20250910 [새벽묵상] 할례와 율법의 진정한 의미 | The Essence Over the Appearance (롬/Rom 4:9~17)

4:9 그런즉 이 복이 할례자에게냐 혹은 무할례자에게도냐 무릇 우리가 말하기를 아브라함에게는 그 믿음이 의로 여겨졌다 하노라

4:10 그런즉 그것이 어떻게 여겨졌느냐 할례시냐 무할례시냐 할례시가 아니요 무할례시니라

4:11 그가 할례의 표를 받은 것은 무할례시에 믿음으로 된 의를 인친 것이니 이는 무할례자로서 믿는 모든 자의 조상이 되어 그들도 의로 여기심을 얻게 하려 하심이라

4:12 또한 할례자의 조상이 되었나니 곧 할례 받을 자에게뿐 아니라 우리 조상 아브라함이 무할례시에 가졌던 믿음의 자취를 따르는 자들에게도 그러하니라

9 Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. 10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11 And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12 And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

4:13 아브라함이나 그 후손에게 세상의 상속자가 되리라고 하신 언약은 율법으로 말미암은 것이 아니요 오직 믿음의 의로 말미암은 것이니라

4:14 만일 율법에 속한 자들이 상속자이면 믿음은 헛것이 되고 약속은 파기되었느니라

4:15 율법은 진노를 이루게 하나니 율법이 없는 곳에는 범법도 없느니라

13 It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, 15 because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.

4:16 그러므로 상속자가 되는 그것이 은혜에 속하기 위하여 믿음으로 되나니 이는 그 약속을 그 모든 후손에게 굳게 하려 하심이라 율법에 속한 자에게뿐만 아니라 아브라함의 믿음에 속한 자에게도 그러하니 아브라함은 우리 모든 사람의 조상이라

4:17 기록된 바 내가 너를 많은 민족의 조상으로 세웠다 하심과 같으니 그가 믿은 바 하나님은 죽은 자를 살리시며 없는 것을 있는 것으로 부르시는 이시니라

16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.

                엘리자베스 홈즈는 스탠퍼드 대학교 중퇴 후 2003년 19세의 나이로 테라노스라고 하는 바이오 기업을 설립했습니다. 홈즈는 손끝에서 피 한 방울만 채취하면 수 백 가지의 질병을 진단할 수 있는 혁신적인 혈액 검사 기기 ‘에디슨’을 개발했다고 주장했지요. 홈즈는 타고난 언변과 확신에 찬 모습으로 ‘제2의 스티브 잡스’라 불리며 실리콘 밸리와 월스트리트 거물들로부터 막대한 투자를 유치했습니다. 한 때 테라노스의 기업 가치는 100억 달러에 달했고 그녀는 세계 최연소 여성 억만장자로 등극했습니다. 그러나 2015년, 월스트리트 저널에 폭로 기사가 나오면서 테라노스의 혈액 검사 기술은 모두 거짓이였음이 드러났습니다. 이는 희대의 사기극이었지요. 그런데 이런 어처구니 없는 일이 벌어질 수 있었던 것은 다 이유가 있습니다. 사실 사람들은 홈즈가 주장하는 혈액 검사 기술을 의심했었습니다. 그러나 테라노스가 막대한 투자를 받는 것을 보며 저 기술이 진짜인가보다 생각했던 것입니다. 테라노스가 받은 어마어마한 투자액이 바로 그 기술을 증명하는 것이라는 오류에 빠졌던 것이지요. 정말 중요한 것은 테라노스가 받은 투자액이 아니라 그 핵심 기술의 유무인데 말입니다. 이렇듯 우리는 본질보다 그 모양을 중요시하는 경향이 있는 것 같습니다. 오늘 말씀도 마찬가지 입니다. 초대 교회에서 가장 빈번했던 다툼의 원인은 하나님의 백성이 되려면 유대인처럼 할례를 하고 율법을 지켜야한다는 주장 때문이었습니다. 그러나 오늘 말씀은 할례나 율법과 같은 모양이 중요한 것이 아니라 오직 믿음으로 의롭다 함을 받는 것이 중요하다고 말씀하고 계시지요. 그러므로 오늘은 할례와 율법의 진정한 의미에 대해서 함께 말씀을 나누어 보겠습니다.

Elizabeth Holmes dropped out of Stanford and, in 2003 at the age of 19, founded a biotech company called Theranos. Holmes claimed to have developed a revolutionary blood-testing device, the 'Edison,' that could diagnose hundreds of diseases from just a single drop of blood from a fingertip. With her captivating rhetoric and unwavering confidence, she was hailed as the "next Steve Jobs" and attracted massive investments from Silicon Valley and Wall Street magnates. At one point, Theranos was valued at $10 billion, and she became the world's youngest female self-made billionaire.

But in 2015, a series of exposé articles from the Wall Street Journal revealed the truth: Theranos's blood-testing technology was a complete fraud. It was a monumental scam. How could something so absurd have happened? It happened because people fell into a logical trap. Many people had doubts about Holmes's claims, but when they saw the massive investments Theranos was receiving, they thought, "This technology must be real." The sheer amount of money invested became, in their minds, proof of the technology's validity. They were focused on the appearance—the financial success—rather than the essence—the actual technology.

We have a tendency to do the same thing: we often value the outward appearance more than the true essence. The same was true in the early church. The most frequent cause of conflict was the argument that to become a part of God's people, you had to be circumcised and follow the Law, just like the Jews. But today’s passage tells us that what matters isn't the outward sign, like circumcision or the Law. What truly matters is being justified by faith alone.

So, let's look at the true meaning of circumcision and the Law.

                자, 첫번째, 할례에 대해서 이야기 해보겠습니다. 어제 저희는 아브라함이 행위로서 의롭다 함을 받은 것이 아니라 믿음으로 의롭다 하심을 받은 것이라는 이야기를 했었습니다. 일한 것이 없이 하나님께 의로 여기심을 받는 것, 그것이 복이라고 말씀드렸었지요. 사도 바울은 오늘 말씀 9절에서 그렇다면 그 복이 할례받은 사람에게만 내리는 것인지를 묻습니다. 9절 함께 읽겠습니다. “그런즉 이 복이 할례자에게냐 혹은 무할례자에게도냐 무릇 우리가 말하기를 아브라함에게는 그 믿음이 의로 여겨졌다 하노라” 그러면서 모두가 알고 있는 이야기를 하지요. 아브라함에게는 그 믿음이 의로 여겨졌다는거 알지? 그러면서 또 질문을 이어갑니다. 근데 그게 언제야? 할례 받기 전이야? 아니면 할례 받은 후야? 그리고 대답합니다. 할례 받기 전이지. 그것이 10절 말씀이지요. 그렇다면 할례란 무엇인가? 할례의 진정한 의미는 무엇인가? 에 대한 대답이 11절 말씀에 있습니다. “그가 할례의 표를 받은 것은 무할례 시에 믿음으로 된 의를 인 친 것이니” 사도 바울이 말하는 할례란 하나님을 믿는 믿음으로 하나님으로부터 의롭다고 여겨짐을 받았다는 증거라는 것입니다. 바로 이 믿음으로 된 의가 본질이고 할례는 그에 따라 일어난 현상인 것입니다. 그러므로 아브라함은 무할례자로서 모든 믿는 사람들의 조상이 되어 할례받지 않은 사람들도 믿음을 통하여 의롭다 함을 받을 수 있음을 보여주는 예시라는 것입니다. 이것이 11절 후반절의 말씀입니다. 그렇다면 아브라함은 할례받지 않은 사람들만을 대표하느냐? 아니지요. 아브라함은 할례의 표를 받았다고 하지 않았습니까? 그는 또한 할례자의 조상도 되는 것입니다. 그러나 중요한 것은 할례는 현상이고 그 본질은 믿음입니다. 그래서 사도 바울은 12절에서 단순히 할례를 받은 것 만이 아니라 아브라함이 할례 받기 전에 가졌던 믿음의 자취를 따라야 한다고 유대인들에게 권면하고 있는 것입니다. 본질은 할례가 아니라 아브라함과 같은 믿음. 경건하지 아니한 자를 의롭다 하시는 하나님을 믿는 믿음이라는 것입니다.

First, the Meaning of Circumcision

Yesterday, we talked about how Abraham was justified not by his works, but by his faith. We learned that to be credited with righteousness apart from works is a true blessing. In verse 9, Paul asks if this blessing is only for those who are circumcised. Let's read verse 9 together: “Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness.”

Paul then references a story everyone knew. "You know that Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness, right?" He then poses another question: "But when did that happen? Was it before he was circumcised, or after?" And the answer is, of course, before. That's what verse 10 says.

So what, then, is the true meaning of circumcision? The answer is in verse 11: “He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.” Paul is saying that circumcision is a sign, a seal, that Abraham was declared righteous by God through his faith. The true essence is the righteousness that comes from faith, and circumcision is the phenomenon that followed.

This is why Abraham became the father of all who believe, whether circumcised or not. He is the example that shows even those who are uncircumcised can be justified through faith. This is what the second half of verse 11 is all about.

So, is Abraham the father of only the uncircumcised? No. Didn't he receive the sign of circumcision? He is also the father of the circumcised. But remember, the outward sign is just a phenomenon; the essence is faith. That’s why in verse 12, Paul urges the Jews to follow not just the sign of circumcision, but "the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised." The essence is not circumcision, but the same faith Abraham had—the faith in a God who justifies the ungodly.

                자 그렇다면 율법을 한 번 보겠습니다. 13절 한 번 같이 읽어보겠습니다. “아브라함이나 그 후손에게 세상의 상속자가 되리라고 하신 언약은 율법으로 말미암은 것이 아니요 오직 믿음의 의로 말미암은 것이니라” 율법도 마찬가지입니다. 하나님께서 아브라함과 맺으신 언약이 율법 때문이 아니라 믿음의 의로 말미암은 것이라고 분명히 말하고 있지요. 이것은 유대인들에게 적잖은 충격이었을 것입니다. 왜냐하면 이들이 알고 있는 의롭게 됨이란 율법을 지킴으로서 이루어지는 것이기 때문입니다. 하나님이 주신 율법에 속해 있는 것이 하나님의 백성 됨, 곧 언약의 상속자가 되는 것이라고 믿는 그들에게 사도바울은 폭탄 발언을 합니다. 14절입니다. “만일 율법에 속한 자들이 상속자면 믿음은 헛것이 되고 약속은 파기되었느니라.” 아브라함은 믿음으로 언약을 받았습니다. 그런데 갈라디아서 3:17-18의 말씀처럼 그 약속이 430년 후에 생긴 율법으로 맺어진 것이라면 그 전에 있었던 아브라함의 믿음과 하나님이 그의 믿음 때문에 맺었던 약속은 의미가 없어지는 것이지요. 그러면 이 편지를 읽고 있는 로마 교회 유대인들에게 질문이 생길겁니다. 그러면 율법은 대체 뭐냐? 왜 있는거냐? 하나님이 우리에게 율법을 주신 이유가 뭐냐? 그 대답이 15절입니다. 율법은 하나님의 진노를 불러오게 한다. 즉, 모든 사람이 하나님의 진노를 부르는 죄 아래 있음을 깨닫게 하는 것입니다. 율법의 진정한 의미는 의로움을 얻게 하는 것이 아니라 모든 사람이 죄인으로 하나님의 은혜가 필요함을 깨닫게 하는 것이라는 것입니다. 또한 율법이 없는 곳에 범법이 없다는 말씀도 마찬가지지요. 율법이 있으나 없으나 모든 사람이 믿음의 의로 상속자가 될 수 있다는 말씀입니다. 본질은 율법이 아니라 언약의 상속자가 되는 믿음의 의라는 것입니다.   

Second, the Meaning of the Law

Now, let's look at the Law. Let's read verse 13 together: “For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness that comes by faith.”

It's the same with the Law. Paul clearly states that the promise God made to Abraham was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. This must have been shocking to the Jews, who believed that being made righteous meant following the Law. They believed that being a part of God's people—an heir of the covenant—was tied to being subject to the Law God gave them. So, Paul drops a bombshell in verse 14: “For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.”

Abraham received the promise through faith. But as Galatians 3:17-18 states, if that promise was based on the Law, which came 430 years later, then Abraham's faith and the promise God made to him would be meaningless.

This would surely make the Roman Jews reading this letter wonder: "So what is the Law for? Why did God even give it to us?" The answer is in verse 15. The Law "brings wrath." In other words, the Law makes us aware that everyone is under sin and deserves God's wrath. The true purpose of the Law is not to make us righteous, but to show us that we are all sinners in need of God's grace. The Law also reveals transgression, which is sin in relation to a specific law. Without the Law, there is no transgression, but this doesn't mean sin doesn't exist. It just means it's not defined as breaking a specific law. But because the Law exists, our sins are clearly defined as offenses against a holy God. The essence is not the Law, but the righteousness of faith that makes us heirs of the covenant.

                말씀을 맺습니다. 할례와 율법의 진정한 의미를 앎으로 우리는 할례와 율법이 가르키는 진정한 본질이 무엇인지를 알 수 있게 되었습니다. 그것은 16-17절의 말씀과 같이 믿음으로 모든 사람을 아브라함 언약의 상속자가 되게 하시는 하나님의 은혜입니다. 아브라함이 믿었던 것은 죽은 자를 살리시며 없는 것을 있는 것으로 부르시는 하나님이었습니다. 우리의 죄를 대속하여 십자가에서 죽으신 예수님을 다시 살리신 하나님을 믿을 때에 우리 또한 그 약속을 상속하는 상속자가 될 것입니다. 할례나 율법의 모습에 상관없이 모든 사람을 믿음으로 의롭다 여기시는 하나님의 은혜를 기억하는 여러분 되시기를 주님의 이름으로 축원합니다.

Conclusion

By understanding the true meaning of circumcision and the Law, we can grasp the true essence they point to. As verses 16-17 say, it is God's grace that makes all people heirs of the Abrahamic covenant through faith.

Abraham believed in the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not. When we believe in the same God—the God who raised Jesus from the dead after He died on the cross to atone for our sins—we, too, will become heirs of that promise.

May you remember God's grace, which justifies everyone by faith, regardless of their outward appearance or adherence to the Law.