The Righteousness of God
In Romans 1:17 Paul said, God’s righteousness is (being) revealed (ἀποκαλύπτεται, present tense). Here he says, God’s righteousness has been manifested (πεφανέρωται, perfect tense). There is little difference.
The present tense emphasizes the continuation of the process in the proclamation of the Gospel, the perfect the fact that the process has a beginning. It will shortly appear that this beginning is to be found in the death of Jesus.
This manifestation of righteousness takes place apart from the law; not because the righteousness of God could not be manifested through the law, but because the righteousness which, when manifested through the law, could only lead to wrath, since the law was abused (cf. Romans 4:15), has now been manifested in a different way so as to lead to justification. It is because law has been defined out of the manifestation and faith (v. Romans 3:22) defined in, that in this paragraph (contrast Romans 1:18) we hear nothing of wrath.
Romans 3:22 Though
God’s righteousness is thus manifested apart from the law, it is nevertheless attested by the law and the prophets, that is, by the
Old Testament as a whole. Not only do the prophecies point forward to the saving acts which have now taken place, the law itself (if only men would understand it rightly) points in the same direction. That is to say, though
God’s righteousness in the saving sense that it has in the
Gospel is attested by the
Old Testament, it must be understood as
God’s righteousness manifested through faith in
Jesus Christ, and directed to all who have faith. Manifested is not expressed in Paul’s Greek, and it might seem better to supply a different word, such as enacted or operative; manifested however is the word of
v. Romans 3: 21 and must have preference here, though, of course, more than a mere showing is implied. The old revelation is to be understood in the light of the new, not the new in the light of the old. In this
verse one element in the new, non-legal, basis of righteousness appears, namely, faith. The second (grace) is not mentioned till
v. Romans 3:24. At first the wording appears repetitious: through faith, to all who have faith. The repetition provides a measure of underlining of a vital truth, but Paul is in fact making two points. The manifestation is apprehended through faith; and, secondly, as will be emphasized throughout the paragraph, it is not for Jews only but for all—with the one proviso immediately added, for all who have faith. For the meaning of faith
see on Romans 1:17 and
compare Romans 1:21 (with the note). It can hardly be better defined than as the opposite of man’s self-confident or self-despairing attempt to establish a proper relationship between himself and
God by legal (that is, by moral or religious) means. Instead of concentrating his hope upon himself he directs it towards
God, and in particular towards a creative act of
God’s grace (see below in the rest of this paragraph, and the discussion of Abraham’s faith in
ch. Romans 4).
‘Faith in Jesus Christ’ is trust in
him as the creative means of reconciliation provided by
God. There thus exists a close inner relationship between saving righteousness and faith; only those who have faith are restored to a true relationship with
God, since faith (over against works of law) is the only visible expression of that relationship. The manifestation of righteousness as
God’s action leads to righteousness understood as the status of righteousness that man receives as
God’s gift; it is thus directed to all who have faith—All, for there is no distinction (
διαστολή), that is, between Jew and Gentile. Paul looks back to the argument which culminates in
vv. Romans 4:19 f. The
Old Testament knows a distinction (
διαστολή) between Jew and Gentile (
Exod. 8:19 (
Exod. 8:23)), but it is law that makes this distinction so that in a situation defined as apart from law it ceases to exist; and in respect of sin Jew and Gentile alike stand guilty before
God.
Barrett, C. K.
The Epistle to the Romans. Rev. ed. London: Continuum, 1991. Print.
Black’s New Testament Commentary.
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