THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS
Douglas Moo
The Occasion of Romans
(Rom 15:14-33)
“from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum I have completed (or
"fulfilled") the gospel of Christ” (v. 19b)
THE BACKWARD LOOK
THE FORWARD LOOK
“But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints” (v. 25a)
“But now . . . after many years, I have the desire
to come to you [in Rome] . . . to be sent on my way by you” (v. 23)
“As I am going on to Spain” (v. 24a)
© Douglas Moo
The Reasons for Romans

Personal and Theological:
 Explain
and defend the Gospel
 Secure Support for Spanish Mission


Pastoral
Heal the Conflict in the Roman Congregation
Theological and Pastoral
Help Roman Christians understand their place
in Salvation History
© Douglas Moo
The Basic Structure & Theme of Romans
Introduction 1:1-17 (“gospel” -- vv. 1, 9, 15, 16)
Body
The gospel as Paul teaches it
Its essence:
“the power of God for salvation”
Its salvation-historical nature:
“for everyone who believes”
“Jew first, then the Gentile”
Conclusion 15:14-16:27
(“gospel” -- 15:16, 19, 20; 16:25)
© Douglas Moo
The Theme of Romans
Corinth
The
Gospel
Paul’s reflection on
his ministry
(with special relevance
to its provision for
Gentiles and Jews)
Jerusalem
Anticipation of
the collection
Spain
Paul’s Apologia
Rome
Healing of church
split
© Douglas Moo
Romans: The “Horizontal” Emphasis
Israel
Gentiles
People of God
Chapters 9-11
© Douglas Moo
Romans: The “Vertical” Emphasis
God
The Human Being
Justification by Faith
Chapters 1-4
© Douglas Moo
Romans 1:16-17
The Theme of the Letter
I am not ashamed of the gospel,
because it is the power of God
that brings salvation to everyone who believes:
first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.
For in the gospel
the righteousness of God is revealed
- a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,
just as it is written:
“The righteous shall live by faith.”
© Douglas Moo
The “Good News” in the NT
Non-Paul
Verb
Noun
33
16
Paul
21
60
© Douglas Moo
The “Good News” in Paul’s World
Old Testament
Isa. 52:7: “How beautiful on the mountains are the
feet of those who bring good news
[euangelizomenou], who proclaim peace, who
bring good tidings [euangelizomenos], who
proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God
reigns!’” (see Rom. 10:15)
© Douglas Moo
The “Good News” in Paul’s World
The Roman World
The Priene Calendar Inscription (9 B.C.)
“Since Providence, which has ordered all things and is deeply interested in
our life, has set in most perfect order by giving us Augustus, whom she filled
with virtue that he might benefit humankind, sending him as a savior [sōtēra],
both for us and for our descendants, that he might end war and arrange all
things, and since he, Caesar, by his appearance excelled even our
anticipations), surpassing all previous benefactors, and not even leaving to
posterity any hope of surpassing what he has done, and since the birthday of
the god Augustus was the beginning of thegood tidings [euangelion] for the
world that came by reason of him . . . ”
© Douglas Moo
The “Righteousness of God”
(dikaiosynē theou)
• “The Righteousness that belongs to God”
(His attribute of absolute justice)
• “The Righteousness that comes from God”
(The righteous status that God gives us)
• “The Righteousness being established by God”
(His act of putting his people “in the right”)
© Douglas Moo
“Righteousness” Language
English
righteousness
righteous, just
justify
Greek
dikaiosynē
dikaios
dikaioō
© Douglas Moo
“God’s Righteousness” in the OT
Eschatological Vindication
Isaiah 51:4-8
4“Listen
to me, my people; hear me, my nation: Instruction will go out from
me; my justice will become a light to the nations. 5My righteousness
draws near speedily, my salvation is on the way, and my arm will bring
justice to the nations. The islands will look to me and wait in hope for my
arm. 6Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the
heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and
its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my
righteousness will never fail.
© Douglas Moo
God “Putting his People in the Right”
Rooted in God’s own Attribute of Righteousness
(dikaiosynē theou)
Involves God’s Act of “righteousing” his People
(dikaioō)
Results in a Status of “righteousness”
(dikaiosynē)
© Douglas Moo
Romans 1:18-3:8 Paul’s Target
All People
People Apart from
Special Revelation
1:18-19
1:20-32
2:1-16
Presumptious People
(Jews)
2:17-3:8
Jewish People
The Evidence of Nature
(Romans 1:19-22)
“Natural Revelation”
-- not “Natural Religion” or “Natural Theology”
• Universal “Knowledge”
• Limited Knowledge
• Basic Attributes of God (v. 20)
• Validity of Judgment (v. 32)
• Condemning Knowledge
© Douglas Moo
What about people who have never
heard the gospel?
Romans 1:18-23 teaches:
• Every person is being judged by God’s wrath.
• Every person knows about God.
• Every person turns away from God.
• Every person is “without excuse”: God is fair to
judge that person with his wrath.
© Douglas Moo
Romans 2 and Wisdom 14:21-15:3
23 For while they celebrate either child-slaying sacrifices or clandestine mysteries, or frenzied
carousals in unheard-of rites, 24 They no longer safeguard either lives or pure wedlock; but each
either waylays and kills his neighbor, or aggrieves him by adultery. 25 And all is confusion-- blood
and murder, theft and guile, corruption, faithlessness, turmoil, perjury, 26 Disturbance of good
men, neglect of gratitude, besmirching of souls, unnatural lust, disorder in marriage, adultery and
shamelessness. 27 For the worship of infamous idols is the reason and source and extremity of all
evil. 28 For they either go mad with enjoyment, or prophesy lies, or live lawlessly or lightly
forswear themselves. 29 For as their trust is in soulless idols, they expect no harm when they have
sworn falsely. 30 But on both counts shall justice overtake them: because they thought ill of God
and devoted themselves to idols, and because they deliberately swore false oaths, despising piety.
31 For not the might of those that are sworn by but the retribution of sinners ever follows upon
the transgression of the wicked.
But you, our God, are good and true, slow to anger, and governing all with mercy. 2 For even if
we sin, we are yours, and know your might; but we will not sin, knowing that we belong to you. 3
For to know you well is complete justice, and to know your might is the root of immortality.
© Douglas Moo
Saved/Justified by “doing” (the law)?
Rom. 2:13; and see also vv. 7,10; 26-27 (29)
• Contradicts justification by faith alone
• Supplements justification by faith alone
• Faithful Jews and moral Gentiles before Christ
• People who respond to God’s grace
• Fits with justification by faith alone
• Christians who demonstrate their faith by works
• Principial Statement of the terms of Salvation apart
from the gospel
© Douglas Moo
Why won’t “Works of the Law” Justify?
“Works of the Law”
Reformers
- Human Doing
- Universal Sinfulness
- “Performance” of the law
“New Perspective”
- Jewish Covenant
- New Stage of Salvation
- “Possession” of the law
© Douglas Moo
Not by “Works of the Law”

Works of the law (“torah faithfulness”)
Works of
the Law

Works
Works of the law (doing the torah)
Works
Works
of the Law
The "New Perspective" and Responses
Its Springboard: A New View of Judaism
E. P. Sanders, Paul and Palestinian Judaism (1977)
The Role of the Law in Salvation
 Traditional viewpoint
Doing the law as the means of “getting saved” (legalism)

"Covenant nomism"


“Covenant”: God’s gracious election as basis for salvation
“Nomism”: observance of torah


The means of "staying in," not "getting in"
A condition for staying in, not a means of earning salvation
© Douglas Moo
The “New Perspective” (2)
Its Essence: Reading Paul Afresh in terms of First-century
Judaism (covenant nomism)
In response to unsatisfactory or radical solutions . . .


Paul simply dismissed Judaism (Sanders)
Paul distorted Judaism (H. Räisänen)
. . . “New Perspective” advocates re-interpreted Paul so that he
might be seen as responding to “covenant nomism"
(J. D. G. Dunn; N.T. Wright)
© Douglas Moo
The “New Perspective” (3)
And so, for Paul:
The issue was not
“I am using the law to get saved” (“legalism”)
but
“We are using the law to maintain our privileged
status and keep the Gentiles out”
(ethnocentrism; the “social” function of the law)
© Douglas Moo
The “New Perspective” (4)
Thus Paul’s response:
What marks out God’s people
The Law
& its
“works”
Faith in
Christ
So that
Jew
© Douglas Moo
Gentile
Response to the New Perspective
First-Century Judaism?
 Diverse
 “Acting
legalism”
“reacting nomism”
(R. Longenecker, Paul, Apostle of Liberty)
 See
esp. D. Carson, P. O’Brien, M. Seifrid, Justication and
Variegated Nomism, vol. 1
 Syngeristic
Doing the law is a basis for “staying in” and therefore a
basis for “salvation” on the last day
© Douglas Moo
Response to the New Perspective (2)
Interpretation of Paul
Incorporation of Gentiles
(humans before God)
Humans before God
(Incorporation of Gentiles)
© Douglas Moo
Sin and Justification in Rom. 2-3
• The Principle
“It is those who obey the law who will be
declared righteous” (2:13)
• The Problem
“Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power
of sin” (3:9)
• The Prospect
“No one will be declared righteous in God’s sight
by the works of the law” (3:20)
© Douglas Moo
Righteousness and Justification in
Romans 3:21-26
But now apart from the law the righteousness [dikaiosyne] of God has
been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This
righteousness [dikaiosyne] is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who
believe.
(There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned
and fall short of the glory of God),
and all are justified [dikaioo] freely by his grace through the redemption
that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of
atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.
He did this to demonstrate his righteousness [dikaiosyne], because in his
forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—
he did it to demonstrate his righteousness [dikaiosyne] at the present
time,
so as to be just [dikaios] and the one who justifies [dikaioo] those who
have faith in Jesus.
© Douglas Moo
“Christ Faith” (Rom. 3:22)
πίστις (pistis) + Jesus/Christ/Jesus Christ/Christ Jesus
Gal. 2:16, 20; 3:21; Rom. 3:22, 26; Eph. 3:12; Phil. 3:9

Human believing “in” Christ
(Objective genitive)
(Luther, Calvin, J. D. G. Dunn, etc.)

The faith/faithfulness “of” Christ
(subjective genitive)
(R. Hays, N. T. Wright, etc.)
The Greek Genitive

Greek Genitive = English double noun
construction (James Voelz via M. Silva)
“Fire Sale,” “Storm chaser,” “head case”
Thus: “Christ faith”

Expectations are Critical
E.g., “The photograph of Brad Pitt”
“The photograph of Ansel Adams”
“Photograph of Ansel Adams”
“Christ Faith” = “faith in Christ”
Never in Paul is Jesus the subject of the
verb πιστεύω (pisteuō, “believe”)
 Humans are regularly the subject of the
verb (e.g., Abraham in Gal. 3 and Rom.
4)
 The Problem of Redundancy (Gal. 2:16;
Rom. 3:22)

“Redemption”


Exodus from Egypt
Liberation
from
Slavery
Greco-Roman
Slave Market
by paying a price
© Douglas Moo
Hilasterion (Romans 3:25)
• “Expiation” (RSV)
“wiping away” sin
• “Propitiation” (ESV)
“shielding sinners from God’s wrath”
• “Sacrifice of Atonement” (NIV)
the “mercy seat” as the place where God takes
care of sin
21 of 27 LXX occurrences
Hebrews 9:5
© Douglas Moo
Romans 3:21-26
“ . . . that God might be just



Assumed: God’s holiness
Jesus’ sacrifice as a “satisfaction” of that holiness (v. 25a)
God is just (vv. 25b-26a)
& the one who justifies”
by liberating from sin’s power (v. 24; see v. 23)
 by grace (mode) (v. 24)
 by faith (vv. 21-23)
 for all who have faith (v. 22)

© Douglas Moo
Romans 4
A “Midrash” on Genesis 15:6
• Quotation — v. 3
• Elaboration of Key Phrase
Abraham “credited” as righteous
• Apart from “works” (vv. 3-8)
(Confirmation from the Prophets/Writings
[Ps 32] — vv. 7-8)
• Apart from circumcision (vv. 9-12)
• Apart from the law (vv. 13-17)
• Apart from “sight” (vv. 18-22)
• Recapitulation and Application — v. 23-25
© Douglas Moo
Romans 4 and the Thrust of the Letter
• The Major Theme
The nature of God’s justifying work revealed
in the experience of Abraham
(the gospel)
• The Minor Theme
God’s justifying work available for everyone,
Jew and Gentile alike
(salvation history)
© Douglas Moo
Romans 4:4-5
“Now to anyone who works, their wages are not
credited to them as a gift, but as an obligation.
However, to anyone who does not work but
trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith
is credited as righteousness.”
The Logic
• God can be under obligation to no one (grace)
• “Works,” like wages, would oblige God to justify
• Therefore, justification must not come through works
but through faith.
© Douglas Moo
“The God who justifies the ungodly” (Rom. 4:5)
The Reformation Doctrine



Justification is forensic: God's declaration that a
person is "right" before him.
Justification is "on account of Christ" (propter
Christum): God justifies a person not on the basis of
anything that person is or does but on the basis of an
"alien righteousness," the righteousness of Christ that is
"imputed" to that person (credited to a person's
account).
Justification is through faith alone (sola fide): Christ's
righteousness is imputed by means of a person's faith,
a passive willingness to receive the gift of God and
an active trusting in Christ.
© Douglas Moo
Contemporary Reassessment

Academic: The “New Perspective on Paul” -- and Others
J. Dunn; N. T. Wright; D. Campbell

Ecclesiological: Ecumenical Dialogue
e.g., M. Noll & C. Nystrom: Is the Reformation Over?

Cultural: Distaste for Doctrine

Practical: Christian lifestyle
© Douglas Moo
“On Account of Christ”
Exodus 23:7:
“I [God]will not justify the guilty.”
Christ’s Righteousness
“God who justifies the ungodly”
Romans 4:5
© Douglas Moo
“On Account of Christ” (2)
Christ
Christian
Righteousness
Sin
© Douglas Moo
“On Account of Christ” (3)
Union with Christ
Justification
-- right before God --
Sanctification
-- Holy before God --
© Douglas Moo
“By Faith Alone”
Faith
Works
Faith Works
Justification
Sanctification
Justification
Sanctification
© Douglas Moo
Faith “Alone”?
N. T. Wright
Justification, “by faith” in the present, anticipates the verdict
of the last day, which will “reflect what people have actually
done,” always through and by the Spirit (Justification, 191-92)
Critical Issue: “Reflect”
“based on”?
“be in keeping with”?
© Douglas Moo
The Delicate Balance
Conversion
Judgment
“Justify”
We are not justified on the basis of, or by means of
our works.
But:
we are not justified apart from works
© Douglas Moo
Living in Light of Justification


Assurance without Presumption
Earnest Striving for Holiness without
anxiety
© Douglas Moo
Romans 1-8: Following the Argument
1
Calvin
Nygren
2
3
4
5
Justification
“Righteous through
Faith”
© Douglas Moo
6
7
8
Sanctification
“Shall Live”
Romans 1-8: Some Key Words
25
20
15
Rom 1-4
Rom 5-8
10
5
0
Faith Believe
Life
Live
Right
© Douglas Moo
Romans 5-8
5:1-11
Confident of Glory
5:12-21
6:1-23
Sin is no hindrance
7:1-25
The Law is no hindrance
8:1-17
8:18-39
Because of being in Christ
No condemnation in Christ
Confident of Glory
© Douglas Moo
Romans 5-8
“Bookends”
5:1-11
God’s love
God’s justifying act
The work of the Spirit
Tribulations/Suffering
Glory
© Douglas Moo
8:18-39
The Christian and Salvation History
My new life
My old life
The overlapping
of the ages:
“Already” and
“Not Yet”
© Douglas Moo
“In” Adam—the old man
(5:12-21)
Slaves to Sin
(6:17, 20; 7:14)
Doomed to Eternal Death
(5:12-21; 7:5; 8:3)
Ruled over by Torah
(6:14; 7:7-25)
Dominated by Flesh
(7:5, 7-25)
The Non-Christian
The New Realm
The Old Realm
“Realm Transfer” in Romans 5-8
“In” Christ—the new man
(5:12-21)
Slaves to Righteousness
(6:17, 20)
Destined for Eternal Life
(5:12-21; 8:1-39)
Ruled over by Grace
(6:14; 8:1-39)
Dominated by the Spirit
(7:6; 8:1-39)
The Christian
© Douglas Moo
Adam, Sin, and Death – Romans 5:12
One Man
All People
Sin
Death
Death
Sin
© Douglas Moo
ADAM AND ALL PEOPLE (Rom. 5:12-21)

"Imitation" (the Pelagian View)
All people
sin and die
following Adam
Adam sinned
and died

"Infection" (Arminians & Calvinists)
Adam sinned
And died

Corrupted
Human nature
"Inclusion" (Calvinists)
Adam sinned and died
All people sinned and died
“in” Adam
© Douglas Moo
All people
sin and die
because of Adam
Adam, Sin, and Death – Romans 5:18, 19
“One trespass” / “Disobedience of the one man”
“Condemnation” for all / many made sinners
© Douglas Moo
The Basic Logic of Romans 6:1-11
• Christ died to sin and rose to a new life (v. 10).
• Christians have died with Christ and will be raised with
Christ (vv. 3-5).
• Therefore:
Christians have died to sin and will be raised to a new
life, a life that has begun already (vv. 2, 8, 11).
© Douglas Moo
Romans 6:3-4 and Baptism
•
•
•
cf. v. 4: “buried with him through baptism”
“Symbolic”
“We were buried in baptism as Christ was buried.”
- Baptism symbolizes our transition from the old life to the new.
“Sacramental”
“We were buried with Christ who is present in baptism.”
- Baptism joins us to Christ and his benefits.
“Salvation-Historical”
“We were buried with Christ in his own tomb through baptism.”
- (Faith/)Baptism appropriates our identification with
Christ in his redemptive acts on our behalf.
© Douglas Moo
Conversion-Initiation
Baptism
Faith
Repentance
Spirit
“Old Man” vs. “New Man”
The “Two Natures” View
The Non-Christian
The Christian
Old
Nature
Old Nature
© Douglas Moo
New
Nature
“Old Man” vs. “New Man”
The “New Nature” View
The Non-Christian
The Christian
Old Nature
New Nature
© Douglas Moo
“Old Man” vs. “New Man”
The “Change of Influence” View
Adam (the “old Man”)
Christ (the “new man”)
NonChristian
Christian
© Douglas Moo
“Righteousness” in Romans
faith→Righteousness (chaps. 1-5)
“obedience”→Righteousness (6:16)

Concept/Lexeme Distinction
Dikaiosyne
(Lexeme)

“Justification”
(Concept)
Dikaiosyne in Romans
Rom. 1-5: faith, not works, leads to righteousness
Rom. 6: antonyms are “unrighteousness,” “impurity” or “sin”
(vv. 13, 18, 19, 20)
© Douglas Moo
The Law in Romans 7:4-6
So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law
through the body of Christ, that you might belong to
another, to him who was raised from the dead, in
order that we might bear fruit for God. For when we
were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions
aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we
bore fruit for death. But now, by dying to what once
bound us, we have been released from the law so
that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in
the old way of the written code.
© Douglas Moo
The Christian and the OT Law


"The Christian must observe even the minute
details of God's law. . . . The NT believers are
responsible to keep the older Testament law, for it
has abiding validity until the world passes away" (G.
Bahnsen, Theonomy¸ 490)
"Christians are free from obligation to the law. . . .
the will of God is no longer defined as an obligation
to observe the law's statutes" (S. Westerholm, Israel's
Law & the Church's Faith, 208, 209)
© Douglas Moo
The Christian and the Law (2)

Continuity of Moral Law
Ceremonial Law
Civil Law
Moral Law

“Theonomy”
Ceremonial Law
Civil Law
Moral Law
© Douglas Moo
The Christian and the Law (3)

“Fulfillment” of the Whole Law
Law of Moses
“Law of Christ”
© Douglas Moo
The Christian and the Law (4)
My (very simplified) View: 1 Cor. 9:20-21)
“To those under the law I became like one under the law
(though I myself am not under the law), so as to win
those under the law. To those not having the law I
became like one not having the law (though I am not
free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as
to win those not having the law.”
God’s Law
“Law” (Torah)
(Old Covenant)
Christ’s Law
(New Covenant)
© Douglas Moo
Torah in Rom. 7:7-25
Torah is “holy”: God’s good gift (v. 12)
 Torah has been used by sin to bring death (vv. 8,
11)
 Sin can so use Torah because “I” am “sold under sin”
(vv. 14, 23)
See 8:3: “what the law could not do because it was
weakened by the flesh”

© Douglas Moo
Romans 7:7-11

The law is “holy, righteous and good”

Sin
Law
Death
© Douglas Moo
Romans 7:7-12
Who is Paul talking about?
“I was alive”
commandment came
“I died”
Paul, a self-satisfied Jew,
thought he was right with
God.
Paul came to realize what
the law really required.
Paul saw that he was
spiritually dead.
Adam was in relation with
God in the Garden of
Eden.
God gave to Adam the
command about the tree.
Adam ate and lost his
relation with God.
Israel was relatively alive.
God spelled out his
requirements to Israel in
the Torah.
Israel was condemned
clearly by the Torah.
© Douglas Moo
Romans 7:14-25
When did Paul experience vv. 14-25?
Pre-Conversion
Immature Christian
Mature Christian
In favor of the Pre-Conversion interpretation
• Lack of reference to the Spirit
• Contrast between chapter 6 and 7:14
• Contrast between chapter 8 and 7:23
In favor of the Mature Christian interpretation
• Paul writing in the present tense
• Only believers would “delight in God’s law” in the “inner man” (v. 22).
• Restatement of struggle (v. 25) comes after statement of victory in Christ
(v. 24).
© Douglas Moo
Romans 7:14-25 (2)

In favor of the Immature Christian interpretation
 Points
in favor of a Christian are decisive
But:
 Depth
 Lack
of struggle of not typical for mature Christian
of reference to the Spirit
© Douglas Moo
Romans 8: The Ministry of the Spirit
•
•
•
The Spirit gives life (vv. 1-13).
• New spiritual life now (vv. 1-4)
• Explanation (vv. 5-9)
• New Resurrection life in the future (vv. 10-11)
• Response (vv. 12-13)
The Spirit makes us children of God (vv. 14-17).
The Spirit assures us of future glory (vv. 18-30).
• The reality of glory (vv. 18-25)
• The assurance of glory (vv. 26-30)
• Prayer
• Providence
• Predestination
© Douglas Moo
Sarx in Romans 8:1-13
• Being “in the flesh” (vv. 8, 9)
• Thinking “according to the flesh” (vv. 5, 7)
• Living “according to the flesh” (vv. 4, 5)
• Don’t live “according to the flesh”! (v. 13)
© Douglas Moo
The Spirit and God – Romans 8:9-11
9You,
however, are not in the realm of the flesh but in the
realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in
you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they
do not belong to Christ. 10But if Christ is in you, then even
though your body is subject to death because of sin, the
Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11And if the
Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in
you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life
to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in
you.
© Douglas Moo
The Destiny of Creation

Redemption (Rom. 8:18-25; Col. 1:20)

“New Heaven and New Earth” (Rev. 22:1)

Destruction? (2 Pet. 3:10-12)

Radical Renovation
© Douglas Moo
The Christian and Environmentalism
• A simple definition from a Christian worldview:
responsible stewardship of the good creation that God
has given us
• Three Key Pauline Passages
• Romans 8:18-22 – Creation is waiting to be
redeemed
• Colossians 1:20 – God reconciles “all things”
• Galatians 5:14; Romans 13:8-10, etc. – Love for
“the neighbor”
© Douglas Moo
Romans 9-11: The Gospel and Israel
• The Problem – Romans 9:1-5
Israel’s Promises and Privileges
vs.
Israel’s Reality
• The Answer – Romans 9:6-11:32
•
•
•
•
9:6-29 – The “Israel” within Israel (“not race but grace”)
9:30-10:21 – Israel’s Responsibility for her fall
11:1-10 – God is saving a remnant now
11:11-32 – God will save “all Israel”
• Response: Praise of God – Romans 11:33-36
© Douglas Moo
Romans 9:5; The Title “God” for Christ
According to M. J. Harris, Jesus as God

Certain:
John 1:1
John 20:28

Very probable:
Rom. 9:5
Tit. 2:13
Heb. 1:8
2 Pet. 2:1


Probable:
John 1:18
Possible but not likely
Acts 20:28
Heb. 1:9
1 John 5:20
© Douglas Moo
Romans 9:6 Israel and “Israel”
Physical
Israel
Spiritual
Israel
Physical Israel
Spiritual
Israel
© Douglas Moo
Romans 9 and Election
• The Calvinist Interpretation
God elects, or chooses, individual people, from eternity
past, to receive his salvation. God’s choice is based
ultimately on nothing else than God’s sovereign
decision. God elects so that we can believe.
• The Arminian Interpretation
God elects, or chooses, individual people, or the church
as a whole, from eternity past, to receive his salvation.
God’s choice is based on the foreseen faith of the
person chosen. God elects those who believe.
© Douglas Moo
Competing Schemes of Election
God
God
God
Election
Faith
Christ
Election
Election
God
Humans
Believers
Faith
Faith
© Douglas Moo
Member of
God’s People
Hosea in Romans 9
Romans 9:24-25
"even us, whom he also called, not only from the
Jews but also from the Gentiles? As he says in
Hosea: 'I will call them "my people" who are not my
people; and I will call her "my loved one" who is not
my loved one'"
= Hosea 2:23 and 1:10
But: the “people” in Hosea = Israel’s northern tribes
© Douglas Moo
Canonical Development:
"Sensus Plenior"
A pattern discernible throughout the NT according
to which the OT is given a "fuller meaning" in light
of continuing revelation from God
(D. Moo/A. Naselli, “The Problem of the New Testament’s Use of the Old
Testament.” In volume 1 of “But My Words Will Never Pass Away”: The
Enduring Authority of the Christian Scriptures. Edited by D. A. Carson. 2
vols.; forthcoming)
© Douglas Moo
"Sensus Plenior"


Organic "development" from OT
Rooted in
 Christocentrism
 Universalizing

Results in
 Deepening
of meaning
 Extension of meaning
 Transforming of meaning

Usually based in the OT itself
© Douglas Moo
The "Canonical Sense"
Hosea 1:8-11
"Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the
seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In
the place where it was said to them, 'You are not my
people,' they will be called 'children of the living
God.'
© Douglas Moo
"Sand by the Seashore"
Genesis 22:17: Promise to Abraham
"I will surely bless you and make your descendants as
numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the
seashore."
(See also Gen. 32:13; & cf. 13:16; 28:14)
 Isaiah 10:22 in Romans 9:27
"Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: 'Though the number
of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the
remnant will be saved.'"

© Douglas Moo
“Righteousness” vs. “Righteousness”
in Romans 9:30-10:8
• 9:30-33
• 10:1-3
“righteousness by faith”
“the law of righteousness”
“righteousness of God”
“their own [righteousness]”
• 10:5-8
“the righteousness by faith”
“the righteousness by law”
© Douglas Moo
A Salvation-Historical Pattern
But if their transgression means riches for the world,
and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their
full inclusion bring! (v. 12)
For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their
acceptance be but life from the dead? (v. 15)
Natural branches cut off Unnatural branches grafted in
natural branches grafted in again (vv. 17-24)
“Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the
Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved” (11:25b-26a)
© Douglas Moo
The Recurring Pattern in Romans 11:12-32
Jews’ rejection of
Christ
Salvation of Gentiles
Jews become envious
“All Israel will
be saved”
Jews included again
in kingdom
“Life from the Dead”
© Douglas Moo
Romans 11:26a:
“All Israel will be Saved”

How?
 Torah-covenant
(bi-covenantalism)
 Christ (Rom. 10:13)

“Who” and “When”?
 All
the elect throughout history
 All elect Jews throughout history
 All elect Jews at the end of history
© Douglas Moo
The Quotation (vv. 26b-27)
"The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn
godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my
covenant with them when I take away their sins.“
Isaiah 59:20: "The Redeemer will come to Zion, to
those in Jacob who repent of their sins.“
© Douglas Moo
The Revelation of a "Mystery"


OT Expectation (Isaiah especially)
Deliverance of Israel
Gentiles stream in to Zion
Paul's "Reversal"
Gentiles stream in to "Zion" (9:33)
Deliverance of Israel (in exile) "from Zion"
© Douglas Moo
Romans 12:1-2:
The Worship of Everyday Life
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters,
in view of God’s mercy [mercies],
… to offer you bodies as living sacrifices,
holy and pleasing to God
- this is your proper worship as rational beings
[NIV: spiritual act of worship]
Why we should do it
What we are to do
What the results are
Do not conform any longer
to the pattern of this world,
but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind.
How we do it
Then you will be able to test and approve what
God’s will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will.
© Douglas Moo
What the ultimate results
will be
New Covenant “Law” and the Spirit
Commandments
Spirit
Renewed Mind
Commandments
© Douglas Moo
Romans 13:1-7
1Let
everyone be subject to the governing authorities,
A for there is no authority except that which God has established. The
authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently,
whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has
instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do
B
wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do
what is right and you will be commended. 4For the one in authority is
God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers
do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of
wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.
5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities,
A’ not only because of possible punishment
B’ but also as a matter of conscience. 6This is also why you pay taxes, for
the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing.
7Give to everyone what you owe: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if
revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
© Douglas Moo
Romans 13:8-10 – Love and Law
8Let
no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing
debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has
fulfilled the law. 9The commandments, “Do not commit
adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not
covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be
are summed up in this one command: “Love your
neighbor as yourself.” 10Love does no harm to its
neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
© Douglas Moo
Romans 14:1-15:13 – Liberty and Love
Weak “in faith”?
“what we think our faith allows us to do”
Specific issues
• Eating meat (14:2, 6)
• Observing “holy days” (14:5)
• Drinking wine (see 14:21)
• Reference to Jewish/Gentile relations (15:8-13)
The General Point of Debate
Jewish, Torah-oriented piety
An “indifferent matter” (one of the adiaphora)
© Douglas Moo
Romans 15:14-16:27

Paul’s Calling and Past Ministry
 “Priestly
duty of proclaiming the gospel of God . . .
Gentiles” (15:16)
 “From Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum I have
fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ” (15:19)

Paul’s Plans for Ministry
 Jerusalem
– “in the service of the Lord’s people”/“this
contribution” (15:25-33)
 Rome (15:24)
 Spain (15:24)
© Douglas Moo
Romans 15:14-16:27 (2)


Commendation of Phoebe (16:1-2)
diakonos: “servant” or “deacon”?
Greetings (16:3-16)
 Diversity:
Men, Women, Jews, Gentiles, Freemen,
aristocrats
 Junia/Junias – an “apostle”? (16:7)



Warning (16:17-19)
Final Remarks (16:20-24)
Doxology (16:25-27)
© Douglas Moo