Romans VII, 14-16

Paper Summary:

This paper provides an exegesis of a challenging passage in St. Paul's epistle to the Romans - "Romans 7:14-16". The paper briefly examines the socio-historical context of the passage, the immediate literary context and the meaning of some of the key words - principally the word "I" and the word "unspiritual." It analyzes the passage for its fundamental meaning and explores the theological considerations raised by the excerpt. Finally, the paper looks at the application of the passage to a practicing Christian looking for spiritual guidance in a complicated world.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Socio-historical background
Literary context
Word study
Passage analysis
Theological considerations
Application
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"In the end, this paper has hopefully shed some light on a brief but challenging passage from St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans. The paper has looked at the socio-historical background to the passage, at the pertinent literary context, at the words and meaning of Romans 7:14-16 and at the theological considerations these few lines raise. While the few dozen words lying at the heart of this exegetical exercise can be interpreted as a despondent analysis of human nature, they should be read instead as a call for eternal vigilance and as a reminder to Christians that the only escape from servitude to sin is complete subjection to the Will of God. In the final analysis, the Law sheds light on wrong-doing, but knowledge of evil and the actual act of rejecting evil, are two different things - though the former is necessary for the latter to occur."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Abbott, Lyman. The Life and Letters of Paul the Apostle. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1898.
• Bishop Serapion. "The Divine Transforming Grace." The Ecumenical Review 56.3 (2004): 312+. Questia.com. 4 Aug. 2007 <http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5008600540>.
• Bryan, Christopher. A Preface to Romans: Notes on the Epistle in its Literary and Cultural Setting. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000.
• Butler, Audrey & Henri Daniel-Rops. The Church of Apostles and Martyrs. Vol.I. Garden City, NY: Image Books, 1960.
• Chang, Hae-Kyung. "The Christian Life in a Dialectical Tension? Romans 7:7-25 Reconsidered." Novum Testamentum 49.3 (2007): 257-280.

More papers on Romans VII, 14-16:

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• Essay # 72632 : "Title VII"

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