Paul lists Israel's covenant privileges in Romans 9:4: theirs are 'the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law (νομοθεσία), the worship, and the promises.' The term denotes the act of legislating or the body of legislation itself—in this context, the Mosaic law given at Sinai. Classical Greek uses the word for the legislative process or a code of laws enacted by a state. For Paul, the law is one of several signs of Israel's special relationship with God, though it has been fulfilled and transcended in Christ. The tragedy Paul laments is that Israel, to whom the law was given, has stumbled over the cornerstone (Christ) in their zeal for law-based righteousness. The gift of the law, meant to prepare for Messiah, has become an obstacle when pursued apart from faith.