Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

corpus-paul - Re: Gal 2:17

corpus-paul AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Corpus-Paul

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Loren Rosson <rossoiii AT yahoo.com>
  • To: Corpus-paul <corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Gal 2:17
  • Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2001 04:50:00 -0700 (PDT)


Jon Lupia wrote [regarding Gal 2:15-17]:

>> St. Paul is demonstrating that every human
>> person regardless of their
>> religious affiliation is a sinner under the law.
>> Jewish practice sought justification through
>> following Judaic teachings of doing good works
>> and keeping separate from non-Jews or the
>> uncircumcised Gentiles.

Jeff Gibson replied:

> Shades of what E.P. Sanders and others
> demonstrated was the "lutheran stereotype" of
> first century Judaism! I wonder if you have
> evidence to back up this claim about Judaism
> and justification?

I think no such evidence exists. Most 2nd-Temple Jews
knew they were "justified" (saved) in advance, by
virtue of the fact that they were the chosen people of
God. So long as one intended to obey the commandments
-- and repented for failures -- he/she was generally
assured a place in the kingdom to come. The concern
about future "justification" seems to have involved
the more temporal category of "reward vs punishment"
(as with Paul in Rom 2:5-16; I Cor 3:10-15) rather
than the eternal one of "salvation vs condemnation".

Your characterization of Jews habitually "keeping
separate from non-Jews" has more to do with Paul's
objection to "works", but (as Jeffrey said) it's a bit
extreme and amounts to a caricature. 2nd-Temple
Judaism had no uniform view as to how Gentiles would
inherit the covenant promises, nor any uniform
segregation practices. (1) Most Jews looked upon the
Gentile peoples rather favorably -- so long as they
lived according to their status as righteous Gentiles,
resident aliens, or full proselytes. Any of these
three options was perfectly acceptable, and it was not
a Jewish heresy (as far as I know) to eat at the same
table with righteous Gentiles who were not as
observant of dietary regulations. The solution to any
problems (such as concerns over Gentile libation wine)
was to eat meals in parallel rather than share them in
full. Righteous Gentiles, resident aliens, and
proselytes were all expected to share in the covenant
promises (though only proselytes, naturally, would do
so on an equal basis with the chosen people). (2)
**Some** Jews expected that at the eschaton, the
Gentiles would have to be subjugated by the Jewish
race. (3) **Some** others believed that the pagan
nations would be simply destroyed at the appointed
hour. Those who maintained (2) or (3) would have
admittedly not been seen very often at the table with
Gentiles...but they were the exception, not the rule.

Loren Rosson III
Nashua NH
rossoiii AT yahoo.com

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Make a great connection at Yahoo! Personals.
http://personals.yahoo.com




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page