Righteous based on faith

[CyrilSebastian]

In the Book of Numbers, Chapter 9 Verses 30-31, it states:
That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have achieved it, that is, righteousness that comes from faith; but that Israel, who pursued the law of righteousness,
did not attain to that law?
Please explain.

 

[bmonk]

I don’t know where you get your verses from, but my version of Numbers 9 has only 23 verses.

Oh–I see it is Romans 9:30-31.

Paul is setting out his understanding of the Gospel in Romans, He starts by distinguishing and comparing the Jews, with the Law, and the Gentiles, who do not have the Law. He needs to show the Law is good, but limited, while Faith is what allows us to receive salvation.

So he shows how the Law shows us where our sin lies–but is not strong enough to go beyond sin. Does that mean the Law, which leaves us in evil, is evil? No–it’s just not enough by itself. Hence, “Israel, who pursued the law of righteousness, did not attain to that law” (it’s a rhetorical question). But now, in Christ Jesus, Israel can attain the law, and salvation–if they wish. Paul himself is an example, if not a common one.

But the Gentiles–since they do not have the law–if they rely on Jesus at all, they rely on faith from the start and so attain righteousness in Jesus. They don’t have the too-limited good of the law to distract them, as it distracted Paul for so long.

He will go on to show how the Jews will stumble over the law, once they discover their effort and works are not enough–and, like Paul himself, that will be the moment that Jesus can show them the better way they need.

 

[petra22]

I don’t know where you get your verses from, but my version of Numbers 9 has only 23 verses.

Oh–I see it is Romans 9:30-31.

Paul is setting out his understanding of the Gospel in Romans, He starts by distinguishing and comparing the Jews, with the Law, and the Gentiles, who do not have the Law. He needs to show the Law is good, but limited, while Faith is what allows us to receive salvation.

So he shows how the Law shows us where our sin lies–but is not strong enough to go beyond sin. Does that mean the Law, which leaves us in evil, is evil? No–it’s just not enough by itself. Hence, “Israel, who pursued the law of righteousness, did not attain to that law” (it’s a rhetorical question). But now, in Christ Jesus, Israel can attain the law, and salvation–if they wish. Paul himself is an example, if not a common one.

But the Gentiles–since they do not have the law–if they rely on Jesus at all, they rely on faith from the start and so attain righteousness in Jesus. They don’t have the too-limited good of the law to distract them, as it distracted Paul for so long.

He will go on to show how the Jews will stumble over the law, once they discover their effort and works are not enough–and, like Paul himself, that will be the moment that Jesus can show them the better way they need.

I just read that one and was a little confused. Thanks for re-stating!

 

[fhansen]

I don’t know where you get your verses from, but my version of Numbers 9 has only 23 verses.

Oh–I see it is Romans 9:30-31.

Paul is setting out his understanding of the Gospel in Romans, He starts by distinguishing and comparing the Jews, with the Law, and the Gentiles, who do not have the Law. He needs to show the Law is good, but limited, while Faith is what allows us to receive salvation.

So he shows how the Law shows us where our sin lies–but is not strong enough to go beyond sin. Does that mean the Law, which leaves us in evil, is evil? No–it’s just not enough by itself. Hence, “Israel, who pursued the law of righteousness, did not attain to that law” (it’s a rhetorical question). But now, in Christ Jesus, Israel can attain the law, and salvation–if they wish. Paul himself is an example, if not a common one.

But the Gentiles–since they do not have the law–if they rely on Jesus at all, they rely on faith from the start and so attain righteousness in Jesus. They don’t have the too-limited good of the law to distract them, as it distracted Paul for so long.

He will go on to show how the Jews will stumble over the law, once they discover their effort and works are not enough–and, like Paul himself, that will be the moment that Jesus can show them the better way they need.

Very well stated. I’d add an aside-that the reason faith is essential is that it constitutes, within man, the reconciliation of himself with God, a relationship that was shattered at the Fall. What man needs to learn-and what Israel’s struggle with the law helped teach us-is that we need communion with God first of all-then His righteousness can be imparted to us, rather than our trying to achieve righteousness on our own, based on the law, still effectively apart from Him. “Apart from Me you can do nothing”** John 15:5.

This communion fulfills the New Covenant prophecy of Jer 31:34, of God truly becoming the God of man again, so that the other part of the prophecy, verse 33, may be fulfilled: of Him placing His law in our hearts and writing it in our minds. Faith, as a response to grace, is the root of all justification according to Trent, not the end of it, as if faith, alone, were sufficient, but rather the beginning of it.

 

[petra22]

This communion fulfills the New Covenant prophecy of Jer 31:34, of God truly becoming the God of man again, so that the other part of the prophecy, verse 33, may be fulfilled: of Him placing His law in our hearts and writing it in our minds. Faith, as a response to grace, is the root of all justification according to Trent, not the end of it, as if faith, alone, were sufficient, but rather the beginning of it.

:getholy::getholy::getholy:

 

[TRH1292]

The book of Romans, in many ways, is an overview of Salvation History.

In Romans Chapter 9, St. Paul deals with the question of Israel. Specifically, how Israel is not included in the New Covenant blessings and how this is to be explained theologically.

The basic message of the passage in questions is that the Gentiles were not pursuing the one true God, but yet have attained him, because he has come to them in the person of Jesus Christ and they have responded with faith. Israel was pursuing the one true God and relationship with him, but they have not obtained it, because they did not pursue it through God’s revelation of Jesus Christ, but instead acting as if the Torah was the way to intimate communion with God, instead of faith in the messiah.

 

[CyrilSebastian]

Bmonk, Thank you for explaining that “Israel, who pursued the law of righteousness, did not attain the law” is a rhetorical question.

Fhansen, Thank you for explaining about the reason faith is essential.
:):thumbsup::tiphat:

 

[animalis]

Looking over the commentary of St. Thomas Aquinas, he considers the verses you called to question as a conclusion, from the intended proposition in v. 24 (“Even us, whom he also has called, not only of the Jews but also of the gentiles.”), Paul proves his proposition with the citation of the Prophet Hosea, in v. 25, and with the citation from the book of Isaiah, which follows after.

Starting at verse 24, “the apsotle shows that such election or calling appiles not only to the Jews - as if they could boast on account of what is said in Dt. 4:37 ‘he loved your fathers’ - but also to the gentiles.” The proof is given by what is provided by the book of Hosea indicating what the Catechism indicates when its explains the characteristics of the People of God (cf. CCC 782). I will not go into the proof itself.

St. Thomas says, “The law of justice (righteousness) is the law of the spirit of life through which men are made just and which the Jewish people did not attain, although they pursued it by observing the shadows of this spiritual law: ‘the law has but a shadow of the good things to come’ (Heb 10:1)” Faith believes instruction. In the greek septuagint, Prophet Isaiah said “if ye do not believe, ye will not understand.” (Isa 7:9) the vulgate uses the word “continue” rather the “understand”. I believe both are useful to understand the progression of *frequent *confession of one’s sins to the Church (cf. Ps 32, Lk 1:77) and being subjectively instructed through grace by concrete signs of objective domga proposed for study from the Church. To explain further would go off topic.

The Jews did not proceed to continue from their law, because they did not believe.