Corpus-Paul

["maertens" <maertens AT waika9.com>]

On Thursday, Loren wrote :

<This isn’t entirely accurate, Moon. Paul could speak
of God-fearers “under the law”.  Rom. 2:14-16, for
instance, says that Gentiles who don’t have the Torah
are nonetheless are subject to, and bound by, “the law
written on their hearts, to which their own conscience
bears witness” -- which I take to be some equivalent
of the Noahide commandments, or the “Noahide law” --
and they will be “judged by that law” (2:12) no less
than the Jewish people will be judged by the Mosaic
law.>

In his response, Moon stated that <That Paul was
able to say "All who sinned WITHOUT the Law will also perish
WITHOUT the Law" clearly indicates that the Gentiles was NOT
UNDER THE LAW.>

I agree on this point with Moon and I'd like to add that I disagree with
Loren when she connnects Rom 2:12 with the judgement of Gentiles. Most
commentators believe that Rom 2:12 is evidence for the impartiality of God.
Those who sinned under the law and without the law face the same fate. But I
believe (following Stulmacher) that there is a difference between perishing
and being judged. The fate of each is thus presented in connection with
their relationship to the law. For those who are not under the Law, i.e.
non-Jews, there is no future. For those who have the law, i.e. the Jews,
their futur depends on the judgement. I doubt that Paul agreed with this
position. In a forthcoming article (NTS) I propose to read verse 12 as a
Jewish nationalistic statement (all non-Jews will perish). Verse 13, which
is another Jewish position, explains that justification is depending not on
the possession of the law, but on the doing of the law. On one hand, it
seems to explain 12b. On the other hand, it furnishes Paul a starting point
to reexamine the situation of Gentiles. If justification of Jews is not
dependent on knowing but on action, how about Gentiles who don't know but
act? The term "otan" (v. 14) tends to indicate that Paul discusses a general
point and does not establish when, how, and how many Gentiles act according
to the Law. In v. 15 he takes up again the idea of v. 13. The circle of
those who do the law is now enlargend to include some Gentiles.

Best regards

Philip