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corpus-paul - Re: the import of 2 Cor 5:21

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  • From: "Jim Hester" <hester AT jasper.uor.edu>
  • To: "Corpus-paul" <corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: the import of 2 Cor 5:21
  • Date: Sat, 05 Feb 2000 17:23:46 -0800


Jeffrey!

Just a quick-and-dirty reaction to the following:

> As is well known, in 2 Cor 5:21 Paul notes that Jesus was one who "knew
> no sin" (TON MH GNONTA hAMARTIAN). Is there any chance that what Paul is
> speaking of here is that Jesus was never caught up in, and in fact
> renounced, the sort of zealousness for the Law that resulted in Paul's
> persecution of the church and which later fuelled the Zealot cause
> against Rome?

In fact Paul doesn't refer to "Jesus" in that passage but to "Christ" and I
think that is an important rhetorical distinction. I read 2 Cor 5:21 to be
like unto that of Philippians 2:5-11. Therfore, I wouldn't try to load it
with any baggage from the so-called "historical Jesus."

Furthermore, given the kinds of arguments Paul got into concerning attitudes
towards the Law, if he knew that Jesus had "renounced...zealousness for the
Law," why wouldn't he have been more explicit about that in Galatians, for
example?
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Jim Hester "Never be afraid to try something new.
736 Buckingham Drive Remember, amateurs built the ark.
Redlands, CA 92374 Professionals built the Titanic."
(909) 792-0533
hester AT uor.edu http://rhetjournal.uor.edu




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