Issues in Romans 2

The thesis of Romans is stated by Paul in 1:16-17: "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. For the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel from faith to faith, just as it is written, 'The righteous will live by faith.'" [NET]

 

There are two interpretive issues found in the above text. First what does Paul mean by "the righteousness of God." Cranfield swayed many by understanding it as a righteous status given to believers by God. Thus the genitive "of God" is a genitive of source (from God). Others see the genitive as subjective (God justifies). God acts or declares one righteous when he/she turns to Him in faith. Then there are those who take the genitive as simply possessive. Righteousness is an attribute for God.

 

While it is true that righteousness is an attribute of God, it usually wise to rule out the simple possessive genitive if other syntactical categories explain it better. I think we are perhaps splitting hairs between explanations one and two. But I do tend to lean toward Cranfield's stance. It seems Paul deals primarily [but not wholly] with status in Romans rather than source. It is a given that God is the source of righteousness, but the issue in the letter is what it means when a sinner moves from his 'sinful' status to a 'righteous' one. Chapters 1-3 deal with the fact that everyone is in need of this status. Chapters 4-8 focus on the spiritual realities brought about by that status. Chapters 12-15 particularly deal with the expectations of lifestyle brought about by that status.

 

The second issue is what does Paul mean by "from faith to faith" [ek pisteos eis pistin]. Most commentators grapple with the phrase. It has been translated variously: 'by faith for faith,' by faith to faith,' 'through faith for faith,' to share just a few. I prefer the NET translation. That hits it grammatically, but what does it mean? The key I think is found in the Hosea quote that follows, "The righteous will live by faith." True life begins by faith as Romans makes clear [and Paul makes that clear in v. 16]—'from faith.' True life continues by faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God [Heb 11:6]. Thus the righteous live by faith from beginning to end. I think that is what Paul means. The righteous status from God available to any person is revealed in the Gospel. It is a status that is acquired by faith and lived out by faith.