Introduction

Paul’s epic letter to the Romans surely stands as one of the greatest and most influential writings in the entire Bible. My commentary is concise, and only deals with aspects that I think pertain to major themes of faith and Biblical Christianity. It is not a verse by verse commentary, rather the aim is to provide the reader with the tools and a framework under which to better assimilate these Biblical themes. For example, I don’t get into the “faith vs works” issue here, although I have a separate article on it, because that’s an issue Paul takes up with the Jews as a Christian himself, he did not intend it to be an issue for Christians to fight over. Although I do have an article on it in an inter-deniminational section, I’ll link it below at the relevant chapter. And so on.

There are many Bible commentaries you can go to, but I focus on how Paul emphasises the divinity of Christ in his writings, which is the meaning of the Gospel and therefore the spiritual object of Bible study, this, along with the theme of salvation, purification and holiness are the main focal points in my writing. Everytime I look at a commentary (and perhaps I just haven’t hit upon the right one) it seems so much less inviting than actually reading the text. Therefore my aim and joy in writing, is to stay close to the text and let it do the talking itself. This, I think, is what keeps my commentary concise. A carpenter or bricklayer only requires little handtool with which to construct a large endifie, so also I only seek to provide the reader with the tools to better assimilate the Biblical text. Those tools would be mainly thematic presentation, inter-textuality and accessing original Biblical languages, while keeping the same focuses, as we have already mentioned. There are probably other tactics employed that even I am unaware of (or there might not be!).

Chapter 1

The Pre-Existent Christ

Paul’s opening verses in his letters are always weighty and pack a tremendous theological punch. The opening to his greatest letter is no exception. The sequence from verse 1-6 is a single sentence which richly attest to Christ’s pre-existence, dual nature and divinity. First, Jesus’ dual nature is seen in that he is Son of David according to the flesh, and Son of God according to the Spirit: “(God’s) Son…was descended from David according to the flesh, and was…Son of God…according to the spirit” (vv.3,4), implying Jesus has human origin according to the flesh and divine origin according to the spirit.

Next, Paul sees fit to call not only himself, but elsewhere he will extend this to all of humanity as “serving” Christ “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus” (doulos Christou Iesou)” (v.1). That the “Gospel of God”, that which is is good news to man was “promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures concerning his son” (v.1,2) implies a unique divine sonship of one contrasted with the rest of the world so much so that their very happiness is tied up in his person. Moreover, the entire prophetic (ton propheton) and apostolic (apostolos, v.1) tradition is purposed for the delivery of this word to humanity, which is Christ, as “concerning (peri)” him.

Paul, apostle of God, yet servant of Christ (v.1), with that very apostleship through none other than Christ himself (v.5), “for…his Name”, and the purpose of “obedience” for those who “belong to Christ (v.6). Clearly the subject of the entire sentence from v.1 through 6 is multiply attested as Jesus “his Son,…who was descended…who was declared…, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received…for the sake of his name…to belong to Jesus Christ”. Just to make sure ,”the name” is even sandwiched between two mentions of Jesus by name. Jesus is the entire plan of God, because humanity belongs to him and exists for his sake. It is hard to see what else is needed in order to attest to Jesus’ divinity, but Paul doesn’t stop there, and we are just in the first paragraph, there is so much more to come in the letter.

We Belong to Christ

Paul has this wonderful theme of “belonging” to Christ which we can summarise here. Romans 1:6 above states “…yourselves who are called to belong to him/called o him “hemeis kletoi Iesou Christou”. It is correct to specify “belong to Christ”, because the Gr. “called of Christ”, it implies “called as belonging to Christ”, or “called Christ’s” (it’s possessive), while in Eng., “the called of Christ”, sounds like those whom Christ has called, like “the blessed of my Father”, and this is only remedied in the English with additional quotes “called ‘of Christ’”, which gives the correct meaning. Among translations, Holman’s goes with “Christ’s by calling”, ESV/NIV/NLV/NRSV/GN/ RSV all use “belong to”, while KJV/NASB/NKJV/Lexham/D-R/Young’s all use “called of Jesus Christ”.

We see a similar “belonging” theme in the latter chapters too, so we’ll discuss them here:

In these last chapters, Paul’s language of farewell and greeting also serve a powerful Christological purpose. He begins powerfully as he asserts “we live/die to the Lord”, in a passage clearly predicated of Christ, right to the end where Christ is “Lord of the living and the dead”. No one can this be spoken of but God, for whom we live and die.

None of this is unusual, in the Greek, “belonging” is always denoted simply by employing the genitive (equivalent of using an apostrophe in English). These are the other places Paul uses this theme: “you now, belong to Christ (hymeis de Christou), and Christ belongs to God (Christos de Theou)” (1Cor.3:23 “de” is “now”, not “of”). “…you belong to Christ…(hymeis Christou)” (Gal.3:29). “and those who belong to Christ (hoi de tou Christou Iesou) have been crucified in the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal.5:24).

“for none of us lives to himself (oudeis gar hemon heauto ze), and no one dies to himself (kai oudeis heauto apothneskei) ean te gar zomen, to Kyrio zomen (if we should live, we live to the Lord (ean te apothneskomen, to Kyrio apothneskomen (if we should die, we die to the Lord). Ean te oun zomen ean te apothneskomen (if we should both, live or die) tou Kyriou esmen (we are the Lord’s). Eis touto gar Christos apethanen kai zesen (for this Christ dies and lived again) hina kai nekron kai zoonton kyrieuse (that he might be Lord of both the living and the dead).” (14: 7-9)

Christ is the head of every man: “Christ is the head of every man, and the husband is the head of his wife, and God is the head of Christ (pantos andros he cephale Christos estin)” (1Cor.11:3). Our very bodies are meant for Jesus: The “The Lord” is clearly Christ, because the next verse says “and God raised the Lord”: “The body is meant (…) for the Lord and the Lord for the body (v.13)…your bodies are members of Christ (ta somata hymon mele Chritsou estin v.15)… the one united to Christ is one spirit with him (ho kollomenos to Kyrio hen pneuma estin v.17)…your body is a Temple of the Holy Spirit within you (to somata hymon naos tou en hymin hagoiu pneumatos estin, hou echete apo theou v.19)…” (1Cor.6:13-19)

Again, here we are “slaves”, “purchased” by (the Blood of) Christ, hence as belonging to him. Once again, there is a seeming equivalence of Christ and God “whoever was called in the Lord…there remain with God”:

“For whoever was called in the Lord as a slave is a freed person belonging to the Lord apeleutheros Christou estin), just as whoever was free when called is a slave belonging to Christ (doulos estin Christou). You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of humans. In whatever condition you were called, brothers and sisters, there remain with God (en touto meneto para theo)” (1Cor.7:22-24).

The theme of belonging represents an ongoing theme of belonging to God and “called by his name”, in the manner that a man, by giving his name to a wife in a patriarchial society could offer her the protection of his house. Thus in Luke-Acts we see the theme of being called by the name of Jesus, and of salvation being offered in his name, while in John, we are called his sheep, both of which once again are terms of ownership. You can read these here Jesus’ Divinity in the New Testament- II or in the relevant book commentaries.

A Pre-Established Roman Church

In verses 8-15, it seems Paul is dealing with a Church that is already well established in Rome at the time of the writing of the letter. The Jerome notes that Paul was “sending his advice to one of the oldest and most prestigious communities in existence- a church founded by unknown believers probably already in the 30s and perhaps at a point when Paul himself opposed the Gospel of Jesus” (p.1528). The Jerome notes that Paul avoids taking a supercilious attitude towards thhe church there are almost seems to correct himself between verses 11 to 12 going from the “I” to the “we”.

To attain knowledge of the Supernatural from the Natural

Verses 19-20 contain Paul’s famous claim that the existence of the invisible (aorata, 5occ.) God can be deduced from observing (being understood, are clearly seen- noomena, kathoratai, v.kathorao1 occ.) the natural world (kosmou). Can such a claim hold? “Observations” in the ancient world are different from those of the present day, when we have intruments of greater power and resolution and more highly honed empirical systems and information processing ability. Thus any attempt to confirm the validity of such an assertion would have take into account the current state of scientific understanding, and their relevance to religious held beliefs. That discussion on the relation between science and Faith, which I have attempted elsewhere, and many others have as well, no doubt doing a much better job than I have.

Paul on Homosexuality

We also get the first of Paul’s condemnations of homosexuality here, where he calls it “unnatural” and “shameful (two words are used: atimias- dishonorable, aschemosines, 3.occ., root schema “form/figure” 2 occ.)” (1:26,27). As Paul puts it, the “women exchanged natural sexual relations (metelaxan ten physiken chresin) for unnatural ones (eis ten para physin)…”. To be sure, this is a purely religious condemnation and they are therefore called as “unnatural”, since the natural order is that created by God. God creates a certain polarity of the sexes which is to be adhered to in earthly life if we are to attain to the Heavenly life with him. Those that do violate it put themselves outside of the Christian purview, and the pathway to God under that model. One would then presume that they either had a different model, or that they had no belief, period.

Here Paul commences upon a theme which will take on full form in chapters 6 and 8, that of spiritual vs fleshly pursuits and their outcome. Here he will say that in denial of God, in the ingratitude of their hearts (v.21), they become “futile (ematathaiothesan, 1occ.) in their thinking (en toid dialogismois, 14 occ.)”, “their senseless minds were darkened (eskotisthe he asynetos auton kardia), they “became fools (emoranthesan)” (v.22). God “gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity (en tais epithymiais ton kardion auton eis akarthasian tou atimazesthai ta somata auton)” (v.24) and “to degrading passions (eis pathe atimias)” (v.26), “to a debased mind (paredoken autous…eis adokimen noun” (v.28), and they were therefore “filled with every kind of wickedness…”, and the condemnations go on relentlessly from Paul.

I don’t do a detailed anaysis of the Biblical view on homosexuality here, but you could look at https://respondislam.net/the-problem-with-homosexuality/.

Chapters 2,4,9-11

Paul says “God, through Jesus Christ, will judge the secret thoughts of all” (2:16), involving Jesus in the act and exercise of divine judgement. This is a verse of an act that is the sole prerogative of God, but being performed through the Son.

The chapter largely consists of an extended discussion of faith and works which also spills over into Galatians. I don’t get much into the whole issue here because this is primarily directed at the Jews, it is not meant for Christians fight each other over. Jews have a long list of external things to do and that list got even longer thanks to their rabbis, and Paul has to basically remake the point of why we have religion in the first place. For those who are interested in the so-called “faith vs works” issue, I have a detailed article on it enumerating all the relevant verses, just let me know if you want it Of Faith and Works.

Chapter 4

That Faith might be Grace, not Wage

The whole reason that the Christian faith is indeed a “faith” is just that: that we are saved in the believing. This is so that we are saved in believing in God’s action for us, rather than in our actions for God primarily. Paul is clear about what constitutes this faith, as we have seen: it is faith in Christ. That is the whole point of the works vs faith discussion in the third chapter and here this is further reinforced using the example of Abraham, who also was credited as righteous primarily as with believing in God’s ability to act in us. Were it the latter, it would only serve to grow spiritual pride, we would “have something to boast about” (4:2 ei..ex ergon edikaiothe, echei kauchema), we would believe we were receiving what God owed us, rather than that which was a free gift, one of God’s own doing. “To one who works, wages are not reckoned as gift but as something due (to gar ergaomeno ho misthos ou logizetai kata charin ala kata opheilema 5:4)” In failing to consider Christ’s action, but rather our own, we lose out on God’s grace, which is that action of Christ. “For this reason it depends on faith in order that the promise may rest on grace…dia touto ek pisteos, hina kata charin eis to einai bebaian ten epangelian (4:16)”. This is the crux of the Christian religion and indeed, the reason that it is called a “faith”, in contrast to every other religion in which it is not quite clear as to what the specific action of God in history, and in the human soul and intellect is. It is by faith then, that we, like Abraham, will be “reckoned as righteous” (elogisthe auto eis dikaiosynen 4:4,5,6,9,11,13,22,23,24).

The Strength of Abraham’s Faith

This lesson is given us by our father in Faith, the patriarch Abraham. For a Christian, faith is in a God who is “as good as dead” upon the Cross, a vulnerability which is a characteristic of the prophetic in which the weak are exalted, whether the prophets, kings or the Israelites themselves from their bondage of slavery. Abraham believed “although his body was as good as dead (katenoesen to heatou soma ete nenekromenon hekatontaetes our hyparchon)”, and although “Sarah womb is as good as dead (kai ten nekrosin tes metras Saras, 5:19)”, yet he was willing to give up his son Isaac, in faith.

Thus Abraham displays faith in deprivation of every co-ordinate of human strength. This is because his faith is in a God “who gives life to the dead, and can call into existence from non-existence (tou zoopoiountos tous nekrous kai ta me onta hos onta, 5:17). Rather than distrust, “did not weaken in faith (me asthenesas 5:19), “no distrist made him waver (ou diekrithe te apistia) considering the promise of God (eis ten epangelian tou theou) but he ” grew strong in faith and give glory to God (all enedynamothe te pistei, dous doxan to theo 5:20, endynamoo 7occ.)”, “being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised (kai pleroporetheis hoti ho epengeitai dynatos estin kai pioesai 5:21, plerophoreo- bring in full measure, fulfill 6occ.: Lk1:1, Rom14:5; Col 4:12; 2Tim 4:5,17).

In the same way we believe in the resurrection of Jesus who was also ” as good as dead” and yet to rise up through the power of God. The faith that we are called into is the exactly foreshadowed by the faith of Abraham.

Chapter 9-11

The issues in Romans 9 are discussed in section two of my article here: https://onchristianity.net/violence-in-the-old-testament/.

Chapter 10 has “if you confess with you lips Jesus us Lord…” (v.9)- Ean homologeses to rhema (the word) en to stomati sou, hoti Kyrion Iesoun”. This to me sounds even more powerful in the Greek, where the “is” is omitted, where it could have been used with “estin”. Without using an “is” the English would sound like confessing the “Lordness/ Lordship” or “Mastery” of Christ, or of course, you add in the implied “is”. The chapter also has a powerful testimony to apostilicity and therefore to the apostolic churches: “pos de keryxosin ean me apostalosin (v.15) how can they preach if they are not sent?”

Chapter 11 is mostly about the Jews and that eventually God has a plan for them too. I note “for God has imprisoned (synekleisen- sygkleio, 4occ.)all in disobedience (apeitheian, 7occ.) so that he may be merciful to all” (v.32, Catholics would say with the exception of Mary, just as the other verse “all have sinned and have fallen short…” [3:23])

Chapter 3,5

Salvation in Christ

Paul decribes Christ’s centrality in God’s plan of Salvation for man. “All are unrighteous (pantes gar hemarton)…and fall short of the glory of God (kai hysterountai tes doxes tou theou)…”– God in freely giving us the gift of his grace (dikaioumenoi dorean te autou chariti)- shows/demonstrates he is righteous, in contrast (eis endeixin tes dikaiosynes autou, v.25, 26). God “proves he is righteous…justifying the one who has faith in Christ (eis to einai auton dikaion kai dikaiounta ton ek pisteos Iesou)”. Righteousness for man obviously is faith in God, but here it is faith in Christ (3:26 also 3:22; Acts 24:24, Gal.2:16; 3:22; Phil.3:9; Col.1:4,2:5; 2Tim.3:15).

Furthermore, the shortfall (hyestereo, 16occ.,esp. Mt.19:20, Mk.10:21, 1Cor1:7, 8:8; 12:24; 2cor; Heb12:15) between the glory of God and the state of humanity is made up by Christ, thus “through the redemption that is in him” (3:24, dia tes apolytroseos tes en Christou Iesou. He apolytrosis 10occ., Lk.21:28, Rom.3:24, 8:23, 1Cor1:30; Eph1:7; 1:14, 4;30; Col1:14; Heb.9:15,11:35).

We are saved through believing in God as acting in Christ, precisely because this avoids us beleiving we are saved through any human acts, least of all our own. The primary human act of relevance to our salvation is this belief, without which all our acts will be tainted with self-righteousness, rather than righteousness. Obviously here Jesus is the righteousness of God himself. Truly God shows us himself, and his righteousness, in showing us Christ.

We are “…justified by (God’s) grace as a gift (dikaoumenoi dorean te autou chariti), through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood (hon proetheto ho theos hilasterion), effective through faith (dia tes pisteos in to autou haimati (3:24,25. Lexhham, KJV, ASV, D-R: literally “faith in his blood”) to show forth his righteousness (eis endeixin tes dikaiosunes autou)…”. It can be seen God’s “gift”, which is the blessing of our redemption, is literally the sacrifice of his Son, and further this shows his righteousness and “forbearance” (ten paresin) in the matter of our sins (3:25).

This “free gift of God” is clearly Jesus himself. 5 times in ch. 5 (and once in 4), Paul will refer to the “gift”, or “free gift” of God (5:15 -to charisma, dorea en chariti in 4:24, dorea en chariti, to dorema, to charisma (5:16), tes doreas (5:17). But he makes it very clear that Jesus himself is God’s superabundant gift: “the gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ abounded for the many” (5:15). The verse goes: “…the grace of God (he charis tou theou) and the gift in grace (he dochea in chariti) of the one man Jesus Christ (te tou henos anthropou Iesou Christou) to the many did abound (eis tous pollous eperissousen)” (5:15). Clearly, a creature cannot give an “abounding” and “free” gift. God is the only entity that can give a gift while suffering no loss himself, no one else posses the superabundance of inestinguishable handouts.

In receiving “through the one, Christ Jesus (dia tou henos, Iesous Christos) the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness (ten perisseian tes charitos kai tes doreas tes dikaiosunes)…”, “in life we will reign (in zoe basilesousin)…” (5:17). Faith itself is a gift and if that gift itself is Christ, who can Christ be, but God? As Paul says, “as to one who works, wages are not reckoned as gift (kata charin)” (4:4, see Eph.2:8-9 by grace [charin] you have been saved by faith…it is the gift [to doron] of God). Again we see “the free gift (charisma) of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (6:23) (we see “charisma” in this form here and 5:15,16, while in the form of spiritual blessings in general in several other places eg. Rom.12:6, 1Cor.12:9 combined 17occ.).

Further, in using hilasterion…in auto haimati (4:25), Paul is directly relating this to the Temple sacrifices. He explains how God waited until the right time to demonstrate his justice and bring his plan to fruition in “patience” and “forebearance”, and by it “passed over (progegonoton) the sins previously comitted” once again relating directly to the Paschal sacrifice. All of this is related to Christ’s pre-existence and divinity, for who else but God himself was working for the deliverance of the Israelites in Egypt.

We receive God’s grace and blessings “through” his own action, yet Paul says they are “through (dia) Christ”. Again, who else acts in the hearts and lives of the faithless but God himself. We might try to bring people to conversion, but is not conversion primarily the work of God, and yet “Christ…dies for the ungodly (Christos…hyper asebon apethanen)” (5:6). This too is an action of grace. Jesus performs this “while we were still weak (onton hymon asthenon)”. Who is mighty while all of creation is weak? There is no other answer to the question of Christ’s identity in the writings of Paul.

Paul asserts: “God proves (synistano, synistemi- to commend, establish 16occ.) his love for us in that…Christ died for us” (5:8). How could God prove his love through someone else’s loving act, is love ever proven in that manner? Could creatures ever made holy through the holiness of a creature? Yet Paul says that we are “justified (dikaioo- 39occ.) by his blood” , and will be saved by him from wrath (sothesometha di’auto apo tes horges, 5:9).

These terms “righteousness/holiness/sanctification/justification” are all interchangeable for the simple reason that the fulness of each is impossible without the fulness of the rest. They are not just overlapping terms, they are coincidental, and only used differently according to context- justification can be used to imply a process, for example. Such considerations should never be the cause of confusion and infighting among Christians, although this is sadly not the case. This is all that needs be said about the relation between the terms, so that we can get to the real work of reflecting upon the terms themselves.

Clearly the contrast between Christ and creation is highlighted: “rarely will anyone…even for a righteous…someone die for a good person (5:8)” with regard to created beings, contrasted with, on the other hand, “God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners (hamartolon), Christ died for us” (5:8) with regards to God and Christ.

We, God’s enemies (ecthroi), are reconciled (katellagemen- v. katallaso, 6occ.-Rom.5:10;1Cor7:11;2Cor5:18,19,2; n.katallage, 4occ. Rom.5:11,11:15;2Cor5:18,19) to God “through the death of his son”, so we are “saved by his life (sothesometha in te zoe autou)” (5.10) Clearly Jesus is never counted among these “enemies” of God himself, rather these enemies are saved from the obvious consequences of opposing an omnipotent being, through his life.

We’ve already seen joy “good news”, justice, righteousness and redemption are through Christ. Now we hear that peace and grace are through him too: Peace between man and God is the result of faith in Jesus Christ: “since we are justified through faith (in Jesus, as we have already seen), we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” (5:1). It is “through” the one who is gracious that we may enter God’s grace. Who’s grace is like God’s but God himself?: “…our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom (di’ hou) we have obtained access to this grace (χάριν charin)…” (5:1,2).

In 5:2-5, the result of this peace (eirene) we have in being justified (dikaiothentes) is that we hope (elpidi) in the glory of God (kauchometha ep elpidi tes doxes theou, most translations, except ESV/RSV/NRSV/GN- “sharing in the glory”). The path to that glory- sufferings (thlipesin) – endurance (hypomonen)- character (dokimen)- hope (elpida), each producing (katergazetai) the other. The Holy Spirit is himself the Love of God and is given as being “poured” (ekkechytai from ekcheo) into us.

We are reconciled to God through the death of his Son, and saved through the Life of his Son: “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life.“ (5:10)

We note the trinitarian language of the first 10 verses of Ch.5: “Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God (FIRST PERSON) through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in our hope of the glory of God ⁵ and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit (THIRD PERSON) that has been given to us. ⁶ For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly (…). ⁸ But God proves his love (which is the Holy Spirit) for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.”

Chapter 6

To be Transformed in Christ

Paul now progresses to speaking about the transformative aspect of faith, buiding up to the well-known first verse of chapter 12. God gives the “gift” of his Son, and these are the effects upon those receiving him, since they are receiving none other than God himself. For who does God gift to creatures, but their Creator? As Jesus says “he who receives me, receives the one who sent me” (Mt.10:40).

“For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Rom.6:5). NIV, NRSV, NASB, NKJV all translate “certainly also” from the Greek alla kai (D-R, KJV -“also”). “Alla kai” indicates a strong association (implied by “certainly” in the translations) between the antecedent and the consequent. The corollary is implied- without union in Jesus’ death, we will not have union in his Resurrection Life.

Further, this conditional assertion is made not just once but FIVE times between vv.3 through 11- In addition to v.5 wchich we just described, in v.4 we have “we were baptised into his death…so that (also “therefore”)…we might also walk in newness of life”. In v.6: “(old self) crucified with him so that…freed from sin”. In v.8 we have again “if we died with Christ…also live with him”. Finally, v.9 has: “he died to sin…will never die again…death no longer has dominion over…raised from death…lives to God…so you also….alive to God in Christ Jesus”. Again in Ch.7 “you have died (to the law) through the body of Christ so that you might belong…to him who was raised…” (7:4). Or in Chapter 8, ” if we in fact suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him (eiper sympaschomen, hina kai syndoxasthomen- literally- suffer together, gloriried together)” (8:17, glorification also 8:28).

Through such a clear “if…then” conditional construction, we have a clear message that it is only when our deaths are “like his” that we will have a favourable resurrection. What is for us to undergo a death “like Christ’s”? The famous third verse from Philippians chapter 3 goes: “Christ emptied himself, not clinging to equality with God…”. Christ relinquished his very Godly privilege, and in doing so calls us to relinquish any privilege, presumption or pride that we might have in our own humanity. Jesus after all, did not just empty himself of his divinity, rather having done that to become human in the first place, he goes one first step further and empties himself of his humanity also.

Through this we are called in our own sufferings to exhibit the same virtues that Christ exhibited in his Passion, which are gentleness, humility and love, all grounded in trusting God. We are thereby brought into a true participation in the Divine Life of the Holy Trinity as we are given in some way that we cannot comprehend, through the workings of the Holy Spirit, to exercise the same Trinitarian love of the Son for the Father. Our own self-regard no longer presents an obstacle to that divine infusion of love which is being “poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which is given us” (5:5).

Chapter 7,8

Dead to Sin, Alive in God

The narrative for the following chapters shifts slightly from “dying in Christ” to a more general “dying to sin” and “alive to God in Christ” (6:11) “logizesthe heautous einai nekrous men te hamartia, zontas de to theo in Christou Iesou”, thus from 6:11-23 going from being slaves to sin and impurity (6:17, 7:13,25) with death as its fruit (6:16; 7:6,13: 8:12), being “set free (eleutherothentes)” (v.18) to being slaves of righteousness (edoulothete dikaiosyne, 6:18, 7:25), enslaved in the newness of the Spirit (7:6) with the fruit of sanctification (6:19,22- parastesate te mele hymon doula dikaiosyne eis hagiasmon), and life (8:12) not letting sin “reign” or “have dominion” over you (6:12,14), not presenting the members of your body to sin as “instruments/weapons of unrighteousness (hopla adikias)”, rather presenting your members to God as “instrument/ weapons of righteousness (hopla dikaiosunes)” (6:13).

Thus Paul is able to talk of two laws, one that the soul/mind/inmost self delights in (7:22) and one that rules the desires of the flesh (7:23). There is, “in my members another law (heteron nomon en tois melesin mou, antistreuomenon to nomo tou noos mou) at war with the war of my mind”, and it is inspite of ourselves and only through Christ that we are able to serve the one, the one pertaining to the higher power of the soul which is the mind rather than to the flesh.

Chapter 8 It is made abudantly clear that this work of uniting and raising is hardly our own but rather “through his Spirit that dwells in you” (twice in 8:11, cf.5:5). That Spirit of God leads us on, having adopted us into God’s family as his children (8:14,15, 19, 21, 23), while bearing witness of this to us in our own spirit (“auto to Pneuma symmartyrei to pneumati hymon” 8:16 and “you received a spirit of adoption (Elabete pneuma huiothesias [huios + tithemi])” (8:15, a “large family- en pollois adelphois”, 8:29). In this, we belong to the Spirit of God (ouk estin autou? 8:9).

At this point, it’s no surprise to hear that there is “no condemnation (ouden katakrima)” (8:1,33,35) for those who “have become united in a death like his (symphytoi gegonamen to homoiomati tou thanatou autou)” (6:5). That is becase God’s own Spirit enables us to love through our experiences of hardships and personal insult as did Christ. “God in sending his own son accomplishes what the law in its weakness because of he flesh could not- my tr., to gar adynaton to nomou en ho asthenei dia tes sarkos, ho theos ton heautou huion pempsas…8:3). We also see the element of the satisfaction of God’s own justice, by his own son here (8:4). Thus Paul is able to end the chapter with such confident and jubilant exultations of the blessed assurance we have in the love of Jesus (8:37) as a result of which no one can condemn us (8:1,33,35), from which no one (8:35) and nothing can separate us (8:35,36,38,39). But there’s more to it…

going on from there, St. Paul writes:

“(nothing)…will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus out Lord” (v.39): the very thing that we will never be separated from is “the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord”. That entity cannot not be God.

In this manner we are “predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son (tois proegno [foreknew] kai proorisen symmorphous yes eikonos tou huiou autou)” (8:29). In and through this activity of God we are given the incredible gift of being made heirs to that which Christ is himself heir to, as “co-heirs (synkleronomoi)”.

Thus Paul has truly explained how “to those loving God (tois agaposin ton theon), God works all things together for the good “synergei panta ho theos eis agathon”, and that these are “called according to his purpose (tois kata prothesin kletois ousin)” (8:28), which is glorification in eternal life with Christ (8:17,18,21,28) and redemption (8:23).

Truly in this manner, God makes us the incredible offer of the gift of “all things”. And how could he not, as Paul wants to tell us, would he have sacrificed all that was precious to him?: “How will he not with him give us everything else (pos ouchi kai syn auto ta panta hemin charisetai)” he who did not withold his son but gave him up for all of us (hos ge tou idiou huion ou epheisato, alla hyper hymon panton paredoken auton)“. God “sent his own son (ho theos, ton heautou huios pempsas)…to deal with (our) sin (peri hamartias)…” (8:3).

Paul is driving home the point here that God is not just doing the offering, he is also doing the work of enabling our acceptance, “interceding”, and this is what makes this, in every sense, the quitessential “fool-proof-plan”. In a sense, God is fully invested in this work of his, he’s “all in”, just as we are in Christ (8:1,10) and our life is in him under the new Law of the Spirit (8:2): “It is Christ who died,…who also intercedes for us (hos kai entynchanei hyper hymon)” (8:34). Not just Christ, but the Spirit himself intercedes (hyperentynchanei 8:26,27) for us. Once again, not only are we expected to pray for what we need, it is God himself, in knowing his own mind, so to speak, enables our prayer for what he need to give to us (8:27)!

So we do not know the things to pray for as it behooves (ouk oidamen ti proseuxometha katho dei 8:26) the Spirit intercedes for us, according to God’s mind- auto to pneuma hyperentynchanei…kata theon entynchanei hyper hagion…(8:27)..the one searching the heart…knows the mind of the spirit- ho de eraunontas kardias oiden ti to phronema tou pneumatos.

There is the beautifully simple description of the meaning of spirituality here, in that those who “live according to the flesh (hoi gar kata sarka ontes), set their minds on the things of the flesh (ta tes sarkos phronousin)” and in simply substituting “spirit” for “flesh”, people exchange one eternal outcome for the other (hoi de kata pneuma, ta tou pneumatos, 8:5). In no uncertain terms, one is death, while the other is life (to gar phronema tes sarkos thanatos; to de phronema tou pneumatos, zoe kai eirene 8:6, 13). The former is antipathic, hostile toward and an enemy to God (echthra eis theon, 8:7) for it does not obey his law “ouk hypotassetai).

this is from the dinivity article:

It is God’ own Law (v.3) “weakened by the flesh” that “could not do” what “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ (ho nomos tou pneumatou tes zoes in Christou Iesou)” (v.2) could, rather it was the latter that “set (us) free from the law of sin and death. God supersedes his own Law, “by sending his own Son”. That Son is not mere flesh, rather only “in the likeness of flesh”, and he is sent “to deal with sin” and “condemn (sin)” (v.3). God’s “Law of the Spirit of life in Christ” (really a verse which is trinitarian), accomplishes what the initial form of God’s own Law against sin could not accomplish against sin. We can see that it is impossible that that which accomplished what God’s own Torah (Law) did not accomplish could be anything but God himself. This is strong affirmation of the divinity of Christ.

We observe that the new Law has a trinitarian formulation if we note that the Father, the Son and the Spirit are not collapsible into the same entity, for were it so, then it would not be clear how the change was wrought from the situation of the Old Law. Thirdly we see the two natures of Christ clearly brought out here. Finally, one can also observe that there is no penal substitution here. Jesus does not come for the purpose of his own punishment primarily, rather “to deal with sin” (v.4) by “condemning (sin)” (v.4).

We see the remarkable expression “his own son” used only twice in the New Testament, and only in relation to Jesus and the Father, both times in Romans “tou idiou huiou” (8:32); “ton heautou huiou” (8:3).

This is the interpretative key here: It is God’ own Law (v.3) “weakened by the flesh” that “could not do” what “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ” (v.2) could. It was the latter that “set (us) free from the law of sin and death. God supersedes his own Law, “by sending his own Son”, not a Son who is mere flesh, rather “in the likeness of flesh”; “to deal with sin” and “condemn (sin)” (v.3). God’s “Law of the Spirit of life in Christ” (Christ who we are also told is no mere human), accomplishes what the initial form of God’s own Law against sin could not accomplish against sin. We can see that it is impossible that that which accomplished what God’s own Torah (Law) did not accomplish could be anything but God himself. This is strong affirmation of the divinity of Christ. Second, we observe that the new Law has a trinitarian formulation if we note that the Father, the Son and the Spirit are not collapsible into the same entity, for were it so, then it would not be clear how the change was wrought from the situation of the Old Law.

Romans 8:9-27

The Spirit of God is seemingly used synonymously with “Spirit of Christ” (v.9 cf.Acts 16:6,7 “Spirit of Jesus”, of J.C. Phil 1:19), which is an indication of Christ’s being identical with “Spirit of God”, because it is subsequently also said “Christ is in you” (v.10) and also that the Spirit of God which “raised Christ from the dead” also “dwells in you” (v.11). Surely we can see here that Christ and God are one and the same Spiritual Being with the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit teaches us to pray, since “we don’t know to pray as we ought” and “intercedes” for us with God (v.26), (Christ too, “at the right hand of God…intercedes for us” [v.34]). God “knows what is the mind of the Spirit”, here what is being spoken of is the “Spirit who intercedes”, and it does so “according to the will of God” (v.27), necessitating that the Spirit be perfectly cognizant of the divine Will. These are closely related to two verses from 1Corinthians which are perhaps the clearest statements of the Spirit’s distinct personhood:

“The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” (1Cor.2:10,11)

In the above verse the Spirit’s personhood is asserted in that he “searches”, and along with it his divine personhood in that he knows “even the deep things of God”. In the same manner that a man’s spirit knows his deepest things. Yet that in God it is a distinct Person, unlike in us, is witnessed to in this verse, after our own spirits do not “search” inside us or intercede with us, since there is no distinction between ourselves and our spirits. The Spirit itself “searches everything” (1Cor2:10), which means it knows our hearts, while Romans 8 states it is God the Father himself who “searches the heart” (v.27). The Spirit in fact has the ultimate knowledge, which is of “even the deep things of God” (1Cor2:11) and “no one (but it), comprehends what is truly God’s” (1Cor2:12).

That will of God is none other that we “be conformed to the image of his Son” (v.29) as (adoptive) “firstborn” (v.29). Thus the work of the Spirit is to enable us to be taken up into the trinitarian life itself, in the model of the Spirit knowing also our minds, conforming them to Gods will through his direct action in us, and thus making us fully in union with the Father just as the Son is also, and himself too as the Third.

Finally, Paul also uses this theme in Galatians, in the passage culminating in the enumeration of the fruits of the Spirit (5:16-26), continuing into 6:7,8.

Chapter 12,13

It is essentially this very dictum, that our salvation is linked to our acceptance of God working in us, by which Christians are able to be self-giving, and this a consequence of the onus being no longer on the self. This is what makes the Christian faith a unique truth that the world cannot grasp, and if indeed it were true that there were an evolutionary principle in God’s plan then it is possible to see why this were its pinnacle. In this we are protected from being “wise in ourselves” (me ginesthe phronimoi par heautous, 12:16, also 1:22, 1Cor3:19)

Religious zeal (12:11), being so long characterised in a negative light, in Christianity is no more than the zeal to give, because of a God who gave himself. That zeal therefore is for love “owe nothing but the debt of love”, love it literally our debt to humanity, something that is not to be kept to ourselves, and it is our zeal to give it.

Tying all of this together in this manner, in the next two chapters Paul is able to speak of our transformation (12:2), being “clothed with Christ” (13:14), our bodies and our very lives lived as holy sacrifice, our lives lived as love offerings to all (12:1). This is what makes love pure and protects from disenginuity/ hypocrisy (12:9). This makes us sincere, fervent, other-centred, to be able to overcome evil with love (12:21), having gained a true victory over sin in this manner, no more will be “conformed”. We are after all “one body in Christ” (12:5), we will “associate with the lowly”, and “bless our enemies”. The blessing of one’s enemies is seen in no other religion, however in Christianity we can see ourselves in them “you were once enemies”. We look at all of these verses delving on the Greek to appreciate them more deeply.

Stunningly, this is the only place in the NT that speaks of “logiken latreian”, which is really “orthodoxy” or right worship, unless there might be something I’ve missed, I apologize in advance but I could find nothing else. The only other use of “logikos” is 1Pet.2:2 which is somewhat similar: “crave the right milk like newborn babies”.

“Parastesai ta somata hymon (present the bodies of you) thysian zosan (a living sacrifice) to theo euareston (to God well pleasing) ten logiken latreian hymon (the worthy sacrifice of you)” (12:1).

“Logiken latreian”: NRSV,ESV,RSV “spiritual worship”, NIV “true and proper worship”, KJV/NKJV/ Lexham, D-R more literal “reasonable service”, GN “true worship”. The literal meaning of “logiken” would be “logical/reasonable”.

“(Me schematizesthe to aioni touto) Do not be conformed to this world, (alla metamorphousthe te anakainosei tou noos) but be transformed by the renewal of your mind (eis dokimazein hymas) for proving to yourself (ti to thelema tou theou) what is the will of God (to agathon kai to euareston kai teleion) good and pleasing and perfect.” (12:2)

“(he agape anypocritos) let love not be hypocritical/be genuine, (apostygountes to poneron, apostygeo, abhor, 1occ., from stugetos Tit.3:3 1occ.) hating what is evil (kollomenoi to agatho [kollao12 occ]to what is good) clinging (te philadelphia eis allelous philostorgoi) be devoted to one another in brotherly love (philostrogoi 1 occ., Paul has so much love here that he seemingly joins two words philos and storgos, both of which mean love into one word), (te time allelous proegoumenoi proegeomai, 1 occ. from pro + hegeomai, to lead/consider/suppose) esteeming one another in honour, …”

…te spoude me okneroi (not lacking in diligence, he spoude 12 occ. okneros 3occ.), te pneumati zeontes (being fervent in spirit, zeo- boil, be hot, 2occ.,Acts 18:25), to Kyrio douleuontes (serving the Lord), te elpidi chairontes (rejoicing in hope), te thlypsei hypomenontes (persevering in affliction), te proseuche proskarterountes (being constant in prayer, poskartereo 10 occ. Mk.3:9; Acts 1:14,2:42,46,6:4 8:13,10:7;Rom 12:2,13:6; Col.4:2), tes chreisas ton hagion koinountes (contributing to the needs of the saints), ten philoxeian diokontes (pursuing hospitality).

The rest reads very much like the Sermon of Jesus in Matthew following the beatitudes and his other teaching with respect to the poor and humility summarized:

Eulogeite tois diokontas hymas (bless those persecuting you) eulogeite kai me katarasthe (bless and do not curse) cheirein meta chaironton (rejoice with those rejoicing), klaiein meta klaionton (weep with those weeping), to auto eis allelous phronountes (thinking the same among one another/ live in harmony with one another- NRSV), me ta hypsela phronountes (not regarding ostentatious things/not being ostentatious– my tr./ do not be haughty- NRSV), alla tois tapeinois apagomenoi (rather associate with the lowly), me ginesthe phronimoi par heautos (do not be wise in yourselves).

Medeni kakon anti kakou apodidontes (not repaying evil with evil), pronoomenoi kala enopion panton anthropon (considering goodness before all men) ei dynato ex hyman (if it is possible for you) meta panton anthropon eireneuontes (living peacably with all), me heautous ekdikountes (not avenging yourselves, agapetoi (beloved), alla dote topon orge (but give room to wrath) gegraptai (as it has been written) emoi ekdikesis (vengeance is mine) ego antapodoso (I will repay, says the Lord) legei Kyrios.

Ean peina ho ekthrous sou, psomize auton (if your enemy should hunger feed him), ean dipsa potize (if he is thirsty give him to drink)….Me niko hypo tou kakou (do not be overcome by evil) alla nika en to agatho to kakon (but overcome evil with good).

(13:8) medeni meden opheilete, ei me to allelous agapan (do not owe anyone anything except love- my tr.) ho gar agapon ton heteron ton nomon pepleroken (for the one loving others has fulfilled the Law) …kai ei tis hetera entole (and if any other commandment), en to logo touto anakephalaioutai, (in this it is summed up) agapeseis ton plesion sou hos seauton (you shall love your neighbour as yourself) ho agape to plesion kakon ouk ergazetai (love can never work evil to your neighbour) pleroma tou nomou he agape (love is the fulfilment/fullness of the Law).

he nyx proekopsen he de hemera engyken (the night is passing, prokopto 6occ., the day draws near) apothometha oun ta erga tou skotous (we should therefore cast off the works of darkness) endysometha de ta hopla tou photos (and don the armour of light) hos en hemera euschemenos peripatesomen (let us walk properly [euschemonos 3occ.] as in the day) …

…alla endysasthe ton Kyrion Iesoun Christon (let us put on/endow ourselves/clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ), cf Gal 3:27: “as many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ (hosoi gar eis Christon ebaptizesthe, Christon endysasthe [enduo, 27 occ., always clothing related])” kai tes sarkos pronioan me poeiesthe eis epithymias (and make no provisions [pronioia, 2occ., Act 24:2] for the desires of the flesh)….”

Chapter 14-16

More trinitarian language: “for the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. The one who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and has human approval.” (14:17). The Joy of God’s Kingdom is the Holy Spirit himself, but is obtained through the service of Jesus, thus each is God.

Chapter 15

Paul prays “May the God of steadfastness and encouragement (ho de theos tes hypomones kai tes parakleseos) grant that we live together in harmony with one another (doe hymin to auto phroneinen allelous), in accordance with Christ (kata Iesoun)” (15:5). Trinitarian overtones are present even if not explicit, with “God of parakleseos” reminiscent of the Holy Spirit as the paraclete (advocate/comforter) in John’s Gospel. Further, we are told to live “kata Iesoun”, according to Jesus, in this is harmony among humans, yet we know we are to live according to God’s Word/ Law.

The trinitarian themes only increase. Paul interchanges “Gospel of God” (15:16, 7 NT occ.) with “Gospel of Christ in 15:19, a phrase we find 5 other times in the NT:1Cor.9:12, 2Cor9:13, Gal1:7, Phil1:27, 1Thess3:2)”. Next, if we trace the theme of works in the passage- Paul call himself a worker/ minister “leitourgon” for Christ, but doing priestly work (hierourgounta) for God’s Gospel (which as we have seen is synonymous with Christ’s Gospel). Further, it is Christ accomplishing that work in him, rather than he doing it by himself (v.18 kateirgasato), and that “word and work” (logos kai ergon) is truly Godly in the Power of the Holy Spirit (v.19), consisting of divine signs and wonders (semeion kai teraton). Clearly the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are working miracles in Paul, according to him the vocation of a priest of the Holy Trinity.

“…I have written to you…because of the grace given me by God (16) to be a minister (leitourgon- laos [people]+ ergon{work]. 5occ., Rom13:6; Phil.2:25; Heb.1:7,8:2) of Christ Jesus to the gentiles in the priestly service (hierourgounta, 1occ., from hieros [priest] + ergon [work]) of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the gentiles may be acceptable (euprosdektos, 5occ.), sanctified by the Holy Spirit (hegiasmene in pneumati hagio) ¹⁷ In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to boast of my work for God (ta pros ton theon). ¹⁸ For I will not be so bold as to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me (kateirgasato di’ emou) to win obedience from the gentiles, by word and deed (logo kai ergo) ¹⁹ by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit (en dynamei pneumatos theou), so that from Jerusalem and as far around as Illyricum I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.” (15:15-19)

Conclusion

References