The Crux of Election: Paul's Critique of the Jewish Confidence in the Election of Israel (Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen Zum Neuen Testament 2.Reihe) 3161486900, 9783161571008, 9783161486906

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Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament • 2. Reihe Herausgeber / Editor Jörg Frey Mitherausgeber / Associate Editors Friedrich Avemarie • Judith Gundry-Volf Martin Hengel • Otfried Hofius • Hans-Josef Klauck

202

Sigurd Grindheim

The Crux of Election Paul's Critique of the Jewish Confidence in the Election of Israel

Mohr Siebeck

S I G U R D G R I N D H E I M , b o m 1 9 6 8 ; 1 9 9 5 cand. theol., The Norwegian Lutheran School of Theology, Oslo; 2002 Ph.D. in New Testament Studies, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois; currently Assistant Professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois.

ISBN 3-16-148690-0 ISSN 0340-9570 (Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum N e u e n Testament, 2. Reihe)

978-3-16-157100-8 Unveränderte eBook-Ausgabe 2019

Die Deutsche Bibliothek lists this publication in the D e u t s c h e Nationalbibliographie; detailed bibliographic data is available in the Internet at http://dnb.ddb.de. © 2005 M o h r Siebeck,Tübingen, Germany. This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any form (beyond that permitted by copyright law) without the publisher's written permission. This applies particularly to reproductions, translations, microfilms and storage and processing in electronic systems. The book was printed by G u i d e - D r u c k in Tübingen on non-aging p a p e r and bound by Buchbinderei Held in Rottenburg/N. Printed in Germany.

In memory of Per Grindheim (May 11, 1928 - March 6, 1997)

Preface This work is a revised and expanded version of my dissertation, "Paul's Critique of the Jewish Confidence in the Election of Israel in 2 Corinthians 11:16-12:10 and Philippians 3:1-11." The dissertation was accepted by the faculty of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Theological Studies in December, 2002. It is my privilege to thank the many people who helped me on the long way from the initial idea to the completion of this work. My professor at Fjellhaug Mission Seminary, Dr. Norvald Yri, stimulated my interest in Pauline studies with his engaging lectures. The influence of my Doktorvater, Dr. D. A. Carson, will be evident to the discerning reader throughout the following pages. With his almost legendary way of letting students know what his standards were, he inspired me to hard work. His probing questions also forced me to think critically about what I was doing. His kind commitment to helping me deceived me into believing that he did not have anything else to do! For that I will always remain in his debt. I also wish to thank the other members of my dissertation committee, Dr. Peter T. O'Brien, Dr. Willem VanGemeren, and, during its initial stages, Dr. Douglas J. Moo, for their critical engagement with my work and most useful suggestions for its improvement. More informally, I have also benefited tremendously from a number of encouraging friends, who have taken a great interest in my work and whose insights have helped me through many an impasse. Mr. Quentin Stewart, Dr. Daniel Treier, Dr. Frank Thielman, Dr. Nicolai Techow, and Dr. Paul Hoskins all have their part in this work. I must, however, mention especially Dr. Mark Seifrid. Our conversation at the ETS conference in 1998 was instrumental in transforming my vague ideas into a thesis. Dr. Karl Olav Sandnes also most graciously took time out of his busy schedule to discuss my work. One year before its publication, he generously gave me the manuscript of his book, Belly and Body in the Pauline Letters. His kind help jump-started my own work on Philippians. Thanks are also due George Brown Davis, who kindly granted me permission to use his dissertation, "True and False Boasting in 2 Cor. 10-13." When the time came to prepare this work for publication, Dr. Jorg Frey read it with an impressive attention to detail as well as a critical engagement with my ideas. His valuable suggestions helped me expand my thesis into a

VIII

Preface

book. I also had the considerable fortune to be able to share some of the results of my research with the attendees at the Pauline Letters session of the 2004 annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. I thank all those who raised critical questions and challenged me to clarify my argument. Thanks above all to the formal respondent, Dr. Margaret Mitchell, who was exceptionally thorough in her interaction with me. Many others have assisted me in valuable ways. I would like to thank the library staffs of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and the United Library of Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary and Seabury Theological Seminary. With kindness, patience, and great competence they have helped me track down the most obscure titles. I must also thank Mr. Steve Siebert, the programmer of the Nota Bene word processing software. Together with his support staff, he has patiently answered all my questions and walked me through the many features of the program. His software has greatly simplified everything from organization of my research to producing a camera ready copy of the book. The process of expanding the dissertation into a book has been considerably aided by my industrious graduate assistant at TEDS, Mr. Niels Pauli Nonstein, who did bibliographic research for me. When the time came for c o m p l e t i n g the m a n u s c r i p t , Mrs. Melanie Eckner edited and proofread it with impressive care and saved me from many mistakes. For that I am most grateful. On more levels than I can express, I owe a debt of gratitude to my mother, Inger-Johanne, and my father, the late Per Grindheim. Through her constant sacrifice for my good, my mother has supported me with love and enthusiasm. The untimely death of my father prevented him from seeing even the inception of this work. But no one would have been more happy than he to see its completion. The memory of his love, his faith in me, and his passion to support everything I did bring tears to my eyes as I write this. Over the past few years, having this book accepted by Dr. Jorg Frey for publication in the WUNT series is the second best news I have received. The best news came a year earlier, when Melissa agreed to marry me. Through her love, she has been a great inspiration to me. She also has a big share in this book, through her interest in my research, interaction with my ideas, and help with my writing. Above all, I give thanks to my heavenly Father. My meditation on his grace inspired me to embark on the journey of this project, and the vistas he has opened on the way continue to amaze me. May this book bring glory to his name! Evanston, May 11, 2005

Sigurd Grindheim

Table of Contents Introduction A. Scope B. Thesis C. Method

Chapter 1: Election in the Scriptures of Israel A. General Observations B. Reversal of Values 1. Deuteronomy 7 C. Privilege and Obligation 1. Separation: Deuteronomy 2. Accountability: Amos D. Rejection and Restoration 1. The Book of Jeremiah 2. The Book of Isaiah 3. Ezekiel 16 4. Election and the Lord's Name 5. The Remnant E. Conclusion

Chapter 2: Election in Second Temple Judaism

1 2 3 4

7 8 9 9 13 14 14 15 17 19 25 28 29 33

35

A. Sirach and the Wisdom Literature B. 1 Enoch

35 40

C. Jubilees D. Psalms of Solomon

44 48

E. The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs F. Qumran 1. The Treatise on the Two Spirits (1QS 3:13-4:26) 2. The Thanksgiving Hymns 3. The Damascus Document 4. The True Israel G. Philo 1. The Name Israel 2. Non-Jewish Israelites? 3. Election 4. Conclusion H. Conclusion

53 55 55 58 65 67 69 69 71 73 75 75

Chapter 3: Boasting according to the Flesh: 2 Corinthians 11:16-12:10 . . A. The Opponents B. The Jewish Prerogatives (11:22) C. Paul's Response

77 78 84 88

X

Table of Contents 1. T h e F o o l ' s Speech ( l l : 2 1 b - 1 2 : 1 0 )

89

2. P o w e r in W e a k n e s s (11:30; 12:5, 9)

100

3. Boasting according to the Flesh (11:18)

105

D. Conclusion

Chapter 4: Confidence in the Flesh: Philippians 3:1-11 A. Chapter 3 in the Context of Philippians 1. T h e Purpose of Philippians B. Verse 2: The Opponents

109

110 Ill 113 119

C. Verse 1: Joy in the Lord as the Purpose of 3 : 1 - 1 1

123

D. Verses 2-6: Paul's Rejected Credentials

124

E. Verses 7 - 1 1 : The Christ Pattern

129

F. Conclusion

134

Chapter 5: Election Validated through Judgment: Romans 9-11

136

A. T h e Privileges ( 9 : 4 - 5 a )

139

B.

Deconstruction ( 9 : 6 - 2 9 )

141

1. T h e Definition of Israel ( 9 : 6 b - l 3)

142

C.

2. T h e Potter Allegory ( 9 : 1 4 - 2 3 )

146

3. T h e Reversal Includes the Gentiles ( 9 : 2 4 - 2 6 )

148

4. T h e Remnant ( 9 : 2 7 - 2 9 )

150

Israel's Failure ( 9 : 3 0 - 1 0 : 2 1 )

D. Re-Construction ( 1 1 : 1 - 3 2 )

E.

156 158

1. The Remnant Revisited ( 1 1 : 1 - 6 )

159

2. The Reversal ( 1 1 : 7 - 1 0 , 2 5 - 3 2 )

161

3. Jealousy ( 1 1 : 1 1 - 2 4 )

162

4. The Olive Allegory ( 1 1 : 1 7 - 2 4 )

164

5. Salvation of All Israel ( 1 1 : 2 5 - 3 2 )

165

Conclusion

168

Chapter 6: Election and Reversal of Values in the Pauline Letters A. The Undisputed Letters

169 169

1. R o m a n s

170

2.

171

1 Corinthians

3. 2 Corinthians

175

4. Galatians

179

5. Philippians

183

6.

1 Thessalonians

B. The Disputed Letters

183 187

1. Ephesians

187

2. Colossians

188

3. 2 Thessalonians

190

4. T h e Pastoral Epistles

192

C. Conclusion

193

Chapter 7: Conclusion

195

Chapter 8: The New Perspective on Paul

198

Table of Contents

XI

Bibliography

201

Index of References

245

Index of Modern Authors

269

Subject Index

281

Introduction Since the publication of E. P. Sanders's Paul and Palestinian Judaism in 19771 there has been a renewed interest in the study of Paul's soteriology against its Jewish background. Most of these studies have focused on the role of the Mosaic law. Even though there is wide agreement that election is essential to the soteriology (or more precisely, soteriologies) of Second Temple Judaism, few studies have looked at the Pauline understanding of divine election as compared to the understanding(s) in contemporary Judaism.2 This tendency is all the more surprising since Paul delivers a sharp 1

For an overview of subsequent studies, see Douglas J. Moo, "Article Review: Paul and the Law in the Last Ten Years," SJTAQ (1987): 287-307; Colin G. Kruse, Paul, the Law and Justification (Leicester: Apollos, 1996), 37-53; Stephen Westerholm, Perspectives Old and New on Paul: The "Lutheran" Paul and His Critics (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2004), 164— 248. 2 Sanders's work has been criticized by many scholars. These scholars rarely focus on the function of election, but usually on the role of works and the law, e.g., Robert H. Gundry, "Grace, Works and Staying Saved in Paul," Bib 66 (1985): 1-38; C. F. D. Moule, "Jesus, Judaism, and Paul," in Tradition and Interpretation in the New Testament: Essays in Honor of E. Earle Ellis for His 60th Birthday (ed. Gerald F. Hawthorne and Otto Betz; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1987), 43-52; Stephen Westerholm, Israel's Law and the Church's Faith: Paul and His Recent Interpreters (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1988); Brice L. Martin, Christ and the Law in Paul (NovTSup 62; Leiden: Brill, 1989); Frank Thielman, From Plight to Solution: A Jewish Framework for Understanding Paul's View of the Law in Romans and Galatians (NovTSup 61; Leiden: Brill, 1989); Mark A. Seifrid, Justification by Faith: The Origin and Development of a Central Pauline Theme (NovTSup 68; Leiden: Brill, 1992); Martin Hengel and Roland Deines, "E. P. Sanders' ' C o m m o n Judaism,' Jesus, and the Pharisees," JTS 46 (1995): 1 - 7 0 ; Timo Laato, Paul and Judaism: An Anthropological Approach (trans. T. McElwain; Studies in the History of Judaism 115; Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1995); I. Howard Marshall, "Salvation, Grace and Works in the Later Writings in the Pauline Corpus," NTS 42 (1996): 3 3 9 - 5 8 ; Douglas J. Moo, The Epistle to the Romans (NICNT; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996), 2 1 1 - 7 ; Lauri Thuren, Derhetorizing Paul: A Dynamic Perspective on Pauline Theology and the Law (WUNT 124; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2000); Peter Stuhlmacher, Revisiting Paul's Doctrine of Justification: A Challenge to the New Perspective (Downers Grove: IVP, 2001), 40^1; Simon J. Gathercole, Where is Boasting? Early Jewish Soteriology and Paul's Response in Romans 1-5 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002); Seyoon Kim, Paul and the New Perspective: Second Thoughts on the Origin of Paul's Gospel ( W U N T 140; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2002); Westerholm, Perspectives. Cf. also most of the essays in D. A. Carson, et al., The Paradoxes of Paul (vol. 2 of Justification and Variegated Nomism: A Fresh Appraisal of Paul and Second Temple Judaism; WUNT 11/181; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2004). Peter O'Brien has provided a more comprehensive critique of the new perspective, including his evaluation of the role of election in Paul and Second Temple Judaism ("Was Paul a Covenantal Nomist?" in Justification and

2

Introduction

critique of a Jewish understanding of the election of Israel in two passages: 2 Corinthians 11:16-12:10 and Philippians 3:1-11.

A. Scope The aim of this study is to understand one particular aspect of Paul's thought: his critique of Jewish confidence in the election of Israel. By confidence in election I mean the conviction that by virtue of divine election the Jews (or some of them) belong to the people of God and therefore enjoy God's favor. Paul's critique of this confidence occurs in 2 Cor 11:16-12:10 and Phil 3:111.

In these two passages Paul refers to Jewish prerogatives. By using the words 'Iopar|MTTi„," in TDNT 3:646. Translation taken from Demosthenes, vol. 2 (trans. C. A. Vince and J. H. Vince; LCL; Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1926), 25. Similarly, Ovid has Odysseus show considerable reluctance when calling attention to his noble birth. He only does so because Ajax has made a point of it in the comparison between the two. Odysseus can trace his divine descent both on his father's and his mother's side. He prefers to have the comparison made based on his own merits, however (Metamorphoses 13.140-50). 66

67

Diogenes Laertius reports regarding Bion that, when Antigonus inquired about his background, "he replied, ' M y father was a freedman, who wiped his nose on his sleeve' meaning that he was a dealer in salt fish - ' a native of Borysthenes, with no face to show, but only the writing on his face, a token of his master's severity. M y mother was such as a man like my father would marry, f r o m a brothel. A f t e r w a r d s my father, who had cheated the revenue in some way, was sold with all his family. And I, then a not ungraceful youngster, was bought by a certain rhetorician, who on his death left me all he had. And I burnt his books, scraped everything together, came to Athens and turned philosopher. This is the stock and this the blood f r o m which I boast to have sprung (xai>Tr|.OYÍa," NTS 47 (2001): 3 5 4 - 7 1 ; Walker, Leniency, 277; Long, Paul's Apology, 186-90.

" H a n s Dieter Betz, Sokratische Tradition, 99; Glenn Holland, "Speaking Like a Fool: Irony in 2 Corinthians 10-13," in Rhetoric and the New Testament: Essays from the 1992 Heidelberg Conference [ed. Stanley E. Porter and Thomas H. Olbricht; JSNTSup 90; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1993], 259; Susan R. Garrett, "Paul's Thorn and Cultural Models of Affliction," in The Social World of the First Christians [ed. L. Michael White and O. Larry Yarbrough; Minneapolis: Fortress, 1995], 95. Similarly, J. Paul Sampley interprets Paul's trials list in light of the advice in the rhetorical handbooks ("Paul, His Opponents in 2

C. Paul's

Response

101

withstand hardships. Paul, however, does not mention his tribulations to brag about how tough he was. Paul sincerely felt the shame of his weakness. 100 The object of Paul's boast is not how he is able to cope with his trials, but the very trials themselves. This kind of inversion of the criteria for praise seems to be unparalleled in contemporary literature and seems to be Paul's unique contribution. 101 The context and the use that Paul makes of this power in weakness motif indicate that he thinks of it as a universal principle. 102 The validity of this principle is proved by the fact that it is manifest in Jesus Christ. 103 Paul opens his argument in 2 Corinthians 10-13 with an appeal to how Christ undertook his own ministry in lowliness and humility (2 Cor 10:1). 104 In his summary statement, 105 he makes a more elaborate reference to the pattern of Christ's ministry: crucifixion and subsequent resurrection (13:4).

Corinthians 10-13, and the Rhetorical Handbooks," in The Social World of Formative Christianity and Judaism: Essays in Tribute to Howard Clark Kee [ed. Jacob Neusner, et al.; Philadelphia: Fortress, 1988], 167-8). Both Cicero (De inventione 1.16.22) and the Rhetorica ad Herennium (1.5.8) recommend winning goodwill by listing one's difficulties. 100 Peter Marshall, Enmity in Corinth, 358-9. Similarly, Fridrichsen, "Zum Stil," 198; Strecker, "Die Legitimität," 120; Heckel, Kraft in Schwachheit, 281; Andrews, "Too Weak," 272; Hotze, Paradoxien bei Paulus, 198. 101 Peter Marshall states that he has "not been able to find anything which resembles Paul's sustained self-derision in Greek or Roman authors" (Enmity in Corinth, 360). Similarly, Forbes, "Comparison," 20. Gerhard Hotze points out the formal parallel in Philo, Mos. 1.69: HT) dva7ii7iTexe t o äaöevEi; vncöv 5i>va|iii; eotiv (Paradoxien bei Paulus, 180) - Philo's allegorical interpretation of the burning bush. Philo's subsequent comments reveal, however, that his idea is closer to that of the Cynics, because he continues to emphasize that Israel will prevail and that her glory will shine forth in the end. The perils cannot really harm the people: xo% icaicoii; oi) KaKcoOfioEoGs. Duane Watson observes that Paul's boasting here goes directly against the advice of Plutarch, when he recommends softening one's boasting by mentioning one's shortcomings (Moralia 543A-F). Paul's degrading experiences are not intended to lessen the impact of his boasting, but rather to heighten the surprise effect: Paul boasts in the opposite, his shame ("Paul and Boasting," 93). 102 Zmijewski, Der paulinischen 'Narrenrede,' 383; Ralph P. Martin, 2 Corinthians, 422; Mario M. DiCicco, Paul's Use of Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in 2 Corinthians 10-13 (Mellen Biblical Press Series 31; Lewiston, N. Y.: Mellen Biblical Press, 1995), 243; Hotze, Paradoxien bei Paulus, 217; Paul Barnett, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, 574; Thrall, Second Epistle to the Corinthians, vol. 2, 823. Contra Gerald G. O'Collins, "Power Made Perfect in Weakness: 2 Cor 12:9-10," CBQ 33 (1971): 534. 103 Walter Grundmann, Der Begriff der Kraft in der neutestamentlichen Gedankenwelt (Stuttgart: Kohlhammer, 1932), 104; Aejmelaeus, Schwachheit, 215-8; Glancy, "Boasting," 134. 104 Ragnar Leivestad, '"The Meekness and Gentleness of Christ': II Cor. X. 1," NTS 13 (1966): 161. 105 Peterson, Eloquence, 137.

102

Chapter 3: 2 Corinthians

11:16-12:10

His polemical use of this idea suggests that he does not understand it to apply only to himself but to Christian ministers in general. It serves as a litmus test for his opponents, a test that they fail, which is the decisive evidence that they are false apostles (11:13) preaching a different Jesus (11:4). 106 As this was the ministerial mode of Christ (13:4), a ministry that in effect denies this principle is disqualified. 107 Such conclusions can only be drawn if this principle is a universal one. At the same time, the correlation between weakness and power does not appear to be a direct one. Paul is not saying that power is operative wherever there is weakness, and the more there is of weakness, the more there is of power. Paul was not lacking when it came to evidence that he himself possessed the kind of power of which his opponents were boasting. He was also a Jew (11:22), he had experienced glorious visions and revelations (12:1-7), and he had performed the "signs of the apostle," signs, wonders, and miracles (12:12). Although he concedes that he is inferior in rhetoric (11:6), he is not altogether lacking in rhetorical skills either, as his obvious mastery of the art demonstrates. Apparently, the difference between him and the opponents was not in the possession of these qualities but in the application of them. For the opponents, they were status claims, evidence that they were genuine apostles, ministers with the right to rule and to be served. 108 For Paul, they were something he preferred not to talk about, at least not as personal credentials (12:6b). The evidence that the power of Christ was operative in him was the extent to which he participated in the sufferings of Christ. 109 Compared to his opponents, Paul found fundamentally different reasons why he could be confident that he was a true apostle. The state in which Paul is content is when he

106

Martin Ebner concludes that the hardships (KÔJIOÇ) are the "Qualitätssiegel" for every ministry in the congregation (Leidenslisten und Apostelbrief, 160). Similarly, J. Cambier, "Le c r i t è r e P a u l i n i e n de l ' a p o s t o l a t en 2 C o r . 1 2 , 6 s , " Bib 43 ( 1 9 6 2 ) : 4 8 6 ; F u c h s , "La faiblesse," 250; David Alan Black, Paul, Apostle of Weakness: Astheneia and Its Cognates in the Pauline Literature (American University Studies. Series 7, Theology and Religion 3; New York: Peter Lang, 1984), 129; Carrez, "Réalité christologique," 178-9; Jorge Sanchez Bosch, "L'apologie," 56. 107 The ambiguity with which Paul employs the terms "fleshly" and "immature" in 1 Cor 3:1 betrays a similar concern: failure to acknowledge that Christ's power is operative in that which appears foolish and weak disqualifies a person from salvation. Cf. Ulrich Wilckens, "Zu 1 Kor 2,1-16," in Theologia Crue is - Signum Crucis: Festschrift für Erich Dinkier zum 70. Geburtstag (ed. Carl Andresen and Günter Klein; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 1979), 511-3; C. C. Newman, Paul's Glory-Christology: Tradition and Rhetoric (NovTSup 69; Leiden: Brill, 1992), 239; Anthony C. Thiselton, The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NIGTC; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000), 247. 108 Jacob Jervell points out that the opponents based their boast on these credentials ("Der schwache Charismatiker," in Rechtfertigung: Festschrift fur Ernst Käsemann [ed. Johannes Friedrich, et al.; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 1976], 196). 109 Jervell, "Der schwache Charismatiker," 195-6; Heckel, Kraft in Schwachheit, 119.

C. Paul's

Response

103

suffers "weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ" (12:10). Whereas the opponents boasted in manifestations of power, Paul boasted in Christ, whose power he trusted to be effective in manifestations of weakness. 1 1 0 Apparent weakness was the very operative mode of Christ's power (2 Cor 4:10-11; 8:9; 13:4)." 1 The paradox of Christ's ministry should not be understood absolutely, however, in the sense that weakness is equal with power. 112 Rather, power is subsequent to weakness (resurrection after death) and the power is effective for the church. Paul's ministry is modeled after that of his master. At the present time the power is manifest in those on the receiving end of Paul's ministry, in this case the Corinthians, whereas the weakness is what appears to be manifest in Paul himself. The fact that Paul is powerful is manifest in the results of his ministry, the spiritual life of the church he has founded. His weakness is obvious by his appearance. For Paul, however, that which matters is not that which is visible but the invisible values (4:18). The apparent con110 For Paul, confidence and boasting are closely related concepts that can be used in parallelism (Rom 2:17, 19; 2 Cor 10:7, 8; Phil 3:3) (Rudolf Bultmann, Theology of the New Testament, vol. 1 [trans. Kendrick Grobel; London: S C M , 1952], 243; Jorge Sánchez Bosch, 'Gloriarse' según san Pablo: Sentido e teología de Kav/áofiai [Rome: Biblical Institute Press, 1970], 301; C. K. Barrett, "Boasting [KauxâaGai KT^..] in the Pauline Epistles," in L'apôtre Paul: Personnalité, style et conception du ministère [ed. A. Vanhoye; BETL 73; Louvain: Leuven University Press, 1986], 367-8). 111

Adolf Schlatter, Paulus: Der Bote Jesu (4th ed.; Stuttgart: Calwer, 1969), 6 6 8 - 9 ; Käsemann, "Die Legitimität," 5 3 - 4 ; Dan G. McCartney, " N o Grace without W e a k n e s s , " WTJ 61 (1999): 12; Michael J. Gorman, Cruciformity: Paul's Narrative Spirituality of the Cross (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001), 293; Walker, Leniency, 324; Wanamaker, "Rhetoric and Ideology," 220. The relationship between the power and the weakness is more than mere simultaneity, t h e r e f o r e . (Contra O ' C o l l i n s , " P o w e r M a d e P e r f e c t , " 536.) Ulrich Heckel maintains that the temporal conjunction öxav and the relative adverb TOTE indicate that this is an iterative, that is, a sentence indicating the temporal circumstances, not a universal law (Kraft in Schwachheit, 3 2 1 - 3 ) . Although this sentence structure is not used to indicate a causal relationship, it is often implicit that the protasis is a presupposition for the apodosis, that is, the apodosis cannot be true unless the protasis is. Cf. Matt 9:15; Mark 2:20; Luke 5:35; 21:20; John 8:28. But it is also unwarranted to see a causal relationship such that the weakness is the cause of the power. (Contra Traketellis, "Power in Weakness," 80.) It is also unwarranted to find the idea of the weakness as a cognitive presupposition here. (Pace Heckel, Kraft in Schwachheit, 321.) Paul's chief concern here is not how the divine power is known but where it actually is. The methods of his opponents do not merely hinder recognition of the divine power; the opponents cannot at all be acknowledged as G o d ' s servants. By Paul's analogy, Christ's death is not the cause of his resurrection, nor is there a mere simultaneity. Christ's death is the state in which his resurrection power is operative. Applied to the Christian apostle, this principle means that Christ's power is operative when the apostle is weak. 112 As Jan L a m b r e c h t correctly points out, although his resolution of the tension is unsatisfactory ("Dangerous Boasting: Paul's Self-Commendation in 2 Cor 10-13," in The Corinthian Correspondence [ed. Reimund Bieringer; B E T L 125; Louvain: Leuven University Press, 1996], 325).

104

Chapter J: 2 Corinthians

I1:16-12:10

tradiction between power and weakness has been set up in 4:7-15, a passage with several intratextual links to chapters 10-13. 113 In 4:7 Paul introduces the idea of God's power as a hidden treasure, the same idea of power in weakness that he d e v e l o p s in c h a p t e r s 1 0 - 1 3 . T h e p e r i s t a s i s c a t a l o g in 4 : 8 - 1 0 anticipates the peristasis catalog in 1 l:23b-33. The pattern of the death and resurrection of Jesus, effective in his ministers, is delineated in 4:10-11, and taken up again in 13:4. Finally, the purpose is stated in 4:12: "So death is at work in us, but life in you." 114 That Paul's purpose is not to seek his own aims but those of the Corinthian church is also a recurring theme in chapters 10-13 (10:8, 14; 11:29; 12:14-16, 19; 13:3, 9). 115 The statement in 13:3 most clearly connects the power effective in Paul with the power that is manifest in the church: "Since you desire proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful in you." This understanding of the power in weakness motif is related to Paul's understanding of his ministry as characterized by vicariousness. An indication that this idea is part of what Paul is getting at in the Fool's Speech comes at the climax of the trials list, where he expresses his identification with the members of his churches: "Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I am not indignant?" (11:29). 116 Rather than being limited to physical weakness, aoGeveio is probably best understood as a comprehensive

113

Jorge Sánchez Bosch also emphasizes the link between 1 1 : 2 1 - 3 3 and 4 : 1 0 - 1 2 ("L'apologie," 53-5). Martin Ebner, assuming that 2 Cor 1 - 9 was written after chs. 10-13, thinks that 2 Cor 4 : 7 - 1 2 epitomizes 12:9b—10, 12; 13:3-9 {Leidenslisten und Apostelbrief, 241). Cf. also David M. Hay, "The Shaping of Theology in 2 Corinthians: Convictions, Doubts, and Warrants," in 1 & 2 Corinthians (ed. David M. Hay; vol. 2 of Pauline Theology, Minneapolis: Fortress, 1993), 145. 114 Jan Lambrecht, "The Nekrösis of Jesus: Ministry and Suffering in 2 Cor 4,7-15," in L'apôtre Paul: Personnalité, style et conception du ministère (ed. A. Vanhoye; BETL 73; Louvain: Leuven University Press, 1986), 140; Jens Schröter, "Der Apostolat des Paulus als Zugang zu seiner Theologie: Eine Auslegung von 2 Kor 4,7-12," in The Corinthian Correspondence (ed. Reimund Bieringer; BETL 125; Louvain: Leuven University Press, 1996), 690. This verse should not be taken as irony, as if Paul were scolding the Corinthians for seeking a Christianity without the cross. There are no indications of irony in this passage and the life in question is the life of Jesus (v. 11), not a life free from suffering. Moreover, the conjunction c o a x E introduces a purpose clause, signaling that what follows are the results of Paul's apostolic ministry as described above (Alfred Plummer, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Second Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians [ICC; Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1915], 132; Philip E. Hughes, Second Epistle to the Corinthians, 145; Barrett, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, 142; Bultmann, Zweite Brief an die Korinther, 122; Furnish, II Corinthians, 285; Ralph P. Martin, 2 Corinthians, 8 8 - 9 ; Thrall, Second Epistle to the Corinthians, vol. 1, 337; Lambrecht, Second Corinthians, 74). 115

Cf. Strecker, "Die Legitimität," 123. Eric Fuchs notes that Paul's weakness may be understood as an identification with the weakness of the church ("La faiblesse," 245). 116

C. Paul's

Response

105

term. 1 1 7 In the hardship catalog, Paul has made reference to all kinds of weaknesses, and in the summary statement in 12:10 psychological distress and persecution from outside are included. Paul interprets his destiny in light of that of Christ. He suffers vicariously and his ministry is apparently marked by defeat. But this is the mode through which Christ's resurrection power is operative. When the church is weak, Paul suffers the weakness of the church in a Christ like manner so that Christ's resurrection power can be effective in the church. 118 There is a glaring contrast between the two different paradigms of apostolic ministry that Paul describes. While his opponents come to rule (11:20), Paul comes to serve in the meekness and gentleness of Christ (10:1), identifying himself with the weaknesses of the members in the church (11:29). 119 3. Boasting according to the Flesh (11:18) I am now in a position to consider why Paul labels boasting in the Jewish heritage as "boasting according to the flesh" (11:18). To some degree, this expression functions synonymously with "boasting as a fool" (11:16-17). 120 Both expressions contain negative value judgments about the kind of boasting in which Paul's opponents engaged. But Paul's theological indignation is more clearly expressed in the "flesh" terminology. The terms "fool" and "foolish" are rare terms in the Pauline corpus outside 2 Corinthians 11-12 (occurring twice in the undisputed letters and only thrice in all the canonical Pauline letters) and serve primarily to indicate that Paul is taking on a foolish persona, parodying his opponents. The censure is more straightforward when 117

D. A. Carson, From Triumphalism to Maturity: A New Exposition of 2 Corinthians 10— 13 (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1984), 124-5; David Alan Black, Paul, Apostle of Weakness, 158. Karl A. Plank explains that Paul's description of weakness in 1 Cor 4:9-13 conveys a "surplus of meaning." Through the richness of images of weakness, the concept of weakness is impressed on the readers in greater fullness than can be accounted for by the sum of individual images (Paul and the Irony of Affliction [Society of Biblical Literature Semeia Studies; Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1987], 86). The same holds true for 2 Cor 11:16-12:10, with the trials lists in 1 l:23b-33 and 12:10. 118 Similarly, J. Christiaan Beker describes Paul's model of ministry in 2 Corinthians as a calling to "redemptive suffering for the sake of the world" (Paul the Apostle, 300-1), and C. K. Barrett explains that Paul's apostolic ministry was characterized by how he was to "help to fill up the tale of messianic affliction" (The Signs of an Apostle: The Cato Lecture 1969 [1970; reprint, Biblical Classics Library 19; Carlisle: Paternoster, 1996], 43). " ' D a v i d E. Garland notes that the adversaries were exploitative, manipulative, and competitive in their use of power, whereas Paul, he maintains, employed integrative power ("Paul's Apostolic Authority: The Power of Christ Sustaining Weakness [2 Corinthians 1013]," RevExp 86 [1989]: 383). 120 Fuchs, "La faiblesse," 240; Paul Barnett, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, 531; Brian K. Peterson, "Conquest, Control, and the Cross: Paul's Self-Portrayal in 2 Corinthians 10-13," Int 52 (1998): 261; McCant, 2 Corinthians, 129; Thrall, Second Epistle to the Corinthians, vol. 2, 714.

106

Chapter 3: 2 Corinthians

I1:16-12:10

Paul accuses them of boasting according to the flesh. Their boasting is determined by the weak nature of human beings. To boast according to the flesh is to be guilty of misplaced trust before God. 1 2 ' How can Paul conceive of boasting in an election-based privilege as misplaced trust? Is not confidence in an election-based privilege rather the ultimate expression of a reliance on grace? It may not be so if election is conceived of as based on God's foreknowledge of the merit of the elect, but there is no indication that this connection is what Paul is after here. Rather, the most obvious explanation why Paul identifies this boasting as "according to the flesh" is that it is diametrically opposed to the kind of boasting that he is driving at in the F o o l ' s S p e e c h : b o a s t i n g in o n e ' s w e a k n e s s e s . W h e n his opponents were boasting in their inclusion in the elect people, election had b e c o m e a q u a l i t y t h e y had d o m e s t i c a t e d . 1 2 2 It had b e c o m e a v i s i b l y demonstrable status claim: their Jewishness evidenced their election. This conviction seems to correspond to some views that were commonly held regarding the divine election of Israel. As I have observed in my survey of the literature from Second Temple Judaism, election is frequently understood as evidenced by the possession and/or obedience of the law. 123 In these cases, election would easily be thought of as a visible status claim. For Paul, on the other hand, election is viewed through the lens of the reversal of values. Where there is demonstrable weakness, God's power is at work. Therefore, he will boast in suffering and weakness, so that God can be powerful in him (12:9-10). This theme is related to how Paul emphasizes that his faith is directed towards that which is invisible. 124 He likens the divine power to a treasure hidden in an earthen vessel (4:7). The idea is that faith contradicts

121 So far most scholars agree. The roads part, of course, regarding the question: what is the object of the misplaced trust? The traditional interpretation of Paul will typically point to works-righteousness (Bultmann, " K A U X A O | I C U K T V ' 649; Eduard Schweizer, "oap§ KTX," in TDNT 7:130), whereas scholars influenced by the so-called "new perspective" typically emphasize membership in the elect people (James D. G. Dunn, The Theology of Paul the Apostle [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998], 69). In this context, inclusion among the elect is apparently an issue, whereas law observance is not mentioned. 122 Similarly, Karl Prumm, Theologische Auslegung des zweiten Korintherbriefes (vol. 1 of Diakonia pneumatos: Der zweiten Korintherbrief als Zugang zur apostolischen Botschaft, Auslegung und Theologies Rome: Herder, 1967), 634. 123 Most clearly in Sirach and the Wisdom literature, the divine election of Israel is made manifest by the impartation of wisdom, which is closely associated with the Torah. In the more sectarian groups, where election typically is thought of as election over against the nonelect of Israel at large, it is the possession of the sectarian interpretation of the law that constitutes evidence of one's election (Qumran, and, less clearly, 1 Enoch). Cf. ch. 2. 124 The weaknesses in which Paul boasts are indeed visible, but they were not the ultimate reason for his confidence. He understood the power of God to be disguised under this appearance of weakness (cf. above).

C. Paul's

Response

107

appearances. 125 His opponents' faith, on the contrary, which Paul refuted, was a faith in accordance with appearances, a faith that was demonstrated in appearances. He can call this faith "according to the flesh" because that which is fleshly is that which is visible, that which is outward. 126 Boasting "according to the flesh" is therefore parallel to boasting "in that which is outwardly" (¿v jipoocbjicp, 2 Cor 5:12). 127 Without referring to the Hebrew prophets directly, Paul can here be understood to have taken up a theme from their critique of the pre-exilic generation. Especially in the book of Jeremiah, the pre-exilic generation was reproached for their tendency to find proof of their election in something visible, such as the temple and the Davidic dynasty. These visible effects of the divine election were seen as a guarantee that no harm could reach them. But the prophets dismissed this attitude as misguided trust and as forsaking the Lord. Despite their apparently election-based confidence, the people would suffer judgment. Similarly, when his opponents saw their election as evidenced by something visible, such as their Jewish pedigree, Paul condemned it as boasting according to the flesh. Paul's positive response was to see God's power at work when he was conformed to Christ's weakness. Once again, he can be understood in continuity with the Hebrew prophets, who proclaimed that Israel would only be saved through judgment. Only after they had suffered rejection would they experience the renewal of their election (cf. ch. 1). In 2 Corinthians 10-13 Paul presents two sets of values: his own and those of the opponents, whom the Corinthians tend to favor. Paul is being accused of vacillation and of being unspiritual (10:1-2, anticipated in 1:17). The truth 125

Whatever the background for this metaphor, it was a paradoxical image stressing the contrast between the divine power and glory on the one hand and human weakness and lowliness on the other. Cf. Furnish, II Corinthians, 2 7 8 - 9 ; Lambrecht, "Nekrosis," 140; Ebner, Leidenslisten und Apostelbrief, 236; Savage, Power Through Weakness, 164-5; Thrall, Second Epistle to the Corinthians, vol. 1, 321. 126 Robert Jewett maintains that the strongly pejorative use of aap§, so characteristic of Paul, was suggested to him by the Galatian controversy, where the concept of "circumcision in the flesh" readily prompted the concept "confidence in the flesh" (cf. Gal 6:11-18) (Paul's Anthropological Terms: A Study of Their Use in Conflict Settings [AGJU 10; Leiden: Brill, 1971], 112). Whatever the thought process that suggested the link between " f l e s h " and misplaced trust in Paul's mind, the correlation between "flesh" referring to the outward body and the p e j o r a t i v e use o f the term s h o u l d b e n o t e d . S i m i l a r l y , in his t r e a t m e n t of 2 Corinthians, Jewett observes that to "judge according to the flesh" is to be impressed by visible display (ibid., 126-127). 127 Schlatter, Paulus, 650; Furnish, II Corinthians, 496; Ralph P. Martin, "Theological Perspectives in 2 Corinthians: Some Notes," SBL Seminar Papers, 1990 (SBLSP 29; Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1990), 363. T h r a l l ' s hypothesis, that EV jtpood)7[yov mivxe^mv eine Gerichtsankündigung? (Zu Rom 9,27/28)," BN 105 (2001): 59-60; John Paul Heil, "From Remnant to Seed of Hope for Israel: Romans 9:27-29," CBQ 64 (2002): 707-8. It makes little difference for our understanding of 9:27 as promise or lament whether the 56 is taken as a connective or adversative. Heil finds that the adversative meaning supports taking 9:27 as a promise ("Remnant," 706), whereas Wagner, who advocates basically the same understanding, feels it is best supported if the 8e is not understood adversatively (Heralds, 93). Both scholars argue that imep should be given its full weight, meaning "on behalf of," which is equally compatible with the interpretation of 9:27 as a lament. 56 So most commentators, e.g., Lagrange, Romains, 243; Michel, Römer, 305, 318; Cranfield, Romans, vol. 2, 471, 502; Käsemann, Romans, 272; Dieter Zeller, Der brief an die

152

Chapter 5: Romans

9-11

Such an understanding would also be in accordance with the function of this oracle in its context in the book of Isaiah. This word about the remnant (10:22) follows after a longer section prophesying judgment on Assyria (10:5— 19). When God is finished with Assyria, Israel will no longer be able to look to the world power for protection. As a result of God's judgment, a remnant of Israel will emerge, a remnant that trusts in the Lord (vv. 20-21). 5 7 The mention of the return of the remnant ( a w "iNtt>) recalls the name of Isaiah's son, Shear-jashub, a sign of judgment and salvation. 58 This remnant will escape destruction, but for Israel as a whole the judgment is of such proportions as to undo the effects of the Abrahamic blessing. Although the promise was that Israel would become like the sand of the sea (Gen 22:17; 32:13), their number is now reduced to a remnant (v. 22). 59 The use of remnant language in the immediate context confirms the understanding that its function is primarily to stress the magnitude of the judgment. In Isa 10:19 the remnant of the trees of Lebanon will be so sparse that a child can number them. 60 When Paul quotes Römer (RNT; Regensburg: Pustet, 1985), 180; Wilckens, Römer, vol. 2, 198, 207; Moo, Romans, 615; Brendan Byrne, Romans (SP 6; Collegeville, Minn.: Liturgical Press, 1997), 306; Paul, 2 3 6 - 7 ; Schreiner, Romans, 526, 5 2 8 - 9 ; Klaus Haacker, Der Brief des Paulus an die Römer (THKNT 6; Leipzig: Evangelische Verlagsanstalt, 1999), 198; Eduard Lohse, Römer, 276, 283. Some interpreters suggest that 9:24-29 is structured in a chiastic fashion and that the parties called by God in v. 24, Jews and Gentiles, resurface in inverted order in vv. 25-29. V. 25 then elaborates on God's word to Gentiles and vv. 26-29 elaborate on God's word to Jews. If this were the structure of these verses, it could be argued that the point of vv. 26-29 is the inclusion of the Jews, as v. 24a explicitly states that God has called us not only f r o m the Jews (Dinter, " R e m n a n t of Israel," 111; Erich Seitz, "Zu Rom 9,27/28," 57). Against this understanding of the structure, however, speaks the lack of verbal repetitions. In v. 24 Paul refers to the Jews as ¿^'IouSaitov, whereas in v. 27 he refers to them as'Icpcrf]^. If he felt compelled by the wording of Scripture to retain Iapar]^. in v. 27, there is no reason why he could not have used E^'lopaf)^ in v. 24 (cf. 9:6). In any case, it would be to ascribe triteness to Paul to argue that he was providing multiple Scripture references to prove that there were Jews among the people of God. 57

Cf. Paul E. Dinter, who emphasizes that in the original context the remnant is brought about through God's judgment ("Remnant of Israel," 175-88). 58 Joseph Blenkinsopp notes that the name here probably signifies conversion (Isaiah 139, 257). 59 Brevard S. Childs, Isaiah, 94-5. 60 John D. W. Watts, Isaiah 1-33 (WBC 24; Waco: Word, 1984), 154. Kirsten Nielsen observes that the tree image in 10:16-19 is entirely negative but suggests that in the course of the redaction of Isaiah oracles - whether by the prophet himself or by a later redactor - these verses have been reinterpreted in light of positive key words, such as the remnant idea (Tree as Metaphor, 199). This is to assume too exclusively positive connotations of the remnant concept. As we have seen (ch. 1), remnant language is also judgment language. In the context of Isa 10, therefore, it is better to let the interpretation of the unambiguous use of remnant language in v. 19 govern the interpretation of the ambiguous use in vv. 22-23. This understanding is confirmed by the critique of Israel's misplaced trust that is implicit in v. 20. The thrust of Isa 10:20-23 is that God himself will intervene and judge the majority of Israel in their

B. Deconstruction

(9:6-29)

153

Isa 10:22, therefore, it is a gloomy picture he is painting. But although the function of Paul's quotation is to portray judgment, the wider context of Isaiah 10 may provide an indication as to where P a u l ' s argument is going. The announced judgment serves to prepare a remnant that will abandon their trust in anything or anyone other than the Lord. 61 Thus, through judgment, God will eventually save his people. 62 Paul has modified his quotation of Isa 10:22-23 by substituting the introductory words by "the number of the children of Israel." This expression is not found in Isa 10:22 but appears to be taken from Hos 2:1 LXX. By using this expression, Paul alludes to the promise that Hosea directed to Israel but Paul applied to the Gentiles in the immediately preceding verse. 63 It is as if Paul were saying: as for Israel, to whom the promises were first given - that is, the promises I just applied to the Gentiles - for them the effects of the promise have been reversed, as Isaiah already prophesied. Paul has thus tailored his quotation to highlight the contrast between Israel, who has been passed over by God's favor, and the Gentiles, who have received it. 64 The last part of the quotation represents a significant abbreviation of the text in Isa 10:22-23. 6 5 This abbreviation does not obscure the thrust of the

false security while he makes a new future for a minority that will be genuinely committed to him. See also Wildberger, Jesaja, 145. 61 Cf. ch. 1. 62 The interpretation of Isa 10:22 in the pesher on Isaiah from Qumran appears to be in accordance with the self-understanding of the community. While there will be severe judgment (4Q161 2-6.ii.5-6; 4Q163 4—6.ii. 13, 15-17), they will be saved by their planting in the land (4Q161 2-6.ii.7). Due to the corrupt state of the manuscripts, the identification of the saved is uncertain. The previous association of Israel's remnant with the "men of his army" (f?Tl 'TON) as well as the priests (4Q161 l.i.22-25) is an indication that the pesherist identifies the saved with the community, as the expression Vn 'IMS is elsewhere used with such a reference ( l Q S a 1:28; 1QM 2:8). This interpretation may be confirmed by the mention of the return "from the wilderness of the peoples" (4Q161 2-6.ii.14), which corresponds to the selfunderstanding of the community in 1QM 1:3 (Dinter, "Remnant of Israel," 211-3). 63 Dietrich-Alex Koch suggests that the reason for the substitution of "the number of the children of Israel" is that Paul wanted to avoid referring to Israel as ~kabq, thereby alluding to the people of God (Die Schrift als Zeuge, 168; followed by Christopher D. Stanley, Paul and the Language, 115). This is unlikely, as the word Xabc, without the genitive Beou does not have such overtones (cf. 1 Cor 10:7; 14:21, correctly Wilk, Die Bedeutung, 52). 64 Contra Seitz and Wagner, who think that the expression "the number of the children of Israel" is an indication that Paul is exegeting Isa 10:22-23 as a promise to Israel (Erich Seitz, "Zu Rom 9,27/28," 58; Wagner, Heralds, 92). That would be surprising, as Paul has already interpreted Hosea's promises as directed to the Gentiles. 65 Whether it is attributable to Paul's Vorlage or to Paul himself, he has omitted the concluding EV Succuoown after Xbyov yap awreWbv Kai OTJVTEUVCOV and then he has skipped o n W>yov ouvTETHTpsvov and gone right to Ttotfiost o Geoi;, thus conflating two sentences into one. Cf. Dietrich-Alex Koch, Die Schrift als Zeuge, 83; Christopher D. Stanley, Paul and the Language, 116-8.

154

Chapter 5: Romans

9-11

original, however. 6 6 Paul's version may be translated: "Completely and swiftly, the Lord will execute a sentence on the earth" (9:28). 67 To top off this sour mixture of Israel critique tapped from Israel's own Scriptures, Paul again quotes Isaiah, who in 1:9 invokes the image of Sodom and Gomorrah. The fate of Sodom and Gomorrah had become almost proverbial in the Hebrew Bible as an example of devastating judgment (Deut 29:22; Isa 13:19; Jer 49:18; 50:40; Amos 4:11; Zeph 2:9). This use continued in the Second Temple period (3 Macc 2:5; Jub. 16:6; 20:6; 22:22; 36:10; 4 Ezra 2:8; Jos. B.J. 5.566). To compare Israel to Sodom and Gomorrah, therefore, is to paint grotesque images of judgment. The author of Jubilees uses Sodom and 66 W a g n e r suggests that by translating n m r r n n ^ ' D as Xoyov y a p OUVTE^-WV Kai OTVT8jivo)v, the Septuagint has reinterpreted the original saying. Avoiding a term for destruction, the LXX understood it to be a promise of a swift end to Israel's chastisement, rather than a threat of judgment (Heralds, 103^1). This is unlikely. The expression n:nrai Thl'^D occurs three times in the Hebrew Bible. In addition to being used in Isa 10:23 and 28:22, the phrase is used in Dan 9:27 to describe the quick end of the desolator. The LXX of Dan 9:27 does not have the exact same phrase as in Isa 10:23 and 28:22, but it does use a noun from the same root as auvie^eo), namely AT>VT£>.£ia, to denote the end. This shows that the avvxsk- word group was a natural choice to communicate the idea of destruction that is evident in n1?:) nsirai. Moreover, the word pair O W I E ^ E A ) and ODVTEHVW is also used in Dan 5:26-28 LXX, where it describes the downfall of Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom. This phrase in Dan 5:26-28 does not appear to be a translation of the Hebrew imD^n n o n s . It is possible that the LXX translator has inserted the phrase as a quotation from Isa 10:23 and 28:22 LXX to denote eschatological judgment (Isaac Leo Seeligmann, The Septuagint Version of Isaiah: A Discussion of Its Problems [Mededelingen en Verhandlingen 9; Leiden: Brill, 1948], 75). If so, it shows that the use of cTwt£>xa) and OOVTEHVO) in Isa 10:23 and 28:22 LXX was interpreted as denoting judgment. Again, (TOVTEXEW and CJUVTEIXVOJ are found together in Dan 9:24 0 , where s e v e n t y w e e k s h a v e b e e n d e c r e e d (auvETHTi0r|oav) f o r t h e p e o p l e to put an e n d ((JUVTE^EoBfjvai) to sin. The translation \oyov yap ODVTE^WV Kai GDVTEUVCOV would therefore aptly reflect the idea of a quick destruction. There is no reason to assume that the LXX has altered the meaning of the original Hebrew. Moreover, there is evidence from the Dead Sea Scrolls that Isa 10:23 and 28:22 were interpreted in the Second Temple period as a word of judgment. The expression nmmi r f o occurs in lQH a 11:36, apparently quoting Isa 10:23 and 28:22 (Holm-Nielsen, Hodayot, 74). The reference is to eschatological judgment. 67

Similarly, Cranfield, Romans, vol. 2, 502; Moo, Romans, 615. The translation is complicated when ^.oyov is taken to refer to God's promise, which makes it difficult to maintain as the object of CTUVTEUVWV. Some commentators therefore infer the object of OUVTEUVWV, being for example "the number of the elect" (Wilckens, Romer, vol. 2, 207; Dunn, Romans 9— 16, 573; Fitzmyer, Romans, 574). The easiest solution is to translate X.oyov as "sentence." Seitz suggests that CTUVTE|IVpcb0r|oav

11:11-15 explanation based on 7iapa^r|A,6© 11:16-24 explanation based on the olive allegory 1 1:25-27 7i(i)pco(Tik ötiwoetcu Ktiptoi; töv Xaöv a v t o ü Kai "ti|v K^-Tipovopiav ainoü ouk EyKaT(Ä£U|/£i. The reading Xadv airaru may be explained as a scribal tendency towards harmonization with v. 2 or even with Ps 93:14 LXX, as Paul uses the verb Ä7[ö)0£(o instead of eyKaxa^erao). Cf. Mark D. Given, "Restoring the Inheritance in Romans 11:1," JBL 118(1999): 92-3. 89 Hans-Joachim Kraus, Psalms 60-150: A Commentary (trans. Hilton C. Oswald; Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1989), 239, 241; Marvin E. Tate, Psalms 51-100 (WBC 20; Waco: Word, 1990), 488, 494. 90 Hays, Echoes, 69. 91 In a more subtle way, not only the idea but also the language of remnant may be prepared for by the invoking of Ps 94:14. The second part of the verse, which Paul does not quote, says that "he will not abandon his heritage." The root of the LXX word that it is used here (eyK.sinpa) in v. 5 (Hays, Echoes, 69-70). 92 For this distinction between the connotations of the remnant idea in 9:6-29 and 11:1-6, see also Moo, Romans, 679. 88

D. Re-Construction

2. The Reversal (11:7-10,

(11:1-32)

161

25-32)

In v. 7 Paul may seem to be repeating himself, 93 rehashing the point that Israel is divided into the elect and the hardened. But the recapitulation of the ideas of election and hardening is a crucial element in the continuation of Paul's argument. Paul is now preparing to reclaim for Israel the privileges he denied the majority of the people in chapter 9. In 11:5-7 election (¿KA-oyfi) is still related to a minority in Israel. The remnant is chosen in v. 5, and in v. 7 the elect (£KA,oyi|) are contrasted with Israel. Israel did not obtain what they were seeking, but the elect (¿K^oyf]) did. But then, in v. 28, election (eKloyf]) is unmistakably predicated of Israel as such. The very same Israel that were enemies (v. 28a) - indisputably a reference to non-Christian Jews - are beloved according to election because of the fathers. In this short phrase, Paul has included allusions to several steps of his discussion in chapters 9-11, and in this phrase he has negated the negations he so carefully demonstrated through chapters 9 and 10. First, he applies election to the very same Israel that were denied election in 9:6-29. Second, they are "beloved," alluding both to Jacob and the prophecy from Hos 2:25. This time, however, the point is the exact opposite of chapter 9. The epithet "beloved" does apply to Israel. Third, the "fathers," one of the privileges from 9:4—5a, is reintroduced, this time as a viable claim to divine favor. The rationale is provided in the following verse: God's call and gifts are irrevocable. "Call" is an allusion to another key concept in 9:6-29. Whereas the function of call terminology in chapter 9 was discriminatory, it is now inclusive. Whereas the point in chapter 9 was that only some were called, the point is now that all of Israel is called. Through this rhetorical tour de force, the logic of election is maintained throughout. God's choice embraces the opposite and manifests a reversal of values. When Israel has become "the lesser," "the not loved," "not my people," and "cut off," she is in the exact right position to be chosen.94 During this reversal, the connotations of "hardening" are also reshaped. Paul's choice of the words 7i(op6a)/7i:(bpcKn