Corpus-Paul

[Edgar & Becky Krentz <ekrentz AT sbcglobal.net>]

> Dale and Ron,
>
> thanks for the interesting information. The cases that you cite are not
> close parallels to the NT partition theories, and I am still rather
> concerned that the fusing of two letters into one was rare at best. It is
> also troubling that there is no manuscript evidence for the partitioning of
> 2 Cor (or Phil). Of course we can indulge in all sorts of speculations to
> try to defend the partition theories. Perhaps the original copies of the
> letters became fragmented. Perhaps the scrolls were lost for a time so that
> no copies were made before their discovery. Perhaps someone then created our
> 2 Cor from the fragments. Perhaps he destroyed the originals. Perhaps the
> creator had his own idiosyncratic style. But it seems to me that assumptions
> like these are often rather lightly accepted, and I am wondering whether we
> should not rather abandon the whole project.
>
> Richard.

I find the argument that there is no manuscript evidence ambiguous. 
The earliest manuscript of Paul, Papyrus 46. is written about 150+ 
years after the Pauline letters. That is as long a time back then as 
it is now, as far from Paul as we are from the Civil War. While it 
has some force, it may not be as compelling as you think.

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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