Recently in Romans Category

We have spent several posts looking at Gen 1-3 and at Paul's understanding of Genesis and its role in his atonement theology in Romans 5. In the course of this discussion several different people have brought up Romans 8, especially verses 19-22 as another important passage to inform our thinking. Certainly Romans 8 provides another reflection on Gen 3 and the consequence of the Fall. In Gen 3 we read:

Then to Adam He said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat from it'; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. "Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you will eat the plants of the field; By the sweat of your face you will eat bread, till you return to the ground, because from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

And in Romans 8

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.

This is a powerful, poetic, and dynamic passage. The whole earth is in bondage to decay on account of the sin of man and the curse of God. The whole earth is in anticipation, NT Wright says "on tiptoes with excitement" awaiting the coming renewal and the coming glory of the children of God.

This leads us to ponder : What is the curse of the ground and the bondage to decay that is set right by the inauguration of kingdom of God and how does it interface with our scientific knowledge of creation?

Romans seems to have two kinds of responses today: either it is the book of all books, the book that brought Luther back to life and therefore the book for us, or it is the book to end all books -- boring, dusty old piece of theology. If you are in the latter group, I've got a book for you. (And if you are in the former group, then this book is also for you -- of course, you love all things Romans!)

Romans is one of the most significant books in the history of the Church and probably Paul's most potent statement of his gospel. Yet, its familiarity -- or should I say our familiarity with a system of thought -- has deprived many of the real, living, interactive theology at work in this letter of Paul's. So, I'm glad we have a book that has one design: to give this letter back to lay people and to hear it again as if for the first time.

Now another one: How many times have we thought about studying Romans only to open up some commentary to discover the debates are so numerous and so different that we get discouraged? This book will give the book back to you.

Reta Halteman Finger writes Roman House Churches in order to give lay people a guide to the book of Romans they can act out and then debrief for today. It's a clever book.

Here's my question today: What have you done to help bring the Bible to life for those who are either tired of the "same old, same old" or who need to awaken to the social and historical conditions at work in a passage or in a book?

Reta Finger decides to examine Romans through the lens of the house churches in Rome (cf. Romans 16). She examines it through the lens of the books' reader -- Phoebe.

She gives us assignments -- clever ones too. A brief sketch of life in Rome and religions at work in 1st Century Rome -- not too technical. Just right. She sketches the Christians of 1st Century Rome. Then we go through Romans in 10 chapters. Her perspective is a little social and not just spiritual; it's got a little new perspective to it. Some Anabaptism as well (thank you Reta).

Ever since I was in college and took a line-by-line course on Romans with Dr. John Wilson -- from whom I learned how to diagram sentences and who has shaped my life ever since -- I have loved Romans. Whenever we go to church and are sitting the pews (or seats) prior to the service, I read Romans in my Testament and usually get through Romans about twice a year, though this year is slower because I'm speaking more often. What about preaching Romans?

I've got a new book of the sermons by Fleming Rutledge, an Anglican priest considered by many to be one of the foremost preachers in the USA. Her sermons are called Not Ashamed of the Gospel. They are elegant, practical, and theological.

Her first sermon is on Romans 1:16.

Why, she asks, did Paul get going by saying he was not ashamed of the gospel?

1. Because there was no snob appeal; no status whatsoever; Paul joined his fellow Christians.
2. Because it was dangerous. The earliest creed was "Jesus is Lord" was "subversive."
3. Because its message was about a crucified person and crucifixion was shameful.

Paul connects "shame" and "foolishness" and "gospel" --> Romans 1:14-15: " I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish: so I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel...".

She then probes: the American issue is wealth and it hard for the wealthy to admit their need of salvation. "A little help, maybe, just enough to to touch us up a little..." (some great prose here). She pokes at those who are embarrassed by those who claim to be born again. "And if we think this, brothers and sisters, then we are ashamed of the gospel" (19).

The problem is human nature, being in Adam. We are trapped in Adam. Why do we believe those who think they can end their problems? "because we have an unrealistically optimistic view of human nature" (21). The human story of Romans is the tragic one.

What we need is a "new humanity" (21). "It isn't important to think of Adam as a literal person; the important thing is to understand Genesis 2-3 and Romans 5:12-21 as true descriptions of the human condition" (21).

"The first thing that a recovering human being does on the way to becoming a new human being is to stop worrying about being ashamed" (21).

On his way to Rome Paul writes this letter; he is not ashamed; he's about to enter into the city of Rome and declare that Caesar is not Lord.

Nearly 125 posts later we come to the end of this series on Romans and the commentary by NT Wright on Romans. I wasn't sure how long it would take, nor did I really care. (Our next series will be on Psalm 119.) Here's the ending of Paul's letter:

25 Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to faith and obedience— 27 to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.

The ending focuses on the gospel -- the work of God to restore all humans beings, in Christ, to God and to one another. This gospel is God's mysterious revelation.

Again, we are back to the point of the letter: God's work in these last days is to create the people of God in which both Jews and Gentiles believe in the Messiah.

In Romans 16:21-24, Paul trots out his companions who wish to offer their greetings to the Roman Christians.

16:22 tells us that Tertius wrote the letter, and many today need to be reminded of the real world of Paul. His handwriting may not have been good; and it was customary for a figure like Paul to employ someone to do the actual writing. However, this does not mean that Paul "dictated" his letter to Tertius and that Tertius simply wrote down Paul's talking word for word. We have every reason to believe -- and I appeal here to 1 Peter and to the style variations in Paul's own letters -- that the "amanuensis"/scribe was given some freedom to adapt the words of Paul to his own styel, Which means that arguments about dating Paul's letters on the basis of style is a near waste of time.

Wright concludes 16:1-20 with three observations:

1. That Paul mentions so many women is noteworthy.
2. That Paul was a bridge-builder is a good example for more of us today.
3. That Paul combines wisdom and shrewdness is still needed today.