Romans 9-16 (Reformation Commentary on Scripture: New Testament)

Writing to the early Christians in Rome, the apostle Paul said, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Rom 12:2 ESV). Perhaps more than any other New Testament epistle, Paul's letter to the Romans has been the focus of Christian reflection throughout the church's history, transforming the minds and convicting the hearts of believers. Sixteenth-century reformer Martin Luther reflected the church's longstanding emphasis on this portion of the canon: "Let the Epistle to the Romans be the door and the key to holy Scripture for you; otherwise you will never enter into a proper understanding and comprehension of the Bible." In this volume of the Reformation Commentary on Scripture, Philip Krey and Peter Krey guide readers with care through a diversity of Reformation-era commentary on the second half of Paul's letter to the Roman church. Among the difficult issues addressed by Paul and commented on by early modern exegetes were the predestination of God's elect, the destiny of Israel, the role of Gentiles in salvation history, the ethical demands of the Christian life, and the Christian's relationship to the state. Here, readers will encounter familiar voices and discover lesser-known figures from a variety of theological traditions, including Lutherans, Reformed, Radicals, Anglicans, and Roman Catholics. The volume draws on a variety ofresources, including commentaries, sermons, treatises, and confessions, much of which appears here for the first time in English. Gathering together these Reformation-era reflections, it provides resources for contemporary preachers, enables scholarsto better understand the depth and breadth of Reformation biblical commentary and aids the ongoing transformation of the minds―and lives―of people today.

Philip D. W. Krey (PhD, University of Chicago) is president emeritus and professor emeritus of early and medieval church history at Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia.

Peter D. S. Krey (PhD, Graduate Theological Union) is a Lutheran pastor and professor. He has ministered in churches in Germany, New York, Philadelphia, and California. He also co-edited Luther?s Spirituality and The Catholic Luther, and he translated Thomas Kaufmann?s A Short Life of Luther.