Forensic Metaphors in Romans and their soteriological significance

• Main Author: A B du Toit
• Format: Article
• Language: Afrikaans
• Published: AOSIS 2003-10-01
• Series: Verbum et Ecclesia
• Online Access: http://verbumetecclesia.org.za/index.php/VE/article/view/311

Previous studies on legal references in Paul concentrated almost exclusively on matters of civil law. A study� of� five� important� passages� in Romans and an overview of the rest of Romans� indicate� that� this� letter contains an unusual number of forensic metaphors and� that� Paul,� in Romans, packaged his soteriology within a forensic setting. This� suggests that he deliberately created an implicature, inviting his readers to compare the iustitia Dei with the iustitia romana. Contrary to the latter, which was� expected� to function on the basis of equity and with which Paul�s addressees were all too well acquainted, the iustitia Dei proves to be astonishingly unconventional. This judge operates with grace. Ironical as it may seem, exactly by using� forensic� imagery, Paul completely delegalized the Christian message.