Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

corpus-paul - Re: Goulder's Two Mission Hypothesis

corpus-paul AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Corpus-Paul

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Ron Price" <ron.price AT virgin.net>
  • To: corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: Goulder's Two Mission Hypothesis
  • Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2000 15:10:04 +0000


Jim Day wrote:

> I just finished Professor Goulder's book on St Paul Versus St. Peter: A
>Tale of Two Missions. Professor Goulder's theories put the "puzzle" together
>almost too neatly. I would be interested on the group's thoughts on
>Professor
>Goulder's Two Mission Hypothesis.

Jim,
I, for one, accept his hypothesis. I did query his use of the label
'Petrine' in view of the fact that James was (or had become) the leader
of the group. He informed me that he used this label because "I belong
to Cephas" suggests that in effect they had called themselves Petrines
and it is a good principle to refer to a movement by the name it gives
itself.

It is clear from Paul's letters and Acts that amongst the followers of
Jesus in the 50's there were two dominant personalities, namely James
(the brother of Jesus) and Paul.
It doesn't take much digging in Galatians and Acts (allowing for its
author's attempts to paper over the cracks) to see that these two were
rivals with long-standing and deep-rooted differences.

Also I have put forward a subsidiary hypothesis which, if confirmed,
would provide further significant support for Professor Goulder's
hypothesis. It can be found on my Web site under:
The Origin of the Synoptic Gospels
The source sQ
Author / Date of composition
My hypothesis, in summary, is that Paul's references to LOGOS and
SOFIA in the Corinthian correspondence (1 Cor 2:1 etc.) were criticisms
of rival preachers in Corinth who were promoting a sayings source (what
I call 'sQ' - roughly Q minus its narratives) which I believe was
endorsed if not actually written by James. This could shed light on a
new (?) aspect of the controversy between James and Paul. For James was
advocating the sayings attributed to Jesus as embodying the 'Christian'
part of his branch of Judaism. Paul, on the other hand, was not
interested in what he alluded to as "lofty words or wisdom". Instead he
was determined to focus on Christ crucified as the basis of his
Christian gospel.

Ron Price

Weston-on-Trent, Derby, UK

e-mail: ron.price AT virgin.net

Web site: http://homepage.virgin.net/ron.price/index.htm




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page