Engaging Scripture Book Club
If you want to follow along, over the next several weeks, I will be reviewing Dr. Beverly Gaventa’s new Romans commentary (New Testament Library, Westminster John Knox).
If you want to learn about the book and the club details, click HERE.
Reminder: I will give general thoughts and summary of the week’s reading for free; I will also add my own critical thoughts and reflections for paid subscribers. So, feel free to follow along and hopefully you’ll enjoy the book club. There is no formal sign up, just check your email inbox for each week’s review, and if you haven’t subscribed yet to Engaging Scripture, you can do so now.
Romans 1:1-12
The section of Gaventa’s commentary that I want to discuss today covers Romans’ prescript (1:1-7) and Thanksgiving section (1:8-12). Gaventa argues that, while this opening section of Romans offers some basic epistolary information, Paul previews or foreshadows some of his larger theological concerns and offers a “concise summation of the gospel” (p.21).
Romans 1:1-7
Gaventa, in keeping with the NTL series, offers her own translation of the text, which is a goldmine of insight. One noticeable translation choice, Gaventa renders doulos as “slave”: “Paul, slave of Christ Jesus.” Many modern translations say “servant” here, but I think Gaventa is correct. And in her exposition, Gaventa wisely notes that Paul chose to name his “master” as Christ, indicating that “Paul connects himself intimately with the new event of the gospel” (24).
Gaventa spends ample time on 1:3-4, where scholars have debated in what sense Christ took on the title “Son of God in power” after the resurrection. The big issue is whether Jesus actually went through a change of form or status, or whether he was simply recognized as Son of God in power after the resurrection. Much of this hinges on the verb orizō, which has a range of meanings. First, Gaventa is not convinced this is part of a primitive Christian formula that Paul is borrowing. In fact, she thinks this could be an original Pauline formulation, “crafting a definition of the gospel” (which is picked up again in 1:16-17, and then elaborated further in the main body of the letter).
Gaventa is persuaded that Paul was not indicating a change of status. Orizō here refers to the public identification of the Son of God: “the resurrection demonstrates something about Jesus rather than that the resurrection brings about a change in Jesus” (29). What Paul writes “has to do with what human beings are able to acknowledge about the gospel, rather than with stages in the development of Jesus Christ” (29).
Romans 1:8-12
Gaventa explains that in this section, Paul expresses his concern for the Romans in general, and indicates his general responsibility for them in his calling as apostle. Honestly, not a lot to talk about here. Thematically, Gaventa notes key terms or themes that appear here which will become important later, namely: God’s will, human faith, and the transformative power of the gospel (40).
For next time:
Week of August 5: Romans 1:13-2:29 (pp. 41-88)
My Critical Reflections
Below I present my critical thoughts and reflections for paid subscribers.
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