prayer is here
especially in view, but the subjects. (Vine,
W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. Nashville: Thomas Nelson
or
Logos)
Alford adds that...
The Holy Spirit of God dwelling in us, knowing our wants better
than we, Himself pleads in our prayers, raising us to higher and holier
desires than we can express in words, which can only find utterance in sighings
and aspirations.
God wants us to ask, but there are times when the situation is simply
too complex or we are too distraught that we don't know what to
pray for. We have all experienced situations in which we wondered how to
pray specifically. We didn't know what would be best and in the will of
God for the specific issue at hand.
Hodge sums
this up writing that...
This is said to illustrate and
confirm the previous general declaration; it is an example of the way in
which the Spirit helps us. “He helps us in our weaknesses, for he
teaches us how to pray, dictating to us our supplications,” etc. Our
need for this help comes from our ignorance. We do not know what to pray
for. We cannot tell what is really best for us. Pagan philosophers gave
this as a reason why men ought not to pray! How miserable their
condition is when compared with ours! Instead of our ignorance putting a
seal on our lips and leaving our hearts to break, the Spirit gives voice
to our desires in a language which is heard and understood by God. As we
do not know how to pray, the Spirit teaches us. (Hodge,
Charles: Commentary on Romans. Ages Classic Commentaries or
Logos)
BUT THE SPIRIT HIMSELF INTERCEDES FOR US WITH GROANINGS TOO DEEP FOR
WORDS: alla auto to pneuma huperentugchanei (3SPAI) stenagmois alaletois:
(15;
Psalms 10:17;
Zechariah
12:10;
Matthew 10:20;
Galatians 4:6;
Ephesians 2:18;
6:18;
Jude
1:20,21) (7:24;
Psalms 6:3,9;
42:1-5;
55:1,2;
69:3;
77:1-3;
88:1-3;
102:5,20;
119:81;
Psalms 119:82;
143:4-7;
Luke 22:44;
2 Corinthians
5:2,4;
12:8)
Intercedes (5241)
(huperentugchano from hupér = for, on behalf of +
entugchano = entreat, make intercession, bring a petition to a king
on behalf of someone, ask for something with urgency and intensity)
means to intercede for or in the behalf of someone or to plead for
someone. It is a picturesque word of rescue by one who ‘happens on’ one
who is in trouble, and ‘in his behalf’ (huper) pleads ‘with unuttered
groanings’ or with ‘sighs that baffle words'.
The whole creation "groans" (see note
Romans 8:22),
we ourselves "groan within ourselves" (see note
Romans 8:23)
and the Spirit makes intercession for us with groanings (Romans 8:26).
Groanings (4726)
(stenagmos from
stenazo
= to groan) refers to intense, yet
inaudible, sighing. We who believe in God, the entire creation of God,
and God Himself, are all yearning for the day when there shall be "no
more curse" (see note
Revelation 22:3).
Newell writes...
Groanings which cannot be
uttered-expresses at once the vastness of our need, our utter ignorance
and inability, and the infinite concern of the blessed indwelling Spirit
for us. "Groanings"-what a word! and to be used of the Spirit of the
Almighty Himself! How shallow is our appreciation of what is done, both
by Christ for us, and by the Spirit within us! (Expository
Notes Verse by Verse)
There are some who say Paul by groanings Paul is referring to a special manifestation of
the Spirit, such as tongues or ecstatic cries that come from the heart,
but that this is not what he is teaching. In fact, he
specifically says that the praying of the Spirit is too deep for words
or utterance and so is unuttered and cannot be expressed. It is felt
only in the heart and never comes to the lips as a verbal expression. In
short, we should not confuse these groanings with praying in tongues. This
passage promises all Christians God's help, not just those who have (or
had) the
gift of tongues. Further Scripture never connects the gift of
tongues with intercessory prayer. This verse seems to be saying that the
Holy Spirit prays for us, not that He prays through us to the Father.
Moo writes
I take it that Paul is saying, then, that our failure to know God's will
and consequent inability to petition God specifically and assuredly is
met by God's Spirit, who himself expresses to God those intercessory
petitions that perfectly match the will of God. When we do not know what
to pray for—yes, even when we pray for things that are not best for
us—we need not despair, for we can depend on the Spirit's ministry of
perfect intercession on our behalf.
The Father understands the Spirit's intercession for the saints even
though we do not hear it. We can know that His intercession is effective
in securing God's help for us because the Spirit prays in harmony with
God's will. Thus God Himself by the Spirit comes to our aid whenever we
need help. He also assures us in His Word that we will get assistance
from the Father. The consequence of this promise should be that when we
feel frustrated about our inability to pray about a particular need we
can relax. We can have confidence that our compassionate God understands
just how we feel and what we want, and He will respond according to His
will.
Stedman observes that...
There are three groans in this passage. Nature is groaning, we are
groaning, and now the Spirit is groaning with words which cannot be
uttered. This passage helps us in our understanding of prayer. The
apostle says that we do not know what to pray for as we ought. We lack
wisdom. I want to point out immediately that this is not an
encouragement to cease praying. Some people think this means that if we
don't know how to pray as we ought, and if the Spirit is going to pray
for us anyway, then we don't need to pray. But that would contradict
many other passages of Scripture, especially James 4:2, which says. "You
have not because you ask not," {Jas 4:2b NIV}. God does want us to pray,
and we are constantly encouraged to pray. Jesus taught on prayer. In
Philippians 4:6, Paul tells us that we are never to be troubled or
anxious, but in everything, with prayer and supplication, we are to let
our requests be made known to God.
There are many times when we do know what to pray for. But there will
come times when we won't know what to pray for. My wife and I had a time
like that last night. We knew something was wrong, but we didn't know
how to analyze it, or how to explain it, or how to ask God to do
something about it. We were without wisdom. It is at that time, the
apostle tells us, that the Spirit of God within us voices, without
words, his request to the Father.
I have always been amazed at people who emphasize the gift of tongues
and take this verse as proof that the Spirit prays in tongues through
us. This verse could not mean that. Paul tells us that this praying of
the Spirit is done with groans which words cannot express. Now, tongues
are words, words of other languages. If this referred to the gift of
tongues, it would merely be putting into other languages the feelings of
our heart. But this passage has nothing to do with that. This describes
the groans of the Spirit within, so deep and so impossible to verbalize
that we cannot say anything at all. We just feel deeply. The apostle
says that when that happens, it is the Spirit of God who is praying. The
Spirit is putting our prayer into a form which God the Father, who
searches the heart, understands. The Spirit is asking for something
concerning the situation that we are trying to pray about (Romans 8:18-28: Agony
& Ecstasy)
As the indwelling Holy Spirit alone knows how to interpret our needs, He
makes His intercession within us, inspiring our yearnings, and thus
fulfilling His gracious function as the other comforter (or advocate)
whom the Lord Jesus promised, a comforter of like character with
Himself. Since we know not what to pray for apart from His help, we are
exhorted to pray “at all seasons in the Spirit” (Ep6:18).
Creation groans, we groan, and the Holy Spirit groans. But the Spirit
groans within us, and in doing so strengthens us to bear our trials with
confidence and courage, and at the same time directs our hearts to God.
These groanings do not necessarily find expression in actual speech, but
they are effective with God. Human language is, it would seem, not
essential to Divine intercession.
McGee has a somewhat humorous
note writing that...
Years ago when the late Dr. A. C.
Gaebelein was speaking, a very enthusiastic member of the congregation
kept interrupting with loud amens. That annoyed Dr. Gaebelein. Finally,
he told him, “Brother, the Scripture says that the Spirit maketh
intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered—so don’t you
utter them if it’s the Spirit of God.” We didn’t even know how we ought
to pray; but the Spirit of God will make intercession with groanings
which cannot be uttered. Have you gone to God sometimes in prayer when
you actually did not know what to pray for? All you could do was just go
to Him and say, “Father.” You could not ask anything because you didn’t
know what to ask for. At times like this the Spirit “helpeth our
infirmities.” How wonderful that is! (McGee,
J V: Thru the Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson
or
Logos)
Here is a helpful note from Believer's Study Bible:
Frequently a disciple confronts difficulties so
insurmountable that he cannot even approach prayer skillfully. He knows
that he must approach God, but he has already said all that he knows to
say to God. In those instances, the promise is that the Holy Spirit
"makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Some
have interpreted this verse as arguing for "prayer tongues." However,
close examination reveals that the believer is not speaking at all. The
Holy Spirit is making the intercession. Moreover, the precise words in
Greek are stenagmois alaletois, "groanings which cannot be uttered."
Literally, the words might be rendered "unspoken sighings." In
other words, the communication is nonverbal, involving no speaking of
any kind.
(Criswell,
W A. Believer's Study Bible: New King James Version. 1991. Thomas Nelson)
Wayne Barber
has this note on Romans 8:26...
First he shows us the Spirit’s
purpose in us: "And in the same way the Spirit also helps our
weakness." He is there, in us to help us in our weakness." Notice that
"weakness" is singular—which means he is referring to a specific
weakness. We are weak, and feeble apart from Him.
"And in the same way," or in "like
manner," says that what the Spirit is doing in us corresponds to what
precedes. Just as we wait out the time longing for the event that is
coming, the Spirit is there to help us through it.
"The Spirit also helps our weakness."
The idea is that He lays hold on our weakness, our inability. The word
translated here as "helps" is the word sunantilambano.
Lambano means to take, or to hold, but the first two words Greek
words give much insight to the word.
Sun,
as we have already seen, means a union, or together with. You may
remember we used the illustration of making biscuits. Once you have
mixed all the ingredients together and then baked them, it is impossible
to separate the ingredients again. This is the "union" of the word
sun. So, along with us He, the Holy Spirit, takes hold of the burden
in order to help. We have our part, which is to wait hopefully, choosing
to bear up under whatever comes our way (verse 25: "But if we hope for
what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it"), and He
has his part.
Anti
means facing us. Imagine a man struggling to move a heavy log. Along
comes another man, who picks up the other end to help. One is on each
end of the log, and they face each other as they work together to move
the log. In the same way, the Holy Spirit is there with us to do His
part in helping us in our weakness.
Second, Paul shows us our problem.
Where is the target area of our weakness? Actually, there seems to
me to be two things linked together. In verses 18-25, the very need for
the Roman church to be exhorted to trust God in suffering and to choose
to bear up under whatever comes because God is in control, shows us that
evidently they weren’t doing so good. Just like us. We know that God is
in control, but we would rather blame somebody else and have a "pity
party."
And coupled with this weakness is our
inability to pray as we should: "for we do not know how to pray as we
should." This is where the Holy Spirit takes hold of our situation with
us, and does what we cannot do. We say, "God I trust you, but I need
your help, I don’t even know what to pray." And the Holy Spirit picks up
the other end of the log that we cannot carry.
It is not as if we do not pray, but
we do not know how to pray or what to pray, because we don’t know all
that God is doing in a given trial that we are going through. Our
prayers, like in James, so often go amiss. We always pray in light of
what we think is best for us. But, we don’t know how to pray.
So the purpose of the Holy Spirit is
to help us, to pick up the end of the log we cannot carry. The problem
is that we do not always look at life the way God does and when we pray
we don’t know how or even what to ask.
But, the power, the ability of the
Holy Spirit is that He knows exactly how to pray and what to ask for us:
"but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for
words." Oh, this gets good. The Holy Spirit knows exactly what is going
on in our lives and knows exactly what to pray, for He is God. The Holy
Spirit when He sees we do not know how to pray, immediately steps in and
prays for us.
Most of the time, when we are in the
midst of suffering, we are inclined to pray for our problem’s removal.
Waiting and believing God that He is using this for greater purposes
seems too difficult. Even the apostle Paul prayed three times that God
would remove the thorn in his flesh. The answer he received should have
been what he prayed—No. But, the Holy Spirit makes good these
deficiencies in our prayers.
"But the Spirit Himself intercedes."
The verb is in the present tense. This is at any time, all the time when
it is needed. He intercedes "for us." The meaning here is that the Holy
Spirit happens upon us and acts in behalf of us. The Holy Spirit works
all that is "spiritual" in us, even our praying.
The verse goes on to say "with
groanings too deep for words." Oh, the many views on this verse. Some
say this is speaking in tongues. But in no way is this some mystical
prayer language that a believer says he has. The word "groanings" is
that which no language of any kind could ever express. These groanings
are the communication between the Spirit and the Father.
Notice the verse says "the Spirit
Himself" intercedes. Some say thi
