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Paul=s Apocalyptic Theology in Romans 8:19-22
Dr. Harry A. Hahne, Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary (HarryHahne@ggbts.edu)
New Testament scholars frequently claim that Paul=s theology in Rom. 8:19-22 was strongly influenced by Jewish
apocalyptic thought. J. Christiaan Beker argues that the coherent core of Paul=s theology in all his letters is the
apocalyptic triumph of God: "the hope in the dawning victory of God and the imminent redemption of the created order,
which he has inaugurated in Christ."
1
Beker sees Rom. 8:19-22 as one of Paul=s clearest confessions of the apocalyptic
triumph of God. The apocalyptic theology of this passage also has been acknowledged by numerous scholars who do
not accept the general premise that Paul=s theology is rooted in Jewish apocalyptic thought.
2
Although the genre of this
passage is not an apocalypse, the worldview, theology and many expressions are very similar to those found in Second
Temple Jewish apocalyptic writings. Modern apocalyptic researchers distinguish between "apocalypse" as a literary
genre and "apocalyptic eschatology" as a religious perspective.
3
Unfortunately, many researchers describe this passage
as "apocalyptic" without clearly indicating in what sense they are using the term.
In fact there are several streams of thought within Jewish apocalyptic literature, which vary in their view of the
extent and cause of the corruption of the material creation in this age and the hope for its future redemption. Contrary to
popular thought, most Second Temple Jewish apocalyptic writings are not world-denying, but they view the material
world as damaged by human and angelic sin. Many look forward not to the destruction of the world, but to its
eschatological deliverance from the damage caused by sin.
Romans 8:19-22 follows that stream of apocalyptic thought that looks forward to the permanent eschatological
transformation of the present creation, the removal of the damage caused by sin, and the perfection of creation to share
the glory and freedom of the glorified children of God.
Overview of Romans 8:19-22
19
For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.
20
For the creation
was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope
21
that the creation itself
also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
22
For we
know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
(Rom. 8:19-22, NASB)
Rom. 8:19-22 discusses the present suffering of the natural world due to the Fall. Although the natural world is not
itself fallen or disobedient to God, Adam=s sin brought the created order into bondage to death, decay, corruption
(o
) and futility (µ). The background for this passage is Gen. 3:17-19, which describes the curse on the
ground due to the original human sin.
4
Only God could subject creation to futility while providing a hope for its future
redemption (v. 20,
¦z ¦).
5
In Rom. 5:12-19, Paul explains that Adam=s Fall brought sin and death to humanity. In
Rom. 8:20-22 Paul extends the impact of the Fall to the natural world.
The effect of Adam=s sin on nature is connected with the human dominion over nature (Gen. 1:26-28). Since Adam
was accountable to God to rule the earth and to tend the garden, his sin affected the natural world for which he was
responsbible.
6
The natural world became frustrated in its purposes and can no longer be all it was created to be.
Yet Paul describes this suffering of the natural world in the context of great eschatological hope both for believers
and the natural world: The suffering of creation is like birth pangs leading to a glorious new world, rather than the death
pangs of a dying creation (v. 22).
7
Creation awaits eagerly "the revealing of the sons of God" (v. 19), because at that
time the natural world will be set free (
¦) from corruption and will be transformed to share in "the
freedom of the glory of the children of God" (v. 21). The redemption that Christ brings will have cosmic consequences:
At the second coming of Christ when the people of God are glorified (v. 19), the natural order will be restored to its
proper operation, so that it may fulfill the purpose for which it was created.
When Paul uses "creation" () in this passage he is referring to the natural world.
8
Although can refer to
all that is created or individual human or animal creatures,
9
the exact meaning is more limited in context. Even though
Paul refers to "all creation" (
º , v. 22),
10
this is not decisive, since several LXX passages use this phrase to
refer to a particular class of creature.
11
In Rom. 8:19-22 several aspects of the created order are incompatible with the
context:
(1) Unfallen angels have not been subjected to futility or corruption (vv. 20-21), either due to human sin or their
own actions.