Workbooks
in the History
of Redemption
Workbook
in
Romans
Arranged According to
the History of Redemption
Kenneth Berding
Berding_cover.indd 1
9/10/13 12:20 PM
“Berding has created an outstanding volume because it forces the reader to do two critical
things: to place Paul’s letter within the flow of redemptive history and to engage the text of
Romans itself. This produces at least two happy results, the first of which is that the message
of Romans is the constant focus, since it is set within the history of redemption rather than
one’s own personal, subjective experience. The second of which is to curtail the tendency
toward atomistic exegesis. In short, Paul and the biblical message are central and controlling,
not one’s twenty-first century existence. I am heartened by such a clear-headed approach. I
recommend it highly.”
—Jay E. Smith, Ph.D.,
Professor of New Testament Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary
“Bookcases are filled with commentaries and studies of Paul’s letter to the early Roman Christians. What new, helpful work could possibly be done on this letter? Berding answers this
question ably with a helpful inductive workbook on Romans looking at the letter through
the lens of redemptive historical categories. Berding draws our attention to God’s Big Story
of Salvation, which we find peeking out from behind verses all throughout the letter. I am
happy to commend this excellent new tool for studying Romans.”
—Robert L. Plummer, Ph.D.,
Professor of New Testament Interpretation, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
“Berding’s delightful book, Workbook in Romans is the first volume in a new series for Workbooks in the History of Redemption. As such Berding discusses key themes of biblical redemption relative to Romans (the stories of God’s eternal plan, creation, Abraham, Moses,
David and the Prophets, Christ, the Holy Spirit, Paul, the Church, and the eschatological
future). Each chapter of the book begins with an introduction about the redemptive theme
and then raises questions based on those texts in Romans that interact with that theme. In
doing so, Berding has provided the reader with an engaging way to grapple with Paul’s letter
to the Romans. The author thereby accomplishes two goals: grasping Romans and relating it
to the relevant redemptive themes that intersect with it. The result is a very useful handbook
that nicely informs the reader about Romans and how that book fits into the divine scheme
of redemption. This work will prove to be a great tool for Bible study groups. I strongly recommend it!”
—C. Marvin Pate, Ph.D.,
Professor and Chair of Christian Theology, Ouachita Baptist University
“This book is a unique and captivating contribution to the literature on Romans! It helps a
reader trace the narrative that is inherent in Romans, the story of God’s redemptive work in human history. In doing so, it integrates Romans into the story of the whole Bible using a series of
well-designed, interactive questions to focus on the content of Romans and our response to it.
Highly recommended for college or seminary classes or individual or group Bible study.”
—Buist Fanning, Ph.D.,
Department Chair and Senior Professor of New Testament Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary
“One of the marks of a great teacher is the ability to direct the student to see the one or two
things that are important amidst the dozens of things in front of him or her. Berding shows
precisely that in his workbook on Romans. His leading questions juxtaposed with Romans
passages enable the reader in a self-guided way to view the entire Bible using Romans as a
lens. He confirms what all Bible professors have always known, that every individual book
of the Bible tells a piece of the one singular story of the Bible, and that Romans in particular
tells a great deal of that story. The workbook’s table of contents alone reads like a miniature
textbook in biblical theology. A great achievement, not only in Romans studies, but also in
Bible pedagogy.”
—Frank Chan, Ph.D.,
Professor of Bible, Nyack College
“The ability to perceive any New Testament author’s understanding of the history of redemption and the relationship between Jesus Christ and the audience in light of their place in that
history of redemption is one of the keys to an insightful theological reading of any book of
the New Testament. Berding’s Workbook is bound to help its readers in the important task
of thinking through the particular ways Paul would have the readers of Romans understand
their relationship to the most important storylines of Scripture.”
—Roy E. Ciampa, Ph.D.,
Professor of New Testament; Chair, Division of Biblical Studies,
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
“Berding’s Workbook in Romans is the first volume in an intriguing new series, Workbooks in
the History of Redemption. This is an invaluable resource for individuals or groups to study
the text of Romans in the light of the biblical theological theme of God’s redemptive plan of
history. Kenneth Berding is a highly gifted scholar-pastor, who blends his scholarly understanding of Romans with his pastoral care of his readers as they walk through this rich study.
Through ten carefully constructed lessons he provides oversights of the plan of redemption
throughout Scripture and then skillfully guides the reader with thought-provoking questions
that lead to profound insights from the book of Romans. He escorts the reader with kind and
gentle encouragement to think for oneself and to allow the Spirit of God to make application
to one’s life. This is a highly recommended new study that pastors and Bible study leaders can
use profitably as a resource that promises rich rewards for their people.”
—Michael J. Wilkins, Ph.D.,
Distinguished Professor of New Testament Language and Literature,
Talbot School of Theology, Biola University.
“This is a very fine Bible study resource as it helps readers grasp the details of the biblical text
and how those details tie into the overall storyline of the Scriptures. A significant problem in
the church is that people have diverse pieces of biblical information but are not able to see how
all these pieces fit together. Berding’s workbook is a wonderful way to solve this problem. It will
help open the fullness of the biblical message to readers in a fresh way. I heartily commend it.”
—Ray Van Neste, Ph.D.,
Professor of Biblical Studies; Director, R. C. Ryan Center for Biblical Studies, Union University
W orkbook in
Romans
Workbooks in the History of Redemption
Forthcoming Titles
Workbook in Matthew
Arranged According to the History of Redemption
(Author TBA)
Workbook in Luke–Acts
Arranged According to the History of Redemption
(Author TBA)
Workbook in Hebrews
Arranged According to the History of Redemption
(Author TBA)
Workbook in Revelation
Arranged According to the History of Redemption
(J. Scott Duvall)
Workbooks
in the History
of Redemption
W orkbook in
Romans
Arranged According to
the History of Redemption
Kenneth Berding
Workbook in Romans: Arranged According to the History of Redemption
© 2013 by Kenneth Berding
Published by
Weaver Book Company
1190 Summerset Dr.
Wooster, OH 44691
weaverbookcompany.com
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording
or otherwise—without written permission of the publisher, except for brief quotations in
printed reviews.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are from the Holy Bible, English
Standard Version (ESV), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good
News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked NASB are from the New American Standard Bible®.
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman
Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org
ISBN: 978–09891671–0–9
Cover and interior design: Frank Gutbrod Graphic Design
Library of Congress Cataloging–in–Publication Data
Berding, Kenneth.
Workbook in Romans: arranged according to the history of redemption / Kenneth Berding.
pages cm. — (Workbooks in the history of redemption series)
ISBN 0-9891671-0-9 (978-09891671-0-9 : alk. paper) 1. Bible. Romans—Textbooks.
2. Bible. Romans—Criticism, interpretation, etc. 3. Redemption--Biblical teaching. I. Title.
BS2665.55.B47 2013
227’.10071—dc23
2013023549
Printed in the United States of America
13 14 15 16 17 / 5 4 3 2 1
Contents
Series Preface 9
Introduction and Instructions 11
Paul’s Flow of Thought 15
1. The Story of God’s Eternal Plan 21
2. The Story of Creation, Adam, and the Fall into Sin 27
3. The Story of Abraham and the Calling of a Nation 33
4. The Story of Moses and the Law 39
5. The Story of David, Isaiah, the Other Prophets, and Their Expectation 49
6. The Story of Christ 55
7. The Story of the Holy Spirit 61
8. The Story of Paul and the Inclusion of the Gentiles 67
9. The Story of the Church 77
10. The Story of the Future 87
Finding Your Place in This Story: How Would You Answer Paul’s Questions? 95
Optional Assignment for Studying Romans 105
Ten Commentaries Useful for This Project 106
Timeline 108
Series Preface
Welcome to the series titled Workbooks in the History of Redemption. This series of workbooks
is a new and creative way of drawing out the back story that lies behind the writings of the Bible.
What is a “back story”? Here is a dictionary definition: “a narrative providing a history or
background context, especially for a character or situation in a literary work, film, or
dramatic series.”1
The back story of the Bible, however, is far more important than that of any book, film, or
drama ever written. The supporting “story” that lies behind every book in the Bible is the
history of redemption—God’s unfolding purposes, plans, and processes in redeeming and
restoring a world in desperate need of salvation.
These workbooks provide an entryway that will allow you to start uncovering this story for
yourself. The authors of the Bible are so full of God’s story of redemption that they cannot
help but sometimes “leak” it out in their writings. Other times the biblical authors directly and
intentionally point their readers to the big story. Either way, it allows you as a serious reader of
the Bible the opportunity to tap into that story—the most important story ever written—and so, if
you will, to find your own story by bringing it into submission to God’s grand story of redemption.
I know that early in my own journey into the Scriptures, I read the Book of all books as a random
and disconnected collection of verses. Those verses were helpful, inspiring—even sometimes
convicting—but on their own they didn’t seem to take me into the fuller understanding of God’s
plans and purposes that I longed to know. But the more I came to see the connections between
various parts of the Bible, and the gravitational pull of those parts toward the person and work
of Jesus Christ, my own reading of the Scriptures moved to a deeper and much more satisfying
level. Moving from a verse-centered reading of the Bible to a redemptive historical reading is
like walking away from your two-dimensional (flat) screen TV into a three-dimensional drama
where Christ is center-stage and you are personally being invited to join the story.
1 Dictionary.com.
9
Workbook in Romans
Workbooks in the History of Redemption are designed to be used either in a church context
or in a classroom setting. They can be used by groups or by individuals desiring a fuller
understanding of the Bible. They are not difficult, but they will make you think. They do not
require that you possess much previous knowledge about the Bible, but they will help move
you from where you presently are in your appreciation of the Bible into a deeper place in your
understanding of God’s Word.
May God richly bless and encourage you as you embark on your own journey into understanding
the history of God’s redemptive plan that centers and culminates in Jesus Christ.
Kenneth Berding, Ph.D.
Series Editor
10
Introduction and
Instructions
Romans is a letter, not a story. Then why should we be concerned about the story behind a letter?
The most important story behind a letter is the reason the letter is written in the first place. For
example, a letter to a newspaper editor is written in response to a provocative article. A business
letter is written to develop a business partnership, avoid a tax difficulty, or complain about a flaw
in a product. A love letter is written because someone cares deeply for someone else.
Although the immediate reason for writing a letter is the most important story for understanding
it, a deeper story needs to be understood about Romans. This is the story of what God is doing
in history. Simply stated, Paul believed that there was one grand story that all followers of
Christ should already know—the story of God reconciling the world through Jesus Christ. But
how do we know that that is the deeper story for Paul? We know about it because Paul told us
small parts of the story throughout his letters, especially in his letter to the Romans.
In recent years, biblical scholars and theologians have been talking a lot about the storyline
upon which a particular New Testament gospel (like Matthew), apocalypse (like Revelation),
or letter (like Romans) is built. In other words, New Testament authors assume that the grand
story of what God is doing in history supports what they were writing. Students of the Bible are
beginning to recognize how useful it is to become familiar with that underlying story.
But some of the folks who talk a lot about this subject don’t pay close enough attention
to what New Testament authors say directly about the big story. Some scholars suggest
connections between the Old and New Testaments that probably aren’t even there. (They
might respond, though, that it makes for a lot of interesting discussion!) Really, nobody
has the right to make suggestions about an author’s narrative assumptions until he has
first looked carefully at what an author directly writes about those assumptions. That is the
purpose of this workbook—to draw out the main ideas in Paul’s storyline by observing what
he actually said in his letter to the Romans.
I recognize that there are lots of things that Paul believed about each of the topics covered in
this workbook that he doesn’t mention at all in Romans. That’s not surprising; there is only so
11
Workbook in Romans
much one can say in a letter as short as Romans. (And Paul packs in a phenomenal amount
in such a short span!) What will probably surprise many people who progress through this
workbook is how many things Paul does explicitly say about each of these periods of history.
One quick way to become convinced of how important the grand storyline is for Paul is to list
how many persons in the history of Israel that he mentions in Romans! In this book alone, Paul
mentions Adam, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Esau, Jacob, Benjamin, Moses, Pharaoh,
Jesse, David, Elijah, Hosea, and Isaiah. Can anyone doubt that Paul is seeking to make explicit
connections with the history of Israel in order to communicate to his readers what he wants
them to know and believe?
That’s what makes this study important. We shouldn’t assume things about Paul’s
understanding of the grand story until we have first become familiar with what he actually
says about it.
But before you start, here are a few things you need to know about this workbook:
1 Although I usually have included a large slice of Scripture rather than individual verses
for each question, sometimes an even broader context will help you understand what
is going on in a particular passage. So I encourage you to have your Bibles open and be
aware of the surrounding verses as you answer the questions.
2 You will sometimes find it helpful to keep one or two good commentaries on Romans
nearby as you work through these questions. The main ideas in these questions
can usually be answered just by looking at the printed biblical text, but you might
occasionally find yourself staring at a difficult passage for which you need some
guidance. That’s when commentaries can be useful. Commentaries are simply a set of
comments written by a serious student of the Bible about how a particular text should
be interpreted. Commentaries are sometimes wrong—they certainly aren’t inspired!—
so be sure to check everything you read in a commentary against what you actually see
in the biblical text. A short list of ten high-quality commentaries on Romans that would
work well with this project is included at the back of the book (see pp. 106-7). Please
note that since the best commentaries are still published in book form, most of the
“commentaries” you find online are (honestly) not very good.
3 Please be aware that I didn’t include every single reference that connects with Abraham,
Moses, David, or whomever. But I did include most of those found in Romans. At the
same time, almost the entire letter of Romans is quoted somewhere in the workbook,
although a few verses did not make their way into the printed text because they didn’t
belong to a context that would answer the question being asked. And I did not rearrange
the order of the passages; each of the ten chapters of the workbook still moves from
the beginning toward the end of Romans even if I’ve selected out certain passages to
be looked at in each chapter.
12
Introduction and Instructions
4 The heart of this workbook is chapters 1–10, and you will benefit from the questions in
those chapters even if you do nothing else with the workbook. As far as “extras,” this
workbook begins by tracing Paul’s flow of thought and concludes with a “Timeline”
(see pp. 108-9) on which you can plot the highlights of “The Story.” It also offers a set
of application questions (that Paul himself will ask you!) to help you apply the text to
your own life. It concludes by giving instructions for an optional writing assignment
that will bring it all together. You will understand Romans better if you do all of the
available activities.
May God richly bless you as you look at the history of the world—which is in fact the history of
the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ for all who believe—through the lens of Paul’s letter
to the Romans!
13
P a u l ’s F l o w o f
Thought
Before you can begin to uncover the storyline that lies at the foundation of Paul’s letter to the
Romans, it is helpful to know the flow of thought in the letter in the sequence that Paul wrote it.
If you already know Romans well, this step will simply be a review before you begin to uncover
Paul’s deeper storyline. However, if you are new to the study of Romans, this step will help fix
in your mind where the letter is headed. Since we are going to rearrange the contents of the
book of Romans into the order of the historical events that make up Paul’s assumptions, this
first step will be helpful to many of you doing this study.
So read through Romans section by section and write a one-sentence summary of what you
believe Paul is saying in each section. Focus on the one or two main things Paul is driving at
in each section. Don’t worry about details; just try to get the big idea.
Romans
1:1–15
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
1:16–17
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
15
Workbook in Romans
1:18–32
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
2:1–29
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
3:1–20
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
3:21–31
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
4:1–25
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
16
Introduction and Instructions
5:1–11
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
5:12–21
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
6:1–23
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
7:1–13
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
7:14–25
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
17
Workbook in Romans
8:1–30
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
8:31–39
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
9:1–29
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
9:30–10:21
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
11:1–36
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
18
Introduction and Instructions
12:1–21
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
13:1–7
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
13:8–14
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
14:1–15:13
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
15:14–33
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
19
Workbook in Romans
16:1–16
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
16:17–27
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
20