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  • From: "Kym Smith" <khs AT picknowl.com.au>
  • To: corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: Phil. 1:12-18 - opponents?
  • Date: Sun, 21 Apr 2002 19:01:39 -0400


Dear Vince,

<<< What I am looking for and can not find is, are there other instances of
early Christians who for some reason or another did not like the either the
origianl apostles, Paul, or both?>>>

A suitable reference here is 2 Cor 11&12 (especially 11:4-5,12-15,20-22;
12:11).

<<< The conclusion that I am leaning toward more and more is that these are
Christians that preach Christ, but have some hostility toward Paul himself.>>>

In his correspondence with the Philippians it seems that Paul was dealing
not only with some Judaizers but also with another group of errorists who
were not Judizers. Both may have been intended in 1:12-18, but 3:18-19
seems to be referring to the latter group. I suspect that it was the
apostate Nicolaitans whose influence in Asia was beginning to reach
Macedonia. I believe that the Nicolaitans were predominantly Jewish
believers who had synchretized their faith (faith gained first in
Palestine - e.g. Acts 2:9) with Helenistic beliefs and practices. They
were Gnostics or, at least, proto-Gnostics. For the two decades or so
(from Pentecost) until Paul came to Asia they were the leaders of the
church in Asia. Paul’s coming dislocated them. Not only were they hostile
to Paul, then, but they sought to undermine him when he was not present.
It may have been them who were undermining Paul in Corinth (especially
when Paul was in Asia – e.g. Paul wrote 1 Cor from Asia and 2 Cor probably
enroute from Asia to Achaia). The superlative apostles were Hebrews but
not Judaizers.

I have argued for this in a recent book, ‘Redating the Revelation and…’ In
that book I also offer a reconstruction of the 60s (following on from The
Acts of the Apostles), much of which is a speculative look at Paul’s
post-Rome movements and ministry.

Sincerely,

Kym Smith
Adelaide
South Australia
khs AT picknowl.com.au




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