The Word is Near You: A Study of Deuteronomy 30:12-14 in Paul's Letter to the Romans in a Jewish Context / Edition 1

by Per Jarle Bekken

Overview

The study deals with a difficult and much-debated text in Paul’s Letter to the Romans, 9:30-10:21. The study in particular analyses Paul’s use and interpretation of Deuteronomy 30:12-14 in Romans 10:4-17. Scholars have characterized Paul’s exegesis here as idiosyncratic, fanciful, baffling, and arbitrary. By a comparison with Jewish writings near Paul in time, such as the writings of Philo of Alexandria and Baruch, the thesis is argued that Paul’s treatment of Deuteronomy 30:12-14 can be located within Jewish exegetical method, expository structure, terminology as well as content and context.

In comparison with Baruch and Philo, it has been shown that Paul’s handling of Deuteronomy 30:12-14 can be placed within a Jewish context as to the way the biblical quotations are rendered. The thesis is substantiated that Paul’s expository rendering of Deuteronomy 30:12-14 follows the method of exegetical paraphrase of a biblical quotation. So, in comparison with Baruch and Philo, Paul’s interpretative rendering of Deuteronomy 30:12-14 falls within a form of exposition, in which words, phrases and sentences from the Old Testament quotation are either repeated or replaced by interpretative terms and supplemented with other qualifying terms. Thus, Paul’s christological exposition of Deut 30:12-14 can be located within the method of exegetical paraphrase, with a parallel in Baruch’s application of this OT Scripture to the personified ‘Wisdom’.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783110193411
Publisher:	De Gruyter
Publication date:	11/20/2007
Series:	Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft , #144
Edition description:	Reprint 2012
Pages:	294
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Per Jarle Bekken, Oslo UniversityCollege, Oslo, Norway.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements     vii
Abbreviations     ix
Chapter 1
Introduction     1
The Focus of the Study     1
Survey of the Current State of Research     3
Deuteronomy 30:11-14 in its Immediate Literary Context     3
Paul's Rendering of Deut 30:12-14: Quotation or Not?     4
Exegetical Method, Structure and Terminology     6
Paul's Interpretation and Application of Deut 30:12-14 in Jewish Context     8
The Christological Exposition of Deut 30:12-14     9
The Juxtaposition of Deut 30:12-14 and Lev 18:5. Why these Texts?     10
The Attribution of Deut 30:12-14 to the Issue of Righteousness by Faith     12
Eschatological Application and Perspective     15
The Approach, Method and Course of the Study     19
Chapter 2
Literary Observations on the Surface Level     25
Approach     25
Taxonomy of Textual Features Instrumental for the Analysis     26
De Virtutibus 183-184: Literary Context, Textual Organisation and Line of Thought     28
Literary Context     28
Textual Organisation and Line of Thought     30
De Praemiis et Poenis 79-84: Literary Context, Textual Organisation and Line of Thought     35
LiteraryContext     35
Textual Organisation and Line of Thought     38
Romans 10:4-17: Literary Context, Textual Organisation and Line of Thought     42
Literary Context     42
Textual Organisation and Line of Thought of Rom 10:4-17 within the Literary Context of Rom 10:1-21     45
Chapter 3
Exegetical Method, Structure, and Terminology     53
Thesis and Approach     53
The Method of Exegetical Paraphrase     54
Exegetical Structures and Terminology     69
Summary     80
Chapter 4
Conversion of Jews and Gentiles: De Virtutibus 183-184 in its Literary Context     83
Approach     83
Conversion within the Jewish People and as Proselytism     83
Deut 30:11-14 and the Conversion from Discord to Harmony     94
Conversion to Membership within the true People of God     102
Some Final Remarks     112
Chapter 5
The Law and the Future Hope of Blessings: De Praemiis et Poenis 79-84 in its Literary Context     115
Approach     115
Obedience to the Law as a Condition for the Future Hope of Blessings     117
The Eschatological Blessing of Victory over the Enemies     122
The Law, Wisdom and Worship of the People of God     138
Some Final Remarks     151
Chapter 6
Christ, the Law, Israel and the Nations: Rom 10:4-17 in its Literary and Jewish Context     153
Thesis and Approach     153
The Juxtaposition of Lev 18:5 and Deut 30:12-14. Why these Texts?     153
The Attribution of Deut 30:12-14 to the Righteousness by Faith     154
Eschatological Application and Perspective     155
Israel and the Righteousness of the Law     157
Christ, the Law and the Righteousness of Faith     166
Christ and the Cross-National Community of Jews and Gentiles     193
Christ, Israel and the Nations     198
Summary     219
Final Summary     223
Bibliography     231
Sources and Reference Works     231
The Bible: Texts and Translations     231
Jewish texts     231
Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha     231
Josephus and Philo     231
Qumran     232
Rabbinic Literature     232
Greek and Latin Sources     233
Early Christian texts     234
Lexica and Tools     235
Secondary Literature     236
Index of Modern Authors     265
Index of References      271

Editorial Reviews

"Anyone doing advanced research on Paul's usage of Scripture or on Romans 9-11 will find a stimulating conversation partner here."
Max Rogland in: Presbyterion Convenant Seminary Review 36/1

From the Publisher