Paul quotes, alludes to, or echoes Isaiah 40-66 over twenty times in the letter to the Romans. Many of the major moves of the letter are linked with references to Isaiah, argues J. Edward Walters.
The thesis that God reveals His righteousness to the Jew first and also to the Greek is similar to the LXX of Isaiah 51:4-8. He quotes directly from Isaiah 52:5 when he charges Jews with doing the very things they condemn in others, and quotes from Isaiah 59:7-8 in chapter 3 to show that all are under the power of sin. In announcing the single sacrifice of Jesus, he alludes to the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53. ”WHo can bring a charge against God’s elect?” is answered with Isaiah 50:8, “It is God who justifies,” and the hardening and mercy of Romans 9 makes use of Isaiah 49:10.
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