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corpus-paul - Re: Did Paul know Peter's travel locations?

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  • From: "Mark D. Nanos" <nanosmd AT comcast.net>
  • To: Corpus-paul <corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Did Paul know Peter's travel locations?
  • Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2002 06:45:58 -0500


on 6/26/02 10:17 PM, Kym Smith at khs AT picknowl.com.au wrote:

> Paul’s reluctance
> to build on another’s foundation must surely indicate an apostolic
> presence in Rome. There were Christians in Asia, Prygia, Pamphylia and
> Crete (Acts 2:9-11) but Paul saw no problem with ministering in/to those
> regions.

One of the features of this discussion is the understanding of Paul's
comment in Rom. 15:20 ("thus making it my aim to proclaim the gospel, not
where Christ was named, so that I would not be building upon a foundation
belonging to another" [or, "upon a foreign foundation"]). This is understood
to indicate that Paul is referring to founding of churches in various
locations, and specifically in this case, in Rome, by other apostles, and
thus to his principled decision not to build in those locations, i.e., Rome.
That is what the commentaries also understand this verse to indicate. I have
argued otherwise in Mystery of Romans, and thought you might like to know
that, if building upon this foundation further speculation about the
locations of apostolic ministries. I also wonder what list members might
make of my suggested reading.

I understand Paul to be referring in this comment to Jerusalem, where he has
not been building, and where Jesus was named Christ, and the 12 apostles
appointed. Instead, he travels "from Jerusalem to...," and he explains that
until he has finished his east to west arc through Asia Minor and
Greece/Macedonia he has been unable to begin his arc through Rome to points
further west. I believe it is the "fulfilling" of the proclamation of the
gospel in that first (eastern region) arc (v. 19) that has held him up (the
bringing of the Gentiles in those places to obedience, by word and deed with
signs and wonders through the power of the Holy Spirit, v. 18), not
something about the proclamation of the gospel in Rome by others.

Note that in v. 23 he states, "but now, no longer having room [TOPON] in
those regions, and having great desire to come to you for many years...").
This is the statement that follows v. 22, "and therefore I have been
prevented (much) from coming to you." It is the completion of the eastern
region arc that has occupied him and kept him from Rome thus far, not
something about an apostolic foundation in Rome, as far as I can see. So I
take his comment about foundation to be about Jerusalem (which coordinates
well with Gal. 2:7-9, I think, where he goes to the nations, Peter to the
Judeans), which is central to the way he has gone about defining his arc,
from Jerusalem and back to there, before beginning a new arc from there out
to the regions of Rome and Spain.

This reading eliminates the problems of both his proclaiming the gospel to
Rome in this letter, and his plan to do the same upon his planned arrival,
which seem to undermine his point as usually understood. Why is it delayed?
Because he is going to that place where Christ is named, Jerusalem, to
complete that arc, that is, wrapping up that phase of his ministry ("no
longer having room in those regions"), before he travels to Rome and points
further West, again, "from Jerusalem." For some reason Paul is constrained
by this programmatic approach to the way his ministry is organized.

I am not sure what you will make of the implications of this reading for
your discussion for the locations of Peter's ministry, and the foundations
of the Roman congregations, but I would think it does have some
ramifications, even if just bringing ambiguity to a concept otherwise
thought to be certain. Comments?

Regards,
Mark
--
Mark D. Nanos, Ph.D.
313 NE Landings Dr.
Lee's Summit, MO 64064
USA
nanosmd AT comcast.net





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