Oh, How the Philosophers Have Fallen! Origen and Augustine on the Referent of Rom 1:18–32

Abstract

To what extent was Paul familiar with competing philosophical alternatives? And to what extent were his writings offered as a response to and critique of such competitors? Although contemporary biblical scholars have called for a reexamination of the apostle Paul within his broader philosophical context, their efforts have differed widely in their methods of analysis and assessments of the evidence. By contrast, when questions about Paul’s philosophical context are raised to two of his most notable early interpreters, Origen of Alexandria and Augustine of Hippo, we find surprisingly similar answers given. Origen and Augustine’s respective exegesis of Rom 1:18–32 provides a salient example of their agreement. Though differing at times in emphasis, genre, and insight, Origen and Augustine nevertheless read Rom 1:18–32 as Paul’s specific and direct critique of the Greek philosophical class. That Origen and Augustine substantially agree in their readings of Rom 1:18–32 is not insignificant, especially given how profound their disagreements are when it comes to interpreting other passages in Romans. It belongs to this article to consider those readings carefully, with the presumption that their exegeses might offer additional exegetical insights into the ongoing effort to situate Paul’s Epistle to the Romans within its greater philosophical context. While the article does not attempt to settle the question of Paul’s historical referent per se , this study of Origen and Augustine may nevertheless lend additional exegetical support to those who have argued that the apostle’s indictment in Rom 1:18–32 is properly understood in light of other Hellenistic philosophical critiques.