Corpus-Paul

["Jim Hester" <hester AT jasper.uor.edu>]

Graydon Snyder wrote:

[Jim,]
> You went too far.  The burden of proof is on you.  Show me that agamos in 1
> Cor.  7:11 does not refer to a person who once was married.  Then show me
> that agamois in v. 8 is not the masculine counterpart of cherais.  Then show
> me that Paul did not ask the widowers and widows not remain as he -- a
> widower.  Jim, if by some sleight of hand you can avoid that conclusion, 
> I'll
> be happy to back off.

Graydon, good to her from you!  Of course I went too far!  I was in a
whimsical mood, but I still want to warn against over reading!  I have no
quarrel with the basic definition of agamos as referring to widows, etc.,
but I can't follow your conclusion that the phrase "as I am" (7:8b) then
must refer to Paul's state of being widowed.  I think I could just a readily
argue that the context provided by 7:1b-7, implies that Paul was, at least
metaphorically, a eunuch on account of the kingdom, his "special gift from
God," and that it is this spiritual state or condition that he desires for
widows and widowers. In other words, it is only those who have been or are
unmarried who avoid the issues of lack of self-control and the concomitant
temptations of Satan! Finally, if Paul had been married, I don't know how he
could say that it is good "for a man not to touch a woman." (7:1b)  He would
have left himself open to charges of hypocrisy.

My larger point is that we just don't have enough unambiguous data from the
pauline corpus to say that Paul had been married and that it is a waste of
time to fuss with the question!

BTW, given a hermeneutic that can be found in too many churches today, I
think I could construct a "plausible" argument the Secundus, Teritus, and
Quartus were Paul's siblings.  All I have to do is insist that metaphor,
irony, and rhetorical questions contain, by definition, essential kernels of
historical data, and off we go!

Assuming that the Opryland Convention Center and the book display therein
aren't too cavernous, we should see each other!!
--------------------------------------------------------------------
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                http://rhetjournal.uor.edu
                              http://www.ars-rhetorica.net


----------
>From: Graydonsny AT aol.com
>To: "Corpus-paul" <corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
>Subject: [corpus-paul] Re: paul's wife
>Date: Mon, Oct 23, 2000, 12:24 PM
>

> Jim,
>
>
>
> See you in Nashville!!
>
> Grady
>
> ---
> You are currently subscribed to corpus-paul as: hester AT uor.edu
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to
$subst('Email.Unsub')
>