Before God, No One Is Righteous (Romans 2:1-3:20)

"All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous." Romans 2:12-13 (NIV)

Context

Throughout Romans, Paul uses a rhetorical technique (often used by philosophical schools) called the “diatribe.” Diatribes set up moral discussions as a dialogue, with an imaginary partner raising objections, asking questions, or drawing the wrong conclusions. The speaker reacts strongly to this (“By no means!” and “Certainly not!”), and brings correction. The style involves direct address, rhetorical questions and answers, interjections, examples, and quotations.

Observation

As you read Romans 2:1-3:20, take note of when Paul is using the elements of a diatribe:

• Direct speech (“You, therefore, have no excuse!” – Romans 2:1)
• Rhetorical questions (“Do you think you will escape God’s judgment?” – Romans 2:3)
• Strong reactions/interjections (“Much in every way!” – Romans 3:2)
• Correction (“Someone might argue…” – Romans 3:7-8)
• Examples (the comparison in Romans 3:25-29)
• Quotations (Romans 3:10-18, see below for more detail)

Though he strings them together in Romans 3:10-18, here Paul is actually quoting from many different places in the Old Testament:

• There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless (from Psalm 14:1-3 and Psalm 53:1-3)
• Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit (from Psalm 5:9).
• The poison of vipers is on their lips (from Psalm 140:3).
• Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness (from Psalm 10:7).
• Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know (from Isaiah 59:7-8).
• There is no fear of God before their eyes (from Psalm 36:1).

Interpretation

Yesterday’s reading offered a sweeping verdict: humanity is under God’s wrath because they have exchanged God’s good gifts for unrighteousness. In today’s passage, Paul begins to address readers who might respond by saying, “Well, that verdict doesn’t include me!”

However, Paul explains here that any reasons his readers might use to exclude themselves from this judgment are not valid. Even if some of them grew up knowing God’s righteous requirements from the Law (for example, believers with a Jewish background) they—like the rest of humanity—have failed to keep it perfectly! This is the testimony of the Law itself (as Paul demonstrates through his outburst of quotations in Romans 3:10-18).

Paul concludes: everyone, Jew and Gentile, is under the power of sin. No one does what is right, not even those who know the Law and try to keep it.

Why do you think Paul uses the “diatribe” technique to make his case? How is it effective in engaging his Roman readers in his argument?

What do you think the Jewish believers in the church would think and feel about Paul’s statements as they read this section? How about the Gentile believers?

Application

Do you find difficult or easy to accept the message that “before God, no one is righteous”?

Are there any “good” things you do that you think should earn you this status before God? What sorts of behaviors does the culture in which you live believe should earn this status?