Corpus-Paul

["kosala@md2" <kosala AT md2.vsnl.net.in>]

It is an interesting proposal for a new interpretation. But it limits the
vast meaning of the text and hides the spiritual strength it would like to
offer to the readers.

The Text  before it, i.e. V.20 seems to give another direction. It does not
say either to continue in the status, to revolt or to work together, as in
Trade union (Indian Class consciousness!), to better one's wordly condition.
The text simply gives a solution from Paul's point of view. This
"liberation" , if one is prone to name it, goes beyond the earthly
limitations. It is about the heavenly salvation, which is beyond the
limitations that any bondage, or slavery or any state of existence could
perhaps denote. This is clear in his example of the Circumcision, which has
now lost its value. What is needed for the believer is the "Obedience",
which he makes it clear in his Philippian text in Ch.2.

Further he points at the new Status that the believer has, i.e. the Freedom
as the child of God. You have it already and hence nothing else matters. The
bondages of this world are thus overcome and overruled. The external
condition has no power over the spiritual life as a child of God.  And it
transcends everything.

The  example of Dr.Bonhoeffer could be cited here, and his famous song on
freedom.

We might also name Dr.Martin Luther whose definition of a Christian is
wonderfully compiled in his sentence:
(in original language!):
   " Ein Christenmensch ist ein freier Herr ueber alle Dinge und niemandem
untertan.
     Ein Christenmensch ist ein dienstbarer Knecht aller Dinge und jedermann
untertan."
                            (Von der Freiheit eines Christenmenschen. 1520)

Is not Paul saying the same thing as Jesus in Mt.11,28?

Dr.Kishore Kosala
India



-----Original Message-----
From: Neil Elliott <elliott AT igc.org>
To: Corpus-paul <corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Date: Friday, May 07, 1999 12:35 AM
Subject: slavery (1 Cor. 7)


>I've received a letter from Dr. Bastiaan Wielenga in
>India including several essays on Paul's political views.
>His reading of 1 Cor. 7:21 is particularly intriguing.
>He takes the Gk to mean "if you get a chance [to become
>free] make use rather [of your slavery]," a traditional
>and usually conservative reading.  Wielenga argues,
>however, that Paul's point is NOT to reinforce the
>social status quo but to create a sort of working-
>class consciousness (if I may paraphrase).  Paul (on
>this reading) does NOT want members of the slave class
>to seek their own individual liberty AND THUS LEAVE THE
>SOCIAL SYSTEM UNCHALLENGED, but to work AS A CLASS for
>change.  Wielenga points to labor organizing efforts
>in India that take exactly this strategy--NO ONE gets
>to "get out" of bad working conditions individually;
>all must work together.
>
>Though I've read 1 Cor. 7:21 differently (LIBERATING
>PAUL, ch. 2), Wielenga has given me pause for thought!
>I've also just finished Justin Meggitt's PAUL, POVERTY,
>AND SURVIVAL, a generally convincing broadside against
>the "new consensus" that Paul was a member of the
>Roman middle-class or even aristocratic class.  His
>take on Christian "mutuality" as a survival strategy
>in the Roman economy seems to move along similar lines
>to Wielenga's arguments.
>
>Any thoughts?
>
>Neil Elliott
>
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