Exegetical Analysis Assignment_Romans 3_21-26_Kion Bolden

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LIBERTY UNIVERSITY JOHN W. RAWLINGS SCHOOL OF DIVINITY Exegetical Analysis Assignment: Romans 3:21-26 Submitted to Dr. Jeffrey Cockrell in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of NGRK 505 - B02 Greek Language Tools by Kion D. Bolden February 20, 2023

Table of Contents Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………………….2 Context … ....... …………………………………………………………………………………….2 Textual Analysis …………………………………………………………………..…………...…3 Righteousness Apart from the Law (Romans 3:21a) .…………………………………….3 Righteousness Witness (Romans 3:21b) .………………………...……………………….4 The Necessity of Faith (Romans 3:22a) .………………………………………………….4 Righteousness Offered to All (Romans 3:22b-23a) .…………..………………………….5 The Free Gift of Grace through Redemption (Romans 3:24) .……………..…………….6 Christ’s Atoning Death (Romans 3:25) .………………………………………………….6 God Is Just (Romans 3:26) .……………………………………………………………….7 Application ….…………………………………………………………………………………….8 Conclusion ….…………………………………………………………………………………….8 Bibliography ……………………………………………………………………………………...9 1

Introduction There are 77 references to the gospel or “εὐαγγέλιον” in the New Testament, which refers to Jesus Christ's work. 1 Although the gospel is complicated, Paul makes it simple for the Roman church in his letter with the help of the Holy Spirit. He gives a succinct but impactful presentation of the gospel for Gentiles in Romans 3:21–26. In Leon Morris' commentary on Romans, this paragraph is considered one of the “most important paragraphs ever written.” 2 A thorough study of these six verses is therefore necessary. A thorough comprehension of salvation, redemption, justification, and righteousness is essential for core theology. Context Despite the fact that placing them in a hierarchy can seem nonsensical, the Apostle Paul's letter to the church in Rome may have been his most significant and impactful letter. In roughly 58 AD, Paul attempted to convey the full scope of the gospel message to Gentiles in Rome. 3 The fact that Paul composed this letter on his third missionary journey, before he had ever visited Rome or encountered the Roman church, strengthens its fundamental elements even more. 4 A key aspect of Romans 3:21-26 is its placement within the letter itself. Paul does not assume in his letter to be familiar with human circumstances or the history of how God has operated through the Jewish people. This is due to the recipients' Gentile heritage. In Romans 1:16–17, the apostle first explains why he preaches the gospel before going into great depth regarding sin, judgment, Jewish law, and God's righteousness. The reader would thus experience 1 “G2099 - Euangelistēs - Strong's Greek Lexicon (ESV).” Blue Letter Bible. Accessed February 21, 2023. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2099/esv/tr/0-1/ . 2 Leon Morris . The Epistle to the Romans . Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2018. 3 John F. MacArthur. The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Romans 1-8, (Chicago: The Moody Bible Institute, 1991), xviii. 4 Thomas H. Campbell. “Paul’s ‘Missionary Journeys’ as Reflected in His Letters.” Journal of Biblical Literature 74 (2). 1995. 80–87. 2

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a sense of helplessness and hopelessness and completely comprehend their guilt and the obligation they owe. At that point, Paul offers the “εὐαγγέλιοv” of Jesus. Textual Analysis Dr. John MacArthur's analysis on Romans 3:21–26 is divided into seven sections, each of which highlights a fresh and significant aspect of the gospel. 5 This exegesis will be guided by the seven portions he offers, however not all seven will be examined in accordance with his formatting. Righteousness Apart from the Law (Romans 3:21a) Paul opens verse 21 with the following important word: vυνὶ δέ. This phase conveys that the present is different from the past by translating "but now." Paul claims that man can make peace with God by a new path after proving that sin has divided humanity from God and that no one is righteous under the Law. Ray Stedman claims that they are God's "answer to man's failure," hence the words that follow are crucial. 6 The Law, or "νόμoυ," was established by the Mosaic Covenant as the benchmark for righteousness, but Paul claims that "the righteousness of God has been displayed apart from the Law ()." (Romans 3:21a). D.A. Carson maintains that this assertion is groundbreaking. The Law was provided to the Jewish people throughout Jewish history as a means of redemption because man could never keep or fulfill the Law. Through Christ, God fulfilled the Law in a supernatural way to vindicate his people. 5 John F. MacArthur. The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Romans 1-8, (Chicago: The Moody Bible Institute, 1991), xviii. 6 Ray Stedman. “Message: But Now (Romans 3:21-31).” RayStedman.org. Last modified 2021. Accessed February 21, 2023. 3

It is important to define "the righteousness of God" before continuing because it is used frequently throughout the passage. There is debate concerning the idea of God's righteousness, or "δικαιoσύνη θεoῦ". According to Carson, phrases for defeating evil are frequently employed in connection with this kind of language. In this instance, God's justice overthrows the influence of evil. Righteousness Witnessed (Romans 3:21b) The importance of the old methods of attaining righteousness is highlighted in verse 21 of Paul's letter. We know the Old Testament today as τοῦ νόμου καὶ τῶν προφητῶν, or the written Law and Prophets. Considering Paul does not explain what Law and Prophet are, it is safe to assume the Gentile audience would understand this reference. The Law and Prophets seem to be dispensed with in Paul's argument; however, there are numerous occasions in the Law and Prophets where righteousness is attained apart from the Law, such as Genesis 15:6 where righteousness is achieved despite the Law. 7 There may be an implication in the writings of Paul that righteousness is separate from the Law and Prophets. However, he makes it quite clear that it has already been witnessed. The Necessity of Faith (Romans 3:22a) In this passage, Paul refers to God's righteousness, this time clarifying the way in which it manifests itself. There has been controversy surrounding this verse in recent scholarship. According to Romans 3:22, all who believe in Jesus Christ will receive God's righteousness (Romans 3:22). Carson notes that the phrase "διὰ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ" could also indicate 7 Joseph Benson. The Holy Bible: Containing the Old and New Testaments According to the Present Authorized Version: With Critical, Explanatory and Practical Notes. New York: Carlton & Porter. Nabu Press, 2010. 4

passively accepting what Christ himself displayed, not necessarily just an active faith. 8 Carson acknowledges this point of view but rejects it, arguing that Paul's point is that individuals are redeemed through their faith in Christ as redeemer rather than being saved via the faith of Christ. 9 Righteousness Offered to All (Romans 3:22b-23) Romans 3:22b–23, possibly the most well-known passage, is where Paul reiterates his former claims regarding utter depravity and judgment. It is crucial to recognize to whom Paul is speaking when he uses the word "all" or "πάvτες." Johnston argues that πάvτες is more precise than just referring to all, even when everyone has the opportunity to be saved (Romans 3:22b). 10 Πάvτες obtains the action of δικαιούμενοι (being justified) in verse 24; hence, πάvτες cannot be a reference to all people unless all people are also justified. 11 In order to avoid adopting an eschatological Universalist viewpoint, the word "vπάντες" in verse 23 must relate to believers. 12 Although this divergence might seem insignificant, Johnston contends that it purposely equalizes the playing field between Jews and Gentiles, which appears to be a major theme in the book of Romans. 13 Paul wants the Gentiles to realize that, while everyone has sinned and falls short of the glory of God, they have the same starting point as Jews. In order to prevent the Jews from thinking of themselves as superiors to Gentiles, Paul humbles them. The Free Gift of Grace through Redemption (Romans 3:24) 8 Donald A. Carson. 2004. “Why Trust a Cross?: Reflections on Romans 3:21-26.” Evangelical Review of Theology 28 (4): 345–62. 9 Ibid. 10 J William Johnston. 2011. “Which ‘All’ Sinned?: Rom 3:23-24 Reconsidered.” Novum Testamentum 53 (2): 153–64. 11 Ibid. 12 Ibid. 13 Ibid. 5

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By grace, the believers referenced in v.23 are described as being freely justified. Paul emphasizes that the righteousness of God is not a product of our efforts but a gift from God. Freely is denoted by the word δωρεὰv, which is literally translated as "the opposite of cost." 14 The seriousness of the idea is not conveyed by this because those getting justification did nothing to earn it. 15 Thus, divine goodness is anything but a business transaction. In actuality, via his death, Christ's work served as a sufficient payment. All Christians are responsible for this. 16 Christ’s Atoning Death (Romans 3:25) Christ is described as "a propitiation" in the ESV translation of v.25. The Septuagint uses the word ovἱλαστήριov to describe the mercy seat on the Ark of the Covenant, where the high priest shed blood on the Day of Atonement, albeit the nuance of this word is lost in the English translation. 17 It is obvious that Paul is highlighting the atoning element of Christ's crucifixion by employing this term. Instead of the mercy seat utilized in the Old Testament for atonement, Jesus is the one who atones for the sins of those who believe. This text has a section in Romans 3:25b that is especially puzzling. When Paul states that God "passed over earlier sins," one could wonder what he means (Romans 3:25b). Although Paul does not explicitly state it in Romans 1:18–3:20, this may give people the impression that God's judgment and punishment for sin are insufficient. Carson explains this sentence by pointing out that God's righteousness in verse 25 is different from that in verse 21. Verse 25 does not pertain to the justification of sinful humans in verse 21, but to a particular characteristic of God's 14 Abraham Calov. 2014. “Thoughts on Objective Justification Part II.” Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly 111 (4): 243–74. 15 Ibid. 16 Ibid. 17 Donald A. Carson. 2004. “Why Trust a Cross?: Reflections on Romans 3:21-26.” Evangelical Review of Theology 28 (4): 345–62. 6

character. To put it another way, only when Christ's atoning sacrifice is presented as a remedy for man's depravity does God's righteous justice become compromised. Anything in the text of Romans 3:25b may be particularly confusing for the reader. Some people may be confused by Paul's statement in Romans 3:25b that God has "passed over former sins." Paul does not articulate this belief in Romans 1:18–3:20, but this phrase may give the impression to some that God's justice and punishment for sin is insufficient. According to Carson, verse 25's description of God's righteousness differs from verse 21's. As opposed to verse 21, which refers to the justification of sinful people, verse 25 highlights a specific characteristic of God. 18 Christ's propitiating sacrifice can only resolve man's depravity when it is offered as a solution to God's holy justice. 19 The grace and mercy of God has not been limited to His crucifixion and resurrection. God is Just (Romans 3:26) Romans 3:21–25 has a strong emphasis on grace and redemption, which could seem to weaken Paul's case for God's justice. However, he does reiterate that point in the passage's conclusion. Because of Christ's atoning work, God is both just and justifying (vδίκαιov καὶ δικαιοῦvτα), which indicates that Christ served as the intermediary for the payment of sin's penalty. God is righteous since sin's punishment has already been satisfied. Christ's substitutionary death has, nevertheless, elevated God to the position of sin-forgiveness. Application Paul's message aims to describe the principles through which believers are rescued. He then offers three key uses. As salvation is a gift provided through trust in Christ, no deed can be 18 Ibid. 19 Ibid. 7

utilized to establish righteousness. The believer must embrace this gift with wonder and thankfulness. Second, despite the fact that sins are forgiven, the believer must see God as being just. God is in charge of justice and judgment; he also determines the criteria he uses to do so. Finally, there is no advantage between Jews and Gentiles in terms of their possibility for salvation. We all need blood, it is a necessity. Conclusion To a Gentile audience, Romans 3:21-26 presents the gospel message in a clear and powerful manner, which effectively conveys the message to them. The price for the sins of believers must be paid in order to satisfy the glory and justice of God. God, however, provided a once-for-all sacrifice in the person of Christ, whose blood atoned for man's sins. A reminder of humanity's desperation, God's goodness, and his love for his people, these six verses must live in the hearts and minds of believers every day. Bibliography Benson, Joseph. The Holy Bible: Containing the Old and New Testaments According to the Present Authorized Version: With Critical, Explanatory and Practical Notes . New York: Carlton & Porter. Nabu Press, 2010. Calov, Abraham. 2014. “Thoughts on Objective Justification Part II.” Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly 111 (4): 243–74. Campbell, Thomas H. 1955. “Paul’s ‘Missionary Journeys’ as Reflected in His Letters.” Journal of Biblical Literature 74 (2): 80–87. 8

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Carson, Donald A. 2004. “Why Trust a Cross?: Reflections on Romans 3:21-26.” Evangelical Review of Theology 28 (4): 345–62. “G2099 - Euangelistēs - Strong's Greek Lexicon (ESV).” Blue Letter Bible . Accessed February 24, 2023. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2099/esv/tr/0-1/ . Johnston, J William. 2011. “Which ‘All’ Sinned?: Rom 3:23-24 Reconsidered.” Novum Testamentum 53 (2): 153–64. MacArthur, John F., The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Romans 1-8 , (Chicago: The Moody Bible Institute, 1991), xviii. Morris, Leon. The Epistle to the Romans . Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2018. Stedman, Ray. “Message: But Now (Romans 3:21-31).” RayStedman.org. Last modified 2021. Accessed February 21, 2023. 9

Exegetical Analysis Assignment_Romans 3_21-26_Kion Bolden

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