Corpus-Paul

["Stephen.Finlan" <Stephen.Finlan AT durham.ac.uk>]

Paul Toseland wrote:
> Paul makes such extensive use not only of direct quotation...

> Paul intended
> his letters not so much to be read, as to be studied. 

I think you are on the right track, although we need to allow
for the likelihood that the biblically literate members of the
audience would be expected to explain the biblical allusions 
to those less educated, or even illiterate.
  The messenger of the letter would be just one candidate for 
this job.  The task of explaining the gospel was probably
never-ending, the more mature Christians explaining the
mysteries of the faith to the younger ones.  This was not
just a task for the preacher or the letter-carrier.

Stephen Finlan
University of Durham