translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: ROM

label: NET study note

text: Appointed the Son-of-God-in-power. Most translations render the Greek participle ὁρισθέντος ( Jorisqentos , from ὁρίζω , Jorizw ) “declared” or “designated” in order to avoid the possible interpretation that Jesus was appointed the Son of God by the resurrection. However, the Greek term ὁρίζω is used eight times in the NT, and it always has the meaning “to determine, appoint.” Paul is not saying that Jesus was appointed the “Son of God by the resurrection” but “Son-of-God-in-power by the resurrection,” as indicated by the hyphenation. He was born in weakness in human flesh ( with respect to the flesh , v. 3 ) and he was raised with power. This is similar to Matt 28:18 where Jesus told his disciples after the resurrection, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”


text: Paul does not mean here that he is going to bestow upon the Roman believers what is commonly known as a “spiritual gift,” that is, a special enabling for service given to believers by the Holy Spirit. Instead, this is either a metonymy of cause for effect (Paul will use his own spiritual gifts to edify the Romans), or it simply means something akin to a blessing or benefit in the spiritual realm. It is possible that Paul uses this phrase to connote specifically the broader purpose of his letter, which is for the Romans to understand his gospel, but this seems less likely.


text: The expression “I do not want you to be unaware [ Grk ignorant]” also occurs in 1 Cor 10:1; 12:1 ; 1 Thess 4:13 . Paul uses the phrase to signal that he is about to say something very important.


text: Here the Greek refers to anyone who is not Jewish.


text: A quotation from Hab 2:4 .


text: Possibly an allusion to Ps 106:19-20 .


text: Possibly an allusion to Ps 81:12 .


text: “Vice lists” like vv. 28-32 can be found elsewhere in the NT in Matt 15:19 ; Gal 5:19-21 ; 1 Tim 1:9-10 ; and 1 Pet 4:3 . An example from the intertestamental period can be found in Wis 14:25-26.