Are You Grafted Into Israel? Part 2: Paul’s ‘Law of Righteousness’

Romans 11:19 Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.”

Before you proceed any further, I highly recommend reading ‘Part 1: Not My People’ so that you can understand exactly who Paul is talking to, and why. We’re going through Chapters 9 & 10 in order to clarify context, before we get into the “Grafted-in” discourse of Chapter 11 .

In short, those ‘among the gentiles/nations’ that the apostle Paul addressed in Romans 9 were the “Lost Sheep of the House of Israel”; the “Not My People” that have now become “My People”, from the Book of Hosea. Paul specifically called them this by quoting from the Prophets.

Paul told us that his heart was for “his brothers/Judah”. His desire was for them to come to the knowledge and belief that Jesus is the Messiah.

Now, picking up where Part 1 left off, we read in Romans 9:30-32 that Paul discussed the Law which Israel pursued. He explained the proper ‘way’ to pursue the Law, and its ‘goal’.

What does the text say?

Romans 9:30-32 ₃₀What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. ₃₁But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. ₃₂Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by works.

First, please take note that ‘the Law that Israel followed after’, Paul himself called “the Law of Righteousness”, twice. This is exactly how the Greek reads in Romans 9:31.

Secondly, Paul does not say that Israel shouldn’t have followed after “the Law of Righteousness”; he states their error was that they did not seek it by way of faith! Therefore, according to the apostle Paul, the Law that Israel followed after, “the Law of Righteousness”, should be pursued ‘from faith’; not for salvation or justification but for righteousness. That’s precisely why Paul calls it “the Law of Righteousness”. Please click this link and read ‘Justification vs. Righteousness’ to understand the difference between the two.

How does Paul understand “the Law of Moses” to be “the Law of Righteousness”?

What does the text say? ~

Deuteronomy 6:25 And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as He has commanded us.

Psalm 119:172 My song sings of Your word, for all of Your commandments are righteousness

Isaiah 51:7 Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law;

Romans 2:13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be righteous.

Romans 6:16 ₁₆Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

In Romans 9:30 above, we have the words “of faith” then in verse 32 the words “by faith”. However, in the Greek, Paul used the same words both times; “ἐκ πίστεως”.

The word ἐκ/ ek is Strong’s G1537, and Thayer’s Greek Lexicon states this to mean: “from out of, out from, forth from, from”; a preposition denoting ‘origin’. “ἐκ/ ek” (“out of”) is one of the most under-translated or mis-translated Greek prepositions. It is often confined to the English translation, “by”. G1537 (ek) has a two-layered meaning, both ‘out from’ and ‘to’, which makes it out-come oriented (out of the depths of the source and extending to its impact on the object).

The word πίστεως/ pisteōs, Strong’s G4102, which Thayer’s Greek Lexicon states to mean: “1.) conviction of the truth of anything; 2.) fidelity, faithfulness”.

“ἐκ πίστεως” is then better stated in English as, ‘forth from faithfulness’ or ‘from out of faithfulness’.

The source of pursuing the “Law of Righteousness” should come forth from ‘conviction of the truth, faith and faithfulness’; at least according to the apostle Paul!

As Paul stated, the error of the Israelites of his day was that they did not pursue the Law of Moses ‘from out of faith’; this is nothing new.

What does the text say?

Hebrews 3:16-19, 4:2 ₁₆For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? ₁₇And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? ₁₈And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? ₁₉So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief… ₂For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

The writer of Hebrews is teaching us that the Israelites came out of Egypt and received the Law of God given through Moses, but did not enter the Promised Land because of “unbelief”. Then, 2 verses later this is restated as: the “Word” preached to them did not benefit them because it was “not mixed with faith”. [Did you notice how the writer of Hebrews also equated ‘disobedience’ in verse 18 with ‘unbelief’ in verse 19?]

In Hebrews 3:19 the word “unbelief” is ἀπιστίαν/apistian, Strong’s G570, and is a cognate of πίστεως/ pisteōs. It is the ‘negative’ form of pisteōs, and Thayer’s Lexicon states this to mean: “1.) unfaithfulness, faithlessness (of persons betraying a trust); 2.) want of faith, unbelief: shown in withholding belief in the divine power”. This is exactly what Hebrews 4:2 reiterates; the Israelites did not mix the Word of God with faith.

In Romans 9:31-32, Paul is telling us that his brothers in Judea, followed/pursued ‘the Law of Righteousness’, but did not do it out of faith. Just like the Israelites at Mt. Sinai, who did not follow the Word of God ‘out of faith’, Paul’s Judean brethren had committed the same error.

New generation, same problem…

In verse 32 Paul rhetorically asked, “why” didn’t they attain the Law of Righteousness. He then tells us exactly why ~

Romans 9:32-33 ₃₂Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were by works. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. ₃₃As it is written: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, and whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”

The Israelites failed, not because they “pursued the Law”, but because they did not pursue it ‘out of faith’. Paul says the reason they did not have faith was because they stumbled. Paul equates ‘stumbling over the stumbling stone’ with ‘pursuing the Law without faith’. Without ‘faith’ (conviction of truth and faithfulness), they rested on their own ‘works’. Paul expounds that they stumbled over a “rock of offense” and then quotes the prophets Isaiah and David ~

Isaiah 8:13-15 ₁₃But the LORD of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear and let him be your dread. ₁₄And He will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ₁₅And many shall stumble on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.”

Isaiah 28:16 therefore thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’

Psalm 118:20-23 ₂₀This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it. ₂₁I thank you that You have answered me and have become my salvation. ₂₂The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. ₂₃This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

What did a contemporary of Paul have to say regarding the “stumbling stone”?

1 Peter 2:4,6-8 As you come to him (Jesus), a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious… ₆For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” ₇So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” ₈and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.”

Peter blatantly describes ‘Jesus’ as the stone of stumbling ~

Act 4:11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. {Jesus proclaimed this of himself in Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10,11; Luke 20:17}

The Israelites in Judea, that Paul referred to in Romans 9:32, perceived that the source of arriving at the Law of Righteousness was their own accomplishments/works. They thought the goal of the Law was their works. Paul stated here in Romans 9 that they failed, not because they pursued “the Law of Righteousness”, but because they pursued it without the source being faith. They did not have that faith because they stumbled over the ‘rock of offense’ which is the Messiah; at least according to the apostle Paul!

Paul quoted Isaiah, and specifically chapter 8 for a very good reason; he tied together this correlation of the ‘scattered House of Israel’ that are ‘among the gentiles’, with the Messiah and the Law.

In chapter 8 of Isaiah, he is being told about the imminent overthrow of the House of Israel by Assyria, because they have violated God’s covenant by disobeying His voice and breaking His Law. Isaiah proclaimed, that because of their ‘arrogant self-righteousness’, the Northern Kingdom, Ephraim (the House of Israel) is going to be conquered, captured and scattered among the nations/gentiles by Assyria; but a remnant will return.

In Part 1 of ‘Are You Grafted Into Israel? Not My People’, we saw that Paul quoted Isaiah about the remnant of Israel. Now we have Paul quoting the prophet Isaiah again, just a few verses later in Romans 9:33, and it is in direct context to those in Judea who are not keeping the Law of Righteousness out of faith.

Isaiah 8:13-15 ₁₃But the LORD of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. ₁₄And He will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ₁₅And many shall stumble on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.”

The LORD of hosts declares, He, Himself will become a “Sanctuary” and a “Rock of Stumbling” to both Houses of Israel.

Here is a synopsis of Isaiah, chapters 5 through 8 as it pertains to what Paul is telling us in Romans 9 & 10:

• Isaiah 5 states: The House of Israel rejected the Law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the Word of the Holy One of Israel. Therefore, the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people.
• Isaiah 6 states: Israel hears but doesn’t understand, sees but does not perceive.
• Isaiah 7 states: A ‘sign’ from the LORD Himself is given, that is the Prophecy of the virgin birth of “Immanuel”, which means “God with us” (He, Himself).
• Isaiah 8 states: The prophecy that “Immanuel” would become a Sanctuary and a Stone of Offense and a Rock of Stumbling to both houses of Israel.

In the next four verses, Romans 10:1-4, Paul ties together Law and faith. Please remember, this is a letter. Paul did not put chapter breaks in his hand-written letter to those in Rome. The context of “Chapter 10” is a continuation of where “Chapter 9” left off.

In Romans 10:1 Paul restates that his heart is broken for his non-believing brothers in Judea. They had no ‘belief’ in the Messiah, their “God-with-us“. The ‘source of their belief’ was in their own works. Then in verse 2 Paul states that they had ‘Zeal’ for God, which is good, but they lacked a critical element; Knowledge ~

Romans 10:2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

Now, what does Paul define as the origin or source of “Knowledge”?

• Romans 2:20 having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth—

Verse 3 then tells us pointblank, that they were ignorant of God’s Righteousness, in the very next sentence after he tells us they did not possess ‘knowledge’ (The Law of God). Paul then states, they desired and sought to establish their own righteousness, not willing to “submit” to God’s righteousness ~

Romans 10:2,3 ₂For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. ₃For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

These Brothers of Paul sought to bypass God’s Righteousness to establish their own. They had so many man-made rules they thought superseded the Law of Moses, they had become ignorant of the set-apart Righteousness of God’s Law. By establishing their own man-made works, they did not submit only to God’s Law.

We’re told about this numerous times, most notably by God Himself in ‘Mark’ ~

Mark 7:9,10 ₉And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! ₁₀For Moses said…

Now for the kicker.

When Paul says in Romans 10:3 that they “did not submit to God’s Righteousness”, what should they have been submitting to? I’ll give you one guess… Verse 4 tells us ~

Romans 10:4 The goal therefore of the Law is Christ into righteousness for all those believing.

The study of verse 4 is extensive at this link, ‘Is Christ the End-ing of the Law?’; and now, in context with the surrounding verses, it is clarified.

If this rendition of Romans 10:4 doesn’t sound familiar, it’s because we have been lied to! The precise Greek translation has been kept from us by the teachers and preachers of mainstream theology; whether on purpose or out of ignorance, it’s still deception. If you take the time to read all of ‘Is Chris the End-ing of the Law?‘, and investigate for yourself the Greek Manuscripts, Concordances and Lexicons you will see this is so.

Final Thought: Remember, Paul did not say anywhere in his discourse that we should not obey “the Law of Righteousness” which Israel pursued, or that it was overthrown or abolished because faith was needed; in fact, he stated the exact opposite earlier in the same letter!!!

What does the text say?

Romans 3:31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

Please! Read ‘Paul Commands Us to Uphold the Law’ to truly understand the Greek definitions of the words that Paul used in Romans 3:31, as well as ‘why’ he made this demand.

• For further study of Paul’s teachings, as well as the original Greek, see the ‘Links’ at the top of this page or blog posts at the bottom. Be like the Bereans, and test Paul’s doctrines to the “Scriptures”; look up for yourself more than 60 of the “forever verses” listed directly below. Please ‘share’ this study. Thank you for your time!