Chizuk Emunah (Pt 2) Under the Microscope: Chapter 80

Romans 10:6-9, "Say not in thine heart. Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above); or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead). But what saith it (viz. Scripture)? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that is, the word of faith which we preach: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou, shalt be saved.

If those to whom Paul was preaching had referred to the thirtieth chapter of Deuteronomy, they might have perceived that the words of Moses were misconstrued by the Apostle. That part of our law tells us merely that it is within the reach of every man to be penitent, and obtain mercy and pardon.

Our lawgiver having spoken in general terms, '"If thou wilt turn to the Lord thy God, with all thy heart and all thy soul," etc., goes on to say, "For the commandment which I give thee this day is, not hidden from thee, nor is it too far off. It is not in heaven that thou mightest say, Who shall go up into heaven for us, and bring at down for us that we may practice it?" etc.

It having been shown that the nature of the gift of mercy is put in juxtaposition with the ease of acquiring it, we are enabled to comprehend the expression, "This matter is very near unto thee, it is in thy heart and thy mouth that thou mayest do it." 

 Again, Troki accuses Paul of not quoting Scripture literally enough. If you've learned anything from this series on Faith Strengthened, you'll realize that the rabbis took all of Paul's creative liberties and then some. Moses did state that the Torah is not in heaven, so that we could not complain that it is out of our reach. Paul takes this passage and applies it to Jesus, implying that Jesus has the authority and importance of the Torah itself.

He is also giving the same point that Moses gave. Just as the Torah is not impossible to keep, neither is Messiah out of your reach. Salvation is available to you. It is merely a matter of accepting it. Repent and believe, and you will receive regeneration and salvation.

Moses also wrote:

“For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.
(Deuteronomy 30:11-14)

Again, Williams  quotes rabbinic tradition to show that it takes even greater liberties with interpreting the Scriptures than Paul has taken.

Did he not remember that this very passage of Deuteronomy is quoted with a far from literal interpretation of its original meaning in T. B. Erubin, 55a (compare also the Yalqut in loco)? "Rabba said, It is not in heaven: that is, It [the Law] will not be found with him who exalts his mind upon it [or, within himself] like the heavens, and it will not be found with him who extends his knowledge upon it [or, within himself] like the sea. R. Jochanan used to say: Not in heaven means: It will not be found with the conceited. And 'it is not beyond the sea' means: It will not be found with pedlars or travelling merchants."* So, somewhat similarly, a writer also quoted in the Yalqut tells us that the passage means that "The Torah is not to be found with astrologers, whose faith is in the heavens." Perhaps I may be allowed to add one further example showing how far the Jewish mind is able to go in its usage of Scripture phrases. In the Baal hatturim (by Jacob ben Asher, died 1340) on the passage it is pointed out that the initial letters of the Hebrew words for "Who shall go up for us to heaven" form that all-important word, "Circumcision," and the final letters the word for LORD, showing that none shall ascend near the LORD except he be circumcised. Yet R. Isaac implies that St. Paul, here and elsewhere, shows ignorance of Scripture, because he does not quote it in its primary meaning!

Rabbinic tradition also states that forgiveness comes from sorrow and repentance. In other words, one must confess and believe in order to be forgiven of one's sins. What complaints would a rabbi have if Paul said virtually the same thing?

The passage also has a connection to Hosea 3:

For the children of Israel shall dwell many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or household gods. Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the LORD and to his goodness in the latter days.
(Hosea 3:4-5)

God's condition for forgiveness is repentance. In Hosea's case, it is repentance towards God and toward David's line. The Ten Tribes rebelled against God's appointed king, and by extension against God.

Paul also says "If you confess with your mouth 'Jesus is Lord' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Why? Because "All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved."

That is a quote from Joel 2:32, that "All who call upon the name of Yahweh will be saved." This is not the kind of comparison you make to a creature, even an exalted archangel.