Rightly Understanding God’s Word: More Principles of Context, by Craig S. Keener

Not all outlines come so simply, however. Some outlines of thought may be more complicated. Thus, for example, one can divide Romans 1:18-32 into a simple outline: God judges the world for preferring idols to his truth (1:18-23); they fall into sexual sin (1:24-27); and ultimately every kind of sin (1:28-32). But a more detailed outline might also reveal Paul’s line of thought in more detail (I adapt the NASB below):

Rom. 1:10 always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you.

[why?—reason for 1:10]

Rom. 1:11 For

I long to see you in order that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established;

[=]

Rom. 1:12 that is,

that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.

Rom. 1:13 And I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented thus far)

[why? purpose for planning to come]

in order that

I might obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles.

[grammatically new point (though logically continues explanation for what precedes]

Rom 1:14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.

[1:14 provides the reason for 1:15]

Rom. 1:15 Thus,

for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

[1:16a also provides the reason for 1:15]

Rom. 1:16 For

I am not ashamed of the gospel,

[1:16b provides the reason for 1:16a]

for

it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

[Why is it God’s saving power for both Jew and Greek? 1:17 provides the reason for 1:16b (both Jew and Gentile come to God on equal terms through faith)]

Rom. 1:17 For

in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith;

[basis for knowing this:]

as it is written, “But the righteous person shall live by faith.”

[Why must the righteous come by faith? 1:17 is predicated on the entire section that follows in 1:18-2:29 and beyond—all are equally lost]

Rom. 1:18 For

the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people=who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

[why is God so angry? wrath (v. 18) because they should have known better (v. 19)]

Rom. 1:19 because

that which is known about God is evident within them;

[why?]

for

God made it evident to them.

[how?]

Rom. 1:20 For

since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made

[with the result that—the closing line shows the result of the preceding one]

so that

they are without excuse.

[why? basis for the result in the last line of 1:20, hence rehearsing the reason of the earlier lines of 1:20]

Rom. 1:21-23 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.

[1:24 happens because of 1:23—sexual sin (perverting God’s image in humanity) stems from idolatry (perverting God’s image directly)]

Rom. 1:24 Therefore

God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them.

Tags: context, craig, gods, keener, principles, rightly, understanding, word

Category: Biblical Studies, Summer 2004