Corpus-Paul

[Jürg Buchegger <j.buchegger AT datacomm.ch>]

Frank A. wrote
> I've yet to read a satisfying interpretation of Paul's word: "I
> fought with  wild beasts in Ephesus."  Anyone have an
> insight into that?

and Phillip Long answered:

<Bruce Winter, in What Happened After Paul Left Corinth (GR:Eerdmans, 2001),
<pages 101-102, citing Malherbe "The Beasts at Ephesus" JBL 87 (1968) 71-80,
<suggests that "fighting the wild beasts" is euphemistic for struggling with
<human passions.  Human passions are described as "wild beasts" as early as
<Plato.  I don't have the Mahlerbe article handy, but Winter considers the
<evidence weighty.

For Plato see politeia 588d-589a (and perhaps symp. 216d-e).

Jürg Buchegger
PhD. candidate, BIB Heverlee-Leuven, Belgium
pastor EFC Berne, Switzerland