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In undertaking an exegesis of Romans 5:1-11, how would you subdivide the passage and why?  What is the relationship of the passage to the rest of the epistle?

The passage of scripture, Romans 5:1-11, is very powerful. In doing an exegesis of this passage, there are sections within it, and so their is quite a remarkable amount of information in just eleven verses. This passage summarises Paul's theology, and contains the core of the Christian faith - "But God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8, N.K.J.V.).

The passage has three sections. The first is from verse 1 to 2. The second is from verse 3 to 5. The third section is from verse 6 to 11.

Paul was born approximately AD 3 and died in AD 62 (Encarta 95). Paul excelled in his study of the Law (Galatians 1:14 and Phillipians 3:6), and he was a zealous man and persecuted the new Church of Jesus Christ without mercy, and enjoyed doing so. After his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19), he spoke of himself as being called by God to do his work. Paul, being a faithful Pharisee, he saw with appreciation as to what God had done through Jesus, and it was his mission to tell others. (Drane, 1986) He was called to be an evangelist to the Gentiles.

Section 1

In the Romans 5:1-11 passage, he states that we have been justified by faith. This means we have been shown or rendered innocent. (Vine, 1985). We are now righteous in                                        

the sight of God. "To be 'justified' is to have the verdict of 'just' or 'righteous' passed upon one (in Greek the three words are cognates from the same root dik-): that is, to be acquitted, vindicated, declared right or innocent. (Richardson & Bowden, 1983:314). Whereas in Judaism Paul saw righteousness in the law,(Phillipians 3:6), he himself now saw righteousness only through faith in Jesus Christ. We enter into this state of grace by faith. (vs. 2)

Section 2

In this foundation of justification by faith, there is strength to go through times of trouble. Through times of tribulations, we get strength and endurance. Through this endurance, the God like character comes through, and with that, Biblical hope - earnest intense expectation. Paul says that the love of God has been poured into our hearts.(verse 5).The love of God gives us strength to endure and not lose hope. Our foundation is in Jesus and His righteousness.

Section 3

This next section is the heart of the gospel. Verse 6 says, "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." (N.K.J.V.). Paul then goes on and states that it seems illogical for a man to die for a righteous man, let alone for a unrighteous man. But such was the love of God for us, He died in our place. It was the same God who was justified to condemn sinful, fallen man, that provided a substitute to take upon Himself that punishment. He demonstrated His own love towards us, "because while we were sinners, and as such repulsive to the Holy One, Christ died for us." (Moule, 1956:136). We are saved from the wrath of God - He carried out that wrath upon His own Son and that was satisfactory. Thus we have the core of Christianity.

This passage was separated into these three sections as they discuss different topics, yet are related. The chapters 1 through to 8 involve a discussion about the plight of man and his inescapable judgement from God. (Drane, 1986).Paul makes it clear that apart from the saving grace of Christ, there is no way to escape this judgement. Even though all have sinned (Romans 3:23), all who believe in Christ are freely justified. (Romans 3:21-23). In the fourth chapter, Paul writes of Abraham and the promise given to him, and mentions that Abraham did not grow weak in faith, but was "fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform." (Romans 4:21, N.K.J.V.).

Paul summarises what he said in the previous chapters about justification and perseverance in Chapter 5:1-5. We have been justified by faith, and we should stand in knowing this great truth. When hard times come, by standing in this and knowing God's promises, we are to persevere, and though perseverance, we grow strong in character.

The third section, verses 6-11, lead up to the work Jesus did on the Cross, which Paul goes into detail in the following chapters. We were lost, the wrath of God was upon us, but Jesus died for us anyway - because He loved us. We have been justified by His blood, and have been reconciled to the Father by the Son. And this great and marvellous truth is available to all people in all nations.

Therefore, in doing an exegesis of Romans 5:1-11, I subdivided it in to three sections because three different areas were covered in this passage: justification by faith, perseverance in times of tribulation and strength through the love of God, and the work Jesus did on the cross to bring sinners into right relationship with the Father. This passage seems to act as a transition between the sections of chapter 1-5 and the later part of 5  through to chapter 9 where Paul discusses Israel. Paul moves out of his exposition on justification by faith, and goes onto tell of our old life, (death in Adam, slaves of sin, bound to the law), to our new life in Jesus (life in Christ, alive to God, slaves of God and free from the Law).

BIBLIOGRAPHY

*           Drane, J., Introducing the New Testament., (Lynx Communications, 1986)

*           Moule, H. C. G., The Epistle to the Romans., (London, Pickering & Inglis Ltd., 19??)

*           Richardson, A., & Bowden, J., (Ed)., A New Dictionary of Christian Theology., (SCM Press Ltd., 1983)

*           "Paul, Saint," Microsoft (R) Encarta. Copyright (c) 1994 Microsoft Corporation. Copyright (c) 1994 Funk & Wagnals Corporation.

*           "Romans," Microsoft (R) Encarta. Copyright (c) 1994 Microsoft Corporation. Copyright (c) 1994 Funk & Wagnals Corporation.