Romans

1:16-17

The proposition

The righteous by faith will live

It is clear that these verses establish the thesis of Romans, which thesis is exegeted from 1:18 through to 8:39 (cf. Cranfield). So, the verses serve as "the text of the epistle", Barrett. Note Jewett's division: he suggests that the thesis is developed in 1:18-4:25 and amplified in three units, 5-8, 9-11 and 12-15:13. Of course, there are those who argue that the thesis covers chapters 1-11:36, so Fitzmyer. How nice it would be to simply say "the great thesis of Romans, 'justification by faith alone' is adumbrated in these verses", Black, but life is never that simple. Paul begins with a simple enough statement, he affirms the gospel because it is God's instrument of salvation for everyone who continues to have faith. The next verse, v17, is anything but simple and has prompted endless debate. Paul makes the point that God's righteous rule, his setting everything right ("the righteousness of God") is realized/facilitated ("revealed") on the basis of faith, namely, the faithful submission of Christ on the cross and its appropriation through faith [apart from the law]. The person who is set right with God on the basis of faith will fully possess the promised blessings of God. Habakkuk 2:4 virtually serves as Paul's proof text. So, Paul's thesis is as follows: God's righteous rule / his setting everything right / his dynamic fidelity to his covenant promises + faith (Christ's faithfulness and our faith in his faithfulness) = uprightness / right-standing before God / covenant compliance = the fullness of new life in Christ.

The reader will understand that the reformed (Lutheran / traditional) understanding of Romans is presently challenged by commentators who lean toward the new perspective on Paul. Whereas reformed commentators have handled Romans as a treatise on how an individual is justified in the sight of God, new perspective commentators argue that the epistle is a treatise on how both Jew and Gentile, in Christ, stand equally as members of the new covenant - Romans 1:18-4:25 sets out "the need for the revelation of the righteousness of God ... resulting in the equality of Jew and Gentile in sin and salvation", Dumbrell. So, a reformed commentator, handling the phrase "the righteousness of God", would argue that it is "a status of man resulting from God's action, righteousness as a gift from God", Cranfield. On the other hand, a new perspective commentator would say it is "covenant faithfulness / fidelity", Dumbrell. See Romans Introduction for an outline of how these notes approach Paul's letter to the Romans, and go to the link "the righteousness of God" for an expanded study on this difficult phrase.

gar "-" - for. Expressing cause/reason. Paul is eager to preach in Rome "because", "for", NJB. "Believe me, I have no reason to be ashamed of the gospel, no indeed!", Bruce.

ou epaiscunomai pres. "I am not ashamed of" - Paul is not ashamed of the gospel [possibly "about Christ", v16, although the reading is uncertain], although what is it about the gospel that does not shame him? Possibly because the "foolish" message concerning a crucified messiah is transformed by the resurrection under the power of God, cf. Jewett. If this is the case then treating the clause as a litotes would miss Paul's point, eg. "I am proud of the gospel", Moffatt. On the other hand, Dumbrell suggests that Paul is not ashamed of the gospel "because it always vindicated his ministry"; the gospel effectively saves the lost so Paul can be "proud of the good news", CEV.

to euaggelion "the gospel" - the important message. Not really "good news", better "important news", given that it's not good news for those who reject it.

gar "because" - Expressing cause/reason.

dunamiV (iV ewV) "the power" - Most often in the NT referring to supernatural power. Here obviously of the Holy Spirit activating the gospel such that it possesses the wherewithal to save the seeker. God's power is often active through the medium of a word.

qeou (oV) "of God" - The genitive is possessive, it's God's power.

eiV "for" - to, toward. Here "with a view to."

swthrian (a) "salvation" - Given v18, it is salvation from the wrath to come, although it is also a past and present state for a believer, both of which prefigure a future eternal state. The ground of salvation is "God's righteousness", namely, his being a right God who acts rightly, ie. keeps his promises, although see below.

panti adj. "of everyone" - to all. Dative of advantage, "for the benefit of all." Emphasising the fact that the benefits of the new covenant apply to all, Jew and Gentile equally.

tw/ pisteuonti (pisteuw) pres. act. part. "believes" - the ones believing. The participle is adjectival, as NIV. The present tense indicates durative action, "all those who continue to believe." Belief is the instrument which accesses the gift of salvation, although if we choose not to believe then the gift is no longer ours. The New Testament teaches that disbelief is the only basis for the loss of our salvation. In traditional Reformed theology, and even for Arminius, such a view seems to question the perseverance of the saints, although the truth is that the person who trusts Jesus will persevere to the end; if we hold onto Jesus, he will never let us go.

Ellhni "Greek" - here all non Jews.

gar "for" - Here Paul is establishing the grounds for his statement in v16. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who has faith because it reveals God's righteousness.

en autw/ "in the gospel" - in it. Obviously referring to the gospel

dikaiossunh Qeou "a righteousness from God" - a righteousness of God. We can dispense with the pietistic idea of "God's righteousness" as a divine morality to be lived out by faith, and must choose between the genitive "of God" being partitive, "that status of being right with God which comes as his gift", O'Brien; or possessive/subjective, "the saving activity of God", Talbert, "God's dynamic fidelity to his covenant promises", Dumbrell. The second option seems best; see The righteousness of God.

apokaluptetai (apokaluptw) pres. pas. "is revealed" - "The disclosure of a heavenly mystery", Dunn. Divine passive, God is doing the revealing, while the use of the present tense expresses durative, ongoing action/mission. The gospel serves as a revelation of God's righteousness; it displays God's plan to gather a people right with him through faith. Of course, God's Word is not just spoken, but empowered to complete its intended purpose. The word has a dynamic character such that it is a "divine action to achieve righteousness and salvation", Jewett, cf. Ps.88:2. "God is now seen to be vindicating the right; redressing wrong, and delivering men from the power of evil", Dodd.

ek "by [faith]" - from, out of. This preposition is most often taken to mean, "by / by means of", in line with the following text from Habakkuk, cf. 3:26, 4:16, 5:1, ...., although it more commonly identifies source, "out of / from". So: i] The revelation of God's righteousness is from faith, it comes out of, is the product of, faith. ii] So also, "he who is righteous from faith, shall live", Hab.2:4. An instrumental sense is oversimplistic, so possibly i] "based on faith", ii] "through faith", NJB, although derivation/source, "from" remains dominant.

eiV "from first to [last]" - to, toward. "To/toward" our faith response.

ek pistewV eis pistin "by faith from first to last" - from faith to faith. "The righteousness that springs from faith and leads to (a developing) faith", Cassirer, or even "a process begun and continued by their faith", Phillips. Dumbrell suggests a salvation history approach such that the person who stands right with the God who is right, the God who acts right and makes right, is the person who trusts God. From the faith of the Jews to the faith of the Gentiles, it has always been the same faith, and will always be so. "Faith from start to finish", Hunter. Yet, we are probably on safer ground if we follow Manson who suggests "from the faithfulness of God to the faith response of people", given that the word presents both meanings: i] faithfulness, dependability and ii] trust, belief reliance upon (Barrett disagrees). Of course, Paul most likely has Christ's faithfulness in mind, rather than a general sense of God's faithfulness. "The gospel reveals the covenant fidelity of God, which revelation derives from God's faithfulness (Christ's faithfulness) and has as its end our faith response."

zhsetai (zaw) fut. "will live" - Debate swirls on whether it is "he who is righteous/just by faith will live" or, "he who is righteous/just will live by faith", cf. AV. Commentators divide, with a number holding both options on the assumption that Paul would have been more careful if he intended only one of the two possible meanings, so Manson, Dunn... The weight seems to be with the first option. The person who is righteous by faith "will find eternal life (the fullness of new life in Christ)", cf. BAGD.

ek pistin (iV ewV) "by faith" - Given the OT context, "faith" here is "faithfulness", both the "faithfulness of the righteous", and "the faithfulness of the covenant-keeping God". For Paul's contemporaries, "faithfulness" meant "faithfulness to the law".

Hab.2:4. This quote supports the contention that right standing in the sight of God has always rested on faith. Note order: faith (Christ's and ours) = righteousness = life (as opposed to loss, judgement, death).

Romans Introduction.

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