Corpus-Paul

["Francisco Ramirez" <franramirez AT teo.upco.es>]

David,

I agree we cannot separate Gal 5,21 from its more or less parallels in 1 Cor
6:9,10; Eph 5:5 and 1 Cor 15:50; but neither can we forget other kingdom
sayings in Paul as Rom 14:17 or 1 Cor 4:20, where the kingdom "is not easily
susceptible of a future reference" (Johnston: "Kingdom of God" Sayings in
Paul Letters). Not enough, we should read Gal 5,21 in its letter context.

The point here is that Paul uses with "kingdom" the verb "inherit", whose
lexical field is no doubt rich and "pregnant" in Galatians. Johnston is
wright in linking the inheritance of the kingdom with the argument of
Abraham and the heirs of the promises (p.148), but then, he interprets this
formula ("<not> to inherit the kingdom") as refering only to future life in
the Age to Come, after resurrection. This is much probably to be the case of
1 Cor 15:50, but may not fit exactly Gal 5:21. In Galatians the believers
have already received the Spirit (3:2; 4:6; see 3:14: "the promise of the
Spirit" = the promised Spirit), they are "children of God" (3:26), Abraham
offspring and heirs (3:29), new creation (6:15). Life in the Spirit (Gal
5:22) is quite similar to life "in the kingdom" (Rom 1:17). The believers

have already inherited what God promised to Abraham; indeed, they are what
God promised to Abraham (the "blessing" of the Gentiles; the gentiles who
are blessed by God). Is not this community of the
according-to-the-spirit-covenant (Gal 4,29; "new covenant of spirit" in 2
Cor 3:6) the actual "kingdom of God", that is to say, the dwelling of
God-Spirit in history?

¿can you give me the full reference of Hester book or article?

Francisco Ramírez Fueyo
Universidad Pontificia Comillas (Madrid)
franramirez AT teo.upco.es


----- Original Message -----
From: David Denton <drd AT uq.net.au>
To: Corpus-paul <corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2001 3:56 AM
Subject: [corpus-paul] Re: Kingdom of God in Paul


> Francisco,
>
> This does not answer your question, but there are other places in the
> Pauline corpus where "inherit the kingdom of God" also occurs & these may
> be helpful in  enabling you to make a decision.  See 1 Cor 6:9,10; Eph 5:5
> & 1 Cor 15:50.  The last of these is patently future, but the others are
> closer parallels for they refer to evil-doers  who will not inherit the
> kingdom.  Obviously 1 Cor 6:9,10 is the most similar.
>
> Have you seen the chapter on your subject in the Beare Festschrift, From
> Jesus to Paul, pp. 143-156?
>
> Hester has a different comment on p.86 of his Paul's Concept of
Inheritance.
>
> David
>