Seal of righteousness

Paul calls circumcision a “seal of righteousness” in Romans 4:11, and that same phrase has historically been applied to baptism.But what does it mean to be a “seal of righteousness”? A seal (Greek sphragis) is an identifying mark. The word is used to describe brands on . . . . Continue Reading »

Galatians and Romans

Michael Gorman makes the interesting suggestion ( Inhabiting the Cruciform God: Kenosis, Justification, and Theosis in Paul’s Narrative Soteriology , 73-4) that “the first half of Romans is essentially an expansion of Galatians 2:15-21,” moving from “justification” to . . . . Continue Reading »

Condemnation and righteous decree

NT Wright, once again, explicates the “shape of justification” ( Paul and the Faithfulness of God) , setting it interestingly in the context of Paul’s doctrine of election, reshaped by the work of the Spirit. That perhaps another day. For now, an observation on Wright’s . . . . Continue Reading »

OPP

A few perhaps surprising gleanings from Jonathan Edwards’s comments on Romans, illustrative of the OPP, the Old Perspective on Paul. All from David Lovi and Benjamin Westerhoff, The Power of God: A Jonathan Edwards Commentary on the Book of Romans . Edwards recognizes, as Calvin did, that the . . . . Continue Reading »

Paul and the Synagogue

In his recently published Paul and the Synagogue: Romans and the Isaiah Targum , Delio DelRio attempts to explain the force of Paul’s unique phrase “obedience of faith” (Romans 1:5). He explores the use that Paul makes of Isaiah, and the interpretation of the prophecy found in the . . . . Continue Reading »