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Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Greek Expert Daniel Wallace on Romans 5:12ff

I recently came across some very interesting information from an extremely significant source: world-renowned Greek expert Daniel Wallace says Romans 5:12ff is not speaking of "justification," but rather "sanctification." The following is from a series he has done on the books of the New Testament, here are his comments in his Essay on Romans (italics in original, bold highlighting by me):
Having established the basis of God’s pleasure in us, viz., the imputation of righteousness (or forensic justification), Paul now discusses the impartation of righteousness, or sanctification (5:12–8:39). This is the third major section of the epistle. In some ways there is a neat trilogy found in these first eight chapters. The apostle first discusses justification which is salvation from the penalty of sin (3:21–5:11). Then he deals with sanctification or salvation from the power of sin (5:12–8:17). Finally, he addresses glorification which is salvation from the presence of sin (8:18-39).12
Paul lays out his views on sanctification using the twin themes of reigning and slavery. He begins by contrasting the reign of grace with the reign of sin (5:12-21). Although many NT students would place 5:12-21 under the second major section (i.e., under “Justification”), “the words ‘just,’ ‘justice’ and ‘faith’ coming from the first part of the quotation (Hab 2:4 in Rom 1:17) as given by Paul, are of very frequent occurrence from 1:17 to 5:11, and almost entirely absent thereafter. On the other hand, the terms signifying ‘life’ (and ‘death’) occur regularly in chapters 5:12 to 7:1.”13 Thus the apostle seems to be signaling that he is now picking up a new topic.
In 5:12-21 Paul moves beyond the legal issue of justification. What is essential to get here is that imputed righteousness addresses the condemnation of the law while imparted righteousness addresses the inability of the flesh. That is to say, justification is forensic, stating emphatically that our position before God is one of righteousness. But justification, like the Law, can do nothing against the flesh. That is why Paul now turns to imparted righteousness and gives the basis as our union with Christ. Our union with Christ is more than forensic; it is organic.14 As Adam was our representative in sin, bringing death to all (5:12), so also Christ is our representative in righteousness, bringing life to all (5:18).15
Why is this significant? I believe this is highly significant for the very reason Wallace comments upon: many NT students consider Romans 5:12-21 to be speaking of justification, not sanctification. The classical Protestant position has been adamant that justification and sanctification are separate and distinct 'phases' in a Christians salvation, never to be confused or mixed. Yet the fact is, Protestants cannot agree on whether Romans 5:12-21 is speaking on justification or sanctification. And while Wallace says "many NT students" make that mistake, a far truer description is "most Protestant scholars and apologists" (e.g. James White, John Piper) are making that mistake! So, the problem is simple: do we trust the majority 'tradition' of Protestants who say Romans 5:12-21 is about justification, or do we trust one of the leading Greek scholars (who's book is a standard for teaching Greek to seminarians)? And it's not like Wallace is not backing up his claims, he is, and Catholics would largely agree with his reasoning. 

Why do most Protestant scholars and apologists believe Romans 5:12ff is about justification? Because it is a alleged cardinal proof-text for Christ's Active Obedience imputed to the believer at the moment of justification. Further, there is some language in that section that sounds very much like "justification," so they necessarily make that conclusion.

From the Catholic view, both of the above parties are half right, and that is because the text is speaking of both "justification" and "sanctification," and that's because there is no sharp distinction between the two as Protestants claim. Justification is not purely forensic, as classical Justification by Faith Alone teaches, and instead it includes an inner transformation, which is sanctification.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nick
Very good post. I am a protestant and have been working through the issue of justification for sometime now, working through whatever catholic and protestant works i can get my hands on.

The post was interesting in that i never knew there were protestants who took anything before romans 6 as justification. But i have found if you compare romans 5:12-21 to romans 6 there are great similarties in terms such as righteousness, life etc. The protestant response is rom 6:1 has to be a shift to sanctification because of Pauls rethorcal question that up to this point people would think he was an antinominan hence he taught faith alone.

I had a question if you could give me an answer from the catholic perspective. In texts like rom 3:27; eph 2:9 1cor 1:29-31 paul excludes boasting from justification, doesnt this seem to suggest that any works whatsoever would lead to boasting? Similarly gal 2:21 paul states if righteousness came from works of law Christ died in vain. It seems it would deafeat pauls argument to say he is only excluding certain jewish works and not all works. Just wondering your thoughts. my email is joelsexton1984@yahoo.ca
thanks Joel

Heads said...

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Pete Fair said...

Hi Nick -
To key on one verse/pericope as you did is a bit of ISOGETIC "proof texting (reading into scripture) I think (former Catholic of 50 yrs) and putting your thesis (based on Wallace) in the realm of "out of context" of Wallace's whole section. You neglected to consider the whole of Wallace's description (below...pls pardon the cut and paste not translating the Greek correctly). Regardless of our disagreement, God bless you, as my Brother in Christ.


"...In 5:12-21 Paul moves beyond the legal issue of justification. What is essential to get here is that imputed righteousness addresses the condemnation of the law while imparted righteousness addresses the inability of the flesh. That is to say, justification is forensic, stating emphatically that our position before God is one of righteousness. But justification, like the Law, can do nothing against the flesh. That is why Paul now turns to imparted righteousness and gives the basis as our union with Christ. Our union with Christ is more than forensic; it is organic. 14 As Adam was our representative in sin, bringing death to all (5:12), so also Christ is our representative in righteousness, bringing life to all (5:18). 15
Since believers are in Christ—and therefore they are assured of their salvation, why should they not continue sinning? Paul answers this in the second portion of this section (6:1-23). First, they should not continue (ejpimevnwmen) in sin because of their union with Christ—union in his death and his life (6:1-14). Second, they should not sin at all (aJmarthvswmen) because such an act leads to enslavement to sin (6:15-23). This is especially heinous because our release from sin’s slavery means redemption for the service of God (6:22), since we have been bought with a price.
Having established the reasons why we should not sin, Paul now turns to the issue of how not to sin (7:1–8:17). Negatively, neither our flesh nor the Law can do anything for us in this endeavor (7:1-25). Positively, we are sanctified through the ministry of the Spirit (8:1-17).

Pete F. said...

Nick - One of Wallace's students did a very straightforward paper (link below) concerning Paul wrestling with "I" in Romans Chapter 7 that's an extension of what you didn't include here in the bigger picture of Paul's entire letter I believe. (sanctification - justification). The paper examines Paul's own explanation of his state post-conversion (still challenged, but never giving up) reconciled, forensically righteous, yet "human" as all regenerate humans, challenged by the flesh, drawing on Paul's use of the Greek - fallen/under Law (aorist tense (at that time) vs Paul's present/active tense - justified by Christ). The author also compares Paul's use of sanctification as a lifetime process to both Roman Catholicism and Wesleyan doctrine. Worth a read. Peace.


https://taarcheia.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/romans-7-7-25-and-the-doctrine-of-sanctification.pdf