Corpus-Paul

[Jim West <jwest AT highland.net>]

Tim Gallant wrote:

> John and Jim,
>
> No time to respond in detail. Let me just say this:
>
> (1) Paul thinks eschatologically, which means that he doesn't reinvent 
> everything, but it also means dramatic newness. We should not expect 
> that he completely redefines the tzedekah/dikaiosune terminology.


tzedekah means righteousness- rightness-  not "justification".

>  Now: In that context, what is "justification"? Justification is when 
> God relieves His people from their misery and says that the sins which 
> have hung over them collectively are forgiven ("comfort, comfort My 
> people....").


What support do you have for this interpretative move?  How do you 
equate "justification" with "comfort"?  What is your justification for 
such an understanding?

> (4) Because Paul has a representative view of Messiah,


What's that mean?

> he insists that Jesus has been raised "because of" our justification 
> (Rom 4.25). 


Huh?  Jesus was raised "because of" our "justifiaction?  I thought it 
was "for".  Where does Paul say Jesus was raised because we are justified?

> That means that the emancipation, the triumph in the great battle of 
> cosmic justice (for that is what Isaiah is about) 


Oh not hardly.  Isaiah is about?  well, it depends on which passage you 
are talking about.  The blanket claim that Isaiah is "about" cosmic 
justice is a gross generalization without substance.

Finally, I'm still wondering after the Hebrew word which you would 
translate "justification".  I know it can't be tzedekah.

Best,

Jim

--
Jim West

Biblical Studies Resources -  http://web.infoave.net/~jwest
Biblical Theology Weblog -  http://biblical-studies.blogspot.com