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

219 The scriptural context was most helpful in unlocking Paul's meaning of the "works-faith" antithesis. Paul states that all those who are of the "works of the law" are under a curse. The traditional interpretation sees this as the story of every individual who attempts to earn his salvation. Paul's quotation however does not point to the theology of Romans 1-3, but rather to the national covenant of Israel, Deuteronomy 27. It was deter– mined that those who were of "the works of the Law" were merely members of Jewish society who found their identity in the covenant of Moses by obeying the covenant. The curse of the law was the one promised for the nation of Israel in Deuteronomy 27-30 of exile and disenfranchisement from covenant blessing for serious covenant disloyalty. This curse came upon the nation until "the consolation of Israel, the seed of Abraham" came to redeem Israel from it and inaugurate eschatological blessing in a new covenant. Thus , those of "the works of the Law" are those identified with Moses and the era of the law before Messiah. The second side of the antithesis , " faith" is first defined by Paul in 2: 16 as n(an:wc; Tr1aoO Xp L aToO. Rather than a reference to individual human faith in Christ it was determined that the phrase probably refers to the "faithfulness of Jesus Christ" expressed in the fulfillment of the promise of redemption on Calvary. Becau e Paul defines the phra e in 2: 16 and in 3:22-26 he often refers to the same concept in an abbreviated way a imply "the faith" (3:23, et al.) Paul freely speaks of the time before the coming of the faith and the time afterward which i characterized by the faith (3: 22-26). Paul ' reference are not to the coming of individual trust but to the epochal tage in redemption hi tor in hich G faithfully keep hi prom1 of redemption in Me iah. Thu , the nd ide of th ontra t a d fined a th "faithfuln of J u hri t" nd tho ho er " f thi f ith" th ho, m cont a t to tho la , found th ir id ntit in M rk e hi h he int du d .