Corpus-Paul

["Michael Thompson" <mbt2 AT cam.ac.uk>]

Frank Hughes wrote:

> Because of the complexity of the Corinthian correspondence, I do think
that some sort of partition theory of at least 2 Corinthians is desirable. 
I agree with you, Mike, that partition theories raise other questions.  Most
notably, the question is "who was responsible for the selectivity in taking
this piece and joining with that piece, and making from the pieces 2
Corinthians?"  I would simply point out that even if we do not entertain
partition theories, we will still have the issue of selectivity in the early
church, or more accurately, early churches, in connection with the Pauline
letters.  Why do we have Galatians and Romans and 1 Thessalonians and not
some of the presumably many other letters that Paul wrote?  Why did some
writers write new Pauline letters, and why are they identified in their
epistolary prescripts with some churches and not others?  Why do some of us
prefer simple partition theories (2 Cor 1-9 vs. 2 Cor 10-13) over more
complex ones (Bornkamm, Schmithals, Jewett, Schenk)?  Ockham's razor sounds
good; it's just that Paul and some of his earliest disciples and admirers
may not have met Ockham.

I agree completely that the problem of selectivity in the issues you mention
above remains, although I'm not fully persuaded yet that we _do_ have
pseudonymity in the Pauline corpus (not because of a theory of inspiration
or any problem with the undeniable practice of pseudonymity at that time,
just that I want to be just as critical toward any theory put forward as I
am with the view that it replaces). I'm puzzled how people can be so
confident, when at least some arguments that used to be offered against the
Pauline authorship of the disputed letters have gradually been eroded. But I
digress...

It appears that Paul wrote letters we do not have (Col 4.16; cf. Eph 3.3?; 2
Thess 3.17?; 1 Cor 5.9?; 2 Cor 10.9f?). Why they are missing could be due to
their contents or other factors. The main issue of course, is what to make
of what we do have. I'm hoping to learn more from C-P about that!    

BTW, I use 'potted' to mean 'compacted' or 'pressed into a small place',
although I can't guarantee that it's good British English because I'm a
transplant myself. Thanks for the kind words about _Transforming Grace_.

Mike Thompson
in chilly and overcast but slowly warming Cambridge

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Michael B Thompson                          Telephone (0)1223-741066(study)
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