Texts in Conversation
In Romans 15, Paul quotes Isaiah 11 but omits its opening phrase about a future day, interpreting it as already fulfilled. Paul portrays the inclusion of Gentiles as the realized renewal Isaiah had described as a part of Israel’s future.
Share:
2500 BCE
1000+ CE
LXX Isaiah 11:10
Septuagint
8 And an infant shall put his hand on the holes of asps, and on the nest of young asps. 9 And they shall not hurt, nor shall they at all be able to destroy any one on my holy mountain: for the whole world is filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as much water covers the seas. 10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall arise to rule over the Gentiles; the Gentiles will trust in him, and his rest shall be glorious. 11 And it shall be in that day, that the Lord shall again show his hand, to be zealous for the remnant that is left of the people, which shall be left by the Assyrians, and that from Egypt, and from the country of Babylon, and from Ethiopia, and from the Elamites, and from the rising of the sun, and out of Arabia. 12 And he shall lift up a standard for the nations, and he shall gather the lost ones of Israel, and he shall gather the dispersed of Juda from the four corners of the earth.
Romans 15:12
New Testament
10 And again it says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” 11 And again, “Praise the Lord all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him.” 12 And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, and the one who rises to rule over the Gentiles, in him will the Gentiles hope.” 13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in him, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. 14 But I myself am fully convinced about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another.
Search:
Notes and References
"... The fourth citation (Romans 15:12) is from Isaiah 11:10, cited verbatim but without the opening phrase ‘in that day’. The reason for the omission is likely to be that a saying which looks towards a future event would not be helpful for Paul, and he intends to demonstrate that Isaiah 11:10 has found its fulfilment in this community and no longer belongs to a future time ... It is notable that the sense of Messiah’s ‘rule’ (i.e. reign in order to accomplish the destruction of the Gentiles) is absent in Paul’s reading ..."
Whittle, Sarah
Covenant Renewal and the Consecration of the Gentiles in Romans
(pp. 138-139) Cambridge University Press, 2015
* 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.
Your Feedback:
Leave a Comment
Anonymous comments are welcome. All comments are subject to moderation.
User Comments
,