Pauline Interpretation of Christianity:ROMANS

RLST 212/Div/Rel 3162 TUESDAY Feb 15, 2011

Today’s Schedule

3:10-4:00 Lecture Review + Your readings in Gager/Patte

4:00-5:00 Rom 4:1-25 Roundtable: Its teaching about

a) Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness-justice

b) the promise to Abraham and the promise of the gospel

5:00-5:30 Discussing your Interpretations

PROPOSAL FOR RESEARCH PAPER: Due Wednesday February 24

Your proposal will include three parts: 1) a Step # 1 Report (as usual):

Following the model of the weekly exercises (using Step # 1, Form) , choose as a topic for your paper

a) two passages from the Letter to the Romans

You will have signed up for a text in the last part of Romans ch. 9 – 16 ;

PROPOSAL FOR RESEARCH PAPER: Due Wednesday February 24

a) two passages from the Letter to the Romans You will have signed up for a text in the last part of Romans ch. 9

– 16 ; Two or Three papers on some aspects of Romans

7:1-25 Two or Three papers on some aspects of Romans

8:1-39 Three papers on some aspects of Romans 9:1—

11:36 Three papers on some aspects of Romans 12:1—21 Three papers on some aspects of Romans 13:1-14 Three papers on some aspects of Romans 14 -15 One or Two papers on some aspects of Romans 16

Review.

When you read Paul… beware of the unknown. Instead of thinking: “I know what it

means” All key concepts are unknown “faith” ???? “gospel” Use pour web-page

Paul’s Algebra…. NRS Romans 4:16 For this reason it depends on [faith] = X,

in order that the [promise] = Y may rest on [grace] = Z and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the [law] = W but also to those who share the [faith] = X of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us,

NIV Romans 4:16 Therefore, the [promise] = Y comes by [faith] = X, so that it may be by [grace] = Z and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring-- not only to those who are of the [law] = W but also to those who are of the [faith] = X of Abraham. He is the father of us all.

KJV Romans 4:16 Therefore it is of [faith] = X, that it might be by [grace] = Z; to the end the [promise] = Y might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the [law] = W, but to that also which is of the [faith] = X of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

NAB Romans 4:16 For this reason, it depends on [faith] = X, so that it may be a gift = Z, and the [promise] = Y may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the [law] = W but to those who follow the [faith] = X of Abraham, who is the father of all of us,

Atonement (Rom 2 and 3) (Review)

1. Forensic/Theological: Propitiation = appeasing God’s righteous wrath against sinners (problem is with God)=God needs to be reconciled with us

1. Gospel: good news = Christ died instead of us; was punished instead of us; Vicarious Sacrifice

2. New Covenant/Pastoral: Expiation = expunging sins (problem is with humans) = Humans need to be reconciled with God (humans are angry against God)

• Gospel: good news of God’s love reaching to all, calling ALL to be part of God’s People. Cross = Covenantal sacrifice

3. APOCALYPTIC/MESSIANIC: Redemption = freeing from bondage (problem is with humans) = Humans are in bondage to powers of evil; they are under the dominion/power (part of the kingdom) of Death, Sin, evil

• Gospel: good news of God’s/ Christ saving people from powers of evil. Cross as Redemption sacrifice

Sin (Rom 2 and 3) (Review; differences between NC/P & A/M)

F/T Sin = Willing rebellion against God, = we are responsible for it, feel guilty, offense against God, & should be punished (to satisfy God’s anger against us); God’s honor or anger needs to be satisfied: propitiation

NC/P: Sin = impurity-shame (original sin) that makes us angry against God and destroy just relationship with others; we need to be reconciled with God (expiation)

A/M: Sin = A Power (“the power of sin”) which keeps humans in bondage; addiction, idolatry destructive for self and for others; we need to be freed from idolatry, the “power of sin” (redemption)

LEADER # 2: __AMY LENTZ__ (his/her interpretation vs Moo [or Stuhlmacher])

LAW AND ROMANS (Forensic/Theological)

Law of the Old Testament Wrong View: Law as Canon expressing the will

of God that righteous people should carry out to be saved through “work righteousness.”

But people always fail to carry it out … because it is a matter of the (circumcision of the) heart –motivation (root problem: WILL)

Right View: For Christians, justified by faith: faith comes to fruition in works of the Law [as Lamp to my feet],

it should be gladly and willingly followed when motivated by the Gospel;

then the Law functions, together with the Gospel, as the Good News (of God’s love)= instruction from the creator on how to put our life together

LAW AND ROMANS (NC/PNew Perspective)

• Law of the Hebrew Bible [[=TORAH]] as a part of the covenant between God and Israel that remains valid for Jews.

• Wrong View : when this Law is taken as Canon/Rule of the Community that excludes Gentiles.

• Right View : Book of the Covenant between God and Israel that remains valid for Jews. For Gentile Christians, now also in the (inclusive) Covenant with God through faith, the Law functions as Book of the Covenant for both Jews and Gentiles, though Gentile Christians can carry out their vocation in their own way, apart from the Law—though it is fulfilling the Law (summarized in the Law of love).

LAW AND ROMANS (New Covenant /Pastoral/New Perspective)

Galatian 5:13-14 (NRSV) For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. 14 For the whole law [[=TORAH]] is summed up in a single commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

Romans 13:8-10 the one who loves another has fulfilled the law [[=TORAH]]. 9 The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet"; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, "Love your neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. [[=TORAH]]

Makes sense, acceptable to Jews? Not truly, unless they recognize Jesus as Messiah. So two distinct branches of the “people of God”. In the NC/P/New Perspective. (Erik is right) … except for Apocalyptically minded Jews.

Reading Romans 4

Which theological/hermeneutical framework did I use? A commentator used?

Forensic/Theological? Pastoral/Covenantal? Messianic/Apocalyptic? In this case, we can recognize it by paying

attention to how we interpreted the way Paul used Scripture.

Romans 4 and Genesis 12 – 17 about Abraham

How does Paul interpret (use as scripture) the texts of Gen 12– 17 and Ps 32?

Gen 15:6 Rom 4:3 (9, 22-23) "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.“

Ps 32:1-2 Rom 4:7-8 "Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the one against whom the Lord will not reckon sin.“

(Gen 12:7) Rom 4:13 Gen 15 to 17 Abraham and Sarah

Rom 4 and Gen 12 – 17 Ps. 323 possibilities: Moo, Jewett, and Byrne

Forensic: Use Gen 12 – 17 and Ps 32 as proof text for a theological point in Paul’s theological argument

Gen 15:6 Rom 4:3 (9, 22-23) "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.“

Ps 32:1-2 Rom 4:7-8 "Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the one against whom the Lord will not reckon sin.“

Proof-text of the main theological point: we are justified through faith (in Christ, who died for us) and not through works of the law

Roles of scripture = Lamp to my feet, Canon, or Good News (providing knowledge or will)

Patte (from Early Jewish Hermeneutics in Palestine, 1971/1974) Covenant

Sadducees (Work Righteousness)

1) Law Fulfilled Legalistic,

rituals

2) Blessings Rewards “Being

saved” by works

Pharisees (Paul Pharisee) 1) Election by God

Unwarranted Blessings

Unilateral blessing (Exod 20:1) = salvation

2) Vocation Being people of

priests for the nations 3) Law

What people need to do to fulfill its vocation

Early Rabbinic/Pharisees View Of Scripture (1)

IN SYNAGOGUE and IN SCHOOL In Synagogue Cycle of readings; Torah (seder)

prophets (haftarah) (verbal tallying) Translation = Targum Homilies; stringing texts together

(pearls)… a text, interpreting another text, interpreting another text…. Back to the first text. (eventually written down = Midrash)

Targum = same thing as homilies… explain the text, in terms of other texts.

Early Rabbinic/Pharisees: Synagogue (2) Haggadic interpretations

Some Hermeneutical principles: 1) Everything is meaningful in Scripture; 2) Scripture is to be explained by Scripture; 3) Synthetic view of scripture and of sacred

history/ “telescoping” “ There is no before and after in scripture” (one of 32 middoth rules): ex: nights of creation, of Abraham (covenant, Gen 15), of Aqedah (sacrifice of Isaac), of Passover, eschatological night of Messiah

= sacred history is closed: God acted/revealed in the past, the sacred past of sacred history; will act/reveal in the future; in between there is no new revelation Everything is revealed on Mt Sinai

Early Rabbinic/Pharisees: Synagogue (2) Haggadic interpretations

Some Hermeneutical principles (continued):

4) Theological developments in Targum =not systematic theology = haggadah = (sacred) stories = a listening to scripture

5) Some actualization of scripture = circle of scripture interpreting scripture is broken – but primarily halakic (back to this later)

Early Rabbinic/Pharisees: Synagogue (4) Liturgical Haggadah

All liturgy = scripture = participating in liturgy (prayers, songs, readings, translations/targums, homilies) = entering Scripture

Entering Torah = being constituted as the people of God = example of Passover Seder = we went out of

Egypt We are the people of Israel described in Scripture MIDRASH

Rom 4 and Gen 12 – 17 Ps. 323 possibilities: Moo, Jewett, and Byrne

Covenantal: Use Gen 12 – 17 and Ps 32 as Midrash (Jewett)

Gen 15:6 Rom 4:3 (9, 22-23) "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.“

Ps 32:1-2 Rom 4:7-8 "Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the one against whom the Lord will not reckon sin.“

But also and mainly all the story of Abraham & Sarah = a Midrash = helping us gain our IDENTITY AS THE PEOPLE OF GOD = faithful people gathered by God around Christ = WE CAN IDENTIFY WITH ABRAHAM & SARAH, AND ARE THEIR DESCENDANTS … like them we are people of “faith”

Role of scripture = Family Album

Rom 4 and Gen 12 – 17 Ps. 323 possibilities: Moo, Jewett, and Byrne

Covenantal: Issue 4:2 “For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.

“Boasting” = declaring ONESELF honorable is actually FALSE HONOR; SHAME

Gen 15:6 Rom 4:3 (9, 22-23) "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness“ declared = recognized as honorable not a “self-declaration” (boasting about self as shameful)

Ps 32:1-2 Rom 4:7-8 "Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven (= dismissed, let go), and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the one against whom the Lord will not reckon sin.“ Not a matter of ‘forgiveness” (to avoid punishment) but a matter of the honor of being integrated in the people of God… with a vocation

Pharisees and Apocalyptic Models See Early Jewish Hermeneutics in Palestine

Pharisees = One Covenant

Election: complete = everything has been revealed on Mount Sinai (Oral and Written Torah)

Haggadah: Closed sacred history; Liturgy; interpreting Scripture by Scripture (Midrash)

Halakah: needs to be reinterpreted again and again (Mishnah, Talmud, constantly interpreted in terms of social, cultural situation)

Apocalyptic = New Covenant (people still in bondage)

Election: God is electing, choosing a remnant/a new faithful people = new interventions of God

Typology; Prophecy are fulfilled

Haggadah = Open sacred history, ongoing activity of God , establishing and reestablishing the covenant through choosing/calling a new people, through interventions of power

Halakah = Very strict; AS BY PRIEST IN THE TEMPLE

Apocalyptic people: e.g. Qumran (DP’s Early Jewish Hermeneutics, 1975)

Apocalyptic = New Covenant (people still in bondage)

Election: God is electing, choosing a remnant/a new faithful people = new interventions of God

Typology; Prophecy are fulfilled

Haggadah = Open sacred history, ongoing activity of God , establishing and reestablishing the covenant through choosing/calling a new people, through interventions of power

Halakah = Very strict; AS BY PRIEST IN THE TEMPLE

Rom 4 and Gen 12 – 17 Ps. 323 possibilities: Moo, Jewett, and Byrne

Apocalyptic/Messianic: Use Gen 12 – 17 and Ps 32 as types (Byrne, Käsemann, Beker, Patte)

Gen 15:6 Rom 4:3 (9, 22-23) "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.“

Ps 32:1-2 Rom 4:7-8 "Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the one against whom the Lord will not reckon sin.“

But also and mainly all the story of Abraham & Sarah = as TYPES = PROMISES = ARE FULFILLED IN THE BELIEVERS’ EXPERIENCE… God is at work giving them faith… ARE FULFILLED IN CHRIST’S DEATH AND RESURRECTION

Role of scripture = Corrective Glasses

Patte (from Early Jewish Hermeneutics in Palestine, 1971/1974) Covenant

Pharisees (Paul Pharisee) 1) Election by God

Unwarranted unilateral Blessings

God’s intervention (Exod 20:1) =

salvation2) Vocation

Being people of priests for the nations= sanctifying the Name

3) Law What people need to

do to fulfill its vocation

Apocalyptic Judaism 1) Election by God

Unwarranted unilateral Blessings

God’s intervention (Exod 20:1) = “promised salivation”

PRESENT intervention by God defeating evil = salvation

2) Vocation Being people of priests for

the nations = sanctifying the Name

3) Law What people need to do to

fulfill its vocation

Today: Shifting back and forth between

F/T & NC/P Metaphorical Frames

1. FORENSIC/THEOLOGICAL Frame: = 1. God = a just judge, who is angry

against sinners2. Humans = sinners, offend God, should

be punished3. Jesus Christ is punished instead of

sinners = cross as vicarious sacrifice = propitiation appeasing God’s wrath

4. By “believing in Jesus” = “believing that” if one puts oneself at the benefit of the cross then one is at peace with God

Romans 4:1-25 Typological reading

Romans 4:1-25 RS Romans 4:1 What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh [TYPE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR EXPERIENCE]? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness." 4 Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift [charis, grace] but as something due. 5 But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness. [= GIFT = grace = GOD DOING SOMETHING IN OUR LIFE]

Romans 4:1-25 Typological reading

6 So also David speaks of the blessedness (= intervention of God in their lives) of those to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works: 7 "Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven (= dismissed, let go) and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the one against whom the Lord will not reckon sin." 9 Is this blessedness, then, only for the circumcised, or also on the uncircumcised? We say, "Faith [associated with gift of God] was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness." [= blessedness; intervention of god] 10 How then was it reckoned to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised.

Romans 4:1-25 Typological reading

11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the ancestor of all [TYPE] who believe without being circumcised and who thus have righteousness reckoned to them, 12 and likewise the ancestor of the circumcised who are not only circumcised but who also follow the example of the faith that our ancestor Abraham had before he was circumcised. 13 For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation.

Romans 4:1-25 Typological reading

16 For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace = GIFT and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, 17 as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations")-- in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. NOTE DEFINITION OF FAITH 18 Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become "the father of many nations," according to what was said, "So numerous shall your descendants be." 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the ‘deathness’

of Sarah's womb.

Romans 4:1-25 Typological reading

20 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 Therefore his faith "was reckoned to him as righteousness." 23 Now the words, "it was reckoned to him," were written not for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,

25 who was handed over to death for our trespasses [to free us from what led us to transgress God’s will] and was raised for [BY GOD] our justification [= gift of god].