Corpus-Paul

[Bob MacDonald <bobmacdonald AT shaw.ca>]

Peter Eyland writes: >>I can't fault your logic. This representation in the
Gospels does seem contrary to all Jewish tradition. Thanks for the point.<<

two thoughts: 1. in the Aramaic per Jack Kilmon on the Johanine Literature
list

>>In 1st century Aramaic "lachma" (bread) and "hamara" (wine) are idioms for
teaching. Drinking and eating, in Aramaic, are idioms for learning from a
teacher whose teachings are "bread and wine."  <<

Could Paul have been translating a similar image? I think it could be argued
in part. The teaching of Jesus has power from his death and resurrection.

2. Hyam in his Ritual and Morality writes about the Red Cow: "The sprinkling
of the corpse-impure with the Red Cow 'blood' should therefore be compared
with the lustrations of the mystery cults... [including] the baptism of
Christianity ... ('washed with the blood of the lamb')."

Hyam is indulging in extreme metaphor as I have.  What his suggestion
implies however is that the 'mystery cult' was part of Jewish thought from
Torah. Even if it is a leftover syncretism from other religions, it predates
the first century and is therefore not an 'invention' of Paul.

1. is probably more attractive to those not interested in blood sacrifice
(no forgiveness with unbloody teaching though).
2. allows some justification for extreme typology and metaphor as an
interpretive strategy of Jews of the first century - without necessarily
having the 'mystery' originate with Paul 'the Hellenist'.

Bob

mailto::BobMacDonald AT shaw.ca
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Catch the foxes for us,
   the little foxes that make havoc of the vineyards,
for our vineyards are in flower.   (Song 2.15)
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