Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

corpus-paul - Re: Paul's persecution of the Church (circumcision?)

corpus-paul AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Corpus-Paul

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Christian Anible" <cia4 AT cornell.edu>
  • To: corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: Paul's persecution of the Church (circumcision?)
  • Date: Thu, 30 May 2002 09:46:33 -0400


[On May 28, Eric Zuesse wrote:}

> Inasmuch as there did not at that
> time exist anaesthesia, nor antibiotics, this would have required
> subjecting
> all of these men to an excruciating, and also dangerous, elective medical
> operation. ... quite possibly all or most of them would decide to quit, and
> Paul's life's work would go up in smoke.
>
> So, I think that it is very important to understand how and why
> this medical
> issue of circumcision finally came to a head in Paul's 17th year of
> evangelizing. Paul wanted the only obligatory initiation-ritual to be
> baptism, which some Jewish sects of that time considered to be obligatory
> for Gentile proselytes, especially because it was so easy and
> safe.
>

Eric:

While this is a very plausible scenario, and it would be in keeping with
what we know of Paul's character to exhibit this kind of personal concern
for the physical well-being of his converts, it seems clear that we must
consider this conjecture and little more. I can think of no evidence that
Paul was troubled by the medical dangers associated with circumcision.
Furthermore, circumcision was a rite employed by other religions in the
ancient Mediterranean (Cf. Walter Schmithals, Paul and the Gnostics,
trans. John E. Seely (Nashville/New York: Abingdon Press, 1965, 1972),
37-43), so the notion of undergoing such an ordeal for religious purposes
would not have been altogether alien to non-Jews. Consider also that Paul
circumcised Timothy himself when he considered it expedient to do so.

Two quick comments: (1) Paul does not specifically identify what it was
about the Christian sect that so offended his zeal, but our best hint is
in statements such as 1 Cor 1.23: "but we proclaim Christ crucified, a
stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles...."

(2) Paul's vehemence against circumcision was theological, since it
represented submission to Torah and, thereby, a repudiation of the
completed work of Christ (cf. Gal 5.2-3).

Christian Anible
Cornell University
cia4 AT cornell.edu



  • Re: Paul's persecution of the Church (circumcision?), Christian Anible, 05/30/2002

Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page