Corpus-Paul

[Jim West <jwest AT highland.net>]

At 02:00 PM 1/12/2005, you wrote:

> I think you have two separate questions there. Paul has only one way of 
> salvation: through the Messiah. Torah has become relativized in terms of 
> its distinctives. But that very relativization means that Jews are free to 
> continue to observe it (with the notable exception of any instances where 
> it might bar full communion with Gentile Christians). Hence, in Acts 
> (which I am assuming reliability for) you find Paul himself observing a 
> Nazarite vow, and worshipping in the temple when he is in Jerusalem. There 
> is never the slightest hint that he expects Jewish Christians to leave off 
> circumcising their children. (And of course there is the tricky case of 
> Timothy in Acts 16.1-3.)

Perhaps- but in the end you still end up with a bifurcated soteriology in 
Paul.  For Jews, its through Torah observance with the Jesus addendum 
(nothing else really changes does it) and for the gentiles you have Jesus 
with a sort of morality addendum.

My difficulty is not that Paul had one set of standards for Jews and 
another for Gentiles... oh wait, yes, it is after all just exactly 
that.  If Torah is relativized, as you suggest, then which parts must 
observant jewish Christians observe?  And which parts not?  And who decides?

Thanks

Jim


++++++++++++++++++++
Jim West, ThD

http://biblical-studies.blogspot.com  Biblical Theology Weblog
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