Romans

Beverly Roberts Gaventa’s Romans is a learned, provocative, and often illuminating apocalyptic reading that rightly emphasizes the enslaving power of Sin and Death, the priority of God’s saving initiative, the cosmic scope of redemption, and the continuing significance of Israel in God’s purposes. Yet its governing framework too often presses the text beyond its grammatical and theological balance. In Romans 3:21–26, Gaventa’s “Jesus Christ-faith” and “God’s own faithfulness” language risks blurring Christ’s faithfulness, God’s action, and the believer’s faith, while her rendering of paresis as human incapacity is difficult to reconcile with the context of God’s forbearant passing over of prior sins and the public demonstration of his justice in Christ’s blood. Her mercy-seat interpretation rightly resists a caricature of a vindictive deity, but it can understate Paul’s sacrificial, atoning, and judicial language: God’s wrath is not a temper tantrum, but his righteous opposition to human rebellion, which God himself addresses in Christ. Gaventa’s universal horizon is a valuable corrective to narrow individualism, but Romans still speaks of those who receive grace through faith, so it should not create pressure toward automatic universal salvation. Likewise, the law is not a toxic rival to God but holy and good, though Sin weaponizes it; grace liberates believers for meaningful obedience; and Christ’s full solidarity with sinful humanity must not blur his personal sinlessness or make him morally captive to Sin. Her anti-supersessionist concern is a major strength, but Paul’s hope for Israel remains inseparable from the Messiah and the gospel. Essential for engagement, but unreliable on several central exegetical and theological questions.

When she’s on, she’s really on because of her superior writing skills. Barth is clearly her greatest influence and that tells you what to expect doctrinally. Theological nuggets are to be found as well. If you are like me and are conservatively minded and seek light on a different perspective with theological assists, you will find what you are looking for here. If you possess a critical mindset, you will too. [Full Review]

Gaventa’s long-anticipated work on Romans showcases her apocalyptic approach to Paul. She especially shines in drawing insights from the history of interpretation from the Patristic period through the Reformation and into the modern era. Her prose is eminently readable, probably one of the best reading experiences that you will have with a semi-technical commentary! [Full Review]