Last time, we looked at the first of three rhetorical questions Paul asks in Romans 6-7. In answering the question of whether we should continue sinning since sin prompts God to act graciously, Paul develops his argument that that we have died with Christ and since Christ’s death destroyed sin’s power, sin has no power … Continue reading A Second Exodus: Romans 6.15-23
Last time, we looked at the second half of Romans 5, in which Paul contrasts two different ways of being human: the normal course of human life in the kingdoms of this world, which is to follow in Adam’s footsteps into sin, and the course of a new, renewed humanity in the Kingdom of God, … Continue reading Participating in Christ: Romans 6.1-14
In the last post, we looked at a transitional section of Paul's Letter to the Romans, which brought together all the themes of the letter to date: that all stand as sinners before God, but have been made right with God through the way of faithfulness, the good-faith way of life and peace revealed in … Continue reading The Case of Two Adams: Romans 5.12-21
Before moving on from Paul’s first big argument, it’s time for another targum, a loose explanatory paraphrase of the text: [3.21] But now, God’s justice has been revealed apart from the Law (though the Law and Prophets foretell it), that is, God’s justice for all who faithfully participate in Jesus’ good-faith life. God doesn’t … Continue reading Saved by Faith: A Targum on Romans 3.21-5.11
In Chapter 4, Paul headed off accusations of novelty in his gospel or that it was a rejection of God’s covenant with Abraham by insisting that Abraham’s election was itself an act of divine grace that made him right with God (’justified’ him) by faith. Now in chapter five, he returns to his main argument, … Continue reading On Peace and Boasting: Romans 5.1-11
