Difference between revisions of "Romans 1"

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See also: The Epistle to the Romans

Romans 1 is one of 16 chapters in the Epistle to the Romans, penned by the apostle Paul, by the Divine inspiration of God. (2Tim. 3:16; 2Pet. 3:16) This book contains two basic sections, that of doctrine (1-11) and application (12-16). Beginning in chapter one, Jews and Gentiles are shown to be the object of Paul's gospel ministry, in which both will be shown to be in need of salvation by grace through faith, and believers enabled to understand their faith better.

Due to the recent phenomenon of prohomosex polemics, Romans chapter 1 has been subject to varied and often contradictory attempts to negate its unconditional condemnation of female and (likewise) male homosex, and as such it often receives much attention.

Overview

Beginning in verse one, "St. Paul shows the Romans his Divine call to the apostleship, and for what end he was thus called, Rom_1:1-6. His salutation to the Church at Rome, and his commendation of their faith, Rom. 1:7, Rom. 1:8. His earnest desire to see them, that he might impart to them some spiritual gifts, Rom. 1:9-15. His description of the Gospel of Christ, Rom. 1:16, Rom_1:17. The crimes and profligacy of the Gentile world, which called aloud for the judgments of God, Rom. 1:18-32."^[1]

1:1 Called to be an apostle - This word called means here not merely to be invited, but has the sense of appointed. It indicates that he had not assumed the office himself, but that he was set apart to it by the authority of Christ himself. It was important for Paul to state this,

• (1) Because the other apostles had been called or chosen to this work Joh_15:16, Joh_15:19; Mat_10:1; Luk_6:13; and,
• (2) Because Paul was not one of those originally appointed.^[2]

This Gospel is commended from the author of it, who is God himself; and from the antiquity of it, Rom. 1:2, being as ancient as the writings of the prophets; and from the subject of it, being the Lord Jesus Christ; who is described by his relation to God, his Son, by his dominion over the saints, their Lord, by both his natures, human and divine; his human nature, as being of the seed of David, his divine nature, being the Son of God, Rom. 1:4^[3]

Exegesis and Commentary: Rm. 1:14-32

"I am a debtor both to the Greeks, and to the barbarians" - It has been remarked before that all the nations of the earth, themselves excepted, were termed barbarians by the Greeks. (Adam Clarke) Ammonius says that “all who were not Greeks were barbarians.” Barbaros, properly denotes one who speaks a foreign language, a foreigner, and the Greeks applied it to all who did not use their tongue; compare 1Cor. 14:11. (Albert Barnes)

Paul declares both his commissioned obligation to preach to all classes and his readiness, as he has full confidence in the gospel which has been given him by Christ. (Acts 9:15; Rom. 11:13; 1Cor. 9:16) The essential salvation issue dealt with in Romans is that "the just shall live by faith" (Rm. 1:17; cf. Hab. 2:4; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38)), receiving by contrite, repentant faith the gift of righteousness, (Rm. 5:17; cf. Ps. 34:18; Acts 15:7-9), in contrast to being justified before God on the merit one's own works, Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8,9; 2Tim. 1:9; Titus. 3:5-7) and for which Abraham is invoked as an example (Rm. 3:25-5:1,2; Gn. 15:6) Yet to have and live by faith in the Lord Jesus is evidenced to mean that one will live a holy life, in obedience to the Object of saving faith,^[4] which Abraham also serves as an example of, with saving faith being "confessed" in word and deed. (Ja. 2; Rm. 10:9,10; 12-15; 16:26; Acts 26:20; 2Cor. 4:14; 1Thes. 1:9; Titus. 3:8) It is necessary that both Jews and Gentile see themselves as sinners in need of justification by faith, and Paul will proceed to indict both. This will serve to help both Gentile and Jewish believers to understand and be comforted in that faith, without controversy between the two classes.^[5]

Verse 18 begins a section illustrating the opposite of being both saved by and living by faith, warning of the righteous wrath of God against all "ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness." Paul therefore proceeds to detail how the Gentiles have done so, in going against the natural revelation given them by nature, resulting in progressive stages of moral declension, before Paul turns his attention to the Jews beginning in the next chapter.^[6]

Paul proceeds to manifest a progression of degeneration, with punishment marked by "God gave them up"^[7] which moral declension is shown to result from idolatry, which is the mother of sin, as one would not sin in obedience to the living and true God of the Bible,^[8] with all sin being a transgression of the law. (1Jn. 3:4) Paul reveals here that as men did not respond to but rejected the light that they had, not seeking or acknowledging their Creator, then they thus "became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools", and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image more to their liking, like unto corruptible man and animals, (Rm. 1:19-23) elevating mere created creatures to a place of worship. "They wandered from God, till all traces of true religion must have been lost, had not the revelation of the gospel prevented it". (Matthew Henry)

This principle of darkness resulting from not responding to revealed truth from God, or conversely, of enlightenment in accordance with Scripture by obedience to truth, is seen in the next chapter (Rm. 2:7-10) as well as elsewhere. (Jn. 12:34-50; Heb. 11:6) While Paul may be referencing historical examples of manifest idolatry^[9] the principle behind this declension is understood as universal, with the misconstruance of God transcending cultures and being manifest in various ways, and not restricted to formal expressions such as is seen in worshiping statues. (cf. Ezek. 14:3) As Wesley states, "Whatever is loved, feared, delighted in, or depended on, more than God, that we make a god of."^[10]

This obstinate denial of basic truth resulted in the judgment of God in delivering them up to their own desires, loosing restraints unto immoral sensuality, "to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and changing the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. (Rm. 1:24)

In the next stage (vs. 25-27) Paul goes on to state that God gave them up unto vile affections, resulting in them engaging in homoeroticism. Both female and male consensual homosex is condemned, with likewise indicating a same general form. While a multitude other sinful characteristics will also be detailed in the next section, homosex is dealt with here as a particularly notable aspect of the progressive moral degeneration of idolatry, of acting contrary to natural revelation, which testifies to the existence of God as the Supreme Designer, including the compatibility and complementarity of the male/female union. As idolatry corrupts God and His revelation, homosex itself is seen as being a manifestation of idolatry.

Dr. Robert Gagnon comments, "Gentiles were rendered liable because they sinned against the revelation about God and God’s will available to them in creation/nature.^[11]

"As the Gentiles did not like to keep God in their knowledge, they committed crimes wholly against reason and their own welfare. The nature of man, whether pagan or Christian, is still the same; and the charges of the apostle apply more or less to the state and character of men at all times, till they are brought to full submission to the faith of Christ, and renewed by Divine power." (Matthew Henry's concise commentary)

Beginning in Rm. 1:28 the third stage of this moral declension is described, in which multiple sins are listed, with men “fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others”, as Paul reminds Christians later they were. (Eph. 2:3)

Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology comments,

The trifold structure of the passage is a rhetorical device to drive home the point: a general complaint (vv. 24-25), consideration of a specific vice (vv. 26-27), and a culminating list of various vices (vv. 28-32). The distinction between the second and third sections may follow another Greek-styled distinction of sins of passion and sins of the unfit mind.^[12]

Beginning in chapter two, Paul will show the Jews by the law that they are sinners as well, and hypocritical in judging the pagan Gentiles, whose judgment he has shown to be just in the light of natural revelation. This use of two fold revelation for these two different respective classes of people is consistent with his preaching in Acts, where, in addition to the power of God seen in miracles, (Rm. 15:18,19) Paul appeals to the pagan Gentiles by invoking natural revelation, both that of creation and inward light, (Acts 14:15-17; 17:24-29), while in preaching to the Jews Paul much references the Scriptures. (Acts 13:16-41; 24:25; 26:22,23; 28:23) Having both indicted Gentiles and Jews according to the truth of God revealed to them, Paul will conclude, "we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin"...(Rm. 3:9)

Homosexuality and Romans 1: Pro-homosex Arguments versus Traditional Exegesis

While Lv. 18:22; 20:13 is the primary injunction against homosex in the Old Testament, Romans 1:26,27 is the main condemnation of such in New. But as with the former, it is part of a larger discourse.

Overview

As with the Levitical texts, pro-homosex revisionists labor to restrict Romans 1 to a specific context, and or to otherwise disallow it from condemning all forms of homosex. Scroggs confesses, that "It might seem that only a series of verbal pyrotechnics could eliminate the seemingly obvious reference to homosexuality in Romans 1. This has, however, occasionally been attempted."^[13] Though Scroggs himself will attempt to restrict the homosex of 1:26,27 to a certain form of it, extreme attempts at “grammatical gymnastics” and eisegesis accompany him in seeking to change the condemnation of homosex to allowance. Hanks and others disallow Romans 1 from being a moral indictment of homosex, but attribute Paul's words to homophobia, insecurity, repressed anger, and or largely being a polemic designed to reprove the arrogance of self righteous Jews or a Jew, with an act “against nature” being Gentiles not having the Law by birth. And in which Jews oppress the Gentiles homosexuality, which they see Paul's gospel justifying as being part of the ceremonial purity code (like not eating bacon), which the New Covenant does not enjoin upon Christians.^[14][15][16] Scroggs also sees the condemnation of homosex but supposes that Paul's condemnation of homosex only targets pederasty,^[17] due to Paul being culturally ignorant of Greek homosexuality, he though he concedes he would have opposed it^[18] More akin to Scroggs, Boswell and others assert that an ignorant Paul condemned “contrary to nature” (Rm. 1:26,27) in refering to heterosexuals acting as homosexuals (the “sin” of choosing one's orientations, as Daniel Via argues^[19]), and that the Catholic church did not condemn homosex, especially female homoeroticism, until much later in history^[20]) New Testament scholar and self-identified lesbian Bernadette Brooten substantiates Boswell was wrong about the amount of early church censure, and that homosexuality as an orientation was recognized (and treated as such), and sees female homoeroticism (which she supports) as widespread among women of ancient times, and thinks Scrogg's theory is doubtful, and recognizes Paul as universally condemning female and male homosex as a violation of the social order created by God. But rejects the prohibition of female homosex due it its perceived basis upon male headship (while wrongly stating that an Israelite could have sexual relations with his own daughter without penalty).^[21]

Countering such renderings is traditional means of exegesis of Romans 1, in which both Jews and Gentiles are shown to be in need of salvation by grace through faith, by the gift of imputed righteousness, and not merited by works, but requiring heart repentance and resulting in obedience to God by faith, (Rm. 4ff; Acts 26:20)^[22] including forsaking all sexual immorality. Paul works to show Gentiles as sinners by how idolaters rejected the “natural revelation” of God's creation given them, (Rm. 1:18-23) the “material shape of the created order,” which enlightens man as to “the nature of God and God's will.”^[23] This declension results in judgment by God in deliverance up unto progressive moral degeneration, which is particularly manifested in female and (“likewise”) male homosex. Contextually, this is seen as a particular expression of acting contrary to natural revelation, which testifies to the existence of God as the Supreme Designer, including the compatibility and complementarity of the male/female union. While idolatry corrupts this, homosex itself is a manifestation of idolatry (or ignorance) as it is inconsistent with obedience to God. And which is revealed more precisely in His word.

Gagnon notes eight points of correspondence between Romans 1:23, 26-27 and Genesis 1:26-27 , in a similar relative order, between Romans 1:23, 26-27 and Genesis 1:26-27: human, image, likeness; birds, cattle, reptiles; male, female.^[24]

Another writer points out interesting similarities between Rm. 1:26-27 to Gen. 1:26,27, in which both use gender specific words for male and female, which are far more rare, and Romans presents the unnatural same-sex relationships of the female first, which is also unusual, but an order which could easily be a reminder of the order in which humanity sinned, which Paul later refers to. (1 Tim.2:14).^[25]

Craig R. Koester also notes, “His [Paul's] statements do not finally depend on the notion - now often disputed - that homosexual relations are more lustful than heterosexual ones. Paul's comments reflect a scriptural understanding of who God created people to be as male and female. Second, Paul did not single out homosexual behavior for special condemnation, but extended his argument to proclaim a judgment on all humanity. By including covetousness, malice, envy, and other common forms of sin in his list, Paul showed that all are "without excuse" before God^[26]

Beginning in Rm. 1:28, further fruits of idolatry in moral declension are described, similar to the fruits of the flesh seen in Gal. 5:19-21, which Paul reminds Christians later they were manifesting, “fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others”, (Eph. 2:3) the end of which is spiritual death. (cf. Rm. 8:13) Gagnon comments, "Those who disoriented themselves by a turn from the true God were more likely to be disoriented in their behavior...Gentiles were rendered liable because they sinned against the revelation about God and God’s will available to them in creation/nature.^[27]

Having shown the Gentiles as sinners according to the light given hem, Paul can then move onto the Jews in the next chapter, indicting them also as capital sinners, disobedient to God in the light of the more precise and comprehensive relation of the Scriptures.^[28] This twofold use of revelation (natural and written) is seen elsewhere in Paul's preaching to both groups respectively. (Acts 14:15-17; 17:24-29; cf. Acts 13:16-41; 24:25; 26:22,23; 28:23) Paul can thus conclude in the next chapter that “we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin”, (Rm. 3:9), before moving on in the proceeding chapters to establish how convicted sinners may be justified before the holy God of both creation and Scripture, and live accordingly.

Uncleanness and Nature

These words in Rm. 1:24,26,27 are the subject of conflict between different pro-homosex interpretations, as well as being contrary to the basic traditional position.

Hank's radical and complicated compiled attempt is one which reasons that since God is said to have grafted the Gentiles into Israel, contrary to nature, and by circumcising Jews is acting contrary to nature, then Paul is actually sanctifying Gentiles who practice homosex, as part of a psychologically driven polemic against Jews. This idea also depends upon categorizing the “uncleanness” in Rm. 1:24 to that of ceremonial laws which Christians need not observe, (Col. 2:16,27)^[29] and which “uncleanness argument” Countryman also attempts, and which looks to Rm. 14:14,20 and the absence of sexual sins in the list of Rm. 1:28-32 as indications of Paul's” deconstruction” of his condemnation of Gentile homosex, so as to allow such.

This polemic is evidenced as being contrary to the traditional exegesis in every level. The first is that the word uncleanness in v. 24 (akatharsia) as used in the New Testament always denotes, not ceremonial, but moral uncleanness, (Mt. 23:37; Rom. 6:19, 2Cor. 12:21, Eph.4:19; 5:3; Col. 3:5, 1Ths. 2:3; 4:7) and which category sex with illicit sexual partners always falls into, and which fornication is abundantly condemned. At the outset this works to contextually define the morality of acting contrary to “nature.” In Rm. 1:26 it is stated that God gave them up unto “vile affections”, which word (vile) denotes dishonor and shame in all its uses, as does unseemly. In a brief statement but similar in principal as seen in Rm. 1, Paul lists lasciviousness and uncleanness in Eph 4:17-19, both of which terms infers sexual sins, as being a result of a darkened mind. Therefore both the tenor and the grammar of 1:24 shows that “to dishonour their own bodies between themselves” and what follows is moral iniquity. And as can be seen in the proceeding verses, Paul is showing a progression of degeneration, and not simply seeking to enrage some Jew(s) by listing ceremonial sins which Paul will later sanctify, as the pro-homosex polemic imagines.

The idea that Paul is simply seeking to trap Jews in their hypocrisy, or is motivated by vengeance against them, is itself negated by Paul's confirmation of the esteem he shows toward being part of the circumcised, and his Moses-like heart toward Israel as expressed so deeply in the same letter. (Rm. 9:1-5; and 20:1ff.) In a more minor aspect, some see "O man" in Rm. 2:1,3 as referring to a particular Jewish hypocrite, but this is evidenced to be a rhetorical means of addressing a group as individuals. (Rm. 9:20; 1Cor. 7:16; 1Tim. 6:11)

Nature as used here is that “even their women did change the natural [phusikos] use into that which is against [para] nature [physin (or phusis)]. And again, “likewise also the men, leaving the natural [phusikos] use of the woman,...” Phusikos comes from phusin, and is only used once again in the New Testament, in 2Pet. 2:12, to denote men who are like “natural brute beasts” who are made to be taken and destroyed.” As used there, the word indicates natural as in accordance with animal instinct, denoting cruel animals fit to be killed, in contrast with men, unless they acted as such animals. This penalty relates to Paul's conclusion in Rm. 1:32.

“Physin” can denote

1) produced by nature, inborn 2) agreeable to nature 3) governed by (the instincts of) nature^[30]

As used in the New Testament it can denote nature as relates to innate disposition, depraved (Eph. 2:3) or good, in the latter such as Gentiles who act according to the light given them, (Rm. 2:14) and even the holiness of the nature of God (2Pt. 1:4). In addition, physin can denote that of a class, such as Gentles, (Rm. 2:27) or Jews in contrast to sinners (Gal. 2:15), or species of animals. (Ja. 3:7) Or more precisely, nature as that of ordained design, manifested in normality. (Rm. 11:21,24; 1Cor. 11:14)

De Young reports that word occurred often in secular Greek literature, changing meanings in different times and contexts, though no one applied it to homosexual desires. It is thus evidenced that the word itself depends upon context for any moral meaning. Hayes defines it contextual use here as appealing to “an intuitive knowledge of what ought to be, of the world as designed by God. Those who indulge in sexual practices “para physin” are defying the Creator and demonstrating their own alienation from Him.”And that in sometimes Greek Stoic philosophers sometimes thought of physin as a an ideal norm or correct reason, and in general, approved kata physin (natural) and condemned para physin (unnatural). However, this is shown to be still too subjective, and the higher authority is presented to be the Scriptures. (Rm. 2:17-20; Acts 17:3)

The pro-homosex polemic at issue attempts to use Rm. 2:27 and 11:24 to claim that as God acted contrary to nature there, so He also sanctified the Gentiles practice of homosex (thereby shocking the Jews). The first text is a misappropriation due to a misunderstanding of the text. It is thought that “circumcision” in Rm. 2:27 refers to the act, while in reality it is simply a term for those who are Gentiles by nature, just as Jews are referred to be so in Gal. 2:15. The second text does refer to God acting contrary to nature, that of grafting the “branch” of Gentles into the “vine” of Israel. However, this analogous attempt is shown to be specious in multiple ways.

• 1. Analogies can work both ways. God violates normal rules of nature every time He works a miracle, but such does not sanctify demonic miracles. (Ex. 7:11,22; 8:7; 2Ths. 2:9)

• 2. Rm. 11:24 is not a negative “delivering up” to iniquity, but a grafting in of believing Gentiles into Israel, and requires repentance from such “Gentile” practices as fornication. (1Cor. 6:9-20)

• 3. This grafting in is done in the spiritual realm, as are things like “eating” God's words (Jer. 15:16) and the abolition of marriage, (Mt. 22:30) which does not translate into a change in physical laws relating to such. Like the essential spiritual equality of all believers (Gal. 3:28) does not alter the basic positional/functions distinction between the man and the women (1Cor. 11:3), so the grafting in of Gentiles does not relate to or change injunctions against sex with same genders, or the foundational basis against such and for heterosexual marriage, and which is clearly affirmed. (Mt. 19:4-6; Eph. 5:31)

Some may seek to use atimazō in Rm. 1:24 to liken homosexuality to something that is socially disapproved but not sin, and therefore may be sanctioned by God, which they seek to make it. However, like judicial penalties, terms such as dishonour, shame, blush, etc. describe a consequence of something, and depends upon context to define a moral connection, and the word atimazō clearly is contextually used to denote morality. Its next use is in Rm. 2:23, in which one dishonors God by breaking His moral laws, including those against sexual sins. Likewise the word atimia (dishonors) in 1Cor. 11:14. Its next use is in 1Cor. 11:22, to denote evil treatment being done to people by not sharing food with poor and hungry fellow members of the body of Christ, while the accused feasted. As used in Rm. 1:24 the dishonoring is done toward each other by perverse sexual (implied) practices, while vs, 26,27 are specifically sexual and perverse.

Boswell also uses the analogy of the grafting in of the Gentiles to sanction homosex, but sees Romans 1:26,27 as condemnation. But he convolutes “nature” as to mean heterosexuals acting as homosexuals; inferring an ignorant Paul would not have understood homosexual desire as normal, and could not have operated out the concept of “natural law,” but only condemned heterosexuals going against their normal desire. However, the immediate and larger context of the Bible reveals the contrary.

• 1. The theme leading up to the two verses at issue is not that of acting in an allowed preferential matter, though contrary to someone else, but that of being contrary to what is ordained of God. The Gentile idolaters are not condemned because they were monotheists/Jews/Christians worshiping idols, but because idolatry itself is wrong, and is unconditionally forbidden as is homosex. Some false gods themselves were portrayed as being homosexual. Verses 1:26,27 are a progression of acting contrary to nature as originally revealed and immutably upheld, and which declension includes other iniquities. (Rm. 1:28-32)

• 2. Paul was indeed using a form of “natural law,” that of what God has revealed by design and originally by innate knowledge. The invisible God was manifest by His visible creation (Rm. 1:20) and it was obvious by such that mere corruptible men (by nature, as opposed to the incarnated Christ) or animals did not create the cosmos, and that such were worthy to be worshiped. But what Paul further describes is not simply worship as a product of ignorance, but of changing what they did know, referring to an original monotheism (for which there is even more evidence of late), to idolatry. As creation does not represent the moral authority the Creator is, it is seen today that such an exchange of worship of God for worship of nature is taking place, in order to escape moral conviction of personal sin, which is also manifest in making God into an image more in conformity to contemporary immorality in order to justify it. Write comments, "while Paul may be describing something in the remote past in presenting a Decline of Civilization narrative, the pattern may be repeated: whenever humans opt for idolatry they are abandoned to their lusts."^[31]

• 3. The word “likewise” in the beginning of v. 27 denotes a like contravention of the natural order by men as with women. Whether contrary to nature in v. 26 refers to women using devices, as some suppose, or sex with other women, is not a relevant distinction, as both were unnatural. There is however, evidence that what is referred to as homosexuality existed among women,^[32] such as expressed in such works as Amores of Lucian, in which Charicles argue in support of heterosexism, “you will have to sanction carnal intercourse between them; monstrous instruments of lust will have to be permitted, in order that their sexual congress may be carried out; that obscene vocable, tribad [lesbianism], which so rarely offends our ears--I blush to utter it--will become rampant, and Philænis will spread androgynous orgies throughout our harems."

• 4. As we are all born with sinful nature and its affections, but are called to resist sin, (Gn. 4:7; Col. 3:15) we cannot justify actions that are contrary to the Bible based upon our desires. As Schmidt notes, Boswell's solution “shifts the meaning of "natural" from Paul's notion of "that which is in accord with creation" to the popular notion of "that which one has a desire to do." But deeply ingrained anger does not justify murder, nor does deeply ingrained greed justify theft or materialism, nor does the deeply ingrained desire of many heterosexuals for multiple partners justify promiscuity.”^[33] This recourse in pro-homosex polemics to making one's own inclinations the basis for morality, is seen as being exactly contrary to the commands of God, and to actually be a form of idolatry, making man the ultimate arbiter of what is right rather than the almighty who commands, "that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring" (Num. 15:19; cf. Dt. 12:8; Jdg. 17:6,25; Is. 5:21; Jer. 17:9)

• 5. Evidence indicate Paul would have indeed been culturally enlightened, having been born and educated in Tarsus in the region of Cilicia, one of the three centers of Greek culture in his day (Acts 21:39). E. M. Blaiklock states that Tarsus "became the Athens of the eastern Mediterranean, the ancient equivalent of a university city, the resort of men of learning, the home town of Athenodorus (74 B.C.-A.D. 7), the respected teacher of Augustus himself, the seat of a school of Stoic philosophers, a place of learning and disputation, and the very climate in which a brilliant mind might grow up in the midst of stimulus and challenge and learn to think and to contend."^[34] And that Paul manifested extensive awareness of Greek culture, as "He could talk and think like a Gr. and quote his native Cilician poets to the intellectuals of Athens. He could write strong Gr. in closely argued documents."^[35] Malick notes that Paul was hardly an isolated Jew in a Greek world, and would thus be well aware of the homosexual activities of his time without depending on "Jewish rumor mills."^[36]

Pederasty

While acknowledging homosex is condemned, Scroggs denies that Paul is providing an moral list of sins in Rm 1, and sees Paul's description of the Gentiles abandoning natural relations [phusiken chresin] for unnatural ones para physin] as being similar to the argument "from nature" found repeatedly in Greco-Roman attacks on pederasty.[Robin Scroggs, The New Testament and Homosexuality (Philadelphia: Fortress Press,1983, , p. 114, 117] Thus, Scroggs concludes that, while Paul uses more general prohibitions in Rom. 1, he must have had pederasty in mind, and perhaps the most degraded form of it, when he attacked homosexuality in Rom. 1.

Scroggs surmises that Paul's concluding verse in his lists of sins (Rm. 1:28-32), “that they which commit such things are worthy of death”, (1:32) only refers to idolatry, due to the absence of “thou shalt not” type statements, as well as a lack of explicit Old Testament correspondence to them, especially as capital offenses. However, it is first manifest that it is not necessary (or likely) to have explicit Old Testament references for sins of the heart in order for them to be considered morally prohibited, or requiring an explicit “don't do this” type statement. Jesus' list in Mk. 7:21,22 contains some sins of the heart which are the same or similar to Paul's expanded list, and the negative conveyance there is similar to Paul's, but is certainty prohibitory even without a “thou shalt not.” Likewise, Jesus list did not capital punishment for this, but defilement (and which is clearly moral) but sins some listed therein are capital sins. Yet in Romans death need not mean by civil powers. Later on in Romans 6:23, death is said to be the consequence of sins in general, while just as Paul lists the fruit of idolatry in Rm. 1:28-32, similarly in Gal. 5:19-21 he lists the fruit of the flesh (god), and practicing such leads to death. (Rm. 8:13) Additionally, the wrath of God is stated to come upon “the children of disobedience” for sins of the flesh and the heart in Col. 3:6)

In supposing that Paul is only referencing idolatry as a capital sin, Scroggs also misses a reason see by traditional exegesis for the injunction against idolatry. Which is not that God needs anything, (Acts 17:25), much less a loyal base, but that it is right and good for man to worship Him who is omnipotent, etc., and wholly good, and that is best for man, while idolatry works the opposite. It is not seen that God judged pagan nations simply for worshiping “them” which by nature are no gods”, (Gal. 4:8) or even for practicing things which are proscribed as part of ceremonial law. Rather these were judged for practicing the immoral effects of idolatry. Lv. 18:30; 20:22,23; Dt. 9:4,5; 12:30,31; 18:12; 1Kg. 14:24; 16:3, 2Ki. 17:34; Jer. 10:3)

Secondly, though he does see the similarity between “men with men” (Rm. 1:27) and Lev. 18:22; 20:13, Scroggs sees Paul as expressing “Jewish propaganda" in censuring homosex, and reads his mind as referring to pederasty, as he states Philo did, due to what Scroggs assumes would be a lack of familiarity with Greek homosexuality by Paul, though he concedes he would be against such.

The latter aspect here is seen as unwarranted due to Paul's upbringing and educational, and substantiation of homosexual orientation being recognized in the Greek world.^[37]

Regardings pederasty, while this might have been the predominant form of homosexuality in the Greek world, the idea that Paul only had this form of homosex in mind in condemning sex between males with males is seen as very unlikely. Not only does Paul first list female homosex as part of the degeneration of mankind, and then likewise “also the men,” but the Bible often uses the term “young men” or “younger elsewhere to make distinctions between ages of males, (Mk. 14:51; Lk. 15:12,13; Acts 2:17; 5:6,10; 1Ti. 5:1; Tts. 2:6; 1Jn. 2:13,14)

Malick comments, it is hardly also evident that Paul had other forms of homosexuality in mind when he refers in Rom. 1:26 to women who "exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones." Scroggs himself admits to being amazed that Paul refers to female homosexuality here, since it is never referred to in any Jewish and Greco-Roman discussions.[67] ^[38]

The intent of the attempt by Scroggs and others to restrict Romans 1 to a certain category is to allow for “loving monogamous” homosexual relationships, but it is incongruous that Paul would not make such a distinction here. Moreover, laws regarding forbidden sexual partners throughout the Bible are never based upon motive (only divorce once was). In the light of the abundant moral and covenantal material in the N.T, it is untenable is any supposition that a form of homosex could be sanctioned without the Bible making that evident, being clearly sanctioned by marriage and doctrinally stated, especially as such is all the more necessary due to homosex being condemned without any apparent conditions, and being intrinsically contrary to the heterosexual union instituted by God, and which is clearly and consistently but uniquely sanctioned by marriage between the male and female.

Temple Prostitution Polemic

Relative few hold to the idea that Paul was only referring to pagan temple sex in Romans 1, so that the condemnation of homosex therein could not be held as universal. In response, and in addition to other aspects, traditional writers point out that the rest of the iniquities vices listed (Romans 1:29-310 are not dependent on idolatry. And that consistent with the pro-homosex hermeneutic used in seeking to disallow the universality of Lv. 18:22; 20:13, all the iniquity Paul refers to in Romans 1 could also be disallowed, as well as any moral laws in which the example of idolatrous pagans is used as manifesting what not to do, and or are instituted within such a cultural context. (Ex. 20:1-17; 1Cor. 6:9-20; Eph. 4:17-19; 5:3; 1Thes. 4:3-5) And which position is manifestly untenable.

Jack Rogers,^[39] provides a typical example of the pro-homosex contention here, to which Gagnon responds with 15 reasons for the traditional position.^[40]

See also

Homosexuality and biblical interpretation

References

External links