Seder 91: Paul's Use of Leviticus 18:5 in Romans 10

 In Leviticus 18, God cautions the Israelites at Mount Sinai not to follow the ways of the peoples around them, in particular the Egyptians and Canaanites.  In verse 5, he states:

"You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them:  I am the LORD."  

The sentence "I am the LORD" is repeated often during the Exodus.  It is a shorthand form of Exodus 20:2:

"I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the household of slavery."

Because God has delivered Israel from slavery, the Israelites have exchanged masters.  Now they owe allegiance to God.  Leviticus 18:5 says that if the Israelites are loyal to him, then they will enjoy abundant life in the Promised Land.  

This isn't a matter of the Israelites earning God's favor.  God is committed to his covenant with Israel.  But whether particular Israelites and generations of Israelites experience the full blessings of the covenant will depend on how well they follow its stipulations (see Lev 26 and Dt 28, which contrast the blessings and curses that will follow from Israel's obedience or disobedience).  

In the context of Leviticus 17-20, the implications of Leviticus 18:5 actually go beyond the nation of Israel.  The principles stated in these chapters are not just for Israelites, but are also for people from the nations who choose to live among them (Lev 17:8, 10, 13; 18:26; 20:2).  Remember that God called the Israelites for the ultimate goal of blessing the nations (Ge 12:3; Isa 42:6; 49:6).  

In this context, the reference in Leviticus 18:5 to "a person" is not restricted to Israelites, but refers to "any person."  Rabbi Meir, a famous second-century rabbi, took such a view, arguing that "even a Gentile who engages in Torah study is considered like a high priest" (b. Sanhedrin 59a).  

The apostle Paul seems to be emphasizing this universal aspect of Leviticus 18:5 when he quotes the verse in Roman 10:5.  In Romans 10, Paul asserts that the ultimate goal of the Torah is the sending of Jesus the Messiah for the salvation of all nations.  In verses 5-13, he quotes several passages from the Hebrew Scriptures to emphasize the accessibility of salvation to all.  

I think that Paul's use of Leviticus 18:5 in Romans 10:5 is often misunderstood, as evidenced by the fact that the conjunction in Romans 10:6 is rendered "but" in almost all of our English translations.  It is widely believed that Paul is contrasting a "righteousness that is based on the law" and a "righteousness based on faith" in Romans 10:5-6.  However, in that case Paul would be pitting two scriptures against each other.  He would also seem to be saying that Leviticus 18:5 is about salvation by works, or at least that some first-century Jews thought so.    

I would argue that "moreover" (as in the CJB) or "and" (as in YLT) would be a better translation than "but" in Romans 10:6, with Leviticus 18:5 intended to contribute to his argument.  In this reading, the "righteousness that is based on the law" is the "righteousness first announced in the Torah" that blessing is available for all who trust in the God of Israel.  

Seder 14: Isaiah 54---The Barren Woman Gives Birth

 An important biblical motif is that of the woman who has been unable to give birth and is finally granted a child.  This theme starts with Sarah and continues with Rebekah, Rachel, the mother of Samson, Hannah, and Elizabeth.  

In the prophecies of Isaiah, the experiences of these individual women represent the experience of Israel as a whole.  The nation would endure hard times of exile, but God would one day make them fruitful again.  For example, we read in Isaiah 49:21, "Then you will say in your heart:  'Who has borne me these? I was bereaved and barren, exiled and put away, but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone; from where have these come?' "

There is similar imagery in Isaiah 54, a song of rejoicing that comes immediately after the sacrifice and triumph of the Servant in Isaiah 53.  It is the work of the Servant that is the basis for this rejoicing.  The chapter begins,  "Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor!" 

The promise in verse 3 ("For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left, and your offsptring will possess the nations and will people the desolate cities.") reminds us of the blessing of Jacob in Gen 28:13-14.  Israel is pictured as a bride who has endured "the shame of her youth" (slavery in Egypt) and "the reproach of her widowhood" (later exile).  But she has a powerful husband---the creator and ruler of the whole world (v 5).  And that husband is faithful to his commitments (vv 9-10).  

Verses 11-12 describe the restoration of Zion in terms that anticipate the description of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21.  The New Jerusalem comes down from heaven "prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" (Rev 21:2).  All the sufferings of the past will be forgotten in a time of blessing (Rev 21:4).  

Seder 8: Isaiah 49---More on the Servant of the Lord

 Isaiah 49 is a second message (after Isaiah 42) about God's Servant.  Again, the servant is an individual who is called from the womb for a special task that will benefit all nations (vv 1, 5-6).  

Moreover, the servant personifies Israel (verse 3).  Commentator Geoffrey Grogan points out that the Gospels present Jesus in this way.  As Nathanael says in John 1:47, Jesus is "an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit." 

The prophecy indicates that not everyone will embrace the Servant.  He would be "one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation" (verse 7).  Still, he would have an international impact and capture the attention of rulers. The New Testament applies this prophecy both to Jesus (Lk 2:32) and to the work of the apostles (Ac 13:46-47).   

Seder 128: Isaiah 49 and Luke 11---Defeating the Strong Man

Isa 49:24 poses a question:  "Can the prey be taken from the mighty, or the captives of a tyrant be rescued?" 

Verse 25 then gives an affirmative answer to the question.  Yes, God is perfectly capable of doing those things.

In a sermon at Church of the Messiah on December 10, 2022, Kyle Kettering suggested that Jesus may have been alluding to Isa 49:24-25 in Luke 11:21-22, when he was answering accusers who questioned the source of his miracles.  Jesus had cast a mute demon out of a man (v. 14), and some had accused him of being empowered by the prince of demons (v 15).  

Jesus had pointed out that this accusation didn't make any sense. He had also made the point that to defeat a "strong man," one had to be even stronger (vv 21-22).  Here was where Jesus may have had Isa 49:24-25 in mind.

In our battles with the adversary, Kyle said, we should remember that Jesus is stronger than all the forces of evil, as he demonstrated in Luke 11 and elsewhere.  

Seder 79: Psalm 96---Praise for the King

 Psalm 96 calls upon all creation to praise God, the righteous king and judge.  

This psalm is largely repeated in 1 Chron 16:23-33, so it is associated with David's bringing the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem.  

Commentator Willem VanGemeren observes that Psalm 96 shares a number of motifs with Isa 40-66, including 

• polemics against idolatry--Ps 96:5; Isa 40:18-31; 41:21-24; 44:6-8.
• creation--Ps 96:5; Isa 40:22; 42:5; 44:24; 45:12.
• nature's response to God's redemption--Ps 96:1,9,11-12; Isa 49:13; 55:12.
• the nations--Ps 96:3,10,13; Isa 45:20; 49:7; 56:3-8; 60:9-12,14,16; 66:18.

The psalm urges all to sing praises to God, and to ascribe to him the glory due to him.  He is the Creator of all and so also the ruler and judge.  

Seder 10: Gen 12:1-9---the call of Abram

After the Tower of Babel rebellion, God focused his plan to bring blessing to all mankind on the family of Abram.  Calling Abram to separate from country, clan, and family, God made these promises:

1. "I will make of you a great nation"  This promise is striking, since up to this point Abram had no children.
2. "I will bless you"---in land, livestock, precious metals, and human labor in addition to offspring.
3. "and make your name great"--in contrast to the people at Babel, who wanted to make a name for themselves.
4. "you will be a blessing" (or perhaps, "Be a blessing!") People would make blessings in the name of Abraham.  ("May you be like Abraham.") Others would be blessed by a relationship with his family--e.g., Laban, Potiphar.
5. "I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse."  God would deal with nations based on their treatment of his family.  
6. "in you all families of the earth shall be blessed"  Abram's family would be a vehicle for blessing the nations.  Christians see this blessing carried out especially through the coming of Jesus the Messiah--see Gal 3:8-9, 14, 29.  

There is some question about the proper translation of the final clause of Gen 12:3.  The ESV translation ("in you all families of the earth shall be blessed") is the traditional rendering of the clause in the passive voice, followed by the Septuagint (and thus the New Testament), Sirach 44:21, Targum Onkelos, and the Vulgate.

It can also be given a reflexive translation ("in you all families of the earth shall bless themselves"), as mentioned in the ESV footnote.  The meaning of this translation would be similar to number 4 above.

In a sense, both translations lead to the same result, as Richard Middleton has pointed out. As is pictured in prophecies like Zech 8:20-23, people who seek to be blessed like Abraham will also tend to seek the God of Abraham, which will lead to blessing.

Middleton also explains that there is a strong tradition in both Judaism and Christianity that Abram's family has a special mission to bring blessing to the nations.  We see this in the prophets in passages like Isa 42:6 and Isa 49:6.  This understanding is also reflected in Jewish traditions about Abraham as an evangelist.

One such tradition is based on Gen 12:5, which mentions Abram, Sarai and Lot traveling with "the people they had acquired in Haran".  Literally, the verse speaks of "souls that they made" in Haran.  The rabbis interpret this as a reference to converts that they had made, based on the idea that someone who has taught another about the true God is considered to have in some sense "made" that person.

Seder 8 Sermon: Show Yourselves!

In his sermon at Church of the Messiah on May 2, 2020, Kyle Kettering took his title from the reading from the prophets in Isa 49:9, where God says to the prisoners, "Come out," and to those who are in darkness, "Appear."

This seems to be a fitting text for a time when we are trying to find a balance between protection from the Coronavirus and returning to a more normal life after a period of staying at home.

Kyle observed that when Noah's family went out from the ark, his children were tasked with restarting the world (Gen 9:18-19).   Similarly, the next generation plays a crucial role in carrying on a witness for God in the world, so our work in making disciples (Matt 28:19-20) begins with our young people.