Paul on the defensive for the Israelites

Scholars discover that books in the Bible usually display some chiastic structures, an X like construction where the central idea is located at the centre. In written form, texts can be grouped together into ABCC'B'A' or ABCDC'B'A' etc. Within such a structure, the end echoes the beginning. It is a very powerful and useful literary device. There are 16 chapters in the epistle to the Romans. We expect to find Paul's central theme in Romans 8 and 9, if Paul has used such a literary device in this epistle.

In Romans 9-11, Paul quoted extensively from the Old Testament to defend the position of the Israelites. I always suspect that Paul did not have the Gentiles in his mind when he was writing this epistle. His readers have to know the scripture very well in order to be able to follow his argument. Let me summarize.

1. We owe our salvation through the Israelites (Romans 9:1-5).
2. Many Jews did not believe. Does it mean that God's word has failed? No. God had elected a minority (Romans 9:6-13).
3. Was God being unfair? No. God has mercy on those He wills (Romans 9:14-18).
4. Why does God still find faults? We are God's vessels of mercy. Therefore, we are in no position to ask (Romans 9:19-26).
5. Only a remnant will be saved (Romans 9:27-29).
6. Righteousness is achieved through faith (Romans 9:30-33).

Applying the concept of chiastic structure, we would find the central ideas of Romans 9 in sections 3 and 4. God is fair. Let's accept the reality that God would find fault with us.

7. Paul prayed that the Jews would be saved (Romans 10:1-4).
8. Salvation comes from faith which is manifested by calling on the name of the Lord (Romans 10:5-13).
9. The importance of preaching (Romans 10:14-17) Here, we have one of the mostly quoted Romans verses.
   But how are men to call upon him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher?
   And how can men preach unless they are sent? (Romans 10:14-15a)
10. The Israelites have also heard the Good News (Romans 10:18-21).
11. God had not rejected the people whom He elected (Romans 11:1-10).
12. Through the trespasses of the Jews, Gentiles could have a chance to be saved, thus stirring up the jealousy of the Israel (Romans 11:11-12).

In Romans 11, Paul employed an imagery of branches and grafting to show the relationship between the Jews, Gentiles and God. The Church provides them a meeting ground. Perhaps I should leave this for next time.

Dear Lord, I should thank St. Paul for his beautiful articulation of the importance of preaching. I pray for my audience. May Your Spirit open their minds, make them receptive to Your gospel of reconciliation. Amen.

Appendix:

1. ἀλλ', Ἐν Ἰσαὰκ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα. 
   but "Through Isaac shall your descendants be named." (Romans 9:7b, Genesis 21:12b)
2. Κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον ἐλεύσομαι καὶ ἔσται τῇ Σάρρᾳ υἱός. 
   About this time I will return and Sarah shall have a son (Romans 9:9b).
   κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον εἰς ὥρας, καὶ ἕξει υἱὸν Σαρρα ἡ γυνή σου (Genesis 18:10).
3. ὁ μείζων δουλεύσει τῷ ἐλάσσονι, 
   The elder will serve the younger (Romans 9:12b, Genesis 25:23b)
4. τὸν Ἰακὼβ ἠγάπησα, τὸν δὲ Ἠσαῦ ἐμίσησα.
   Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated (Romans 9:13)
   καὶ ἠγάπησα τὸν Ιακωβ, 
   τὸν δὲ Ησαυ ἐμίσησα (Malachi 1:2-3)
5. Ἐλεήσω ὃν ἂν ἐλεῶ, καὶ οἰκτιρήσω ὃν ἂν οἰκτίρω. 
   I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion (Romans 9:15, Exodus 33:19b).
6. ὅτι Εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἐξήγειρά σε ὅπως ἐνδείξ ωμαι ἐν σοὶ τὴν δύναμίν μου, καὶ ὅπως διαγγελῇ τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ. 
   I have raised you up for the very purpose of showing my power in you, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth (Romans 9:17)
   καὶ ἕνεκεν τούτου διετηρήθης, ἵνα ἐνδείξωμαι ἐν σοὶ τὴν ἰσχύν μου, καὶ ὅπως διαγγελῇ τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ. (Exodus 9:16)
7. μὴ ἐρεῖ τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι, Τί με ἐποί ησας οὕτως; 
   Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me thus?" (Romans 9:20b)
   μὴ ἐρεῖ τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι Οὐ σύ με ἔπλασας; ἢ τὸ ποίημα τῷ ποιήσαντι Οὐ συνετῶς με ἐποίησας; (Isaiah 29:16b)
8. Καλέσω τὸν οὐ λαόν μου λαόν μου καὶ τὴν οὐκ ἠγαπημένην ἠγαπ ημένην .
   Those who were not my people I will call my people, and her who was not beloved I will call my beloved (Romans 9:25)
   καὶ ἐλεήσω τὴν Οὐκ-ἠλεημένην καὶ ἐρῶ τῷ Οὐ-λαῷ-μου Λαός μου εἶ σύ (Hosea 2:25 LXX, 2:23 MT).
9. καὶ ἔσται ἐν τῷ τόπῳ οὗ ἐρρέθη αὐτοῖς, Οὐ λαός μου ὑμεῖς, ἐκεῖ κ ληθήσονται υἱοὶ θεοῦ ζῶντος. 
   And in the very place where it was said to them, `You are not my people, they will be called sons of the living God (Romans 9:26, Hosea 2:1b LXX, 1:0 MT).
10. Ἐὰν ᾖ ὁ ἀριθμὸς τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ ὡς ἡ ἄμμος τῆς θαλάσσης, τὸ ὑπό λειμμα σωθήσεται:
    λόγον γὰρ συντελῶν καὶ συντέμνων ποιήσει κύριος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. 
    Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved;
    for the Lord will execute his sentence upon the earth with rigor and dispatch (Romans 9:27-28).
    καὶ ἐὰν γένηται ὁ λαὸς Ισραηλ ὡς ἡ ἄμμος τῆς θαλάσσης, τὸ κατάλει μμα αὐτῶν σωθήσεται, λόγον γὰρ συντελῶν καὶ συντέμνων ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ,
    ὅτι λόγον συντετμημένον ποιήσει ὁ θεὸς ἐν τῇ οἰκουμένῃ ὅλῃ. (Isaiah 10:22-23).
11. Εἰ μὴ κύριος Σαβαὼθ ἐγκατέλιπεν ἡμῖν σπέρμα, ὡς Σόδομα ἂν ἐγ ενήθημεν καὶ ὡς Γόμορρα ἂν ὡμοιώθημεν. 
    If the Lord of hosts had not left us children, we would have fared like Sodom and been made like Gomorrah (Romans 9:29, Isaiah 1:9).
12. Ἰδοὺ τίθημι ἐν Σιὼν λίθον προσκόμματος καὶ πέτραν σκανδάλου, καὶ ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ' αὐτῷ οὐ καταισχυνθήσεται. 
    Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone that will make men stumble, a rock that will make them fall; and he who believes in him will not be put to shame(Romans 9:33).
    Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐμβαλῶ εἰς τὰ θεμέλια Σιων λίθον πολυτελῆ ἐκλεκτὸν ἀκρ ογωνιαῖον ἔντιμον εἰς τὰ θεμέλια αὐτῆς, καὶ ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ̓ αὐτῷ οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ. (Isaiah 28:16)
13. Τίς ἀναβήσεται εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν; 
    Who will ascend into heaven? (Romans 10:6b)
    Τίς ἀναβήσεται ἡμῖν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν (Deuteronomy 30:12)
14. Τίς καταβήσεται εἰς τὴν ἄβυσσον; 
    Who will descend into the abyss? (Romans 10:7)
    Τίς διαπεράσει ἡμῖν εἰς τὸ πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης [the sea](Deuteronomy 30:13).
15. Ἐγγύς σου τὸ ῥῆμά ἐστιν, ἐν τῷ στόματί σου καὶ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου 
    The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart (Romans 10:8)
    ἔστιν σου ἐγγὺς τὸ ῥῆμα σφόδρα ἐν τῷ στόματί σου καὶ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου (Deuteronomy 30:14).
16. Πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ' αὐτῷ οὐ καταισχυνθήσεται.
    No one who believes in him will be put to shame (Romans 10:11)
    καὶ ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ̓ αὐτῷ οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ.(Isaiah 28:16)
17. Πᾶς γὰρ ὃς ἂν ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου σωθήσεται. 
    For, "every one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13)
    καὶ ἔσται πᾶς, ὃς ἂν ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου, σωθήσεται, (Joel 3:5 LXX, 2:32 MT)
18. Ὡς ὡραῖοι οἱ πόδες τῶν εὐαγγελιζομένων [τὰ] ἀγαθά. 
    How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news (Romans 10:15b)
    ὡς ὥρα ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων, ὡς πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου ἀκοὴν εἰρήνης, ὡς εὐαγγελιζόμενος ἀγαθά (Isaiah 52:7a)
19. Κύριε, τίς ἐπίστευσεν τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν; 
    Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us? (Romans 10:16b, Isaiah 53:1a)
20. Εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ἐξῆλθεν ὁ φθόγγος αὐτῶν, καὶ εἰς τὰ πέρατα τ ῆς οἰκουμένης τὰ ῥήματα αὐτῶν. 
    Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world (Romans 10:18b, Psalm 18:5a LXX, 19:4 MT)
21. Ἐγὼ παραζηλώσω ὑμᾶς ἐπ' οὐκ ἔθνει, ἐπ' ἔ θνει ἀσυνέτῳ παροργιῶ ὑμᾶς.
    I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry (Romans 10:19b)
    κἀγὼ παραζηλώσω αὐτοὺς ἐπ̓ οὐκ ἔθνει, ἐπ̓ ἔθ νει ἀσυνέτῳ παροργιῶ αὐτούς. (Deuteronomy 32:21b)
22. Εὑρέθην [ἐν] τοῖς ἐμὲ μὴ ζητοῦσιν, ἐμφανὴς ἐγενόμην τοῖς ἐμὲ μὴ ἐπερωτῶσιν. 
    I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me (Romans 10:20b)
    Ἐμφανὴς ἐγενόμην τοῖς ἐμὲ μὴ ζητοῦσιν, εὑρέ θην τοῖς ἐμὲ μὴ ἐπερωτῶσιν (Isaiah 65:1a).
23. Ολην τὴν ἡμέραν ἐξεπέτασα τὰς χεῖράς μου πρὸς λαὸν ἀπειθοῦν τα καὶ ἀντιλέγοντα. 
    All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people (Romans 10:21)
    ἐξεπέτασα τὰς χεῖράς μου ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν πρὸς λαὸν ἀπειθοῦντα κ αὶ ἀντιλέγοντα (Isaiah 65:2a)