Corpus-Paul

[Jack Kilmon <jkilmon AT historian.net>]

Jim Oxford wrote:
> 
> At 9:30 4/30/99, Perry L. Stepp wrote:
> 
> >From: Errol Smith & Colleen Loo <ERROL.COLLEEN AT bigpond.com>
> >
> >>Jack Kilmon wrote:
> >
> >>> Given that Tim I & II and Titus reflect church structures not in place
> >>> till long after Paul's death...and used by Theophilus of Antioch,
> >>> Irenaeus of Lyon, and the Muratorian list..I have always suspected
> >>> Polycarp.
> 
> Dear List Members,
> 
> The above quote reflects, it seems to me, an axiom in NT scholarship
> concerning the dating and authorship of the pastoral epistles, one which
> for years now I have grown to question.  Here are two main questions I
> have:
> 
> Is there enough extant evidence at our disposal to begin to describe
> accurately the nature of "church structure" during the years 33-90 CE?

The 6 decades after the crucifixion is an interesting, if somewhat
gray period of linguistic and cross-cultural currents.  Even the word
"Church" here has no meaning in the first half of the first century.

The use EKKLHSIA in the NT might give us a clue.  First, it is used
three times in only two verses in the non-pauline literature at Mat
16:18 and 18:27.  In both instances, these are sayings of Jesus and
we can be sure there was no "church" and that he was not referring
to what we know as a "Church."  The Aramaic phrase may have been
evNAYKH leDAtha "build my church."....also meaning a "gathering
or an assemblage."

I find the use of EKKLHSIA in Hebrews very interesting and although
I would classify Hebrews as Pauline literature, it was composed by
someone (perhaps Apollos) who used beautiful literary Greek. At 12:23
the words PANHGUREI (a universal gathering) and EKKLHSIA (assembly)
are used together but translated "assembly" and "church" respectively.

So what did the talmuddaya of Y'shua call themselves in assembly after
the
crucifixion?  Perhaps, like the DSS people, they were a yahad.

>  If
> there is not, is it not an assumption, then, rather than a "given," that
> the  Pastoral Epistles should be dated late, certainly later than Paul's
> lifetime?
> 
> To what extent should Jewish "synagogue structure" (or any other first
> century community's "religious structuring," such as Qumran or even
> Greco-Roman communities), be used in discussing this issue?  Can we make
> inferences about church structures in early Christian communities based on
> what we find in other religious communities, such as Qumran, for example?

I think we see some parallels between the structure of the DSS people
and the N'tzarim but I do not see this structure having much influence
on the Pauline churches nor on the more structured post-apostolic
churches.  I think calling Ya'akov haTsaddik the "first bishop" of the
Jerusalem "church" is absurd.

I think this leaves the Pauline literature and the early patristics for
attempting to map a development of church structure.

Jack
-- 
______________________________________________

taybutheh d'maran yeshua masheecha am kulkon

Jack Kilmon
jkilmon AT historian.net

http://www.historian.net