An Alternative View to Romans 1 : Reading Paul through Wisdom 13–14—and Rethinking “Nature”

An Alternative View to Romans 1 : Reading Paul through Wisdom 13–14—and Rethinking “Nature”

Romans 1:18–32 is one of Paul’s most debated passages. In it, Paul describes the supposed downward spiral of humanity: from rejecting the knowledge of God to idolatry, to dishonorable passions, and finally to moral chaos. Christians have traditionally read this as Paul’s diagnosis of “natural law” and the depravity of the Gentile world.

But if you read it through Jewish eyes—especially with Wisdom of Solomon 13–14 in view—you get a more nuanced picture. And if you explore Paul’s use of the word “nature” (physis) throughout Romans, you may come away with a radically different understanding of what he means.

Paul’s Structure in Romans 1

Paul argues:

God’s invisible nature is clearly revealed in creation (Rom. 1:20).

People became idolaters despite this revelation. As a consequence, God gave them over to dishonorable passions, including women and men exchanging "natural" relations for "unnatural" ones (Rom. 1:26–27). He then lists a series of social and moral sins. To most modern Christian readers, “nature” here means God’s biological design—and “unnatural” means sexual behavior that violates this design. But what if Paul’s use of "nature" means something closer to custom or social norms—a meaning found both in ancient usage and Paul’s own letters?

Wisdom of Solomon and Idolatry as Social Decline

The background for Paul’s argument is not original—it mirrors the critique in Wisdom of Solomon 13–14:

Wisdom 13:1–9: People should have known God through creation, but they worshiped creation instead.

Wisdom 14:12–27: Idolatry is described as the root of fornication, injustice, and moral confusion. It introduced chaos and blurred moral lines in society.

Paul is clearly drawing on this tradition. But he then takes it in a direction that undermines Jewish covenantal thought, claiming that everyone—Gentile and Jew—is guilty.

“Nature” in Romans: Not Always Universal Law

“Nature” (Greek: physis)—especially in Romans 1:26–27:

“... their women exchanged natural relations (kata physin) for those that are contrary to nature (para physin).”

This has traditionally been read as a reference to Y@G being “against nature.” But that assumes physis means biological or universal moral order. That’s not always how Paul uses the term.

Romans 2:27

“...the uncircumcised who is by nature (physis) will judge you who, with the letter and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law.”

Here, Paul refers to a Gentile as being “by nature” uncircumcised—not by design or biology, but by cultural identity. Physis here refers to ethnic or customary condition, not divine order.

Romans 11:24

“You [Gentiles] were cut from what is by nature (kata physin) a wild olive tree and grafted, contrary to nature (para physin), into a cultivated olive tree...” Again, physis refers to status or cultivation, not divine law. The Gentiles being grafted in is “unnatural,” not because it violates biology, but because it breaks with expected norms—just like unnatural grafting in agriculture.

Rethinking Romans 1:26–27

So when Paul says women and men exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones, he may not be referencing biology, but rather social convention or customary expectations. In the Greco-Roman world, same-sex behavior (especially between elite men and boys or slaves) was seen as culturally “natural” to some, and unnatural to others. Jewish views varied, but Paul—rooted in Jewish thought—likely sees this as a symbol of Gentile cultural degradation, not merely personal sin. Thus, “unnatural” behavior in Romans 1 might reflect the wisdom tradition’s critique of cultural breakdown, not an eternal biological ethic.

Jewish Polemic Concerns

From a Jewish polemic perspective, several issues emerge:

1. Paul Uses Jewish Critique to Deconstruct Jewish Distinctiveness

Jewish wisdom literature used the critique of Gentile idolatry to affirm Israel’s unique calling. Paul uses it to conclude “all have sinned”, Jew and Gentile alike (Rom. 3:23).

This flattens the covenant and uses Jewish theological categories to prepare for their dismantling.

2. “God Gave Them Over” Sounds Like Abandonment—But Is It?

Romans 1 says God “gave them over” to a corrupted way of thinking. At first glance, this sounds like He abandoned them. However, the Wisdom of Solomon highlights God's ongoing patience and mercy, even toward those who worship idols. In fact, the idea that God would fully abandon people doesn't fit well with most Jewish theology of the time.

3. "Nature" as Custom Makes the Argument Rhetorical, Not Universal

If “natural” means customary, then Paul’s argument is less about moral absolutes and more about the Jewish lens on Gentile behavior—a view that he will later flip on its head in Romans 2.

Conclusion 

Paul’s use of “nature” in Romans 1 is not biologically fixed. It aligns with physis as custom, ethnic status, or cultural norms—a meaning consistent across Romans 2 and 11.

When you combine this with Wisdom of Solomon 13–14, it becomes clear: Paul is drawing on a Jewish critique of paganism, but using it to construct a new theological argument—one that ultimately collapses all human distinctiveness into a shared need for grace.

Jewish polemicists often view this move as:

Theologically unjust,

Scripturally manipulative, and

Politically subversive to Jewish identity and covenantal faithfulness.

Understanding “nature” as custom rather than creation order helps us see Romans 1 not as a static moral decree, but as a rhetorical device in Paul’s broader argument—and one that Jewish readers of his time would have immediately recognized, and likely resisted.

Romans 1:24–27 (Rewording)

24 Therefore, God allowed them to follow the dishonoring behaviors shaped by their idolatrous customs, and they used their bodies in ways that brought shame, even by their own societal standards.

25 They exchanged the truth of the living God for lies, and they revered created things—objects of their own making—rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise. Amen.

26 Because of this, God allowed them to engage in practices outside their cultural conventions. Even the women, who normally honored the customary roles of restraint and modesty, engaged in behaviors considered improper by their own standards.

27 In the same way, the men abandoned customary relations with women and were driven by coveting one another—acting out desires not rooted in love or mutual honor but in competitive indulgence. They committed disgraceful acts that reflected the disordered state of their culture, and they suffered the consequences of their own choices in themselves.