Corpus-Paul

["Edgar M. Krentz" <ekrentz AT earthlink.net>]

> Edgar,
>
> Although I believe your reply was directed to Kym, I would like to answer
> on my own behalf. I believe I am aware of all of the arguments for and
> against the status of the Paulines (although of course I haven't read
> everything there is to say on the matter).  My understanding is that the
> prevailing opinion regarding these 3 letters is not as cut-and-dried as
> you suggest, and is actually as follows:
>
> Philemon:    Most likely by Paul
> Colossians:  Probably not by Paul
> 2 Timothy:   Almost certainly not by Paul

I would agree with the above evaluation, only say that Philemon is 
almost certainly by Paul.

> My own opinion is that none of the evidence I have seen makes a strong
> enough case to overturn the presupposition that these letters are genuine,
> and that all the 'evidence against' is in fact explainable in terms of
> Pauline authorship.  If I can briefly talk about 2 Tim, I largely follow
> the reasoning of Dan Wallace regarding the pastorals in general (see
> http://www.bible.org/docs/soapbox/1timotl.htm), although I would make a
> stronger case that 2 Tim should not be 'lumped in' with 1 Tim and Titus
> when discussing authenticity.

I find it almost impossible to draw the conclusions you do above. The 
linguistic character of Ephesians, an the pastorals is so different 
from the rest of Paul's letters. The theological positions are so 
different from Paul. The problems faced, especially in the pastorals, 
are so different. It would take too much time to give the details.


> In particular I side with Dan on the issue of motive.  Once someone had
> forged 1 Tim, why would anyone then forge Titus (which mostly covers the
> same issues), and even more so, why then forge 2 Tim as well?  Also, why
> write a letter mentioning so many of Paul's companions (or people he had
> met) - 20 if I've counted correctly?  Every additional person mentioned
> adds to the risk that some reader of 2 Tim would know (of have information
> about) that person, increasing the risk that the letter would be exposed
> as a forgery.  Sorry, but I really can't see it.

First of all, I do not regard the Pastorals as forgeries; that is a 
highly loaded term with implications of moral turpitude. I hold that 
they are letters written by later followers of Paul to address a new 
situation. They are pseudepigrapha, a type of writing that honors the 
one they name. It is seen on the Psalter of the OT, in early Judaism, 
in the Greek world, and so is a recognized convention. ["Forge," by 
the way, is not a verb meaning to compose a forgery.]

Why Titus after 1 Timothy? Because, as the letters themselves 
indicate, they are addressed to different geographic areas. You 
cannot suppose that a document written to the area of Ephesus is also 
known very quickly in Crete.

One of the things that disturbs me at the moment about Corpus 
Paulinum is the dominance of people writing in who are more concerned 
with maintaining very conservative positions in historical 
reconstruction than in discussing issues in pauline theology, e.g. 
what is the background for the change in the use of SOMA CHRISTOU 
that one finds in Colossians and Ephesians when compared to 1 
Corinthians and Romans. Or, what is the influence of Epicureanism or 
Stoicism on Paul's thought in 1 Thessalonians.

> Dave Inglis
> david AT colonialcommerce.com
> 3538 O'Connor Drive
> Lafayette, CA, USA

What disturbs me, I guess, is that the discussion seems to have 
become so very conservative that main line scholars no longer seem 
attracted to the site, as they were when it first began. And that 
disappoints.

But thanks for taking the time to respond
--
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Edgar  Krentz                                                     
Professor Emeritus of New Testament                       
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
1100 East 55th Street
Chicago, IL 60615
Telephone: (773) 256-0773               Home Tel: 773-947-8105
Office e-mail:  ekrentz AT lstc.edu        Home e-mail: ekrentz AT earthlink.net
 GHRASKW D' AEI  POLLA  DIDASKOMENOS.
 "I grow older, learning many things all the time." [Solon of Athens]
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