New Perspective on Paul and the Law
Paul wrote his letter to the Romans around the mid 50’s as Paul resided in Corinth right before his final trip to Jerusalem. In the letter, he establishes himself as the apostle to the Gentiles. Paul sees himself and his primary role as to be the heralder of the one true King, Jesus Christ, and that the foretold coming of the Messiah had been fulfilled in Christ’s death and ultimate resurrection: a cosmic unveiling of God’s faithfulness to his covenant . The letter was written to the early Christian community of Rome, who at that time was fragmented as was the Jewish community in general who had no central authority in Rome. Jews represented a significant percentage of the Roman population, and while tolerated, was still subjected to Roman law and ruling, which Jews considered pagan and corrupt. Because of this, there was a great hatred and loathing within Rome by Jews for the Gentiles, whom they considered inferior and unclean in the eyes of Jewish Law and traditions. Jews at this time were longing for the coming of a Messiah, whom they believed would wipe out the pagan order and restore Israel to its glory as God’s chosen people. Paul’s mission was to herald that the Messiah in Jesus Christ was here.
As Paul writes to them, he specifically and systematically targets and distinguishes the nature and role of the law in order to break apart and then ultimately piece back together the idea of God’s intent for justification and ultimately salvation for all his people. In one event on the cross, the Messiah simultaneously restoring the past (Adam’s original sin), the present (all man’s sin), and the future (final judgment by God) in one complete act of obedie ...