Read The Jewish Annotated New Testament Online
Authors: Amy-Jill Levine
5
Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that “the person who does these things will live by them.”
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But the righteousness that comes from faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down)
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“or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
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But what does it say?
THE SOURCE OF AUTHORITY IN INTERPRETATION (10.6–8)
Philo adapted Deut 30.12–13, albeit to different conclusions, in
Posterity
84–85; Bar 3.29–30 also uses the passage. “Wisdom” is adapted and personified for the commandment in a way similar to Paul’s introduction of “Christ.” Philo used it for argumentation about similar topics, including proclamation to the nations; he had a positive assessment of those from the nations who turn to the One God, and the instructions for a virtuous life for those who join the people of God, including the claim that this is not too hard to achieve; see
Virtues
175–86 (esp. 183);
Rewards
79–84 (esp. 80; note that 83–84 includes a foot-race comparison);
Names
235–39;
Dreams
2.180;
Good Person
68. Cf.
b. B. Metz
. 59b, where Deut 30.10–11 is similarly employed in intra-Jewish disputes to assert that the answer is near at hand, in this case, the rabbinic majority decision.
“The word is near you,
on your lips and in your heart”
(that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);
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because
*
if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10
For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.
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The scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.”
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For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him.
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For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
14
But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him?
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And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
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But not all have obeyed the good news;
*
for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”
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So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.
*
18
But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have; for
“Their voice has gone out to all the earth,
and their words to the ends of the world.”
19
Again I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says,
“I will make you jealous of those who are
not a nation;
with a foolish nation I will make you
angry.”
20
Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,
“I have been found by those who did not
seek me;
I have shown myself to those who did
not ask for me.”
21
But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”
11
I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.
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God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?
3
“Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars; I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.”
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But what is the divine reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
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So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.
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But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace.
*
7
What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened,
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as it is written,
GRAFTING THE OLIVE BRANCH (11.17–24)
The olive tree allegory is not designed to describe Israel per se, but the precarious place of the wild shoot among Israelites. Since it suggests that these Israelites have been cut off in order to make the a fortiori case that this wild shoot is all the more vulnerable to being cut off, this comparison conflicts with that of some heralds stumbling, though they have not fallen, and the overall message that all Israel will be restored. In vv. 17–21, Paul uses
ekklaō
to refer to the “broken” branches; however, unless specifically referred to as “broken
off
,”
ekklaō
can refer to something broken, “dislocated” or “bent, but not severed”; see Lev 1.17; Pausanias,
Descr
. 8.40.2. In v. 22, when Paul warns the wild branch that it could be severed if it looks arrogantly upon the broken branches, Paul switches to
ekkoptō
, “cut off,” and he again uses
ekkoptō
in v. 24. That leads to the impression that Paul regards some branches as broken off, although that is an inference that does not seem to be intended when he begins the allegory; it is rather an inference to rebuke the wild shoot, which has been cut off from its tree to be grafted in, and thus is in a precarious place compared to the natural branches. Cf. Isa 27.2–11. Note too, that the tree is not described as Israel, and Paul does not draw the inference that non-Israelites become members of Israel. The tree appears to represent all who are in the family of God, Israelite branches as well as ones from other nations.
“God gave them a sluggish spirit,
eyes that would not see
and ears that would not hear,
down to this very day.”
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And David says,
“Let their table become a snare and a trap,
a stumbling block and a retribution for
them;
10
let their eyes be darkened so that they
cannot see,
and keep their backs forever bent.”
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So I ask, have they stumbled so as to fall?
By no means! But through their stumbling
*
salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel
*
jealous.
12
Now if their stumbling
*
means riches for the world, and if their defeat means riches for Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!
13
Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I glorify my ministry
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in order to make my own people
*
jealous, and thus save some of them.
15
For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead!
16
If the part of the dough offered as first fruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; and if the root is holy, then the branches also are holy.
17
But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in their place to share the rich root
*
of the olive tree,
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do not boast over the branches. If you do boast, remember that it is not you that support the root, but the root that supports you.
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You will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.”
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That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand only through faith. So do not become proud, but stand in awe.
21
For if God did not spare the natural branches, perhaps he will not spare you.
*
22
Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness toward you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
23
And even those of Israel,
*
if they do not persist in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again.
24
For if you have been cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree.
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So that you may not claim to be wiser than you are, brothers and sisters,
*
I want you to understand this mystery: a hardening has come upon part of Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.
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And so all Israel will be saved; as it is written,
RESTORATION OF ISRAEL (11.26–27)
Paul adapts and conflates elements from Isa 59.20–21 (closer to LXX than MT) with 27.9 for the last clause. Isa 59–61 are full of plant metaphors, as are Isa 27–28. The context of Isa 59 is God coming to the rescue of Israel when no one else does. The context of Isa 27 is the gathering of Israelites from the dispersion (vv. 12–13 involved the announcement of regathering). See 27.6: “in days to come Jacob shall take root, Israel shall blossom and put forth shoots, and fill the whole world with fruit.” The verb (
sōthēsetai
) “will be restored/healed” or “will be saved,” is also a common description of tree life, of being restored so as to produce fruit, in this case, as Israelites restore the nations to the Creator God. All Israel, whose divided state among Israelites has been the topic, refers to empirical Israel, Jews, not “spiritual Israel” or the Jesus followers inclusive of Gentiles. In metaphorical terms, the wild shoot does not become a natural branch, even though it will draw from the same root (God).
“Out of Zion will come the Deliverer;
he will banish ungodliness from Jacob.”
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“And this is my covenant with them,
when I take away their sins.”