Romans (Believers Church Bible Commentary)

Contents......Page 8
Series Foreword......Page 16
Author's Preface......Page 18
Introduction to Romans......Page 20
Why Romans......Page 21
The Churches in Rome......Page 22
The Pastoral Context in Rome......Page 28
The Purpose of Romans......Page 29
The Perspective of This Commentary......Page 30
The Over-all Plan of Romans......Page 32
The Larger Thought World of Romans......Page 33
The Problem of Language......Page 36
This Commentary......Page 37
Prescript, 1:1-7......Page 38
Thanksgiving, 1:8-12......Page 44
Disclosure Formula, 1:13-15......Page 45
The Framing, 1:1-15, 15:14-33......Page 46
+The Obedience of Faith......Page 50
The Thesis Statement, 1:16-18......Page 51
The Thesis, 1:16......Page 52
The Gospel Reveals the Righteousness of God, 1:17......Page 55
The Gospel Reveals the Wrath of God, 1:18......Page 58
*Righteousness......Page 60
+Righteousness and Ethics are Linked......Page 62
+Righteousness Concerns Peoplehood......Page 63
+Socio-Political Implication......Page 64
The Argument of the Letter......Page 66
The Revelation of the Wrath of God, 1:18–3:20......Page 68
The Impartial Judgment of God on all Peoples, 1:18–2:11......Page 69
The Inexcusability of Humanity, 1:19-21......Page 70
The Just Retribution of God, 1:22–2:3......Page 71
The Judgment According to Works, 2:6-10......Page 74
The Conclusion, 3:19-20......Page 75
*The Impartiality of God......Page 76
+Becoming What We Worship......Page 77
+The Challenge of Homosexuality......Page 78
The Equality of Gentiles and Jews Before God's Judgment, 2:12-29......Page 80
The General Principle—The Equality of Judgment in Relation to the Law, 2:12-13......Page 81
The First Case of the Gentiles, 2:14-16......Page 82
The First Case of the Jews, 2:17-24......Page 83
The Second Case of the Gentiles, 2:26-27......Page 85
The General Principle—The Relation of Circumcision and Obedience, 2:28-29......Page 86
The Objection of the Jews, 3:1-20......Page 88
The Diatribe, 3:1-9......Page 89
The Conclusion, 3:19-20......Page 93
*The Picture of God......Page 96
*The Family Debate......Page 97
+The Faithfulness of God......Page 98
+The Language of Criticism......Page 99
The Revelation of the Righteousness of God, 3:21-26......Page 100
The Revelation, 3:21-22a......Page 102
The Means, 3:22b-25a......Page 103
The Parenthesis 3:22b-24a......Page 104
Back to the Main Argument......Page 105
The Purpose, 3:25b-26......Page 106
*The "Faith of Jesus" in Paul......Page 109
*The "Faith of Jesus" in Romans......Page 112
+The Righteousness of God......Page 113
+Salvation Effects Change......Page 114
One God Makes Righteous All People, 3:27–4:25......Page 115
The Dialogue, 3:27-4:2......Page 117
The Exposition of Scripture, 4:3:25......Page 120
*Abraham......Page 127
+Abraham Faiths God to Do The Impossible......Page 130
Summarizing the Argument, chs. 1–4......Page 131
The Meaning of the Revelation of the Righteousness of God, 5:1–8:39......Page 133
Peace with God, 5:1-11......Page 135
The Basis, 5:1a......Page 136
The Exhortations, 5:1b-8......Page 137
The Basis, 5:9a......Page 140
The Benefits, 5:9b-11......Page 141
*Boasting......Page 144
*Reconciliation......Page 145
+The Problem of Suffering......Page 146
+Salvation from Guilt and Shame......Page 147
+The Politics of Peace......Page 150
Victory of Christ Over Sin, 5:12-21......Page 151
Perspectives for Interpreting This Unit......Page 153
The Death of the Old Humanity, 6:1–7:6......Page 169
Sin that Grace May Abound, 6:1-11......Page 171
Exhortations Based on the Thesis, 6:12-14......Page 178
Practice Sin to Enjoy Grace, 6:15-23......Page 179
To Those Under the Law, 7:1-6......Page 182
*Baptism......Page 187
*Dying and Rising with Christ......Page 188
+The Problem of Sin in The Church......Page 190
+The Challenge of Baptism......Page 191
Victory Over the Flesh/Sin Through Christ and the Spirit, 7:7–8:11......Page 192
The Meaning of the "I"......Page 195
The Weakness of the Law due to the Flesh/Sin, 7:7-25......Page 198
The Fulfillment of the Law Through Christ and the Spirit, 8:1-11......Page 206
+The Glasses of The Past......Page 214
+A Different Reading......Page 216
+The Gift of The Spirit......Page 217
+The Challenge of Worldviews......Page 218
Children of God, 8:12-39......Page 219
The Spirit and Family Relationships, 8:12-17......Page 220
The Triumph of Glory Over Sufferings, 8:18-30......Page 223
The Triumph of God in Christ, 8:31-39......Page 228
+The New Family of God......Page 234
+Living in The Spirit......Page 235
+The Mystery of Suffering......Page 236
Summarizing the Argument, chs. 1–8......Page 237
The Faithfulness of God to Jews and Gentiles, 9:1–11:36......Page 238
The Lament of Paul for Israel, 9:1-5......Page 241
The Wish, 9:3......Page 242
The Privileges, 9:4-5......Page 243
God's Word Has Not Failed, 9:6-29......Page 244
God's Call, 9:6-13......Page 246
God's Sovereignty, 9:14-21......Page 248
God Elects a New People, 9:22-29......Page 251
*Election and Jewish Identity......Page 254
+Displacement Theology......Page 255
+God's Election of Jewish and Gentile Peoples......Page 256
+Election Is About God's Love and Mercy......Page 257
Christ Is the Fulfillment of the Word of God, 9:30–10:21......Page 258
Israel Pursued the Law and Righteousness Incorrectly, 9:30–10:3......Page 260
Christ Is the Goal for Jew and Gentile, 10:4-13......Page 263
The Gospel Is for all Who Hear, 10:14-21......Page 268
*Leviticus 18......Page 270
*Deuteronomy 30......Page 271
The Church's Historic Grid......Page 272
+Jesus Fulfills the Law and God's Promises......Page 273
God Has Not Rejected Israel, 11:1-36......Page 274
The Remnant and the Rest, 11:1-10......Page 276
The Importance of Israel's Future Salvation, 11:11-24......Page 278
The Divine Mystery of Salvation for Jews and Gentiles, 11:25-32......Page 282
Doxology, 11:33-36......Page 285
*The Prophecies of Isaiah......Page 286
+Supersessionism......Page 288
+Two Covenant Theology......Page 289
+The Rejection of Anti-Judaism......Page 290
+The Jewish-Christian Schism and Contemporary Response......Page 291
Summarizing the Argument, chs. 9–11......Page 292
The Living Sacrifice of the Righteous Community, 12:1–15:13......Page 296
The Living Sacrifice, 12:1-2......Page 298
The Frame, 12:3 and 16......Page 303
To Live as the Body of Christ, 12:4-8......Page 304
To Love without Hypocrisy, 12:9-15......Page 305
*Importance of Renewed Mind......Page 307
+A Radical and Concrete Ethic......Page 309
+A New Value System......Page 310
Repay Only the Good, 12:17–13:10......Page 311
Do Not Repay Evil but Overcome Evil with Good, 12:17-21......Page 312
Be Subject to the Governing Authorities, 13:1-7......Page 314
Be Obligated to No One Except to Love, 13:8-10......Page 320
*Non-retaliation......Page 321
*Submission to the Authorities......Page 322
+Church and State......Page 325
+Faithful to God and Subject to Government......Page 326
The Reason: Knowing the Opportune Time, 13:11-12a......Page 328
The Imperatives, 13:12b-14......Page 329
*Call to Faithfulness......Page 332
Welcome Differences, 14:1-15:13......Page 333
Welcome the Weak One, 14:1-12......Page 335
Do Not Judge One Another, 14:13-23......Page 337
The Strong Bear the Weak, 15:1-6......Page 340
Welcome One Another, 15:7-13......Page 341
*Clean or Unclean?......Page 346
*Food and Community......Page 347
+Criteria for Inclusion......Page 348
+The Politics of Paul......Page 349
Conclusion, 15:14–16:27......Page 351
Paul's Mission, 15:14-21......Page 352
Paul's Plans, 15:22-29......Page 354
Paul's Request for Prayer, 15:30-32......Page 356
Letter Closing, 15:33–16:27......Page 357
The Theology of Romans......Page 366
Chiasmus......Page 370
Identity of Chrestus......Page 371
Death in Romans......Page 372
Death/Baptism as Ritual Events......Page 374
Diatribe......Page 375
Faith in Romans......Page 376
Flesh in Romans......Page 380
Grace in Romans......Page 383
Homosexuality......Page 384
Honor-Shame......Page 386
Into/With Christ......Page 387
Law in Romans......Page 390
Letter Form......Page 395
Living in the Spirit......Page 396
Natural Theology......Page 398
Obedience......Page 399
Original Sin......Page 400
Righteousness......Page 401
The Righteousness of God......Page 406
Salvation-Judgment by Works......Page 409
Sin in Romans......Page 410
Universalism......Page 412
Works of the Law......Page 414
Wrath......Page 416
Outline of Romans......Page 418
Map of New Testament World......Page 422
Bibliography......Page 424
Index of Ancient Sources......Page 453
The Author......Page 464