Re – rereading
Just as it is written, “For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” Romans 8:36 citing Psalm 44:22 NASB
As it is written – What can separate us from the love of God? If you read Paul’s argument in Romans 8, the answer appears to be “Nothing at all!” But Paul cites a very unusual proof text for his argument for the psalm that he uses is David’s cry that God Himself is the cause of separation. David’s psalm is a complaint that in spite of the fact that the people have been obedient, God appears to have abandoned them. This is a very odd proof text for an argument that we are never removed from God’s care. Even if we can somehow connect David’s desperation with the assumption that God still oversees Israel, how are we going to show that what was true in the time of David’s trouble is equally true in the time of Paul’s proclamation?
The first answer to this difficulty comes from understanding how the Jewish sages thought about Scripture. The sages treated Scripture as if it were yesterday’s newspaper. They thought of Scripture as one massive tome for the contemporary world. Its actual historical setting didn’t matter. What mattered was the eternal character of God’s words. Therefore, what David said, and even what Adam said, could be treated as though it were yesterday’s news. And it was all immediately applicable today. “As it is written” is not an expression of a reference to some past insight or authority. “As it is written” is an introduction to a current statement. This is why the authors of the New Testament consistently ignore historical context, linguistic accuracy and cultural circumstances when they cite the Tanakh. Those things don’t matter. This is God’s word. It is God’s word now just as it was God’s word then. Paul simply lifts this verse out of its context because it fits what he wants to say today. This use of the Tanakh is standard protocol for New Testament authors.
So, when we read the New Testament, we must keep in mind that the Tanakh (from a rabbinic point of view) isn’t an historical revelation from God. It is a contemporaneous revelation from God.
Why can Paul take a verse from a psalm that suggests God Himself is the cause of separation and use it to prove nothing can separate? Because Paul doesn’t think of David’s complaint as a stand-alone piece of poetry. David’s complaint must be read in the context of all that David (and Isaiah and Ezekiel and Amos and etc.) say about God’s faithfulness. And since David expresses confidence in God’s care even in spite of this psalm of despair, Paul can lift this one verse from David to justify his claim that nothing, not even being put to death, can remove us from the love of God. But unless you realize what Paul is doing, it will look like a very, very strange argument indeed.
Reading Scripture is much like reading Tolstoy or Shakespeare. Reading is culturally contextual. We must read with the same frame of mind as the authors who wrote. That requires a paradigm shift. Try it and see what you find.
Topical Index: as it is written, reading, Tanakh, Romans 8:36, Psalm 44:22
“Reading Scripture is much like reading Tolstoy or Shakespeare.”
Hmmm
Makes me think of act 5, scene 5, of William Shakespeare’s tragic drama Macbeth
Macbeth painfully captures the moronic meaninglessness of suffering in everyday life
“Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time,
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death.
Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more:
It is a tale told by an idiot,
Full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.”
Of course Shakespeare is punning on “nothing”
Most of us might be Idiots full of sound and fury
But both nothing and everything
Are signifying God
Most of us might be Idiots full of sound and fury
But both nothing and everything
Are signifying God
2Cr 5:9 ¶ Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
2Cr 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things [done] in [his] body, according to that he hath done, whether [it be] good or bad.
The difference between ” it IS written” and “it WAS written” is the same as “I am in love” and “I was in love”!
This one’s going to take a little while to digest.
This seems to be a catch-22. If we are to read scripture as Paul did,… culturally/rabinically,.. then we will ignore the historical and cultural context,… as Paul did?
I’ll re-read, and re-meditate on this one.
While I believe it is still important to follow the usual historical-cultural exegetical process common to Christian commentaries, I recognize that unless we understand HOW Paul and other Jewish authors thought about Scripture, we will inevitably mis-understand what they are expressing. Therefore, we need to do both. We don’t share their cultural paradigms, so we have to recapture them, but at the same time, we need to enter into those paradigms in order to follow the arguments and reasoning expressed in the Bible. This is a consequence of being born a Gentile. Sorry about that.
My heart leaps within my chest when I see the words “it is written!”
Yeshua, the son of man and the second Adam, had a peculiar habit of saying, “it is written.” He said these same three wonderful words on many occasions.
There was one particular day, -a very special day- when Yeshua was led into the wilderness by the Ruach Hakodesh. How do I know this? How does any man know this? “it is written” in Matthew chapter four and verse one.
These words, these very words, were also written and recorded in a Book and spoken by a Man. This Book I am referring to is a very special Book. Would it be the “Book of the month?- or the Book of the ages?”
But Yeshua, the LORD Jesus (who is the) Christ, as He was filled and led by the Spirit, the Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Breath,- spoke these very same words, “it is written” three times on this particular day and in this peculiar place. -What words did this Man choose to use and why?
Why did Yeshua, the son of a Nazarene carpenter and the second Adam say unto the Tempter, “it is written?” Not once, not twice (verily, verily!) but three times?
And then on another occasion when this Shepherd-KIng was sharing one of His many parables, He shared these words: ” ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if Someone rises from the dead.'” (Luke 16.31)
Now isn’t this the strangest coincidence? “Someone rises from the dead..” preposterous! Unless, of course the Man who said this, the Man whose Name is “The Word of G-d” (Revelation 19.13) was Himself a Prophet..
What do the scriptures say? (Romans 4.3) I find it mighty strange (again) reading the words “what does the scripture say” didn’t read “what did the scripture say (yesterday) but rather, what “does” the scripture say? It is almost as though G-d speaks to His people, His children and His bride through the words that are written in His book! Is it written? Has G-d spoken? Does G-d speak? Shall we doubt the word(s) of the LORD? Or shall we receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save our souls? (James 1.21)
Does the word of G-d have any weight, worth or value today? These words, these ancient words, -why do we study them anyway? I rather enjoy being an ignorant sheep. Ignorance is bliss- they say.. Who says this? Ignorant people. I always did want to grow up to be ignorant. Stumbling and bumbling in the darkness, one of many wandering sheep- a worthy aspiration indeed..
Yeshua said again.. (why am I always quoting His words?- what’s up with that?) He was only a Man.. right? Just another teacher in a long list of teachers.. and yet..- Why am I drawn to His words? What was it He said again? If only I had Someone to remind me of what He said.. (John 14.26- thank You). He said, (and I quote) – “The words I speak unto you, they are Spirit and they are life”-(John 6.63) Life-giving words? (I found these words in a Book) Mighty tall claim..”my words are life.” Who was this Man to speak such words anyway? “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? He’s just another man among men, -right?
He spoke again unto the Pharisees.. and He said unto them: “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of G-d.” (Matthew 22.29) Did He speak to them only? -Then why am I convicted and shamed by by own ignorance?
David wrote, (and I quote) “Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path”- (Psalm 119.105) ~ The unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple ~ (Psalm 119.130) lol! Another “aha” moment! -Were these words written by David and for David only? Or do these words, (found in G-d’s Word) hold any weight, have any value- for anyone else today? I hate to do this.. but, .. (hello?)
What does the scripture say? “it is written!” Written on tablets of stone and (now) engraved upon our hearts!
Old news? – Very. Good news? -Extremely.
Ours, as we study the scriptures, (2 Timothy 2.15) is the delight of discovery. I’ve never known a book, any book, or any newspaper, or any movie as life changing, life-giving, as the Good Book, G-d’s Book. I’ve never read a greater Love story than the Love story, His-Story revealed in the Book G-d wrote, for “it is written” ~ “For G-d so loved the world, that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life ~ (John 3.16) “It is written!” (and) amen!
G-d Himself is not the cause of our separation- the cause of our separation from G-d (who is Holy) is sin. We are the ones responsible. We are the ones who “messed up.” Sin now separates us from G-d. But, what can wash away my sin? Nothing. -Nothing but the blood of Jesus! What can make me whole again? Nothing. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. And how would I know this? How would any man know this? Is this (good news) written in G-d’s word? Do the words “Father, forgive them..” have any impact on us today? Or is this yesterday’s news? (1 Peter 1.18,19)
Yes, Praise G-d, it’s all good!- for “it is written,” -Every word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him- (Proverbs 30.5)
For your eyes only? No. This “good news” this gospel is to whosoever will. ~ I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You ~ (Psalm 119.11)
Not sure why I point this out as if I were proud of it –but I am the most ignorant sheep who writes here– and “It is written” always delights my soul, too. I KNOW it is for me! I never enter the mind field (lol intended) of thinking of it as for any other person in history or any other culture. What God says doesn’t change with the calendar or clock or map.
Bingo! -as in eternal, never changing, from generation to generation?- and to “whosoever will!”