Romans In Context: Biblical Manuscripts And The Epistle Of Romans

Reading Romans in Context is a collection of scholarly essays creating comparisons between extra biblical manuscripts and the Epistle of Romans. Each essay corresponds to a specific section of the apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans and a relevant non-scriptural document collected from Second Temple Jewish literature. With twenty essays in total, the book introduces particular historical Jewish texts, certain cultural distinctions, and religious beliefs to create a deeper understanding of the audience and the context of their historical framework.
The objective of Reading Romans in Context is to provide an evaluation of documents from outside of the standard canon of scripture to the Epistle of Romans. As the editors point out in the forward, most early church documentation was not a single book or neat collection of standard writings. Most early churches collected and operated from individual writings or collections. The editors’ goal is to present historic information and cultural material allowing the reader to gain a better grasp of early Jewish literature and history. Each chapter summarizes a selected historic document, a portion of the Epistle of Romans and then attempts to draw correlations and contradictions.
The compilation of
papers are from a variety of authors and has several editors. The three editors, Ben C. Blackwell, John K. Goodrich, and Jason Maston were all doctoral students at Durham University. Attracted to work done by their peers caused them to create a collection of technical research geared toward a “student audience” which would benefit from comparing Scripture to extra-biblical texts. During their time at Durham, they studied under respected Pauline theologians who obviously influenced them, but an extensive list of contributing authors help mitigate any biases. The book undoubtedly contains certain Christian worldviews easily seen in wording such as “serve the Lord Jesus Christ” (preface) and “the good news concerning Jesus Christ” (intro 1st page). This is to be expected since all three obtained their PhDs from Durham University and are identified as being professors at other religious institutions. However, an impressive list of other, albeit religiously associated (19 total) contributors help keep the book grounded and focused on comparison of documentation. The question of unbiased work is addressed in the book’s forward, explaining that all the contributors were in equal conviction to create a work that used non-Pauline text to help expand the understanding of Paul’s work. Reading the book it would appear that an impartial presentation was at the forefront of their work.
As mentioned by the editors, their initial audience was students and nonprofessionals (Preface). In the forward, Francis Watson points out that the text extra manuscripts would be suitable for “all theological tastes and abilities.” Carefully the book sets out to create a document that is relevant. They did not want another scholarly work, which ultimately provides no value for the intended reader.
The result is a well-constructed and scholarly work that provides for the greater knowledge of the reader. Many will find the use of many modern reference works, including translations from the Dead Sea Scrolls, to be refreshing. Even for the advanced scholar will find the additional “further reading” material and quick references a valuable addition to their personal library.
Essay collections are often assemblies of papers or articles that revolve around some common theme.
Compositions such as Sola Scriptura: The Protestant Position on the Bible or Ethics, Religion, and the Good Society: New Directions in a Pluralistic World may produce interesting topics and provide multiple viewpoints but most fail to offer the strict framework and logical flow found in Reading Romans in Context. Other works frequently provide a collection of common thought but lack in overarching structure. One of appealing aspects of Reading Romans in Context is its ability stay within its frame of reference and offer information in a logical constant manner almost giving it the impression that a single author had composed
it.
From a personal evaluation of the text, the book is a wonderful collection of very short essays that allow the reader to gain great insight into what the apostle Paul was confronting, as he was inspired to write the Epistle of Romans. With each section composed of an introduction to a relevant Second Temple Jewish document and then a comparison of a section of Paul’s letter, the student of Scripture is exposed to a highly effective means of understanding the cultural impact of the doctrine of Romans. Each essay clearly identifies the verses in Romans and a short statement from the author describes the subject matter of the essay. Each chapter contains a section for additional readings if the student wishes to continue to study the topic.
Personally, one of the most striking points was the recurring thought of the Jewish nation regarding their confidence in their standing before God based on their linage to Abraham. After completing this book, it became very transparent that the concept that Gentiles could share in salvation would have been shocking to many at that time. For example Kamell’s comparison of Sirach and Romans 4:1-25 in the sixth chapter illuminates the common teaching and “emphasis is on Abraham’s actions” as opposed to his faith and chronological issues that the average reader may easily pass over. The thought that lineage did not give the Jew a righteous standing before God would have caused significant concerns and arguments to the recipients of the letter.
In summary, this book is recommend to those who seriously seek to understand the controversies and obstacles the early church had to endure. For the Bible student, this type of literature is an excellent help and brings to life the concerns and issues that were at the forefront of the original audience. Dunson in chapter 16 encapsulates this thought when he explains even authors with very similar backgrounds, sharing common historical times, and presenting related themes still travel down opposing directions. Creating this type of knowledge makes the information more tangible to the reader and adds foundational material to expand their grasp of the Roman letter.