Wednesday, August 03, 2011

Did Paul say this?

"We know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things" (Ro. 2:2).

According to the NASB, it looks like Paul said it. According to the NRSV, it looks like Paul's imaginary opponent said it.

What do you think? Does this represent Paul's position on the "righteousness/justification" of God?
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2 comments:

Melissa Fitzpatrick said...

Hi Dr. Reeves, we met briefly at Laity Lodge a few weeks back. I have never thought about this verse from this perspective. So, is NRSV's translation based on Paul's use of diatribe because I don't see "You say" in the GNT. I don't have an answer yet but I think it is very interesting.

9:38 PM
Rodney Reeves said...

Hey Melissa,

Good to hear from you.

Yes, the NRSV's translation presumes Paul's diatribe "kicking in" at this point. Part of my question comes from thinking thru Paul's ideas of justification via the cross of Jesus. Would Paul say that God "rightly" punishes sinners in light of his theology of the cross? Also, some tag on the apparent "passive" form of God's wrath that Paul seems to be working with in Rom. 1, i.e., God "handing them over" to the result of their sin is not the same as God "actively" punishing sinners.

The other part of the question has to do with Campbell's recent work on Romans, where he finds an interlocutor all over the place, e.g., he thinks Paul's is quoting an interlocutor in Ro. 1:18-32, and we hear the apostle's voice for the first time at 2:1. But, what about v. 2?

Finally, I was hoping the question would prompt a discussion about how we/you see the "wrath of God" operating today.

BTW, hope you studies go well this year.

10:02 AM

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