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  • From: "Mark D. Nanos" <nanos AT gvi.net>
  • To: "Corpus-paul" <corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: RE: Galatian situation
  • Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2000 00:11:01 -0500


Dieter wrote:

That's why I emphasized in my first input: Everybody agreed on the
insignificance of circumcision for salvation!

Jerry replies:
I wonder if you might agree to a modification of this statement which I
think is on precisely the right track. What if we say that Everybody In
Galatia agreed on the insignificance of circumcision. ?? I think Paul is
the one who makes this a theological issue and that neither the other
teachers nor the broader community thought of it as one. But Paul sees
great theological issues at stake.

If I understand you, I do not agree with either of these ways of putting the matter. Although salvation is not the way I think they would have thought about the issue, and I agree that it is not as theological a matter for those in Galatia as it is for Paul (for the addressees; I am not so sure it is not for the influencers), circumcision is a matter of great significance for the influencers, and thus it has now become one for the addressees, because of the constraints they face if they do not choose to initiate this course. If it was not significant to the influencers, than why are the bothering with the matter? No one thinks it is insignificant, including Paul, for it represents an identity transformation of significant consequence, however different each of the parties may have defined or valued that act or significance. The issue for them is however more social in nature than later interpreters interest in it solely in theological terms; is that what you are getting at in this contrast?

Regards,
Mark Nanos





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