Without Faithfulness...Part 2

  
THE ORIGINAL HEBREW WORD: FAITHFULNESS

Since the words of Habbakkuh are the original source of Paul’s position, "The righteous shall live by faith" (Heb 2:4), it is reasonable to investigate the meaning and used of the original Hebrew.  The Hebrew word used in Habbakkuh is “emunah”, which is translated as “faithfulness” (25 times) and “faithfully” (8 times) at other places in the text.  This word is only translated as “faith” once in the entire Hebrew text and it is in this passage from Habakkuh.  According to Dan Lancaster, the Hebrew implies “his faithfulness…In the Hebrew of Hab 2:4, the righteous one lives by ‘his faithfulness,’ unlike the proud one who acts crookedly (‘his soul is not straight’).”

We are fortunate to have a Talmudic discussion (Makkot 23b-24a), that preserved the thought process of the Sages attempting to determine the underlying principle of the entire Torah.

 
“David came and established the number of commandments at eleven, as it is written, ‘A psalm of David, LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? (1) He whose walk is blameless and (2)who does what is righteous, (3) who speaks the truth from his heart and (4) has no slander on his tongue, (5) who does his neighbor no wrong and (6)casts no slur on his fellowman, (7) who despise a vile man but (8) honors those who fear the LORD, (9) who keeps his oath even when it hurts,(10) who leans his money without usury and (11) does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken,’  (Psa 15:1-6)

Isaiah then came and established the number of commandments at six, as it is written, ‘He who (1) walks righteously and (2) speaks what is right, who (3) rejects gain from extortion and (4)keeps his hand from accepting bribes, (5) who stops his ears against plots of murder and (6)shuts his eyes against contemplating evil,’ (Isa 33:14).
 

Micah then came and established the number of commandments at three, as it is written, ‘He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? (1) To act justly and (2) to love mercy and (3) to walk humbly with your God’ (Micah 6:8).
 

Amos then came and established the number of commandments at one, as it is written, ‘Seek the LORD and live’ (Amos 5:6).”
 
But the Talmudic discussion was not quite finished.  Rav Nachman bar Yitzhaq took exception to this citation from Amos, claiming that the divine commandment to “seek me” runs throughout the entire Torah.  Rather, it is Habakkuk who came and established the number of commandments at one, as it is written, “The righteous will live by faith,” (Hab 2:4).
 

Paul’s position that “The righteous will live by faith” was already a well understood position within first century Judaism.  However, notice that all the examples which precede the summation verse in Habakkuk are all examples of action, i.e., “faithfulness.”  Even the writer of Hebrews, in his chapter of faith, appears to connect the words of Habbakuk to the preceding actions of Amos, when he wrote,
 
“Without faith it is impossible to please Him (Hab 2:4), for he who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him (Amos 5:6),”  (Heb 11:6).

 

(Scott - Austin)