Corpus-Paul

["rabbisaul" <tim AT rabbisaul.com>]

[Sorry if this comes through twice - I accidentally sent this message from 
an unsubscribed email address earlier.]

John responds:
Might I suggest an alternate approach? An axiom that Tim is working
from and which is assumed in exegesis is the Satisfaction Theory of
the Atonement elucidated by Anselm of Canterbury. In other words,
God's justice has been satisfied for the elect only (TULIP). I find
it intriguing that Tim posits that 'Paul is standing in the prophetic
tradition' (14 Nov 2004, 14:14). The prophet's view of the divine
justice is not Anselmic in any way shape or form. In fact, there is a
recurring critique of mercy being substituted by sacrifice.

Well, I happen to think that in certain respects Anselm's view is one-sided.
But it is at least equally one-sided to pit sacrifice versus mercy, as you
apparently do here.  Paul certainly does not; in the very context of
employing a prophetic critique, he goes on to speak in sacrificial
categories - precisely as the revelation of God's righteousness (Rom 3.25;
cf 8.1ff).

Sacrifice for Paul, of course, is no longer about the temple, but about
Christ's self-offering.  But he is able to integrate that into a covenantal
understanding of righteousness.  The righteousness of God is revealed from
God's pistis and is directed toward man's pistis.  That righteousness, as
just noted, has to do with Christ's self-offering.  Pistis, meanwhile, is
operating as the covenantal faithfulness from both God's side and man's.
The upshot is that Christ's sacrificial self-offering is available to the
pistic response that God seeks from His covenant partner.  Hence sacrifice
and covenantal categories are thoroughly integrated.

BTW, in an earlier post you implied that I advocated a covenant of works.
While I emphatically do believe that God and Adam had a covenantal
relationship, I think that "covenant of works" is unfortunate and misleading
terminology.  I certainly do not think that Adam was intended to merit
anything from God (and in fact, neither did most historical Reformed
theologians, although the notion has gained a lot of currency in some
Reformed circles of late).  For some thoughts on factors to consider in
God's relationship to Adam, see here:
http://www.covenantrenewal.com/covworks.htm

tim

Tim Gallant
Pastor, Conrad Christian Reformed Church
(Conrad, MT)

On the Web:
http://www.biblicalstudiescenter.org
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http://www.pactumbooks.com

Weblog:
http://www.upsaid.com/rabbisaul