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  • From: Loren Rosson <rossoiii AT yahoo.com>
  • To: Corpus-Paul <corpus-paul AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: RE: [Corpus-Paul] Questions on Galatians
  • Date: Wed, 28 May 2003 07:16:08 -0700 (PDT)

I wrote:

>Circumcision, not diet, was the issue, which is why
>Peter feared "the circumcision faction" (2:12). It's
>abundantly obvious that circumcision was the bone of
>contention in Galatia (3:3, 5:2, 6:12-15)

Billy Evans responded:

>I think it is best to consider circumcision as
meaning
>what some arguments of the spies in
>the text mean: Gentiles had to keep the whole law of
>Moses. In other words it is the issue of table
>fellowship which best characterizes the Pharasiees
>at this time (not interested in politics but Piety)

Billy,

I'm not quite sure what to make of your comments about
what "best characterize" the Pharisees.
Table-fellowship and diet were obviously important
issues for them, but so were conditions of proselyte
conversion. What's interesting about diet is that Paul
seems to be more on the same Pharisaic page -- or even
in agreement with the apostolic decree -- than
commonly assumed. Where he discusses these issues, in
Rom 14:1-15:6, he actually says that Gentiles should
abide by minimal Jewish standards (including those
given in the decree?), at least in some contexts, so
as not to give offense.

>and this thus addresses the issue of if the Gentiles
>had to become Jews before becoming Christians.

But issues of table-fellowship, and diet per se, had
to do with pre-requisites for becoming God-fearers or
resident aliens -- not Jews. That's the problem.

Loren Rosson III
Nashua NH
rossoiii AT yahoo.com


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