Romans 1.1-12

Greetings in the service of the Gospel of the life and new life of Jesus, which brings about the obedience of faith among the nations.

Romans 1.13-4.25

Both Jew and Gentile is under God’s wrath (aggravated by the Law) and both are saved through Christ only by faith, without partiality.

Romans 5-11

God’s salvation in Christ will bring about a worldwide salvation that will far exceed the curse under the law. Despite Israel’s sin bringing about this worldwide salvation Israel will still be included in it.

Romans 12-15.21

We must live in a way that is appropriate to and extends the effect of the death and resurrection of Christ.

Romans 15.22-16.25

Closing mission to Spain and invitation to participate with final greetings and blessing.

13 I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), [why do you intend to do so?] in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. [Why must you reap among the Gentiles?] 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. [But aren’t you ashamed of the Gospel?] 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel [Why not ashamed?], for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. [How can it be the power for salvation?] 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” [But why do we all need salvation?] 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. [How do they suppress the truth?] 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. [When and how has he shown it to them?] 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been done. So they are without excuse. [What did they do with what they were shown?] 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. [So how did God respond?] 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. [What happened as a result of this dishonoring?] 26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. [What did God do in response to these passions and shameless acts?] 28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. [But surely they struggled with these sins, didn’t they?] 32 Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. [You only mean Gentiles only, right?  Jews don’t approve of such practices.  You’ve been describing Gentiles only, right?] 2:1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. [Wait! God doesn’t judge Jews and Gentiles the same way does he?] 6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.

For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

via Passage: Romans 6 (ESV Bible Online).

For whatever reason it seems clear hear that Paul is referring back to the situation he described in Romans 1.18ff.

Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house. For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope. Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,…

Do you think Protestant sermons would typically describe anyone as faithful just like Jesus was?  Notice the only contrast here is between the status of Moses and Jesus.  Nothing is said of the fact that Moses was a sinner and Jesus was sinless–though the author of Hebrews is a aware of that fact, 4.15).  It is as if it doesn’t matter.  Moses was still faithful like Jesus was.

And, of course, he was faithful by faith–by his trust in God:

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.

I bring this up because of the strategy of Evangelical commentators on Romans to deal with Romans 4.5 by claiming that Paul disagreed with his Jewish opponents about Abraham’s moral character–while they thought Abraham had been faithful to God, Paul considered him to have been “ungodly.”

Could the author of Hebrews have agreed with this?  He said Moses was faithful by faith.  He describes Abraham’s behavior as no less faith-filled than Moses’:

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

Notice also how Abraham’s example is used as a model of faithfulness that we should imitate (see Hebrews 6).

So if Hebrews has no trouble calling Moses “faithful” and would have no problem saying the same of Abraham, would Paul disagree?

For Further Reading:

John Murray on Romans 4.5 and Abraham’s godliness

Gentile Abraham, David, and Phinehas

Do the works of Abraham the ungodly?

Romans 2

+ Romans 2.1-5 Jews are just as much provoking wrath as Gentiles are, so Jews have no reason to believe they are better. JEWS ARE IN NO POSITION TO JUDGE THE NATIONS

= Romans 2.6-11 God judges both Jews and Gentiles impartially so Jews don’t get special favors.

= Romans 2.12-16 Jesus will judge both Jews and Gentiles, vindicating those who trust in him and condemning those who reject his Word.

+ Romans 2.17-24 Jews are just as much provoking wrath as Gentiles are, so Jews have no reason to believe they are better. JEWS ARE IN NO POSITION TO TEACH THE NATIONS

= Romans 2.25-29 God judges both Jews and Gentiles impartially so Jews don’t get special favors.

So is Paul just restating themes?

Maybe not.

1. First claim: Romans 2.1-5: Israel is not in a position to judge the Gentiles but is going to be judged.

[Question A: But isn’t God going to be partial to Israel?]

2. Second claim : Romans 2.6-11: God judges both Jews and Gentiles impartially.

[Question B: But doesn’t the Law give Israel an advantage?]

3. Third claim:  Romans 2.12-16: The Law may alter the terms by which one is judged, but Gentiles can trust and obey or disbelieve and disobey just like Jews can.  So fundamental ly, though Jews were entrusted with the Law, the Gentiles can still obey God.  Better an obedient Gentile than a disobedient Jew.

[ Question C: But, remembering your first claim, are you sure that Israel has been so disobedient?]

4. Fourth claim (reiterating first claim): Romans 2.17-24: Israel’s failure is public and obvious.  Just as the exile was a smear on God’s reputation, so Israel’s sin is at the heart of Gentile theological perversion mentioned earlier (Romans 1.18ff).

[Question B2: But doesn’t circumcision make a difference (as asked about the law in Question B above)?]

5. Fifth claim: Romans 2.25-29: Circumcision demands a certain kind of obedience, but is useless for demarcating blessing from God if the circumcised person is disobedient.  Obedient Gentiles, on the other hand, show they belong to the true God.

He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

That last phrase seems quite close to what Paul has said in Romans 2: “For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.”

And then this:

For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.

Paul’s argument that Israel has not kept the Law does not begin in Romans 2.17 or even in Romans 2.1.  Romans 1.18ff has Scriptural allusions that show that Israel’s sin is involved in the sin of the Greeks.  The Gentiles are not off, “by themselves,” going off on their own way.  They are going off against what they have learned from the Israelites scattered among them or what those Israelites should have taught but did not.

Remember, when Paul was disgusted with idolatry in Athens, he began dealing with the Jews in that area as well as the pagan themselves:

Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned [1] in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and [2] in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.

In fact, Paul’s ministry involved dealing with occultism among the Jews and Proselytes.  Acts 13:

When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.

And Acts 19:

Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.

All the evidence leads us to think this is the proselyte community.  Even if the pagans believed magic was shameful and had to be hidden (which I find doubtful, but I’ll let someone inform me otherwise if they have studied the question), the context is Jews and their Greek followers.

So while Romans 1.18ff does deal with Gentile sin in the Mediterranean world (Greek), it also hints strongly at Jewish compromise and corruption being involved in it.

This helps Paul’s transition in Romans 2 make sense:

Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.

Typically the “therefore” would follow from what has already been said.  But Paul has just said it is worse to approve of the things than to merely do them.  So how can he say that one should not condemn such actions?  Perhaps because he has already alluded to the fact that for Israel to pretend to be separate from the cycle of judgment is mere pretense.  Everyone knows that Israel is involved.

Which brings us to the “man” of Romans 2:

Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed…

But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

But did every single Jew engage in these practices?  We know from the Gospels that not every Jews sinned in that way.  The “you” or Romans 2 is much like the “I” of Romans 7, a representation of Israel. The Jews are notorious covenant-breakers and it destroys their witness.  They produce blasphemy rather than conversion among the Gentiles.

The point of Paul’s condemnation is not to convince anyone of universal human sinfulness.

Would Paul’s argument then pass by the righteous Jews like Zecharias and Elizabeth, Simeon, and Anna?  Consider the prayer of Daniel. Israel’s failure to keep the law as a nation meant that God’s appointed role for the nation had been abandoned by the nation.  No righteous individual could change that.

So there was no point in an Israelite boasting in his covenant with God.  It was all an obvious and undeniable failure.  (Note the contrast with Paul’s boasting.  The issue is not that to “boast in God” is some sort of code-word for boasting in self.  The issue is that Christ is now actually accomplishing something that the Law never enabled Israel to do).

Finally, when Paul says, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” he is talking about the sin he has been describing in Romans 1.18ff.  The Gentiles are not sinning against general revelation.  In Acts 14 and 17, Paul treats general revelation as something that should lead Gentiles to search for special revelation.  He doesn’t treat it as ending all ignorance.  In Romans 1.18ff he’s talking about Gentiles in the wake of the post-exilic dispersion of the Jews throughout the Mediterranean world.  The things “that have been made” is probably a mistranslation.  God is has been known in the things “that have been done” since the creation of the world.  Remember, when Paul speaks of Gentiles who “keep the precepts of the law” and who “condemn you who have the written code.” he is speaking of actual cases of Gentiles who did just that (here, here).  And to “have the written code” does not mean you alone have heard it or own a copy of it on  a scroll, but that you alone are covenantally entrusted with it (Romans 3.1).

For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

“For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?”
“Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?”

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

The quotation Paul uses mashes an answer to Job with Isaiah 40.  The implications would seem to be that God’s answer to Job somehow meshes with the redemption of Israel from exile.  Job would be a picture, from Solomon’s perspecive, of the future of Israel.

The problem with this is that Israel was unrighteous, unlike Job.

But when Solomon was at his height, and before his fall, he would have known that Deuteronomy 30 promised a fall into exile, and he himself acknowledged it in his prayer for the Temple.  Also there were men like Daniel who had to go through the experience even though they did not personally deserve it.