LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL REVIEW - Concordia Lutheran Seminary
LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL REVIEW - Concordia Lutheran Seminary
LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL REVIEW - Concordia Lutheran Seminary
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CHAMBERS: PISTIS CRISTOU IN PAUL<br />
redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a sacrifice of<br />
atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his<br />
righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins<br />
previously committed; 26 it was to prove at the present time that he himself is<br />
righteous and that he justifies the one who has the faith of Jesus [to.n evk<br />
pi,stewj VIhsou/].<br />
What is the background to this transition? What point has Paul previously<br />
been making, which now provides the basis for this new direction (nuni. de,)<br />
in his thought? His previous argument can be picked up at 3:3-4:<br />
3 What if some [of the Jews] were unfaithful? Will their faithlessness<br />
[avpisti,a] nullify the faithfulness of God [th.n pi,stin tou/ qeou/]? 4 By no<br />
means! Although everyone is a liar, let God be proved true, as it is written,<br />
“So that you may be justified in your words, and prevail in your judging.”<br />
How does this theme shed light on what follows? Ian Wallis makes the<br />
connection: “Clearly God’s pi,stij is not mediated or controlled by<br />
humanity’s lack of response. It is improbable, therefore, that in Rom 3:21<br />
[Paul] would maintain that the revelation of God’s righteousness was<br />
dependent upon or mediated by the faith of believers on hearing the<br />
gospel.” 24 As Wallis emphasizes, the entire argument from 3:4 through 3:20<br />
reinforces a dismal view of human faithfulness, driving home the failure of<br />
Jews and Greeks alike to adequately respond to “the oracles of God” (3:2).<br />
Instead, “through the law comes the knowledge of sin” (3:20)—which, as<br />
3:3 says, can certainly be characterized as “faithlessness” (avpisti,a).<br />
Wallis, again, draws together the larger argument of this section of<br />
Romans by defining the exact nature of the contrast that Paul is expressing at<br />
3:21 by nuni. de,:<br />
It seems more in keeping with Paul’s intention to frame the contrasting<br />
approaches to justification not in terms of the “faith-works” dichotomy, but<br />
rather of justification on the basis of human response versus justification on<br />
the basis of God’s universal grace in Christ or, expressed another way, of<br />
human righteousness versus God’s righteousness and covenantal<br />
faithfulness. 25<br />
The question then is, however, in what specific way God’s faithfulness<br />
(th.n pi,stin tou/ qeou/, 3:3) has been revealed. Once again, the context of<br />
Romans’ early chapters provides clues for piecing together Paul’s argument.<br />
Back in 1:16-17 he had hinted at the overall theme of his letter by<br />
introducing the Gospel together with an allusion to Habakkuk 2:4.<br />
24 Wallis 75.<br />
25 Wallis 80.<br />
27