Page 38 - New Testament Survey Student Textbook

Gaebelein
Harrison points out that Paul here was alluding to the righteousness of God as known in the OT (Isa
46:12, 13, KJV, NASB; 61:10). Harrison quotes Ziesler saying, “In the Hebrew tradition, early and late,
God’s righteousness is the way He acts, notably in maintaining the covenant” (Ziesler, p.188). Harrison
adds that obviously, the character of God is involved in the sense that what He does and provides must
be in keeping with His nature (Gaebelein, p. 19). Harrison finally sates that “if salvation as God provides
it and offers it is fully in keeping with His righteous character, then it has integrity.” He adds “If it
satisfies God, man can be content with it” (Gaebelein, p. 19). Therefore, for Harrison, the “righteousness
of God,” means His attribute as well as His act of maintaining the covenant with His people Israel and
the gentiles who come to the faith in Christ which is through the gospel.

Douglas Moo
Douglas Moo gives three main options for the meaning of the phrase: First is that it might mean “God’s
justice or rectitude” (p.65). Moo adds that the phrase is rooted in the OT meaning of “God’s
righteousness,” as denoting God’s faithfulness to his covenant with Israel, or more generally to His
creation as a whole (p.66). The second view is that the righteousness of God” might refer to a status
given by God [as a genitive of source – righteousness from God], or as objective genitive –
“righteousness that is valid before God.” In third view, Moo explains that “the righteousness of God
might also mean that the gospel manifests “the saving action of God”’ (p.67). Moo then concludes that
the options given are “neither exhaustive nor mutually exclusive,” but that two or more of the ones
given are usually combined in the interpretation of Rom.1:17.

James D. G. Dunn
James believes that “the righteousness of God” is a “Covenant faithfulness of God” to restore and
sustain Israel and those who come to the faith in Christ (p.42). James clarifies further that this
understanding of Paul’s language mainly exerts two issues which have troubled Christian theology for
centuries (p.42). First, is “is ‘the righteousness of God’ subjective genitive or objective genitive; is it an
attitude of God or something He does (p.42)?” James himself answers that, “Seeing as God’s meeting of
the claims of His covenant relationship, the answer is not a strict either-or, but both-and, with the
emphasis on the later” (p.41). Second is, “Does “the righteousness of God” also include the thought of
judgment (“the wrath of God” [1:18])?” James answers that, “that is less likely in 1:17 itself since it is
righteous as “gospel/good news (p.42).”’

Schreiner
For Schreiner, the righteousness of God consists of both His saving and judging righteousness (p.78). He
further states that “the saving and judging righteousness find their resolution in the gospel” (p.78).
Schreiner seems to argue against James answer to his [James] second question.

Summary:
• Notably, the three Scholars above, namely, Gaebelein, Moo, and Dunn point out that the phrase
has its root connection to the Old Testament understanding of God’ faithfulness in maintaining
His covenant with His people (Israel) which is now being revealed in the gospel.

• Secondly, all scholars agree that, the righteousness of God also might mean the saving act of
God through the gospel.

• Third option is an agreement among the three scholars: Gaebelein, Douglas Moo, and Dunn,
that the righteousness of God has a sense of both objective genitive expressed in three ways:

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