Small Additions (1)
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.” Romans 1:17 NASB
The/man – The NASB adds just a few small words to the Greek translation. Perhaps these two tiny additions don’t make any difference. Perhaps. But we should know that they are additions, nevertheless. Fortunately, the NASB puts the words in italics to indicate that there is no Greek original behind them. But then we might ask, “Why add them if the Greek text does not include them?” The answer might be more revealing than we wished.
First let’s notice the added “the” in the beginning of the verse. In Greek the text reads, “Righteousness for of God in it is revealed.” Paul puts the word dikaiosyne first in the sentence because he wishes to emphasize it. The point of the thought is not “God” but “righteousness.” That causes us to rethink the translation of gar, the adverbial conjunction found in second position in the verse. Gar covers a wide range of possible English words such as “and, as, because, even, for, then, therefore, what, why,” etc. Paul uses it constantly in Romans as a bridge between points in his argument. Perhaps in English we need to put it first in the sentence, but we cannot diminish the primacy of dikaiosyne as a result.
What follows is the genitive noun theou, translated “of God.” Now we see why the NASB adds “the.” Paul’s text reconstructed for English syntax should read, “Because righteousness of God,” but the translators want us to note that this righteousness belongs to God alone. It is unique to Him. Therefore, it can support the addition of the definite article, “the.” But the genitive theou might just as legitimately be translated, “God’s righteousness,” or “righteousness belonging to God.” Is there a subtle difference? I don’t need to add the definite article with either of these options, do I? Now the text implies that this is not righteousness uniquely possessed by God but rather righteousness displayed in God’s action. Which thought is more likely Hebraic? We might need to remember that there is no verb for possession in Hebrew. The basic construct in Hebrew is relationship, not ownership. If Paul thinks like a rabbi (and he does!), wouldn’t he suggest that this righteousness is the result of relationship rather than ownership? And if that is the case, then we too can share in this righteousness when we enter into the same relationship.
What relationship is that? Ah, Paul implies the relationship with the pronoun auto, translated “it.” That means we have to go back to the previous points of his argument in order to understand what “it” is. We discover that “it” is the good news (to euangelion, this time with the definite article). That begs the question, “What is the good news?” If I am completely Hebraic in my answer, I would say that the good news is that the Jewish Messiah, Yeshua, has been revealed in these days and his death and resurrection are the guarantee that the Kingdom, God’s Kingdom, will reign on earth as it does in Heaven. The good news is not that “Jesus saves.” It is that the final victory of the Kingdom is assured and Torah will pour forth from Zion. The good news is that God’s purposes for and with His people are assured. It is now only a matter of time. That’s why this “good news” is the power of salvation for everyone who believes. It is precisely what the angels announced at the birth. “Good news on earth and peace among men.” The King has been born and He will bring in the Kingdom, no matter what the odds. This news is salvation (deliverance) because it rescues us from the power of pagan idolatrous empires that currently inhabit the earth.
Back to our added article, “the.” Because of the good news of the Kingdom (that the Kingdom is established), righteousness demonstrated by God is revealed. How so? The basis of dikaiosyne is the Greek dike that means “justice.” There is an unmistakable direct connection between dike and Torah. From a Hebraic perspective, justice is Torah! God’s righteousness is the revelation of His Law, the Torah, as the basis of His interaction with men and the foundation of His Kingdom on earth. And you and I can participate in that righteousness when we practice Torah. It is not righteousness that God alone possesses. Rather, it is the relationship we share when we live according to faith. And, of course, faith is not a noun either. In Hebrew thought, faith is a verb. It is a way of life. It is the way of life revealed to us by God.
Just a few thoughts about “the.” Now maybe you can add some of your own.
Topical Index: the, dike, dikaiosyne, righteousness, gospel, Romans 1:17
Yes! The Way of Torah IS the establishment of His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. Wonderful that you included the declarative song the angels sang at His birth.
“Good news on earth and peace among men” is the encapsulation of the whole of the Law, is it not? Another way of describing what “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind and all your soul; and your neighbor as yourself” is declaring. The restoration of relationship with our God and with ourselves and each other becomes possible through the righting of those relationships through the fullness of rightness that He restored to us. Halleluah!
Did you know (I didn’t, until recently) that there are seratonin receptors on the cell membrane SURFACES of single bacteria organisms? Would someone like to explain that to me? Seratonin is an intracellular communication device that is basically interpreted as a reward for correct behavior. In us, it can be referred to as the relationship chemical. It happens when we are rightly relating. It plummets when we are suffering fracture of relationship in any direction. It seems to me that the pleasure of rightly relating is something that was meant to guide all living things. We have now determined that there are bacteria that occur only in colonies, and that those colonies function as a collective organism in that they communicate and divide tasks between themselves in a similar way that a more ‘highly’ constructed organism does in its body. Hmmm Now I wonder if I have seratonin receptors on MY surface that are meant as guides to let me know when I am “From whom the whole body correctly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part making increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love”. (Eph. 4:16) Now I am wondering if the Word was also describing lowly bacterial colonies that are right there, showing us what church is supposed to be like! Today, I am being challenged to get it together and copy what bacteria already know better than I!
I learned that it is sin to seek seratonin enhancement from anywhere else than in the correcting of relationships. It seems every cell of my body is designed to SHEMA what I have forgotten, and when I get angry or frustrated at my body for not feeling ‘good enough’, and start beating it with seratonin enhancement substitutes (addictive behavior) then I am guilty, along with Balaam, of beating a serving part of creation that is being more righteous than I; am I not? Righteousness: not just a ‘spiritual’ phenomenon! The whole of creation was created to SHEMA! “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the earth showeth His handiwork”. Oh! There is the angels’ song again!
My seratonin increased as I read! Stimulating!
Hello, Meta!
Nice to relate to you, too! This has been a very gracious community for me to be in. A friend introduced me to this wonderful place @ a year ago, and they have been putting up with me ever since! I love Skip and his dedication to what he was called to do; it is working for me.
Thank you for letting us know about your loss. The loss of a child is a permanent hole. I have a few myself, and only lost one, but I did not get to know her like you did. I am looking forward to meeting again the one child I had that I never had to worry about on this dangerous planet, and seeing her grow up with a perfect Father in a place where my heart will never have to hurt for her. The hole is still there, though.
If you keep showing up and ‘speaking’, I really appreciate it, because then I can know how to pray. I pray for everyone here, and for this community as a whole, that it continues to serve the Father’s heart to all here. And to you, too.
Love, Laurita
Thank-you for your response, I really feel like I’m a part of this thing now! And that is a blessing.
Love, Meta
Righteous. One of the very first “Bible” words, I came to know and love. This is not a word we hear very often “out on the street.” Stripped down to simple form, to be “righteous” is to be “rightly-related.” Righteousness is word of (right) relationship.
How may a known sinner (sinners r us) become “rightly-related” with our Creator and our Savior who has revealed Himself (to us) to be thrice-holy?
( ~ Ask, and you will receive.. ~ )