Romans 7:13-25

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• Reading the Text:
  • NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV) at Oremus Bible Browser.
  • Greek Interlinear Bible, ScrTR, ScrTR t, Strong, Parsing, CGTS, CGES id, AV.
  • The Bible Gateway: NIV, NASB, CEV, The Message, KJV, etc.
  • The Blue Letter Bible. KJV, alternate versions, Greek text with concordance, commentaries.
  • The World Wide Study Bible includes commentary, exposition and sermons.
• Historical References, Commentary and Comparative Texts:
  • "The War Within," Comparative World Scriptures from United Communities of Spirit.
  • III.XX.3, IV.XXXVI.8, Adversus Haereses, Irenaeus of Lyons. (c. 180)
  • III.3, III.11, IV.7, Stromata, Clement of Alexandria (c 200)
  • Chapter XLVI, Chapter LI, On the Resurrection of the Flesh,  Tertullian (c. 211)
  • V.14, Against Marcion, Tertullian (c. 212)
  • Chapter XVII, On Modesty, Tertullian (c. 217)
  • III.IV.2, III.IV.4, First Principles (De Principiis), Origen. (c.225)
  • VII.XX, VII.L, VIII.LIV, Against Celsus, Origen (c. 246)
  • From Martin Luther's Bible Commentary (1545).
  • From the Geneva Notes.
    • "He sets himself before us as an example, since he has been regenerated, and in whom may easily appear the strife of the Spirit and the flesh, and therefore of the law of God, and our wickedness."
  • From Matthew Henry's Commentary.
    • "Compared with the holy rule of conduct in the law of God, the apostle found himself so very far short of perfection, that he seemed to be carnal."
  • From Wesley's Notes.
    • "St. Paul, having compared together the past and present state of believers...interweaves the whole process of a man reasoning, groaning, striving, and escaping from the legal to the evangelical state."
  • From the Commentary on the Whole Bible (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
    • "...coexistence and mutual hostility of "flesh" and "spirit" in the same renewed man, which is so clearly taught in Ro 8:4, &c., and in Ga 5:16, &c., is the true and only key to the language of this and the following verses."
  • From The People's New Testament, B.W. Johnson, 1891.
    • "The inner man, the better nature, our spiritual being, approves of and delights in the law of God. This is the part of our being that "wills to do good," spoken of in verse 21, but is overcome by evil."
• Contemporary Commentary, Studies and Exegesis:
  • Commentary, Romans 7:15-25a, Marion L. Soards, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2008.
    • "The tone of these chapters is reflective, meditative. Yet, no portion of the epistle is more challenging to understand than these four chapters."
  • "First Thoughts on Year A Epistle Passages in the Lectionary," Pentecost 8, William Loader, Murdoch University, Uniting Church in Australia.
    • "Paul is employing observation of human experience to add further support for his gospel which depends on a relationship of faith to change people, not observance of the Law."
  • Commentary, Psalm 51 / Romans 7:14-25, Marvin A. McMickle, The African American Lectionary, 2008.
    • "The only person mentioned in scripture deserving of being the model for human conduct is Christ. Only Christ sets a constantly perfect example."
  • Seventh Sunday after Pentecost, God's Saving Work in the Letter to the Romans: Lectionary Texts for the Pentecost Season, Arland J. Hurtgren, Word & World Texts in Context, Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary, 1993.
  • "Habit's Harsh Bondage," study guide, Robert B. Kruschwitz, (other resources at) "Pornographic Culture," Christian Reflection, The Center for Christian Ethics at Baylor University, 2002.
  • "Struggling with Sin," Rev. Bryan Findlayson, Lectionary Bible Studies and Sermons, Pumpkin Cottage Ministry Resources. Includes detailed textual notes.
  • "The Blame Game," Bill O'Brien, The Christian Century, 2005.
    • "Paul’s dilemma is the human dilemma -- all of us struggle in the battle between good and evil, right and wrong choices, thoughts and actions."
  • "The War Within (Romans 7:14-25)," by Robert Deffinbaugh at the Biblical Studies Foundation.
    • "The Christian’s agony comes from realizing that our sinful flesh refuses to respond to the requirements of God’s Law."
  • "An Eye for an 'I': The Relevance of the Identification of the 'I' in Romans 7:7-25," by D. Wayne Stiles, II, at the Biblical Studies Foundation.
    • "The first occurrence of the word “I” (ejgw) in the book of Romans is in ch. 7. Since in the Greek language no first-person subject need be stated apart from the verb, Paul’s use of “I” eight times is for emphasis."
  • Reflection on Romans 7:21 - 8:6, Rev. Tom Harries. At Environmental Reflections, Lectionary Year A, Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota, Environmental Stewardship Commission.
    • "Paul does the flesh and our physical selves a great disservice here."
• Articles & Background:
  • "Romans 5-8 as Pastoral Theology," Stanley N. Olson, Word & World, 1986.
    • "The unity and functions of the exhortation and assurance in Romans 5-8 are clarified when the section is understood as pastoral theology."
  • "Romans 7:7-25 and the Impotence of the Law," Stefano Romanello, Biblica, 2003.
    • "By means of a literary-rhetorical analysis, it can be stated that Rom 7,7-25 forms a literary unit, depending upon the propositio of Rom 7,7a. In fact, the question on the possible equalization between Mosaic Law and sin raises a new discussion, carried out precisely in Rom 7,7-25."
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  • Bruckner, James K., "The Creational Context of Law before Sinai: Law and Liberty in Pre-Sinai Narratives and Romans 7," Ex Auditu, 1995.
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  • Busch, Austin, "The Figure of Eve in Romans 7:5-25," Biblical Interpretation, 2004.
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  • Chang, Hae-Kyung, "The Christian Life in a Dialectical Tension? Romans 7:7-25 Reconsidered," Novum Testamentum, 2007.
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  • Cook, Anthony, "Homiletical Helps on LSB Series A - Epistles," (Romans 7:14-25 begins on page 114), Concordia Journal, 2008.
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  • Eisenbaum, Pamela, "A Remedy for Having Been Born of Woman: Jesus, Gentiles, and Genealogy in Romans," Journal of Biblical Literature, 2004.
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  • Greenberg, Irving, "The Maturation of Covenant in Judaism and Christianity," The Living Pulpit, 2005.
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  • Hultgren, Arland J., "God's Saving Work in the Letter to the Romans: Lectionary Texts for the Pentecost Season," Word & World, 1993.
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  • Jewett, Robert, "The Basic Human Dilemma: Weakness or Zealous Violence?" Ex Auditu, 1997.
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  • Marshall, I. Howard, "Living in the 'Flesh'," Bibliotheca Sacra, 2002.
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  • Napier, Daniel, "Paul's Analysis of Sin and Torah in Romans 7:7-25," Restoration Quarterly, 2002.
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  • Neyrey, Jerome H., S.J., "God, Benefactor and Patron: The Major Cultural Model for Interpreting the Deity in Greco-Roman Antiquity," Journal for the Study of the New Testament, 2005.
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  • Nickle, Keith F., "Expository Article, Romans 7:7-25," Interpretation, 1979.
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  • O'Brien, Bill, "The Blame Game," The Christian Century, 2005.
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  • Olson, Stanley N., "Romans 5-8 as Pastoral Theology," Word & World, 1986.
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  • Russell, Walt, "Insights from Postmodernism's Emphasis on Interpretive Communities in the Interpretation of Romans 7," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, 1994.
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  • Siefrid, Mark A., "The Subject of Romans 7:14-25," Novum Testamentum, 1992.
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  • Smith, Edgar W., Jr., "The Form and Religious Background of Romans 7:24-25a," Novum Testamentum, 1971.
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  • Snodgrass, Klyne, "Spheres of Influence: A Possible Solution to the Problem of Paul and the Law," Journal for the Study of the New Testament, 1988.
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  • Talbert, Charles H., "Tracing Paul's Train of Thought in Romans 6-8," Review & Expositor, 2003.
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  • Toussaint, Stanley D., "The Contrast between the Spiritual Conflict in Romans 7 and Galatians 5," Bibliotheca Sacra, 1966.
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  • Wasserman, Emma, "The Death of the Soul in Romans 7: Revisiting Paul's Anthropology in Light of Hellenistic Moral Psychology," Journal of Biblical Literature, 2007.
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  • Wasserman, Emma, "Paul among the Philosophers: the Case of Sin in Romans 6-8," Journal for the Study of the New Testament, 2008.
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  • Ziesler, J.A., "The Role of the Tenth Commandment in Romans 7," Journal for the Study of the New Testament, 1988.
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• Sermons:
  • "I Don't Do What I Want To Do," from a series of sermons on the book of Romans by Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church in Des Moines, Washington.
  • "The Knowing Better Syndrome," John Jewell, 2002.
• With Children:
• Drama:
• Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
• Hymns and Music:
  • Hymnal Scripture References, The Lutheran Hymnal, Lutheran Worship.
  • "We Played the Flute," Brenton Prigge, NewHymn, a new, relevant hymn set to traditional tunes.
• Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's Art Index:
• Study Links and Resources for the Book of Romans