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  • From: "Mesfin Atlaye" <mesfin AT idirect.com>
  • To: <corpus-paul AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Corpus-Paul] 1.5 Cor
  • Date: Sun, 9 Feb 2003 13:20:07 -0500

Dear Richard,

You wrote:

> You are right to identify Titus as Timothy, but I am surprised that you
then
> go on to hypothesise two visits by him to Corinth in the period between 1
> Cor and 2 Cor 1-7. The whole point of the Titus-Timothy hypothesis is that
> it allows a huge simplification of Paul's interactions with the
Corinthians.

My starting point for entertaining the possibility that Timothy and Titus
are the same persons is plane logic: (1) Timothy is known to the writer of
Acts as Paul's co-worker. (2) This is also the case in corpus Paulinum. (3)
Titus, on the other hand, is totally unknown in Acts but (4) known only in
Galatians and in II Corinthians. Now, the fact that (a) II Cor. was late in
circulation and (b) the editor had access to the Galatian letter (I
Cor.16:1) and he was uncertain about the identity of "Titus" there (Gal.
2:1), in this letter he did the best he could--- he cloned Timothy and named
the clone "Titus." So, to me, "the whole point of Timothy-Titus hypothesis"
has no agenda of anything but is born of curiosity. It has never been my
desire to try to harmonize Acts and Paul's letters.

> 2. 2 Cor 1-9 is addressed to Corinth, but 10-13 is aimed at Athens.
> 3. 2 Cor is a unity.

Is this logical? Are you suggesting that the readers in Corinth knew that
the material in 1-9 is theirs and the material in 10-13 is not of concern to
them since it is directed to the Athenians?

Richard, I can see you have struggled to make sense of chapters 10-13; but
because to attribute it to another letter would create problem in your
Pauline biographical construction, it seems to me, you created the Athens
hypothesis for that reason. In my view, II Corinthians is far from being a
unity. I don't need commentaries to tell me that. A simple yet careful
reading points to the fact that there are at least two letters there. I
don't think Paul was schizophrenic that he would write 10-13 in one day with
1-9. I am open to learn.


Mesfin Atlaye
Wycliffe College (U of T)
Toronto.





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