Who is Romans 7:14-25 Talking About?
Halfway through Romans 7, the Apostle Paul begins to talk about himself…maybe. In fact, a debate has been going on for the last two millennia over who exactly Paul had in mind in this passage. In the 4th century, Augustine was convinced that Paul was talking about himself but pre-conversion…then he changed his mind and said, no, it’s Paul post-conversion. N.T. Wright, perhaps the preeminent Pauline scholar of our day, says Paul is writing about Israel under the law and using “I” metaphorically. The possibilities at times feel endless. Perhaps you’ve read this passage before and come away wondering what in the world Paul is talking about:
“…I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate…I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.”
Does this describe Paul before he met Jesus? Is this a description of the normal Christian experience? Or is Paul talking about someone else, either another unconverted person or perhaps a young Christian who has not yet matured sufficiently in their faith? Recently I sat down with my good friend Dan Masshardt to discuss these questions, not necessarily to come up with a definitive answer but rather to sit under God’s word and allow him to use it to shape us as his disciples. Listen in and let me know what you think!