Let him who means to love life and see good days…..

“For, ‘Let him who means to love life and see good days refrain his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile. And let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears attend to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.’  1 Peter 3:10-12

The first epistle of Peter is often referred to as the letter to the submissive, suffering servants in the cause of Christ.

Redeemed from the Curse

The inspired apostle Paul, as he was working on justification of the Gentiles by faith in Christ Jesus and not the works of the law,  quotes several Old Testament passages between verses ten and thirteen of Galatian chapter three. In verse thirteen, our text for today, he quotes part of Deuteronomy 21:23. Here is the context from which Paul quoted:

“And if a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his corpse shall not hang all night on the tree, but you shall surely bury him on the same day (for he who is hanged is accursed of God), so that you do not defile your land which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance.” (Deut 21:22-23)

And Yet Do Not Sin

The apostle Paul here in verse twenty-six of Ephesians chapter four, partially quotes  Psalm 4:4, as it is translated in the  Septuagint. The NAS translation of the Hebrew in Psalm 4:4 reads, “Tremble, and do not sin; meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still.” Though the Septuagint and Hebrew differ in translation, this does not necessarily mean there is a disparity in conveying the meaning between the two translations. As always, context surrounding a verse helps us to see the intended meaning. Both translations, when viewed in concert with the surrounding context, communicate a consistent  message that the Holy Spirit inspired both David and the apostle Paul to record.

And again he says, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people.” And again, “Praise the Lord all you Gentiles, And let all the peoples praise Him.” Rom. 15:10-11 (NAS)

Well, we return to our study of Old Testament quotes found in the New Testament.

“And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, ‘Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved’” Romans 9:27

In this week’s offering, we’ll head back to the book of Romans for another look at an Old Testament quote cited by the apostle Paul. We’ll consider what many call “remnant theology” as recorded through the prophet Isaiah.

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession”1 Peter 2:9a NAS

In his epistles, the apostle Peter does not always state, “as it is written,” prior to making a reference to an Old Testament passage.

“But as for Israel He says, ‘All the day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.’”  Romans 10:21

Throughout the letter to the Romans, Paul has been moved by the spirit to cite the numerous prophetic utterances in the Old Testament that pointed to the inclusion of the Gentiles as a part of God’s people. From Abraham in the book of Genesis (Gen. 17:5), Moses in the book of Deuteronomy (Deut 32:21), Isaiah (Isa. 65:11, 66:2-20), and Hosea (Hos. 1:10, 2:23) the LORD revealed His kind intention to graft them in, these “vessels of mercy” called from among the nations. 

(as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”) in the sight of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist. Rom. 4:17

The apostle Paul, in one among several allusions to Abraham’s example of faith in the letter to the Romans, quotes here from the context of chapter seventeen, verse five of the book of  Genesis. 

“May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written, ‘That Thou mightest be justified in Thy words, And mightest prevail when Thou art judged.’ ” – Romans 3:4

The apostle Paul, in answering those who would say the Jews record of unbelief nullified the faithfulness and righteousness of God, quotes from a familiar psalm of David, Psalm fifty-one, verse four.

“Now that no one is justified by the Law before god is evident; for ‘The righteous man shall live by faith’” Galatians 3:11

The apostle Paul, while working through the life and death issue of faith versus law in his letter to the Galatian churches, cites a portion of an Old Testament passage from the prophet Habakkuk.