Romans 4 In Jewish Perspective (original) (raw)

Righteousness 1 and faith are vastly discussed topics in the New Testament studies. A good number of arguments are driven based on the interpretive understanding of these words, in terms of understanding their meaning in the context of the New testament. However, these terms are not exclusive to the New Testament. One can find a lot of places in the Second Temple literature where these words are used. This paper attempts to argue that the concept of righteousness is long rooted in the Jewish literature which paves a way to the same concept of righteousness discussed by Jesus and for this matter Paul in the epistle to Romans. These concepts (righteousness and faith) have a long formation in the thought and practices of Jews. As to how did these concepts manifest in the lives of people and the communities. Hence, I will bring out Jewish texts which talk about righteousness and the given text of Paul, and establish the relationship between Righteousness and Faith, in particular to Romans 4:5 where Paul writes, "faith is credited as righteousness." Let us first look into the Jewish understanding of Righteousness. Righteousness in the Second Temple texts: Discussing about righteousness, one of the primary questions that needs to be addressed is what is righteousness within Judaism? And how has it influenced the lives of the Jews? The Hebrew word for righteousness ‫ה‬ ‫קָ‬ ‫דָ‬ ‫צְ‬ Sedaqah is interpreted as the works of "charity" or "Philanthropy." It is a behavioral practice towards the poor and weaker section of the community. In other words, it can be rendered as doing the "right" to the poor. The poor were entitled to ask for support from others which was considered as "the funds for righteousness." 2 The poor could ask for assistance by saying "acquire merit through me (Zakheh bi)." This merit could mean that performing the act of righteousness what the Law does not require but rewards. 3 This also means to perform "active deeds of righteousness" as in reference to Abraham in Genesis 15:6, which reads "he(Abraham) believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness." 4 Abraham was credited righteous because he had trust the Lord. In other words, he showed his fidelity towards the Lord. This also explains that there is grace (merit) outside of the Law, which alludes to the New Testament understanding of receiving grace outside of the Law, which we will be discussed in the later part of this paper. Overall, the impression that the above examples state that righteousness is seen closely in line with one's behavior. The prophetic tradition 5 sees righteousness as "Social Righteousness." 6 Hosea ascribes to this idea by indicating that righteousness as act of love towards one's neighbor. Hosea 10:12 reads, "Sow 1 Righteousness and Justice are similar concepts. "RIGHT AND RIGHTEOUSNESS-JewishEncyclopedia.Com," accessed June 17, 2021, https://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/12758-right-and-righteousness.