SUFFERING WITH CHRIST AS THE REALITY OF THE NEW COVENANT : READING SUFFERING IN ROMANS IN LIGHT OF PAUL’S VIEW OF THE NEW COVENANT DESCRIBED IN 2 CORINTHIANS 3 AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO HIS SUFFERING

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This dissertation explores how Paul’s experience of suffering, as depicted in 2 Corinthians, shaped his presentation of suffering in the Letter to the Romans. While previous scholarship has examined Paul’s theology of suffering in either 2 Corinthians or Romans, few studies have considered how Paul’s recent experiences described in 2 Corinthians influenced what he later wrote in Romans. This study addresses this gap by reading Romans in light of Paul’s understanding of the new covenant, as articulated in 2 Corinthians By examining Paul’s view of the new covenant in 2 Corinthians 3 and its relationship with suffering, this study argues that Paul’s understanding of suffering takes on new meaning under the reality of the new covenant. Within this reality, Paul’s suffering becomes the means by which God’s power and glory are manifested and signifies his participation with Christ. Reading Paul’s letter to the Romans in light of the new covenant demonstrates that Paul’s experience of suffering becomes paradigmatic for understanding his theology of suffering in Romans 5:1–11, 8:14–39, and 1:16–17. This study contributes to Pauline scholarship by demonstrating that in Romans, Paul presents the gospel as God’s solution to suffering. By reading Romans in light of Paul’s experience of suffering as a new covenant minister, this dissertation reveals that the gospel transforms suffering from a sign of divine wrath into the means of participation with Christ. Suffering as participation with Christ thus becomes central to the reality of the new covenant, where God’s power is paradoxically manifested through weakness.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• ABSTRACT i
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii
• LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS vi
• CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1
• 1. CURRENT STATE OF RESEARCH 3
• 1.1 J. Christiaan Beker 4
• 1.2 David E. Fredrickson 5
• 1.3 E. P. Sanders 7
• 1.4 Siu Fung Wu 9
• 2. THE QUEST FOR READING ROMANS IN LIGHT OF 2 CORINTHIANS 10
• 2.1 Grounds for Studying Romans in Light of 2 Corinthians 11
• 2.2 The Studies of Romans in Light of 2 Corinthians 17
• 3. EVALUATION AND RESEARCH PROBLEM 19
• 4. AIM OF THE STUDY 21
• 5. METHODOLOGY 25
• 6. CONTENT AND OUTLINE OF THE DISSERTATION 29
• CHAPTER 2 SUFFERING AND THE NEW COVENANT IN 2 CORINTHIANS 3 . 32
• 1. PAUL AND THE NEW COVENANT ACCORDING TO 2 CORINTHIANS 3 32
• 1.1 The Literary and Historical Context of 2 Corinthians 3 35
• 1.2 Paul’s Intertextual Reading of the New Covenant 36
• 1.3 Paul’s Understanding of the New Covenant Ministry 42
• 1.4 Summary: 2 Corinthians 3 as Representing the New Covenant Reality 54
• 2. PAUL’S SUFFERING AND THE NEW COVENANT 55
• 2.1 The Paradox of Power in Weakness as the Manifestation of the New Covenant 56
• 2.2 Summary: Suffering as the New Covenant Reality 69
• 3. CONCLUSION 70
• CHAPTER 3 SUFFERING PRODUCES HOPE: READING ROMANS 5:1–11 IN LIGHT OF THE NEW COVENANT 72
• 1. THE LITERARY PLACEMENT OF ROMANS 5:1–11 72
• 2. THE NEW COVENANT IN ROMANS 5:1–11 75
• 2.1 Peace and Reconciliation with God 75
• 2.2 The Outpouring of God’s Love through the Spirit 77
• 2.3 Summary: The New Covenant Reality in Romans 5:1–11 78
• 3. SUFFERING IN ROMANS 5:1–11 79
• 3.1 The Paradox of Boasting in Suffering 79
• 3.2 Suffering Produces Hope 87
• 3.3 The Experience of Glory Amidst Suffering 93
• 3.4 Summary: Paul’s Experience of Suffering as Paradigmatic for Suffering in Romans 5:1–11 98
• 4. CONCLUSION 99
• CHAPTER 4 PRESENT SUFFERING AND FUTURE GLORY: READING ROMANS 8:14–39 IN LIGHT OF THE NEW COVENANT 102
• 1. THE NEW COVENANT IN ROMANS 8 102
• 1.1 Living in the Spirit 103
• 1.2 Spirit of Adoption 106
• 1.3 Summary: The Reality of the New Covenant in Romans 8 108
• 2. SUFFERING IN ROMANS 8 108
• 2.1 Participation in Christ’s Suffering as the Reality of God’s Children 109
• 2.2 The Present Suffering and Future Glory 122
• 2.3 The Certainty of Glory in Suffering 133
• 2.4 Summary: Paul’s Experience of Suffering as Paradigmatic for Suffering in Romans 8:14–39 137
• 3. CONCLUSION 138
• CHAPTER 5 SUFFERING AND THE GOSPEL: READING ROMANS 1:16–17 IN LIGHT OF THE NEW COVENANT 140
• 1. THE NEW COVENANT IN ROMANS 1:16–17 142
• 2. SUFFERING IN ROMANS 1:16–17 145
• 2.1 The Paradox of Shame 146
• 2.2 The Gospel and The Problem of Suffering 160
• 2.3 Summary: Paul’s Experience of Suffering as Paradigmatic for Suffering in Romans 1:16–17 172
• 3. CONCLUSION 173
• CHAPTER 6 CONCLUSION 175
• 1. SUMMARY 175
• 2. SYNTHESIS AND IMPLICATION 177
• BIBLIOGRAPHY 182