Romans 7:13-25 Discussion Questions
Paul now moves to the present tense to describe the actual experience of Israel living under the law. Having exonerated the law and concluded that the law is "holy and just and good", Paul asks the natural question, "did a good thing bring death"?
1) Verse 13 builds on 5.20 and 7.5. Review those two verses in the context of verse 13. What does Paul seem to be saying about the effect that the law has brought to Israel?
2) Consider the second half of verse 13. What are the two purposes ("in order that") of God providing the law? Why would God want trespass to abound?
3) What does verse 14 say about the relationship between Israel ("I") and the Torah?
4) What does it mean to not understand what you do (verse 15)?
5) How does doing what you don't want to do mean that you are agreeing that the law is good? (verse 16).
6) In verse 17 (and 20), what does it mean to say that sin is living within you?
7) Verse 20 is virtually identical to verse 17. Why do you think this is so important for Paul to say?
8) In Verse 21, both the NRSV and the NIV translate the opening as "a law", or a general principal ("So I find it to be a law ..." / "So I find this law at work"). NT Wright insists that Paul is speaking about "the law" - that is, the Torah, and not a general principal: "This then is what I find about the law: ...". Apparently the Greek is suitably ambiguous that either translation is defensible. Which translation do you think makes the most sense at this point in Paul's argument?
9) What dilemma does Paul highlight in the closing verses of the chapter (21-24)?
10) How is Jesus the solution to the problem for Israel?
11) What do God's desire, plan and fulfillment through Jesus to rescue us from this dilemma reveal to you about God's character and purposes?
1) Verse 13 builds on 5.20 and 7.5. Review those two verses in the context of verse 13. What does Paul seem to be saying about the effect that the law has brought to Israel?
2) Consider the second half of verse 13. What are the two purposes ("in order that") of God providing the law? Why would God want trespass to abound?
3) What does verse 14 say about the relationship between Israel ("I") and the Torah?
4) What does it mean to not understand what you do (verse 15)?
5) How does doing what you don't want to do mean that you are agreeing that the law is good? (verse 16).
6) In verse 17 (and 20), what does it mean to say that sin is living within you?
7) Verse 20 is virtually identical to verse 17. Why do you think this is so important for Paul to say?
8) In Verse 21, both the NRSV and the NIV translate the opening as "a law", or a general principal ("So I find it to be a law ..." / "So I find this law at work"). NT Wright insists that Paul is speaking about "the law" - that is, the Torah, and not a general principal: "This then is what I find about the law: ...". Apparently the Greek is suitably ambiguous that either translation is defensible. Which translation do you think makes the most sense at this point in Paul's argument?
9) What dilemma does Paul highlight in the closing verses of the chapter (21-24)?
10) How is Jesus the solution to the problem for Israel?
11) What do God's desire, plan and fulfillment through Jesus to rescue us from this dilemma reveal to you about God's character and purposes?