This research paper, written by Evan C. Potts at Reformed Theological Seminary – Charlotte for Dr. Robert J. Cara, investigates Paul’s citation of Isaiah 8:14 and 28:16 in Romans 9:33. Potts argues that, despite textual changes and the merging of two passages, Paul’s interpretive method is faithful to Isaiah’s message when seen through a redemptive-historical lens.
The study conducts a detailed textual-critical analysis comparing Paul’s Greek with the Hebrew and Septuagint versions, followed by contextual studies of each verse and a synthesis of Paul’s use of them. Potts concludes that Paul’s combination of judgment (Isaiah 8) and hope (Isaiah 28) perfectly suits his argument in Romans 9—illustrating that Israel’s unbelief leads to stumbling over Christ, the “stone of stumbling,” while faith in Him brings deliverance from judgment.
Course and semester: NT5250 Acts & Romans — Spring 2025
