Unfortunately I cannot help with the ascent and descent of Jesus as christ-savior.
This particular section you cited is part of materials I have attributed to a later editor to an original letter of Paul, who added his own commentary. The original Paul did not know anything about Jesus, but relied on Abraham's faith that God would ultimately honor his promise of many sons who would inherit a fruitful land as what justified him before God, and he applied that same analogy to his gentile buddies who also had faith in the coming of that future fruitful land and wished to participate too, if possible, without need for circumcision and law incumbent on those who do - the Law was a special covenant between God and his physical descendants, not those who longed to share such an age if only as respectful guests and sojourners. It was this editor who was convinced that belief that Jesus was a divine redeemer was "better, muuuuccccchhhh better," than faith like Abraham alone.
Here's the thinking:
"Original" Paul said:
10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them [Paul's opponents who claim that Law observance is required to inherit] is that they may be [also be] saved [to share in this inheritance].
2 [...].
3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness.
4 [...].
5 Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on the law shall live by it. (Lv 18:5)
6 - 9 [...]
This indicates that Law practice itself does not justify the practitioner before god (a common theme of his), but they are saved though, thusly:
10 For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved.
11 The scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame." (Is 28:16)
12a For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek;
12b [...].
13 For, "every one who calls upon the name of (the) LORD will be saved." (Joel 2:32)
14 - 21 [...]
In other words, his gentile friends who had faith in that coming age and wished to participate, were being welcomed by God as proved by the proof texts in brackets "()."
Then the new editor gets involved, and adds his commentary with the better way:
2 I bear them [i.e., Judeans] witness that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened
4 For Christ is the end of the law, that every one who has faith may be justified
6 But the righteousness based on faith says, Do not say in your heart, "Who will ascend into heaven?" (that is, to bring Christ down)
7 or "Who will descend into the abyss?" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead)
8 But what does it say? The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach); [Dt 30:12-14]
9 because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved
12b the same (one) is Lord of all and bestows his riches upon all who call upon him
14 But how are men to call upon him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher?
15 And how can men preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news!" (Na 1:15)
16 But they have not all obeyed the good news; for Isaiah says, "LORD, who has believed what he has heard from us?" (Is 53:1)
17 So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ.
18 But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have; for "Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world." (Ps 19:14)
19 Again I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says, "I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry." (Dt 32:21)
20 Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, "I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me." (Is 65:1)
21 But of Israel he says, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." (Is 65:2)
This editor was looking at this from the prospective that law abiding Judeans had rebelled and been defeated, showing the weakness of their position that their law abiding actions alone could garner divine support. This is a terrible argument, of course <aaarrrggghhh!!!>, but the editor felt it was good enough for an ironic rebuke.
DCH
This particular section you cited is part of materials I have attributed to a later editor to an original letter of Paul, who added his own commentary. The original Paul did not know anything about Jesus, but relied on Abraham's faith that God would ultimately honor his promise of many sons who would inherit a fruitful land as what justified him before God, and he applied that same analogy to his gentile buddies who also had faith in the coming of that future fruitful land and wished to participate too, if possible, without need for circumcision and law incumbent on those who do - the Law was a special covenant between God and his physical descendants, not those who longed to share such an age if only as respectful guests and sojourners. It was this editor who was convinced that belief that Jesus was a divine redeemer was "better, muuuuccccchhhh better," than faith like Abraham alone.
Here's the thinking:
"Original" Paul said:
10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them [Paul's opponents who claim that Law observance is required to inherit] is that they may be [also be] saved [to share in this inheritance].
2 [...].
3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness.
4 [...].
5 Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on the law shall live by it. (Lv 18:5)
6 - 9 [...]
This indicates that Law practice itself does not justify the practitioner before god (a common theme of his), but they are saved though, thusly:
10 For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved.
11 The scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame." (Is 28:16)
12a For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek;
12b [...].
13 For, "every one who calls upon the name of (the) LORD will be saved." (Joel 2:32)
14 - 21 [...]
In other words, his gentile friends who had faith in that coming age and wished to participate, were being welcomed by God as proved by the proof texts in brackets "()."
Then the new editor gets involved, and adds his commentary with the better way:
2 I bear them [i.e., Judeans] witness that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened
4 For Christ is the end of the law, that every one who has faith may be justified
6 But the righteousness based on faith says, Do not say in your heart, "Who will ascend into heaven?" (that is, to bring Christ down)
7 or "Who will descend into the abyss?" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead)
8 But what does it say? The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach); [Dt 30:12-14]
9 because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved
12b the same (one) is Lord of all and bestows his riches upon all who call upon him
14 But how are men to call upon him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher?
15 And how can men preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news!" (Na 1:15)
16 But they have not all obeyed the good news; for Isaiah says, "LORD, who has believed what he has heard from us?" (Is 53:1)
17 So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ.
18 But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have; for "Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world." (Ps 19:14)
19 Again I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says, "I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry." (Dt 32:21)
20 Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, "I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me." (Is 65:1)
21 But of Israel he says, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." (Is 65:2)
This editor was looking at this from the prospective that law abiding Judeans had rebelled and been defeated, showing the weakness of their position that their law abiding actions alone could garner divine support. This is a terrible argument, of course <aaarrrggghhh!!!>, but the editor felt it was good enough for an ironic rebuke.
DCH
Statistics: Posted by DCHindley — Sun Apr 21, 2024 11:17 pm