The conversation I have been having with Steve Coxhead and his understanding of justification by faith has been rolling along! Please note that although I intiated the discussion with my critique of his 32 Theses Steve has been discussing the issues at his blog. I have been transferring his comments over to here, and transferring my comments over to his blog. It helps make it more interesting for me!!
Below is the most recent post at Steve’s blog which came from a question asked by a blogger going by the name Sujomo. The question was,
“Lots of thoughts for us all to meditate on. Would you like to post a comment on Romans 15:26 and the juxtapostion of ‘obedience’ and ‘faith’? You have also sought to explain how you see Paul using ‘law’ in his epistles. Would you care to comment on the wider NT corpus, especially Hebrews 7:12ff?
cheers, sujomo”
Steve responded with the post below…
“The Obedience of Faith in Romans 16:26
Sujomo has asked me about how I understand the expression the obedience of faith in Rom 16:26.
In Rom 16:26 I prefer the interpretation the obedience which is faith, i.e., faith is an epexegetic or appositional genitive.
I prefer this interpretation on the basis that Paul in Rom 16:25-26 is reflecting on God’s plan of salvation as revealed through the Old Testament prophets. The Old Testament prophets saw the new covenant as being a time of the circumcision of the heart (Deut 30:6), when the law would be written on the heart in a comprehensive way (Jer 31:33), a time when the Spirit would move Israel and the nations to keep torah (Isa 2:1-4; Ezek 36:26-27). In sum, the Old Testament prophets look forward to the new covenant as being a betrothal of Israel (and the nations) in faith to God (Hos 3:20), i.e., a time when God would work through Christ and the Spirit to bring about the renewal of covenant faithfulness (as per Hab 2:4), not only on the part of Israel, but also the nations.
So the epexegetic genitive makes most sense as being consistent with this Old Testament vision. I also think that that is how the same phrase in Rom 1:5 should be interpreted. This interpretation is also consistent with Paul’s language in Rom 15:18 where he talks about his mission as bringing the Gentiles to obedience.
The obedience of faith contrasts with the obedience of the works of the law (i.e., Jewish obedience to the law of Moses), which Gentiles could not participate in (at least not without giving up their Gentile citizenship). So the phrase the obedience of faith has a polemic edge to it in the historical context of Paul’s day. It is new covenant obedience: the obedience of submission to the lordship of Christ. ”
Related posts:
Steve, I understand what you are saying and why you are saying it, but I believe that it does not do justice to the text. In both Romans 1:5 and 16:25-26 it makes perfect sense to say that it is an obedience that comes from faith AND it fits in beautifully with the OT passages that you referred us to where we are given the picture of how God’s people would be inclined to follow God’s commands (AFTER recieving a new Spirit!).
What you are in effect proposing is that when Paul says faith he means obedience. This does not make sense of Paul’s words in Galatians…or anywhere else! Further to this, when we go to Hebrews and think of the definition provided as to what faith is, from a ‘Hebrew’ writing to ‘Hebrews’ we do not get your understading of faith at all. How do you reconcile this, because it is a major problem with you thesis!
“Steven Coxhead said…
I’ll respond to this more later on, but just a quick one for now.
Aren’t we commanded to repent and believe in the gospel (Mark 1:15)?
How is it then that faith is not obedience?
January 2, 2010 12:21 AM”
Steve, I will look forward to your further comment, but in response to Mark 1:15.
How can it be repentance without belief?
Mark 1:15 certainly makes not comment as to the order that is required, it simply points to two things that need to happen. Surely the point is that the two are very closely linked (as we have already discussed).