If you call yourself a Jew
Subtitle: reappraising Paul's letter to the Romans
By: Rafael Rodriguez
Publisher: Cascade Books
Published: 2014
Place of publication: Eugene, Oregon
Language: eng
Number of pages: 317
ISBN-13: 9781625646804
Subjects: Commentaries; Bible
Description: If You Call Yourself a Jew reads Romans as a dialogue between Paul and a Gentile proselyte to Judaism. This fresh reading brings Romans into focus as Paul's exposition of the revelation of God's righteousness--his faithfulness to his covenant promises to Abraham, which climaxed in the announcement that "in you all the tribes of the earth will be blessed" (Gen 12:3). Paul insists that the righteousness of God is revealed, "for the Jew first as well as for the Greek" not through Torah but through the faith(fullness) of Jesus. Torah and the prophets provide corroborating witness for God's righteousness, but Gentiles who bend their necks to Torah's yoke miss the actual mechanism for finding peace with God. Paul found in the story of Jesus the image of complete faith in/faithfulness to God; in Jesus' resurrection he found the image of God's complete faithfulness, "for the Jew first as well as for the Greek" Whereas Torah resulted in curse and death, it also anticipated the unconditional faithfulness of God for both Jew and Gentile. For Paul, the gospel of Jesus Christ is the account of the outworking of God's faithfulness: the end of Torah's curses and the fulfillment of its blessings
Table of contents: title: Introduction : Paul the apostle, to the beloved gentiles in Rome; title: The Gospel, the power of God : Paul begins to write; title: The wrath and impartial judgment of God : gentiles in Pauline perspective; title: Introducing the gentile proselyte : a gentile who calls himself a Jew; title: The righteousness of God apart from Torah : or, not a law-free gospel; title: Christ, the new Adam : undoing the curse of death; title: Baptized, buried, raised : freed from sin, enslaved to righteousness; title: Nomos, flesh, spirit : the war waging within; title: Creation renewed by the Spirit : security in the presence of God; title: Israel and Christ : Paul's pathos for the people of God; title: Israel and Christ, Pt. II : Torah's telos; title: [Re-]grafted olive branches : the persistence of hope; title: Living sacrifices : one body, many members; title: The offering of the weak : Paul and the particular assemblies in Rome.