Reading Romans for its Underlying Narrative

Romans is often regarded as the magna cum laude of Christian propositional proclamation. Who has not read Romans 6 or 9 and been impressed with the clear reasoning that Paul uses to make his points? However, is it right to read Romans as a tightly wound set of propositional statements of truth?

Narrative vs Propositional Knowledge

As I said in my last post, I’ve done some initial study of Romans with a narrative rather than a propositional structure in mind. I’m going to relate my findings here, but first, I want to briefly deal with “narrative truth” as it is talked about in Who’s Afraid of Postmodernism?

Here is an extended quote from Smith’s book:

First, narrative is a more fully orbed means of communication (and hence revelation), activating the imagination and involving the whole person in a concrete world where God’s story unfolds. Second, Christian faith-unlike almost any other world religion (with the exception of Judaism)—is not a religion simply of ideas that have been collected. The faith is inextricably linked to the events and story of God’s redemptive action in the world: Christian faith rests on the work can only be properly proclaimed by being narrated, by telling a story. The notion of reducing Christian faith to four spiritual laws signals a deep capitulation to scientific knowledge, whereas postmodernism signals the recovery of narrative knowledge and should entail a more robust, unapologetic proclamation of the story of God in Christ. This is why the Scriptures must remain central for the postmodern church, for it is precisely the story of the canon of Scripture that narrates our faith.

Several important thoughts arise from this passage for a narrative, contemporary reading of Romans. First, the problem with reading Romans as a set of propositions that are true is not that true propositions are lacking in Romans. Paul makes propositionally true statements in Romans. He would have agreed to the proposition, “Man is only justified by faith in Jesus Christ.” No one is denying that Paul believed in true propositions. Second, the “recovery of narrative knowledge” is a powerful statement regarding the underlying basis of Romans. For example, a simple statement such as “God is love” really has very little meaning for us without the narrative framework provided by the biblical narrative. Any number of religions could say that God is love. The proposition is not distinctively Christian. But when it is set in the context, not of more propositions (though there are more propositions that are true about the Christian faith) of the divine acts in history that give shape to our belief and view of life, then the real meaning of the covenant love and faithfulness of God to his people through his Son by the power of His Spirit is evident. This same sort of idea can then be applied to a narrative reading of Romans.

Let me clarify one point before moving into a brief perusal of the main underlying narrative in Romans. It would be a stretch to say that Paul bases his entire epistle around the chronological sequence of the Biblical narrative. He doesn’t move fluidly through the book of Genesis and then into the judges and kings and prophets and so on. He is writing a letter to the community of faith at Rome, and as such, has many things that he wishes to tell them that relate to their specific circumstances. The opening presents his personalized greeting to them, and in Chapter 16 he refers to many people by name. He’s not developing the biblical narrative per se. But what I am suggesting is that underneath everything that Paul says is the assumption of the Judeo-Christian worldview and narrative, which roots everything that he says in truth and reality, rather than in the abstract realm of ideas.

 

Creation–The Beginning of the Biblical Story

In terms of the biblical story, creation out of necessity comes first. Genesis 1 and 2 narrates the story of creation. This is the beginning of the drama that will be played out throughout the pages of Scripture. This biblical-theological narrative theme underlies the book of Romans at more than one point. In chapter 1, Paul is dealing with the ungodliness that was going on at the time. He roots everything that he says in creation in verses 19-20, “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” While Paul is not in these few verses trying to structure the entire beginning of his letter around the creation story, it does provide the basis for what he is saying.

And it does not provide the basis in a modernistic, rationalistic way, appealing to some abstract truth about creation. Rather, Paul appeals to the very “things that have been made.” The story of Genesis 1 colorfully illustrates the beauty of the creative act of God in history—the birds, the trees, the flowers, the land animals, and most of all, man, both male and female. Paul further notes about those people who are wrapped up in wickedness, “Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.” Again, while certainly we can learn propositionally about the imago dei from this passage, what is it that grounds this verse in reality? Is it not that God in creation, breathed man into existence in order to have a relationship with a creature that is in His image? The creation narrative that underlies this brief mention of creation in Paul’s letter is highly relational rather than propositional.

 

Fall–The Biblical Story Encounters Tension

Chapter 1 also has the underlying fall narrative in view, for it refers to the effects of the fall that continue up to the present day. The well-known 3:23 also evidences this, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” However, chapter 5 especially shows that Paul has the biblical narrative in mind as his starting point for his letter. Verses 12-14 say,

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

Clearly the fall narrative of Genesis 3 is in view here. Paul isn’t simply explaining propositions here (though there are propositions in there). He is placing the gospel experience of the Roman believers in light of the biblical story which relates the fall of man, specifically Adam.

 

Redemption–Resolution is found in Christ

Redemption is clearly evident in the book of Romans. Paul spends a great deal of time addressing the redemption in Christ. In fact, shortly after addressing the Fall/sin in chapter 3, he moves to the justification achieved for us by the grace of Christ. In Chapter 5 he expands greatly on the way that we have life through Christ. He places the work of Christ in the context of the biblical story though, by relating it back to the Fall narrative—“as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive.” This teaches the great narrative of the Bible so well—Genesis 1, God made a perfect creation. In Genesis 3, man fell, and with him the whole creation suffered the effects of sin. From Genesis 3 to Christ, the promise of redemption by the Messiah is consistently interwoven throughout Biblical history. Paul has this story at the heart of everything that he says, from talking about Abraham in Chapter 4 (who is the patriarch that is promised the Seed which will bring blessing to the nations) to dealing with the law, which covered a long period of Biblical history, and finally to Christ, who brought forgiveness to those whose sins God had passed over. Paul is not talking about justification by faith or any other doctrine in Romans in a vacuum. He talks about everything with the reality of the Biblical story in mind.

 

Restoration–History is Going Somewhere

In Romans 8, Paul addresses the restoration of the creation. Verses 18-23 say,

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

These verses reflect the creation, fall, and ultimate restoration of the world. This passage is demonstrates what is so important to the Biblical worldview/narrative—a linear view of history. God created the world, and He is directing it to a certain point, when he will restore all things. While the coming of Christ brought forgiveness and freedom from sin, God is doing more than just that. God is bringing the whole world to completion, to the praise of His glory.

 

Recap

The above could be considered a simple sketch of the Biblical narrative—creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. It is the model suggested especially by Reformed thinkers such as Vos and Schaeffer. It represents not propositions, but movements in the story of the Bible; not logical syllogisms (though Paul is a very logical and reasoned teacher), but the acts of God in history.

To perhaps clear up what exactly I intend to communicate by all of the above, let me ask a questions. What would be your impression of Romans if you were not Christian, had basically no familiarity with the Bible, and were simply trying to read and understand what Paul was saying to the Roman Christians? While I am not able to so strip myself of my presuppositions, upbringing, and tradition, I believe that it would not be unfair to suggest the following: one would realize that in order to understand what Paul is saying, he or she must understand something that lies barely underneath everything that Paul says, namely, the biblical narrative which reveals the work of God in history. When Paul talks about creation, you would have to go back to the Old Testament to understand what that is talking about, for the Biblical account of creation is very different than that proposed by other worldviews. When Paul talks about sin, the question naturally arises, where did sin come from? Usually that is regarded as a philosophical question (and it should be discussed on that level for specific purposes), but in reality, it is a question of story. What is the story behind all of that? Go back to Genesis 3 and find out. What is with the Israelites and Abraham? Go back and read the biblical story. What’s this about Jesus? God back to the gospels and read the stories about Jesus? Who is this Paul guy anyway? Go back and read in the book of Acts the story of how the church expanded. What is the restoration that is spoken about? Go and read the story that John tells in the last part of Revelation. Romans is rooted in stories, and above all, the story. It shaped everything that Paul talked about. He wasn’t writing a work of (historical) fiction; Paul was writing a letter to the Roman believers. But underneath all of his talk about creation and the fall and redemption and restoration is a grand drama that resonates with us because it is really our story as well.

What is (hopefully) noticeably missing from this post? Almost any mention of the Trinity. This is a problem for sure, because the Biblical narrative is at its heart a Trinitarian narrative. Unfortunately, I was not able yet to integrate that into this post. A few posts down the road I will hopefully put the underlying narrative of Romans in the context of the Trinity.