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In Romans, Paul quotes Isaiah to say that Israel’s behavior has caused the nations to dishonor God’s name, following the same logic in the Hebrew Bible that dishonorable behavior can negatively affect God.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Isaiah 52:5
Hebrew Bible
4 For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “In the beginning my people went to live temporarily in Egypt; Assyria oppressed them for no good reason. 5 And now, what do we have here?” says the Lord. “Indeed my people have been carried away for nothing, those who rule over them taunt,” says the Lord, “and my name is constantly slandered all day long. 6 For this reason my people will know my name; for this reason they will know at that time that I am the one who says,‘Here I am.’”
Romans 2:24
New Testament
22 You who tell others not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by transgressing the law! 24 For just as it is written, “the name of God is being blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” 25 For circumcision has its value if you practice the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
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Notes and References
“... Thus they dishonor God because of their hypocrisy. The whole purpose of the law was to help the Jewish people to honor God by keeping it. Thus they have brought him dishonor; the term also means to ‘disgrace’ or ‘insult’ someone. By their disobedience they have given the Gentiles a reason to heap scorn on God. Then Paul uses Isaiah 52:5 to anchor this charge. In Isaiah 40–66 the exile of Israel is seen as the result of national sin, which has caused the name of God to be mocked by the nations. So here too as a result of Israel’s disobedience, God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles. Those who believed they both glorified God and were completely superior to the Gentiles because they had the law were actually no better than the Gentiles. ...”
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