Corpus-Paul

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

> I tend to think that verses 19b and 20 (the "body given" and 
> "covenant in my blood" verses) were added later, patterned after 1 
> Cor 11:24-25.  Of course, this is the view of Hort, Ehrmann, and 
> others. VV. 19b-20 are missing from all the oldest Latin and Syriac, 
> and some of the Bohairic mss., and also from the oldest Western 
> Greek ms. [D].  Luke's account hangs together literarily without 
> them, being focused on his drinking again with them when the 
> kingdom of God comes, and on the fact that his betrayer is at the 
> table with them.

I think you are correct to take the Western text. One additional 
reason can be adduced. If you accept the longer text, as Joe Fitzmyer 
does, then you are faced with the fact that it is the only passage in 
Luke that interperts the death of Jesus positively. Peter's sermon in 
Acts 2 interprets Jesus' death as an evil to be set right by the 
resurrection. and seems consistent throughout the book of 
Acts--admittedly in contexts where the sermons are addressed to Jews/

> Now, I want to go back to the main subject.  How's this for a possibility? --
>    Luke did not know Paul's letters, but he did know Paul's 
> preaching.  This is shown by the fact that the only place in Acts 
> where there is mention of  redemption in blood, the words are 
> uttered by Paul, when he says God obtained the church with the blood 
> of his own Son (20:28), which IS distinctly Pauline, to my ear.

It strikes me rather as good Jewish Christian, not only Pauline. But 
the reference to blood is a problem. Paul does not seem to have any 
interest in the blood of Jesus. In 1 Corinthians 10 and 11 it is the 
bread on which he concentrates. He does not interpret the cup in the 
Lord's Supper as having anything to do with the forgiveness of sins. 
That is Markan, and with even greater emphasis, Matthean. In short, 
Paul does not use sacrificial language of Jesus' death--unless he is 
citing earlier [Jewish-?] Christian tradition, as in Romans 3:24-26 
and 1 Cor 15:3-5. Hence, Stephen, I find that the one term PERIPOIEW 
is not enough to argue for knowledge of Paul. As the old Greek 
proverb puts it, MIA CHELIDON EAR OU POIEI, "One swallow does not 
make a spring."

> "Obtained" (PERIEPOIHSATO) is a redemption/purchase word,
> like (EX)AGORAZW and other words Paul uses (Gal 3:13,
> etc), and "blood" summons up both the martyr image
> and the sacrifice image.
>
>
> Stephen Finlan
> University of Durham
_______________________________________________

Peace, Ed Krentz
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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 sbcglobal.net
 GERASKO D' AEI  POLLA  DIDASKOMENOS.
 "I grow older, learning many things all the time." [Solon of Athens]
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