WORD BIBLICAL COMMENTARY VOLUME 3& Romans 9-16 JAMES D.G. DUNN WORD BOOKS, PUBLISHER • DALLAS, TEXAS ---------Oenerall!dltors--------- David A. Hubbard Glenn W. Barker t -------oOld Testamentl!dlto""""------_ John D. W. Watts -------JNew Testamentl!dlto""""---___ Ralph P. Martin Word Biblical Commentary ROMANS 9-16 Copyright © 1988 by Word, Incorporated All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced ih any form without the written permission of the publisher. Library of Consress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Main entry under title: Word biblical commentary. Includes bibliographies. 1. Bibie-Commentaries---Collected Works. BS491.2.W67 220.7'7 81-71768 ISBN ~499-0252-5 (vol. 38B) AACR2 Printed in the United States of America The author's own translation of the Scripture text appears in italic type under the heading Translation. 89801239 AGF 987654321 EDITOR'S NOTE For the convenience of the reader. page numbers are included for both volumes of this commentary on Romans (38A and 38B) in the Contents. Page numbers for the volume in hand are printed in boldface type. while those for the other volume ;ire in lightface. In addition. all of the front matter from vol. 38A but the IntToductitm has been repeated in vol. 38B so that the reader may have abbreviations. bibliogra phy. and other pertinent information readily at hand. Contents Editorial Preface xii Author's Preface xiii Abbreviations xx General Bibliography xxx Commentary Bibliography xxxviii ROMANS 1-8: TEXT AND COMMENTARY I. INTRODUCTION (1:1-7) 3 A. Introductory Statement and Greetings (1:1-7) 3 Explanation 21 B. Thanksgiving and Personal Explanations (1:8-15) 26 Explanation 34 C. Summary Statement of the Letter's Theme (1 : 16-17) 36 Explanation 46 II-V. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD--FROM GOD'S FAITHFULNESS TO MAN's FAITH (1:18-11:36) 50 II-III. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD--TO MAN's FAITH (1: 18-5:21) 51 II. THE WRATH OF GOD ON MAN's UNRIGHTEOUSNESS (1: 18-3:20) 51 A. God's Wrath on Humankind-from a Jewish Perspective (1:18-32) 51 Explanation 70 B. God's Wrath-on Jew First As Well As Gentile (2: 1-3:8) 76 l. The Impartiality of God (2: 1-11) 77 Explanation 89 2. Possession of the Law No Safeguard (2: 12-16) 93 Explanation 104 3. Favored Status No Security (2: 17-24) 108 Explanation 116 4. Circumcision No Guarantee (2:25-29) 118 Explanation 125 5. What Then of God's Faithfulness? (3: 1-8) 128 Explanation 137 CONTENTS C. Conclusion: God's Judgment on All without Exception (3:9-20) 144 Explanation 156 III. GoD'S SAVING RIGHTEOUSNESS TO FAITH (3:21-5:21) 161 A. To Faith in Christ Jesus (3:21-31) 161 1. The Decisive Demonstration of God's Righteousness in the Death of Jesus (3:21-26) 161 Explanation 176 2. The Consequences for the Self-Understanding of the Jewish People (3:27-31) 183 Explanation 191 B. Abraham as a Test Case (4:1-25) 194 Explanation 225 C. First Conclusions: The New Perspective of Faith in Relation to the Individual and to Humanity at Large (5:1-21) 242 1. The New Perspective on the Believer's Present and Future (5: 1-11) 244 Explanation 261 2. The New Perspective on God's Righteous Purpose for Humankind (5: 12-21) 269 Explanation 288 IV-V. THE OUTWORKING OF THIS GOSPEL IN RELATION TO THE INDIVIDUAL AND TO THE ELECTION OF GRACE (6:1-11:36) 301 IV. THE OUTWORKING OF THE GOSPEL IN RELATION TO THE INDIVIDUAL (6:1-8:39) 301 A. Does Grace Encourage Sin? (6: 1-23) 303 1. The Believer Has Died to Sin (6: 1-11) 303 Explanation 325 2. The Believer Should Therefore Live to God (6: 12-23) 333 Explanation 349 B. What Role Does the Law Play in All This? (7: 1-25) 357 1. The Believer Has Been Released from the Law Which Condemned to Death (7:1-6) 357 Explanation 367 2. But the Law Is Still Exploited by Sin and Death, As Experience Demonstrates (7:7-25) 374 Explanation 399 Contents ix C. The Eschatological Tension and Fulfillment of God's Purpose through the Spirit (8:1-30) 412 1. The Spirit of Life (8:1-11) 413 Explanation 433 2. The Spirit of Sonship (8:12-17) 446 Explanation 457 3. The Spirit as Firstfruits (8: 18-30) 464 Explanation 486 D. Second Conclusion: The Triumph of God His Faithfulness and the Assurance of Faith (8:31-39) 496 Explanation 508 V. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD-FROM Goo's FAITHFULNESS: THE OUTWORKING OF THE GOSPEL IN RELATION TO ISRAEL (9:1-11:36) 517 A. What Then of Israel? Paul's Concern for His Kinspeople (9:1-5) 521 Explanation 529 B. The Call of God (9:6-29) 536 1. The Character of God's Free Choice (9:6-13) 538 Explanation 546 2. Those Not Chosen Are Still within the Purpose of God (9: 14-23) 550 Explanation 561 3. Those Called Include Both Jews and Gentiles, As Prophesied (9:24-29) 569 Explanation 574 C. The Word of Faith (9:30-10:21) 576 1. Israel Has Misunderstood God's Righteousness (9:30-10:4) 578 Explanation 591 2. The Righteousness from the Law and the Righteousness from Faith (10:5-13) 598 Explanation 611 3. Israel's Failure to Respond to the Gospel (10:14-21) 618 Explanation 627 D. The Mystery of God's Faithfulness (11:1-32) 632 1. The Remnant According to Grace-and the Others (11: 1-10) 632 Explanation 644 2. The Hope of Israel's Restoration (11:11-24) 650 Explanation 666 x CONTENTS 3. The Final Mystery Revealed (11:25--32) 675 Explanation 689 E. A Concluding Hymn of Adoration (11 :33-36) 697 Explanation 702 VI. THE OUTWORKING OF THE GOSPEL FOR THE REDEFINED PEOPLE OF GOD IN EVERYDAY TERMS (12: 1-15: 13) 705 A. The Basis for Responsible Living-the Christian's Worship (12:1-2) 706 Explanation 715 B. The Body of Christ as the Social Context of Faith (12:3-8) 718 Explanation 732 C. Love as the Norm for Social Relationships (12:9-21) 736 Explanation 752 D. Live as Good Citizens (13: 1-7) 757 Explanation 769 E. Love of Neighbor as the Fulfillment of the Law (13:8--10) 774 Explanation 781 F. The Imminence of the End as Spur (13:11-14) 783 Explanation 791 G. The Particular Problem of Food Laws and Holy Days (14:1-15:6) 794 1. The Problem Posed: The Challenge to "the Weak" (14:1-12) 795 Explanation 810 2. The Responsibility of "the Strong" (14: 13-23) 815 Explanation 829 3. Christ as Exemplar (15: 1-6) 835 Explanation 841 H. Concluding Summary: God's Mercy and Faithfulness-Jew First, but Also Gentile (15:7-13) 844 Explanation 851 VII. CONCLUSION (15:14-16:27) 854 A. Paul's Mission and Travel Plans (15:14-33) 854 1. Paul's Mission (15:14-21) 854 Explanation 866 2. Paul's Travel Plans (15:22-33) 869 Explanation 880 B. Final Greetings (16: 1-23) 884 1. Commendation of Phoebe (16:1-2) 885 Explanation 889 Contents Xl 2. Greetings (16:3-16) 890 Explanation 899 3. A Final Personal Note (16: 17-20) 900 Explanation 906 4. Adtlitional Greetings (16:21-23) 908 Explanation 911 C. Concluding Doxology (16:25-27) 912 Explanation 916 ltuiexes 919