[EDITOR'S NOTE: This is Part 2 of a 4-part series. It would be critical to read Part 1 of this series first. You can find it HERE.]
The New Perspective on Paul begins with the implied premise that Judaism was, at least by design in its Old Testament roots, a religion of grace. Abraham was chosen by God by God’s sheer grace. The law was given as a way of living as the people of God, not as a means for becoming the people of God.
The “problem”, however, is that God’s covenant people—Israel—were unfaithful to the covenant. We can call it a problem only from our perspective, since God knew that they would not be and perhaps could not be truly faithful to their covenant with YHWH.
What then would God do? He had promised to bring salvation to the whole world—Gentiles included—through Abraham’s family. Should He abandon His promise and find another plan? Should He overlook Israel’s unfaithfulness and use them anyway? How can God be both faithful and just? This precisely the “problem” as Paul lays it out in the opening section of his letter to the Romans. (Part of Paul's response will be discussed in Part 3 of this series on the "Righteousness of God.")
Romans 3:3-4a (NET)
“What then? If some [Jews] did not believe, does their unbelief nullify the faithfulness of God? Absolutely not! Let God be proven true, and every human being shown up as a liar…”
As Paul builds his argument to the climactic moment of Christ’s death and resurrection, we come to a Greek phrase that has been at the center of the NPP discussion: pistis Christou. This phrase has traditionally been translated, “faith in Christ,” though it could just as easily be translated “the faith of Christ” or “the faithfulness of Christ.”
I will leave the linguistic debates to those well versed in the language, but an increasing number of New Testament scholars suggest reading Romans 3 this way:*
Romans 3:21-26 (NET)
“But now apart from the law the righteousness of God (which is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed – 3:22 namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 3:24 But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 3:25 God publicly displayed him [Christ] at his death as the mercy seat accessible through faith. This was to demonstrate his righteousness, because God in his forbearance had passed over the sins previously committed. 3:26 This was also to demonstrate his righteousness in the present time, so that he would be just and the justifier of the one who lives because of Jesus’ faithfulness.”
Jesus, as Israel's Messiah, could be a representative of the entire nation of Israel, much as David was in his famed battle with Goliath. The Messiah-- the "Son of David"-- can stand in the place of the nation. This is what Jesus does in His life and in His atoning death. As a vindication (a related idea to "justification" in the NPP) of His faithful Messiah-ship, God raised Jesus from the dead. Jesus faithfully fulfilled Israel’s commission, the call for Abraham's family to be a light to the Gentiles and bless all the families of the earth (Gen. 12). And because He did, salvation has now come to the world, through Jesus Christ.
The righteousness of God is seen through the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah.
What does all this mean for the Christian? Above all, it means this:
Christ’s faithfulness is more crucial than our faith.
This reading of Romans 3 does not mean that faith in Christ is not necessary, though some NPP advocates might argue that. But many—N. T. Wright, included— simply advocate a “both, and” approach. In other words, we put our faith in Christ because of Christ's faithfulness.
Imagine a man falling off a cliff who grabs onto to branch. Is it his trust in the branch or the trustworthiness of the branch (i.e., it’s sturdiness) that matters more? I suppose you could say both matter. What good is a sturdy branch if the man does not trust it enough to take hold of it? But what good is grabbing on to branch with all your trust if the branch is not sturdy?But the illustration breaks down, for what the NPP suggests that what matters more is not our faith but Christ’s faithfulness. It is not our faith that ultimately saves us, but Christ’s faithfulness. Our faith can be as small as a “mustard seed.” It is not about the greatness of our faith but the greatness of Christ's faithfulness-- though both are involved in our salvation.
OK. That’s all for Part 2. Here are the links to Part 3, and Part 4.
*The New English Translation—a composite of broad scholarship—makes this note: “A decision is difficult here. Though traditionally translated ‘faith in Jesus Christ,’ an increasing number of NT scholars are arguing that πίστις Χριστοῦ (pisti" Cristou) and similar phrases in Paul (here and in v. 26; Gal 2:16, 20; 3:22; Eph 3:12; Phil 3:9) involve a subjective genitive and mean ‘Christ’s faith’ or ‘Christ’s faithfulness’.)
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