In recent Pauline scholarship several studies have been offered addressing Paul's remarks about the final judgement. Various strands of scholarship have been troubled by Paul's remarks that the final judgement is according to works, given the way in which justification is understood. Others have argued that there is little to no connection between (initial) justification and the final judgement. In the present volume, Byrne, known especially for his previous work on sonship in Paul and a commentary on Romans in the Sacra Pagina series, traces Paul's remarks about the final judgement across the major letters before offering a synthesis of Paul's view of the salvation process. Byrne's main thesis is captured in this statement: ‘There is then, as I will argue, an intrinsic and indeed causal connection between the way believers live in the present time and their secure passage through the last judgement to the full blessings of salvation’ (p. 3).
Byrne's study begins with the claim that Paul must be read in the context of ancient Jewish apocalyptic. Jewish apocalyptic offers an eschatological perspective in which a last judgement according to one's works has a crucial role. To establish this claim Byrne surveys a wide swath of Jewish texts. These texts are not always strictly apocalypses, but do in some way connect to what scholars refer to with the term ‘apocalyptic’. Byrne emphasises the eschatological elements of the texts and particularly the role ascribed to the last judgement. Salvation, he contends, depends on a favourable outcome at the last judgement, and this is attained through one's works.
After a brief discussion of ‘righteousness’ language in Paul's letters, Byrne next investigates Paul's remarks about the final judgement. One chapter is devoted to the major Pauline letters apart from Romans. For the analysis of Romans, which amounts to over a third of the book, Byrne discusses each section of the letter individually, with particular attention given to Romans 5–8. Paul's conception is complicated by his eschatological scheme in which time is split between a now and not yet, and believers find themselves living in the overlap between the ages. Byrne argues that, like the Jewish apocalyptic texts, Paul holds that ‘the gaining of salvation depends on being found righteous at the judgment’ (p. 69).
After tracing Paul's remarks about the last judgement, the next chapters offer a synthetic description of Paul's understanding of salvation by tracing the human problem, God's redemptive act and the future resurrection. The volume concludes with some theological reflections, which function in part as a summary of the key ideas advanced in the previous chapters. Readers may find it helpful to begin with this chapter before reading the exegetical analysis of the Pauline letters since it is here that the most important claims are succinctly stated.
Byrne's study reviews a large number of texts and deals with a variety of important theological issues, as one would expect from a study on the final judgement in Paul's thought. What draws these various elements together is Byrne's insistence that Paul thought the world was headed toward a final judgement according to works. At the core of this study, then, is the claim that how one lives in the present matters at the judgement. As noted, Byrne contends that human obedience has a significant place in the salvation process. He thus places a heavy emphasis on human agency. Yet, unlike other studies, such as that of C. VanLandingham (Judgment and Justification in Early Judaism and the Apostle Paul), Byrne contends that the Spirit is active in human obedience. In fact, he stresses that ‘the capacity that believers have to live out the righteousness required at the judgment stems entirely from their life in Christ and is the product of the Spirit within them’ (p. 70). In view of this connection, the judgement ‘will focus on how they have maintained and lived out their existence in Christ’ (p. 241). ‘Any merits’, he concludes, are ‘the merits of Christ’ (p. 242). With this conclusion, Byrne seems to be trying to walk a tight line between Paul's emphasis on union with Christ and human action. What seems to be missing at this point is any clear explanation of how this works and what it means for the judgement. Is the criterion of judgement the believer's own works or those of Christ? And if it is, in fact, the believer's personal works, in what sense can the believer have any confidence that the works will be found sufficient?
Such questions should not distract from the merits of Byrne's study. Regardless of whether readers find his conclusions convincing, his analysis certainly draws us back to the wonder and complexity of Paul's letters, and encourages believers to more faithful obedience. Readers will find much to value and discuss.
