Corpus-Paul

[Nathan McGovern <NM_McGovern AT ACAD.FANDM.EDU>]

Dear list members,

        I'm exploring the nature of James' rise to power in the early
church, and I noticed a curious wording that Paul uses in Galatians 1:19:

        But I did not see any other of the apostles [other than Kephas, that
        is], only James the brother of the Lord.

The wording here, if taken most literally, would seem to imply that James
was not, at this time, counted among the apostles.  Unfortunately, I do not
know enough Greek to be able to analyze the original text myself, so I am
asking whether it is possible or even necessary to interpret the Greek as
excluding James from the apostolate at this time in history (Paul's first
visit to Jerusalem).  Or, is Paul simply emphasizing his independence from
human authority with hyperbole and then contradicting himself (in the
literal sense) by adding the full details of the truth (in this case, that
he actually did meet with another apostle, James)?  There is an amusing
verse in 1 Corinthians where the latter seems to be the case [1 Cor.
1:14-16:  "I give thanks that I baptized none of you except Crispus and
Gaius, so that no one can say you were baptized in my name.  (I baptized
the household of Stephanas also; beyond that I do not know whether I
baptized anyone else.)"  During his dictation of the letter, Paul seems to
1) proudly boast that he baptized only two people in Corinth, then 2)
immediately remembers another family that he had baptized there, and
finally 3) feels compelled, though with annoyance, to note this third set
of baptisms, and puts off any further attempt to remember any other such
baptisms.].

        In the case of Galatians 1:19, though, does the language force one
to accept a pre-apostolic James, or can it be interpreted either way?  I
look forward to any insights!

                                                Nathan McGovern
                                                Franklin and Marshall College
                                                nm_mcgovern AT acad.fandm.edu