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corpus-paul - Re: Dating 1 Thessalonians

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  • From: Edgar Krentz <ekrentz AT earthlink.net>
  • To: "Corpus-paul" <corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Dating 1 Thessalonians
  • Date: Wed, 17 Apr 2002 09:18:32 -0700


At 6:04 PM -0400 4/15/02, David Inglis wrote:
Way back in November 2000 Richard Fellows wrote:
> We will probably never know with certainty, but I prefer to place 1 Thess.
towards the start of the so-called third missionary journey. The visit to
Athens in 1 Thess 3.1 might well correspond to the sorrowful visit to
Achaia to which Paul alludes in 2 Cor 2.1; 12.14; 13.2.

The conventional (early) dating of 1 Thess. is very difficult to reconcile
with the movements of Silas and Timothy in Acts 17.13-15. Also, 1 Thess
1.8, which talks about the fame of the Thessalonians everywhere, seems to
> favour a later date.

Was this post ever answered? I haven't seen any replies. In any case,
I'm sure there are a whole new bunch of listers with valid arguments. As
I agree with Richard Fellows that a later date for 1 Thess seems much more
likely (IMHO during Paul's 3rd journey), why is there "such a consensus
for the earlier date?"

Dave Inglis
david AT colonialcommerce.com

In addition to what Karl Donfried wrote you might read the introduction to Abraham Malherbe's recent commentary in the Anchor Bible, my article on 1 Thessalonians in the Anchor Bible Dictionary and almost any commentary on the letter.

Areas to think about are (1) Greek style; (2) lack of references to the OT; (3) the lack of major Pauline theological motifs that occur in every later letter. (4) data in the book of Acts that persuade many.

What are the problems with that dating? (1) Must Paul use the OT and all his theological motifs? (2) Some material in Acts seems inaccurate (primarily the three Sabbaths).

I would be interested in reading Mark Nanos's and other's reservations about the early date. [It is about 18 plus or minus years after Paul's call as apostle.

Ed Krentz
--
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Edgar Krentz
Christ Seminary--Seminex Professor of New Testament, Emeritus
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
1100 East 55th Street, Chicago, IL 60615
Tel: 773-256-0773; home phone 773-947-8105
Phone while in California: 510-540-6838
home e-mail: ekrentz AT earthlink.net
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GERASKO D' AEI POLLA DIDASKOMENOS
"I grow old, constantly learning many things." [Solon of Athens]
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