Paul’s Use of the Old Testament in Romans 9:1–9: An Intertextual and Theological Exegesis
Overview
This investigation builds upon recent developments in the study of Paul’s use of Scripture that center around the concept of intertextuality. Brian Abasciano’s exegetical method combines a thorough traditional exegesis with a comprehensive analysis of Paul’s use of Scripture. Abasciano does this by reading Romans in light of the interpretive traditions surrounding the texts to which Paul alludes, with great emphasis placed on analyzing the original contexts of Paul’s citations and allusions. Such an intertextual exegesis is conducted in Romans 9:1–9 with an awareness of the broader unit of chapters 9–11 especially, and also the epistle as a whole.
Top Highlights
“Many assume that what causes Paul’s grief is Israel’s unbelief. This is undoubtedly true on some level, but it is not what Paul addresses and it is not what he laments in the text. The actual problem he addresses is God’s rejection of Israel rather than their rejection of Christ; he addresses their exclusion from salvation (e.g., 9:3, 8, 22–10:1). This point is subtle, but its significance is great.” (Pages 32–33)
“The exclusion of Israel from salvation throws God’s faithfulness into question. How could he reject and condemn those he promised to save, and at the same time save those he never made any such promise to?” (Page 33)
“On a literary level Romans 9–11 completes the exposition of the theme of the epistle (1:16–17), a summary statement of the gospel, by explaining the priority of the Jew and by defending the gospel Paul has presented at length against its most compelling objection—how the Christian gospel can be the fulfillment of Judaism/the Old Testament and its promises to Israel when the vast majority of Jews had rejected Christ and were therefore excluded from God’s salvation and promises to them. He defends the covenant faithfulness of God. This is at the same time a defense of the gospel, for the gospel is essentially equivalent to the righteousness/faithfulness of God, or more precisely, it is its content or the way God has effected his righteousness/faithfulness.” (Pages 31–32)
“Faced with exceeding grief over the rejection of ethnic Israel from inheritance of the covenant blessings, Paul finds a divine word of comfort directed to Abraham over the expulsion of his physical child from the covenantal household which assures him that the covenant descendants will be determined through the child of promise, the rejection of the merely physical seed being necessary for the covenant and promise to be fulfilled.” (Page 214)
- Title: Paul’s Use of the Old Testament in Romans 9:1–9: An Intertextual and Theological Exegesis
- Author: Brian J. Abasciano
- Series: Library of New Testament Studies
- Volume: 301
- Publisher: T&T Clark
- Print Publication Date: 2005
- Logos Release Date: 2015
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Bible. N.T. Romans 9:1-9 › Criticism, interpretation, etc; Bible. O.T. › Relation to Romans; Bible. N.T. Romans › Relation to the Old Testament
- ISBNs: 9780567030733, 0567030733
- Resource ID: LLS:PLSSLDTSTMNTRMN
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-30T02:15:38Z
