Transcript Pauline Interpretation of Christianity: ROMANS

Pauline Interpretation of
Christianity:
ROMANS
RLST 212/Div/Rel 3162
TUESDAY Feb 14, 2012
Today’s Schedule
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4:00 Lecture Review + Your readings in
Gager/Patte
5:10 Rom 4:1-25 Roundtable
ZACHARY KING vs. Byrne
With Sarah Jane, Erica Geurts, Miladys Pérez
JILL DAVIS vs. Moo
With Jesse Reese and Jessica Cinefro as respondents
Daniel PATTE vs. Jewett
With Ben Taylor and Michael as respondents
PROPOSAL FOR RESEARCH PAPER:
Due Tuesday February 22
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Your proposal will include three parts:
1) a Step # 1 Report (as usual):
Following the model of the weekly exercises
(using Step # 1, Form) , choose as a topic
for your paper -- use your “overall/major
problem
a) two passages from the Letter to the
Romans
You will have signed up for a text in the
last part of Romans ch. 8 – 16 ;
PROPOSAL FOR RESEARCH PAPER:
Due Tuesday February 21
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a) two passages from the Letter to the Romans
You will have signed up for a text in the last part of Romans ch. 8
– 16 ;
One or Two papers on some aspects of Romans
8:1-39
Two papers on some aspects of Romans 9:1—11:36
One or Two papers on some aspects of Romans
12:1—21
One or Two papers on some aspects of Romans
13:1-14
Two papers on some aspects of Romans 14 -15
One papers on some aspects of Romans 16
Review.
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When you read Paul… beware of the
unknown.
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Instead of thinking: “I know what it
means”
All key concepts are unknown
“faith” ????
“gospel”
Use pour web-page
Paul’s Algebra….
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NRS Romans 4:16 For this reason it depends on [faith] =
X, in order that the [promise] = Y may rest on [grace] = Z
and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the
adherents of the [law] = W but also to those who share the
[faith] = X of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us,
NIV Romans 4:16 Therefore, the [promise] = Y comes by
[faith] = X, so that it may be by [grace] = Z and may be
guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring-- not only to those who
are of the [law] = W but also to those who are of the [faith]
= X of Abraham. He is the father of us all.
KJV Romans 4:16 Therefore it is of [faith] = X, that it
might be by [grace] = Z; to the end the [promise] = Y
might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the
[law] = W, but to that also which is of the [faith] = X of
Abraham; who is the father of us all,
NAB Romans 4:16 For this reason, it depends on [faith] =
X, so that it may be a gift = Z, and the [promise] = Y may
be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only
adhere to the [law] = W but to those who follow the [faith]
= X of Abraham, who is the father of all of us,
Atonement
(Rom 2 and 3) (Review)
1.
2.
3.
Forensic/Theological: Propitiation = appeasing
God’s righteous wrath against sinners (problem
is with God)=God needs to be reconciled with us
1.
Gospel: good news = Christ died instead of
us; was punished instead of us; Vicarious
Sacrifice
New Covenant/Pastoral: Expiation = expunging
sins (problem is with humans) = Humans need to
be reconciled with God (humans are angry
against God)
•
Gospel: good news of God’s love reaching to
all, calling ALL to be part of God’s People.
Cross = Covenantal sacrifice
APOCALYPTIC/MESSIANIC: Redemption = freeing from bondage (problem is
with humans) = Humans are in bondage to powers of evil; they are under the
dominion/power (part of the kingdom) of Death, Sin, evil
•
Gospel: good news of God’s/ Christ saving people from powers of evil.
Cross as Redemption sacrifice
Atonement
(Rom 2 and 3) (Review)
1.
2.
3.
FORENSIC/THEOLOGICAL: Propitiation = appeasing God’s
righteous wrath against sinners (problem is with God) = God
needs to be reconciled with humans
•
Gospel: good news = Christ died instead of us; was punished
instead of us; Vicarious Sacrifice
NEW COVENANT/PASTORAL: Expiation = expunging sins (problem
is with humans) = Humans need to be reconciled with God
(humans are angry against God)
•
Gospel: good news of God’s love reaching to all, calling ALL
to be part of God’s People. Cross = Covenantal sacrifice
APOCALYPTIC/MESSIANIC: Redemption =
freeing from bondage (problem is with humans)
= Humans are in bondage to powers of evil; they
are under the dominion/power (part of the
kingdom) of Death, Sin, evil
•
Gospel: good news of God’s/ Christ saving
people from powers of evil. Cross as
Redemption sacrifice
Sin (Rom 2 and 3) (Review;
differences
between NC/P & A/M)
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F/T Sin = Willing rebellion against God, = we
are responsible for it, feel guilty, offense against
God, & should be punished (to satisfy God);
propitiation satisfies God
NC/P: Sin = impurity-shame (original sin)
that makes us angry against God and destroy
just relationship with others; from which we need
to be cured-healed; reconciled with God
(expiation)
A/M: Sin = A Power (“the power of sin”)
which keeps humans in bondage; addiction,
idolatry destructive for self and for others; from
which we need to be freed (redemption)
Atonement (Rom 2 and 3)
(Review; )
1.
2.
3.
F/T: Propitiation = appeasing God’s righteous
wrath against sinners
•
Gospel: Christ died instead of us; Vicarious
Sacrifice
NC/P: Expiation = expunging sins = Humans
need to be reconciled with God
•
Gospel: God’s love calling ALL to be part of
God’s People. Cross = Covenantal sacrifice
A/M: Redemption = freeing from bondage =
Humans in bondage to powers of evil; Death,
Sin
•
Gospel: God’s/ Christ saving people from
powers of evil. Cross = Redemption
sacrifice
The Gospel, Power of God for Salvation 1:16
(Review Paul’s two tracks in NC/P an
Forensic/Theological: Gospel as message about Jesus
Christ, the good news about salvation of anyone who
believes it; a powerful news = frees believers from
1.
guilt/fear
New Covenant/Pastoral: Gospel as message about
Jesus Christ that establishes a new (covenantal)
relationship with God (= salvation), including both Jews
and Gentiles; powerfully affects, transforms our
2.
relations with other people (honor and shame effects)
Apocalyptic/Messianic: Gospel as manifestation of
God’s power, manifestation of the risen Christ with power
that he does intervenes today
3.
•
saving people from powers of evil, as seen
(recognized) through eyes of faith: Will Briggs’s question:
Yes, Paul's letter does address a lack of ability if it is
read as a PROMISE that God does intervene today, that
one can see fulfilled today.
LAW AND ROMANS
(Forensic/Theological)
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Law of the Old Testament
Wrong View: Law as Canon expressing the will
of God that righteous people should carry out to be
saved through “work righteousness.”
But people always fail to carry it out … because it is a
matter of the (circumcision of the) heart –motivation
(root problem: WILL)
Right View: For Christians, justified by faith: faith
comes to fruition in works of the Law [as Lamp to
my feet],
it should be gladly and willingly followed when
motivated by the Gospel;
then the Law functions, together with the Gospel,
as the Good News (of God’s love)= instruction from
the creator on how to put our life together
LAW AND ROMANS (NC/PNew
Perspective; )
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Law of the Hebrew Bible [[=TORAH]] as a
part of the covenant between God and Israel
that remains valid for Jews.
Wrong View : when this Law is taken as
Canon/Rule of the Community that excludes
Gentiles.
Right View : Book of the Covenant between
God and Israel that remains valid for Jews. For
Gentile Christians, now also in the (inclusive)
Covenant with God through faith, the Law
functions as Book of the Covenant for both
Jews and Gentiles, though Gentile Christians
can carry out their vocation in their own way,
apart from the Law—though it is fulfilling the
Law (summarized in the Law of love).
LAW AND ROMANS (New Covenant
/Pastoral/New Perspective)
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Galatian 5:13-14 (NRSV) For you were called to freedom,
brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an
opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become
slaves to one another. 14 For the whole law [[=TORAH]] is
summed up in a single commandment, "You shall love
your neighbor as yourself."
Romans 13:8-10 the one who loves another has fulfilled the
law [[=TORAH]]. 9 The commandments, "You shall not
commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You
shall not covet"; and any other commandment, are summed up
in this word, "Love your neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does
no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the
law. [[=TORAH]]
Makes sense, acceptable to Jews? Not truly, unless they
recognize Jesus as Messiah. So two distinct branches of the
“people of God”. In the NC/P/New Perspective. (Erik is right)
… except for Apocalyptically minded Jews.
LAW AND ROMANS
(Apocalyptic/Messianic) But
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Law = Torah = Promise fulfilled in Christ and
in believers/church.
Right View: The Law is “holy, just and good” = a
revelation from God. Yet it is not a complete and
final revelation. It is promise (it promises life),
Corrective Glasses (that reveals sins), Holy
Scripture (that shatters our self-confidence by
confronting us with the Holy).
Christ as fulfillment of the promise is “the end of
the Law” (= what the Law points to) and other new
revelations as on-going fulfillments of the promises.
Wrong View: But if the Law = Torah is taken
as the complete and final revelation, then as an
idol it becomes destructive. This is the problem Paul
denounces.
Today: Shifting back and forth between
F/T & NC/P Metaphorical Frames
1.
FORENSIC/THEOLOGICAL Frame: =
1. God = a just judge, who is angry
against sinners
2. Humans = sinners, offend God, should
be punished
3. Jesus Christ is punished instead of
sinners = cross as vicarious sacrifice =
propitiation appeasing God’s wrath
4. By “believing in Jesus” = “believing
that” if one puts oneself at the benefit
of the cross then one is at peace with
God
Today: Shifting back and forth between
F/T & NC/P Metaphorical Frames
NEW COVENANT/PASTORAL Frame:
1.
2.
3.
4.
God = a God who wants a covenant with ALL
people, so that with God’s help God’s people will
establish God’s kingdom, i.e. a society/world
that will a) glorify God and b) be characterized
by God’s justice = just interhuman relationship
Humans = sinners, reject God, need to be
reconciled to God (and to each other)
Jesus Christ died for sinners = to reconcile us
with God; covenantal sacrifice = expiation,
expunging our sins, appeasing our anger
against God by showing God’s faithfulness
toward us
Jesus’ faithfulness calls humans to faithfulness
The gospel as the power of God for salvation
to everyone who has faith
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For Luther and Stuhlmacher:
“Salvation” = salvation from God’s
condemnation at the final judgment
You cannot earn it: you cannot be saved
from final condemnation by good works:
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works-righteousness = impossible. Thus,
everyone is condemned
You can only be saved by “grace” =
graciousness of God = forgiveness
That one must accept in “faith” = belief
that Christ died instead of me (belief in
truth of this statement)
Were Pharisees advocating
“works-righteousness”? No!
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E.P. Sanders: No! against this forensic
interpretation. Impossible for Paul, the Jew
who follows Christ “Covenantal nomism”
(1975)
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Cf, Pam Eisenbaum, Paul Was Not a Christian: The
Original Message of a Misunderstood Apostle
(2009)
They may trust in God’s forgiveness when
they repent, Yom Kippur, sacrifices.
James Dunn: “Ancient Judaism is not a
religion of works-righteousness and
boasting before God, but a religion of the
prevenient grace of God” “It knows
justification by faith and lives by it” (PS 39)
Paul’s new message as apostle: this
justification by faith and grace is also for
For Stuhlmacher: Sanders-Dunn give a
one-sided view of Judaism
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Many texts in Ancient Judaism
(especially Qumran, and Apocalyptic
texts) speaks about the coming
final judgment
About the works of righteousness
following someone at the final
judgment
In order to be saved, one needs
to have works of righteousness
BUT: Stuhlmacher also gives a
one-sided view of Judaism
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No distinction between Pharisaic
Judaism (Paul the Pharisees),
Sadducees, and the Qumran sect, and
other Apocalyptic sects… Judaism is
NOT monolithic
No clear research on Jewish
“soteriology”
Ask a main-line (rabbinic, Pharisaic)
faithful Jew: Do you need to be
saved?
The answer: No. I am already saved.
Stuhlmacher’s reading of Paul’s
Eschatology & Soteriology (53)
Mission, vicarious death, resurrection
& exaltation of Jesus Christ
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New people of God is gathered by apostles
Second coming (parousia) of Christ
in power
2.
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Transformation and participation of
believers in kingdom
The End = the Final Judgment
3.
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Believers are justified and glorified
Judgment of the cosmos (all people) &
fallen angels
The creation is redeemed the Kingdom is
fully established
Stuhlmacher on process of
justification
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Atonement and reconciliation should
not be distinguished: justification =
atonement
Believers share in Jesus’ atoning death
(key text is Rom 3:24-26)
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Vicarious understanding of Jesus’ death
Justification by faith alone =
justification by virtue of the grace of
God alone
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Opens the saving way of faith and power of
the Spirit
Salvation of Israel, when free from
hardening & with faith
Answering your question, by
reading Rom 1:16-18
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Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed (!) of the
gospel; it is the power of God for salvation
[from what? For what?] to/of everyone who
has faith [?], to the Jew first and also to the
Greek. 1:17 For in it the righteousness/justice
of God is [present] revealed from faith to faith
[NAB; evk pi,stewj eivj pi,stin NRSV through faith for
faith; NIV, by faith from first to last]; as it is
written, "The righteous [just] by faith will
live.” 1:18 For the wrath of God is [present]
revealed [?] from heaven against all
ungodliness/impiety and wickedness/injustice
of those who kateco,ntwn suppress/hold
back/control/possess / the truth by/in [their]
wickedness/injustice.
The righteousness/justice of God
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Forensic. A) Characteristic of God as a righteous
just judge, who condemns the unrighteous or
justifies; B) the righteous moral life and right
relationship to God we should have; given to
believers through faith
“of God” Objective genitive.
Righteousness/Justice=holiness which characterizes
God (Cranfield; Schlier)
Pastoral/New Perspective. A) just, holy, loving
act of God (God’s justice is manifested in history of
Israel and of Jesus through the covenant and new
covenant that he freely offered) that humans should
emulate in their lives with others (manifesting the
just, holy, loving rule of God)
“Of God” Subjective genitive: the justice which
God performs as subject (includes Dunn, 166;
Jewett, etc. since Schlatter)
The righteousness/justice of God
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Forensic. A) Characteristic of God as a righteous
just judge, who condemns the unrighteous or justifies;
“of God” Objective genitive.
Pastoral/New Perspective. A just, holy, loving act of
God (God’s justice manifested in history of Israel and of
Jesus through the covenant and new covenant that he
freely offered) “Of God” Subjective genitive: the justice
which God performs
Messianic/Apocalyptic: Justice as the kind of
right/just relationship that God wants to and does
establish among people; believers, including
oppressed powerless people, can experience it now;
they are empowered by the gospel and can see
through faith manifestations of God’s justice and
kingdom.
“Of God” Subjective genitive: the justice which God
performs
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Caravaggio, 1600
Title?
Paul’s Conversion
on the Way to
Damascus?
Paul’s Commission
on the Way to
Damascus?
Paul’s
transformative
Experience of
Mystery on the
Way to Damascus?
An important
choice?
Gager says YES,
most important
Caravagio. 1600 Paul’s Conversion
'Jesus is Messiah . . . and the
Jews be damned'
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"Is it possible to say 'Jesus is Messiah'
without, implicitly or explicitly, saying
at the same time, 'and the Jews be
damned'?" Rosemary Radford Ruether
Faith and Fratricide: The Theological Roots of AntiSemitism. (1974; p. 246)
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No it is not possible with a “traditional”
= forensic reading of Paul
Affirming that Paul converted from
Judaism, i.e., from work
righteousness… then
A star … a tattoo
A camp… 6 million dead
John Gager Reinventing Paul
(5-9) Apparent
contradictions about Israel and the Law?
3:20 no one will be declared righteous in his
sight by observing the law; rather, through the
law we become conscious of sin.
 3:1-2 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what
is
 the value of circumcision? Much, in every way.
 9:31 but Israel, who did strive for the
righteousness that is based on the law, did not
succeed in fulfilling that law.
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3:31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith?
 By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
 7:7 What then should we say?
 That the law is sin? By no means!
 7:12 So the law is holy,
 and the commandment is holy and just and good.
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John Gager Reinventing Paul
(5-9) Apparent
contradictions about Israel and the Law?
11:28 As regards the gospel they are enemies of
God for your sake;
 11:1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people?
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By no means! I
 11:26 all Israel will be saved;
 11:29 for the gifts and the calling of God
 are irrevocable.
John Gager Reinventing Paul (11-15)
How to resolve these tensions?
We are dealing with an enormous
cultural artifact: adopted by Gnostics
(Marcion) and the anti-Gnostic
(catholic) church
 If you miss Paul’s rhetorical strategies,
 you will get it wrong
 Recognize that preexisting
interpretations are embedded in all
translations, and dictionaries, even
grammars
 Always use several translations
 (see 3:25)
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John Gager Reinventing Paul 11-15
How were these tensions resolved?
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Suppressing the contradictions we
perceive, by emphasizing one side (the
anti-Israel side), and excluding the
other (the pro-Israel side)
 Sanders:
Paul never argued that there
is anything
 wrong with Judaism (only superseded)
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Paul’s Rejection-replacement of
Judaism by the church (supersession)
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Stendahl, Gaston, Stowers, Lodge:
 NO supersession
John Gager Reinventing Paul
How were these tensions resolved?
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Beware of cultural myopia
Gager’s Solution: avoid reading Paul from
an alien remote contextual perspective
(i.e., later Christianity)
Interpret only from the perspective of
Paul’s context (without pre-understandings)
Then = REAL PAUL
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Sorry: this is a problematic denial by Gager
of his own contextual perspective
But an Important Post-Holocaust
Covenantal Reading of Paul
J.Gager Reinventing Paul (22-27) Argument for Paul’s
conversion from Judaism?
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Philippians 3:5-6; 8-9 (next # 1) =
language of convert
But convert from what to what? From
Judaism to Christianity? NO. Paul
remained a Jew, now believing in
Jesus as Messiah
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Compare to some of you who converted
from the denomination in which you were
raised to another denomination – because of
a religious experience
Galatians 1:13-16 (next # 2) a call to
a special prophetic vocation for
Philippians 3:5-9
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NRSV 5 circumcised on the eighth day, a
member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of
Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the
law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of
the church; as to righteousness under the law,
blameless.
7 Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come
to regard as loss because of Christ. 8 More
than that, I regard everything as loss because
of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus
my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss
of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in
order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in
him, not having a righteousness of my own that
comes from the law, but one that comes
through faith in Christ, the righteousness from
God based on faith.
Galatians 1:13-16
compare Jer 1:5 (Isa 49:1)
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NRSV 13 You have heard, no doubt, of my
earlier life in Judaism. I was violently
persecuting the church of God and was trying
to destroy it. 14 I advanced in Judaism beyond
many among my people of the same age, for I
was far more zealous for the traditions of my
ancestors. 15 But when God, who had set me
apart before I was born and called me through
his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son to
me, so that I might proclaim him among
the Gentiles/nations, I did not confer with
any human being,

Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I
knew you, and before you were born I consecrated
you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations."
John Gager Reinventing Paul
Paul & the Law (27-42) F/T:
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Forensic/Theological: Law =what Paul
struggles against, then rejects
Jewish Law when one has zeal for it, full
devotion to it
Law as a way to righteousness & salvation
through legalistic works of the law:
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justification through works of the law vs
through faith
This Law brings death (Rom 7:10)
= Sadducees’s view of Law and covenant
(may be); BUT not the Pharisees’ and
Paul’s
Gager Reinventing Paul = New Perspective (New
Covenant/Pastoral reading; NC/P)
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Guilt & forgiveness is not the issue; no
introspective consciousness before Augustine
(Stendahl)
Gospel with the Law = for Jews; part of their
covenant relationship
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The way for Israel to carry its vocation as a
chosen people called to bring about the
glorification of God among Gentiles
Gospel without the Law = for Gentiles =
including them in the new covenant
Law is problematic (distorted, against the
covenant) when it excludes others
(Gentiles)
Beyond Gager Reinventing Paul
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Law for Apocalyptic/Messianic reading (A/M)
Law = Torah = a promise = holy, just, and
good (as all of Scripture—especially prophets):
all the stories of Torah are types/promises
A promise fulfilled in Jesus (who also fulfills the
prophecies) and the church
Law becomes deadly when it is held to be a
complete and final revelation (when it is
not, since it is promises of new revelations) =
making an absolute of what is not absolute =
making an idol out of it
Law becomes a manifestation of the power of
sin
J. Gager Reinventing Paul (22-27) Argument for
Paul’s conversion from Judaism? F/T
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Plenty of Textual evidence that one can
choose to emphasize
Philippians 3:5-6; 8-9 = language of a
convert
Galatians 1:11-16 = conversion… because
of a revelation from Jesus Christ (next # 2)
Abandon the “tradition of his ancestors”;
abandon the Law (preaches a gospel
without the law)
Now full of zeal for the gospel
J. Gager Reinventing Paul (22-27) How F/T view
of conversion (& sin) leads to the Holocaust?
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Jeff’s question: how is this forensic/theological perspective
lead to the Holocaust?
Conversion: = Abandoning the “tradition of his ancestors”;
abandon the Law (preaches a gospel without the law)
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Following these wrong teachings is a deliberate sin (based on
wrong will and/or wrong knowledge)
Thus Paul Rejects Judaism to convert to Christianity
Because Christianity, the gospel, supersedes Judaism
Saying 'Jesus is Messiah/Christ' is saying at the same time,
'and the Jews be damned'?“ (cf. Rosemary Radford Ruether
Faith and Fratricide, p. 246)
Then the Holocaust.
J.Gager Reinventing Paul (22-27) Argument for
Paul’s conversion from Judaism? NC/P
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But convert from what to what? From
Judaism to Christianity?



Compare to some of you who converted from a
Christian denomination in which you were
raised to another Christian denomination –
because of a religious experience; conversion
from Christianity to Christianity
Yes, transformation because of his religious
experience… but FOR what?
Galatians 1:13-16 (next) a call to a
special prophetic vocation for
gentiles/nations
Galatians 1:11-16
Individual
experience? Experience with community?
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NRSV For I want you to know, brothers and
sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by
me is not of human origin; 12 for I did not
receive it from a human source, nor was I taught
it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus
Christ.
13-16 You have heard, no doubt, of my earlier life
in Judaism. I was violently persecuting the
church of God and was trying to destroy it. I
advanced in Judaism beyond many among my
people of the same age, for I was far more
zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. But
when God, who had set me apart before I was
born and called me through his grace, was
pleased to reveal his Son to me, so that I might
proclaim him among the Gentiles/nations, I did
not confer with any human being,
Galatians 1:13-16
compare Jer 1:5 (Isa 49:1)

NRSV 15 But when God, who had set me
apart before I was born and called me
through his grace, was pleased 16 to
reveal his Son to me, so that I might
proclaim him among the
Gentiles/nations, I did not confer with
any human being,


NRSV Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in
the womb I knew you, and before you were
born I consecrated you; I appointed you a
prophet to the nations (= Gentiles)."
NAB Isaiah 49:1 The LORD called me from
birth, from my mother's womb he gave me
my name.
J.Gager Reinventing Paul (22-27)
NC/P No conversion from Judaism



Paul remained a Jew
Received a vocation comparable to
that of the prophet; through his
encounter with Christ he discovered
himself as called to be a prophetapostle to the nations/gentiles
Still believed in the God of
Abraham, in the Law (Torah) and
the prophets as Scripture, in the
promised Messiah, etc. etc.
J.Gager Reinventing Paul on Galatians (79-80)
From Paul the Pharisee to Paul the Apostle




Why was the circumcision (berith) the key issue in the
dispute between Paul and the Galatians?
Knowing that the same Hebrew word berith refers to
both “covenant” and to “circumcision” (the ritual for
entrance in the covenant), one can recognize that the
key issue revolved around 2 questions:
Who could be deemed justified or saved?
Or, in Jewish terms (of Paul the Jew, the JewishChristian church, and Gentiles who adopted a Jewish
proclamation, regarding Jesus Christ was the Messiah)
who belonged to the people of God—the people of
the covenant with God?

For Paul’s opponents (Gentiles who claimed the
authority of James, and possibly Peter) this meant
“only those who belonged to the people of Israel
were deemed justified or saved” (79-80).
What is being “justified”? = being set in
a right relationship with God?

Forensic: making the “guilty” right
before the righteous judge = being
forgiven


So God’s wrath is appeased, God’s honor is
satisfied; the sinners’ debts are paid
New Covenant/Pastoral: people
(Jews and Gentiles) have been
“called” to be the chosen people of
God … instead of remaining
separated from God
1 Thessalonians 1:2-5
Romans 1:1, 7


1 Thess. 1:2-5 We always give thanks to God for
all of you and mention you in our prayers,
constantly remembering before our God and
Father your work of faith and labor of love
and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus
Christ. 4 For we know, brothers and sisters
beloved by God, that he has chosen you, 5
because our message of the gospel came to you
not in word only, but also in power and in the
Holy Spirit and with full conviction
Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ,
called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel
of God, 1:7 To all God's beloved in Rome, who
are called to be saints:
What is being “justified”? = being set in
a right relationship with God?

1.
2.
3.
New Covenant/Pastoral: people
(Jews and Gentiles) have been “called”
to be the chosen people of God …
instead of remaining separated from
God … called in a covenant with God:
being “set right with God” in this
Covenant involves:
God chose/called them = election
For something = a vocation
Carrying out this vocation: 1 Thess
1:3 “your work of faith and labor of
love and steadfastness of hope”
J.Gager Reinventing Paul on Galatians (80-85)
From Paul the Pharisee to Paul the Apostle




Paul argues against the view that “only those who
belonged to the people of Israel were deemed
justified or saved”.
But what argument is this?
a) a theological argument debating (with Jews
and Jewish Christians) the Jewish doctrine of
justification and salvation in favor of a different
understanding of how one is justified and saved?
Or
b) a Covenantal legal argument debating
(with Gentiles) the definition of “people of the
covenant” and who belongs to it?
J.Gager Reinventing Paul on Galatians (80-85)
From Paul the Pharisee to Paul the Apostle




For Paul’s opponents (Gentiles who claimed the
authority of James, and possibly Peter) “only
those who belonged to the people of Israel
were deemed justified or saved” (79-80).
Does Paul argue in Galatians 3-5 that Judaism is
to be rejected and replaced by Christianity,
because Jews are not the true heirs of Abraham?
No!
or b) Does Paul argue in Galatians 3-5 that the
circumcised Gentiles (Paul’s opponents)
misunderstand who are those who belong to the
people of the covenant –who are the children of
Abraham and Sara—and how one belongs to the
covenant? (Gager, 86-99).
Patte, 96-98


Is fulfilling the “Laws” in order to
receive “blessings” a proper
understanding of the
Pharisaic/Rabbinic legalistic view?
The vocation of Israel that Pharisees
believed they should fulfill with the
help of the law was the
“sanctification of the Name.” What
does this vocation entails? (Patte, 100-04)
Patte (from Early Jewish Hermeneutics
in Palestine, 1971/1974) Covenant
Sadducees (Work
Righteousness)
1) Law
 Fulfilled
 Legalistic,
rituals
2) Blessings
 Rewards
 “Being
saved” by
works
Pharisees (Paul Pharisee)
1) Election by God


Unwarranted
Blessings
Unilateral blessing
(Exod 20:1) =
salvation
2) Vocation

Being people of
priests for the nations
3) Law

What people need to
do to fulfill its
vocation
Patte (from Early Jewish Hermeneutics
in Palestine, 1971/1974) Covenant
Pharisees (Paul Pharisee)
1) Election by God

Unwarranted
unilateral Blessings

God’s intervention

(Exod 20:1) =
salvation
2) Vocation

Being people of
priests for the
nations= sanctifying
the Name
3) Law

What people need to
do to fulfill its
vocation
Apocalyptic Judaism
1) Election by God

Unwarranted unilateral
Blessings

God’s intervention (Exod
20:1) = “promised
salivation”

PRESENT intervention by
God defeating evil =
salvation
2) Vocation

Being people of priests for
the nations = sanctifying
the Name
3) Law

What people need to do to
fulfill its vocation
Patte, 104-1117

What is implied by saying that in the
Pharisaic/Rabbinic haggadic
perspective sacred history is closed?
(Patte, 104-109)

What is implied by saying that in the
Pharisaic/Rabbinic halakic
perspective, the “way to walk” of the
chosen people is constantly open to
new cultural situation? (Patte, 109-117)
Philippians 3:5-9


NRSV 5 circumcised on the eighth day, a
member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of
Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the
law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of
the church; as to righteousness under the law,
blameless.
7 Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to
regard as loss because of Christ. 8 More than
that, I regard everything as loss because of the
surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my
Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all
things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order
that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not
having a righteousness of my own that comes
from the law, but one that comes through faith in
Christ, the righteousness from God based on
faith.
4:1-12 . As Diatribe
(R. Jewett’s Commentary)

1 ‘Therefore what shall we say that Abraham our
forefather found/gained according to flesh?’


2/ For if Abraham was set right through works, he has a
boast, but not in reference to God.
3/ ‘For what does the scripture say?’

"Now Abraham believed in God and it was reckoned to
him as righteousness." (Gen 15:6)
4/ Now to the
one who works, his pay is not reckoned as a gift but as an
obligation, 5/ but to the one who doesn't work yet has
faith in the one who sets right the impious, his faith is
reckoned as righteousness. 6/ Just as also David
pronounces the blessing upon the person to whom God
reckons righteousness apart from works:
7/ "Blessed are those whose iniquities have been
forgiven
and whose sins have been covered up;
8/ blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will in no
wise reckon." (Ps 32:1-2)
4:1-12 . As Diatribe
(R. Jewett’s Commentary)

9/ ‘Is this blessing therefore upon the
circumcision or also upon the uncircumcised
foreskin?’


For we say [that] "the faith was reckoned to
Abraham as righteousness."
10/ ‘How therefore was it reckoned?’ While he
was in (the state of) circumcision or in
uncircumcised foreskin?’

Not in circumcision but in uncircumcised foreskin!
11/ And he received a sign of circumcision, a seal of
the righteousness through faith [that he had] while
in uncircumcised foreskin, that he might become
the father of all who have faith while in foreskin,
that righteousness might be reckoned to them, 12/
and the father of circumcision, not only to those
who are circumcised, but also to those who walk in
the steps of the uncircumcised foreskin faith of our
father Abraham.
Rom 4: “The promise to Abraham
and the promise of the gospel”
Rom 4: “Abraham believed God, and it was
reckoned to him as righteousness/justice”