Righteous God Who Justifies: A Study on the Relationship between the Demonstration of God’s Righteousness and the Justification of Sinners in Rom 3:24–26

Abstract

This article discusses the meaning of the phrase δικαιοσύνη αὐτοῦ, which is repeated twice in Rom 3:24–26, and its tradition-historical background. Thus far, the topic of the demonstration of God’s righteousness has not been sufficiently illuminated compared to the theme of justification by faith. Additionally, previous attempts to understand δικαιοσύνη αὐτοῦ as retributive justice or in accordance with the concept of צדקה‎ have not only distorted the meaning of δικαιοσύνη but also they have failed to explain convincingly how δικαιοσύνη αὐτοῦ is related to διὰ τὴν πάρεσιν τῶν προγεγονότων ἁμαρτημάτων and δικαιοῦντα τὸν ἐκ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ. Based on the analysis of text structure and key words, this study argues that Paul’s thinking, which relates the issue of God’s righteousness to the justification of sinners, is based on the Exodus tradition and the book of Isaiah.