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  • From: "Jon Peter" <jnp AT home.com>
  • To: "Corpus Paulinum" <corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Neil Elliot, "Liberating Paul"
  • Date: Mon, 5 Jul 1999 16:50:32 -0700



Jeffrey H. Krantz wrote:

> suggesting sincerely that "Do you wish to have no fear of the authority?
> Then do what is good, and you will receive its approval." (13:3b)
>
> I have wondered about an alternative.
>
> Jon Peter back on June 7 (in the archives) wrote that he treats certain
> passages that seem to be sure contradictions of Paul's thinking as
> "pseudo-remonstration." That is, purposeful misleading of his
> adversaries by inclusion of texts he obviously doesn't believe, and
> marking of these passages by coded redundancies. (My apologies if I've
> misunderstood.) This idea is similar to one put forward by two authors
> (I regret that I'll be unable to cite the sources until I can get to the
> GTS library later this week...) that I Cor. 14:33b-35 is in fact Paul's
> re-iteration of something said *by the Corinthians* not by Paul, and
> that verse 36 begins his contradiction of the practice of silencing the
> women. (I promise I'll look those two articles up ASAP, as I need them
> for my class, anyways...)
>
> Has anyone thought that Paul might be about something similar here?
>

Hello Jeffrey...

I have not read Elliot's book, and so can't comment on it. It sounds quite
interesting and I will add it to my list.

As for Rom 13.1-7... You referred to my "pseudo-remonstration" idea in
connection with 1Co 13.33ff, and here in Rom. I think the same possibility
can be offered. For Paul to advise Christians in Rome to knuckle under to
authorities, and mean this with a straight face as he seems to, is quite
absurd. The explanation I come up with is that Paul is writing favorably
for submission in order to furnish Christians in Rome with documentation
they can use if need in their legal defense. He does not really believe that
secular authorities are legitimate before God. Rather -- knowing that his
epistles are read aloud and circulated -- but wants this text to make the
Church appear to be loyally law-abiding so as to fend off more trouble.


Best regards,

Jon Peter





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