Abraham's Faith in Romans 4: Paul's Concept of Faith in Light of the History of Reception of Genesis 15:6

Description

The concept of faith is at the core of Paul's theology, and the classic assage for his understanding of pistis is Genesis 15:6. After discussing the history of scholarship on the Pauline concept of faith, Benjamin Schließer explores the literary, tradition-historical and structural questions of Genesis 15 and offers a detailed exegesis of verse 6 with its fundamental terms "count", "righteousness", and "believe". He then points to the theological significance of this testimony on Abraham for the Jewish identity; it comes into sight in a multifaceted and nuanced process of reception, from later Old Testament texts (Psalm 106; Nehemiah 9) to a broad array of literature from Second Temple Judaism (Septuagint, Sirach 44, Jubilees 14, 4QPseudo-Jubilees, 4QMMT, 1Maccabees, Philo). In the final and most substantial step, he asks about Paul's "hermeneutics of faith": How does Paul, in his exegesis of the Genesis quote in Romans 4, come to view Abraham as the father of all believers? What is the concept of faith that he develops on the basis of Genesis 15:6? Taking into account the manifold textual and thematic links between Romans 4, Romans 3:21-31, and Romans 1:16-17, a unique, twofold structure of "faith" discloses itself: Pistis designates first a divinely established sphere of power, i.e., a new, christologically determined salvation-historical reality, and second human participation in this reality, i.e., individual believing in the community of believers. Particularly the first aspect is generally overlooked in modern scholarship. Cover Dedication Preface Table of Contents Chapter I. Introduction and Methods A. History of Scholarship on “Faith” B. Genesis 15:6 C. Genesis 15:6 in Jewish Theology D. Genesis 15:6 in Paul Chapter II. Paul’s Concept of Faith: History of Interpretation A. Setting the Stage: Some Landmark Works B. Faith and Repentance I. A. Schlatter, Der Glaube im Neuen Testament (1885, 1927) 1. Introduction 2. The Motive for Faith: The Acceptance of Our Incapability 3. The Transformation through Faith 4. The Consequences of Faith 5. Salvation History 6. Reception C. Faith and Mysticism I. W.H.P. Hatch, The Pauline Idea of Faith in Its Relation to Jewish and Hellenistic Religion (1917) II. E. Wißmann, Das Verhältnis von ΠΙΣΤΙΣ und Christusfrömmigkeit bei Paulus (1926) III. F. Neugebauer, In Christus. Eine Untersuchung zum Paulinischen Glaubensverständnis (1961) D. Faith and Baptism I . W. Mundle, Der Glaubensbegriff des Paulus (1932) E. Faith and Obedience I. R. Bultmann, Theologie des Neuen Testamentes (1953, 1958); Art. “πιστεύω κτλ.” (1959) 1. Introduction 2. Becoming a Believer 3. Being a Believer 4. The Eschatological Character of Faith 5. Critique F. Faith As Salvation-Historical Event I . R. Gyllenberg, “Glaube bei Paulus” (1936) II. E. Lohmeyer, Grundlagen paulinischer Theologie (1929) III. H. Binder, Der Glaube bei Paulus (1968) IV. W. Schenk, “Die Gerechtigkeit Gottes und der Glaube Christi” (1972) G. The Horizon of Understanding of Faith I. D. Lührmann, “Pistis im Judentum” (1973); Glaube im frühen Christentum (1976); “Confesser sa foi à l’époque apostolique” (1985) II. E. Lohse, “Emuna und Pistis” (1977); “Glauben im Neuen Testament” (1978) III. G. Barth, “Pistis in hellenistischer Religiosität” (1982) IV. A. von Dobbeler, Glaube als Teilhabe (1987) V. E. Brandenburger, “Pistis und Soteria” (1988) VI. D.M. Hay “Pistis as ‘Ground for Faith’ in Hellenized Judaism and Paul” (1989) VII. D.R. Lindsay, “The Roots and Developments of the πιστ- Word Group as Faith Terminology” (1993) VIII. G. Schunack, “Glaube in griechischer Religiosität” (1999) H. The Faith of Christ I. J. Haußleiter “Was versteht Paulus unter christlichem Glauben?” ( 1895) II. G. Kittel, “Πίστις 'Iησου Χριστου bei Paulus” (1906) III. A.G. Hebert, “‘Faithfulness’ and ‘Faith’” (1955); T.F. Torrance, “One Aspect of the Biblical Conception of Faith”; “The Biblical Conception of ‘Faith’” (1956/1957) IV. H. Ljungman, Pistis. A Study of Its Presuppositions and Meaning in Pauline Use (1964) V. R.B. Hays, The Faith of Jesus Christ (1983) Chapter III. Genesis 15:6 A. Genesis 15 in Historical Criticism I. Literary Features of Genesis 15 II. Literary and Source Criticism III. The Tradition-Historical Environment of Genesis 15 B. Genre, Form, and Structure of Genesis 15 I. Genre, Forms – Date and Purpose II. Overall Genre – Narrative Technique III. Literary Coherence, Unity, and Structure C. Different Views of Genesis 15:6 I. The Impact of G. von Rad’s Exegesis II. Whose Righteousness, Abraham’s or God’s? 1. God’s Righteousness 2. Some Arguments for the Traditional View D. Exegesis of Genesis 15:6 I . Plan/Consider (נשׁח) 1. Plan 2. Consider II. The Suffix ha and the Preposition le III. Righteousness (הקדצ) IV. Believe (ןמא) 1. Syntax 2. Semantics E. Genesis 15 and the Old Testament Abrahamic Tradition I. Genesis 12:1-9 II. Genesis 22:1-14.19 and 22:15-18 III. Genesis 26:3-5 IV. Genesis 18:19 V. The Relationship to Genesis 15:6 F. Summary Chapter IV. Genesis 15:6 in Jewish Theology A. Psalm 106 B. Nehemiah 9 C. The Septuagint D. Sirach 44 E. Jubilees I. Jubilees 14,4-7.18 II. Jubilees 30,17 III. Jubilees 31,23 F. 4QPseudo-Jubilees (4Q225) G. 4QMMT H. 1Maccabees 2 I. Philo of Alexandria J. Summary K. Appendix I. The Passive Voice in Genesis 15:6 II. Genesis 15:6 a Set Expression? Chapter V. Romans 4 and Its Context A. Introductory Matters I. Faith or Fatherhood? The Theme of Romans 4 in Recent Scholarship 1. Abraham’s Faith a) Abraham’s Faith and Salvation History b) Abraham’s Faith and Typology c) History and Story 2. Abraham’s Fatherhood a) Exclusive Soteriology b) Non-Exclusive Soteriology II. Reasons and Intention of Paul’s Letter to the Romans B. Faith in Romans 1-3 and in Romans 4 I. Romans 1:16-17: Faith as the Theme of Romans: πίστєως єις πίστιν 1 . The Phrase єκ πίστєως єις πίστιν 2. The Habakkuk Quote II. Romans 1:18-3:20: The Opposite Side of Faith 1. The Wrath of God over Human Sinfulness 2. The Faithfulness of God versus Human Disbelief III. Romans 3:21-31: The Salvation-Historical Reality of Faith: єκ πίστєως 1 . Romans 3:21-22b: πίστιω 'Iησου Χριτου a) Grammatical and Cultural Conditions – Context b) Theology and Christology c) The Uniqueness of the “Obedience of the One” d) “Principle” and Act of Faith e) “Christ-Faith” and “God-Righteousness” 2. Romans 3:22c-26: God’s Atoning Act in Christ through Faith a) Excursus: Typos and Typology b) Faith and Atonement (a) ’Iλαστήριον (b) Διὰ [τῆς] πίστεως (c) 'O єκ πίστєως 'Iησου 3. Romans 3:27-31: The Way of Salvation of Faith a) Boasting, Law, and Faith b) Works of the Law c) The One God of Jews and Gentiles IV. Romans 4: Individual Participation in Faith: єις πίστιν 1. Textual Links between Romans 3:21-31 and Romans 4 2 . The Train of Thought and Structure of Romans 4 3. Form and Function of Romans 4 4. Romans 4:1-8 a) Romans 4:1-2: The Introduction of the Theme (a) Who Found What? (b) Abraham’s Work and Boast b) Romans 4:3: The Primary and Authoritative Text Genesis 15:6 (a) Λογίζεσθαι (b) Δικαιοσύνη (c) Πιστεύειν c) Romans 4:4-5: The First Exposition of Genesis 15:6 d) Romans 4:6-8: An Additional, Supporting Text LXX Psalm 31:1-2 5. Romans 4:9-21 a) Romans 4:9-12: Πίστις in the Antithesis of Circumcision and Uncircumcision (a) Circumcision as Seal of Faith-Righteousness (b) Abraham as Father of Circumcised and Uncircumcised b) Romans 4:13-17: The Salvation-Historical Framework of πίστις (a) The Promise to Abraham and His Seed through Faith-Righteousness (b) Abraham’s Heirs, Abraham’s Children c) Romans 4:18-21: Faith and Reality – the Nature of πίστις 6. Romans 4:22-25: The Application of Abraham’s Faith (“For Us”) Chapter VI. Results and Prospect A. Faith and Romans 4 I. Faith and Fatherhood II. Faith in Universal and Individual Terms III. Faith and Salvation History – Narrative Dynamics IV. (The Faith of) Abraham as Typos or Example/Model/Paradigm? V. πίστις and “Trust” – The Nature of Faith VI. Abraham’s Faith and Christian Faith – The Christology of Faith B. Abraham’s Faith in Tradition and Paul C. Faith in Romans 4 and Genesis 15:6: Paul’s Dealing with Scripture Bibliography A. Bible B. Ancient Sources, Versions, and Translations C. Dictionaries and Grammars D. Commentaries, Monographs, Essays, and Selected Dictionary Entries Index of References A. Old Testament B. New Testament C. Old Testament Apocrypha D. Old Testament Pseudepigrapha E. Dead Sea Scrolls F. Philo G. Josephus H. Rabbinic Literature I. Targums J. Early and Medieval Christian Literature K. Greco-Roman Literature Index of Modern Authors Index of Subjects and Names