The Weak and the Strong (Romans 14:1–15:13): Part 2 of 7

Honoring the Lord

“One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God” (Romans 14:5-6, ESV). 

Jewish conventions are evident in these verses, particularly in relation to the religious calendar of special feasting and fasting “days” [ἡμέραι]. In Galatians the allusion is more comprehensive regarding the observance of “days and months and seasons and years” (Gal. 4:10),¹ although Paul’s expectations and tone are very different. To the Galatians he says, “I am fearing for you, lest in vain I have labored for you” (Gal. 4:11). The non-Jewish Galatians had been misled to observe culturally-irrelevant rituals of the Mosaic system to supposedly merit divine favor (cf. Gal. 2:3-5, 11-21; 3:1-21).² In contrast, the apparent discord among the multi-ethnic Romans was a matter of cultural diversity unrelated to their common faith. 

Paul was not opposed to the precepts or conventions of the Jewish law (cf. 7:7, 12) with respect to those for whom it was an important part of their cultural heritage (i.e., within the context of ethnic Judaism), as long as it was not at variance with the Christian faith.³ On the other hand, he was vehemently opposed to the enforcement of the law’s ritualistic ordinances on those for whom these practices had no relevance (i.e., non-Jewish Christians), especially if the imposition of such created division in the church and supplanted reliance on God through Christ.

Pertinent to the mid-first-century Romans, in matters indifferent or inconsequential to the Christian faith, each member of the body “should be fully convinced” [πληροφορέω] (cf. 4:21) “in his own mind.” This does not mean everyone is free to believe and practice whatever he or she wants (cf. 6:17-22; 7:6), but all are accountable to God and ought to live according to God-centered convictions.⁴ The renewed “mind” [νοΐ] (12:2; cf. 7:22-25) is to be joined with all others in the church in a collective unity of faith (12:16; cf. 1 Cor. 1:10; Phil. 1:27; 2:2), despite differences of individual opinions.⁵

The word “esteems” (ESV, NKJV) or “values” (NASB20) in v. 5 is actually “judges” [κρίνω] (CSB, LSV) in regard to a personal cognitive decision.⁶ But the verb rendered “observes” (ESV, NASB, NKJV) in v. 6 is φρονέω (cf. 8:5; 11:20; 12:3, 16; 15:5), involving a more thorough engagement of thinking, feeling, and doing. “The one regarding [mentally, emotionally, actively] the day, to the Lord he regards it.” The whole self is invested in acknowledging and honoring the Lord, which, in the context of Jewish history, routinely recognizes and celebrates, with customary memorials, what the Lord has done for his people.

The Byzantine Majority Text and Textus Receptus, based on later manuscripts, have the added, “and the one not regarding the day, to the Lord he does not regard it” (v. 6b), which seems to be a “scribal expansion.”⁷ It is absent from earlier manuscripts, presumably “prompted by the desire to provide a balanced statement after the model of the clause καὶ ὁ μὴ ἐσθίων later in the verse.”⁸ Nevertheless, it is congruent with what Paul is saying.

Gratitude

“And the one eating, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks [εὐχαριστεῖ] to God; and the one not eating, to the Lord he does not eat and gives thanks [εὐχαριστεῖ] to God.” In a different albeit similar context, addressing Christian liberty governed by selfless concern for how one’s actions affect others, Paul rhetorically asks, “If I partake with thankfulness [χάριτι], why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks [εὐχαριστῶ]? So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:30-31).

The point Paul is making to the Romans is that the aim of the conscientious believer, whether eating or abstaining, is to be grateful, reverential, and subservient to the Lord.⁹ Therefore, unconcern or contempt from opposing views is an inappropriate response.

We Are the Lord’s

“For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living” (Romans 14:7-9).

While the term “Lord” [κύριος] (without the article) is referenced three times in v. 6, highlighting the spiritually motivated intent of certain observances or nonobservances, “the Lord” (article appended) occurs three times in v. 8, indicating the greater sense in which the Lord rules the Christian’s everyday life beyond any momentary or recurring acts. Rather than an inordinate fixation on personal self-interests, we are to live with a constant awareness of how our actions affect those in our immediate circle of influence, but more importantly how we reflect the lordship of Jesus throughout our lives. We are his servants [οἰκέται], he is our master [κύριος], and he alone has the right and authority to rule and to judge [κρίνω] (v. 4; cf. vv. 10-13; 2:1-11; 8:33).¹⁰

The sense of the dative τῷ κυρίῳ is that we live or die “to the Lord” (ESV, NKJV), “unto the Lord” (ASV, KJV), “for the Lord” (CSB, NASB, NIV). Every aspect of our existence ought to imitate, please, and honor him.¹¹ But what about dying? Metaphorically, as living sacrifices (12:1) we “die” with Christ (6:6, 8)¹² as we “die” to self (12:1-2),¹³ to sin (6:2, 7, 11; 8:13),¹⁴ and to the old-covenant law (7:4-6).¹⁵ At the same time, being a disciple of Jesus may come with the risk of physically dying (8:36; 16:4).¹⁶ Since Christ’s literal death is noted here in v. 9,¹⁷ Paul seems to be alluding to the fact that when we, as his followers, reach the end of our mortal sojourn, we are still in his gracious hands.¹⁸ “The union with the Lord Christ, with all its benefits, that the believer enjoys in this life will continue after death with, indeed, an even fuller measure of blessing (cf. 8:18, 31-39).”¹⁹  We have this hope because “Christ died and lived again …”   

The verb κυριεύω (to “rule over”) in v. 9 was used earlier to affirm that Christ’s death and resurrection ensure that “death no longer has dominion over [κυριεύει] him” (6:9), therefore “sin will have no dominion over [οὐ κυριεύσει] you, since you are not under law but under grace” (6:14). The law formerly exercised dominion over [κυριεύει] those amenable to it (7:1). Now, the death and resurrection of Jesus have secured his exalted state, “that he might be Lord [κυριεύσῃ - 'he might rule over'] both of the dead and of the living.” Neither sphere of human existence is exempt from his reign. “He has achieved this dominion because he himself entered the realm of death, conquered death, and rose triumphant as the Lord of life.”²⁰

--Kevin Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ The “days” would include sabbath days and single-day festivals (Ex. 31:13; Ezek. 20:12, 20). The beginning of each month was marked by the new moon (Num. 10:10; 28:11; 1 Chron. 23:31; cf. Col. 2:16), with a special worship period connected to it (Isa. 66:23). The “seasons” would be seasonal celebrations, such as the feasts of Passover and Tabernacles, observed over a several-day period each year (Deut. 16:1-17; Zech. 14:16). The “years” would be annual memorials such as sabbatical years (Lev. 25:1-7, 18-22), the year of Jubilee (Lev. 25:8-17, 23-34, 39-55), and the beginning of the new year at Rosh Hashanah. See R. N. Longenecker, Galatians 182.

     ² Note also Acts 15:1, 5; Col. 2:13-17.

     ³ See, e.g., Acts 16:1-3; 18:18; 21:20-26; 1 Cor. 9:20. 

     ⁴ C. K. Barrett, Romans 259; C. H. Dodd, Romans 214-15. 

     ⁵ “In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity.” In various forms this saying has been traced back to Lutheran theologian Peter Meiderlin (a.k.a. Rupertus Meldenius) around 1627 in Augsburg, Germany, quoted by German poet Hoffman von Fallersleben in 1852 and attributed to “St. Augustine,” becoming a key motto of the North American Restoration Movement. See Hans Rollmann, “In Essentials, Unity: The Pre-History of a Restoration Movement Slogan,” RQ 39:3 (1997): 129-39.

     ⁶ “It need not mean that ‘another man’ treats every day as secular; it may mean that he treats every day as equally to be dedicated to the service of God, and this was certainly Paul’s attitude” (F. F. Bruce, Romans 231). 

     ⁷ P. W. Comfort, A Commentary on the Manuscripts and Text of the NT 310.

     ⁸ B. M. Metzger, Textual Commentary on the Greek NT (2nd ed.) 468.

     ⁹ See also Gal. 1:10; 2 Cor. 5:9; Col. 1:10; 1 Thess. 2:4; 4:1; cf. John 8:29; Heb. 13:16; 1 John 3:22.

     ¹⁰ Even when the Lord’s followers are called upon to make judgments (Matt. 7:5; John 7:24; 1 Cor. 2:15; 5:3, 12; 6:2-5), the divine standard of judgment remains the same.

     ¹¹ Note also 1 Cor. 3:23; 2 Cor. 5:14-15; Gal. 1:10; 2:20; Phil. 1:21; Col. 3:17. “Life is summed up in Christ. Life is filled up with, occupied with Christ, in the sense that everything Paul does—trusts, loves, hopes, obeys, preaches, follows … and so on—is inspired by Christ and is done for Christ. Christ and Christ alone gives inspiration, direction, meaning and purpose to existence” (G. F. Hawthorne, Philippians 45).

     ¹² See also Gal. 2:20a; Col. 2:20; 3:3.

     ¹³ See also Eph. 4:22-23; cf. Matt. 16:24-26; Mark 8:34-38; Luke 6:23-25; John 12:24-26.

     ¹⁴ See also Gal. 5:24; cf. 1 Pet. 2:24. In similar vein, we die to the world: Gal. 6:14; Col. 2:20; 3:3, 5.

     ¹⁵ See also Rom. 6:14; Gal. 2:19.

     ¹⁶ See also 1 Cor. 4:9; 15:31; 2 Cor. 1:8-9; 4:10-12; 6:9; 11:23-27; Gal. 1:13; Phil. 1:20-21; 2:30; 2 Tim. 4:6-7; cf. Mark 13:12-13; Luke 21:16; 22:33; John 21:18-19; Acts 7:57–8:1; 9:1, 21-24, 29; 12:1-4; 14:5, 19; 21:13, 31; 22:4, 20, 22; 23:12-27; 25:3, 11; 26:10; 27:9–28:3; 2 Pet. 1:14-15; Rev. 2:13; 6:11; 12:11; 13:15.

     ¹⁷ Frequently highlighted in Romans: 3:25; 5:6-10; 6:3, 10; 8:34; 14:15.

     ¹⁸ 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:20-23; Col. 3:4; 1 Thess. 4:13-18.

     ¹⁹ D. J. Moo, Romans 844-45; cf. C. K. Barrett, Romans 260.; J. A. Beet, Romans 352.

     ²⁰ J. Murray, Romans 2:183. 

Related Posts: The Weak and Strong: Part 1

 

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The Weak and the Strong (Romans 14:1–15:13): Part 1 of 7

As Paul continues his letter to the Romans, he directs his attention from general relations in the world to relations within the Christian community, continuing his emphasis on love and mutuality (from 12:3-21; 13:8-10) with further reminders of the Lord’s judgment (cf. 1:32; 2:2-16; 3:5-6; 13:11-14; 14:10-12). Although 14:1–15:13 appears to be an adaptation of what was earlier written in 1 Corinthians 8–10, the respective audiences and circumstances are quite different. The primary focus in the Corinthian letter is the “conscience” and more about idolatry than dietary laws, whereas here the main concern is strained relations due to differing levels of “faith.” Rather than simply making a generic doctrinal statement, Paul appears to be confronting a real problem affecting the saints at Rome, although specific details are less than clear to modern readers. 

Who are the “strong” and the “weak”? Paul identifies himself among “the strong [ones]” [οἱ δυνατοί] (15:1), the only explicit use of the expression in these verses. Presumably this group of disciples is to be identified with the “spiritual ones” within a community of believers (Gal. 5:22–6:1) and recognized as “mature” and “faithful” (1 Cor. 2:6; 2 Tim. 2:2), albeit still short of perfection (cf. Phil. 3:12-16). Paul is apparently aware of (or suspecting) untoward attitudes and behaviors, from which he distances himself with second and third person address (14:3-4, 10a, 15-16, 20-23), and calls upon “the strong [ones]” to take the lead in resolving the disharmony.

Various proposals for identifying the “weak” include: (a) non-Christian Jews;¹ (b) Gentile believers influenced by pagan ritualism to abstain from meat;² (c) Gentile and Jewish believers practicing ascetism;³ (d) Gentile and/or Jewish believers embracing a synthesis between Judaism and proto-gnosticism (cp. Col. 2:16, 21-22);⁴ (e) Jewish believers and/or new converts trying to avoid the appearance of idolatry (as in 1 Cor. 8–10);⁵ (f) Jewish believers and those influenced by them holding onto the special days and dietary regulations of the Mosaic system.⁶

The last option seems most likely, seeing that much of the letter has focused on Jewish vs. non-Jewish tensions, and the end of this section explicitly references “the circumcision” and “the Gentiles” (15:7-18). The distinctively Jewish concerns for what was considered “unclean” [κοινός] and “clean” [καθαρός] (14:14, 20) make a reasonably solid case for this scenario.⁷ Nonetheless, Paul himself does not characterize the other side of the dispute as “strong,” a descriptor commonly inferred by commentators but not explicit in the text until its lone occurrence at 15:1. It is at least plausible, if not likely, that the “weak,” from Paul’s perspective, would include anyone, from either side, who is guilty of selfish disregard for others and of unwarranted judging.

The multidimensional Christian community in Rome, comprised of multiple congregations, probably consisted of Jewish converts clinging to old traditions and regarded by some as “ultra-conservative” or “legalistic,”⁸ Jewish and God-fearing converts distancing themselves from the old ways of Judaism and regarded by some as “progressive” or “liberal,” and Gentile Christians leaning in either direction, whether swayed by judaizing influences or exhibiting the antisemitic mentality of the pagan world. Accordingly, “the primary question is not one of ethnicity, but of theological and social orientation.”⁹ No single group monopolized self-centered insensitivity.¹⁰ At the same time, more moderate brethren, like Prisca and Aquila and others named in the final chapter, would likely be counted among the “strong.” 

Refrain from Unrighteous Judging 

“As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions” (Romans 14:1, ESV).

The issue at hand concerns “the [one]” [τὸν] “being weak” [ἀσθενοῦντα]¹¹ in “the faith” [τῇ πίστει].¹² Is this an allusion to one’s personal faith that is weak, or a weakness in understanding and applying the faith-system as God intended? Earlier Paul had spoken of Abraham as one who “was not weak [in] the faith” [μὴ ἀσθενήσας τῇ πίστει] (4:19), involving Abraham’s resolute trust in God and compliance with God’s revealed will, serving as an example to be emulated (4:1-25). 

The entire letter is bracketed between the dual call for “obedience of faith” (1:5; 16:26) that is mutually shared by Paul and the Roman saints (1:8, 12) and established on the same standard of faith – the gospel of Christ (1:16-17; 3:25-31; 12:3, 6). It starts with the faith[fulness] of God and of Jesus Christ (3:3, 22, 26), revealed and proclaimed as “the word of the faith” (10:8, 17), prompting an obedient faith-response procuring justification (5:1-2; 9:30-32; 10:6; cf. 6:3-4, 17-18) and sustained by continued faithfulness (11:20-22).¹³

In the current chapter, appreciating that followers of Christ share a common faith based on the same model of faith, each is accountable for how he or she lives in accordance with his or her understanding of God’s system of faith as it pertains to practical issues of everyday life (14:22-23), particularly nonessential matters. These so-called “opinions” are literally “thoughts” or “reasonings” [διαλογισμοί] (cf. 1:21), which among humans are fallible and often contentious.¹⁴ Paul is appealing for an atmosphere of “welcoming,” “receiving,” “accepting” [προσλαμβάνω]¹⁵ (cf. v. 3; 15:7; note also 12:3-13) rather than quarrelsome debate, or inordinate and divisive “judgment” [διάκρισις]. 

The description “weak in the faith,” if alluding to a Christian from a strict Jewish background or influenced thereby, would describe someone with “an inadequate grasp of the great principle of salvation by faith in Christ; the consequence of which will be an anxious desire to make this salvation more certain by the scrupulous fulfilment of formal rules.”¹⁶ It has been suggested that the label “weak” may have originated from those who perceived strength as freedom from the misgivings of inherited traditions.¹⁷

“One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables” (Romans 14:2). 

Vegetarianism was not indicative of orthodox Judaism, although abstaining from meat would be expected if there were questions about the circumstances or manner of an animal’s slaughter.¹⁸ However, “meat” [κρέας] is not explicitly referenced until v. 21, along with “wine” [οἶνος] that was clearly not excluded from the Jewish dietary routine. It may very well be that Paul is merely contrasting hypothetical extremes (omnivore vs. vegetarian) to illustrate his point. What complicates the situation even more is the common practice of communal meals (Acts 2:46; Gal. 2:12; Jude 12). “In mixed communities, where table fellowship was a fundamental expression of community, the tensions set up by these differences would be considerable.”¹⁹  

“Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant [οἰκέτην]²⁰ of another? It is before his own master [τῷ ἰδίῳ κυρίῳ] that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord [ὁ κύριος] is able to make him stand” (Romans 14:3-4).

God’s people are to be “welcoming” (v. 1) because God himself is welcoming and accepts those on both sides of the disagreement (cf. 15:7). The one eating is not to “despise” or “regard with contempt” (NASB) [ἐξουθενέω]²¹ (cf. v. 10) the one who abstains. The one who abstains is not to “pass judgment” [κρίνω] (cf. 2:1),²² i.e., “pass an unfavorable judgment upon, criticize, find fault with, condemn”²³ the one who does not share the same scruples. The Lord is the supreme judge; we are not.

The second person singular pronoun “you” [σύ] in v. 4 is emphatic, as in vv. 10 and 22, where Paul engages an imaginary discussion partner rather than his entire reading audience directly.²⁴ This mode of address (vv. 4a, 10ab, 15-16a, 20a, 21, 22ab) makes an impactful point without implicating the whole group or those not guilty of misbehavior. 

The eating or abstaining does not necessarily have to be a question of meat consumption.²⁵ In view of special days (vv. 5-6), the contrast could be between feasting (eating) and fasting (abstaining),²⁶ although in the previous verse each side of the issue is eating something. Either way, the principles are the same. To be continued …

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ M. D. Nanos, Mystery of Romans 85-165; contra R. A. J. Gagnon, “Why the Weak” 64-82; J. Miller, “Romans Debate” 331-33.

     ² E. Käsemann, Romans 367-68.

     ³ R. C. H. Lenski, Romans 812-13.

     ⁴ C. K. Barrett, Romans 256-57.

     ⁵ J. A. Ziesler, The Meaning of Righteousness in Paul 323-26.

     ⁶ C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans 2:694-97. This seems to be the majority opinion among conservative scholars.

     ⁷ See Gen. 7:2-3, 8; 8:20; Lev. 4:12; 6:11; 7:19; cf. Gal. 2:11-14; Col. 2:21. 

     ⁸ It is unlikely there were actual “legalists” among the Roman Christians, binding Jewish laws and traditions as salvation requirements, like those confronted in Galatians. Paul’s tone and counsel are very different in Romans. 

     ⁹ J. T. Hughes, Ecclesial Solidarity 141; based on R. N. Longenecker, Introducing Romans79-84. 

     ¹⁰ The pressing issue is “the proper attitude to adopt towards matters in themselves indifferent, but concerning which some members of the community might have scruples…. Paul has been condemning excessive indulgence; he now passes to the opposite extreme, excessive scrupulousness, which he deals with in a very different way” (W. Sanday and A. C. Headlam, Romans 384). In the immediate context of the previous discourse (13:1-14), there may also be political undertones, amenable to the same principles, involving diverse opinions about secular government and the extent of a Christian’s compliance and involvement.

     ¹¹ The verb ἀσθενέω, to be feeble or sickly, also occurs in v. 2; 4:19; 8:3b. Note further the noun form ἀσθένημα and the adjectival ἀδύνατος (15:1; cf. 8:3a), the latter describing one who is unable or powerless.

     ¹² Paul also notes the weakness of the old Jewish law (8:3) and alludes to natural human weakness, including his own (6:19; 8:26). On Paul’s own weakness, see also 1 Cor. 2:3; 2 Cor. 11:21, 29, 30; 12:5, 9, 10; 13:4, 9; Gal. 4:3; and on human weakness in general, 1 Cor. 15:43; Heb. 4:15; 5:2; 7:28; 11:34. In 2 Cor. 13:3-4 the contrast is between Christ’s human “weakness” and divine “power.” One’s “weak” conscience is the focus of 1 Cor. 8:11-12.

     ¹³ Faith is something that is intended to grow and mature over time (cf. 2 Cor. 10:15; 1 Thess. 3:1-10).

     ¹⁴ Cf. 1 Cor. 3:20; Phil. 2:14; 1 Tim. 2:8; Jas. 2:4.

     ¹⁵ Philem. 17; cf. Acts 28:2.

     ¹⁶ W. Sanday and A. C. Headlam, Romans 384. “The weakness is weakness in respect of faith; the weak man is one who does not fully appreciate what his Christianity means; in particular, he does not see that the soul which has committed itself to Christ for salvation is emancipated from all law but that which is involved in its responsibility to Him. Hence his conscience is fettered by scruples in regard to customs dating from pre-Christian days” (J. Denney, “Romans” 700).

     ¹⁷ J. D. G. Dunn, “Romans,” in DPL 850; R. Jewett, Romans 11-12. From a socioeconomic perspective, the weaker one in the setting of mid-first-century Corinth has been described as “insecure” and “vulnerable to be led along by the pretensions and superior social status of ‘the strong’” (A. C. Thiselton, First Corinthians 644). However, in 1 Cor. 8–10 Paul addresses a weak conscience due to a lack of understanding rather than socioeconomic status.

     ¹⁸ In the Roman setting, “we do not know how ordinary Jews, as opposed to strict Pharisees, observed the dietary laws in the first century…. There was obviously a range of practice that we cannot precisely reconstruct, since we have to rely on the mishnaic laws, codified a century and a half after Paul, which represent a prescriptive idealization by the successors to the Pharisees” (A. F. Segal, Paul the Convert 231).

     ¹⁹ J. D. G. Dunn, “Romans” in DPL 849; cf. M. B. Thompson, “Strong and Weak,” in DPL 917.

     ²⁰ This is the lone occurrence of οἰκέτης (“household servant”) in Paul’s writings. Elsewhere in the NT, only Matt. 24:35 (of the household itself); Luke 16:13; Acts 10:7; 1 Pet. 2:18.

     ²¹ Cf. Luke 18:9; 1 Cor. 1:28; 6:4; 16:11; 2 Cor. 10:10; Gal. 4:14; 1 Thess. 5:20. This is how Jesus was treated by antagonists (Luke 23:11; Acts 4:11).

     ²² The verb κρίνω is variously used in Romans of divine judging (2:16; 3:6-7; cf. the noun form in 2:2, 3b; 5:16; 11:33; 13:2) and that of the law (2:12); wrongful human judging (2:1-3a; 3:4; 14:3-4, 10, 13), as well as self-condemnation (14:22); appropriate human judging (2:27); and that which is largely inconsequential (14:5).

     ²³ BAGD 451-52.

     ²⁴ Note also Rom. 2:1-5, 17-29; 3:1-9; 9:19-21; 11:17-24; 1 Cor. 6:12-20; 15:29-41; Gal. 2:17-19; 3:1-9, 19-22.

     ²⁵ There is no explicit mention of “meat” [κρέας] until v. 21, though implicitly included among “all things” [πάντα] (v. 2) and “food” [βρῶμα] (vv. 15, 20); also implied with allusions to “unclean” [κοινός] and “clean” [καθαρός] (vv. 14, 20).

     ²⁶ See Lev. 16:29-31; 23:26-32 (cf. Acts 27:9). Note also Matt. 9:14; Mark 2:18; Luke 5:33; 18:12; Acts 23:12.

Related Posts: The Weak and Strong: Part 2

 

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The Obligation of Love and the Power of Hope (Romans 13:8-14)

“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,’ and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:8-10, ESV).

The Obligation of Love

Having introduced the guiding principle of love [ἀγάπη] at 12:9, Paul now transitions from his discussion of Christian duties toward secular rulers to relations with people in general (cf. 14:15).¹ He illustrates his point with representative and familiar commandments from the Decalogue, in no particular order (Ex. 20:13-15, 17; Deut. 5:17-19, 21; cp. Luke 18:20), summarized by quoting Lev. 19:18 (cf. Matt. 19:19; 22:39). 

But if Christians are free from the Mosaic law, in what sense do they “fulfill the law”? There is a clear distinction between doing the law, on one hand (Rom. 10:5; Gal. 3:10, 12), and fulfilling the law, on the other (Rom. 8:4; 13:8, 10; Gal. 5:14). For those who naively desire to live under the ordinances of the old Jewish law, consistency demands that they keep the whole of it (Gal. 5:3), whereas in Christ the law is fulfilled by the ongoing applicability of love,² “uniting our moral instincts with our highest religious principles.”³

The Law of Moses served its designed purpose in bringing adherents to the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 9:4-5; Gal. 3:19-29); thus, Christ’s church is what God intended the people of Israel and all others to become (Gal. 6:16; cf. 3:6–4:7). Accordingly, Christians are not under the old-covenant system but fulfill its law by living out God’s purpose. Paul stresses love, not as a rule to be obeyed but as an overarching principle characterizing a new way of life (cf. Rom. 12:9; 14:15; Gal. 5:13–6:10).⁴ Thus, “the debt of love, unlike those debts which we can pay up fully and be done with, is an unlimited debt which we can never be done with discharging…. a debt which is owed to every man without exception.”⁵

The Power of Hope

“Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires” (Romans 13:11-14).

Paul reminds his readers of what they are already “knowing” [εἰδότες – past and present] concerning “the time” [τὸν καιρόν], the limited period of life on earth, anticipating the age to come (cf. 8:18; 14:8-12).⁶ Multiple metaphors in quick succession illustrate the importance of being spiritually alert and prepared right now: “sleep” vs. “awake,”⁷ “darkness” vs. “light”⁸combined with the military image of “armor,”⁹ as we “walk properly.”¹⁰ On the negative side we avoid “drunkenness,”¹¹ sexual perversion (cf. 1:24-32),¹² “quarreling” and “jealousy” (cf. 1:29),¹³ and making “provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires” (cf. 1:24; 6:12, 19; 7:5, 8, 18, 25; 8:4-8, 12-13).¹⁴

Alternatively, sanctification means to “put on [‘clothe yourselves with’]¹⁵ the Lord Jesus Christ.” This begins when a penitent believer is “baptized into Christ Jesus” (6:3; cf. Gal. 3:27), becoming “dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (6:11), possessing “the spirit of Christ” and “conformed to the image of [God’s] Son” (8:9, 29).¹⁶ “The reference is not simply to a once-for-all change of clothing at baptism [as can be argued for Gal. 3:27], since the exhortation is to those long since baptized …. What Paul implies, then, is the intensity of dedication and application in living out the life of Christ …”¹⁷

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Paul also speaks of the love of God, Christ, and the Spirit (5:5, 8; 8:35, 39; 15:30).

     ² The churches of Galatia were told that followers of Jesus are to fulfill “the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2). Scholarly opinions as to what this refers to range from a loosely-defined “law of love” to a continuance of the Mosaic law filtered through the teachings of Christ. But note the thoroughly antithetical thrust of Galatians, i.e., the true gospel vs. a false one (1:6-12; 2:5, 14), Paul’s former life as a Jew vs. his new life as a Christian (1:13-23), liberty vs. bondage (2:4; 4:1-9; 5:1), circumcision vs. uncircumcision (2:7-9; 5:2-4), works of law vs. faith of Christ (2:16, 20; 3:2, 5-27), and flesh vs. spirit (3:3; 4:21-31; 5:5-26). Within this context it is apparent that the law of Christ is separate and distinct from the Law of Moses. From the very beginning of the Galatian letter, the crucial role of the truth of the gospel is highlighted (1:1-12, 23; 2:1-9, 14-21; 3:1-14, 22-29; 4:4-7; 5:7, 13). The law of Christ is simply the practical expression of Christlike love, exemplified in the teachings and example of Christ, and revealed in and obeyed as the gospel of Christ (cf. Rom. 3:27; 8:2; 1 Cor. 9:21).

     ³  W. Sanday and A. C. Headlam, Romans 376.

     ⁴ “Of course love is an inspiration rather than a restraint, and transcends law as embodied in merely negative commandments …” (J. Denney, “Romans” 2:698).

     ⁵ C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans 2:674-75. “The ‘neighbour’ in the NT sense is not someone arbitrarily chosen by us; he is given to us by God” (ibid. 676). C. K. Barrett adds, “love is not Christian love if it cannot include love for the man who differs from me in every way” (Romans 250).

     ⁶ Cf. Rom. 11:5; 1 Cor. 4:5; 7:29; 2 Cor. 5:5-11; 6:2; Eph. 5:15-17; Col. 4:5; 1 Thess. 5:1-2; 1 Tim. 6:14-15; and 1 Pet. 4:17; 5:6. On Paul’s understanding of when the Parousia would occur, see K. L. Moore, “Did Paul Believe and Teach …?” Moore Perspective (24 Jan. 2018), <Web>. 

     ⁷ Matt. 24:42-44; 1 Cor. 11:30; 15:34; Eph. 5:14; 1 Thess. 5:6-7; 2 Tim. 4:5; 1 Pet. 4:7.

     ⁸ Matt. 5:14-16; John 9:4-5; 11:9-10; 12:35-36; Eph. 5:8-13; 1 Thess. 5:4-8.

     ⁹ See also Rom. 6:13; 2 Cor. 6:7; 10:4; cf. Eph. 6:11-18. 

     ¹⁰ See also Rom. 6:4; 8:1, 4; 14:15; cf. 1 Cor. 3:3; 7:17; 2 Cor. 4:2; 5:7; 10:2-3; 12:18; Gal. 5:16; Eph. 2:2, 10; 4:1, 17; 5:2, 8, 15; Phil. 3:17-18; Col. 1:10; 2:6; 3:7; 4:5; 1 Thess. 2:12; 4:1, 12.

     ¹¹ See also Luke 21:34; 1 Cor. 6:10; Gal. 5:21; Eph. 5:18; 1 Pet. 4:3. The noun κώμοι, translated “orgies” in the ESV and NAB, is more closely related to drunkenness in the sense of “reveling” (ASV, NRSV) or “carousing” (NASB, NIV).

     ¹² See also Matt. 15:19; Mark 7:21-22; Acts 15:20, 29; 21:25; 1 Cor. 5:9-13; 6:9–7:2; 10:8; 2 Cor. 12:21; Gal. 5:19; Eph. 5:3-5; Col. 3:5; 1 Thess. 4:1-7; 1 Tim. 1:10; 2 Pet. 2:2, 7, 18; Jude 7.

     ¹³ See also Matt. 15:19; Mark 7:21-22; 1 Cor. 1:11; 3:1-3; 2 Cor. 12:20; Gal. 5:20-21, 26; Eph. 4:31; Col. 3:8; 1 Tim. 6:3-5; Tit. 3:3, 9; 1 Pet. 2:1.

     ¹⁴ See also Mark 4:18-19; John 8:44; 1 Cor. 5:5; 2 Cor. 7:1; 10:2-3; Gal. 5:13-26; Eph. 2:1-3; 4:20-23; Col. 2:23; 3:5; 1 Thess. 4:5; 1 Tim. 6:9; 2 Tim. 2:22; 3:4-7; Tit. 3:3; Jas. 1:13-16; 1 Pet. 1:13-16; 2:11; 4:1-3; 2 Pet. 1:4; 2:9-10, 18; 3:3; 1 John 2:15-17; Jude 16-19.

     ¹⁵ Cf. v. 12; 1 Cor. 15:53-54; Gal. 3:27; Eph. 4:24; 6:11, 14; Col. 3:10, 12; 1 Thess. 5:8.  

     ¹⁶ “But the Christian life is not exhausted in this act [of baptism], which is rather the starting-point for a putting on of Christ in the ethical sense, a ‘clothing of the soul in the moral disposition and habits of Christ’ (Gifford) …” (J. Denney, “Romans” 700).

     ²⁷ J. D. G. Dunn, Theology of Paul the Apostle 194.

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