The Problem—Solved? (4)

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; Romans 3:23-24 NASB

Sinned – Paul (Sha’ul) grew up in the rabbinic tradition. He considered himself a strict adherent to Torah. That means he knows hatta’t and ‘awon (two Hebrew words for sin) and he knows them very well. So when Sha’ul uses the Greek word hemarten, he isn’t thinking Greek. He is thinking Hebrew. As Quell notes, “The LXX with its summary use of hamartía, adikía, anomía, etc. hardly does justice to the rich and flexible Hebrew original and often misses the point, e.g., when ‘guilt’ is in view. The Hebrew terms translated by hamartía and the like do not have an exclusive religious use, so that it is easy in translation either to import this or to weaken it. No uniform or self-contained concept of sin is present in the OT authors, and detailed questions of linguistic history further complicate the matter.”^[1] Sin is multifaceted in Hebraic thought. It involves covenant obligation, communal affiliation, social protocol, guilt, punishment, inner psychological battle, behavioral misdeeds and alien forces. Negligence, rebellion, guilt and error are all encompassed in this ancient near-eastern container. To translate this transcendent concept with a single word is a sham, and worse than a sham, it leads to compounding the distance we may feel between God and us.

Paul attempts to clear away the underbrush. But he uses a Hebrew axe, not a scalpel. Let’s see how he does this. First, he universalizes the concept. Everyone, without exception, has sinned. For those in the covenant community, the meaning is obvious. We have all intentionally or unintentionally violated God’s Torah instructions. But what about those who know nothing of Torah or the Hebrew idea of obligation? Sha’ul wraps them in the same garment. Violation of conscience, social protocol, relationship expectation is not limited to Torah disobedience. It’s not Torah that all fall short of. It’s God’s doxa, His glory.   TDNT points out that doxa covers twenty-five Hebrew words. Once more we are faced with Greek reductionism. Primarily, however, it is linked to God’s honor, splendor and sovereignty. Sha’ul does not have to be specific because in first century Rome everyone knew that the gods ruled, were fearsome and demanded respect. No matter what “higher power” you acknowledged, you knew that you had at some point failed to show proper regard and obeisance. You were condemned. End of story. The details of Torah were not necessary for Sha’ul to declare all had sinned. All that was necessary was not being an atheist (which, by the way, was a capital offence in the Roman Empire). Of course, those who understood Torah and the God who gave it had a much clearer sense of Sha’ul’s meaning, but everyone got the message. Everyone had the problem. Everyone was hysteresis, “in need,” “lacking,” “left behind.”

What is the solution? Justification. The Greek is dikaiosyne. Ah, but now Sha’ul shifts the view from “higher power” to universal law. Dike is law—religious, ethical or political—the supports the idea of society. And dike is about giving directions and instructions for living properly. Dike in Hebrew is like tsadaqa’, righteousness. The implication is that justification can occur only where there is law (instruction) because “to be justified” implies conforming to the accepted standard. Suddenly Sha’ul transports the reader, not to the first century polytheism of Rome, but to the Law of the Hebrew God. You and I can be justified because this God, and only this God, offers reconciliation as a gift. His justification is freely given. The emphasis is on the giver who provides what we lack without prior worthiness.

The problem of sin is solved. It is not solved by universal fiat. It is solved by entering into a relationship with the one God who is willing to provide grace. It is solved by joining His Kingdom and coming under His rule. It is solved by accepting His offer and following His instructions. We all know we have issues. He alone provides the answer. All the other “gods” remain silent.

Topical Index: sin, grace, justification, Romans 3:23-24

^[1] Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (44). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.