Romans as story

When we read sacred Scripture, we are not only reading someone else's mail, we're ready someone else's story. However, it is a story that the reader - who believes it's message and Central Star - is a part of. (Fortunately, this sort of "participatory union" doesn't occur when the mailman puts my mail in my neighbor's box; a regular occurrence in my neighborhood!)

If we believe what we read, we become a participant, not a bystander, in the greatest story ever told. But, it helps to remember it is a story - with a plot, characters, a beginning, middle and end, etc. But, what about the parts of Scripture that are not in story form, like Romans, for instance?

In his first chapter, Paul the Apostle ties the life of Jesus (a story in itself) to the story of Israel (specifically David), as if he wants to ground all he's about to say in the Biblical narrative. In fact, the Jesus story is a story within a story, but that's another post for another day.

Not only does Paul ground what he's about to say in the Biblical story, it continues to inform the whole letter. So, his letter to the Romans doesn't narrate a story, the story narrates his letter. You can see this in full play with his allusions to David, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Israel throughout the letter. The more we become familiar with the story(ies), the better we can plumb the depths of a letter, like Romans.More to come...

 

 

Context, Audience and The Gospel in Romans

Expecting to jump into a cultural context and ecclesial context which he was not familiar with first hand experience, the Apostle Paul writes his letter to the church (or churches) at Rome. It seems that the churches in Rome were disperate, spread out and theologically diverse at least in terms of their practice, if not their belief. And since Paul seemed to have wanted the church at Rome to be a base for his mission to Spain - since he was not one to be the renegade apostle he's sometimes portrayed as - he had a lot of work to do if he was to "unite" them under the Biblical vision of what God had done in Christ; the message he sought to preach. 

Considering this "diversity" and Paul's desire to link it all together, it's interesting to see what Paul hones in on as he develops his story-informed letter. Is there a lesson for us, who live in diverse times, cities and places?

The central concern of Paul, I believe, is to get down to the narrative which unites all of God's people. That narrative is the Good News, or the announcement that Jesus is the Lord's Messiah and the rightful ruler of all of God's creation. This is Paul's greatest concern as he unfolds his letter and I believe we can read Romans as a sustained defence of God's narrative, the gospel. This is, above all else, what Paul wishes for his readers to grasp. His "if you don't get anything else I say, get this!" type of moment.

If the gospel - God's narrative - is the common thread of unity among this diverse groups of believers, how much more for us? 

The Narrative of Romans 2

Too often - perhaps out of just plain 'ole bad reading habits - we apply Romans 2 as a moralistic lesson about judging; why we shouldn't and the eventual fate we'll surely face if we fall prey to this most insidious sin. True enough. However, can this chapter be reduced in such a way? No, this section of Romans is much more than a moral lesson about not judging others. Chapter 2 is inextricably linked to Chapter 1 (keep in mind that chapter divisions were not in the original copies of Scripture; the intent for the original audience was either longer sustained readings - if they could in fact read and had a personal copy - or long sustained hearings) and we do well to try and catch Paul's flow of thought.

What makes Romans 2 much more than a moral lesson on judging is the group it was (is) addressed to. Here again, we need a gentle correction. It's common for our English Bibles to have the chapter heading - on a chapter division that was not contained in the original - of something like "God's Judgment Against the Moralist". If the chapter divisions inserted hundreds of years later than the original autographs were not inspired, then what can we say of chapter headings which came more than a millennium later?!

The shocking power of Romans 2 lies in the fact that Paul, as he had done in Chapter 1, is narrating a story about a people group. The difference is the people group of Romans 2 is the Jewish nation, who had been entrusted with a vocation to be the world's light, God's ambassadors sent into a "Romans 1" type of world, where darkness and sin reign, where human beings, created in God's image, flounder and fail. Despite possessing everything to fulfill their vocation, Israel largely failed - historically - and in Paul's day, had become somewhat of secret society as far as "outsiders" were concerned. In short, they prized their privileges above their calling, their unique status as God's people above the plight of the nations. This led Paul to summarize his kinsmen's vocational plight thusly - because of you, God's name is blasphemed among the nations. 

Similarly, Christians - followers of Christ - pick up on essentially the same vocation as our spiritual ancestors Israel, to be a light to the world. However, by extension, Romans 2 asks us, will fall into the same trap as our ancestors? If the world of Romans 1 walked into our church gathering, would we require them to be just like us before we loved them?

One People of God

In Romans Paul's concerns are arguably as pastoral as they are theological. Certainly the two work together and feed one another, but throughout the history of the Church, the more common focus among theologians has definitely been the latter over the former. However, even if that be the case - Paul is more concerned with a theological "treatise" (theoretical theology) than praxis (practical theology) - Romans 4, as an example, can never be read apart from Paul's aim, or goal.

Paul begins by asking what advantage Abraham - the father of the Jewish people - has and whether or not he's justified in boasting before God? Two primary points lay in the backdrop of his question: 1) Paul's kinsmen may be prompted to boast about their lineage and connection to Abraham and 2) In their thinking if anyone can boast it would be Abraham, as he enjoyed such a lofty and promise-filled relationship with God. So, what follows the introductory question in chapter 4, is not simply a theological explanation of justification or faith, but a defense of the "one people of God" view that Paul fought tooth and nail to uphold. If exclusive allegiance to Abraham meant the believing Jew could boast, or that Abraham himself could boast, those so inclined would feel justified in prizing their special relationship with God over those (Gentiles) less fortunate, and an unnecessary schism in the Church results, since by definition the point of the Church is to reflect the "one people of God", Jew and Gentile together under one King (Jesus), reflecting to the world what the Prophets were pointing to.

Today, boasting of one's pedigree, privileges and status is no less a common occurence, however, it's never based upon Abraham! The church in America is not healthy when it comes to reflecting the "one people of God" vision of Paul. In fact, it's downright sick. I know of a pastor who is famous for saying, "Sunday at 9am is the most segregated hour in the week." I think he's referring to race, primarily - that each ethnic group worships independent of the other, at their own congregations - but the principle and sentiment can certainly, and should be, applied from race to culture and back again. Increasingly, America is becoming sub-culture, culture whereby groups are organized around affinity as well as race. I say that not to diminish abuses that are (still) clearly prevlent around race matters, but to simply point out that the church has to welcome all of God's children, rich, poor, black, white and everything and everyone in between.

To realize this robust "one people of God" vision, take some time to first be aware of your surroundings. You may attend an affluent church; be aware that the person next to you on Sunday morning in the pews, may be flat broke. Welcome them, love them, give them dignity, and for the sake of the gospel and it's Architect, do not "boast" in what you have, as if that matters! You may be aware of your church neighbor and her plight - great! Maybe you need to begin to move outside of your four walls then and serve alongside a church of a different ethnic group, for instance. Learn their gospel "flavor" if you will. Listen. Learn. Serve and then praise your God who desires to make "one people" out of many, spiritually, without making them the "same" robotically.