Romans 1.1-5 and Paul’s Christological Use of Hab. 2.4 in Rom. 1.17: An Underutilized Consideration in the Debate

Abstract

Romans 1.1-5 provides contextual evidence that Paul cites Hab. 2.4 in Rom. 1.17 as a reference to Christ. Within the rhetorically and epistolographically significant expansion of the letter opening, Rom. 1.1-5 introduces the εὐαγγέλιον θεου̑ as being about Christ and, more specifically, his resurrection – as promised beforehand ‘through the prophets in the holy writings’. Given certain recognizable correspondences between 1.1-5 and 1.16-17 and Paul’s continued association of Christ with the gospel in 1.9, Rom. 1.1-5 prepares the reader to hear ὁ δὲ δίκαιοϛ ἐκ πίστεωϛ ζήσεται in 1.17 as a prophetic reference to Christ, the Righteous One who will live because of his faithfulness.