Description
Book SynopsisAdopts a literary-rhetorical approach, viewing Paul's Letter to the Romans as an instrument of persuasion designed to transform readers through a celebratory presentation of the Gospel. This tile touches upon virtually various issues of Christian theology and presents an introduction to Paul.
Trade ReviewThis is a lucid, major commentary on Romans.America
Table of ContentsCONTENTS Editor’s Preface ix
Preface xi
Note on References xiii
Abbreviations xv
Introduction A. Recent Interpretation of Romans 2
1. History as Paradigm 2
2. New Approaches to the Interpretation of Romans 3
3. The Approach Taken by This Commentary 8
B. Why Paul Wrote to Rome 8
1. The Historical Circumstances 8
a) Paul’s Own Situation 8
b) The Christians in Rome 10
2. Romans as a Letter and Instrument of Persuasion 13
a) Letter Form 13
b) Instrument of Persuasion 16
3. Why Paul Wrote to Rome: Conclusion 18
C. Paul’s Rhetorical Task 19
1. “Knowledge” Paul Has in Common with the Christians of Rome 20
a) The Heritage from Judaism 20
b) The Shared Christian Pattern of Belief 21
2. “Knowledge” More Particularly Distinctive of Paul 22
D. The Structure of the Letter 26
Outline of the Structure of the Letter 27
E. Two Further Issues 29
1. The Integrity of the Letter 29
2. Paul and Israel 29
General Bibliography 31
A. The Socio-Rhetorical Approach 31
B. Christianity in Rome 32
C. Occasion and Purpose of Romans 33
D. Commentaries 33
E. General 34
Translation, Interpretation, Notes Introduction (1:1-17) 37
a) Address and Greeting (1:1-7) 37
b) Thanksgiving and Theme (1:8-17) 47
Body of the Letter (1:18–15:13) 62
I. THE INCLUSIVE SAVING POWER OF THE GOSPEL (1:18–11:36) 62
A. The Inclusion of the Gentiles on the Basis of Righteousness by Faith (1:18–4:25) 62
i. No Other Righteousness (1:18–3:20) 63
a) The Revelation of God’s Wrath Against the Gentile World (1:18-32) 63
b) Those Who “judge” Are Not Immune from the Wrath (2:1-11) 79
c) Possession of the Law Makes No Difference (2:12-29) 87
1. The Law and the Gentiles (2:12-16) 87
2. The Law and the Jews (2:17-24) 95
3. The “Real Jew” (2:25-29) 101
d) God’s Faithfulness to Israel Stands (3:1-8) 106
e) Scripture’s Witness to Universal Lack of Righteousness (3:9-20) 115
ii. The “Righteousness of God” Now Available to All Believers (3:21-26) 122
iii. Faith, the Sole Basis Upon Which the One God Justifies All (3:27-31) 135
iv. Scripture’s Witness to Righteousness by Faith (4:1-25) 141
a) Abraham, Justified on the Basis of Faith (4:1-12) 144
b) Abraham, Paradigm Receiver of the Promise on the Basis of Faith (4:13-25) 151
B. The Sure Hope of Salvation Springing from Righteousness by Faith (5:1–8:39) 162
i. The Hope That Springs from God’s Love (5:1-11) 164
ii. The Legacy of Christ (Righteousness and Life) Outweighs the Legacy of Adam (Sin and Death) (5:12-21) 173
iii. The Freedom to Live Out the Righteousness of God (6:1–8:13) 187
a) Dead to Sin/Alive to God in Christ (6:1-14) 188
b) The New Obedience (6:15-23) 199
c) Free in Christ from the Law (7:1-6) 208
d) The Fatal Encounter with the Law (7:7-13) 216
e) Life Under the Law—Ethical “Impossibility’’ (7:14-25) 224
f) Life in the Spirit—Ethical “Possibility” (8:1-13) 234
iv. Hope of Glory for God’s Children (8:14-30) 247
a) Children and Heirs of God (8:14-17) 247
b) The “Groaning’’ of Creation (8:18-22) 254
c) The “Groaning” of “Ourselves” (8:23-25) 262
d) The “Groaning” of the Spirit (8:26-28) and God’s Eternal Plan (8:29-30) 266
v. The Coming Victory of God’s Love (8:31-39) 274
C. The Inclusion of Israel (9:1–11:36) 281
i. The Bitter Problem of Israel’s Present Unbelief (9:1-5) 284
ii. The Elective Pattern of God’s Working (9:6-29) 289
a) The Elective Pattern Shown in the Patriarchs (9:6-13) 291
b) The Elective Pattern Shown in Moses and Pharaoh (9:14-18) 295
c) God’s Freedom Defended Against Human Complaint (9:19-21) 296
d) The Elective Pattern Shown in the Composition of the Believing Community (9:22-29) 300
iii. Israel’s Present Rejection of the Gospel (9:30–10:21) 307
a) “Stumbling” Before the Righteousness of God (9:30–10:4) 308
b) Scripture’s Witness to Righteousness by Faith (10:5-13) 316
c) Israel Has Heard but Not Responded to the Gospel (10:14-21) 323
iv. Israel’s Ultimate Inclusion in the Community of Salvation (11:1-32) 328
a) God Has Not Rejected Israel—the “Remnant” (11:1-10) 329
b) Israel’s “Stumbling” Has a Saving Purpose (11:11-24) 336
c) The “Mystery”: the Final Salvation of “All Israel” (11:25-32) 348
v. Hymn to God’s Inscrutable Wisdom (11:33-36) 358
II. SUMMONS TO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE GOSPEL (12:1–15:13) 361
i. Christian Life as “Rational Worship” (12:1-2) 362
ii. The Basic Demands of Christian Living (12:3–13:14) 367
a) A Due Assessment of One’s Personal Gift (12:3-8) 367
b) Love in Action Within the Community (12:9-16) 374
c) Love in Action Outside the Community (12:17-21) 380
d) Duties Towards Civil Authorities (13:1-7) 384
e) The Sole Debt of Love (13:8-10) 393
f) “Knowing the Time” (13:11-14) 397
iii. Tolerance in Contentious Areas of Community Life (14:1–15:13) 403
a) The Tolerance Incumbent upon All (14:1-12) 407
b) The Tolerance Asked Particularly of the “Strong” (14:13-23) 414
c) The Example of Christ as Grounds for Tolerance (15:1-6) 423
d) Christ’s “Acceptance” as Model for Community Acceptance (15:7-13) 428
Conclusion of the Letter (15:14–16:24[27]) 433
i. Paul’s Ministry of the Gospel to the Gentiles (15:14-33) 433
a) Paul’s Apostolic Mission Until Now (15:14-21) 434
b) Paul’s Plans for the Future and Concluding “Grace” I (15:22-33) 439
ii. Commendation and Greetings (16:1-27) 446
a) Commendation of Phoebe (16:1-2) 447
b) Greetings I (16:3-16) 449
c) A Warning (16:17-20) 455
d) Greetings II and Concluding “Grace” II (16:21-24) 459
e) (Inauthentic) Concluding Doxology (16:25-27) 461
Indexes
Scripture Index 465
Index of Ancient Writings 487
Author Index 494
Subject Index 499
Supplementary Bibliography 504
