things for less on 9?: The gospel according to Paul Flashcards
the New Testament book proven to be the most influential in the history of Christianity?
the Letter to the Romans
the main difference between the Letter to the Romans and the other letters that Paul wrote?
the former is written to a congregation that Paul did not establish, in a city that he had never visited
–> unlike the other letters, he is not writing to fix a problem in one of his communities
why is Paul writing to the Romans?
he is telling them he is eager to continue his apocalyptic mission at their location
he is eager to preach his gospel to them
He evidently wants them to provide support, moral and financial, for his westward mission; possibly he would like to use Rome as the base of his operation to the regions beyond
why does Paul’s letter seem like a pitch?
it suggests that the Romans have only a dim knowledge of who he is
even more likely, that they have heard a great deal about him and that what they have heard has made them suspicious
When reading through Romans carefully, one gets the sense that Paul is constantly having to defend himself and to justify his views by making careful and reasoned arguments
the earliest record of a Christian presence in Rome
Paul’s letter
the themes or messages in this particular epistle (Romans)
- Paul is not ashamed of the gospel
- Paul’s gospel is God’s powerful means of salvation
- This salvation comes to those who have faith
- Salvation comes first to the Jew and then to the Gentile
- The gospel reveals the righteousness of God
- The Scriptures proclaim the gospel
what does Paul want to emphasize about the Roman epistle’s messages?
that they are not something that he made up himself
–> he claimed to have received them through a revelation from God
what is odd about the beginning of this letter?
Paul starts it differently
he seems to be quoting the words of an old Christian creed
The main central theme in Romans?
The Gospel according to Paul
the two major models that Paul uses for understanding the importance of Christ’s death in the letter to the Romans
the judicial and the participationist models
are the judicial and the participationist models exclusive?
no
he sometimes combines different conceptualities in one statement
the similarities between the judicial and the participationist models
Both models understand that human beings are somehow alienated from God
Both models understand that Christ’s death and resurrection somehow work to resolve that problem
The Judicial Model
understanding the human problem with respect to God and the divine solution to the problem in legal or judicial terms
–> according to Paul, there appears to be a rough analogy between the act of salvation and the human judicial process
what is the human problem in the judicial model?
God is a lawmaker who has made laws for people to follow
everyone has broken these laws
God is also the judge before whom people appear as lawbreakers
The penalty for breaking God’s laws is death, and everyone is found to be guilty as charge
basically, the problem is sin
what is the solution in the judicial model?
Jesus is one who does not deserve the death sentence; he dies to pay the penalty for others
God shows that he is satisfied with this payment by raising Jesus from the dead
Humans can avail themselves of Christ’s payment of their debt simply by trusting that God will find it acceptable
basically, the solution is Christ’s death and resurrection
The Participationist Model
the human problem is still called sin, sin is still thought to lead to death
Christ’s death and resurrection still work to resolve the problem
sin, death, and Jesus’ death and resurrection all mean something different from what they mean under the judicial model
which model is harder to understand between the participitionist and judicial?
participitionist model
what is sin according to the participitionist model?
a cosmic power
an evil force that compels people to live in alienation from God
The power of sin is related to another power, the power of death
–> death is not simply something that happens when a person stops breathing. It is a cosmic force that is intent on enslaving people; when it succeeds, it totally removes a person from the realm of God
the human problem in the participitionist model?
people are enslaved to the demonic power of sin and are unable to break free from their bondage
the solution in the participitionist model?
it has to come from God himself, and it takes the form of Jesus’ death and resurrection
solution must be liberaration
Paul came to believe that Christ’s death had conquered the power of sin
according to the participitionist model, what happened when people got baptized?
they actually experienced a union with Christ and participated in the victory brought at his death
–> not raised tho, so didn’t fully vanquish death
main similarities between the two models
In both of them, the problem is “sin”
In both models, the solution is provided by Christ’s death and resurrection
In both models a person has to appropriate the benefits of Christ’s death
main differences between the two models
in the Judicial model, sin is an act of disobedience that a person commits, whereas in the Participitionist model, it is a cosmic force that works to enslave people
in the Judicial model, Christ’s death pays the penalty for human disobedience, while in the Participitionist model, it breaks the cosmic power of sin
in the Judicial model, appropriating the benefits of Christ’s death requires faith, that is, a trusting acceptance of the payment. On the other hand, in the Participitionist model, it occurs through baptism, a ritual participation in the victory
the two models still go hand in hand tho
The Human Dilemma: All Stand Condemned before God
all people, Jews and Gentiles, have sinned against God in various ways
they are all under the power of sin
The Divine Solution: Salvation through Christ’s Death
Jews and Gentiles are on equal footing, all are made right with God through faith in the death of Jesus
–> it is a fulfillment of the jewish scriptures
If God’s act of salvation truly comes equally to Jew and Gentile alike, with no distinction, hasn’t God gone back on his promises to Israel?
On the contrary, for Paul, God’s decision to save Gentiles and Jews by faith is a fulfillment of his promises and is consistent with how he has always worked, as is evident from the Jewish Scriptures themselves
God has always chosen people not on the basis of their actions (“works”) but on the basis of his own will
Did Paul ever make it to Rome
yes, but as a prisoner
he got arrested while in Jerusalem
