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  • From: Bob MacDonald <bobmacdonald AT shaw.ca>
  • To: 'Corpus-Paul' <corpus-paul AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Corpus-Paul] Paul on Authorities
  • Date: Sat, 02 Jul 2005 11:12:19 -0700

The questions arising from this dialogue seem to me to be
refining an important focal point.

Jeff Tiona: I would question the opposite view: "Why would
Paul think that believers in Christ should be separate from
the larger group of believers in YHVH"?

Justin Dombrowski: What evidence in the NT or elsewhere
makes you think that under ordinary circumstances a
non-believing Jewish synagogue--whether in Rome or
anywhere--would permit, let alone welcome believing gentiles
to join the Jewish community (as equals)?

Justin's question requires many qualifications: ordinary
circumstances; non-believing Jewish synagogue; welcome
believing gentiles; join; as equals

Jeff has only the focus of belief in the one God of Israel
and the issue of separate or not.

It seems to me that the intense argument over circumcision
for which we have several independent witnesses in the NT is
the first point that questions some of Justin's
qualifications around his question.
1. The circumstances were not ordinary - what caused the
intense point of division over circumcision?
2. Were there ever synagogues at this time that were
classifiable as non-believing Jewish - i.e. non-Christ as
Lord-believing?
3. Is there a concept within the Judaism of the time that
allows 'join' as equals to Israel?

It seems to me that the answer to (2) a monolithic belief
structure, is related to the beginning of the redefinition
of Judaism and its view of the one God of Israel - not the
end of that structure many years, decades, centuries later.
I have not seen such a monolithic structure even today.

The question of joining as equals also seems to me to be
strongly related to circumcision - the completeness of the
proselyte process. I.e. it is the same as question 1.

The second piece of evidence is Ephesians, which clearly
speaks of one body - of breaking down the wall of separation
of Gentile from Israel (2:11-16). This passage suggests that
thee cross is the rite of circumcision for the
uncircumcised, a point made explicit in Colossians 2:11 (In
him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made
without hands, by putting off the body of flesh in the
circumcision of Christ).

These letters whether deutero-Pauline or not reflect the
same spirit as Acts 15 - a slow recognition that there was
something unusual about the times, something extra-ordinary
about the circumstances.

Justin raises a last point - as equals - what is this
equality? What 'membership' is spoken of? Is there still a
hierarchy of role? or obligation? or access to the God of
Israel?

I am grateful to Mark Nanos and his Mystery of Romans for
opening the possibility of asking these questions.

Bob

Bob MacDonald
http://bobmacdonald.gx.ca
Victoria, B.C., Canada





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