Did Paul Misquote the Hebrew Bible in Romans 9 and 1 Corinthians 15?
Responding to Rabbi Singer on Paul’s usage of the Old Testament
Does Paul misquote the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)? This article looks at two examples from Rabbi Singer in a recent YouTube video.
First, Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 15 that “Jesus was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures”. Rabbi Tovia Singer claims he is citing a passage that does not exist.
Second, Rabbi Singer argues that Paul, in Romans 9, deliberately misquoted Hosea 2.
1 Corinthians 15:3–4: restoration or rescue on the third day?
As pointed out by Michael Brown, scholar in Near Eastern Languages:
“As a Jew schooled in the Scriptures from his childhood Paul was not thinking of just one passage but of several passages that pointed to the Messiah’s resurrection on the third day.” (Michael Brown, Answering Jewish Objections: Volume 3, p181–182)
The Hebrew Scriptures are full of references to rescue, salvation, or restoration on the third day. For example, the restoration of Israel in Hosea 6:
Come, let us turn back to the LORD:
He attacked, and He can heal us;
He wounded, and He can bind us up.In two days He will make us whole again;
On the third day He will raise us up,
And we shall be whole by His favor.(Hosea 6:1–2, Jewish Publication Society (JPS), 1985)
Abraham and Isaac on the third day
In Genesis 22, it was on the third day that Abraham was about to sacrifice Isaac (v4). Of course, at the last minute, the angel of the Lord said to Abraham: “Do not lay a hand on the boy.” (v12)
Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a midrash traditionally ascribed to Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus (1st or 2nd century CE), provides an interesting take on this passage.
The midrash argues the Messiah will take a similar journey as Isaac (31:4). Isaac’s release was viewed as a figurative resurrection:
And Isaac knew that in this manner the dead in the future will be quickened [resurrected]. He opened (his mouth), and said: Blessed art thou, O Lord, who quickeneth [resurrect] the dead. (Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 31:10)
This midrash offered a similar interpretation to the New Testament book of Hebrews:
“Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.” (Hebrews 11:19, NIV)
Jonah, Esther, and Hezekiah
There are many other passages that speak about the third day. Jonah spent three days and three nights in the whale before being spat out onto land (Jonah 2:1–9).
In the book of Esther, Haman threatened the Jews with destruction. On the third day (5:1), she approached the King without being summoned — a crime punishable by death (4:11). Not only was Esther spared death (5:2) but so were the rest of her fellow Jews.
King Hezekiah, a son of David (and therefore potentially foreshadowing the Messiah) was at the point of death (2 Kings 20:1). In answer to prayer, Hezekiah was healed on the third day (verses 5 and 8).
First fruits and the resurrection
Nicholas Lunn, in an article for the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, also noted a possible connection between Genesis 1 and 1 Corinthians 15. Paul spoke of Christ’s resurrection as first fruits:
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:20, NIV)
The origin of the term first fruits is in the celebration of harvest (Numbers 28:26). The festival is known as Shavuot in Hebrew. People participated in a range of rituals including offering a sheaf of barley and offering a selection of their best first fruits.
It is on the third day of creation that the land first produced vegetation, seed-bearing plants and trees (Genesis 1:11–13). It is possible that Paul had the third day of creation in mind when he described Christ’s resurrection as the first fruits.
There are many other passages connecting the third day to life, restoration and salvation. This leads Michael Brown to conclude these verses:
Give Paul the right to say that the Messiah rose from death according to the Scriptures. There would have been no day more suitable than this, from the viewpoint of the Word of God. (Michael Brown, Answering Jewish Objection, Volume 3, p183–184)
Did Paul misquote Hosea? (Romans 9:25)
Rabbi Singer strongly condemns Paul’s citation of Hosea in Romans 9:25–27:
Paul maliciously misquotes — I say maliciously because it’s grotesque — Hosea chapter 2, where it says: “those who are not my people will be called my people” which is a complete misquote. That means Gentiles who are not God’s people will be called God’s people.
That is a horrible misquote because Hosea (Hoshea) who lived 2,700 years ago is referring to the 10 Northern Tribes. (Rabbi Tovia Singer, from approx 8:10–9.00 on the video)
If Rabbi Singer is right, this is a serious problem for the New Testament. Is Paul trying to deceive his readers? You can read the passage here: Romans 9:23–27.
To understand Paul’s citations from Hosea, we first need to read his argument in context.
Salvation through Abraham and his descendants
In Romans 9:6–13, Paul argued salvation is from the Jews. The covenant of blessing is with Abraham and his descendants — Isaac and then Jacob (Israel).
God’s covenant with Abraham is discussed in several chapters of Genesis and throughout the Hebrew Scriptures. For example:
“That I will surely bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand that is on the seashore, and your descendants will inherit the cities of their enemies.
And through your children shall be blessed all the nations of the world, because you hearkened to My voice.” (Genesis 22:17–18, Chabad)
Gentiles blessed through Abraham
As we’ve seen in Romans 9:6–13, God promised to bless Israel — Abraham’s descendants. Now in 9:22–29, Paul proceeded to the second aspect of the covenant. God intends to bless people from all nations through Abraham:
The number of the people of Israel shall be like that of the sands of the sea, which cannot be measured or counted; and instead of being told, “You are Not-My-People,” they shall be called Children-of-the-Living-God. (Hosea 2:1, JPS 1985; Christian versions 1:10)
Hosea was repeating the promise made to Abraham that Israel would be like the sands of the sea (Genesis 22:17). So Rabbi Singer is correct — this is for the Northern tribes of Israel who have strayed from God. He will bless the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who come back to him in repentance.
Yet God’s will is also to bless people from all nations who have the faith of Abraham. So this verse from Hosea includes Gentiles who return to him. The next verse quoted in Romans 9 makes a similar point:
“And I will sow her for Me in the land, and I will have compassion upon the unpitied one, and I will say to them that are not My people, “You are My people,” and they shall say, “[You are] my God.” (Hosea 2:25, Chabad; 2:23 Christian versions)
A fair question to ask is whether Paul and I are reading Hosea through a Christian bias. Is the prophet referring to Gentiles? According to Rashi, the most influential commentator of Jewish tradition, yes:
And I will sow her for Me in the land: As one who sows a se’ah in order to gather many korim, so will many proselytes be added to them. [from Pesachim 87b]
Rashi’s commentary cited a passage from the Talmud which provides further detail on Hosea 2:25 (23):
Even those who were initially “not My people,” i.e., gentiles, will convert and become part of the Jewish nation. (Pesachim 87b)
Both Rashi and Pesachim 87b confirm that the apostle did not misquote Hosea. The passages quoted by Paul refer to the faith and repentance of Gentiles — who are grafted into spiritual Israel.
Conclusion
At first sight, these examples of Paul’s usage of the Hebrew Bible are hard to understand. But when we see the deep meaning of ‘third day’ in Scripture — it becomes clear why Jesus had to be raised on that day.
Romans 9, on the surface, looks like it is quoting a passage from Hosea about the Northern tribes of Israel. That is partly true. Yet, the most authoritative scholars of Jewish tradition interpreted these passages to be about the Gentiles.
Paul is not trying to deceive:
I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. (Romans 9:1–4, NIV)
