Christianity, Part 10

There are 10 occurrences of πάντας in Romans [see Table below] the Greek word translated all people in: And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) to myself.1 I’ll consider seven of them in some detail. The first occurrence is probably universal (Romans 3:9 ESV):

What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all (πάντας), both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,

I might argue that πάντας was limited here by both Jews and Greeks (Ἰουδαίους τε καὶ ῞Ελληνας) to those people living around the Mediterranean Sea at the time Paul wrote his letter to Roman believers. The context argues against it. I’ve never heard anyone make that argument. But consider what Jesus said (Luke 5:32 ESV):

I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance (μετάνοιαν, a form of μετάνοια).

If I refuse to take this as evidence of the existence of righteous people Jesus did not come to call, I am likely to take righteous (δικαίους) as his rhetorical contrast to sinners (ἁμαρτωλοὺς), the all He came to callto repentance. This is especially true if I remember Peter (2 Peter 3:9 ESV [Table]):

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance (μετάνοιαν, a form of μετάνοια).

For there is no distinction [Table], Paul clarified, for all (πάντες, another form of πᾶς) have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.2 This leads to the next occurrence of πάντας in Romans, but it is prefaced by a discussion I call the limit of the law (Romans 3:19, 20 ESV).

Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified (οὐ δικαιωθήσεται πᾶσα σὰρξ) in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

I did alright as an atheist as long as I was willing to consider myself evil. I was playing kind of a word game, since I had already “decided that what God said was evil was at least potentially good, and what God said was good was probably generally evil.”3 Paul’s “limit of the law” became important to me eventually because:4

When I wanted to consider myself good again I invented “more realistic” rules than yehôvâh’s to obey. I failed to obey them. So I made “even more realistic” rules. Eventually my standards were so low even I realized they were unworkable. And I still wasn’t keeping them!

When I returned to faith I knew my own limitations but still expected Jesus to help me to have a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,5 my obedience to the law, that is. He wouldn’t help me do that. He helped me to believe my own experience and Paul’s writing instead: by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight,6 since through the law comes knowledge of sin.7 Only then was I ready to receive the righteousness of God (Romans 3:21-26 ESV).

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all (πάντας) who believe. For there is no distinction [Table]: for all (πάντες) have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation 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 show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus [Table].

Here πάντας is clearly limited by τοὺς πιστεύοντας (ESV: who believe). Of all the sinners who have ever lived on earth only those who believe have the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ.8 And since the total number of sinners is equal to the total number of people except for Jesus Christ, of all the other people who have ever lived on earth only those who believe are justified by [God’s] grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.9 That’s where I began my own journey, so that’s where I’ll begin here.

Given my history, that was a heavy burden for my faith to bear. I should point out that πιστεύοντας (ESV: believe) is in the present tense, which has a now and forever aspect to it. Jesus warned his disciples (Matthew 24:9-14 ESV):

Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

For a while, I relied on my faith to accomplish all of this, believing my faith was faith in Jesus Christ10 despite the fact that He wouldn’t help me to have a righteousness of my own that comes from the law.11 I had noticed that the word in in the phrase faith in Jesus Christ was not actually a preposition in Greek: πίστεως |Ἰησοῦ| Χριστοῦ. I even questioned why the genitive case was translated faith in Jesus Christ when of would have been a more normal translation. Still, the faith of Jesus Christ didn’t resonate with me until Peter’s stroll on the Sea of Galilee rocked my world. After that I wanted “to depend on Jesus’ faith. He has the faith to stand on the water and hold Peter up as well.”12 Then I heard (Romans 3:21-24 NET):

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God (although it is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed—namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all (πάντας) who believe. For there is no distinction [Table], for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

A lengthy note (27) in the NET explained the translators’ choice for πίστεως |Ἰησοῦ| Χριστοῦ, the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. Though a “decision is difficult here” and “the grammar is not decisive,” my own experience of Jesus’ faithfulness was sufficient to persuade me that the one who wrote, I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me,13 would encourage sinners to believe in the faithfulness of Jesus Christ rather than faith in Jesus Christ, to rely wholly on Him rather than some ephemeral thing they conjure in their own minds.

The next three occurrences of πάντας follow (Romans 5:12-21 ESV).

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all (πάντας) men because all (πάντες) sinned—for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam [Genesis 3:1-24], who was a type of the one who was to come [Table].

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all (πάντας) men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all (πάντας) men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The first occurrence of πάντας here is limited by men (ἀνθρώπους, a form of ἄνθρωπος), human beings created male and female rather than ἄνδρας (a form of ἀνήρ), men as distinct from women or boys. But the point is that death spread to all (πάντας) people because all (πάντες) sinned.14

It’s in this light that I want to consider Paul’s usage of forms of the adjective πολύς (Romans 5:15b ESV).

For if many (πολλοὶ, a form of πολύς) died through one man’s trespass, much (πολλῷ, another form of πολύς) more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many (πολλοὺς, another form of πολύς).

The first many was οἱ (a form of ) πολλοὶ, and can be legitimately translated “these many” or “those many,” referring back to all (πάντας): For if [these] many died through one man’s trespass. The next clause is related to the first one by πολλῷ μᾶλλον, much more (ESV). So, the second clause grows much more from the first: much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. The Greek words translated for many were εἰς τοὺς πολλοὺς, which could legitimately be translated “for these many” or “for those many,” referring immediately back to οἱ πολλοὶ (“these many” or “those many”) who died (ἀπέθανον, a form of ἀποθνήσκω).

I think the cleverness of the usage of forms of πολύς here is directly attributable to Paul’s knowledge that though Jesus died He was exempt from the all (πάντες) who sinned, and though Enoch and Elijah sinned, they were exempt from the all (πάντας) who died. But I seriously doubt that Paul or the Holy Spirit considered that the many (τοὺς πολλοὺς) for whom the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded was a quantity significantly less than the many (οἱ πολλοὶ) who died through one man’s trespass.

The next occurrence of πάντας was also limited by men: Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all (πάντας) men.15 Here, too, men was ἀνθρώπους not ἄνδρας. This is a reference to all people, even Jesus: For our sake [God] made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become16 the righteousness of God.17

And the next occurrence of πάντας is like the previous one: so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all (πάντας) men.18 It’s a fairly straightforward statement for any who have ears to hear. Granted, those who believe in the faithfulness of Jesus Christ may find it easier to hear than those who believe in faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul switched from πάντας to the adjective πολλοὶ again to continue his discussion: For as by the one man’s disobedience the many (οἱ πολλοί) were made sinners.19 “These many” or “those many” who were made sinners refers back to the all for whom one trespass led to condemnation. I’m assuming οἱ πολλοί gave Paul and the Holy Spirit the latitude to exclude Jesus from the category sinners (ἁμαρτωλοὶ). The next clause continues: so by the one man’s obedience the many (οἱ πολλοί) will be made righteous,20 the same many who were made sinners.

And again, this is easier to hear if one believes it will be accomplished by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ rather than by faith in Jesus Christ. Though God made (ἐποίησεν) him to be sin, I assume that οἱ πολλοί gave Paul and the Holy Spirit the latitude to exempt Jesus from any necessity of being made (κατασταθήσονται) righteous in the future.

The last two occurrences of πάντας that I’ll consider in this essay follow (Romans 11:29-32 ESV):

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy [Table]. For God has consigned all (τοὺς πάντας) to disobedience, that he may have mercy21 on all (τοὺς πάντας).

Here τοὺς πάντας could be legitimately translated “these all” or “those all.” This reminds me of a snowball gaining mass and momentum as it rolls downhill. If God shows mercy to someone as disobedient as I have been, it only gives Him more latitude to show mercy to someone as disobedient as you have been, and on, and on, and on, and on. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, Jesus said, will draw all people to myself.22

This exercise, however, has made it quite clear to me that all of these things are easier to hear if one believes in the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. They are almost impossible to hear if one believes faith in Christ is the personal achievement that justifies one before God.

The table mentioned above follows.

Occurrences of πάντας in Romans

Reference

NET Parallel Greek

ESV
Romans 3:9 προῃτιασάμεθα γὰρ Ἰουδαίους τε καὶ ῞Ελληνας πάντας ὑφ᾿ ἁμαρτίαν εἶναι For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,
Romans 3:22

δικαιοσύνη δὲ θεοῦ διὰ πίστεως |Ἰησοῦ| Χριστοῦ εἰς πάντας τοὺς πιστεύοντας

the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.

Romans 5:12 οὕτως εἰς πάντας ἀνθρώπους ὁ θάνατος διῆλθεν so death spread to all men
Romans 5:18 ὡς δι᾿ ἑνὸς παραπτώματος εἰς πάντας ἀνθρώπους εἰς κατάκριμα as one trespass led to condemnation for all men
οὕτως καὶ δι᾿ ἑνὸς δικαιώματος εἰς πάντας ἀνθρώπους εἰς δικαίωσιν ζωῆς so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for fall men.
Romans 10:12

πλουτῶν εἰς πάντας τοὺς ἐπικαλουμένους αὐτόν

bestowing his riches on all who call on him

Romans 11:32 συνέκλεισεν γὰρ ὁ θεὸς τοὺς πάντας εἰς ἀπείθειαν For God has consigned all to disobedience
ἵνα τοὺς πάντας ἐλεήσῃ that he may have mercy on all.
Romans 16:15

τοὺς σὺν αὐτοῖς πάντας ἁγίους

the brothers who are with them.

Romans 16:19 ὑμῶν ὑπακοὴ εἰς πάντας ἀφίκετο your obedience is known to all

1 John 12:32 (ESV)

2 Romans 3:22b, 23 (ESV)

5 Philippians 3:9a (ESV)

7 Romans 3:20 (ESV)

8 Romans 3:22a (ESV) Table

9 Romans 3:24 (ESV)

10 Romans 3:22b (ESV) Table

11 Philippians 3:9a (ESV)

13 Galatians 2:20a (NET)

14 Romans 5:12b (ESV)

15 Romans 5:18a (ESV)

16 Both γινωμεθα (Stephanus Textus Receptus) and γενώμεθα (NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text) are 1st person plural verbs in the subjunctive mood, hence the translation we might become (ESV). But this is a result clause: “if the subjunctive mood is used in a purpose or result clause, then the action should not be thought of as a possible result, but should be viewed as a definite outcome that will happen as a result of another stated action,” Verbal Moods, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions).

17 2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) Table

18 Romans 5:18b (ESV)

19 Romans 5:19a (ESV)

20 Romans 5:19b (ESV)

21 The Greek word translated he may have mercy was ἐλεήσῃ, a 3rd person singular form of ἐλεέω in the subjunctive mood. This is, however, a result or purpose clause: “if the subjunctive mood is used in a purpose or result clause, then the action should not be thought of as a possible result, but should be viewed as a definite outcome that will happen as a result of another stated action,” Verbal Moods, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions).

22 John 12:32 (ESV)

Romans, Part 14

But if our (ἡμῶν) unrighteousness demonstrates (συνίστησιν, a form of συνιστάω) the righteousness of God, Paul continued, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is he?  (I am speaking in human terms.)1  This is similar, though not identical, to a concern Paul addressed later in his letter to the Romans (Romans 9:22-24 NET):

But what if God, willing to demonstrate (ἐνδείξασθαι, a form of ἐνδείκνυμι) his wrath and to make known (γνωρίσαι, a form of γνωρίζω) his power, has endured with much patience the objects of wrath prepared for destruction?  And what if he is willing to make known (γνωρίσῃ, another form of γνωρίζω) the wealth of his glory on the objects of mercy that he has prepared beforehand for glory – even us, whom he has called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

In the latter example there is no question about God’s righteousness when inflicting wrath, but these two are joined in my opinion as some of the implications of faith comes by hearing (ἀκοῆς, a form of ἀκοή), and hearing comes by God (or Christ) uttering, “hear,” that Paul worked through in this letter.  Paul’s differentiation of the objects of wrath from the objects of mercy, whom [God] has called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles, and the caveat in Romans 3:5—I am speaking in human terms—leads me to the conclusion that our unrighteousness is an example of Paul identifying with every human being from Romans 3:4 (NET),2 in particular those who have not yet been told to “hear.”

And I seriously question the translation of συνίστησιν (a form of συνιστάω) as demonstrates here.  It seems to me the translators are trying to make the question as obtuse as possible.  To demonstrate is to “clearly show the existence or truth of (something) by giving proof or evidence,” or to “give a practical exhibition and explanation of” something.  Clearly the unrighteousness of those who have no faith because they do not hear the message of Christ because He has not yet uttered “hear” to them will never show the existence or truth of the righteousness of God by giving proof or evidence.  Neither will their unrighteousness give a practical exhibition and explanation of God’s righteousness.

In the King James translation the word commend was used for συνίστησιν.  One of the definitions of commend is to “present as suitable for approval or acceptance.”  Now, the unrighteousness of those who have no faith because they do not hear the message of Christ because He has not yet uttered “hear” to them might very well commend the righteousness of God if the two are presented side by side for comparison and contrast.  So then I have a real question:  If the unrighteousness of those who have no faith because they do not hear the message of Christ because He has not yet uttered “hear” to them commends the righteousness of God, is God unrighteous when he inflicts wrath on them?

Absolutely not! Paul said unequivocally.  For otherwise how could God judge (κρινεῖ, a form of κρίνω) the world?3  Paul already stated that there is no partiality4 with God.  For all who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.5  None of that changes because the hearing that is so crucial to faith in Christ comes from God rather than from some special insight or intelligence or virtue in those who hear and believe the message.

For if by my lie, Paul continued, the truth of God enhances (ἐπερίσσευσεν, a form of περισσεύω) his glory (δόξαν, a form of δόξα), why am I still actually being judged (κρίνομαι, another form of κρίνω ) as a sinner?6  I think it is safe to assume that Paul was still speaking in human terms.7  But I want to entertain the question.  After all, one of the reasons Paul gave for the wrath of God in the first chapter of Romans was they did not glorify (ἐδόξασαν, a form of δοξάζω) him as God.8  And here is God’s glory (δόξαν, a form of δόξα) being enhanced by the truth of God in juxtaposition to the lie of one who has no faith because he does not hear the message of Christ because He has not yet uttered “hear.”

I criticize the NET translators often without any standing to do so.  So I want to make a point of saying I think they have it exactly right here.  It is the truth of God which enhances his glory, not the lie.  The answer is in the question.  The one who has no faith because he does not hear the message of Christ because He has not yet uttered “hear,” is judged as a sinner precisely because of the truth of God, for sinner he is.

Paul was laying the groundwork for a statement that occurs later in his letter to the Romans: But the gracious gift is not like the transgression.  For if the many died through the transgression of the one man, how much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man Jesus Christ multiply (ἐπερίσσευσεν, a form of περισσεύω) to the many!9  The fact that God is gracious does not alter the fact that the one who has no faith because he does not hear the message of Christ because He has not yet uttered “hear,” is a sinner.  And it certainly doesn’t mean that sinning is a good way to enhance (ἐπερίσσευσεν) or multiply (ἐπερίσσευσεν) the grace of God.

And why not say, Paul continued, “Let us do evil so that good may come of it”? – as some who slander us allege that we say.10  Paul switched roles abruptly here, from identifying with those who have no faith because they do not hear the message of Christ because He has not yet uttered “hear,” to those who have faith because they hear the message of Christ because He has uttered “hear.”

Apparently there were Jews, slanderers or blasphemers of the believers in Christ, who alleged that the Gospel message was, Let us do evil so that good may come of it.  The Jewish leaders assumed that Jesus was not of God because He healed on the Sabbath and called God his Father.11  A disciple is not greater than his teacher, Jesus said, nor a slave greater than his master.  It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master.  If they have called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much more will they defame the members of his household!12  Paul answered those slanderers or blasphemers curtly but factually, Their condemnation is deserved!13

What then? Are we better than they?14  I quoted from the New King James translation for a reason.  I believe Paul was saying, “What then?  Are we, who have faith because we hear the message of Christ because He has uttered ‘hear,’ better than they whose condemnation is deserved?”  The NET renders it, What then?  Are we better off?15  It may seem nitpicky but I would say, “Yes, those who have faith because they hear the message of Christ because He has uttered ‘hear’ are much better off than those whose condemnation is deserved, because they won’t receive the condemnation they also deserve.”  But are they better, holding themselves before those whose condemnation is deserved?  Certainly not, for we have already charged that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin16

Now, some translations17 that use better off, also assume that Paul was identifying with Jews here and add that to the text: Does it mean that we Jews are better off than the Gentiles?18  In that case, better and better off are essentially equivalent.  But then the slanderers or blasphemers would have been Gentiles who accused Jews of preaching “Let us do evil so that good may come of it.”  Granted Paul did write Jews and Greeks, but I assume that to be a literary way of saying all (or, no one) like the Old Testament quotations that follow (Romans 3:10-18 NET):

…just as it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one, there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, not even one [Table].”  “Their throats are open graves, they deceive with their tongues, the poison of asps is under their lips.”  “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”  “Their feet are swift to shed blood, ruin and misery are in their paths, and the way of peace they have not known.”  “There is no fear of God before their eyes.

 

Addendum: March 24, 2021
A table comparing Romans 2:11 in the NET and KJV follows.

Romans 2:11 (NET)

Romans 2:11 (KJV)

For there is no partiality with God. For there is no respect of persons with God.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

οὐ γάρ ἐστιν προσωπολημψία παρὰ τῷ θεῷ ου γαρ εστιν προσωποληψια παρα τω θεω ου γαρ εστιν προσωποληψια παρα τω θεω

1 Romans 3:5 (NET)

2every human being shown up as a liarTable

3 Romans 3:6 (NET)

5 Romans 2:11, 12 (NET)

6 Romans 3:7 (NET)

7 Romans 3:5 (NET)

9 Romans 5:15 (NET)

10 Romans 3:8 (NET)

12 Matthew 10:24, 25 (NET)

13 Romans 3:8 (NET)

14 Romans 3:9a (NKJV)

15 Romans 3:9a (NET)

16 Romans 3:9b (NET)

17 The New American Bible is interesting in that the translators recognized the problem of better off and addressed it in the verse by changing the answer:  Well, then, are we better off?  Not entirely, for we have already brought the charge against Jews and Greeks alike that they are all under the domination of sin… Romans 3:9 (NAB)

18 Romans 3:9 (CEV)