Paul: The Man and His Writings

Dr. Greene

List the four elements that constitute the Present Evil Age for Paul

(Humanity without Christ)

Sin, Death, Law/Torah, (Flesh)

List the four elements that constitute the Age to Come for Paul

(Humanity with Christ)

Righteousness, Life, Grace, (Spirit)

List five basic elements that constitute the indicative for Paul (handout sheet)

Justification, Forgiveness, Salvation, Reconciliation, Expiation, Redemption, Freedom, Sanctification, Adoption, Transformation, New Creation, Members of the Body of Christ, Glorification

List five basic elements that constitute Paul’s gospel.

Fulfillment of Prophecy

Resurrection of Jesus.

Salvation through faith in Christ

Unity of believers

Grace of God

Who was Paul

Born in the city of Tarsus, capital of Cilicia

Roman Citizen

Educated at the feet of Gamaliel

Excelled in Judaism beyond his years

Hebrew born of Hebrews

Circumcised on the 8th day

Of the people of Israel

Of the Tribe of Benjamin

Righteous under the Law/Torah

Acts 9.1-19; 22.1-21; 26.1-32; Gal.1.11-24, Phil 3.5-8

“Primary” sources

direct sources of the given time period, by those who were direct participants in the history of the period.

e.g. Pauls letters

“Secondary” sources

later accounts written about a given time period.

e.g. Acts

Paul’s “Conversion”

Paul was not converted from Judaism to The Way (Christianity before it was called such), He simply understood Christ as the the fulfillment of the Torah as a “Jewish Christian”. It was a prophetic call to a mission

Three consequences of Pauls call.

It marked that Jesus was alive by the power of God: the Resurrection was God’s seal on the deed of the Cross.

Understanding of the cross itself changed–from a divine curse (Gal. 3.13) to a divine revelation of God’s sacrificial love (Rom. 5.8)

Revelation of God’s specific purpose for Paul is achieved–Paul is to be an “apostle to the Gentiles” (Gal. 1.16)

What was addressed at the Jerusalem Conference (Acts 15)

What is the church to do about its Gentile converts?

The Specific issue with two parts: Must a Gentile become a Jew in order to be a Christian? (Circumcision & Obedience to Food Laws)

3 Journeys or 2 Campaigns?

“Journey” suggests constant movement instead of staying in cities to build up congregations

How many trips to Jerusalem and what were their purpose

Acts suggests 5

• Acquaintance

• Famine

• Conference

• Collection

• Prisoner

Paul Mentions 3

• Acquaintance

• Conference

• Collection

Imperative

The "imperative" is what we are to do, how we are to live in the light of what God has done. It is loosely the area of "ethics."

Indicative

The "indicative" is what God has done or accomplished through the Christ event. It is loosely the area of "theology."

It is represented by Justification, Forgiveness, Salvation, Reconciliation, Expiation, Redemption, Freedom, Sanctification, Adoption, Transformation, New Creation, Members of the Body of Christ, Glorification

The Pauline Indicative is Experiential

Personal–individual experience, new human

Communal–corporate and collective, a new humanity

The Pauline Indicative is Historical

Promise–enacted through earlier historical events

Fulfillment–culminative constitution of New Israel through Christ event

The Pauline Indicative is Salvific

New Lordship

New opportunity for life

Realized destiny a present guide, guarantee, and hope

The Pauline Indicative is Eschatological

The Reign of God, no less, both IS and COMES

The Pauline Indicative is Evangelical

Euaggelion, “gospel,” is good news

Pauls Letters, to who?

Churches and Individuals

Pauls Letter, why?

In substitute for in-person visits, most probably while he is planting/with another church.

Pauls Letter, content?

General Exhortation. It wasn’t systematic theology, but his understanding of the Gospel and its relation to the church/individual to which he was writing.

Pauls Letters, style?

Typical of his day, a greeting, into, body with ethics and theology, and closing.

Some of his letters would vary and become hybrid in form, taking on character of sermons or encouragement.

Pauls Letters (General Explanation)

Paul's letters are thus occasional correspondence written to particular church communities at particular points in time to deal with particular issues which may have arisen.

The focal point is the issues which face individual church communities.

Reflection on general and broader theological or ethical topics may also be included.

Paul’s three worlds of influence

Judaism

Hellenistic culture

Roman power

Importance of narrative and story

Israels Story - Unfinished; symbolized by the Temple, Torah, Land, family/ethnic.

Paganism - symbolized by nation, kingship, religion, culture, cultural reminders (coins, arches, temples, legions)

Old Testament Story of God and Israel

God-YHWH

A world gone wrong

An elect, servant people

Creation and Covenant (Wright)

Creator and Redeemer (RG)

New Testament Story of Israel

Christ, the Jewish Messiah

Christians, a new world-encompassing creation

Story of Israel know only two fulfillments

1) In a book-Torah, Judaism

2) In a person-Christ, Christianity

Gospel Story

Story of God (Wright creation and covenant)

Story of the world gone wrong in Adam

Story of God's people in the world

Story of Christ, the Jewish Messiah

Story of Christians

Difference in peace from Caesar’s Empire and God’s Gospel

Caesar's Empire - Peace through victory-piety [religion], war, victory, justice

God's Gospel - Peace through non-violent restorative justice

Inability to observe the Law (Pauline Anthropology)

Stems in part from the carnal condition of sakinos.

Pauline terms–body, flesh, soul, spirit, mind, heart–as aspective and not partitive.

Body (Pauline Anthropology)

A human being is a body, a self (Phil. 1.20; Rom. 6.12-13; cf. 1 Cor. 5.15; 12.27)

Denotes a human being as a whole (a corpse is not a soma)

In a pejorative sense, “body” is the sin-ruled self (Rom. 7.23), the human condition prior to the coming of Christ of those who do not live in Christ.

Flesh (Pauline Anthropology)

Can mean the physical body or the whole human being (Rom. 6.19).

More typical Pauline usage connotes the natural, material, visible human existence, weak, and earthbound.

Psyche (Pauline Anthropology)

Vitality, consciousness, intelligence, coalition of a human being.

Earthly, natural aspect of a living human being.

Cf. 1 Thes. 2.8; Phil 2.30; 2 Cor. 12.15; Rom. 11.3; 16.4.

Spirit (Pauline Anthropology)

1 Thes. 5.23 lines up body, psyche, and spirit.

Mind and Heart (Pauline Anthropology)

Essentially synonymous

Capacity for intelligent understanding, planning, decision

cf. 1 Cor. 1.10; 2.16; Rom. 14.5; 7.23

All Aspects (Pauline Anthropology)

All aspects of human existence are summed up in “life” as a gift of God.

Without Christ, one is not able to achieve the destined goal.

Christ’s salvific activity has brought about a new union of humanity with God.

Paul speaks of a “new creation” [tp be understood collectively, “Israel,” and individually, “member of Israel.”]

Center of Paul’s Thought (Pauline Anthropology)

Paul’s awareness that Age to Come was becoming present fact with the coming of Christ.

The proof? The resurrection of Christ.

The proof? The advent of the Spirit.

Relationship of Flesh and Sin

Gal. 3 and Rom. 7. Paul saw the law as given by God as holy and just and good, but ultimately only temporary and ineffective and under the power of Sin. The problem was the human will under the power of Sin. Paul was not a gnostic who saw the domain of the flesh as evil; rather, he saw the domain of the flesh as our weak element through which Sin attacked us, actually through that which was good, i.e., the law. It is Sin that makes use of God's good law (hence, the law as the agent of Sin) to condemn us to death (which Paul also personifies as Death). Our weak element is our fleshly domain, such that Sin attacks us at our weak point even by utilizing the law in doing so.

Paul wants to do right in the light of the law, but the law is powerless to address the human will--it can point out what is right, but it cannot make one do right. According to Paul, it is Sin working through the law as Sin attacks our weak "flesh" that creates the plight. We'll come back to Pauline anthropology next week, but as you can see this is not a simple issue and it has many parts working together and many implications. This is why it is best to sit down and dialogue about it and also to ask questions in class. Questions in class would not only help you, but others as well.

Paul was not a "gnostic," but modern gnosticism ("flesh is evil") can lead us away from the heart of Christianity by offering a false understanding of what Paul says. Paul the Christian did not idolize the law. (bibliolatry), although some of his opponents apparently did. Again, it is these kind of "barnacles" that create problems when one comes to Paul and that lead us away from the heart of Christianity. At least, according to Paul.

Rabbinic concept of Two impulses (Grace and Power of Sin)

Yetzer ha-ra - the evil inclination, impulse to do evil

Yetzer ha-tov - the good inclination, impulse to do good

The Guilt of the Gentiles (Grace and Power of Sin)

Origin of Sin–Rom. 1

Ungodliness–Rom. 1.18-25

Unrighteousness–Rom. 1.26-32

The Wrath of God–Rom. 1.24, 26, 28

The Guilt of the Jews (Grace and Power of Sin)

Impartiality of God–Rom. 2.1-16

Useless Jewish Distinctives–Rom. 2.17-29

The Advantage of the Jews–Rom. 3.1-8

Practitioner roles filled by Paul

Apostle, Evangelist, Missionary, Pastor, Letter Writer

Gospel

“good news”

related to the english word “evangelism/evangelist,” or the activity of proclaiming the Gospel.

What kind of statement was the “Gospel of God”

Theopolitical (religious and political)

Divine

Counter-Cultural

How does Gorman define “Spirituality”

“lived experience of God”

The Gospel in context (Gorman)

What Isaiah predicted was being fulfilled.

What Priene proclaimed was being challenged.

If God is savior and Jesus is Lord, then Caesar is not.

If salvation, peace, and justice comes through God's action in Jesus, it does not come through Caesar-or any other political or imperial figure.

How does Gorman define “Faith”

"a rich, robust term that indicates a full intellectual, emotional, volitional, and behavioral response to what God has done."

Narrative moments of the Christ Event

Jesus’s birth

Jesus’s ministry

1. Jesus’s death

2. Jesus’s burial

3. Jesus”s resurrection

4. Jesus’s appearances

5. Jesus’s exaltations

Jesus’s parousia

The Telos

Gorman’s 8 Big Ideas of Paul and his Gospel

1. Apocalyptic Crossroads: "In the Fullness of Time"

2. Covenant Faithfulness and Surprising Grace: "The Gospel of God"

3. The Meaning of Christ's Death: "Even Death on a Cross"

4. Jesus Is Son of God and Lord: "God Raised" and "Highly Exalted Him"

5. Reconciliation with God through Participation in Christ: "Justified by Faith... Crucified with Christ"

6. Countercultural, Multicultural Community in the Spirit: "Called to be Saints"

7. Cruciform Faith, Hope, and Love: "Conformed to the Image of God's Son"

8. Return, Resurrection, and Renewal: "The Glory about to be Revealed"

Pauls ability to look both ways is described as:

Retrospective - what has been or what has happened

Prospective - what will be or what will happen

Big G note on Gormans “Gospel of Paul”

It is so easy for us to forget and to truncate the gospel. After all of his discussion, note that Gorman utilizes the rubric of "idea" and not narrative action. He actually illustrates by his own work some of the awareness which he critiques. In my judgment. But then, it is a human endeavor to rationalize and to organize. BUT, we need to be aware of what we are doing. That is one reason in my book why I distinguish between the "Gospel" and "gospel." It is awareness of "Gospel" that should lead us to worship, even when we (perhaps unavoidably) engage in truncation. To utilize the rubric of "idea" is to retreat to the domain of "doctrines" rather than to move to the domain of the Pauline imperative-i.e., what we are to do in the light of what God has done.]

Reasons to study Paul

Paul has had a huge impact on the modern church

Relevance to culture

Paul’s letters are occasional, addressed to specific point in time, to a specific people

Amanuensis

a recording secretary

Paranesis

General moral exhaltation

Typical elements of Letters in Pauls Day

Name of sender

Name of addressee

Initial greeting of some kind

Health wish/ prayer offer

Body of the letter

Conclusion of some kind

Paraenesis : general moral exhortation

Closing greetings

Process/signature

Closing benedictions

Pseudepigrapha

the method of writing under the name of someone else

Different types of letters written

Exordium

Narratio

Propostio

Probatio

Refutatio

Old Testament people didn’t only live by law

Judaism was also a belief centered around God’s grace, for God’s covenant etc. was an example of God’s grace