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Reading Romans in Context: Paul and Second Temple Judaism
Readers of Paul today are more than ever aware of the importance of interpreting Paul’s letters in their Jewish context. In Reading Romans in Context a team of Pauline scholars go beyond a general introduction that surveys historical events and theological themes and explore Paul’s letter to the Romans in light of Second Temple Jewish literature. In this non-technical collection of short essays, beginning and intermediate students are given a chance to see firsthand what makes Paul a distinctive thinker in relation to his Jewish contemporaries. Following the narrative progression of Romans, each chapter pairs a major unit of the letter with one or more thematically related Jewish text, introduces and explores the theological nuances of the comparative text, and shows how these ideas illuminate our understanding of the book of Romans.
192 pages, Paperback
First published July 28, 2015
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123 people want to read
About the author
Ben C. Blackwell
9 books10 followersBen C. Blackwell is Associate Professor of Early Christianity and Director of Houston Theological Seminary at Houston Baptist University as well as Tutor of New Testament at Westminster Theological Centre. After studying with John Barclay at the University of Durham (UK) and serving as the research assistant for N.T. Wright, Ben moved to Houston to teach New Testament and theology at HBU.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 20, 2021
This nontechnical edited volume of essays situates Paul's Epistle to the Romans within the framework of Second Temple Judaism. I would especially recommend it to someone that does not have any background knowledge about the Second Temple Period, as it is not too highbrow, nor is it bogged down by footnotes. I appreciate edited volumes like this one, because it introduces you to a number of budding scholars who may be recently finished with their doctoral studies, and haven't had the opportunity yet to write their own full-length works or books. These volumes help to bring their work to light. I found this specific volume a little "hit or miss," though. There were a number of good essays, but others left me unimpressed. Also, of the authors included in this volume, about 80% received their PhDs from Durham, and the others received theirs from Aberdeen, Manchester, St. Andrews, or Oxford; perhaps, it would have helped to have some diversity in educational background.
April 21, 2022
I found this book very helpful in understanding Romans a bit better. We see from the collection of writings that the various authors made that many Second Temple writings were known to Paul and he incorporated their writings into his letters.
I believe that more Christians should read the Apocryphal books. They may not be full scripture, but they will tell us about the times and theology of the people in the 'Dark Period' between the testaments.
I believe that more Christians should read the Apocryphal books. They may not be full scripture, but they will tell us about the times and theology of the people in the 'Dark Period' between the testaments.
May 28, 2020
I agree with the authors that the best way to understand the Bible is to see how it was understood in the Second Temple period and compare that with the New Testament. The problem is that modern interpreters filter things through their own ideas and need to be more objective. For instance, when referring to Gen 2:17 Philo of Alexandria supposedly believed Adam didn't die that day.
"God’s alleviation of the death penalty showed his “mercy.” Adam did not actually die that day." p.81
This is the way Philo explained it:
Allegorical Interpretation. I
XXXIII. (105) "Accordingly God says, "In the day in which ye eat of it ye shall die the death." And yet, though they have eaten of it, they not only do not die, but they even beget children, and are the causes of life to other beings besides themselves. What, then, are we to say? Surely that death is of two kinds; the one being the death of the man, the other the peculiar death of the soul--now the death of the man is the separation of his soul from his body, but the death of the soul is the destruction of virtue and the admission of vice; (106) and consequently God calls that not merely "to die," but "to die the death;" showing that he is speaking not of common death, but of that peculiar and especial death which is the death of the soul, buried in its passions and in all kinds of evil. And we may almost say that one kind of death is opposed to the other kind. For the one is the separation of what was previously existing in combination, namely, of body and soul. But this other death, on the contrary, is a combination of them both, the inferior one, the body, having the predominance, and the superior one, the soul, being made subject to it. (107) When, therefore, God says, "to die the death," you must remark that he is speaking of that death which is inflicted as punishment, and not of that which exists by the original ordinance of nature. The natural death is that one by which the soul is separated from the body. But the one which is inflicted as a punishment, is when the soul dies according to the life of virtue, and lives only according to the life of vice. "
Q&A On Genesis I
(16) "What is the meaning of the expression, "Ye shall surely die?" (#Ge 2:17). The death of the good is the beginning of another life; for life is a twofold thing, one life being in the body, corruptible; the other without the body, incorruptible. Therefore one wicked man surely dies the death, who while still breathing and among the living is in reality long since buried, so as to retain in himself no single spark of real life, which is perfect virtue. But a good man, who deserves so high a title, does not surely die, but has his life prolonged, and so attains to an eternal end."
I feel like saying Adam didn't die misses the whole point. Adam died spiritually when he disobeyed God. Later in the book, there is a more accurate statement.
"The narratival juxtaposition of death and the loss of glory suggests that the loss of glory entails death, and the experience of glory is to be equated with the experience of life, even immortality." p.109
"God’s alleviation of the death penalty showed his “mercy.” Adam did not actually die that day." p.81
This is the way Philo explained it:
Allegorical Interpretation. I
XXXIII. (105) "Accordingly God says, "In the day in which ye eat of it ye shall die the death." And yet, though they have eaten of it, they not only do not die, but they even beget children, and are the causes of life to other beings besides themselves. What, then, are we to say? Surely that death is of two kinds; the one being the death of the man, the other the peculiar death of the soul--now the death of the man is the separation of his soul from his body, but the death of the soul is the destruction of virtue and the admission of vice; (106) and consequently God calls that not merely "to die," but "to die the death;" showing that he is speaking not of common death, but of that peculiar and especial death which is the death of the soul, buried in its passions and in all kinds of evil. And we may almost say that one kind of death is opposed to the other kind. For the one is the separation of what was previously existing in combination, namely, of body and soul. But this other death, on the contrary, is a combination of them both, the inferior one, the body, having the predominance, and the superior one, the soul, being made subject to it. (107) When, therefore, God says, "to die the death," you must remark that he is speaking of that death which is inflicted as punishment, and not of that which exists by the original ordinance of nature. The natural death is that one by which the soul is separated from the body. But the one which is inflicted as a punishment, is when the soul dies according to the life of virtue, and lives only according to the life of vice. "
Q&A On Genesis I
(16) "What is the meaning of the expression, "Ye shall surely die?" (#Ge 2:17). The death of the good is the beginning of another life; for life is a twofold thing, one life being in the body, corruptible; the other without the body, incorruptible. Therefore one wicked man surely dies the death, who while still breathing and among the living is in reality long since buried, so as to retain in himself no single spark of real life, which is perfect virtue. But a good man, who deserves so high a title, does not surely die, but has his life prolonged, and so attains to an eternal end."
I feel like saying Adam didn't die misses the whole point. Adam died spiritually when he disobeyed God. Later in the book, there is a more accurate statement.
"The narratival juxtaposition of death and the loss of glory suggests that the loss of glory entails death, and the experience of glory is to be equated with the experience of life, even immortality." p.109
February 28, 2021
Fascinating book when considering the affects of Second Temple Judaism on New Testament Scripture. The authors lean towards a reformed theology of salvation which seems to slightly skew the analysis between the many comparisons of ancient literature.
February 11, 2025
2025 reads: 03
Rating: 4 stars
Helpful overview of Romans in dialogue with Second Temple texts. What I love about this series is the brevity of each chapter. Nothing exhaustive. Just enough to instruct and whet the appetite. If only this kind of knowledge was not so exclusive.
Rating: 4 stars
Helpful overview of Romans in dialogue with Second Temple texts. What I love about this series is the brevity of each chapter. Nothing exhaustive. Just enough to instruct and whet the appetite. If only this kind of knowledge was not so exclusive.
May 9, 2020
This is a great good read, but a very hard read. It has a boatload of exegetical texts within, and lots of other resources to follow up on, if interested.
November 24, 2018
This book is to be appreciated in the world of academia, however is not something I would recommend to the modern Christ-follower. The editors align outside, unilluminated text to Scripture, as almost to make them equal in nature and authority. It is a rather dry read and requires more intellectual pursuit of doctrine than genuine pursuit of Christ. It almost made arguments for Paul discovering his doctrine outside of Encounter which I found ridiculous.
May 4, 2020
An excellent concept, and helpful structure, with mostly intriguing though somewhat mixed results.
The idea, to provide a brief commentary of Romans by comparing it to various Second Temple sources, is an excellent one, and many more such books need to be published. It simply cannot be questioned (though it often is by fundamentalists) that Paul, and all other NT writers, were influenced by the writings, culture, and perspectives in the Second Temple Period. It is ludicrous to imagine that the few hundred years "between the testaments" was a theological black hole. It is important for our understanding of the NT (and the Second Temple Period itself) that studies such as this continue to emerge. The structure, offering extremely short essays of 5-7 pages, with really just the general ideas compared between texts, was helpful for newer readers to Second Temple material, and that's really who this book was written for. As a scholar, I still gained some new ideas from reading the book, but it's mostly geared towards readers generally unfamiliar with this sort of comparative analysis.
The quality of the essays themselves was mixed. There were 5 or 6 that were worth the price of the book. If I had one overall critique, it is the need for a slightly expanded methodology and apologetic for the need for this kind of comparative analysis. There is an introduction which covers some of these issues but I have had many conversations with people in faith traditions who view these sorts of studies either with suspicion or full blown hostility. Within "the guild" we've moved past all that, but this book would be a great benefit to the average reader who might not get enough of a sense from the introduction regarding the how and why of a study such as this. Overall, this is a helpful book.
The idea, to provide a brief commentary of Romans by comparing it to various Second Temple sources, is an excellent one, and many more such books need to be published. It simply cannot be questioned (though it often is by fundamentalists) that Paul, and all other NT writers, were influenced by the writings, culture, and perspectives in the Second Temple Period. It is ludicrous to imagine that the few hundred years "between the testaments" was a theological black hole. It is important for our understanding of the NT (and the Second Temple Period itself) that studies such as this continue to emerge. The structure, offering extremely short essays of 5-7 pages, with really just the general ideas compared between texts, was helpful for newer readers to Second Temple material, and that's really who this book was written for. As a scholar, I still gained some new ideas from reading the book, but it's mostly geared towards readers generally unfamiliar with this sort of comparative analysis.
The quality of the essays themselves was mixed. There were 5 or 6 that were worth the price of the book. If I had one overall critique, it is the need for a slightly expanded methodology and apologetic for the need for this kind of comparative analysis. There is an introduction which covers some of these issues but I have had many conversations with people in faith traditions who view these sorts of studies either with suspicion or full blown hostility. Within "the guild" we've moved past all that, but this book would be a great benefit to the average reader who might not get enough of a sense from the introduction regarding the how and why of a study such as this. Overall, this is a helpful book.
June 16, 2017
Title: Reading Romans in Context - Paul and Second Temple Judaism
Author: Ben C Blackwell, John K Goodrich and Jason Maston
Publisher: Zondervan Academic
Published: 7-28-2015
Pages: 192
Genre: Religion & Spirituality
Sub-Genre: Bible Study; History & Culture; Christian; Reference; New Testament
ISBN: 9780310517955
ASIN: B00PFCPQ7A
Reviewed For NetGalley and Zondervan Academic
Reviewer: DelAnne
Rating: 4.75 Stars
From the time I was a young child I was raised in the church and the Bible. We were encouraged to study our Bible and not accept someone else's interpretation but to search for answers on our own. Due to that I try to read any reference books of the Bible and attended many Bible studies.
That being said Reading Romans in Context is not for the newer believer wanting to learn more. If you have at least a basic Biblical knowledge and understanding of the Bible you will find Reading Romans in Context s very helpful tool. It is laid out like an old-time Family Bible. Filled with footnotes and references to each comparison. It takes into consideration the era and culture and beliefs of the people of the time mentioned.
You can spend hours Reading Romans in Context and learning more of Luke's thoughts behind his teachings. My rating is 4.75 out of 5 Stars.
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PFCPQ7A/...
Barnes and Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/read...
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
The Reading Room: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DelAnne531/status...
Author: Ben C Blackwell, John K Goodrich and Jason Maston
Publisher: Zondervan Academic
Published: 7-28-2015
Pages: 192
Genre: Religion & Spirituality
Sub-Genre: Bible Study; History & Culture; Christian; Reference; New Testament
ISBN: 9780310517955
ASIN: B00PFCPQ7A
Reviewed For NetGalley and Zondervan Academic
Reviewer: DelAnne
Rating: 4.75 Stars
From the time I was a young child I was raised in the church and the Bible. We were encouraged to study our Bible and not accept someone else's interpretation but to search for answers on our own. Due to that I try to read any reference books of the Bible and attended many Bible studies.
That being said Reading Romans in Context is not for the newer believer wanting to learn more. If you have at least a basic Biblical knowledge and understanding of the Bible you will find Reading Romans in Context s very helpful tool. It is laid out like an old-time Family Bible. Filled with footnotes and references to each comparison. It takes into consideration the era and culture and beliefs of the people of the time mentioned.
You can spend hours Reading Romans in Context and learning more of Luke's thoughts behind his teachings. My rating is 4.75 out of 5 Stars.
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PFCPQ7A/...
Barnes and Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/read...
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
The Reading Room: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DelAnne531/status...
September 26, 2018
Reading Romans in Context: Paul and Second Temple of Judas, provides a very incisive look at an academic art work that argues clearly the need for the recognition of the Jewish roots of Christianity’s most sacred text, “The Holy Bible.” The writers were doctoral students at Durham University and it is pleasing to note that inherent their work is the a contribution of several women.
There is an elaborate introduction and an overview of the Second Temple Period and the writings it produced. The overview starts us off with Abraham with the intention of placing the time period firmly within the historical time frame. In particular, the introduction provides a very interesting rejoinder to John Piper’s sceptism about about utilization of background resources to interpret NT texts. It is brief, clear and precise. There are footnotes and a great many bibliographies hence anybody wanting to find and learn more about any topic or about the times in general will easily access the good resources inherent this book. Read the full book review at https://uniquewritersbay.com/blog/boo...
There is an elaborate introduction and an overview of the Second Temple Period and the writings it produced. The overview starts us off with Abraham with the intention of placing the time period firmly within the historical time frame. In particular, the introduction provides a very interesting rejoinder to John Piper’s sceptism about about utilization of background resources to interpret NT texts. It is brief, clear and precise. There are footnotes and a great many bibliographies hence anybody wanting to find and learn more about any topic or about the times in general will easily access the good resources inherent this book. Read the full book review at https://uniquewritersbay.com/blog/boo...
June 21, 2019
This book was clearly written by a bunch of fresh PhD grads. They were very excited to show off their vocabulary and grammatical acrobatics. I understand what they were trying to accomplish, but I have to say that it felt like a lot of sifting through the wrong to get to the right. Most of the essays are just "_______ wrote this and gave the Jews this impression, here's where Paul differed from that impression". Chugging through this dry book wasn't as enlightening as the authors presented it. A lot of work for minimal fruit. I read this book for a University Romans class, but I found myself much more academically and spiritually enriched by the other textbook which was "The NIV application commentary by Douglas Moo". He has plenty of teaching experience and it shows in his ability to connect with the reader. Which contrasted a bit with this book.
March 6, 2021
This book compiles articles from several scholars going chapter by chapter through Paul’s letter to the Romans in light of the literature and historical context of second temple Judaism. The authors compare and contrast the letter with writings from the Qumran community and the Apocryphal books, etc. to see what influence they may have had on Paul’s thinking.
Overall it was a good read. The book is insightful at times and also conjecturing and speculative at others. I don’t agree with the views of some that we have to read Paul through this particular lens in order to rightly understand him. However, this setting was a part of his milieu and does inform our understanding of the socio-historical setting of the New Testament.
Overall it was a good read. The book is insightful at times and also conjecturing and speculative at others. I don’t agree with the views of some that we have to read Paul through this particular lens in order to rightly understand him. However, this setting was a part of his milieu and does inform our understanding of the socio-historical setting of the New Testament.
June 4, 2024
This book is a decent introduction to Second Temple literature and how it may have affected the writing of the New Testament. The book got me interested in reading its sources.
However, the book is very introductory, and the examples provided were hit or miss. Most of them simply set up evidence for a belief that Paul countered indirectly, with a few sources having been written after Paul. If you're looking too see direct connections and interactions, that isn't what this book is for.
The book is good at what it is, so I'm somewhat conflicted on how to rate it. I think it's good to read, but I also came away with the feeling that I didn't learn much. There are probably better books for this.
However, the book is very introductory, and the examples provided were hit or miss. Most of them simply set up evidence for a belief that Paul countered indirectly, with a few sources having been written after Paul. If you're looking too see direct connections and interactions, that isn't what this book is for.
The book is good at what it is, so I'm somewhat conflicted on how to rate it. I think it's good to read, but I also came away with the feeling that I didn't learn much. There are probably better books for this.
July 26, 2020
A collection of short essays comparing specific parts of Romans with selected passages from other Second Temple Jewish works, mostly apocrypha. This is a good place to start with works outside of canonical books to look at context. There is a stigma among evangelicals when it comes to these type of resources so this may a good place to dip the toes in. The format is short essays with one person looking at very specific pieces so expect to do much more research if you intend to flesh out any of the contributors conclusions or ideas. Not exhaustive by any stretch but it certainly teases out some different ideas within the Jewish mindset of the time.
August 3, 2021
A very interesting and needed commentary on the contextual setting of Paul's letter to the Romans. I give it 5 stars not because of the wealth of information but because it is a subject not often tackled. The authors bring needed understanding of the documents (Apocrypha) circling in early Church circles and shows how Paul dealt with Second Temple Judaism in light of those documents. You will be enlightened.
December 4, 2019
I read this as one of my textbooks in a seminary class on Romans. It is a really good read with a lot of good information from a variety of authors. The only downside that made me give it 4 stars is that while it is aimed at interpreting Romans in context, it still in many ways presents a supersessionist (replacement theology) reading in a few places. Other than that, great book.
September 17, 2020
Great book!
November 11, 2022
A succinct and accessible look at the parallels and contacts of Romans and 2nd Temple Jewish Literature. An insightful read.
September 27, 2015
I have often wondered how my cultural background affects my understanding of the Bible and wished there was a way to know how the early Christians understood Scripture. Having lived in different cultures I'm well aware that we make many assumptions about life and truth that we don't even recognize and I've always been frustrated that it's so hard to find material that can explain "What the Bible meant to the early church". I've read a few books that appear to cover this topic, and some do a decent job. I was eager to read this one to learn more.
Reading Romans in Context aims to "demonstrate for nonspecialists the benefit of studying Scripture alongside extrabiblical texts." In particular it focuses on "how Paul and his contemporaries understood 'getting in' and 'staying in' the people of God." The writers were doctoral students at Durham University, and I was pleased to see several women contributors, not just on the chapter specifically about women. This book purports to be for beginning and intermediate Bible students. We'll see... :) I've been a reader and student of the Bible for decades, personally and through other reading, but have taken only one college class on the Bible so that should put me firmly in the target audience.
There's an introduction as well as an overview of the Second Temple Period and the writings it produced. The overview begins with Abraham in order to place the time period firmly within history and was brief and clear. There are footnotes and a great many bibliographies so someone wanting to learn more about any topic or the times in general will have no problem finding good resources. I will add that the e-book version I read was not formatted well. Probably this won't be true of the actual e-book that is for sale.
There's no way I can cover everything discussed in this book in a review. Overall I found it readable; the articles were short, structured logically and well-explained. I suspect that if you can follow Paul's arguments in Romans you can understand this. Also the different authors' styles blended well so it didn't feel jerky. Mostly what I read reinforced for me the fact that Jesus brought something totally new to the world, He didn't just take Judaism and tack a little extra on. I found the discussion of righteousness and suffering to be helpful, as was the Christian and the state and the final chapter on women. I'm sure I'll refer them again. This is a book to read and absorb, perhaps digging further into areas that are especially interesting. Any non-expert willing to pay attention will probably benefit from it.
Chapters: (As nearly as I can tell. The e-book ARC is messy here.)
The "Son of God" and the Identity of Jesus, Rom 1:1-17
God's Wrath Against All, Rom 1:18-2:5
Contrasts Israel's previous assumption of superiority to Paul's reality of universal sin.
Circumcision, Law Observance, and Ethnicity, Rom 2:6-29
Works of the Law and Justification, Rom 3:1-20
This and previous chapter set Paul's rejection of obedience to law as method of salvation in historical & cultural context, with emphasis on justification of those outside the recognized faith community.
The Revelation of God's Righteousness, Rom 3:21-31
The Faith of Abraham, Rom 4:1-25
The Relationship between Justification and Suffering, Rom 5:1-11
Why do the righteous still suffer?
Adam, Death, and Grace, Rom 5:12-21
Compares Jesus' power and influence to Adam's.
Slavery to Personified Powers, Rom 6:1-23
Personification of Grace, Sin and Death
The Human, The Law, and Sin, Rom 7:1-25
The Liberating Power of Christ and the Spirit, Rom 8:1-13
(Re-)creation and Glory, Rom 8:14-39
Grace, Mercy, and Reason, Rom 9:1-29
The Commandment and the Quest for the Good Life, Rom 9:30-10:21
Israels' Salvation and the Fulfillment of God's Word, Rom 11:1-36
Reason and Righteous Life, Rom 12:1-21
Providence and Imperial Power, Rom 13:1-14
How should Christians relate to a non-Christian state?
Embodying the Hospitable Kingdom Community, Rom 14:1-15:13
Jewish Almsgiving and the Collection, Rom 15:14-33
Women and Christian Ministry, Rom 16:1-27
Compares women in ministry in Jewish and Christian society.
I read an ARC I received for free, which in no way effects my opinion.
Reading Romans in Context aims to "demonstrate for nonspecialists the benefit of studying Scripture alongside extrabiblical texts." In particular it focuses on "how Paul and his contemporaries understood 'getting in' and 'staying in' the people of God." The writers were doctoral students at Durham University, and I was pleased to see several women contributors, not just on the chapter specifically about women. This book purports to be for beginning and intermediate Bible students. We'll see... :) I've been a reader and student of the Bible for decades, personally and through other reading, but have taken only one college class on the Bible so that should put me firmly in the target audience.
There's an introduction as well as an overview of the Second Temple Period and the writings it produced. The overview begins with Abraham in order to place the time period firmly within history and was brief and clear. There are footnotes and a great many bibliographies so someone wanting to learn more about any topic or the times in general will have no problem finding good resources. I will add that the e-book version I read was not formatted well. Probably this won't be true of the actual e-book that is for sale.
There's no way I can cover everything discussed in this book in a review. Overall I found it readable; the articles were short, structured logically and well-explained. I suspect that if you can follow Paul's arguments in Romans you can understand this. Also the different authors' styles blended well so it didn't feel jerky. Mostly what I read reinforced for me the fact that Jesus brought something totally new to the world, He didn't just take Judaism and tack a little extra on. I found the discussion of righteousness and suffering to be helpful, as was the Christian and the state and the final chapter on women. I'm sure I'll refer them again. This is a book to read and absorb, perhaps digging further into areas that are especially interesting. Any non-expert willing to pay attention will probably benefit from it.
Chapters: (As nearly as I can tell. The e-book ARC is messy here.)
The "Son of God" and the Identity of Jesus, Rom 1:1-17
God's Wrath Against All, Rom 1:18-2:5
Contrasts Israel's previous assumption of superiority to Paul's reality of universal sin.
Circumcision, Law Observance, and Ethnicity, Rom 2:6-29
Works of the Law and Justification, Rom 3:1-20
This and previous chapter set Paul's rejection of obedience to law as method of salvation in historical & cultural context, with emphasis on justification of those outside the recognized faith community.
The Revelation of God's Righteousness, Rom 3:21-31
The Faith of Abraham, Rom 4:1-25
The Relationship between Justification and Suffering, Rom 5:1-11
Why do the righteous still suffer?
Adam, Death, and Grace, Rom 5:12-21
Compares Jesus' power and influence to Adam's.
Slavery to Personified Powers, Rom 6:1-23
Personification of Grace, Sin and Death
The Human, The Law, and Sin, Rom 7:1-25
The Liberating Power of Christ and the Spirit, Rom 8:1-13
(Re-)creation and Glory, Rom 8:14-39
Grace, Mercy, and Reason, Rom 9:1-29
The Commandment and the Quest for the Good Life, Rom 9:30-10:21
Israels' Salvation and the Fulfillment of God's Word, Rom 11:1-36
Reason and Righteous Life, Rom 12:1-21
Providence and Imperial Power, Rom 13:1-14
How should Christians relate to a non-Christian state?
Embodying the Hospitable Kingdom Community, Rom 14:1-15:13
Jewish Almsgiving and the Collection, Rom 15:14-33
Women and Christian Ministry, Rom 16:1-27
Compares women in ministry in Jewish and Christian society.
I read an ARC I received for free, which in no way effects my opinion.
February 9, 2016
"Reading Romans in Context" is an essay collection that looked at various themes found in Romans and in Second Temple Jewish literature. Paul sometimes counters an argument that he apparently believes will be brought against his teachings, but it's not always clear what that argument is. By looking at Second Temple Jewish literature (like the Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha, Dead Sea Scrolls, and the writings of Philo or Josephus), we can discover what other Jews around that time were teaching. The authors compare these to Romans to find similarities and where the teachings diverge.
The authors had a good understanding of Paul's teachings and used the comparison to add insights and nuances to our understanding of Romans (not to reinterpret them). I found the essays interesting, especially the one on distinctive food habits. I didn't have any trouble following their arguments. There was a glossary in the back, but the terms were defined well enough in the text that I never needed to use it. I'd recommend this book to those interested in this topic.
Phrases and themes that were studied were: "son of God," God's wrath and divine justice, circumcision and covenant identity, "works of the law," "righteousness of God," the faith of Abraham, suffering of the righteous, death through Adam, slavery to sin or to righteousness, the Law's role, evil desires, human glorification linked to death, why God blesses or curses a person, righteousness by law vs. by faith and one's ability to keep the Law, Gentile inclusion, right living--self mastery vs. divine enabling, how one should interact with the government, distinctive food habits, God's role in our giving to the poor, and women in church ministry and leadership.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
The authors had a good understanding of Paul's teachings and used the comparison to add insights and nuances to our understanding of Romans (not to reinterpret them). I found the essays interesting, especially the one on distinctive food habits. I didn't have any trouble following their arguments. There was a glossary in the back, but the terms were defined well enough in the text that I never needed to use it. I'd recommend this book to those interested in this topic.
Phrases and themes that were studied were: "son of God," God's wrath and divine justice, circumcision and covenant identity, "works of the law," "righteousness of God," the faith of Abraham, suffering of the righteous, death through Adam, slavery to sin or to righteousness, the Law's role, evil desires, human glorification linked to death, why God blesses or curses a person, righteousness by law vs. by faith and one's ability to keep the Law, Gentile inclusion, right living--self mastery vs. divine enabling, how one should interact with the government, distinctive food habits, God's role in our giving to the poor, and women in church ministry and leadership.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
July 31, 2016
The book, 'Reading Romans in Context' is an academic work which can be used for an in depth study of the book of Romans in the bible.
'Reading Romans in Context' is a comprehensive work book of Romans which contains rich knowledge regarding Paul's teaching and the roots of the Judaism. Through this book, the reader will learn about what Paul meant by using certain phrases and themes in the book of Romans such as "Son of God, God's wrath, women & christian ministry and many more. In other words, readers will be able to understand the teachings of Paul by diving into the roots of Judaism and by exploring Judean culture.
Personally, I would read it again to study more about the book of Romans . However, some may find it difficult to understand the content during the first read. That is why I conclude that Romans in context is a in depth study guide for the book of Romans. Therefore, some of the readers may have to read the text a couple of times to grasp the essence of the book.
Note: I requested this book from the publisher through NetGalley in order to read it and offer an honest review.
For more book reviews: https://reviewplz.wordpress.com/
'Reading Romans in Context' is a comprehensive work book of Romans which contains rich knowledge regarding Paul's teaching and the roots of the Judaism. Through this book, the reader will learn about what Paul meant by using certain phrases and themes in the book of Romans such as "Son of God, God's wrath, women & christian ministry and many more. In other words, readers will be able to understand the teachings of Paul by diving into the roots of Judaism and by exploring Judean culture.
Personally, I would read it again to study more about the book of Romans . However, some may find it difficult to understand the content during the first read. That is why I conclude that Romans in context is a in depth study guide for the book of Romans. Therefore, some of the readers may have to read the text a couple of times to grasp the essence of the book.
Note: I requested this book from the publisher through NetGalley in order to read it and offer an honest review.
For more book reviews: https://reviewplz.wordpress.com/
February 9, 2016
Once again, a major problem with a publisher who gives the reviewers a copy to review that is so badly formatted, as to be unreadable.
Paragraphs begin with one letter, then a huge space, paragraphs are somehow screwed up with part of one sentence on one line, and part of the rest of the sentence on a line below it. The word "Only", being thrown into sentences and paragraphs at odd intervals throughout the book
Literally, this whole thing makes the book impossible to read. Also, highly suggest an interactive Table of Contents if you want people to actually pick this book up to read and study.
If the publisher or author get the formatting fixed, I'd be more than happy to read it again, and give an updated review.
Paragraphs begin with one letter, then a huge space, paragraphs are somehow screwed up with part of one sentence on one line, and part of the rest of the sentence on a line below it. The word "Only", being thrown into sentences and paragraphs at odd intervals throughout the book
Literally, this whole thing makes the book impossible to read. Also, highly suggest an interactive Table of Contents if you want people to actually pick this book up to read and study.
If the publisher or author get the formatting fixed, I'd be more than happy to read it again, and give an updated review.
December 1, 2015
Simply put, “Reading Romans In Context,” is an academic work of art that clearly argues the need for recognizing the Jewish roots of Christianity’s most sacred text, that being the “Holy Bible.” As Christians, we serve the one and only, true and Living God, who came first to the Jews, and later engrafted the Gentiles into His plan for the Salvation of Mankind, via the sacrifice of the Blood of Jesus Christ. While reading this book, readers can expect to have their beliefs challenged, and their minds enlightened. In my opinion, this is a worthwhile text that can be utilized as a part of one’s daily devotional time.
Giving this one: 5 stars.
Giving this one: 5 stars.
July 29, 2017
I received this as an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really, really tried with this one for a long time and kind of muddled through, limping my way to the end. The problem was not with the content (though there were many parts I struggled with), but the formatting. All throughout the ARC, breaking up chapters and randomly scattered were the words "edited proof for review purposes only'. But not as a whole sentence. Each word was repeatedly dropped in the middle of a paragraph, in addition to many other formatting errors that made it almost impossible to read - especially when sentences just broke off in the middle with no end.
I really, really tried with this one for a long time and kind of muddled through, limping my way to the end. The problem was not with the content (though there were many parts I struggled with), but the formatting. All throughout the ARC, breaking up chapters and randomly scattered were the words "edited proof for review purposes only'. But not as a whole sentence. Each word was repeatedly dropped in the middle of a paragraph, in addition to many other formatting errors that made it almost impossible to read - especially when sentences just broke off in the middle with no end.
September 14, 2016
Excellent collective work on the book Romans' relation with second temple literature. This is not a technical volume: the various essays are short (some are too short) and really accessible, but they provide a good overview of the Paul's literary background as he wrote his epistle.
November 16, 2016
This is an exceptional book for understanding some views of Paul's writing in Romans. It shows how Paul corrects Jewish beliefs or enhances those beliefs. Through this a better understanding of the Christian faith can be reached in the book of Romans.
quit-reading
July 22, 2017Very interesting so far, but I'm finding less and less time to sit down and read it. I'll come back for you one day.
dnf @ 25%
received via Netgalley
dnf @ 25%
received via Netgalley
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews