Saturday, May 25, 2013

Romans 1:28-2:11 timeframe

Romans 1:28-32 is for May 16-19 (-p. 116 in the Moo commentary on Romans).
Romans 2:1-11 is for May 19-27 (-p.  145 in the Moo commentary on Romans)

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Romans 1:26-27 timeframe

Romans 1:26-27 is for May 15-16 (- p. 116 in the Moo commentary on Romans).

Monday, May 13, 2013

Romans with Douglas Moo's commentary, Introduction (day 12 of 14)

(pp. 29-31)

   The alternatives that the author discusses on what the theme of Romans is will all sound very similar, to the point that we wonder what fussing there must be among scholars.  Is the difference, then, like something that one observer sees in a painting as the main interest of the painter, versus what another observer sees?
   First, we should test the idea of the author, that the gospel is the theme of Romans, for comprehensibility.  Does he use a defined term?
   The previous page has an explanation, which will serve for now, we must suppose: "how God has acted in Christ to bring the individual sinner into a new relationship with himself (chaps 1-4), to provide for that individual's eternal life (chaps. 5-8), and to transform that individual's life on earth now (12:1-15:13)" (p. 28).
   Another thing, before the reader must go on in the next few pages armed with definitions of "miniscule" and "uncial," and when the author says UBS, don't look at the bottom for a footnote about it (!).  "4" is not a footnote number on these pages! The author, in interacting with scholars who "vote" differently on the theme, says why their vote wasn't his....
   Not "justification by faith," because, although true, it doesn't cover everything.  But very interestingly, "it expresses, in the sphere of anthropology, a crucial element in Paul's understanding of God's work in Christ." (p. 29).  The gospel makes sense as being about God's work, news about which, there now is!  Justification by faith "expresses ... its entirely gracious character" (p. 29).
   This phrase, "in the sphere of anthropology," surely does justice far better than the sloganeering to the effect that "it's not about me."  Yes, the gospel is about God's work, and justification by faith is "a crucial element."  Not an "anachronism." (p. 28).  Best of all, "it expresses the resolute resistance of Paul, and the NT authors, to the constant human tendency to make what people do decisive for salvation." (p. 29).  Amen.  Luther's back.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Romans 1:24-25 timeframe

Romans 1:24-25 is for May 14 (- p. 113 in the Moo commentary on Romans).

Monday, May 06, 2013

Romans with Douglas Moo's commentary, Introduction (day 11 of 14)

(pp. 27-28)

   There are so many sources of good quotes on these two pages of the commentary by Moo on Romans that I certainly must recommend them highly.  This is especially true if you are involved in the discussion of the various interpretations of the letter that are circulating, to the effect that Paul's main concern is a very human, horizontal concern, how Jews and Gentiles should relate, rather than the vertical concern, how a human being can relate to God, whatever race or races.

   "The bulk of Romans focuses on how God has acted in Christ ...."  Amen.  This is the "reality" part.  As it refers to the Jews / Gentiles, this is referring to God's actions that addressed the different status of real people that are either part of, or not part of, the covenant God had made to the Jews.  This is the "what," the "what God did" part.

   Also, there is the "meaning of" part.  When discussing what the law and gospel mean, that is where the relationship between the concepts, where the discussion of continuity and consistency and advancement and difference and dissimilarity come about.  Can we understand the meaning of what God did, and understand its relationship to the meaning of what God already had done?  That is the "meaning of what God did" part.

   In this second area, the commentary (p. 28) does well to bring out 3:31 and 8:4.  In the area of meaning, Christianity establishes the law, and in the area of reality, Christ fulfills the law.

Romans 1:18-23 timeframe

Romans 1:18-23 is for May 5 - 13 (- p. 110 in the Moo commentary on Romans).

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