Corpus-Paul

[Christopher Hutson <crhutson AT salisbury.net>]

>From: Rick Strelan <rick.strelan AT mailbox.uq.edu.au>

>Is it also possible that Paul was sick and broke in Ephesus [or
wherever
>the Corinthian correspondence has its provenance]? Sick not with the
>congenital or permanent diasability that is proposed [blindness,
epilepsy
>etc] but just sick as a dog ['I die every day' 1 Cor 15:31; cf also 2
Cor
>1:8]?
>Finally, how come Paul complains of hunger, thirst,illness,
homelessness
>etc [1 Cor 4:11;these are not rhetorical complaints] - where were his
>supporters?
>

Rick,

I like Frank's suggestion that you take into consideration Paul's
relationship with the Corinthians in terms of the implications and
expectations and assumptions about patronage in Greco-Roman antiquity.

But you should also take a look at John T. Fitzgerald, _Cracks in an
Earthen Vessel:  An Examination of the Catalogues of Hardships in the
Corinthian Correspondence_  SBLDS 99 (Scholars Press, 1988). 
Fitzgerald explores the _peristasis_ catalogue as a rhetorical topos
and examines in detail how Paul uses it in Cor.  

Regards,

XPIC

------------------------------------
Christopher R. Hutson
          Hood Theological Seminary
          Salisbury, NC  28144
crhutson AT salisbury.net
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