9 - Hypothesis describing Romans 1.16–4.25

Summary

Developing a teleological reading of Rom. 1.16–4.25, we complete our work in the whole sector of the hermeneutical circle by formulating an hypothesis describing the whole we are reading. Following our work in chapter 3, we need to describe what it is about and what kind of text it is. This hypothesis, consciously developed and used, will provide a new basic conception to guide our detailed reading. The studies in chapters 6–8, of the issue at stake, Paul's purpose and the nature of the text, provide the material.

Our hypothesis will be tested by the teleological reading it yields. By definition this does not deal with all of the meaning in the text, so it will not be comparable with readings in the mainstream debate, and therefore cannot be effectively tested against them. Before we offer it as our best answer to the question of what Paul was intending the Romans to hear when the text was read to them, we shall subject it to three tests. It must account for all of the text, making sense of it in sequence and without demanding impossible feats of comprehension from first-century listeners in the Roman church. This involves overcoming the problems identified in chapter 2. We must be able to see it as an intelligible part of the whole meaning of Romans. This requires that we can see it as the first stage of Paul's preaching and also as compatible with the justification account as a related element of meaning.