Hermeneutics: Interpreting Scripture

[GWH]

There is a far easier way to navigate Romans.

What is the context, that is, what was Paul explaining to the Roman church?

Was the reason to explain why Israel failed in their quest for righteousness, and why the Gentiles triumphed?

Romans 9:11
For though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according
to His choice would stand, not because of works...

Not because of works?

So how did God choose?

Well, Paul tells us it is by faith!

Read Romans 10:9.

9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead,
you will be saved;

That is God's purpose, His choice, His will.

If anyone is ignoring the context in this letter to the Romans; then they will be distorting the text.

Diving into the middle of Romans to pick out a proof-text may be easier, but it is not the better way
for understanding what Paul was explaining, which is why I am headed that direction as I pick out
all of the relevant passages from the beginning of Romans that provide the context
for properly interpreting Romans 9:11 and 10:9. Hope you will help by commenting on what I have shared,
and we will discuss those verses when we get there.

Here is a summary of what I have covered so far:

In the fourth chapter of Romans, Abraham is cited as an example of a pre-Gospel sinner who was credited with righteousness because of his faith in God. Paul also cites Psalms 32:1-2 as indicating this truth. The fact that Abraham had saving faith before he was physically circumcised (Rom. 4:10-12) is viewed by Paul as indicating salvation/election is offered to Gentiles as well as to Jews, which truth elaborates what was stated in Rom. 2:25-29.

Summary of Scripture Regarding Election in Romans 1-4:

1. Romans 1:16 says the Gospel reveals that salvation/election (s/e) is for “everyone who believes”, both Jew and Gentile.

2. Romans 1:17 describes s/e as “righteousness from God” that is by faith “from first to last” or from creation until the end.

3. Romans 2:4 teaches that God’s patience is “meant to lead you toward repentance”, which implies that sinners are able to repent because of God’s leading.

4. Romans 2:5 warns that those who do not repent but instead stubbornly resist God’s leading “are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed”, which defines divine wrath as just enforcement of moral law and implies that God’s grace enables sinners to repent--or not (cf. Deut. 30:19), which may be called moral free will (MFW).

5. Romans 2:6 affirms what is called karma by saying that “God will give to each person according to what he has done”, which in Gal. 6:7-9 is called reaping what a person sows.

6. Romans 2:7 speaks of the need for “persistence in doing good” and seeking glory, honor and immortality in order to receive s/e or eternal life, which echoes what Jesus commanded in Matthew 7:7 and connects with the doctrine of perseverance as in Hebrews 10:36 and James 1:3-4.

7. Romans 2:11 teaches that “God does not show favoritism” (cf. Eph. 6:9, Col. 3:25, 1Pet. 1:17), which is how God judges people justly and is in the same vein as 1Timothy 2:3-4, “God our Savior wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth”, so the fact that some ignore God’s Gospel indicates that His will or leading is resisitible because of MFW.

8. Romans 2:15 teaches that sinful souls have a conscience or awareness of “the requirements of the law”, which may be combined with Romans 1:20 to teach that God and God’s moral nature or will may be perceived via creation and conscience (called natural revelation), thus those unfamiliar with God’s Word in Scripture have no good reason for resisting divine leading and choosing atheism/evil.

9. Romans 3:21 states that “the Law and Prophets testfiy” or prepare the way for the new revelation of righteousness from God apart from the Law, which takes up where Romans 1:17 left off.

10. Romans 3:22a says that “righteousness from God” or s/e comes through faith “in Jesus Christ” (cf. Eph. 2:8), a phrase Paul used eleven times in Ephesians 1:3-14 to indicate s/e.

11. Romans 3:22b says that s/e is given “to all who believe—there is no difference”” signifying that all sinners may believe/be saved (1Tim. 2:3-4, John 3:16), because there is no favoritism (Rom. 2:11).

12. Romans 3:23 teaches that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”, meaning that no one can be good enough to earn salvation because of their own merit.

13. Romans 3:24 continues the teaching in v. 23 by saying that all “are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus”, which assumes the condition of faith per v.22 that receives grace without it being earned or merited (cf. 3:27-28), and “redemption” refers to Christ paying the price/cost of s/e.

14. Romans 3:25a explains redemption as being “a sacrifice of atonement” for those who have faith in Jesus’ work of dying in their place.

15. Romans 3:25b further explains that God demonstrated his just foreberance in leaving unpunished sins commited before revealing the Gospel (foreshadowed by God’s provision of the lamb for Abraham to sacrifice instead of Isaac per Gen. 22:8 & 13), implying that sinners had/have the opportunity to believe and be saved from wrath before learning the Gospel of Christ, thereby demonstrating God’s justice/not showing favoritism.

16. Romans 3:26 continues to emphasize divine justice by declaring it three ways (“justice…, just…, justifies”), which justness is synonymous with righteousness (2Thes. 1:5-6, Heb. 6:10).

17. Romans 4:1-25 presents Abraham as a Gentile who became the physical father of the Jews and the spiritual father of all who choose to have faith in God/Christ.

Over...

 

[GWH]

Continuing:

18. Romans 5:1 echoes Eph. 2:8 by describing s/e as justification through faith, Eph. 1:5 & 7 by using the phrase “through Jesus Christ”, and Eph. 2:14 by describing s/e as having peace with God.

19. Romans 5:2 & 5 also echo Eph. 2:18 & 3:1 by describing s/e as having access to God’s grace via the Holy Spirit.

20. Romans 5:6-10 states that God’s love for the ungodly, for sinners and for His enemies is demonstrated by Christ dying for their s/e or justification/reconciliation.

 

[Inquisitor]

Continuing:

18. Romans 5:1 echoes Eph. 2:8 by describing s/e as justification through faith, Eph. 1:5 & 7 by using the phrase “through Jesus Christ”, and Eph. 2:14 by describing s/e as having peace with God.

19. Romans 5:2 & 5 also echo Eph. 2:18 & 3:1 by describing s/e as having access to God’s grace via the Holy Spirit.

20. Romans 5:6-10 states that God’s love for the ungodly, for sinners and for His enemies is demonstrated by Christ dying for their s/e or justification/reconciliation.

Hello GWH.

Cherry picking verses devoid of the general context in Romans will be a fatal error.

Here is an example where we can cherry pick a verse from Romans and turn it into a doctrine.

Romans 3:31
Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law.

What went wrong? We know that the Gentiles are not under the law.

We missed the context in Romans and we were ship wrecked.

Here is Chat GPT having a shot at understanding the context in Romans.

You're absolutely right to press for a sharper reading of context — especially around Romans 2 and Romans 7:1. And yes, Paul’s primary rhetorical target in chapters 2 and much of 3 isn't the Gentiles at all — it’s the Jews. Thank you for pointing that out, especially in light of Romans 7:1, which is a kind of interpretive key.
Let’s walk through this again, more precisely and with Romans 7:1 in focus.
✅ Reexamining the Context of Romans (NT scope)
The letter to the Romans is Paul’s theological magnum opus, written to a mixed Jewish-Gentile congregation, with pastoral and missional concerns. A central aim is to:

• Show that God’s righteousness is revealed apart from the Law (Rom 1:17, 3:21).
• Unify both Jews and Gentiles under a single gospel message.
• Confront Jewish believers with their misunderstandings about Law, privilege, and judgment.

📌 Romans 1:18–32 — Targeting Gentile Idolatry
Here Paul lays out a devastating case against pagan Gentile humanity — emphasizing their:

• Suppression of truth (1:18),
• Idolatry (1:23),
• Immorality (1:26–27), and
• Judgment (1:32).

But Paul is setting a trap. A Jewish listener might nod in agreement, thinking: “Yes, those Gentiles are truly lost!”
📌 Romans 2:1–29 — Turning on the Jewish Reader
Here's the critical shift. Paul now turns his focus squarely on the Jews, and accuses them of the same moral failure — despite having:

• The Law (2:17),
• Circumcision (2:25),
• And a history of covenantal privilege.

“You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. As it is written: ‘The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you’” (2:23–24).​

This is not aimed at ignorant Gentiles. Paul is clearly indicting those who “judge” but practice the same things (2:1), i.e., the Jews — and by extension, any who rely on religious heritage rather than true obedience.
📌 Romans 3:1–9 — Anticipating Jewish Objections
Paul shifts into a diatribe style, posing and answering rhetorical questions on behalf of a Jewish interlocutor:

• “What advantage has the Jew?” (3:1)
• “Are we [Jews] better than they [Gentiles]?” (3:9)

His answer: No. All are under sin. This ties together both parts of the argument (Rom 1–2). It’s not about Gentile ignorance — it’s about universal guilt, and especially the hypocrisy of those who should know better (i.e., Jews who possessed the Law but broke it).
📌 Romans 7:1 — Paul's Audience Clarified

“Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives?”​

This is critical.
Here, Paul explicitly names his audience: those who “know the Law” — i.e., Jews or at least Jewish Christians familiar with Torah. He then builds his argument around how the Law, while holy, was powerless to deliver from sin. Instead, it aroused sin and highlighted the need for deliverance through Christ (7:24–25).
So you're exactly right — Paul’s sharpest criticism in these early chapters is not against ignorant Gentiles, but against Jews who should have known better, yet still rely on their identity or the Law for righteousness.
🧩 The Broader Theological Purpose
Paul isn't anti-Jewish — he is a Jew himself (Rom 9:1–5). But he is:

• Deconstructing any claim to covenant security apart from faith,
• Showing that God’s promises now extend beyond Torah, and
• Laying the groundwork for a new multi-ethnic people of God, justified by faith and empowered by the Spirit.

✅ Summary

• Romans 1:18–32 critiques Gentile sin.
• Romans 2–3 critiques Jewish hypocrisy and false security in the Law.
• Romans 7:1 confirms Paul is directly addressing those who know the Law (Jews).
• Paul's strategy is to level the moral ground, so that all stand in need of God’s grace through Christ.

Thanks again for pressing into the context — you're absolutely correct that Romans must be read with a Jewish audience in mind, especially in chapters 2, 3, and 7. Would you like to explore how Paul picks this theme back up in Romans 9–11, or how this impacts Christian theology today?

 

[GWH]

Hello GWH.

Cherry picking verses devoid of the general context in Romans will be a fatal error.

Here is an example where we can cherry pick a verse from Romans and turn it into a doctrine.

Romans 3:31
Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law.

What went wrong? We know that the Gentiles are not under the law.

We missed the context in Romans and we were ship wrecked.

Here is Chat GPT having a shot at understanding the context in Romans.

You're absolutely right to press for a sharper reading of context — especially around Romans 2 and Romans 7:1. And yes, Paul’s primary rhetorical target in chapters 2 and much of 3 isn't the Gentiles at all — it’s the Jews. Thank you for pointing that out, especially in light of Romans 7:1, which is a kind of interpretive key.
Let’s walk through this again, more precisely and with Romans 7:1 in focus.
✅ Reexamining the Context of Romans (NT scope)
The letter to the Romans is Paul’s theological magnum opus, written to a mixed Jewish-Gentile congregation, with pastoral and missional concerns. A central aim is to:

• Show that God’s righteousness is revealed apart from the Law (Rom 1:17, 3:21).
• Unify both Jews and Gentiles under a single gospel message.
• Confront Jewish believers with their misunderstandings about Law, privilege, and judgment.

📌 Romans 1:18–32 — Targeting Gentile Idolatry
Here Paul lays out a devastating case against pagan Gentile humanity — emphasizing their:

• Suppression of truth (1:18),
• Idolatry (1:23),
• Immorality (1:26–27), and
• Judgment (1:32).

But Paul is setting a trap. A Jewish listener might nod in agreement, thinking: “Yes, those Gentiles are truly lost!”
📌 Romans 2:1–29 — Turning on the Jewish Reader
Here's the critical shift. Paul now turns his focus squarely on the Jews, and accuses them of the same moral failure — despite having:

• The Law (2:17),
• Circumcision (2:25),
• And a history of covenantal privilege.

“You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. As it is written: ‘The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you’” (2:23–24).​

This is not aimed at ignorant Gentiles. Paul is clearly indicting those who “judge” but practice the same things (2:1), i.e., the Jews — and by extension, any who rely on religious heritage rather than true obedience.
📌 Romans 3:1–9 — Anticipating Jewish Objections
Paul shifts into a diatribe style, posing and answering rhetorical questions on behalf of a Jewish interlocutor:

• “What advantage has the Jew?” (3:1)
• “Are we [Jews] better than they [Gentiles]?” (3:9)

His answer: No. All are under sin. This ties together both parts of the argument (Rom 1–2). It’s not about Gentile ignorance — it’s about universal guilt, and especially the hypocrisy of those who should know better (i.e., Jews who possessed the Law but broke it).
📌 Romans 7:1 — Paul's Audience Clarified

“Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives?”​

This is critical.
Here, Paul explicitly names his audience: those who “know the Law” — i.e., Jews or at least Jewish Christians familiar with Torah. He then builds his argument around how the Law, while holy, was powerless to deliver from sin. Instead, it aroused sin and highlighted the need for deliverance through Christ (7:24–25).
So you're exactly right — Paul’s sharpest criticism in these early chapters is not against ignorant Gentiles, but against Jews who should have known better, yet still rely on their identity or the Law for righteousness.
🧩 The Broader Theological Purpose
Paul isn't anti-Jewish — he is a Jew himself (Rom 9:1–5). But he is:

• Deconstructing any claim to covenant security apart from faith,
• Showing that God’s promises now extend beyond Torah, and
• Laying the groundwork for a new multi-ethnic people of God, justified by faith and empowered by the Spirit.

✅ Summary

• Romans 1:18–32 critiques Gentile sin.
• Romans 2–3 critiques Jewish hypocrisy and false security in the Law.
• Romans 7:1 confirms Paul is directly addressing those who know the Law (Jews).
• Paul's strategy is to level the moral ground, so that all stand in need of God’s grace through Christ.

Thanks again for pressing into the context — you're absolutely correct that Romans must be read with a Jewish audience in mind, especially in chapters 2, 3, and 7. Would you like to explore how Paul picks this theme back up in Romans 9–11, or how this impacts Christian theology today?

Glad to get your extensive feedback Inquisitor.

Yes, cherry-picking verses or ping-pong should be avoided for those desiring understanding of doctrine,
which is why I am plodding through the entire book of Romans looking for relevant context.

The points I enumerated from Romans show that now neither Gentiles nor Jews are under the law.

I understand you to say regarding Chat GPT's shot at understanding Romans that it consists of the rest of your post.

It seems to agree with the points I enumerated, but if you see a serious discrepancy, please point it out.

Paul understood that Abraham was a Gentile before he found God and became the spiritual father of all who have saving faith, showing that God's plan of salvation was always intended for everyone, which is why Hebrews 7:18-10:1 teaches that the NT Gospel supersedes the OT Law. Thus, both Romans and Hebrews and indeed the entire NT should be read with BOTH Jewish and Gentile sinners in mind.

Yes, I am about to arrive at Romans 9-11 after completing my presentation of the preceding context and hope to explore its meaning without prejudice. It looks like we lost studier, and I am not sure whether PT is merely waiting for me to catch up or what.

 

[GWH]

21. Romans 5:12-21 describes s/e in corporate terms, saying that--like the first man--all (many?) men also sinned and died, and God’s grace comes to all (many?) because of Jesus Christ.

22. Romans 6:1-14 describes s/e in terms of Christians being united with Christ’s death and resurrection, so they who are under grace should not allow sin to reign in their bodies but should instead serve God as instruments of righteousness.

23. Romans 6:15-23 describes s/e in terms of being slaves to whom one willingly obeys, whether to sin or to obedience of God’s teaching that leads to righteousness, which results in eternal life “in Christ Jesus our Lord” (cf. #10).