16.06.2013 Views

The Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls: The ... - josephprestonkirk

The Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls: The ... - josephprestonkirk

The Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls: The ... - josephprestonkirk

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

172 IMPACT OF QUMRAN TEXTS ON PAULINE THEOLOGY<br />

“faith” from his new Christian background, is contrasting both. <strong>The</strong><br />

translation of Hab 2:4 should render <strong>the</strong> related Hebrew <strong>and</strong> Greek<br />

words in Paul <strong>and</strong> a Jewish text differently, as typical Pauline “faith” <strong>and</strong><br />

Jewish “faithfulness.” 52 For Paul, Hab 2:4 is one of <strong>the</strong> most central passages<br />

in his <strong>Bible</strong>, which shows him that “faith” (he means “faith” in<br />

Christ) <strong>and</strong> not <strong>the</strong> Law is <strong>the</strong> way to salvation. In Romans it is again<br />

(see A 1, above) <strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong>ological <strong>the</strong>me of <strong>the</strong> whole epistle (1:16–17),<br />

where we find <strong>the</strong> quotation from Habakkuk, which is so meaningful for<br />

Paul. <strong>The</strong> contrast in <strong>the</strong> underst<strong>and</strong>ing of Hab 2:4 in a Qumran text <strong>and</strong><br />

in Paul is helpful for a sharper analysis of both.<br />

We need to compare “<strong>the</strong>ir faithfulness to <strong>the</strong> Righteous Teacher” to<br />

“faith in Jesus Christ,” as in Gal 3:22. See also Phlm 5: “…<strong>the</strong> faith you<br />

have toward <strong>the</strong> Lord Jesus…”<br />

2. “To Be Counted as Righteousness”<br />

Paul<br />

Galatians 3:6 cites Gen 15:6 LXX (a citation also in Rom 4:3): “Just as Abraham<br />

believed God, <strong>and</strong> it was counted (e)logi/sqh) to him as righteousness…”<br />

Qumran<br />

4QMMT C 31 (= 4Q papMMT e [4Q398] frags. 14–17 2.7; partly also<br />

in 4QMMT f [4Q399] 2.4): “And it will be counted to you [<strong>the</strong> addressee]<br />

as righteousness” (hqdcl Kl hb#xnw; compare Ps 106:31: “And it was<br />

counted to him [Phinehas] as righteousness”), “since you will be doing<br />

what is right <strong>and</strong> good before him.” 53 See also “works of <strong>the</strong> Law” <strong>and</strong><br />

fur<strong>the</strong>r similarities in 4QMMT <strong>and</strong> Paul (see C 4, below).<br />

Explanations<br />

While for Paul “faith” (in contrast to observing <strong>the</strong> Law) is “counted as<br />

righteousness,” <strong>the</strong> Qumran text again says that <strong>the</strong> fulfilling of <strong>the</strong> Law<br />

(“doing what is right <strong>and</strong> good before him”), obeying <strong>the</strong> precepts earlier<br />

outlined, is counted in this way (cf. 4QpsJub a [= 4Q225] frag. 2 1.8:<br />

… b#xXtXwX, “<strong>and</strong> it was counted to him [Abraham] as righteousness”; Jub.<br />

52. See Dunn <strong>and</strong> Charlesworth in <strong>the</strong> present volume (ch. 7).<br />

53. For <strong>the</strong> reconstruction of 4QMMT, see n61, below.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!