Corpus-Paul

[moon AT mail.sogang.ac.kr]

Dear co-interpreters,


recently I happened to think about Rom 4:1-9 again. This
is a crucial passage in the "battle" between the New Perspective
and the more traditional interpretation.

The question of Rom 4:9a is important to understand Rom 4:

This blessing, then - is it given (only) to the circumcised or
to the uncircumcised also?

This question reminds us of the question of 3:29:
Or, is God the God of Jews only? not the God of Gentiles also?

It indicates that the issue Paul addresses in Rom 4:1-9 is quite
similar to the issue Paul addresses in Rom 3:27-31.

Anyway, my question is how this question is logically connected to the previous
paragraph 4:1-8. I can think of two ways to link 4:9a to the previous
paragraph. I would like to hear comments about each.

(1) The first key to interpretation is to ask:
Is 4:9a a rhetorical question or a genuine question?

Suppose that 4:9a is a rhetorical question. Then
it means that the paragraph of 4:1-8 implies
the answer "also to the uncircumcised" to the question. Then, we can
reasonably assume that by "EX ERGWN" (from works) and "CWRIS ERGWN"
(apart from works), Paul refers to the works of Torah, which can be
done only by the Jews who possess Torah.

If both Abraham and David (or the person whom he refers to) were
justified apart from works of Torah, which only the uncircumcised
can perform, it would imply that the blessing of justification
is given to the circumcised (represented by David) and to the uncircumcised
as well (represented by Abraham).

Rom 4:9b-10 confirms or explain the answer "also to the uncircumcised",
implicit in the paragraph 4:1-8, by means of a clearer argument.

(2) Suppose that 4:9a is a genuine question, whose answer is not implied
in the paragraph 4:1-8 or vaguely implied in it.
Then 4:9b-10 provides the answer to the question. In this case,
"not from works" or "apart from works" does not necessarily
imply that the blessing is also given to the uncircumcised.
That claim should be further argued. Then we do not have
to assume that by "EX ERGWN" (from works) and "CWRIS ERGWN"
(apart from works), Paul refers to the works of Torah, which can be
performed only by the Jews.

Any comments?

Moon R.Jung
Associate Professor
Dept of Media Tech
Sogang Univ, Seoul, Korea


Moon R. Jung
Associate Professor
Dept of Media Technology
Graduate School of Media Comm
Sogang Univ, Seoul, Korea