Wednesday 14 October 2009

Background

This passage jumps on a few verses from  yesterday's passage, and develops Paul's argument a bit further. "Whoever you are", godly Jew or educated Roman, you are all in the same situation as the most notorious sinner - in fact, by piously judging others you condemn yourself.

Paul was being very clever in his argument: by painting a lurid picture - really a caricature - of "gentile sinners" (Galatians 2:15) he would have invited a prim 'aren't they dreadful?' response from his audience. And then he turned his argument on them. They were just as bad. What Paul was addressing was what we might call today the human condition. He believed that all of humanity was, in various ways, alienated from God - the creature was at odds with the creator. Nothing less than a new beginning for the whole of creation could put this right. But that takes us further into Romans than we are going this week.

At this stage in the letter, Paul was still setting the scene, and arguing that everyone will face judgment on "the day of wrath". This was another very Jewish idea - remember that Paul was a 1st century Jew, not a 21st century Christian. Many Jews believed that the coming of the Messiah, the one sent by God to save Israel from its enemies, would mark 'the end of this present evil age' and reveal God's judgement on God's enemies and a reward for the faithful people.

Paul's Jewish hearers, of course (like most religious people!), would have assumed that they belonged to the latter group. So his suggestion that "There will be anguish and distress for everyone who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honour and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek" would have come as quite a shock. As it may do for Christians too, if they think that Paul was not impressed by 'doing good'. But, for Paul, doing good was the same as being righteous. So the question remains, then... Is it possible for anyone to do good?

To Ponder

Is it ever right to judge others? In what circumstances?

On what basis do you think God judges us?

Do you think it is possible for anyone to do good?