Romans 1:3-4

Romans 1:3-4

[3] Concerning  his  Son  which  was made  of  the seed  of David  according  to the flesh;  [4] And declared  to be the Son  of God  with  power,  according  to the spirit  of holiness,  by  the resurrection  from the dead: 

What does Romans 1:3-4 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Paul identified the gospel"s theme to exalt it further. The gospel centers on God"s Song of Solomon , Jesus Christ, who was both human and divine. The phrases "according to the flesh" ( Romans 1:3) and "according to the Spirit" ( Romans 1:4) probably do not contrast the natures of Christ but His relationships. [1] He belonged to two realms. As to his human earthly connection, His origin was the highest. He was not just an Israelite ( Romans 9:5) but a son of David ( Matthew 1:1; Luke 1:32; Acts 13:22-23; 2 Timothy 2:8), which was a messianic qualification ( Isaiah 11:1).
Concerning the realm above He was higher than the angels ( Hebrews 1:4), the very Son of God ( Romans 1:4). The word "power" probably modifies the Son rather than the declaration. Paul probably meant that God declared Jesus to be His powerful Son rather than that God powerfully declared that Jesus was His Son. The point of this passage is the greatness of Jesus, not the wonder of the resurrection.
"A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic-on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg-or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and Isaiah , the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse." [2]
Jesus was always the Son of God, but the Father declared Him to be the Son by resurrecting Him. Jesus did not change in essence-He always was the Song of Solomon -but in status and function. God appointed the Son to a new and more powerful position in relation to the world at the Resurrection (cf. Matthew 28:18). He is now not only the Messiah but the Lord of all. [3]
To what does "the Spirit of holiness" ( Romans 1:4) refer? It may be another way of referring to the Holy Spirit. [4] Nevertheless in view of the parallel expression "according to the flesh" ( Romans 1:3) and the fact that Paul could have said "Holy Spirit" if that is what he meant, probably Paul was referring to the holy nature of Jesus. Jesus" nature was so holy that death could not hold Him. [5]