Corpus-Paul

["Mark D. Nanos" <nanosmd AT comcast.net>]

Dear John,
It is tricky to disagree with someone expressing agreement, but I want to
clarify a few points about our ostensible agreement, and one where we
disagree. I will cut out large block to facilitate clarity.

on 11/10/04 2:22 PM, John Brand at jbrand AT gvsd.mb.ca wrote:
> 
> What strikes me in particular about this explanation of Halakhah is
> the idea that it is designed to 'increase the spirituality in a
> person's life.' Halakhah is the Jewish answer to the quest for
> spirituality and a happy afterlife.

This is not quite right. It is a Jewish answer, it is spiritual in a way
that Christians have often failed to grasp. But it is not a substitute for
the idea of intentionality, which continues to be a part of Jewish
definitions of spirituality. You may realize this, but the comment does not
make it clear.

>I don't see Paul rejecting this
> per se. 

Paul expresses it per se! E.g., Gal 5:6 where Paul writes, "but faith
working through love." In other words, he does not write in good Protestant
fashion, "love working through faith." Worth thinking about.

>What he contends IMO is that the Gentile has his own vehicle
> designed to achieve the same objective.

Here I think you have changed the terms being compared, based on your
following comments, at least your comments can be read to blur a discussion
of how to live (halakhah, sanctification) with one about how to become a
part of the people who live (covenant, soteriology).

I have expressed more about my view earlier today in response to Billy's
post.

>Both the Jew and the Gentile
> are put on the same ground ('all sin and are falling short of the
> glory of God') when it comes to the promethean image of Christ who
> exposes the shame of all spirituality and calls us to move with him
> in his sufferings so as to achieve the objective within Jew and
> Gentile. It is the acceptance or rejection of the resurrection of
> Christ that becomes the line between the darkness and the light.
> 
> On the way or path of the Gentile: Plato's 'Phaedo.233' helps us see
> more clearly how Paul is incorporating the Greek movement from
> darkness to light (quest for spirituality) into his gospel: 'he who
> is a philosopher or lover of learning, and is entirely pure at
> departing, is alone permitted to reach the gods. And this is the
> reason … why the votaries of philosophy abstain from fleshly lusts
> and endure and refuse to give themselves up to them.'

I think that is enough comment. There is more that could be discussed in
your following comments, but I don't want to stay close to the topic raised.

Regards,
Mark
-- 
Mark D. Nanos, Ph.D.
Rockhurst University
Co-Moderator
http://home.comcast.net/~nanosmd/