INTRODUCTION
The book of Romans is one of the most theologically profound documents in the Bible. In it, the apostle Paul presents the gospel as the power of God for salvation and the transformation of the life of the believer. At the center of this treatise lies chapter eight, a bold freedom cry announcing the liberation of those once held in bondage by the flesh, a chapter hailed as “the greatest passage within what so many consider to be the greatest book of Scripture.”[1] This paper analyzes Paul’s assertions regarding the Law, the flesh, and the Spirit, and affirms with him that the condemnation common to all mankind since the fall has no power in the life of God’s people. The process will include a discussion of the historical context of Romans including observations regarding the author and the audience, literary context, identifying the place of the analyzed verses in the document as a whole, and observation of the text itself, with particular attention to the recurring theme of the Spirit.
CONTEXT
The book of Romans is, perhaps, the fullest example of Pauline theology. In it, the author presents what Luther referred to as the “purest Gospel,” [2] penning a document that is largely in the style of a treatise or essay, though it is encapsulated within an epistolary framework created by its opening (1:1-15) and conclusion (15:14-16:23).[3] The book is comprehensive in its treatments of the need for, process of, and power of salvation, and the passage to be discussed in this paper is pivotal in Paul’s case to the Roman church. Earning a place among the Hauptbriefe, a collection of four letters that are “so obviously Pauline that Paul’s authorship has never been seriously challenged,” Romans is one of the chief Pauline writings, as well as the most highly developed expositions of his theology.[4]
Historical-Cultural Context
The presence of Christianity
in Rome has been credited by many to the apostle Peter. A historically unlikely theory, its effects
can be seen today in the primacy of the Roman see in the Roman Catholic Church
and, to a lesser extent, in Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Though this tradition, as well as that of
Peter and Paul being co-founders of the church, has a long history, it is
deemed more likely by evangelical theologians that the church was founded prior
to the arrival of any apostle to the region.[5] Many believe that this church was founded by
pilgrims returning from Jerusalem following the events a Pentecost, described
in Acts 2.[6] This scenario not only fits claims made by
ancient historians such as Ambrosiaster, but is more in line with Paul’s own
refusal to “build upon another person’s foundation.”[7] This church likely consisted of both Jews and
Gentiles, with the Jews a string minority, and Paul’s letter contains
components addressed to each of these groups, though some argue that it was the
Jewish minority that were Paul’s chief target.[8]
As to the author himself, it is important that we
understand three things about Paul in order to properly exegete Romans. First, he was a Jew, steeped in the
constructs and presuppositions of that religion. A Jew, trained as a Pharisee, he possessed a
zeal for his fellow Jews, as well as exegetical skills to spare. This “Jewish and Pharisaic background became
and remained an integral part of Paul.”[9] Second, Paul considered himself “summoned and
appointed by God to take the gospel of God’s son to the Gentiles.”[10] So, here we have a Paul with all his Jewish
background intact, on a new mission, granted not of ecclesiastical authority,
but of Christ himself. Finally, Paul’s
work, though initially supported by those at Jerusalem, was conducted largely
on his own following the conflict at Antioch recounted in Galatians
2:11-14. Thus, much of his evangelistic
and pastoring efforts “roused opposition from fellow Jews, including, not
least, fellow Jewish Christians.”[11]
Literary Context
As mentioned above, Romans is largely treatise-like in
its construction, but is also a letter, written to a specific audience at a
specific time. Though it has been
variously identified as a diatribe, a memorandum, and an ambassadorial letter,
to name a few, Carson and Moo designate the book as a “tractate letter,”
hesitating to assign it “a more definite genre identification.”[12] Among the Pauline corpus, Romans is “the
longest and most theologically significant” letter.[13] As the most extensive exposition of New
Testament theology, its contents have been used to shape doctrines, develop
disciples, and show the path to salvation itself (The Roman Road).
The eighth chapter of the letter is a clear turning point
in Paul’s treatise. This treatise, apart
from the opening and closing, has been structured into four sections, namely
1)The Heart of the Gospel: Justification by Faith (1:18-4:25), 2) The Assurance
Provided by the Gospel: The Hope of Salvation (5:1-8:39), 3) The Defense of the
Gospel: The Problem of Israel (9:1-11:36), and 4) The Transforming Power of the Gospel:
Christian Conduct (12:1-15:13).[14] It is at the end of this second section that
our passage may be found. In chapter
eight, Paul concludes his section on assurance by discussing the life in the
Spirit, sharply contrasting it with life lived under the Law, dependent upon
the power of the flesh. This Spirit is
described as the Spirit of Life (v1), of Adoption (v15), and of Glory
(thematically in vv18-30).
ANALYSIS
OF THE TEXT
Romans eight begins with the bold declaration that
“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” While
some have asserted that the phrase ούδεν άρα νύν refers back to the discussion
of the conflict of two natures in chapter seven, it seems more likely to
connect to the entire preceding argument.
In this view, the “therefore” clause is the result of the justification
wrought by Christ as recounted in chapters five and six.[15] This condemnation that has been abrogated
includes not only the sentence of death, but in its execution as well. Who are they for whom there is no
condemnation? They are “those who are in
Christ.” Being έν Χριστψ Ιησού is
present here as distinct from having the Spirit of Christ, or having “Christ in
you.” Rather, is signifies a “permanent continuance in justification” by which
condemnation’s role is nullified.[16]
Verse two introduces the γάρ of Paul’s assertion in verse
1. That is, it presents the ground for
the “no condemnation” previously declared.
If the Law of Moses brought death and condemnation, this Law of the
Spirit, with its ability to produce obedience , has taken prominence in the
life of the believer and become the determining factor in the believer’s status
before God. Thus, the Spirit enters the
picture for the first time apart from his anticipatory mention in Chapter five. Significantly, from this point forward,
“there is no further talk of defeat” in the Epistle.[17] This introduction of the πνεύμα is the first
of 21 occurrences in the chapter, and grounds the section under consideration
firmly in the Spirit’s work in the life of the believer.[18] This law of the Spirit does not possess the
key disadvantage of the Mosaic Law, namely its dependence on corrupted flesh. This “law of the Spirit of life in Christ
Jesus” has been variously interpreted, and may be thought of as a new
“’principle,’ ‘authority,’ or ‘power’” by which the believer is no longer bound
to the penalty tied to their inability to keep the Mosaic Law.[19]
Paul goes on to explain in verse 3 the reason for his
preceding statement. This liberation
that he has been discussing was brought about by an “offering for sin,” that
is, Christ’s death. Here he maintains his high view of the Law itself,
clarifying that it was not the Law itself that was faulty, but the flesh.[20]
Paul’s careful wording regarding Christ
coming “in the likeness of sinful flesh” serves the purpose of reinforcing the
locus of fault in the flesh while preserving the dignity of Christ. For, he did not say, as he could have, that
Christ came “in flesh,” but re-emphasized that it was in the flesh that sin
found its power. Likewise, he did say
“in sinful flesh,” for that would have implied corruption in the man
Jesus. Rather, he said “in the likeness
of sinful flesh,” accomplishing his dual purpose.[21] It was in this flesh of Christ, in the
likeness of sin, that sin was condemned.
Continuing into verse 4, we
see the reason for all of this, namely “that the righteous requirement of the
Law may be fulfilled.” This “interchange
pattern allows Christ to become “what we are so that we might become what
Christ is.”[22] This creates a completion of the
cause-and-effect chain begun at the start of the chapter. Because
the Law could not set men free, due to
the weakness of the flesh (v3), the righteous requirement of the Law needed to
be fulfilled (v4), and because God
fulfilled it by condemning sin “in the flesh” of His Son (v3b), “those who are
in Christ Jesus” have been set free from the requirement of death (v2), therefore there is no condemnation for
those identified with that sin offering (v1).
Here, we also see the second πνεύμα in the passage. This time, there is a shift to the attitude
of the believer. Paul earlier contrasted
the law of the πνεύμα to that of the flesh.
Here, the contrast is between those who walk according to the πνεύμα and
those who walk according to the flesh.
Clearly, there is no universal salvation in view here. There is definitely an outward difference
between those who have experienced the liberation in verse 2 and those who have
not.
Regarding verse 5, William
Hendrickson wrote “[t[hose who live according to the flesh allow their lives to
be basically determined by their sinful nature” but “[t]hose who live according
to the Spirit . . . submit to the Spirit’s direction, concentrate their
attention on, and specialize in, whatever is dear to the Spirit.”[23] Paul’s distinction here seems to be more
descriptive than prescriptive. That is,
he is writing of what is true of those regenerated by the Spirit versus those
who have not been. While he will
indicate (in vv 12-13) that “God’s Spirit is only effective in those who
continue to let the Spirit change their lives,” that does not seem to be his
purpose here.[24] The γάρ of verse 6, left untranslated in the
NIV and NRSV, seems to simply be a continuation of v5, rather than indicating a
causal relationship.[25] Whether Paul in this verse is indicating the
results of fleshly or spiritual mindsets, or the nature of the mindsets itself,
has been a matter of some debate.[26] It seems, however, that a plain reading of
the text supports Leon Morris’ assertion that “to be bounded by the flesh is itself
death.”[27] By the same token, then, to be consumed with
the things of the Spirit would be the very meaning of life.
Verses 7 and 8 are introduced
by the causal clause διοτι, (because,
inasmuch as), and explain the reason why
the mind set on the flesh leads to death.[28] God’s holiness demands absolute honor and
submission on the part of all creation.
The mind set on the flesh “is hostile” toward this aspect of God’s holiness,
for the mind set on the flesh has the desires of the flesh as its chief
aim. This is not simply the choosing of
an alternative course of action, but a rebellion against the creator of the
universe. For, if the flesh’s “needs”
have usurped God’s right to absolute centrality, then that is idolatry. This is the natural disposition of the flesh
(not natural with respect to creation, but natural with respect to the
fall). Moo observes that “[a]ll people,
by nature derived from Adam, are incurably ‘bent’ toward their own good rather
than the good of others or of God.”[29] This incurable hostility makes the mind set
on the flesh incapable of pleasing God.
Paul’s repeated use of “cannot” underscores both the impotence of life
lived apart from the empowering of the Spirit and the absolute choice between
two mutually exclusive alternatives, namely submission or rebellion. So, the Spirit not only frees from the
condemnation of the Law (vv1-2), but it makes possible an obedience that is
impossible in the flesh.
APPLICATION
After two thousand years of Christianity, one would think that the Church would have a good grasp of what it means to be free of the condemnation that comes from bondage to the Law. The unfortunate reality is that, even within our own ranks, there are many who are quick to condemn rather than to encourage. It has been said that Christians are the only army that shoots its own wounded. Paul’s words in Romans eight serve as salve to the wounded spirit by reminding us that a change of law has taken place and that that change has a profound impact on our standing before the Lord. This truth, when fully realized, opens the way for Christian liberty and freedom in the Spirit that infinitely surpasses any “freedom” this world has to offer.
There is a wealth of talk
about “Christian living” but little talk of the empowering of the Spirit for
such living. Paul’s admonitions in the
above passage make it clear that the Spirit-minded life is not only the key to
freedom, but is absolutely required in order to please God. This is a wonderful expansion of Paul’s
earlier statement to the churches of Galatia to “walk in the Spirit, so that
you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.”[30] Thus, “walking in the Spirit” becomes not
only the remedy to bondage to the Law, not only the means of fulfilling the
Law, but also the very key to pleasing God, thereby giving Him His due honor
and primacy that the sinful nature has attempted to deny Him. The fact that defeat is not mentioned in the
epistle after this section is very telling.
If we are living in the Spirit, then the power of God fills our lives. Indeed, He dwells within us! This Spirit, which was effectual enough to
free us from the bondage of the Law that had sway for so long, is not merely a
sin-lessener, but a victory-giver.
CONCLUSION
In Romans 8, the apostle Paul penned the centerpiece of the most extensive exposition of his theology. A clear turning point in the letter, this chapter, particularly the first eight verses, at once proclaims freedom from condemnation and Spirit-wrought power for godly living. The new economy of the Spirit that Paul announced to his readers is as effective today as it was when the words were first penned, and represents the fountainhead of power for every facet of the Christian life. Christians young and old, learned and uneducated, would do well to heed Paul’s words and bask in the liberty and empowerment found therin.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bruce, F. F. The
Epistle of Paul to the Romans, Tyndale Bible Commentaries. Vol. 6. Grand
Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1969.
Carson, D.A.,
and Douglas J. Moo. An Introduction to the New Testament. 2nd ed. Grand
Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005.
Douglas, J.D., ed. The New Greek-English Interlinear New Testament
(personal Size). 4 ed. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.,
1997.
Dunn, James D.
G. Word Biblical Commentary: Volume 38a, Romans 1-8. Dallas, TX: Thomas
Nelson, 1988.
Friberg, Barbara
and Neva F. Mille Timothy. Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament.
Chicago, IL: Trafford Publishing, 2005.
Goodrick, Edward
W., and John R. Kohlenberger III. The Strongest NIV Exhaustive Concordance.
Grand Rapids, MI.: Zondervan, 2004.
Hendriksen,
William. New Testament Commentary: Romans: Chapters 1-16. 2 Vol in 1 ed.
Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1981.
Lange, John
Peter. Romans - Corinthians (commentary On the Holy Scriptures, Vol 10).
Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1969.
Lea, Thomas D.,
and David Alan Black. The New Testament: Its Background and Message. 2nd
ed. Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2003.
Moo, Douglas J. The
Epistle to the Romans. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
Company, 1996.
Morris, Leon. Epistle
to the Romans. Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 1988.
[1]
Douglas J. Moo, The Epistle to the Romans (Grand Rapids, MI.: Wm. B.
Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1996), 467-468.
[2]
Ibid., 1.
[3]
James D. G. Dunn, Word Biblical Commentary: Volume 38a, Romans 1-8
(Dallas, TX: Thomas Nelson, 1988), lix. and D.A. Carson and Douglas J. Moo, An
Introduction to the New Testament, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan,
2005), 391.
[4]
Thomas D. Lea and David Alan Black, The New Testament: Its Background and
Message, 2nd ed. (Nashville, Tn: B&H AcadeMIc, 2003), 364.
[5]
F.F. Bruce, Paul, Apostle of the Heart Set Free, Pbk. ed. (Carlisle,
Cumbria, UK: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2000), 379.
[6]
Moo, Romans, 2.
[7]
Ibid., and Bruce, Paul, 379.
[8]
Lea and Black, Background and Message, 392.
[9]
Dunn, Romans 1-8, xli.
[10]
Ibid.
[11]
Ibid., xlii.
[12]
Carson and Moo, Introduction to the New Testament, 402-403.
[13]
Ibid., 391.
[14]
Moo, Romans, 34-35.
[15]
Leon Morris, Epistle to the Romans (Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity
Press, 1988), 300.
[16]
John Peter Lange, Romans - Corinthians (commentary On the Holy Scriptures,
Vol 10) (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1969), 251.
[17]
F. F. Bruce, The Epistle of Paul to the Romans, Tyndale Bible Commentaries
(Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1969), 160.
[18] Moo, Romans,
468.
[19]
Ibid., 474.
[20]
Cf. Romans 7:12.
[21]
Bruce, The Epistle of Paul to the Romans,
160-161.
[22]
Moo, Romans, 483.
[23]
William Hendriksen, New Testament Commentary: Romans: Chapters 1-16, 2
Vol in 1 ed. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1981), 248.
[24]
Moo, Romans, 485.
[25]
Ibid., 487.
[26]
James Dunn and Douglas Moo seem to support the former opinion (Dunn, Romans 1-8, 442. and Moo, Romans, 487.) while Lange and Morris
hold to the latter (Lange, Romans –
Corinthians, 256. and Morris Epistle
to the Romans, 306).
[27]
Morris, Epistle to the Romans, 306.
[28]
Moo, Romans, 488 and Barbara and Neva
F. Mille Timothy Friberg, Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament
(Chicago, IL: Trafford Publishing, 2005), 117.
[29]
Ibid., 489.
[30]
Galatians 5:16.
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