10
v. 13
v.
7
RXMGH9 SHYUDQ WK TDODYVVK HMVWL9Q
K WLY NDWDEKYVHWDL HLM WK9Q
OHYJZQ WLY GLDSHUDYVHL K-PL Q HLM
DEXVVRQ WRXaW HVWLQ ;ULVWR9Q
WR9 SHYUDQ WK TDODYVVK NDL9
HMN QHNURZaQ DMQDJDJHLaQ
OKYP\HWDL K-PL Q DXMWKYQ NDL9
DMNRXVWK9Q K-PL Q SRLKYVHL DXMWKYQ
NDL9 SRLKYVRPHQ
v.
8
v.
14
DMOOD9 WLY OHYJHL HMJJXY VRX WR9 U-KaPDY
HVWLQ VRX HMJJX9 WR9 U-K PD VIRYGUD
HMVWLQ HMQ WZ_C VWRYPDWLY VRX NDL9 HMQ WK_C
HMQ WZ_ VWRYPDWLY VRX NDL9 HMQ WK_
NDUGLYD_ VRX WRXaW HVWLQ WR9 U-KCPD
NDUGL D_ VRX NDL9 HMQ WDL [HUVLYQ
WKa SLYVWHZ R NKUXYVRPHQ
6RX DXMWR9 SRLHL Q
Only with his use of Deut. 30:13 in Rom. 10:7 does Paul make a departure from the
LXX. Here he substitutes the phrase, "who will descend into the abyss?" for the phrase,
"who will cross the sea?" Paul makes an interpretive change by substituting a similar
proverbial saying in order to make a better application to Christ's resurrection from the
grave. Other than this substitution, the language of Romans 10:6-8 is too similar to that
of LXX Deut. 30:12-14 not to conclude that Paul intends to quote this passage.
The Context of Deuteronomy 30:12-14
The words "do not say in your heart" (v. 6) introduce the words of "the
righteousness of faith" in a word-for-word quotation of the LXX of Deut. 9:4. In the
context, Moses tells the people of Israel, "Do not say in your heart when the Lord your
13
Some have suggested that Paul is dependent on writings other than the LXX for his text in Rom.
10:6-8: (1) He relied on Wisdom tradition (esp. Bar. 3:29-31); (2) He relied on the use in the writings of
early Judaism of such proverbial phrases as, "who will cross the sea?"; "who will ascend to heaven?";
"who will descend to the sea/abyss" to express human limitations, (3) He relied on the Targum Neofiti,
which in its midrash on Deut. 30:12-13 explains that law is not in heaven means that there is no need for
another prophet like Moses to ascend to heaven and get it to make it known; that the law is not beyond the
sea means that there is no need to a prophet like Jonah to descend to the depths of the Great Sea to get it
and make it known. It is difficult to maintain these positions, because Paul's text in Rom. 10:6-8 has a
much closer relationship to the LXX of Deut. 30:12-14 than to any of these other writings. For a detailed