Romans 5:1-5 (II): Boasting on the Brain (II)

Actually, if one was going to outline this section of Romans, one would choose the larger unit 5:1-11 and divide it into the "three boasts" because the Greek word for "boast" or "have pride in" appears three times in this passage (vv. 2,3,11). We boast in our hope; we boast in our sufferings; we boast in God. A nice threefold cord.

Paul has chosen this favorite word for him (35X in his writings, only two or three other appearances in the NT) to describe our proper response to justification by faith. We can boast, but we boast only in God or in Christ. Throughout his writings he contrasts two types of boasting: in human accomplishments and in God. Since Paul uses the word "boast" so often, it might repay our effort to see some of these usages. It really is quite astonishing once you think about it. I will illustrate about 10 or so of these passages and then comment on Paul's use of "boasting"-language.

"But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast of your relation to God" (Rom 2:17);

"You that boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?" (Rom 2:23);

"God chose what is low....so that no one might boast in the presence of God" (I Cor. 1:29);

"in order that, as it is written, 'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord'" (from Jer 9:23; I Cor. 1:31);

"So let no one boast about human leaders. For all things are yours..." (I Cor. 3:21);

"What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift?" (I Cor. 4:7);

II Corinthians is especially rich in "boast-language." It might not be inappropriate to note here that II Cor. is the letter where Paul feels his apostleship is most threatened by others. Thus, the language of boasting may function as a way of asserting his own authority but not by human means but from the gift of God. Here are a few of the passages:

"We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to boast about us..." (II Cor. 5:12);

"For if I have been somewhat boastful about you to him, I was not disgraced" (II Cor. 7:14; the noun form "our boasting" occurs in 7:15);

"for I know your eagerness, which is the subject of my boasting about you to the people of Macedonia" (II Cor 9:2);

"Now even if I boast a little too much of our authority..." (II Cor. 10:8);

"We, however, will not boast beyond limits.." (II Cor. 10:13);

"We do not boast beyond limits..." (II. Cor 10:15);

"so that we may be able to proclaim the good news in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in someone else's sphere of action" (II Cor. 10:16);

"Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord" (II Cor. 10:17).

If I wanted to take the time, I could easily double this list. And all of these appearances of kauchaomai and its relatives occur in 6 letters of Paul (Romans, I and II Cor., Gal, Eph, Phil; I Thess. has one appearence of kauchesis, the noun). It is almost as if we could use the "boasting" litmus test for Pauline authorship of the works attributed to him!

My point, however, is that Paul was struggling throughout his ministry with the concept of authority and his authority, in particular. He was chosen by Christ out of time (I Cor 15:8); he never witnessed Jesus in the flesh; he never was in the "inner circle" of the Jerusalem church. Yet he was a talented person, a person of tremendous ambition and learning. He wanted to "make an impact" for Christ, and thus ended up initiating the Gentile mission, though Luke takes pains to show in Acts 10-11 that Paul was only imitating the earliest disciples in this--thus giving him a legitimacy that he needed.

In my earlier expositions of Paul I pointed out the tension within him as he struggled with the notion of being "late chosen" but still feeling that his message was of vital importance to Christianity. I think this tension comes to a head in the concept of boasting. Paul had reasons to boast of his accomplishments in the flesh (Phil 3:3). Indeed, he had more reason to boast than anyone. But, when you think of this for a minute, why would he say this unless he had residual doubts and regrets about life? Well, he decided that through Christ the concept of boasting isn't eliminated; it is merely transmusted. Now the life of faith becomes a contest between two kinds of boasting--that of boasting in the law or one's own accomplishments and that of boasting in Christ. The language in Rom. 5 stresses the latter--the propriety of boasting in Christ.

But all this boasting language leaves me a bit dry. The central issue for me is that if we preserve the language of boasting for faith, how we know that our "boasting in Christ" isn't just veiled language for our arrogance run amok under the guise of theological terminology? The language of boasting in God can sometimes be an attempt to baptize our own "ungraced" anxieties by religious-sounding language and then continue to run roughshod over people or be judgmental toward them. I think Paul needed to use the language of boasting because he continued to be in competition and fights with people throughout his ministry. He was in the latter because others had a contrary understanding of the Christian message and would want to impose it on Paul's congregations. So, he had to keep fighting for what he felt was the truth. He did so by never abandoning the concept of boasting. But, he tried to "transmute" or "change" the idea by appealing to its object--boasting in God.

Yet, I think that the notion of boasting carries with it an implicit judgmentalism towards others who interpret the world differently from you. For you boast in the right things, whether you call it God or faith or Christ, whereas the others boast in wrong things--such as the law or their works. Indeed, use of the concept of boasting might also lead to mischaracterization of the opponents because you have to have something to contrast with them. Thus, even though I recognize the brilliance of Paul's argument here about the centrality of justification by faith, I do so with some reservations. I think that the concept of boasting at its root is one that is divisive; it encourages mischaracterization; it gives the impression that one is a little more "right" than the next guy or girl. Certainly we believe that the message of the Gospel is right for us, and ought to be right for others. But let's let it ring out without the hubris that has so frequently characterized the Western world's self-presentation of faith. Of all times in our history, this ought to be clear in 2007.

III. A Threefold Cord--Romans 5:3-5

I never fail to appreciate, however, Paul's ability to go from the heights of a theological concept to the practical realities of life "here on earth." Our boasting is not simply in God or in our sufferings, but we learn through sufferings how they are connected to endurance, character and hope. I think in these verses that Paul has understood and communicated something essential about life in the world--that our losses, suffering, and disappointments are to be interpreted in view of a larger purpose of human life--that of God's love being poured into our hearts.

Suffering is one of the most persistent enigmas of faith and of life. Why do the good suffer? Or, why is pain so much a part of our existences when the Scriptures are replete with promises of the joy that should characterize the Christian life? But suffering is a companion for many, both individually and collectively. Suffering can erode trust in the world, life and God. Yet, if we look at it aright; if we are willing to trust the message of suffering, to learn from its lashes, so to speak, then the gifts that suffering brings into our lives are of incredible richness. Many who have suffered significantly will say that they would never have chosen the life of suffering if the choice had been available to them, but now that they have endured the trial, they are a better or more complete person for it. Not everyone will say this, to be sure, but many will. And I think that is what Paul is getting at in these last few verses. Suffering can deepen us, giving us words, feelings, friends, and an attitude towards life that is at once grateful and humble. It, in fact, can counteract that very spirit of boasting that so much characterizes this passage.

Thus we end with Paul in the place where he often brings us--a paradox. He is at his most brilliant best when he tries to be linear in his thinking but ends up resolving everything in paradoxes. He doesn't do so explicitly here, but that is, I have argued, his implicit message. But praise God for the paradoxes--whether we boast or not; whether faith or works is central--for we are loved by God an in a community of people who share that sentiment. And this love leads to service, to study, to insight that will be helpful for others.

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Lent III--February 24, 2008 Trinity Sunday--June 3, 2007

Lent III--February 24, 2008
Trinity Sunday--June 3, 2007