Study Notes: “Faith of Jesus” in Romans

Here are some thoughts on a topic we might want to touch on in class. The bigger
issue is the relationship of Christian virtue to Christ's virtue. Again ,this is just background material for our discussion next week.


Topic: The “Faith of Jesus” in Romans

This article will describe and argue for an interpretation of “faith” in the book of Romans that emphasizes the importance of “the faith of Jesus” to our salvation. This interpretation depends on awareness of an alternative translation of the phrase “faith in Jesus” at Romans 3:22 and 3:26. As we shall see, another possible rendering of this phrase is “the faith of Jesus.” The two options are depicted below, underneath the Greek (transliterated):

Transliterated Greek of Rom 3:22: dia pistews Iesou Christou
Objective Genitive Translation: “through faith in Jesus Christ”
Subjective Genitive Translation: “through the faith of Jesus Christ”

The difference between the two translations depends on how the translator understands the grammatical construction of the Greek phrase. In Greek, the grammatical case for possession is called “the genitive.” For example, take this English clause: “the love of Jane.” In Greek, “Jane” would be in the genitive case. The genitive case is complicated by the fact that it can be rendered as either a “subjective genitive” (e.g., the love that is possessed by the subject, Jane), or an “objective genitive” (e.g., the love that has Jane as its object). How to translate the genitive is a matter of context and usage. In Romans 3, the phrase “faith in Jesus Christ” is a genitive phrase which has traditionally been translated as an objective genitive (i.e., the faith that has Jesus as its object). The other possibility is the subjective genitive (i.e., the faith possessed by Jesus). The question of what rendering is correct is debated by scholars of Hellenistic Greek and the New Testament. I will not rehearse the debate here; I will, however, share with you my opinion that the subjective genitive (“the faith of Jesus Christ”) is not only a plausible rendering of this crucial phrase, it is the most plausible translation given the context and Paul’s usage of the phrase elsewhere.

The implications of this alternate translation are significant, but it is important to emphasize what this alternative translation does NOT mean. This translation does NOT mean that human faith (i.e., our individual and collective trust and belief in God) is not important to the righting of the human relation with God (i.e., our “justification”). In other words, this translation does not mean that only ”the faith of Jesus” is important to justification. As you know, we could point to a number of passages to demonstrate the importance of our belief in Jesus (e.g., Rom 1:16), but we need look no further than Romans 3:22. Even if we translate the debated phrase as I suggest, the passage reads like this: “. . . even the righteousness of God through the faith of Jesus Christ, for all those who believe.” So, even in the debated verse, the importance of the believer’s faith is indicated, alongside the importance of Jesus’ faith (if you accept the translation I am suggesting).

So, what does the “faith of Jesus” mean and what is its significance? Full answers to these questions are outside the scope of this brief treatment. Here I will only sketch a picture that will provide a basis for your further investigation of the biblical evidence. I will list some of the evidence from Romans for “the faith of Jesus. Other evidence is forthcoming, especially from Galatians 2.

In Romans 3, “faith” is again mentioned in verse 25 (Greek = “dia tes pistews” “through the faith”). According to this verse, it was “through faith” that God displayed Jesus as a propitiatory sacrifice. I understand this to mean that it was through Jesus’ faith/fidelity that redemption was made possible (see v. 24). Notice also that v.25 states it was through this faith that God demonstrated God’s righteousness. This is also the meaning of Romans 3:22 and 3:26, if we accept the rendering “the faith of Jesus” in these verses. In short, even if you only accept the traditional translation of verse 22 and 26 (“faith in Jesus”), verse 25 is evidence that “the faith of Jesus” is important in Romans. I’m suggesting that it is much more important than we normally realize.

In Romans 4, Paul explains how Abraham’s descendents are his heirs “through the righteousness of faith” (4:13). This righteousness has two requirements: 1) “belief” (4:11), and also 2) “following in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham” (4:12). Abraham is here described a model of the faith that his descendents should have. Remember also that in Romans 4 the faith of Abraham is described as making possible God’s promise of righteousness to Abraham’s faithful descendents. In a parallel way, the faith of Jesus is a model for those who would be justified (Acts 3:26), and is also that which made possible the justification in the first place (Acts 3:22, 25). In short, the translation “faith of Jesus” in Romans 3 is parallel to “faith of Abraham” in Romans 4.

In Romans 5, as part of the grand comparison of Adam and Christ, Paul concludes by stating what caused justification to be available to all men. Paul states that the “justification of life” resulted “through one act of righteousness” and “through the obedience of the One,” that is, the obedience of Christ (5:18-19). Obedience is here synonymous with faith and is indicative of what the “faith of Jesus” means in Romans: a loving fidelity or faithfulness to God, especially as demonstrated by Christ’s obedience to God on the cross. Evidence for this understanding of the “obedience of Jesus” is the unique use of the phrase “the obedience of faith” in Romans. Indeed, the location of the phrase at both the beginning and end of the book (1:5 and 16:26) suggests its programmatic importance to Romans (see also 6:17, 15:18). The phrase might also be translated “the obedience which is faith” or “faithful obedience.”

In light of the foregoing evidence, the oft stated theme of Romans -- “justification by faith” -- would be more appropriately designated: “justification by the obedience of faith.” This is because Romans teaches that the justice/righteousness of God by which we are justified was made possible and revealed by the faith of Jesus, that is, Jesus’ obedience to God on the cross (Rom 3:21; 5:19), and that we are justified through Jesus’ faith only insofar as we are “of the faith of Jesus” (Rom 3:26). What it means to have the faith of Jesus is of concern in Romans 6, where “life in Christ” (Rom 6:11) is detailed in terms of a servitude to (Christ’s) obedience (6:16) that manifests itself in heartfelt and committed obedience (6:17), and that results in righteousness and eternal life (6:16, 22). The “form of teaching” (6:17) that we obey is synonymous with the “law of [Jesus’] faith” (3:27), “the footsteps of faith” (4:12), “the law of God in the inner man,” (7:22, 25), “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus,” (8:2), “mind set on the Spirit,” (8:4-6), “the Spirit of Christ” (8:9), “the Spirit of God” (8:14), “the image of [God’s] Son,” “a measure of [Jesus’] faith” (12:3), “the Lord Jesus Christ” (13:14), “the mind according to Christ Jesus” ( 15:5), “the gospel of God/Christ” (15:16, 19), and the “obedience of faith” (16:26).

To explore this topic further, I suggest using a concordance to search for the word “faith” in Paul’s letters and Hebrews, noting locations where the word occurs in connection to Jesus.