Kevin B. McCruden, «Judgment and Life for the Lord: Occasion and Theology of Romans 14,1–15,13», Vol. 86 (2005) 229-244
This article explores Paul’s discussion
concerning the strong and the weak in Rom 14,1–15,13. My thesis is that Paul’s
comments in this section of the letter function neither completely as a response
to an actual problem in Rome, nor as entirely general paraenesis. Rather, Paul’s
comments function simultaneously on both a situational and non-situational level.
Considering that specific concerns over food were likely operative in the Roman
congregation, Paul employs non-specific language in this section in order to espouse
a larger theological vision of the essential unity of Jew and Gentile under God’s
salvation in Christ.
Judgment and Life for the Lord 237
Perhaps the clearest evidence for the instructional intention behind
Rom 14,1–15,13 lies in these chapters’ more concrete application of
the general paraenesis of Romans 12–13. The common themes and
emphases are various. For example, the marked divine context in
which Romans 12 begins and Romans 13 ends is given a profound
practical and communal significance in Romans 14. Just as the
individual members of the community comprise “one body in Christâ€
(Rom 12,5), so the observances of the strong and the weak with respect
to food and days takes place in the deeper reality of God’s reception of
the brothers (Rom 14,6). For Paul, present judgment against the
brother is inappropriate since it neglects to see the new reality that
ensues from the power of the Gospel: namely, that we now belong to
the Lord (Rom 14,9). Compare Paul’s concluding injunction in Rom
13,14: “But clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christâ€. Similarly,
the general love command of Rom 12,9-10 is given more specific
shape in Rom 14,15, where not walking according to love as a conse-
quence of inappropriate judgment is actually to “destroy the other on
behalf of whom Christ died†(Rom 14,15). What is striking about this
passage is that Paul views the rejection of the love command as
resulting in the actual destruction or condemnation (Rom 14,23) of the
brother.
It is precisely with reference to such condemnation and destruction
that Paul’s argument assumes a different direction after 14,12 as it
deals with the consequences that can occur if present human judgment
prevails. Once again the divine context is foremost in Paul’s mind and
it is to the deepest significance of this fact that Paul now directs his
argument.
2. Inappropriate Judgment and Its Effects
In terms of the structure of Rom 14,1-23, it is useful to delineate
Paul’s discussion of the strong and the weak under two thematic
headings. Rom 14,1-12 can be seen as Paul’s theoretical foundation for
the exclusion of judgment. As we have observed, Paul points to both
the surpassing reality of God’s gracious reception of the brother and
the future judgment at the last day as the two definitive realities that
preclude present human judgment against others in the community. I
shall now show how Rom 14,13–15,13 builds upon Paul’s previous
argument by drawing out the particular consequences which can occur
if inappropriate judgment in the community prevails over God’s
deeper judgment and purposes.