Texts in Conversation
Baruch echoes the language of Deuteronomy about ascending to heaven or crossing the sea, interpreting it as more than just the Torah and applying it to the search for wisdom. In Romans, Paul follows a similar reading, adapting it to faith in Jesus.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Baruch 3:29
Deuterocanon
26 Giants were born that were famous of old, great of stature, and expert in war. 27 God didn’t choose these, nor did he give the way of knowledge to them, 28 so they perished, because they had no wisdom. They perished through their own foolishness. 29 Who has gone up into heaven, taken her, and brought her down from the clouds? 30 Who has gone over the sea, found her, and will bring her for choice gold? 31 There is no one who knows her way, nor any who comprehend her path. 32 But he that knows all things knows her, he found her out with his understanding. He who prepared the earth for all time has filled it with four-footed beasts.
Date: 200–50 BCE (based on scholarly estimates)
Romans 10:6
New Testament
4 For Christ is the end of the law, with the result that there is righteousness for everyone who believes. 5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is by the law: “The one who does these things will live by them.” 6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 or “Who will descend into the abyss?” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we preach), 9 because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Date: 55–58 CE (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... this linkage suggests that Paul is ascribing to Jesus Christ attributes that earlier Jewish texts had associated with God's eternal creative wisdom ... Note also the connection between Romans 10:6-7 and Baruch 3:29-30 ..."
Richard B. Hays, "The Story of God's Son" in Gaventa, Beverly Roberts, and Richard B. Hays, ed. Seeking the Identity of Jesus: A Pilgrimage (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2008), 183–184.
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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