Corpus-Paul

[RSBrenchley AT aol.com]

> can you identify what verses give you the impression of a chip on the
>  shoulder? Is it maybe the nature of the ironic rebuke that leaves this
>  impression if you read it as a whine rather than irony?
>  
>  without specific verses (sorry if I missed them in a prior post) it is hard
>  to be specific in response. (I do see you calling 2:6 sarcastic - he puts
>  himself down in Phil 3:12; and also 1 Cor 9:27 - it is not as if he is
>  important in himself - Gal 1:8 even he could not preach against his own
>  gospel. 2:6 does not read as sarcasm to me.)
>  
>  Bob

    Maybe I'm misreading the text, but it seems that Paul had to accept the 
authority of the Jerusalem pillars (2:2, 3, 8,10). then Paul insists that 
'Whatever they were, it makes no difference to me, as God makes no 
distinctions', not only denying their authority, but rooting that denial in a 
theological statement which undermines all authority. That sounds like a 
pretty extreme reaction; it's not an off-the cuff statement, but a radical 
rejection which Paul has probably given some thought to, evenif he hasn't 
really thought through all the possible implications of that statement. Maybe 
'chip on the shoulder' doesn't really describe it, but I think there are some 
very hurt feelings there. 

    Incidentally, what do you make of the people 'who do not really belong to 
the brotherhood' in v4? It sounds, on the face of it, as though someone is 
creeping in trying to create divisions, but that could just be Pauline 
rhetoric.

Regards,

Robert Brenchley
RSBrenchley AT aol.com
Birmingham UK