The Relationship of Jewish and Gentile Believers to the Law Between A.D. 30 and 70 in the Scripture

178 The most likely explanation for why Paul considered "those who were of the works of the law" to be under a curse was because the Deuteronomic curse for gross national infidelity had come upon the nation. Like Daniel, Paul saw the curse continuing until the time of the Messiah who finished the transgression and redeemed the nation from it. Thus, if Paul intended that his quotations from Deuteronomy reflect their original meaning then it is most likely that his discussion in 3: 10, 13 concerns primarily the nation of Israel. Though Paul is quick to point out that the atonement of Messiah had universal implications (3: 14), it seems that his interest in these two verses (3: 10, 13) is to explain the relationship between Calvary and the curse of the law which fell upon the covenant people. 98 This brings us back then to the definition of the phrase ocrot l~ Epywv voµou. It would appear that the context defines the phrase in the simplest of terms as identifying the members of the Jewish nation. These are people who identify themselves as the covenant people by their allegiance to Moses . It is a simple identification of the Jewish people without pejorative or soteriological overtones. Thus, there is no basis for the RSV's translation those who "rely on the works of the law" as though these people sought to merit salvation 99 and even less basis for the translation of "legalist. " 100 98 Betz agrees that only Jews are referred to here not Gentiles because only Jews were "under the Torah." He rebuffs others who "systematize Paul by interpreting Rom 1:18ff; 2: 12ff; 3:23; 5:12ff into Gal. However, the universal reign of law and in over both the Jew and the Gentile is stated clearly only in Rom, not in Gal," Betz, Galatians , 148. For a good example of this see MuBner's comments in note number 80 on page 170. 99 This i not to deny that ome in the nation may well have ought to win fa or ith God by b r in M e , but the point here is that the phra a Paul u e it doe not re£ r one's motives for allegiance to the covenant. 100 A uller, ranfield and Longenecker under tand th phra . Whil L ng n k r acknowledge the work of ander and other in id ntifying " ork f th 1 " a "c enantal nomi m" he lip back into the traditional m d hen h o nantal nomi m i i ted upon entil it r ult in impl I gali m . Thu in hi r yw 6µ u r not ju t to th dg o J i h n ntal n mi m ' but phra to ignal h hol I ali ti comple of id a ha to d ith r ' a m rit- m m f T r h," Ri h rd N.