The Word of God Has Not Failed: Paul's Use of the Old Testament in Romans 9 (Studies in Scripture and Biblical Theology)

Annotation Debates rage over Paul's understanding of election in Romans 9-11. But is election really what Paul had in mind? Aaron Sherwood argues that this debate is foreign to Paul's purpose here. Paul primarily intended these passages to be a defense of God's covenantal faithfulness. In The Word of God Has Not Failed, Sherwood examines the first major passage of this section, Romans 9:6-20, giving special attention to the Old Testament Scriptures Paul used. It is vital to understand Paul's interpretation of these texts in order to understand the thrust of Paul's message. Sherwood shows how Paul viewed the rejection of the gospel by unbelieving Jews as idolatry, and the inclusion of believing Gentiles as a fulfillment of God's promises to Israel Romans 9--11 has long been an interpretive battleground. While many scholars understand it to be a treatise on election, Aaron Sherwood argues that Paul is primarily interested in defending God's covenantal faithfulness. The first major passage of this section includes a long series of Old Testament citations, and Paul uses these texts to explain what God is doing with Jews who have rejected Jesus. In The Word of God Has Not Failed, Sherwood presents a fresh reading of Romans 9:6--29, focusing on Paul's use of Scripture. Since this passage contains such a high concentration of Old Testament quotations, it is vital to explore how Paul understood and interpreted those texts. Only then can we really understand the thrust of Paul's message. According to Sherwood, Paul sees the rejection of the gospel by unbelieving Jews as idolatry. He explains how God's judgment on them is working to fulfill his covenantal promises. And he shows that the inclusion of believing Gentiles is a fulfillment of God's promises to bless Israel and to make them a blessing to the nations.--Publisher description