Romans 1:16-17:The Gospel Unveils God's Righteousness

[Crossposted to Street Prophets. The index for the series is here.]

I am using Carl Palmer's titles for these posts. The appropriate links are:

• Audio file
• Note sheet

The text is:

(NET) Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.³⁴ 17 For the righteousness³⁵ of God is revealed in the gospel³⁶ from faith to faith,³⁷ just as it is written, “The righteous by faith will live.”³⁸

Notes:

³⁴ sn Here the Greek refers to anyone who is not Jewish.

³⁵ tn The nature of the “righteousness” described here and the force of the genitive θεοῦ (“of God”) which follows have been much debated. (1) Some (e.g. C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans [ICC], 1:98) understand “righteousness” to refer to the righteous status given to believers as a result of God’s justifying activity, and see the genitive “of God” as a genitive of source (= “from God”). (2) Others see the “righteousness” as God’s act or declaration that makes righteous (i.e., justifies) those who turn to him in faith, taking the genitive “of God” as a subjective genitive (see E. Käsemann, Romans, 25–30). (3) Still others see the “righteousness of God” mentioned here as the attribute of God himself, understanding the genitive “of God” as a possessive genitive (“God’s righteousness”).

³⁶ tn Grk “in it”; the referent (the gospel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

³⁷ tn Or “by faith for faith,” or “by faith to faith.” There are many interpretations of the phrase ἐκ πίστεως εἰς πίστιν (ek pisteōs eis pistin). It may have the idea that this righteousness is obtained by faith (ἐκ πίστεως) because it was designed for faith (εἰς πίστιν). For a summary see J. Murray, Romans (NICNT), 1:363–74.

³⁸ sn A quotation from Hab 2:4.

Biblical Studies Press. (2006; 2006). The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible. Biblical Studies Press.

From the Note Sheet:

1. Are we “ashamed of the gospel”? What can we do about it?
2. What does “salvation” mean to you? How is our understanding of salvation “smaller” than Paul’s?
3. Can you describe God’s “righteousness” in a way anyone could understand?
4. Why do you think God chose the way of “faith” to save people and accomplish His purpose?

Next: Romans 1:18-23 -- "The Righteous Wrath of God"