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  • From: "Hyam Maccoby" <h.z.maccoby AT leeds.ac.uk>
  • To: "Corpus-paul" <corpus-paul AT franklin.metalab.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Paul's persecution of the Church
  • Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2002 15:56:18 +0100


Dear Mark,

Thanks for your prompt reply. You asked:

What is the difference
> between language referring to salvation and to liberation? Saved from
what,
> or liberated from one, and how is one any different than the other? Can
they
> be used interchangeably in your statements? If I understand this, perhaps
I
> can engage your distinction between these parties. (I have retained a
small
> portion of your post below, where this language arises)

By 'liberation' I mean the advent of political and economic freedom on this
earth as described by the Hebrew prophets: a time of peace, prosperity and
world-wide co-operation. By 'salvation' I mean spiritual reward after death
in `the world to come' (in Jewish terms) or (in Christian terms) rescue from
hellfire and translation after death to heaven. For Jews, the Messiah
brings liberation, not salvation; whereas for Christians the Messiah, or
Christ, brings salvation. In Judaism what brings salvation for Jews (the
priest-nation) is living in accordance with the Torah, and for Gentiles (the
laity), living a decent life in accordance with the Noachic Covenant. The
term 'messiah' in its original Hebrew connotation means 'king' (literally
'anointed one') and he is primarily a political figure; every king of the
house of David had the title 'messiah'. In Christianity, the word 'messiah'
or 'christ', under the influence of Paul, received a new meaning making it a
divine title. In Judaism, the final Messiah, awaited by the Jewish people
in subjection to Rome, would unite the world in monotheism. The Jerusalem
Church consisted of believers in Judaism, not Christianity; they attended
the Temple, thus acknowledging the Jewish Aaronite priesthood, and observed
all Jewish rites. They did not practise the Eucharist, which was the new
sacrament marking off Christianity from Judaism. They regarded Jesus as
their King (which is why the leader of the Jerusalem Church was Jesus'
nearest kinsman, James, instead of Peter). It was in fact a liberationist
Jewish movement, not a breakaway religion.

With warmest good wishes,

Hyam







____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________


Dr.Hyam Maccoby
Research Professor
Centre for Jewish Studies
University of Leeds
Leeds.LS2
Direct lines: tel. +44 (0)113 268 1972
fax +44 (0)113 268 0041
e-mail: h.z.maccoby AT leeds.ac.uk
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark D. Nanos" <nanosmd AT comcast.net>
To: "Corpus-paul" <corpus-paul AT franklin.metalab.unc.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, June 05, 2002 2:55 PM
Subject: [corpus-paul] Re: Paul's persecution of the Church


> Dear Hyam,
> Thanks for the explanation. Yes, this is far too involved for this format.
> But I do hope you might clarify one matter of terminology if not also
> substance that is confusing for me when trying to follow your initial
detail
> of the difference between Paul and James/Peter. What is the difference
> between language referring to salvation and to liberation? Saved from
what,
> or liberated from one, and how is one any different than the other? Can
they
> be used interchangeably in your statements? If I understand this, perhaps
I
> can engage your distinction between these parties. (I have retained a
small
> portion of your post below, where this language arises)
>
> Thanks,
> Mark
> --
> Mark D. Nanos, Ph.D.
> 313 NE Landings Dr.
> Lee's Summit, MO 64064
> USA
> nanosmd AT comcast.net
>
> >... Whereas Paul saw the
> > crucifixion as a salvific event, James and Peter, as believing Jews, saw
it
> > as the tragic death of a human liberator at the hands of a cruel
occupying
> > power, and as having no effect on spiritual salvation, which was
effected
> > only by adherence to the Torah. They believed that Jesus had been
> > resurrected by a miracle and would soon return to resume his mission of
> > liberation. The question for them, then, was the meaning of
'liberation' -
> > was this a matter affecting only Jews, or did it also affect the nations
of
> > the world, for whom spiritual salvation was achieved not by adherence to
the
> > covenant of Sinai, but by adherence to the covenant of God with Noah?
> > James decided at the Jerusalem Conference that the Messiah was a
liberator
> > for the whole world, and that therefore Gentiles might be admitted as
> > members into the messianic movement, provided that they adhered to
> > monotheism and to their own covenant, thus remaining Gentiles while
> > regarding Jesus as the Messiah or liberator and as their King.
> > Paul, however, seeing the death of Jesus as a salvific event, for both
> > Gentiles and Jews, could not accept the validity of circumcision for any
> > Gentile members of the Jesus movement, for this meant turning away from
one
> > mode of salvation to another....
>
>
> ---
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