Romans 12:9-21 (ESV)
9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it[c] to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
The book of Romans is the first Pauline letter (epistle)[1] that “stands at the head of the Pauline corpus”.[2] Written by Paul, “this masterpiece of clear logical thinking”[3] is the longest and most “theologically significant of his letters”.[4] In this theological treatise, Paul communicates the gospel message to a Greek-Jewish Christian community in Rome who are facing ethnic socioreligious differences and external persecution. This paper seeks to provide further theological understanding and attempts to perform exegesis (critical interpretation) on Romans 12:9-21. Three main areas are examined: (a) historical and cultural context, (b) interpretation and meaning and (c) contemporary application.
Historical and Cultural Context
Genre
The book of Romans is an ancient letter (epistle), “but not an ordinary one; it is a sophisticated argument”[5]communicated in the most extended letter we have from the ancient world to date.[6] An ancient letter written on papyrus should typically range from 20 to 220 words, but the letter to the Romans has over 7000 words. It is evident then that the content of this letter communicated something significant that must be clearly understood by the readers. Written in Greek,[7] it adopts the use of rhetorical writing, which is an ancient Greco-Roman linguistic style, concerned with communication and persuasion.
Authorship
Toews stated that “the New Testament letter to the Romans was written by Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles”.[8] Among scholars “there is no real question that the apostle Paul wrote this letter. The letter claims to be from his pen, and the internal evidence strongly supports that claim.”[9] “The style and contents are what we expect of Paul, and the tradition of the church has always accepted this letter as a genuine work of the great apostle”.[10] However, Barth observes doubt about the end of the epistle, from 15:1 onward. Nevertheless, he suggests that “the theme of Chapter 14 is continued without a break in Chapter 15 so we should not attach too much importance to this problem”.[11] On the other hand, some have seriously questioned the integrity and inclusion of Chapter 16.[12] Barth asserts, “there are serious reasons for assuming that the doxology in 16.25–27 may not have been an original part of the Epistle but may have been added afterwards”.[13] Conversely, Haacker thinks “the arguments against its authenticity are not compelling.”[14] In addition, composing a letter was cumbersome in Pauls time, and therefore, it was common for letter writing to be “delegated to persons trained in the craft – a secretary or scribe known as an amanuensis”.[15] It appears that Tertius, who is identified in Romans 16:22, was likely Paul’s amanuensis or scribe.[16]
Location and Date
Although Paul “does not tell us where he was when he composed this letter … the most likely point of origin appears to have been Corinth”.[17] Moo et al. think that the “reference to Cenchrea in 16:1 – a port city next to Corinth – identifies the geography more precisely.”[18] Similarly, by combining the historical data found in Acts with statements made in Corinthian letters and Romans, Benware suggests that Romans was also written from Corinth (during a three-month stay) but on the third missionary journey (Acts 20:2-3).[19] As a result, this would place the writing of this letter about AD 56.[20] Carson et al. remark, “fixing the date depends, in turn, on the chronology of Paul’s life and ministry as a whole. While we cannot be certain within a year or two, AD 57 is the best alternative”.[21] Although Barth agrees that Corinth was the location, he proposes AD 58 as the date of authorship. He also suggests, that at this time, “Phoebe, the deaconess mentioned in 16.1, took the letter to Rome”.[22] Scholars appear to suggest, that Romans was written somewhere between AD 56-58.
Audience
Although the title ‘The Letter of Paul to the Romans’ was not written by Paul, and in-spite of some late Greek manuscripts omitting the words ‘in Rome’, “no one doubts that the epistle was written to the church at Rome (1:7)”.[23]However, who were these believers to whom Paul was writing, Jews or Gentiles?[24] It is generally agreed that most of the Roman Christians were Gentiles.[25] However, on the one hand, “there are indications that Paul had a Jewish-Christian audience in mind … on the other hand, indications of a Gentile-Christian audience are equally evident”.[26]Citing Romans 11:13 ‘I am talking to you Gentiles’, Haacker suggests that “for the intention of Romans it is important to see that Gentile Christians are Paul’s primary partners in the letter itself and in his plans for the future”.[27] Taking a more balanced view, Carson et al. point out that, “while there is much to be said for confining Paul’s audience to Gentile Christians, it is doubtful that we can exclude Jewish Christians entirely … it appears that Paul is addressing both Jewish and Gentile Christians”.[28] In addition to the Jewish-Gentile audience debate, there is also further evidence “that Romans may have been sent to more than one church and thus was a kind of circular letter”.[29]
Background and Purpose
In general, Romans combines three specific purposes: to summarise Paul’s theology, to solicit support for a future mission to Spain and to bring unity to the church in Rome.[30] Nevertheless, from these three observations, it is evident (from historical analysis later mentioned) that Pauls letter was primarily written to help resolve Greek-Jewish (Gentile-Jew) ethnic socioreligious discord among the Christian church in Rome. Pawson agrees stating, “Romans is not primarily a doctrinal treatise. Rather, Paul uses doctrine for the intensely practical purpose … of addressing the vexed questions surrounding church unity”.[31] The assigned pericope, Romans 12:9-21, deals almost exclusively with a schism that arose “over the degree to which the OT law should continue to guide believers.”[32] This division evolved due to the expulsion of Jews from Rome in AD 49 and the emergence of a predominately Gentile run church.
In AD 49, Roman Emperor Claudius expelled Jews from Rome (as many as 40,000)[33] because of their disturbance of public order.[34] Roman historian Suetonius tells us that Jews from Rome were continually rioting at the instigation of Chrestus (most scholars take ‘Chrestus’ as equivalent to ‘Christus’ that is, Christ).[35] The riots seemed to occur, due a “fairly large group of Jews in Rome who had mixed feelings about Christianity. Some followed Christ, but others objected so violently that there were riots”.[36] As a result, Jewish Christians had to leave the city. Acts 18 points to this, telling us that Priscilla and Aquila met Paul following their explosion.[37] Consequently, this expulsion order had a profound impact on the church in Rome and, as a result, the Christian church became mostly gentile. In the absence of Jewish Christians, Gentiles took over the church.[38] The Gentile dominance became problematic when in AD 54, Claudius died, and Jews returned. The Jewish Christians who returned were now a “minority and perhaps viewed with some condescension by the now-dominant Gentile wing”[39] It is to this divided community of believers that Paul writes Roman 12:9-21 and offers practical guidelines for the outworking of genuine Christian love, unity and harmony.
Interpretation and Meaning
Romans 12:9-21 has genuine love as its central theme. The pericope offers practical guidelines for the outworking of divine agape love. Using a popular and effective ancient Greco-Roman style of writing called paraenesis (a multi-source literary style utilised to communicate moral and ethical exhortation),[40] Paul exhorts the ununified multi-ethnic Christians to adopt forms of loving behaviour.[41] The rapid-firing paraenesis challenge believers to practice a “new-covenant ethic of love”[42] that embraces humility and expresses forgiveness to all. Despite the church in Rome facing localised ethnic socioreligious problems within, and societal persecution from without, Paul emphasis a holistic love. A love offered to both those, inside the Christian community (vv9-13) and outside the Christian community (vv14-21).[43]This two-section on the “standard of loving”[44] (aimed at those inside and outside the Christian community) is woven together by the beginning, middle and end verses (vv9, 17, 21). In these three verses, an overarching theme is woven throughout vv9-21, rejecting evil and embracing good.[45] Verses 9 and 21 are end-markers, hold the passage together with the theme of good as opposed to evil, verse 17 reinforces this contrast.
Also, despite the tendency of “exegetes to view this section as a series of loosely connected items of exhortation”, vv9-21 are artfully constructed for rhetorical impact.[46] Matera observes, in vv9-13 “Paul employs a series of participial phrases that function as imperatives; in vv14-21 he disrupts this pattern with a series of imperatival infinitives”.[47] The two units appear to be guided by v9a “let love be genuine” (without hypocrisy). It is a succinct imperative maxim that serves as a heading (or thesis statement)[48] designed to “inform all the subsequent commands and injunctions”.[49] Following this initial leitmotif, “all of the maxims in the first subunit (vv9-13) focus on life within the community, and some of those in the second (vv14-21) focus on the community in relation to its enemies.”[50] It appears that these two sections speak directly to the two components of trouble found in the church at Rome: (1) ethnic socioreligious disunity internally (vv9-13), (2) Roman persecution externally (v14-21). It is probable then, that Pauls letter had “one eye on the situation in the Roman church”[51], and therefore, the purpose of his writing was to promote: (1) Greek-Jewish ethnic socioreligious unity expressed through love (vv9-13), (2) and a non-retaliating Christlike response to external persecution (v14-21). Bruce also notes, that “the injunctions in vv9-21 that refer to deep, unaffected and practical love, are particularly reminiscent of the Sermon on the Mount”.[52] Similarly, several commentators have noted how Paul’s logic and “sequence of thought”[53] in vv9-21 resemble the major requirement of love found in 1 Corinthians 13.
Contemporary Application
New Testament community and contemporary Christian church
Pauls letter has tremendous application for the New Testament community and the contemporary Christian church. The Jew-Gentile tension found in Romans 12:9-21 reflect many of the contentions found in the church and modern day society. Nevertheless, this passage teaches all Christian communities that God expects them to practice the love that arises from Christs transforming work in them, not from outward ethical or socioreligious mutuality. Furthermore, it encourages and commands Christians to embrace the practice of non-retaliation. It offers a practical guideline for a divine agape love that overcomes, blesses and correctly responds to persecutors and enemies. This genuine love reverses revenge, and in so doing, has as its comfort the idea that vengeance is Gods and punishment can be left up to Him.
Personal challenge
The subdivisions found in vv9-21 offer application and challenge to many areas of my life. Having moved to a new country, embraced a new culture and joined a new church, I find Pauls prescription for love-centred integration helpful. I am challenged to practice a higher standard of Christlike love to all I meet, whether we are similar or different. Similarly, Pauls Christlike response to external persecution relates directly to my life, in particular, my relationship with my wife’s family. The pericope challenges me to practice increasing amounts of Christlike love, grace and kindness. The Christocentric tone (that practically reflects Christs Sermon on the Mount), alongside the use of the word agape in the initial maxim, points me toward Christ as my example. Who, despite facing conflict and persecution, was not overcome by evil, but overcame evil with good.
Conclusion
Romans 12:9-21 has been exegetically examined. The historical and cultural context has been considered, interpretation and meaning sought and contemporary application outlined. Thematically, the assigned periscope has genuine love as its central theme. It offers guidelines for the outworking of agape love, within a Greek-Jewish (Gentile-Jew) Christian community, facing internal ethnic socioreligious differences and external societal persecution. He promotes non-retaliation and points readers toward a Christlike love that is not overcome by evil but overcomes evil with good.
[1] Frank J. Matera, Romans, Paideia (Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Academic, 2010), 3.
[2] Donald Alfred Hagner, The New Testament: A Historical and Theological Introduction (Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Academic, 2012), 520.
[3] David Pawson, Unlocking the Bible: Charts, Diagrams and Images, 2017.
[4] D. A. Carson and Douglas J. Moo, An Introduction to the New Testament, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 2005), 391.
[5] Craig S. Keener, Romans: A New Covenant Commentary, New covenant commentary series (Eugene, Oregon: Cascade, 2009), 1.
[6] Pawson, Unlocking the Bible.
[7] Keener, Romans, 1.
[8] John E. Toews, Romans, Believers church Bible commentary (Scottdale, Pa: Herald Press, 2004), 20.
[9] Paul N Benware, Survey of the New Testament (Chicago: Moody Press, 2003), 191.
[10] Leon Morris, The Epistle to the Romans (Grand Rapids. Mich.: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 2012), 2.
[11] Karl Barth, A Shorter Commentary on Romans (Place of publication not identified: Scm Press, 2012), 14.
[12] Paul J. Achtemeier, Joel B. Green, and Marianne Meye Thompson, Introducing the New Testament: Its Literature and Theology (Grand Rapids, Mich: W.B. Eerdmans Pub, 2001), 306.
[13] Barth, A Shorter Commentary on Romans, 14.
[14] Klaus Haacker, The Theology of Paul’s Letter to the Romans, New Testament theology (Cambridge, UK ; New York: Cambridge University Press, 2003), 12.
[15] Mark Allan Powell, Introducing the New Testament: A Historical, Literary, and Theological Survey (Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Academic, 2009), 217.
[16] Carson and Moo, An Introduction to the New Testament, 391.
[17] Achtemeier, Green, and Thompson, Introducing the New Testament, 306.
[18] Douglas J. Moo and Sean A. Harrison, Romans Know the Truth (Carol Stream, Illinois: Tyndale Entertainment, 2009), 1890.
[19] Benware, Survey of the New Testament, 191.
[20] Ibid.
[21] Carson and Moo, An Introduction to the New Testament, 394.
[22] Barth, A Shorter Commentary on Romans, 9.
[23] Hagner, The New Testament, 522.
[24] Matera, Romans, 7.
[25] Haacker, The Theology of Paul’s Letter to the Romans, 12.
[26] Carson and Moo, An Introduction to the New Testament, 396.
[27] Haacker, The Theology of Paul’s Letter to the Romans, 12.
[28] Carson and Moo, An Introduction to the New Testament, 398.
[29] Hagner, The New Testament, 522.
[30] Moo and Harrison, Romans Know the Truth, 1890.
[31] Pawson, Unlocking the Bible.
[32] Moo and Harrison, Romans Know the Truth, 1891.
[33] Pawson, Unlocking the Bible.
[34] Charles H. Talbert, Romans, Smyth & Helwys Bible commentary (Macon, Ga: Smyth & Helwys, 2002), 6.
[35] Morris, The Epistle to the Romans.
[36] Ibid.
[37] Pawson, Unlocking the Bible.
[38] Carson and Moo, An Introduction to the New Testament, 396.
[39] Ibid.
[40] David E. Aune, The Westminster Dictionary of New Testament and Early Christian Literature and Rhetoric, 1st ed. (Louisville, Ky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2003), 272.
[41] Douglas J. Moo, Romans, The NIV application commentary (Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000), 415.
[42] C. Marvin Pate, Romans, Teach the text commentary series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2013), 271.
[43] Thomas R. Schreiner, Romans, Second edition., Baker exegetical commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing Group, 2018), 643.
[44] Andrew Knowles, The Bible Guide, 1st Augsburg books ed. (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg, 2001), 573.
[45] Christopher Ash and PT Resources (Organization), Teaching Romans (London; Fearn, Ross-shire, Scotland: PT Media ; Christian Focus, 2009), 161.
[46] Robert Jewett, Roy David Kotansky, and Eldon Jay Epp, Romans: A Commentary, (Hermeneia – a critical and historical commentary on the Bible) (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2007), 756.
[47] Matera, Romans, 290.
[48] Jewett, Kotansky, and Epp, Romans, 756.
[49] Michael F. Bird, Romans, The story of God Bible commentary. New Testament series 6 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2016), 430–431.
[50] Matera, Romans, 290.
[51] Schreiner, Romans, 643.
[52] F. F. Bruce, Romans: An Introduction and Commentary, Tyndale New Testament commentaries v. 6 (Nottingham, England : Downers Grove, Ill: Inter-Varsity Press ; Intervarsity Press, 2008), 227.
[53] John R. W. Stott, The Message of Romans: God’s Good News for the World, The Bible speaks today (Leicester, England ; Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press, 2001), 330.