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  • From: Jim Hester <hester AT jasper.uor.edu>
  • To: Corpus Paul <corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Paul's age
  • Date: Thu, 31 Aug 2000 10:57:05 -0700


Over the past two days several have been speculating about Paul's age when
he died, using scant evidence in basically theologically/ideologically
motivated literature to make educated guesses. It has been fun to watch and
has prompted other questions in my mind.

(1) Given the various ways of reckoning the passage of "years" in the Roman
world, is there any way to translate the concept of "years of age" from
ancient culture to ours? Aren't we left with approximations no matter what?
And if so, what real "historical" value would even our best guesses have?

(2) Given life span/life expectancy in the Roman world, wouldn't the
designation "old man" be a metaphor for anyone living much beyond, say, 45
years, assuming we can agree on what the reference to "year" means? That
kind of identity ought to crop up in popular literature of the time; has any
one studied the terminology used to refer to senior citizens in the Roman
empire?

(3) Assuming Paul, having survived the slings and arrows of persecution,
managed also to cope with the indignities of getting old -- "in the day when
the guards of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the women
who grind cease working because they are few, and those who look through the
windows see dimly" -- it is interesting to me that the traditions about Paul
say almost nothing about his time in Rome when, as an elder apostle, you
would think he would be at the apex of his career. The Acts of Paul reports
two brief post-resurrection appearances in Rome, but what he says in those
stories reads like warmed over wisdom teachings. As long as we are having
fun speculating, anyone want to offer an opinion as to why, out of career of
some 25 - 30 years, the church chose to focus on the Aegean ministry when it
remembered Paul?
--
Jim Hester "Never be afraid to try something new.
736 Buckingham Drive Remember, amateurs built the ark.
Redlands, CA 92374 Professionals built the Titanic."
(909) 792-0533 hester AT uor.edu










  • Paul's age, Jim Hester, 08/31/2000

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