cheenc03a.pdf

ROMANS (EPISTLE)
and benediction (1,-1). an introduction (18-xi), and a
statement of what he regards ar the essential matter as
regards the preaching of the gospel-a thing not to be
ashamed of but to k everywhere preached as a power
of God for the salvation of every believer whether Jew
or Grrek (1r6J)-come two great doctrinal sections
followed by an ethical section. The first doctrinal
section, 11e-839, is devoted to the elucidation of the truth
that the gospel in the means for the salvation of Jews
and Greeks, because in it is revealed the righteousness
of God from faith to faith ; the other. 9-11. to an earnest
di~clls~ion of what seems to be a comolete reiection of
the Jews by God: the third, the ethical section (121-
15~~). to a setting forth of the conduct that befits the
Christian both towards God and towards man in - eenera1.
and towards the weak and their claims in uartlcular
In substance the doctrine is aa follows. Sin has
alienated all men. Jews and Gentiles alike, from God,
50 that neither our natural knowledze of God nor the
law is able to help us (118.3~0). An& way of salvation
is opened up, a God's rightmurnerr has been manifested'
(6r~atoolvq ReoD rr@avipwrar) for all men without distinction,
by faith in relation to Jerus Christ (311-31). It
is accordingly of no importance to be descended from
Abraham according to the flesh : Abraham in the higher
sense is the father of thore who believe (4). Justified by
faith. we have peace with God and the best hopes for
the future (5). Let no one, however, suppose that the
doctrine of grace, the persuasion that we are under
grace, not under the law, will conduce to sin or bring
the law into contempt. Such conclusions can and
must be peremptorily set aside (6-7). The emancipated
life of the Christian, free from the law of sin and death,
in a gloiiou one (8). Israel. the ancient people of the
promises with its great privileges, appears indeed to be
rejected, yet will finally be gathered in (9.11). The life
of Christians, in relation to God and man, must in every
respect give evidence of complete renewal and absolute
consecration (12r~15~3). Finally, a closing word as to
the aportle'r vocation which he hopes to fulfil in Rome
also : a commendation of Phebe, greetings, exhortations,
benedictions, and an ascription of praise to God
(151s16zr).
If, at a first inspection, the work presents itself to us
as an epistle written by Paul to the Christians at Rome.
B, D&CUlties: on cl"ser examination it becomes diffinot
a letter; cult to adhere to such a view. Dimopen
and cuities arise on every side. To begin
w~th-as regards the form that is
c,oae,
assumed. We are acauainted with no
letters of antiquity with any ruch exordium as this :
' Paul, bond-slave of Jesus Christ, "ailed an apostle,
reparated unto the gospel of God . . . to all thore
who are in Rome . . . grace to you and peace from
God our father and the Lord Jesus Chrirt' (IloDhor
6oCAor 'IqooD Xp~oroS, xhni6r drbnohor d+opc#&vor 66rh@bv eou, 1410). 'For if because of meat thy brother
elr skyyihlov BroG . . . r8aw ?air oOmu iu 'Phpg is grieved, etc.' (el yrtp Lb j3pirpo b dBrh@br ~ o hvrrira' v
. . . xdpcr BpG xnal rlprjvq dr6 BroG --orpar +pOv x.1 n.r.A., 14 x ~), etc. Often the argument proceeds uninxupio"
'IqroO Xp~aroQ) ; nor with any conclusion so terruptedly for a long time withottt any indication of the
high-sounding as the doxology of 10os-z7, or the prayer existence of a defrnite circle of persons to whom it is
for the grace of our Lord Jesus Chrirt which is heard in addressed. Yet, on the other hand also, the abstract
16- (or 16~~). In every other case the epistles of argumentation gives place to direct address, the word
antiquity invariably begin plainly and simply.
of admonition or exhortation spoken to the brethren
Thus, for example in the collection of Oxyrhynchus papri (darA@l), whether named or unnamed-the mention of
(118,) we hrve ~i?$v; Tao"v'+pt' rdr mibur rj$",?d" . . . and
at the clorc .f =pa .; or (1 zs3 Xalp#oc
whom, however, when it occurs, is a purely oratorical
Arouurcur 72. rupivr
&n+; X.;p. md, at the close, ipp~d~i
nr ~ x ~ ~ ~ c form . and no natural expression of the existence of any
Greetings are indeed conveyed both from and to ruecia1 relation between the writer and his assumed
various persons : but never are w many introduced as readers. Of the passages coming within the %ope of
in Rom. 163.16. where in fact at the end oN the churches thisremark (some of them, already noticed in 8 q), none
salute. A letter-writer may, at the outre:, reek to bring uresents any peculiarity in this respect. On the conhimself
into closerrelationship h.ith his reader or to make ;ray, of thcm producer "niformly the same
himself known more exactly; but in the many ex- impression : in this manner no real letter is ever written.
amples of real letters that have come down to ur from
ancient times we nowhere find anything even approach-
The last chapter has nothing of the character of a
portscript to a letter already completed, although the
ing the amplitude of Rom. 1~-6. Nor yet does any real letter appears to end with 153-33. Stmnge, in the
letter, whether intended for few or for many, 30 far as srnse of being not natural but artificial, is the appearance
4131
ROMANS (EPISTLE)
we are in a position to judge, ever give us cause, because
by its length or its elaborate method it resembles a
treatise arraneed in orderly sections, to reeard it ar a
,,
. .
parison between our epistle and any real letters from
style of ancient times, so imporrible is it toregard
It a" "actual epistle, to whatever date.
address,
locality, or author we may assian it.
How could any one it the very beginning of a Let&, in
which. . too. . the first desire he writes to rxoress is that
of writing solemnly, earnestly, directly, allow himself
10 expatiate, as this writer does, in ruch a parenthesis?
He speaks as a didactic expounder who, for the most
part, directly and as concisely as possible, deals with a
number of disputed points, with regard to which the
reader may be supposed to be in doubt or uncertainty
h u e in point of fact they have gained acceptance
within certain circles. These expositions relate to
nothing more or less than ruch points as the relation
of the Pauline Goswl to the OT lu. 21, the descent of
the Son of God f;om the house'of bavid (v. ,), the
evidence of the Messiahship of Jesus derived from his
resurrection (0.*), the origin and the legitimacy of the
Pauline preaching (v. s). At the same time the readers
(who have not yet been named and are first addressed in
w. v\ ., are assured that the" belonr - to the Gentiles 188vnl. , .,.
with reference to whom Paul has received hk apostleship.
although, according to 1 rvr3, he has never as yet met
them and consequently has not been the means of their
conversion. All this within a sinale -. ~aienthesir. In
such wire no letter was ever heyn.
Thewtiter addresses himself to 'all' the members of a
wide circle-let us ray in Rome : even if the words 'in
Rome' (#v 'Phpg) a& ,those who are in Rome' (72s
6v'Phpg. 171~). according to some MS authorities. do
not belong to the original text, their meaning is assured
by the superscription 'to Romans' (rp6r'Pwpaiour : cp
151%-r9) and by the unvarying tradition as to the dertination
of the 'eoistle.' The Paul whom we meet here
addresser his discouse toa wide public, and utters in lofty
toner such words as these: '0, man, whoever thou be
who judgert, etc.' (3 duBp-r r8r 6 rplvwv x.r.h., 21).
(0, man, who judgest, etc.' (3&vBpwrr 6 npivwv n.r.h..
Zs). 'If thou bearest the name of a Jew, etc.' (el 61 o0
'Ioubaior (ravopdh x.r.h., 21~). 'Nay hut, 0 man,
who art thou that repliest against God?' (3 Bu8pwrr.
psvoDvyc #B 71s ei d dvr.roxp'"bpe"or r$ BE$, 9 ~ ~ 'But ) .
I speak to you that are Gentiles' (Bp% Jdi hiyw roir
€Rue~rv, llr3), ' I say . . to every man that is among
you, etc.' (hiyw . . . rovrl 74 6ui~ #v Bpii r.7.h..
'Whoart thou that judgest thescrvant of another?'
(ob rir rT 6 xpivwv dhXdrpcov ainirnu, 14,). 'But thou,
why dost thou judge thy brother?' (ob 61 rl rpive'r ibv