Sacrifice, Curse, and the Covenant in Paul's Soteriology
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
SACRIFICE, CURSE, AND THE COVENANT IN PAUL'S SOTERIOLOGY Norio Yamaguchi A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of PhD at the University of St Andrews 2015 Full metadata for this item is available in St Andrews Research Repository at: http://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/ Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/10023/7419 This item is protected by original copyright Sacrifice, Curse, and the Covenant in Paul’s Soteriology Norio Yamaguchi This thesis is submitted for the degree of PhD at the University of St Andrews 2015 Sacrifice, Curse, and the Covenant in Paul’s Soteriology Presented by Norio Yamaguchi For the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy April 2015 St Mary’s College University of St Andrews - i - 1. Candidate’s declarations: I, Norio Yamaguchi, hereby certify that this thesis, which is approximately 80,000 words in length, has been written by me, and that it is the record of work carried out by me, or principally by myself in collaboration with others as acknowledged, and that it has not been submitted in any previous application for a higher degree. I was admitted as a research student in September 2011 and as a candidate for the degree of Ph D in July 2012; the higher study for which this is a record was carried out in the University of St Andrews between 2011 and 2015. I, Norio Yamaguchi, received assistance in the writing of this thesis in respect of language, which was provided by Sandra Peniston-Bird. Date Feb.12 2015 sig nature of candidate 2. Supervisor’s declaration: I hereby certify that the candidate has fulfilled the conditions of the Resolution and Regulations appropriate for the degree of Ph D in the University of St Andrews and that the candidate is qualified to submit this thesis in application for that degree. Date 12/2/15 signature of supervisor 3. Permission for publication: (to be signed by both candidate and supervisor) In submitting this thesis to the University of St Andrews I understand that I am giving permission for it to be made available for use in accordance with the regulations of the University Library for the time being in force, subject to any copyright vested in the work not being affected thereby. I also understand that the title and the abstract will be published, and that a copy of the work may be made and supplied to any bona fide library or research worker, that my thesis will be electronically accessible for personal or research use unless exempt by award of an embargo as requested below, and that the library has the right to migrate my thesis into new electronic forms as required to ensure continued access to the thesis. I have obtained any third-party copyright permissions that may be required in order to allow such access and migration, or have requested the appropriate embargo below. The following is an agreed request by candidate and supervisor regarding the publication of this thesis: PRINTED COPY a) No embargo on print copy b) Embargo on all or part of print copy for a period of … years (maximum five) on the following ground(s): • Publication would be commercially damaging to the researcher, or to the supervisor, or the University • Publication would preclude future publication • Publication would be in breach of laws or ethics c) Permanent or longer term embargo on all or part of print copy for a period of … years (the request will be referred to the Pro-Provost and permission will be granted only in exceptional circumstances). Supporting statement for printed embargo request: ELECTRONIC COPY a) No embargo on electronic copy b) Embargo on all or part of electronic copy for a period of 1 year (maximum five) on the following ground(s): • Publication would be commercially damaging to the researcher, or to the supervisor, or the University • Publication would preclude future publication • Publication would be in breach of law or ethics - ii - c) Permanent or longer term embargo on all or part of electronic copy for a period of … years (the request will be referred to the Pro-Provost and permission will be granted only in exceptional circumstances). Supporting statement for electronic embargo request: Date Feb. 12 2015 signatur e of can didate signature of supe rvisor Please note initial embargos can be requested for a maximum of five years. An embargo on a thesis submitted to the Faculty of Science or Medicine is rarely granted for more than two years in the first instance, without good justification. The Library will not lift an embargo before confirming with the student and supervisor that they do not intend to request a continuation. In the absence of an agreed response from both student and supervisor, the Head of School will be consulted. Please note that the total period of an embargo, including any continuation, is not expected to exceed ten years. Where part of a thesis is to be embargoed, please specify the part and the reason. - iii - Abstract Pauline scholarship often overlooks the fact that from the Levitical sacrificial perspective “sacrifice” and “curse” are diametrically opposed concepts. A sacrifice must be “holy and acceptable to God” (Rom 12:1). Arguably, Paul describes Jesus or his blood as a sacrifice to God (1Cor 5:7; Rom 3:25). In this light, how might we understand his assertion that Christ became a “curse” on the cross (Gal 3:13)? The “accursed” person who hangs on a tree is impure and defiled and thus totally unacceptable as a sacrifice to God (Deut 21:23; John 19:31). This research argues that the key concept that resolves such potential tensions in Paul’s statements is the “covenant”. Both “sacrifice” and “curse” are covenantal concepts. Sacrificial activities are essential for maintaining the covenant between God and his people. When God’s people sin, sacrifice provides the means to attain forgiveness and to remain in the covenant. However, the covenant can be broken by grievous sins such as idolatry, which result in the loss of the sanctuary and the sacrificial means. Consequently, they would fall under the “curse” of the covenant. This covenantal perspective underlies Paul’s soteriology. This thesis demonstrates that in Paul’s understanding Christ’s death serves both ends: the termination of the Mosaic curse by becoming a curse, and the dedication of his life-blood for the maintenance of the renewed covenant. These two things are related yet not identical. As test cases for this covenantal model, this research examines three Pauline texts. Galatians 3:13 describes the redemption of God’s people from the Mosaic covenantal curse. Deutero-Isaiah envisaged this event as a new “Exodus”, about which Paul talks in 1 Corinthians 5:7. Romans 3:25 illustrates the eschatological Yom Kippur for this new Exodus people consisting now of Jews and Gentiles, which sustains and sanctifies God’s renewed covenant people to the end. - iv - Acknowledgements I am and shall always be obliged to my supervisors for all their help. Dr David Moffitt kindly assumed the primary supervision of this research from the third year of my Ph D studies. Ever since, he has mentored me passionately and patiently. Without his tremendous knowledge of and insight into the Jewish sacrificial practices, I could not have completed this thesis. His gentle and friendly character made him an ideal mentor for me. Professor N. T. Wright has taken a keen interest in my research from the start of this project, and has greatly encouraged and inspired me. Being a distinguished scholar in the field of New Testament studies, he has many demands on his time, nevertheless, he has never failed to provide detailed comments and insightful suggestions on my draft. Dr Grant MacAskill has supervised me since my undergraduate studies at St Mary’s College. His continuous and warm support not only to my studies but also to my student life in St Andrews has greatly helped me to pursue this project. I also give a special thanks to the two examiners, Dr Alistair Wilson and Dr Mark Elliott, for their warm and insightful feedback to this thesis. Sandra Peniston-Bird, my dear German and English teacher, has continuously and carefully helped me to deal with linguistic issues. I also highly appreciate her kind friendship to me and to my parents in Japan. Professor Richard Bauckham has always been my hero in the field of biblical studies, and he generously wrote a reference for my application to the Ph D programme. He also offered me accommodation, when I was doing research in Cambridge. I am also deeply grateful for the support of Dr Kelly Iverson during my undergraduate studies at St Mary’s College. It was he who urged me to proceed to the Ph D programme, and gave me a practical advice for this. Professor Kristin De Troyer has made insightful comments on my study of the book of Leviticus. She has also supported me ever since my undergraduate studies at St Mary’s College. I sincerely want to thank the many friends and local people in St Andrews and Crail. Without their friendship and supports, I could not have completed this very challenging task. I really appreciate the congregation of St Andrews Church for enriching my spiritual life in St Andrews, especially Eric & Clare Priest. I am also grateful to the postgraduate community of St Mary’s College, friends and colleagues in Rutherford Room as well as Baillie Room, where I have been working on my thesis for four years. Andrew Kaethler, in particular, has constantly supported me in the completion of this project.