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lives of Gentile Christians through the grace coming from faith in Christ. 234 Gathercole’s
observation of the similarities between Rom 2:15 and the Jer 38:33 (LXX) gives a firm substance
to this argument. “The similarity between [νομους μου]… επι καρσιας αυτων γραψω αυτους
(LXX Jer. 38.33) and το εργον του νομου γραπτον εν ταις καρσιαις αυτων (Paul) is striking: it
has four key lexemes in common.” 235
With this in mind, it becomes possible to conceive of the New Testament writers’
designation of Abel as righteous as a typological designation. Abel becomes a precursor of the
Gentile Christians Paul speaks of in Rom 2:14-15. In this sense, Abel’s ability to cooperate with
grace in offering an acceptable sacrifice to God could be seen as a model for Christians in
seeking to live lives of faith put into action through good works. As Byron observes, “For the
author of Hebrews, then, Abel becomes the first example of faith and righteousness that should
be modeled by readers of the epistle.” 236
The notion of Abel as a model for Christians is bolstered in the writings of St. Augustine
of Hippo. In Against the Two Letters of the Pelagians, Augustine identifies Abel as one of the
saints – “all the saints, whether from that ancient Abel to John the Baptist, or from the apostles
themselves up to this time, and henceforth even to the end of the world, are to be praised in the
Lord, not in themselves.” 237 Elsewhere Augustine writes, “The Church is of ancient birth: since
saints have been so called, the Church has been on earth. At one time the Church was in Abel
234
Jer 31:33 “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the
L ORD : I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be
my people” (RSV); cf. N.T. Wright, “Romans,” 442.
235
Simon J. Gathercole, Journal for the Study of the New Testament no. 85, 41.
236
John Byron, Cain and Abel in Text and Tradition, 174.
237
Augustine, “Against Two Letters of the Pelagians,” III, 24, New Advent, last modified 2009, accessed
August 16, 2016, http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/15093.htm.