Corpus-Paul

["Bob MacDonald" <bobmacdonald AT home.com>]

I have noted only one other response to this article and because it was a
little negative, I thought it necessary to add an opposite. For the record,
though it is a long article, I did not find it too long, and I thought its
perspective very helpful. I was surprised to hear that the consensus
position is that the 'influencers' in Galatia were Christ-believing Jews;
and I was pleased to read a complex reassertion that the influencers were
important community members bearing their responsibilty for the continuation
of 'the tradition'.

As Mark closes the article: "Galatians reveals a political Paul and
situation which predate the establishment of Christianity as a separate
institution and thus precedes the parting of the ways between these two
faiths."

This is clear also from Acts 21:20 "how many thousands of Jews there are
which believe; and they are all zealous of the law." It is still one faith,
still a temple-centred faith in Jerusalem. (I wonder if this is implied also
in Clement's comments about where sacrifices are maintained - implying an
early date for 1 Clement.)

It intrigues me that only the Pauline letters address the circumcision
issue. In writing attributed to John, Peter, or James, there is no mention
of this conflict. Only in Acts do we get any corroborating point of view,
with recorded reports of the agreement of 'the pillars', Peter and James the
brother of Jesus, with Paul's commission.

Thanks to Mark for this extensively thought out confirmation of perspective.
It sheds some light for me on other ways of reading the conflicts recorded
in Acts.

Bob

BobMacDonald AT home.com
+ + + Victoria, B.C., Canada + + +
Catch the foxes for us,
   the little foxes that make havoc of the vineyards,
for our vineyards are in flower.   (Song 2.15)

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