BEMA Episode Link: 151: Romans — Buried Alive
Episode Length: 29:47
Published Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2020 01:00:00 -0800
Session 4
About this episode:

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings listen to what Paul says about walking in righteousness.

Discussion Video for BEMA 151

The Evolution of Adam by Peter Enns

Elementary Principles by D. Thomas Lancaster

Didache — Wikipedia

Transcript for BEMA 151

Notes

*Note: The following notes are handwritten by me, Adam, and I reserve the right to be wrong.

BEMA Episode 151: Romans — Buried Alive

Title & Source Summary

This episode provides a verse-by-verse examination of Romans 5-6, focusing on Paul’s argument about justification by faith rather than righteousness. The hosts, Marty Solomon and Brent Billings, explore Paul’s use of rabbinical teaching tools, the concept of being “buried alive” through baptism, and the transformation from slavery to sin to freedom in righteousness. The discussion emphasizes understanding Paul’s letters through a Jewish lens rather than later Augustinian theology.

Key Takeaways

  • Faith (pistis) from a Hebrew perspective means “trust” - specifically trusting in the promises of God rather than creedal affirmation alone
  • The phrase “pistis Christou” should likely be translated as “faith of Christ” rather than “faith in Christ”
  • Humans are fundamentally image-bearers of God, with this truth being more essential than our fallen nature
  • Paul employs the rabbinical teaching tool “kal va’chomer” (lesser to greater argument) throughout Romans 5
  • Grace always outpaces sin - where sin increases, grace increases all the more
  • Baptism represents dying to the old way of thinking based on fear and being raised to new life
  • Christians are called to demonstrate the same trust that Abraham and Jesus showed

Main Concepts & Theories

Pistis Christou Debate

Modern biblical scholarship increasingly favors translating “pistis Christou” as “faith of Christ” rather than “faith in Christ.” This interpretation makes more theological sense because Abraham could demonstrate the same faith as Christ without having creedal knowledge of Jesus. The faith being referenced is trust in God’s promises about creation, humanity’s value, and God’s love.

Image of God vs. Depravity

The episode challenges the traditional emphasis on human depravity as our essential nature. While acknowledging that sin is real and destructive, Solomon argues that our identity as image-bearers of God is more fundamentally true than our fallen condition. This perspective aligns with the opening chapters of Genesis, where God declares creation “good” and never revokes this assessment.

Kal Va’chomer (Lesser to Greater)

This rabbinical teaching tool appears throughout Romans 5, identifiable by the phrase “how much more.” Paul uses it to argue that if sin could enter through one man (Adam) and cause death, how much more can grace through one man (Jesus) bring life. This technique emphasizes that grace is exponentially more powerful than sin.

Adam as Type vs. Literal Figure

Paul uses Adam as a representative figure or “pattern” rather than necessarily making claims about a literal historical person. This typological reading focuses on Adam representing humanity’s tendency toward sin and Jesus representing God’s greater work of redemption.

Baptism as Transformation

Baptism serves as a physical picture of dying to the old self and being raised to new life. Historical documents like the Didache show that early Christian baptism involved forsaking pagan idolatry and embracing a new way of life based on trust rather than fear.

Examples & Applications

Fear-Based vs. Trust-Based Living

The episode explains that sin fundamentally stems from fear - fear of not having enough, not being enough, or insecurity about our place in the world. When we grasp God’s grace and our identity as beloved image-bearers, we die to this fear-based living and embrace a life of trust, generosity, and self-sacrifice.

Sacrificial Love Example

Paul illustrates the difference between righteousness and goodness by noting that people rarely die for someone merely because they’re righteous (follow rules), but they will sacrifice for someone whose life is inherently valuable and “good” (worth preserving).

Present-Day Eternal Life

“Eternal life” refers not to duration but to quality - the kind of life God intended for creation. This life begins now, not just after death. Christians are invited to experience and share this abundant life in the present moment.

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

  • Study of the Didache and early Christian baptismal practices
  • Comparison of Augustinian theology with first-century Jewish interpretations of Paul
  • Examination of other “kal va’chomer” arguments throughout Jesus’ teachings
  • Investigation of Genesis 1-3 through the lens of human dignity and God’s assessment of creation as “good”
  • Research into the historical context of Romans and Paul’s Jewish audience in Rome
  • Analysis of how fear-based theology affects Christian understanding of identity and mission

Comprehension Questions

  1. What is the difference between translating “pistis Christou” as “faith in Christ” versus “faith of Christ,” and why does this translation choice matter for understanding Paul’s argument?

  2. How does Paul use the rabbinical teaching tool “kal va’chomer” in Romans 5, and what point is he trying to make about the relationship between sin and grace?

  3. According to the episode, what is the fundamental source of human sin, and how does understanding God’s grace address this root issue?

  4. Why does the hosts argue that our identity as image-bearers is more essential than our fallen nature, and how does this perspective change how we read passages about human depravity?

  5. What role does baptism play in Paul’s argument about transformation, and how did early Christians understand this practice according to historical documents like the Didache?

Brief Personalized Summary

This episode powerfully reframes how we understand justification, human nature, and Christian transformation. Rather than viewing ourselves primarily through the lens of depravity, Paul invites us to see ourselves as God sees us - as beloved image-bearers whose lives are worth dying for not because of our righteousness, but because of our inherent goodness as God’s creation. The “kal va’chomer” arguments throughout Romans 5 emphasize that grace is exponentially more powerful than sin, offering hope and freedom from fear-based living. Baptism symbolizes this transformation from slavery to fear into the freedom of trust, where we can live the abundant, eternal life that begins now. This Jewish perspective on Paul’s letter challenges centuries of theological interpretation while offering a more hopeful and empowering understanding of the Gospel message.

Edit | Previous | Next