Corpus-Paul

[Paul Toseland <paul AT toseland.f9.co.uk>]

Dear Alexander

 >Paul's explicit citations of scripture habitually appropriate the
words or
  >phrases of biblical texts to express the point that Paul wishes to
make,
  >without regard for any intended or contextual meaning of the cited
  >scripture. Paul's quotation of scripture may even contradict what is
clearly
  evident from the quoted scripture.

> Example #1: In 2 Cor 3 Paul's usage of biblical terminology makes a negating
>dichotomy between the Torah and the "new covenant" of "the Spirit," whereas
>that negation is nowhere evident or even implicit in the alleged biblical 
>sources
>of Paul's terminology.

With respect, I would argue that 2 Corinthians 3 in fact offers a
remarkable insight
into Paul's use of the OT (and also of later sources), showing that his
echoes and
allusions, as well as his actual citations, do indeed have the original
context in
mind.
Perhaps I could comment briefly on 2 Cor 3:3.  Paul says that the
Corinthian church
is a letter from Christ, inscribed on his heart “not with ink, but by
the Spirit of
the
living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of fleshly hearts”. 
The
expression
KARDIAIS SARKINAIS suggests an allusion to the new covenant traditions
of Ezek 11:19
and / or 36:26 LXX, in which hearts of stone are contrasted with hearts
of flesh
(KARDIAN SARKINHN).  The mention of the Spirit writing on hearts brings
to mind the
related new covenant tradition of Jer 31:31-34, and, following later
tradition, Paul
treats these as mutually interpreting texts.  The church has been
inscribed on his
fleshly heart by the Spirit.  A stony heart is incapable of love, but
Paul's heart has

been renewed in accordance with the promises of the new covenant.  The
church
engraved on his heart is therefore a metaphor for his profound love for
the church.
This love, which was placed in his heart by the Spirit when he founded
the church
(DIAKONHTHEISA hUPH' hHMWN), is subtly contrasted with the self-interest
of his
opponents, Jewish unbelievers (despite their claims to be servants of
Christ) whose
stony hearts are incapable of such love.

Regards

Paul Toseland

http://www.toseland.f9.co.uk/paul/ccindex.htm