Corpus-Paul

[Licia Kuenning <Licia AT compuserve.com>]

Since I was the first on this list to say that Paul didn't write
Hebrews I should probably confess that my reason for
thinking so may be a bit outside the scope of the reasons
most people here would be likely to apply.  It comes of
having internalized the system of personality typology that
divides people into Thinking, Feeling, Sensation, and Intuitive
types (one is born with one's type and retains it throughout
life).  This is the theory set forth in Michael Malone's book
_Psychetypes_, on the off-chance anyone here is acquainted
with it.  Despite having been mostly skeptical of psychological
typologies prior to learning this one, I was persuaded of the
theory (one of the developers of which I knew personally and
typed her book manuscript) because I found that it really did
fit most people that I got to know.

Having been of the opinion that Paul was an Intuitive, I picked
up and read Hebrews one day and said, "Hey, this essay was
written by a Thinking type."

I can't usually type someone from one piece of writing, and
I certainly can't type all of the biblical authors; but the logical
cognitive style of the author of Hebrews is quite striking.
This author remembers where his argument has been, and where
it's going, and what it's based on, and what follows from what.
It is almost like a modern scholarly paper--if citational footnotes
had been invented you could see them in it.

Paul isn't logical--he meanders around and supports his positions
with arguments that are not to his point, or go further than he
needs, or can't be systematically maintained.

I think it is more than a difference of literary style; it's a
difference of cognitive style.  A person can't really be "all
things"; one is limited by the way one's brain is organized.
The sort of mind that produced Hebrews wouldn't have written
the letters of Paul: I'm speaking from the Thinking type's point
of view, being one myself; I would have been embarrassed to
put forward some of the arguments Paul uses.  Which is not
to say that Paul was wrong to use them.  I usually don't
get along well with Intuitives, but God created a great many
of them without asking my opinion.  :)

Well, I apologize if this is not strictly the type of reasoning
appropriate to the list, but I thought I might as well
communicate it.  Please don't ask me to elaborate much
on it, as my memory of the texts is rusty at this point, and
I don't have a lot of time to put in.  (I spent all day
researching the history of the canon for a nonacademic
list which probably won't appreciate it, and told myself:
I really must devote less time to the Internet.)

Licia Kuenning
wife of Larry Kuenning, who is known to Ioudaios folks.

Licia AT compuserve.com
kuenning-licia AT voicenet.com