Corpus-Paul

[Jim West <jwest AT highland.net>]

Tim Gallant wrote:

> A few notes:
>
> 1. If Acts is of any historical value at all (and on this point, I 
> would think the letters are confirmatory), most of Paul's preaching to 
> Gentiles was in fact to God-fearers and proselytes. In their case, it 
> is unquestionable that they understood that he was bringing a "Jewish 
> message." Even where Paul does not limit himself to cities that have a 
> synagogue, he begins with those who have adopted the faith of Israel 
> in some sense (e.g. Lydia in Acts 16.14).

The historical usefulness of Acts is still debated.  But even if it 
rightly reflects the situation, it does not address what greeks thought 
of what Paul said.  A proselyte is not a greek any longer. 

> 2. It is, of course, hard to say how Paul's message would resonate 
> with a Gentile who had not been instructed in the Jewish faith. I 
> think it is fair to say, however, that there was misunderstanding, and 
> that, in fact, some of Paul's letter-writing is necessitated by that. 
> I think of the Corinthian correspondence, for example. (If Acts 18 is 
> any indication, Paul started with the synagogues there too, but his 
> ministry ultimately was much broader.) Paul is dealing with a very 
> Gentile attitude toward sophia, as well as Gentile-influenced dualism 
> etc. And what does he come back with? Interestingly, well-integrated 
> into his response is an appeal to the Shema (1 Cor 8) and the 
> experience of Israel in the wilderness (1 Cor 10). And that is quite 
> aside from the Jewish presuppositions involved in his view of 
> resurrection, not to mention his appeal to Adam (1 Cor 15), and the 
> strong possibility that chapter 14 is directed at countering a pagan 
> sort of spin upon the charismata by (in part) appealing to Israel's 
> Scripture (14.21).

We agree here completely I think.

> 3. Beyond this, our starting point cannot be the hearers, but the 
> preacher, particularly since, other than Acts, we simply do not have 
> access to Paul's initial "evangelistic" preaching. All we can presume 
> is that it was in continuity with his letters.

We can't start with Paul when we ask what his hearer's "heard".  We've 
already established that what he said and what they heard made it 
necessary for him to change some things that he thought he had said 
quite clearly.

> 4. What would Christos mean to a Gentile? Frankly, I doubt it would 
> have meant much apart from explanation. Soter would have meant more, 
> and that puts us in the "political" realm. But Paul could scarcely 
> have got very far in his message without identifying this soter who 
> rivalled Caesar as in fact a Jew, and his political significance as 
> rooted in Israelite history. If that is anywhere close to the mark, we 
> are already getting into "Messiah territory."

See Crossan's newest book on just this point.

> 5. I am highly skeptical of the old attempts to transform Paul's 
> preaching into a form of the ancient mysteries.

But again, it doesn't matter to his audience where he's coming from- it 
only matters how they understand him.  Perception IS reality.  At least 
for the person perceiving.

> In short, I'm sure that some of the terminology probably came across 
> as ambiguous, as is so often the case. On the other hand, we see Paul 
> correcting such ambiguities in his letters, which suggests to me that 
> he would have attempted to correct them from day one.

I'm not sure how you can date the activity of Paul on the mission field 
with a letter fired off the next day.

> One further note regarding 1 Thessalonians: "the Day of the Lord" 
> which lies back of 4.13-5.11 is an Old Testament prophetic theme. I 
> doubt it would have meant anything in an absolutely untutored Gentile 
> setting. I continue to say that Paul from day one was building an 
> understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures among his hearers.

To what end?  Would they have run down to the local Synagogue and picked 
up a copy?  If they had, could they have read it?

Best

Jim


--
Jim West, ThD
http://web.infoave.net/~jwest
http://biblical-studies.blogspot.com