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The Apostle Paul Quoting His Opponents

The Apostle Paul Quoting His Opponents

Last updated on: July 19, 2026 at 3:50 pm by Roger E. Olson

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The Apostle Paul Quoting His Opponents 2026-07-19T15:50:15-05:00 Roger E. Olson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Today I preached a sermon on Romans 2:12-16. You’ll need to look it up to understand what I am going to say about it.

I believe that verses 12-13 contain Paul’s quote from a letter some Christians in Rome sent to him in Corinth. Unfortunately, the Greek New Testament does not have quotation marks. We have to discern when and where writers are quoting from others by the context and theologically.

We know that Paul was against salvation by “law.” In verses 12 and 13 he seems to be saying that people will be judged according to the law—whether they kept it. That does not seem to be Paul’s voice.

Moving on to verses 14-16, Paul seems to be saying something very different than in verses 12-13. These verses contain Paul’s response to the argument in verses 12-13. Verses 12-13 argue that even Gentiles must keep the law to be acceptable to God. Verses 14-16 say that even some Gentiles keep the law written on their hearts and that may excuse them.

In the background is the debate between Jewish and Gentile Christians in Rome. The Jewish Christians were very upset because the Gentile Christians did not keep the “law” including circumcision. The Gentile Christians were very upset that the newly arrived (from exile) Jewish Christians expected them to keep the Jewish law.

In verses 14-16 Paul uses “law” differently, back at them, referring to what he will say in Romans 13–the law of love. All the Roman Christians, many of who were converted under Paul’s ministries in other places, knew what Paul meant by “law”—Love your neighbor. So when they read verses 14-16 they knew what law he meant.

This is the best way, perhaps the only way, to make sense of Romans 2:12-16. Two differences “voices.” First, “their” voice, the voice of the Jewish Christians in Rome. second, Paul’s voice.

Without this distinction we end up with a contradiction.

So what does this do to inspiration? God inspired Paul to quote from a letter he received from the Jewish Christians in Rome and then to respond to it. Verses 12-13 are false; verses 14-16 are true. Interpreted the way I have above makes the whole passage true. “You say…but I tell you…”

I welcome brief responses.

*Note: If you choose to comment, make sure your comment is relatively brief (no more than 100 words), on topic, addressed to me, civil and respectful (not hostile or argumentative), and devoid of pictures or links.*

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