Pauline Studies
Is genuine unity achievable?
Earlier today Daniel James Levy posted on the divisions in the church of Corinth (see “The Issue of Division at the Church in Corinth”). For many of us evangelicals the fractions of that local church seem all too familiar. While Roman Catholics, Orthodox, and Anglicans have placed a high priority on visible unity the rest [...]
What do Jesus and Paul have to say about sex?
This post is part of the blog tour for Daniel Kirk‘s new book Jesus Have I Loved, but Paul? I am covering chapter eight which it titled “Sex in the Plot of God’s Story”. You know, that subject we Christians struggle to address. Human sexuality isn’t an easy subject for Christians to address. Often we [...]
If you like Jesus, but not Paul, this may be the book for you!
Today is the first day of a “blog tour” for Daniel Kirk’s new book Jesus Have I Loved, but Paul? A Narrative Approach to the Problem of Pauline Christianity. If you want to know who is posting and what day go to the blog hub. It is a great list of reviewers. Also, I’d recommend reading [...]
Sorry, I don’t see a “rapture” in 1 Thessalonians 4.13-18.
Every time I discuss the so-called “rapture” with someone they take me to 1 Thessalonians 4.13-18, but I don’t see the concept there. In v. 15 I find the “appearing/coming of the Lord” (τὴν παρουσίαν τοῦ κυρίου). When we consider other Pauline themes of the resurrection of the dead and Christ’s reign I don’t see [...]
In the Mail: Jesus Have I Loved, but Paul? by Daniel Kirk
Yesterday I received a review copy of Daniel Kirk‘s Jesus Have I Loved, but Paul? A Narrative Approach to the Problem of Pauline Christianity in the mail courtesy of Baker Academic (you can learn more about the book here). I will be part of a blog tour running from the 9th to the 20th of January [...]
A Polite Bribe? Robert Orlando’s depiction of the Apostle Paul.
Robert Orlando has put together a very interesting concept for a film on the Apostle Paul. It is called “A Polite Bribe” and it is focused upon Paul’s collection for the Jerusalem church as he sought to unite Jews and Gentiles in the Jesus Movement. It looks awesome! He wrote an article for the Huffington [...]
The function of the Pastoral Epistles.
Earlier today Mason Slater wrote a post titled “Did Paul Write the Pastoral Epistles?” In it he asked if (1) Paul did not write them does it change how we read them? (2) Does Pauline authorship impact their authority or is this guaranteed by canonization? (3) Is the denial of the Pauline authorship is due [...]
Saturdays in Second Temple Judaism: Ways to be expelled from the Qumran community
According to Geza Vermes there was a difference between “entering the Covenant and entering the Community” at Qumran (The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English: Revised Edition, 34). If I understand him correctly, once one has gone through the long process of being accepted into the community they are then allowed to participate in Council [...]
The rivalry between the Apostle Paul and James the Just.
On a message board where I sometimes interact there has been a discussion regarding the canonical status of the Epistle of James. This lead to the oft debated topic of whether or not there was a rivalry between the Apostle Paul and James the Just, or at least strong disagreement. It has inspired me to [...]
Is the Shema in 1 Corinthians 8.6?
Kevin Brown launched a discussion across a handful of blogs when he asked whether or not 1 Cor. 8.6 (“…there is but one God, the Father, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through him.”) is an interpretation of the Shema (Deut. 6.4). James McGrath maintained his well-established position [...]
Princeton Theological Seminary Romans Conference
I do not know how I got this, but in my email, I received word today that Princeton Theological Seminary will be hosting “Creation, Conflict, and Cosmos: A Conference on Romans 5–8.” More than a few excellent scholars will be presenting at the conference. Not only that: the conference is accepting abstracts for paper presentations. [...]
Writing a thesis (thought #1)
This last weekend I sent my first reader the second draft of the first chapter of my Master of Theology (Th.M.) thesis. I thought it may be useful to openly journal through the process for anyone who comes along later down the road seeking to work on a similar project. I don’t have much advice [...]
Why didn’t the Apostle Paul cite the Book of Jonah?
I don’t know why it bothers me that the Apostle Paul never cited the Book of Jonah in defense of his Gentile mission, but it does. When I was taking my biblical Hebrew sequence in seminary we chose Jonah for our exegetical exercises. I had to write a couple papers on the book as well as a [...]
Neither Jew nor Gentile = act of reconciliation
In 1 Maccabees 2.7-13 a priest named Matthias grieves over the destruction of Jerusalem and its pagan conversion under the thumb of Antiochus Epiphanes. These are his words: “Woe is me! Why was I born to see the ruin of my people and the ruin of the holy city, and to sit idle while it [...]
The Adam-Christ Juxtaposition in the Epistle to the Romans (Pt. 3)
Read Pt. 1 here. Read Pt. 2 here. As I read through 1.18-25 last week I decided to list statements that sounded like references to Adam. I have compiled this list: v. 18b τῶν τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐν ἀδικίᾳ κατεχόντων (“suppress the truth in unrighteousness”): Adam received the law of God yet he did nothing to defend [...]
Licona on the Resurrection (Pt. 5)
Licona, Michael R. (2010) The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic. (Buy from IVPress.com here) Read Pt. 1 here. Read Pt. 2 here. Read Pt. 3 here. Read Pt. 4 here. Now that we have just celebrated Easter (i.e. “Resurrection Sunday) it is time to continue the journey through Michael Licona’s The Resurrection of Jesus: A New [...]
The Adam-Christ Juxtaposition in the Epistle to the Romans (Pt. 2)
I mentioned almost a month ago that I would be writing a bit on the Adam-Christ juxtaposition as a main theme in the Epistle to the Romans (read my thoughts on 1.18-32 here). Obviously, I have not done this. I thank Martin Luther for prodding me to resume. Last week I was reading his “Preface to [...]
Nuancing the “righteousness of God”
In his essay “The Theme of Romans” (from Karl P. Donfried, ed., The Romans Debate, 2nd Ed., 338) Peter Stuhlmacher makes this important observation that should factor into discussions on the oft debate phrase δικαιοσύνη θεοῦ (e.g. Rom. 1.17): Even the expression “the righteousness of God,” which is so difficult for us to understand, need not have [...]
The Adam-Christ Juxtaposition in the Epistle to the Romans (Pt. I)
Over the next while I will be writing a bit on the Adam-Christ juxtaposition in the Epistle to the Romans. Most people are aware of the most obvious passage where it occurs in 5.12-21. It is hard to argue against consider both characters are named, but I propose that one cannot really grasp the argument [...]
Two books to read for those who want to understand the Apostle Paul
As I have studied the Apostle Paul over the last few years there are two books that I think everyone must read to understand his gospel and mission: (1) The Book of Genesis (2) The Book of Isaiah You’re welcome.
The Law of Sin and Death (Romans 8.2)
As you may be aware the thesis that I am writing is titled “Creation Waits: The Pauline Interpretation of the Book of Genesis in the Epistle to the Romans with Emphasis on 8.1-25″. I may be finding what I am seeking simply because I seek to find it, but I am more and more convinced [...]
Resources? Pauline statements on human slavery
I am searching for resources on the various statements about slavery in the Pauline corpus. I will note that part of my emphasis is on the immediate context in which these statements were written, but also the early reception history (i.e. no later than Augustine)., though I am open to pieces that deal with theological-canonical [...]
Timothy G. Gombis Against Triumphalism
In his brilliant (!) book titled The Drama of Ephesians author Timothy G. Gombis writes about how God used the preaching of the Apostle Paul from a prison cell to confound the powers. In Roman society it would seem that the gods had been victorious over the Lord Jesus Christ since his apostolic herald was [...]
The Conversion or the Calling of the Apostle Paul?
In Acts 9.1-31 (cf. 22.1-21) we read of the event traditionally known as the “conversion” of Saul of Tarsus to the Apostle Paul. Saul was on his way to capture Christians in the northern city of Damascus. Damascus was not very close to Jerusalem so we may suppose that he saw it as being a [...]
A Pauline Millennium?
Last week I was asked what I thought of the doctrine of the millennium. I had to answer honestly, “I don’t know.” I explained that I see it mentioned in the Book of Revelation and it seems to lead toward the new heavens and the new earth. But I struggle with the vision of the [...]
The Gospel According to the Apostle Paul
What is the gospel? This is a popular discussion topic these days. Most people are aware of the group known as The Gospel Coalition that organized around a common desire to better understand the gospel (it is worth stating it is very debatable whether or not this has been successful since when many think of [...]
Judgment in Gospel Proclamation (Acts 17.16-34)
Over the last two days I have been pondering how the gospel, as it was preached by the Apostle Paul, emphasizes judgment, justice, and wrath as much as it does justification, mercy, and grace. In Acts 17.16-34 we have a Lukan depiction of Paul’s preaching. Whether Paul said it like this, or it is just [...]
The Gospel as the Aroma of Life and Death? (2 Corinthians 2.12-17)
Yesterday, I wrote on Rom. 1.16-21. It seems to indicate that the same gospel that reveals the righteousness of God as power to salvation for those who believe also reveals the wrath of God from heaven upon all who suppress the truth of God in their wicked state (see here) Bryan Lilly responded (here) that [...]
The Gospel of Wrath? (Romans 1.16-21)
In Rom. 1.16 the Apostle Paul writes that the gospel (το ευαγγελιον), which he has already mentioned three times in the letter already (1.1, 9, 15), is the “power of God for salvation” for anyone who believes. The gospel itself is not salvation, but it does provide the means (something he unpacks in the context [...]
Jesus as Messiah κατὰ σάρκα and κατὰ πνεῦμα (Romans 1.1-7)
The first few times I read through the opening of the Epistle to the Romans (1.1-7) it appeared to me that the Apostle was presenting a sort of Chalcedonian Christology. In v. 3 we have reference to Jesus being the Messiah (Son of God) because he is the seed of King David according to the [...]
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