Romans: Love One Another

Love one another

Text: Romans 13:8-14

Structure:

A. 13:8-10, don’t commit adultery 

  B. 13:11a, it is the hour

    C. 13:11b, our salvation is nearer than we first believed

  B’. 13:12-13a, the day is at hand; description of the day

A’. 13:13b-14, no orgies and drunkenness

Commentary:

St. Paul begins with an exhortation to love one another. He leaves no room for modern misgivings of psychoanalysis. Even Eric Berne’s ideas of transactional analysis are brought to an ultimate paradigm: regardless of a role one plays (parent, adult, or child), love is the approach a Christian wants to use in any circumstances. He supports his point by referring to the foundation core of Torah: even the Second tablet of 10 Commandments is based on love (Leviticus 19:18). IN our current culture, though, “love” is a difficult term to interpret – not every sexual or emotional desire IS love. Every time we see love we need to think about God’s expression of love on the Cross paying for the SINS of the world. Also, love should not become a tool/means to “climb a stairway to heaven.” We don’t earn God’s grace by loving our neighbor, we love our neighbor because we were loves by God, forgiven, and given grace.    

Jesus uses “the hour” metaphor in the Gospel of John (John 2:4; 4:21,23; 5:25,28 etc.). It is this decisive moment! Then beginning with chapter 12 He says that the hour has come (12:23,27,13:1 etc.) – for the history of the world came to the Passion Week. Using same paradigm the apostle applies “the hour” as a reference point in one’s life when it is time to “awake from sleep.” (13:11). He speaks in a similar term in his Letter to Ephesians (5:14). One of the possible reasons is the fact that God has a limit on His patience – at some point He leave sinners to their own sins (see, Romans 1:18-32, note how St. Paul uses “God gave them up” twice, v. 24 and 26).      

The central point for this block is the statement that Salvation is nearer. It can be understood in three ways (not self-exclusive). (1) It is nearer (easier to access) for the Gentiles; (2) it is at closest proximity and is available because Messiah has come; (3) regardless of the fact that the date for the return Christ is unknown, we are closer to it. First, prior to the Nativity Gentiles could be in relationship with God on two levels: fully convert and become Jewish (losing their Gentile identity) or being a God-fearer but this meant inability to participate at the Passover Table (which was foundational for the liturgical life under the Old Testament regulations). Now, as Paul argued above (chapter 4 – discussion of righteousness by faith exemplified in Abraham), faith gives an access to God for everyone: both Jew and Gentile alike.

Second, before Jesus came into this world, the people of God had to wait for the fulfillment of the promises. Since Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies and promises of OT Scripture, those who live after the first Christmas, can have an instant complete forgiveness and reconciliation with God (2 Cor. 5:19).

Third, even though there many arguments about the Second Coming of Christ and some groups want to base their theology of their precise prediction, we understand and confess that it will happen (sooner or later). Therefore, historically, we are closer/nearer to this moment day after day.           

Day vs. night – two aspects: moral and typological. On one hand, he brings moral examples of “night-type” behavior (see a parallel in Colossians 3:5-9). It’s an important to learn this “visual” for our conduct. On the other hand, we can read it typological: before the SUN of righteousness came into the world, it was “night” time of God’s creation (Malachi 4:1-2). At the initial creation God sets the model: there was evening, there was morning (see Genesis 1:5 etc.). Therefore, life under the institutions of the Old Covenant was a nightshift. A parade example of this we can see in John 3, visit of Nicodemus. Now, with Jesus we have the Day, or [at least] a Dawn, with the Day reaching the full strength at His Second Coming.