“하나님의 법”(롬 7:22, 25; 8:7)에 대한 또 다른 이해

Abstract

In Paul’s epistles, νόμος is usually translated as a codified “law” such as the “law of Moses” or the “Old Testament”. If one interprets the sentence in which this word is used only with its fixed meaning, he or she may have a limited understanding without any choice. Indeed, with regard to today’s situation in which such an understanding is dominant, W. Bauer, J. P. Louw, and E. A. Nida criticize attempts to confine the meaning of νόμος to only the written law. Pondering the situation associated with the word, I explore in this study the meaning of the “law of God” (7:22, 25; 8:7) in Romans. By examining some translations of this phrase and the various opinions of scholars, I reveal that the most important difference in understanding this phrase stems from the word νόμος; translations consistently allude it to a codified “law”, and many scholars appear to limit its meaning to the law of Moses. Although some scholars translate it as “principle”, they do not take the contextual situation into account, and do not adequately disclose the meaning of the phrase. I give several examples of its meanings in history. By exposing its various meanings, I draw on the presupposition that when a word has multiple meanings, it must be revealed within the surrounding context to uncover the meaning of the word. In addition, showing that Paul uses a wordplay with νόμος in Romans, I lexically and grammatically maintain that θεοῦ in the phrase is a subjective genitive, and νόμος is a “principle”. In 7:14-25 where the phrase appears twice, there is a matter of scholarly debate as to whether it was Paul’s pre-Christian experience or his Christian experience. Still, I recognize it as a Christian experience, investigating how the “inner being” (7:22) and “mind” (7:25) relate to “the law of God.” Importantly, the “inner being” and “mind” represent the inside of a believer, and the law of God resides within the believer. In 8:1-17, the phrase occurs once with “flesh” (8:7). Considering that “flesh” and “Spirit” are opposites in the paragraph. The phrase signifies a “principle” essential to the life of a believer. Scrutinizing this phrase in context in this way, I show, in the light of Paul’s eschatology in Romans that “the law of God” implies the eschatological tension/conflict in believers. On the basis of these findings, I argue that the law of God is a “God-given principle”, that is, “the Holy Spirit”.