Discussion: Tools for Hermeneutics, Question 1:
When conducting a word study, after careful reading of the passage to be evaluated, the
choose the words which should be the subject of deeper study within the passage. These include
words which difficult to understand in our language, or culture, words which carry theological
significance, words which rarely occur in the passage or in the Scripture, as well as figurative
language.1 Duvall and Hays include repetitive words as ones which should be part of any word
study when interpreting a passage of Scripture.2 Once the words are selected for study, the
interpreter should utilize differing lexicons and Bible dictionaries to learn all the meanings a
particular word can have, this is also called the words “semantic range.”3 Resources are available
to interpreters who both have an understanding of the original language, and those who may not
be comfortable with working in the original languages. Some examples include the Zondervan
Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Holman Illustrated Bible
Dictionary, which are especially helpful for “students who do not work in Hebrew and/or
Greek.”4 Students who have a knowledge of Hebrew and Greek can gain benefit not only from
the previously mentioned titles, but also The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament,
A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New
Testament Based on Semantic Domains, and A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and
Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed.5
1 William W. Klein, Craig L. Blomberg, and Robert L. Hubbard, Jr., Introduction to Biblical Interpretation
(Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2017), 333.
2 J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays Grasping God’s Word (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2020), 170.
3 Ibid., 173
4 Klein, Blomberg, and Hubbard, Jr., Introduction to Biblical Interpretation 334-335.
5 Ibid., 335, 337.
Once the interpreter has gathered the range of possible meanings for the words in the
study, they should again return to the text to look at the context of the passage to determine the
appropriate meaning for the word, based upon the context of the passage. This contextual
understanding goes from the immediate surrounding text outward to the entirety of Scripture, and
while the context in relation to the entirety of Scripture is to be considered, the focus should be
on immediate context as the “purpose of doing word studies is to try to understand as precisely
as possible what the author meant when he used a certain word in a specific context.”6
Using this information, the following is a listing of words which will be highlighted in
the exegetical paper for this course. As a primer to these words, there is a need to explain the
overarching concept of Paul’s discourse in Romans 7:7-25. Paul, in this passage from Romans,
explains the relationship between sin and the Law. Along with this explanation is an argument
for the goodness of the Law, yet the inability of the Law to provide for salvation because of the
power of sin over the lives of man.
Listing of Words/Phrases of Importance – Romans 7:7-25
Law (νομος) – as one of the primary topics of this passage, the understanding of what
Paul refers to as the ‘law’ is important to define. The term law in this passage has two
differing meanings. When referenced by itself, only as ‘law,’ the term is meant to refer to
“the first five books of the OT called the Torah.”7
Sin (άμαρτια) – as the other of the primary topics of this passage, this term needs to be
established and can refer to two different ideas, the first is as an abstract concept, that of
6 Duvall and Hays, Grasping God’s Word, 181.
7 Johannes P. Louw and Eugene A. Nida, eds, “νομος,” Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament:
Based on Semantic Domains. 2d, (Accordance electronic ed., version 4, New York: United Bible Societies, 1989).
being an offence.8 The second refers to “a state of sinfulness as an integral element of
someone’s nature.”9
“Seizing an opportunity” (ἀφορμή λαμβάνω) – this phrase shows the connection between
sin and the Law. That sin, in a personified form, uses the opportunity afforded by man’s
coming to knowledge of sin, to subvert the goodness of the Law.
Killed (ἁποκτείνω) – This word is not used in literal sense, but figuratively means “to
destroy.”10 This is important to understand in this passage as Paul makes reference to sin
killing him, however this is only in the figurative sense that sin, through subverting the
goodness of the law brings about the death of man.
Under (ὐπό) – This word means “a marker of agent or force, whether person or event.”11
In this passage, this word is used by Paul to make the argument that we are humans who
are born under the control of sin and uses this concept to explain why man continues to
sin, even with knowledge of the law.
Discussion: Tools for Hermeneutics, Question 2:
In reviewing the steps of the interpretive process, several distances must be crossed; these
include distances of time, culture, geography, and language.12 While some of these contexts more
8 Strong, James, “άμαρτια,” Strong's Greek Dictionary of the New Testament, (Accordance electronic ed.,
version 2.9, Altamonte Springs: OakTree Software, 1999).
9 Johannes P. Louw and Eugene A. Nida, eds, “άμαρτια,” Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament:
Based on Semantic Domains. 2d, (Accordance electronic ed., version 4.4, New York: United Bible Societies, 1989).
10 James Strong, “ἁποκτείνω,” Strong's Greek Dictionary of the New Testament, (Accordance electronic
ed., version 2.9, Altamonte Springs: OakTree Software, 1999).
11 Johannes P. Louw and Eugene A. Nida, eds, “ὐπό,” Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based
on Semantic Domains. 2d, (Accordance electronic ed., version 4.4, New York: United Bible Societies, 1989).
12 Klein, Blomberg, and Hubbard, Jr., Introduction to Biblical Interpretation 53.
difficult to navigate, others are more easily brought into the 21st century context. Once those
cultural distances have been evaluated, the interpreter is then able to look at how those principles
can be applied to modern society. This is done by looking at the similarities between the original
audience and the audience of today, comparing those similarities, and looking for the “broader
theological principle reflected in the text.”13
The Principles in Romans 7:7-25
In the time of ancient Rome, the majority of people lived in large communal tenement
buildings which were areas of constant activity.14 This form of living was natural for the people
of Rome, and they shared a more communal form of living as compared to that of people today.15
This form of communal living, and close interaction with others is different from the 21st century
Western view of individualism and a push to focus on oneself more than on community.
Even with this highly individualized cultural belief of today compared to the communal
culture of ancient Rome, the principles of Romans 7:7-25 are universal. The key principle that
Paul was expressing in this passage of Romans is that while the law is good in and of itself, the
law does not have the ability to overcome sin and therefore does not have the ability to provide
salvation of man. This principle is ascertained through the argument that Paul makes regarding
the nature of the law and then the work of sin to use the law as a means by which man is
deceived into a life of disobedience. This disobedience occurs because, as Paul explains, we are
13 Duvall and Hays, Grasping God’s Word, 181.
14 Ronald F. Youngblood, F. F. Bruce, and R. K. Harrison, “Rome, City Of,” Nelson’s Illustrated Bible
Dictionary, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2014) 997.
15 Frank Thielman, Romans, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI:
Zondervan, 2018), 26.
born as slaves to sin and that knowledge of what sin is, which comes from the law, stirs up a
desire to sin within our flesh.
Bibliography
Duvall, J. Scott and J. Daniel Hays. Grasping God’s Word. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2020.
Klein, William W., Craig L. Blomberg, and Robert L. Hubbard, Jr., Introduction to Biblical
Interpretation. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2017.
Louw, Johannes P. and Eugene A. Nida, eds. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament:
Based on Semantic Domains. 2d, Accordance electronic ed., version 4. New York:
United Bible Societies, 1989.
Strong, James. Strong's Greek Dictionary of the New Testament, Accordance electronic ed.,
version 2.9. Altamonte Springs: OakTree Software, 1999.
Thielman, Frank. Romans. Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI:
Zondervan, 2018.
Youngblood, Roland F., F. F. Bruce, and R. K. Harrison. Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary.
Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2014.
