Monday, February 20, 2006

Thoughts for the Day: Paul's Loyal Criticism of God

"'Did that which is good, then, bring death to me?' [Rom 7:13] There lurks not very far behind that question a criticism of God... How could God, who all along intended to save on the basis of faith, have given a law which does not save, which first produces or condemns sin, or which at best does not help?" (E.P. Sanders, Paul, the Law, and the Jewish People, p 79)

"It was God, after all, who devised and transmitted this notably useless, indeed, dangerous, law...presuppos[ing] an impossibly high degree of incompetence on his part." (Philip Esler, Conflict and Identity in Romans, pp 230-231)

"How can Paul argue that the law was a benefaction from God but that the supersession of it was also a benefaction from the same God? These are the issues of loyalty, which are the result of a conversion that involved the same divine patron, that Paul is struggling to work out." (Zeba Crook, Reconceptualizing Conversion, p 246)

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

"13 Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin."
The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (Ro 7:13-14). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

No controversy here. You simply forgot the 'a' in your reference.. Romans 7:13a

2/21/2006  

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