Corpus-Paul

[Sakari Häkkinen <sakari.hakkinen AT sci.fi>]

I am currently writing an article on The Poor of Jerusalem to a local publication. Paul called the believers in Jerusalem "Poor" in Gal 2,9-10 and Rom 15,25-27. What I have in mind is this:

According to Josephus (Ant. 20,50-53, 101) there was a big Starvation in Judaea at the time of Tiberius Alexander. A convert to Judaism, Queen Helena of Adiabene had bought grain from Egypt and shared it to Jews in need. Obviously the aid was centered on Jerusalem and perhaps its environments.This aid was meant to Jews only. Now, if there was any quarrell on who is a real Jew, as there most certainly was at that time, it is quite understandable that these questions arise even more heavily on stage when there was a question of economy. The Jesus-believers in Jerusalem might have been suspected to brake the commands of Torah - or not giving it the same honorable status at more conservative Judaic currents did. Also the relationships to Gentiles - thanks to Paul - were decreasing the possibilities of the Jesus-believers to be counted among the faithful Jews and thus were at least in danger to leave without the grain. Could this be the reason for the collection? If so, Paul was really in dept to the poor of Jerusalem.

 

Any comments? Does anyone know of some literature on the connection of the Starvation and Paul's collection to the Poor of Jerusalem?

 

With best regards,

 

Sakari

 

Sakari Hakkinen, PhD
University of Helsinki
Department of Biblical Studies
sakari.hakkinen AT evl.fi
http://www.helsinki.fi/teol/hyel/henkilo/henkilo.html