Romans 1:16-17

The Key Verses of Romans

We can debate whether to place these verses at the end of the thanksgiving or at the beginning of the body of the letter. Either way, they are the most important verses in the entire letter. The give us a general statement that Paul will play out in the rest of the book.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God leading to salvation to everyone who has faith, both to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For the righteousness of God is revealed in it starting from faith and resulting in faith, as it has been written, “The one who is righteous on the basis of faith will live.”

Key concepts:

Gospel: The gospel is the good news that God has provided a means of salvation from his wrath on the basis of trust in what he has done through Jesus Christ.

Salvation: Salvation for Paul primarily refers to escape from God’s wrath on the Day of Judgment. It is future in orientation since the Day of Judgment is future.

Faith: Faith involves not just belief for Paul, but also commitment to and trust in the gospel of Jesus Christ and all that it entails. It involves trust in the God who justifies the ungodly (Rom. 4:5) and raises the dead (4:17, 24).

Righteousness of God: Given what we know of the Jewish background of the concept of God’s righteousness, this phrase probably refers in the first instance to God’s propensity to save his people. The concept of course would involve God’s faithfulness to his covenant with Israel, but would not be limited to it. The best biblical backdrop against which to understand this language is Isaiah (e.g., 51:5-8). But we also find similar expressions in the Dead Sea Scrolls. I believe Paul has broadened this imagery to include the Gentiles as well, and Romans 3:25 may especially allude to God’s righteousness even though he has passed over the sins of the Gentiles. Some of the clearest references to the phrase “the righteousness of God” in relation to God’s righteousness appear in 3:5, 25-26.

However, there are places in Romans where the phrase, “the righteousness of God” seems to refer to a righteousness from God. Romans 10:3 in the context of 9:30-31 most likely gives us such a meaning. This meaning is explicit in the wording of Philippians 3:9. It would also make sense in Romans 3:21.

In short, it makes sense to see the phrase “the righteousness of God” in 1:17, especially given its generalizing nature, as a double entendre that includes overtones both of the righteousness of God (God’s righteousness) and the righteousness from God (righteousness God comes to consider us to have).

From Faith to Faith: Much debated is this. Most take it to represent the sequence moving from God’s faithfulness leading to our response in faith. This is a safe interpretation. I wonder if Paul might also have Jesus’ faith while he was on earth as well. We know that Paul could move easily from God’s love to Christ’s love (e.g., Rom. 5:8). I wonder if the “from faith” here includes in Paul’s mind both the faith of God and of Christ.

“The one who is righteous on the basis of faith will live”: Although again there is debate, I take this verse as the key text from which Paul supported his understanding of justification by faith. Faith in the God who raised Jesus from the dead would guarantee our own “justification”—being considered righteous in God’s eyes—as well as our own resurrection.