ANDERSON UNIVERSITY

A BACKGROUND STUDY AND INTERPRITATIVE ANALYSIS

OF ROMANS 8:1-11

A PAPER SUBMITED TO

DR. KRIS BARNETT

FOR

HERMENEUTICS

CHR 205

BY

JONATHAN SHORTER

ANDERSON, SOUTH CAROLINA

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2014

 INTRODUCTION

There is life; then there is also life in the Spirit. The two are complete opposites as far as

Romans is considered. Romans 8: 1-11 explains what it means to have life in the Spirit, and what

life is like while living in relationship with Jesus. Romans 8:1-11 only speaks of life and death,

not Jew and Gentile. This is part of the focus of Romans, to show the Gospel, what it really

means, and how it applies to everyone and anyone. Throughout this paper there will be a

background study and an interpretive analysis that will break down the authorship, recipients,

background, grammatical analysis, and theological reflection.

BACKGROUND STUDY

Introduction

When doing an exegetical analysis, it is crucial that the background of the text is

understood. The meaning of the text comes from the authors original intention. So if the original

meaning is missed then the text will very likely be misinterpreted. To understand the authors

intent, the time and setting in which the text was written needs to be known. In this section the

authorship, style of the author and writing, date, recipients, occasion, outline and historic

background will be analyzed to determine the original meaning of the text.

Authorship

There are very few people that debate the authorship of the book of Romans.1 Romans

authorship is clearly stated in the beginning of the book. In fact, the first word in the book is

Paul. Paul is understood to be the author of Romans. The start of the book serves as an

introduction of the author and his calling. Paul received his calling on a road to Damascus when

1 H.D. Morris, A Brief Introduction to the New Testament (Melbourne: Australian

National Secretariat [of] Catholic Action, 1946.)
he had an encounter with Jesus and was converted from Saul, the murderous zealot, to Paul. Paul

is very keen on saving the lost after this experience. It shapes his ministry and his outlook on

other sinners.

Style

Pauls experience in his conversion and in his ministry causes his writings to be very

distinct and hold certain styles that apply mainly to his writings. Pauls letters had a common

theme of intimacy and a care for the people. There is detail of Pauls relationships with the

recipients in the introductions and thanksgivings, but also in the bodies when he addresses the

people specifically about certain things that they are dealing with. Paul wrote many letters to

many people and groups of people. Since he wrote so many letters, it is easy to know him so

well. He gave his heart and mind to the folk that he loved so much; and in the letters the reader

can see him trying to fix the problems in the church and feel his heart for the men of the church,

even when they were foolish and unwise.2 Pauls letters also take a certain pattern. There are

generally 5 sections in the letters. His letters can be separated into

1. The Greeting
2. The Prayer
3. The Thanksgiving
4. The Special contents and Main body that addresses the problems
5. Special Salutations and Personal Greetings3

Paul even engages in distinctive styles of rhetoric in his letters which has been recognized

by Greco-Roman theorists.4 So Paul has a specific form of writing and individual ways of

2 William Barclay, The letter to the Romans(Edinburgh: Saint Andrew Press, 1975),
v.

3 Ibid. xi.

4 Patrick Gray, Opening Pauls Letters (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012), 88.
 speaking to the recipients that are unique and not commonly found anywhere else. Many

of Pauls letters have been identified because of his unique style.

Date of Writing

The date of the letter is also not very debated. In Romans it clearly states that the letter to the

Romans was written while Paul was in Corinth. It can be found in Acts 18:23-30:38 that this was

the third missionary journey for Paul. In Heiberts book, An Introduction to the Pauline Epistles,

he states that, The plans of phoebe to go to Rome indicate a season when navigation was

beginning to open up again. All navigation on the Mediterranean Sea ceased after November 11

and was not resumed again until March 10.5 Paul also indicates that he plans to sail to Jerusalem

from Corinth, but his plans are later changed, so this suggests that the letter was written before

his plans changed.6 In Acts 20:6 it says that Paul left for Jerusalem from Philippi after the Easter

Season. Hiebert says, These factors indicate a date for the epistle in the early months of the year

A.D. 58.7 Knowing this, paired with the information that in the letter Paul talks as though he

has not yet been to Rome, it can be assumed that this letter was written before Paul was

imprisoned in Rome.

Recipients

There is no mystery about who the letter that Paul is writing is supposed to go to. Romans

1:7 Specifically states, To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints.... So

the letter is going to believers in Rome. Paul writes this letter in a more formal fashion.

5 Edmond Hiebert, An Introduction to the Paulin Epistles(Chicago: Moody Press,

1954), 177.

6 Ibid. 177.

7 Ibid. 177.
According to Gray, This is partly due to Pauls not founding the church there.8 So Paul has yet

to travel Rome to meet some of these people; just like he says in chapter 1: 9-13. Romans 16

shows that the people vary from the wealthy to the slave. The wealthy ones have possibly

traveled and met Paul in their travels, because Paul has personal greetings to some in Rome as if

he knew them, but he has yet to travel to Rome, so that means that he had to meet the others

somehow.9

Occasion/Purpose

The occasion of Romans is fairly simple. It happens to be convenient for him to write and

send a letter at the time he did. In the letter it does not really address any problems in the church

in Rome. Hiebert points out that it is, Doubtless the contents of the epistle had for some time

been formulating themselves in his mind. When he learned of the impending visit of Phoebe to

communicate with the Roman church and to inform them of his coming and plans.10

The purpose of Paul writing to the Romans is less simple. With a letter that is so vast in

theology and application it is hard to say one definite purpose for the writing. Instead, there are

four minor purposes that can be summarized under one main purpose for the writing of the text.

Paul obviously had missionary plans for the church in Rome. Paul wanted the help of the

church for the start of his missionary campaign in the West.11 In Romans 15:24 he clearly affirms

that he wants their assistance in spreading the Gospel to Spain. The main purpose of the letter

8 Gray, Opening Pauls Letters, 97.

9 Ibid. 97.

10 Hiebert, An Introduction to the Pauline Epistles, 178.

11 Ibid. 179.
can be considered as a letter to prepare the Church at Rome as a church that sends missionaries

to Spain.

First, he wants Rome to be the center of his operation. Paul preaches that the Jews and

the Gentiles can all be saved. As he is headed to Jerusalem to explain to the Jews how anybody

can be saved , he sends this letter to ready the church in Rome.12 Paul gives the Romans a great

overview of the Gospel and the message of true salvation to all. He does this so the church can

have a strong basis on what needs to be preached when the church is doing outreach.

Paul does not just need help with missions work, but Paul needs prayer support as well.

In Romans 15:30-33 he asks for the prayers of the Roman church. As previously discussed, Paul

was headed to Jerusalem to address the Jews there. Paul would need some prayers from his

fellow believers because it is likely that he would run into some Jewish believers that were much

like him while he was still considered Saul.

Paul did write his letter to help strengthen the Roman church as they were about to take

on the role of missions to the West, but it is also possible that he wrote out the beliefs for another

reason. A lesser purpose in writing the epistle seems to have been to safeguard the Roman

church against the errors and practices which had caused him so much touble in the churches of

Galatia and in Corinth.13 A glimpse of this can be found in Chapter 16:17-20. This is not a large

or overly-stressed portion of the letter, but it is still significant.

Finally, the letter supports a theological basis. The letter serves as a basis for the church

in Romans, but it also serves as a basis of the overall church. Paul felt led to give a message of

salvation that could relate to anyone at any time. Pauls letter is the explanation and application

12 Ibid. 179.

13 Ibid. 181.
of the Gospel and salvation. Even to this day people use the Roman Road to help explain the

need and purpose of the Gospel.

Sources

Pauls travels were well documented throughout his ministry. In his letters Paul describes where

he has been, people he has talked to, where he is going, or people he is going to talk to. With this

it is possible to get an idea of what order the letters were written. Also, Luke keeps accounts of

Paul in Acts. So if the letters and Acts are compared then general dates and times can be

determined for the letters.

Outline

I. Introduction (1:1-17)
1. Greeting (1-7)
2. Brotherly relations to the Romans (8-16)
3. The Gospel of Gods power revealing the righteousness of God (16-17)
II. The need for righteousness because of sin (1:18-3:20)
1. Condemnation of Gentiles (1:18-32)
2. Condemnation of the Jew (2:1-3 & 8)
3. The condemnation of the whole world (3:9-20)
III. Righteousness of God in Justification (3:21-5:21)
1. The nature of justification by faith (3:21 -26)
2. The effects of justification (3:27-31)
3. Proof of justification by faith from scripture (4:1-25)
4. Justification is permanent (5:1-11)
5. Foundation of righteousness in Christ (5:12-21)
IV. Righteousness of God in Sanctification (6:1-8 & 39)
1. The believers relationship to sin (6: 1-23)
2. The believers relationship to the law (7:1-25)
3. The believers victory effected by the Spirit (8:1-39)
V. The Sorrow of the Apostle at Israels rejection (9:1-5)
1. The sincerity of his feeling (1)
2. The instensity of his feeling (2-3)
3. The basis for his feeling (3-5)
VI. The Rejection of Israel and Gods Sovereignty (9:6-29)
1. The rejection of Israel and Gods promise (6-13)
2. The rejection of Israel and Gods Justice (14-29)
VII. The Rejection of Israel and Gods Purpose for their Future (11:1-32)
1. The rejection of Israel has left a present remnant (1-10)
2. The rejection of Israel is not permanent (11-32)
VIII. The Doxology of Paul in Praise of God (11:33-36)
1. The exclamation concerning God (33)
2. The questions about God (34-35)
 3. Assertion about God and praise to him. (36)
IX. The Believer in Relations (12:1-15:13)
1. Relation to God (12:1-2)
2. Relation to Society (12:3-21)
3. Relation to the State (13:1-14)
4. Relation to the Weak Brother (14:1-15:13)
X. The Conclusion (15:14-16:27)
1. The Presentation of Personal Matters (15:14-33)
2. The Presentation of Friendship Matters (16:1-23)
3. The Concluding Doxology (25-27)

Historical Background

At the time that Paul was writing this letter to Rome, Rome was one of the greatest

empires in the world. In Christianity to the Greco-Roman World by Hubbard it shows that

Rome was the true megapolis of the first century, with a population of nearly 1,000,000

people.14 In that time and day one million in one city was incredibly full. Compared to the

2010 U.S. Census, Romes population during that century would be somewhere in between the

population of Dallas, Texas and San Jose, California. 15 With so many people it shows how

prosperous Rome was. Rome was the main city over basically everything else that was going on

in the surrounding area. There was ample trading and traveling going through that city. If

someone wanted to spread something to the edges of the world in that time, it would most likely

go out of Rome. So it is fitting that Paul wanted to start a missionary program with the church

there.

INTERPRETIVE ANALYSIS

Romans 8: 1-11

1There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2For the law of the Spirit of

life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3For God has done what the law,

14 Moyer Hubbard, Christianity to the Greco-Roman World (Grand Rapids: Baker

Academic, 2010.) 141.

15 Annual Estimates
weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he

condemned sin in the flesh, 4in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us,

who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5For those who live according to the flesh

set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the

things of the Spirit. 6For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and

peace. 7For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to Gods law; indeed,

it cannot. 8Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9You, however, are not in the flesh but in the

Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not

belong to him. 10But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life

because of righteousness. 11If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who

raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in

you.

Grammatical Analysis

Paul uses Romans 8:1-11 to contrast life in the Spirit and life outside of the spirit. In the

English Standard Version of the Bible Paul often repeats the word law. He talks about the Law

of the Spirit and the Law of sin and death. To describe the two laws Paul uses the Greek word

nomos: the nomos of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the nomos of sin and

death.16 What is interesting is that the English Standard Version uses the word law five times

in between verses one and eleven, but Paul says the Law of Moses in verse three in other

versions. This brings up the question, is the entire passage referring to the Law of Moses when it

uses the word nomos? It is more likely, and would make more sense, that the word nomos means

power instead of law and is used to talk about the influence of the spirit and of sin. So the verse

can be read like it is saying that the power of the Spirit of life is the reason why we are free from
16 Douglas J. Moo, The Epistle to the Romans (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Company,
1996), 467-468.
the power of sin and death. The use of nomos in when talking about the nomos of Moses, is just

to show that this law of the Spirit of life, is stronger than the Law of Moses, because it replaces

the Law of Moses. So While Paul references the Law of Moses, he is not saying that the Law of

Moses is what the Spirit is using, even though he uses the same word, nomos when describing

both Laws. Instead, Paul says that God has done what the Law of Moses could not do; and that is

completely cleanse people of their sins.

Paul starts out the passage with the conjunction therefore in the first sentence. This indicates

that there was something before this that gives the reason for why there is now no

condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Acts 8:1). In the previous chapter Paul talks

about how his body lives by the law of sin and does evil even when he does not want it to. At the

end he asks Who will deliver me from this body of death? (7:24). Following right after that he

answers that with an excited, Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ out Lord! (7:25). He uses

the technique of question and answer to draw in the reader and put emphasis on the thanks that

God deserves because Jesus Christ is the one who delivers from the body of death. So return to

when Paul starts out with the term therefore. This serves as a thorough explanation as to why

there is now no condemnation of sins. Chapter seven shows that Jesus Christ delivers people

from the body of death, the therefore connects chapter sevens message of how Jesus delivers

and that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. The therefore also helps

connect the body of death to how the Law of Moses has been weakened by the flesh. The

connection explains how there is a need for more than just the Law of Moses.

Paul also makes use of the method of contrast to show just how different life in the Spirit

is from life in sin and death. In verses 5-8 he uses the conjunction but to contrast between

those living in the flesh and how they live versus those who live according to the Spirit. This all
builds up to the point in verse 9 where Paul specifically addresses the reader and uses the word

however to show that the reader is set apart from the ones that are living in the flesh that were

contrasted in the previous verses. Paul uses this to show that if Christ is in someone then even

though they lived in the flesh before and had bodies of death, the Spirit can raise the mortal

bodies of death and give them new life in Christ.

Theological Reflection

Romans 8:1-11 shows a few theological themes. Paul quickly addresses condemnation in

the first verse. The first verse says that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ.

What about those who are not in Christ? When there is no condemnation for some that means

there must be condemnation for some others. This is easier to understand when Paul later says

that Those who are in the flesh cannot please God (8:8) and that Anyone who does not have

the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him (8:9). When contrasting life in the Spirit and life in

the flesh it is made clear that if someone is not in the Spirit then they are in the flesh. Paul says

For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace (8:6).

So the judgment comes to those living in the flesh and that judgment is death. This shows that

there are some who still are in need of salvation. In this section of chapter 8 there is certainly a

theme of salvation, but there is also a theme of judgment.

Pauls use of therefore in the beginning also links the passage to the theological idea of

a sin nature. Paul talks about how he does not want to sin but does anyways because his flesh has

sin living within it. This is a wonderful demonstration of sin nature. A person, especially a

Christian, does not want to sin, but tends to do so. Paul explains that it is in the flesh to sin.

Luckily, Paul does not leave it with just the idea of a harmful sin nature that could

possibly cause all humanity to falter and live in the flesh, and as a result receive judgment from
that. Paul instead reveals the theological idea of salvation, and redemption. He speaks about how

life in the Spirit, through Christ Jesus, has set those free from the law of sin and death. Paul

shows that even though the bodies of death constantly cause those to falter, Christ and his

righteousness becomes the righteousness of those who live in him. The great message of

redemption comes through Christ and his sacrifice of his life so that the life of others can be truly

lived in the Spirit and not for death. Even better so, Christ was raised from the grave after his

sacrifice and Paul says that the same power that was capable of raising a three day dead man can

raise the body of those who formerly lived in the flesh and were dead.

Application

A message from God demands a response. So what should the reader do in response after

reading this passage? There should be a few responses. First, there needs to be life in the Spirit.

Life in the Spirit comes from setting the mind on the things of the Spirit like it says in Romans

8:5. When this is done, then the text clearly states that those will not stand condemned and will

have life in Christ.

After there is another response that Paul does not show directly in Romans 8:1-11, but he

does show it in Romans 7. In Romans 7:25 Paul exclaims Thanks be to God through Jesus

Christ our Lord! He recognizes that God deserves to be praised for delivering him from his

body of death. So when there is salvation from condemnation, there should also be praise to the

one who saves.

Finally, there is another response that should happen after the initial response. There are

still those in the world that live in the flesh. After reading this passage there should be a response
to spread the message of new life in Christ. After all, the book of Romans main purpose is to

establish a missionary church in Rome to spread the word to Spain.

CONCLUSION

Romans 8: 1-11 speaks a lot about the different laws. Throughout the passage Paul

contrasts the law of sin and death and the law of the Spirit. Paul shows that man will remain dead

if he still lives in the flesh. He shows that not even the Law of Moses can change that. Paul says

that it is in our very nature. In this he shows that those stand condemned if they only live by the

flesh, but salvation and righteousness can come, not from the Law of Moses, but from life in the

Spirit.
 Bibliography

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