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MODULE 2 STUDY GUIDE
Romans 1:18–3:20
1. Following his announcement of the theme of the letter–the gospel of Jesus Christ that is
God’s saving power that reveals His righteousness to all who believe–Paul presents the
reality of God’s wrath against sin (1:18-32). (59)
Humans have surpressed God’s truth.
2. Know the three basic components of the section 1:18-32 (59).
(1) God’s wrath againt sin and its basis (1:18-20).
(2) People’s suppression of truth and its conquences (1:21-31).
(3) Concluding indictment (1:32).
3. Describe the term “wrath” (Gk. orge) in 1:18 as it relates to God’s attitude toward sin
(59-60). “It is necessary for God to reveal his righteousness in the gspel because God has
also found it necessary to reveal his wrath aginst us” (Moo, pg 59).God’s reaction to sin
is not the ‘anger’ of an emotional person; it is the necessary reaction of a Holy God to
sin” (Moo, 60).
4. To whom has the wrath of God been revealed according to 1:18
(60)? “People who suppress the truth” (Moo, 60).
5. Define and describe Natural Revelation (60, 67-69) and Special Revelation (68). Be able
to clearly distinguish the two concepts and provide specific examples. Natural revelation
is the creation “that which has been clearly seen” (v.20) by humanity. Special revaltion
is God’s revelation of Himself through the Bible ad the person of Jesus Christ.
6. The consequences of suppressing the truth is described a threefold repetition (1:21-31).
Cite each of the three phrases (60). Three exchanges:
(1) (v.22-23) “they exchanged” Therefore God gave them over” (v.24) First
exchange focus on idolatry.
(2) (v.25) “they exchanged” “Because of this God gave them over” (v.26) The
second exchange reiertates the connection between idolatry and sexual sin.
(3) (v.26-27) “Their women exchanged… in the same way the men also” God gave
them over” (v.28) The third exchange focuses in homosexuality.
7. Who are the “they” to whom Paul is referring in 1:21-31 (61)?
It’s not clearly stated, but some have concluded Adam and Eve. Others have
interpreted humanity that have been given some general revelation of God, yet have
forsaken Him.
8. On what does the first exchange (1:21-24) explicitly focus (61)?
Idalotry.
9. What does Paul connect with the sin of idolatry in 1:24 (61)?
The O.T.’s description of Israel’s fall into idoltry (Ex. 32).
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10. What does the second “exchange sequence” (1:25-26) verify as being directly connected
to idolatry (61)? Idolatry and sexual sin.
11. What is meant by “depraved mind” in 1:28 (62)? “Unapproved”
12. Name the key themes that Paul addresses in 1:18-32 (63).
Peoples’ Supression of the Truth and Its Consequences
13. Romans 1:26-27 addresses homosexuality (66).
True.
14. In general, the Greek culture tolerated homosexuality, but the Jewish culture condemned
it. The Jews’ condemnation of homosexuality is rooted in the Old Testament. Cite at least
two examples (66). Leviticus 18:22, 20:13.
15. In 1:26-27, Paul refers to “natural relations” to indicate the “natural order of things as
ordained by God (66-67). True.
16. How does Paul signal a shift in his argument beginning with 2:1 (71)? By
replacing “they” with “you.”
17. Who does Paul begin to specifically address in 2:1-11 (72)? The Roman Christians.
18. According to 2:2, on what is God’s judgment based (73)? (1) The truth, it is based
on impartial facts.
19. What is the result of the Jews’ stubbornness and unrepentant heart, according to 2:5
(73)? God’s wrath that has been stroring up.
20. Paul makes the point in 2:1-5 that God judges Jews and Gentiles on the same basis.
The Jew cannot claim immunity from judgment by virtue of being a Jew (74).
True. God’s grace and judgement applies to all humanity.
21. Describe the literary term “chiasm” (74). It describes a structure in which the basic
sequence follows an A-B-B-A pattern. With the main point either at the center on outer
edges.
22. What does the Greek term prosopolempsia (v. 11) vividly convey (74)?
Favoritism. “receiving the face” which converys the sense of partiality.
23. Describe the five approaches to the question raised in 2:6-11: “How can Paul say
that doing good will lead to eternal life?” (80-81).
(1) Paul may be referring to faithful Jews and moral Gentiles before the coming of Christ.
(2) Refernce to those Christians whose works produced by faith are taken into account by
God in his untimat salvific verdict.
(3) Paul may be referring to people generally who are saved by their works.
(4) Paul may be referring to people who, without coming to know Christ, are enabled by
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God’s grace to be saved and so produc works that God approves in the judgement.
(5) Paul may not be referrrig to anyone in particular.
24. According to 2:6, what is the standard God uses to judge all human beings (81)?
God will judge based on the amount of light a person has received.
25. What is the appropriate response, based on Paul’s teaching (e. g. 3:9, 20, 21-22),
regarding those who have never heard the gospel (82)? The preaching of the gospel.
26. What new crucial topic is introduced in 2:12-16 (84)? It is doing the law, not
simply possessing that couts, and even the Gentiles have the law.
27. What is Paul’s point in regard to the Jews’ possession of the law in 2:12
(84)? The law does not protect from God’s wrath.
28. Who are those “who sin apart from the law” (2:12)? Gentiles.
29. Who are those “who sin under the law” (2:12)? Jews.
30. What does law (Gk. nomos) normally refer to in Romans (84)? Law of Moses,
the requirments that God imposed on his people at Sinai through Moses.
31. Briefly describe the law of Moses/Mosaic law (84). The requirments that God
imposed on his people at Sinai through Moses.
32. What is the result of sinning, either under the law or apart from the law (2:12)? (84-85)
33. Paul emphasizes the standard of God’s assessment in 2:13, where he says that “it is
those who obey the law who will be declared righteous” (85).
34. Discuss Paul’s assertion in 2:13. How does this relate to the doctrine of justification
by faith in Jesus Christ alone?
35. What are the four options as to the identity of the Gentiles in 2:14-15 (85)?
36. What does the phrase “the requirements of the law are written on their hearts” indicate
(86)?
37. What does the term “conscience” (syneidesis) in 2:15 indicate about the Gentiles in
particular, and all humanity in general (86)?
38. According to Moo, God’s judgment in Christ referred to in 2:16 points to God’s
judgment at the end of history (86).
39. Paul normally uses the Greek nomos to refer to the Mosaic law specifically (87). Be able
to cite examples.
40. What are the occasional extended uses of nomos in Romans (87-88)?
41. Describe how Paul refers to the Mosaic law by synecdoche (88).
42. Describe the diatribe style of argumentation that Paul often employs in Romans (90).
43. Romans 2:17-29 may be divided into two categories, the first focusing on (17-24),
and the second focusing on (25-29). (91)
44. What were perhaps the two most distinguishing marks of being Jewish (91)?
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45. Be familiar with the nine privileges of being Jewish that Paul enumerates in 2:17-24 (91-
92).
46. What is significant about the contrast between the “written code” (gramma) and “Spirit”
(pneuma) in 2:28-29 (96)?
47. Be familiar with the historical background behind Romans 2:25-29 (97).
48. What is the foremost advantage of being a Jew, according to 3:1-2 (102)?
49. With what common Jewish belief is Paul grappling in 3:1-8 (103-107)?
50. What conclusion does Paul reach in 3:9 (110)?
51. How does Paul support the conclusion he made in 3:9 in the verses to follow (10-18);
(110)?
52. Is it important to distinguish between “committing sin” and being “under sin”
according to 3:9-20 (111, 121-123)?
53. Define florilegium and explain how this relates to Romans 3:10-18 (112).
54. Based on the context of Romans 3:9-20, and according to Jewish antecedents, what does
the phrase “works of the law” (erga nomou) (3:20) mean (114)?
55. What is the significance of the phrase “become conscious of sin” in 3:20 (114)?
56. Why is it crucial to read the Old Testament quotations in the New Testament against
their original contexts (115-118)?
57. Discuss the importance of reading Paul in general, and Romans in particular, in
the context of first-century Judaism (118-121).
58. Describe “covenant nomism” (119).
59. Discuss Paul’s basic theology up to 3:20 by highlighting three crucial claims made in
this section (123).
60. Reading Paul’s argument sequentially, according to 2:13 what is the standard of
God’s judgment/assessment? What makes it impossible to live up to God’s standard?
What is the conclusion to this argument as stated in 3:20? (123).
