If we demand Paul to present his arguments according to the standard and procedure today, it would be unreasonable. I am not familiar with how the Jewish rabbis argue. Perhaps Paul, a Pharisee, followed the contemporary Jewish mode of argument to present his position. But then, the readers of this Epistle to the Romans would more likely be Jewish Christians living in Rome. Once again, in Romans 4, Paul quoted literally from Genesis and Psalm. His readers must be familiar with the Hebrew Scripture in order to understand the flow of his argument.
Near the end of Romans 3, Paul had already argued that man is justified by faith.
they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus,
whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins;
it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies him who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:24-26).
Then, Paul played rhetoric. He asked a few questions and answered them himself. He asked in such as way that he would answer emphatically with a No, then a Yes and lastly a No. These questions created for Paul yet another opportunity to repeat points which he had formerly stated.
Do we boast on the principle of work? No, on the principle of faith.
Is not God the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also?
Do we throw away the law? No, we uphold the law (Romans 3:27-31).
I wonder whether Paul wrote this epistle before the Jerusalem Council or after. The last answer he gave ("to uphold the Law") strongly suggested that he wanted to appease the Jews. Had the Council been held, Paul would have been more willing to give up the law. Logically speaking, faith in Jesus Christ is the key to salvation. Works of the law would never justify. Therefore, it would be "useless" to uphold the Law. Why, then, did Paul continue to uphold the law. Moreover, he did not give any reasons why Christians such uphold the Jewish law.
they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus,
whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins;
it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies him who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:24-26).
Then, Paul played rhetoric. He asked a few questions and answered them himself. He asked in such as way that he would answer emphatically with a No, then a Yes and lastly a No. These questions created for Paul yet another opportunity to repeat points which he had formerly stated.
Do we boast on the principle of work? No, on the principle of faith.
Is not God the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also?
Do we throw away the law? No, we uphold the law (Romans 3:27-31).
I wonder whether Paul wrote this epistle before the Jerusalem Council or after. The last answer he gave ("to uphold the Law") strongly suggested that he wanted to appease the Jews. Had the Council been held, Paul would have been more willing to give up the law. Logically speaking, faith in Jesus Christ is the key to salvation. Works of the law would never justify. Therefore, it would be "useless" to uphold the Law. Why, then, did Paul continue to uphold the law. Moreover, he did not give any reasons why Christians such uphold the Jewish law.
Starting from Romans 4, Paul wanted, needed to settle the question once and for all. He turned to Abraham and made use of him as a model for us to follow. In Abraham's time, there was not any Law. That is to say, Abraham did not have the Law of Moses to justify him before God. Yet, Abraham was justified. How was Abraham justified, if not by works then by what? By faith. Dear St. Paul, help us!
Dear Lord, since You are very elusive. Keeping our faith in You is not an easy task. Send Your Holy Spirit to guide us and to pod us ahead. Amen.
Appendix:
ἐπίστευσεν δὲ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην.
Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness (Romans 4:3b, Genesis 15:6).
μακάριοι ὧν ἀφέθησαν αἱ ἀνομίαι καὶ ὧν ἐπεκαλύφθησαν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι·
μακάριος ἀνὴρ οὗ οὐ μὴ λογίσηται κύριος ἁμαρτίαν.
Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered;
blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not reckon his sin (Romans 4:7-8, Psalm 31:1b-2a LXX, 32:1-2a RSV )
ἐπίστευσεν δὲ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην.
Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness (Romans 4:3b, Genesis 15:6).
μακάριοι ὧν ἀφέθησαν αἱ ἀνομίαι καὶ ὧν ἐπεκαλύφθησαν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι·
μακάριος ἀνὴρ οὗ οὐ μὴ λογίσηται κύριος ἁμαρτίαν.
Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered;
blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not reckon his sin (Romans 4:7-8, Psalm 31:1b-2a LXX, 32:1-2a RSV )
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