Corpus-Paul

["Jim Hester" <hester AT jasper.uor.edu>]

Mark Nanos and Moon-Ryul Jung have been commenting on the implications of 
"works of the Law" and the implication that Paul may think that the Jews of
his time were under a curse, as seems to be implied by Gal 3:10.  Mark
refers to an article that I have not read and therefore acknowledge the
dangers in using an "argument from ignorance"; but I decided to join the
discussion nonetheless!

Mark, it is not clear to me just where the notion of "exile" and
"restoration" are implied in Galatians.  The dominant metaphors, addressed
to the Galatian believers, are "works of the Law" and "hearing with faith"
as catalysts of the experience of the Spirit.  The rhetorical questions in
3:1 - 5 elaborate those metaphors.  The arguments begun in 3:6, that
continue through chapter five, are pragmatic expressions of them.  There is
nothing in those arguments that suggest that the hearers of the letter would
know anything of the ideologies of exilic theology or would consider
themselves to be anything other than in Christ and of the Spirit. The issue
seems to be how to manifest the Spirit, what are the forms of Spirit-filled
behavior. Paul's claim is that circumcision isn't a manifestation of the
Spirit.

"Curse" and "blessing" are eschatological states.  Anyone who believes that
the Spirit-filled life is the result of works of the law is cursed, no
matter their religious, ethnic, cultural or political origin.  Anyone who is
in Christ is blessed.

I simply do not see the need to import theology of exile/restoration into
the argument, or for that matter anything from the theology of late Judaism.
The rhetorical hermeneutic of those teaching the so-called "different"
gospel seems focussed on circumcision, and Paul's argumentative
reformulation of that into "works of the law" is nice rhetorical ploy, but
only that, in my opinion.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Jim Hester                   "Never be afraid to try something new.
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