The First Pandemic

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all mankind, because all sinned—  Romans 5:12 NASB

Because –This next section (v. 12-18) is one of the most difficult and most debated sections of this letter.  The argument is complicated and the implications are far reaching.  See if you can put aside your previous theological assumptions and listen only to what the text says.  Ask yourself:

1. In what way is the thought about Adam linked to the previous discussion of God’s act of reconciliation?
2. What is implied by the phrase “sin entered into the world”?
3. According to Paul, who was responsible for sin entering the world? How does this change the view of most Christians regarding Genesis 3?
4. Why did death become a reality in this world?
5. Now notice that “death spread” to all men. The verb has the idea of distribution.  Death distributed itself to everyone as a result of this.  The critical theological argument in the verse hangs on the interpretation of the phrase, “because all sinned”.  The Greek can be read as “in whom all sinned,” “on the basis of which all sinned,” “in view of the fact that all sinned” or “that is the reason why all sinned.”  Each of these readings presents a slightly different theological picture.  Can you see the differences?  The Greek text is not definitive.  Some points to consider:  the verb is in the aorist tense – an action completed in the past.  Paul says nothing about a corrupt human nature or about a physically transmitted sinful nature.  Paul does see a solidarity between Adam and the rest of humanity, but he does not specify exactly what that solidarity is.  Pay particular attention to Paul’s use of “the one” in this verse and in verses 15-19.  Paul lays tremendous emphasis on the actions of Adam and Christ as they relate to the entire human race.
6. Does Paul place the same emphasis on individual responsibility?

As you can see, there’s a lot packed into this one verse.  In typical fashion, Paul doesn’t explain much.  He simply assumes that his audience will know what he is talking about, or they will have others in the community who can elucidate what he writes.  We’re not in the same position.  We have 2000 years of Christian theology ladled on to this verse and others like it.  What we must notice is that many interpretations are possible.  It all depends on your starting position, that is, on the paradigm you bring to the text.  If you’re a Calvinist, you’ll find evidence to support your position.  If you’re an Armenian, you’ll find evidence too.  If you’re a Catholic, you’ll see your view in his words.  And if you’re thinking like a Jewish rabbi, well, there’s that view too.  The point is that you can’t draw a definite and indisputable conclusion so you’d better not think you have the one and only answer here.  The trick is to think like the Jew or Gentile who reads this in the first century.  That’s not an easy task, but that’s where we have to go.  Paul writes about the first real pandemic, which is still with us—the pandemic of death.  What we want to know is how we caught it.  How we answer that question will tell us a great deal about the cure.

Topical Index: because, death, Romans 5:12