Corpus-Paul

["Mark D. Nanos" <mark AT marknanos.com>]

Dear Jeff,
Delighted that you are discussing Irony! Not sure what the issue is
concerning Paul's Torah-observance and the language of curse in 3:10ff. Can
you be more specific about the problem, so I can try to speak to it? In
general, I offer the following.

The curse for failure to observe the Torah is classic for Torah-observant
Jews who subscribed to the Deuteronomistic view of things, so not sure what
is at issue for you; non-Torah observant more likely to doubt the gravity of
Torah-obligation. Even today potential proselyte candidates are warned in
Rabbinic Judaism of the responsibility that they are considering taking on,
the obligation of Torah and consequences that follow for those who turn from
it thereafter. Candidates are in fact ritually dissuaded from adopting that
course. Paul's reasons were different, and his argument, but the issue of
Torah-observance for him is not related, as far as I can see--if you attend
to the rhetorical context of the narrative from 3:6ff, which is determined
by the situational argument of 3:1-5, specifically, against proselyte
conversion for those non-Jews who have already gained in Christ that which
proselyte conversion otherwise promises to candidates upon completion.
Hence, to undertake it now would for them constitute an admission that they
had not gained what the gospel of Christ claims for them (as non-Jews, and
thus, just like Jews can claim), and the Spirit already witnesses in their
lives. So they cannot undertake it in this Judaism, unlike in other Jewish
groups. That would be like turning back the clock, so to speak, to the time
before the changing of eons with Jesus Christ, and becoming vulnerable to an
outcome that need not apply to themselves. Instead they should celebrate
their inclusion as non-Jews; even if that involves some marginalization, for
the alternative also has its drawbacks--and they are graver for them in
particular, so Paul argues, I think.

Hope this helps, but let me know if something more specific at issue, or if
anyone else wishes to discuss this somewhat convoluted passage. I have much
more work to do on it myself someday.

Take care,
Mark
-- 
Mark D. Nanos, Ph.D.
Soebbing Visiting Scholar, Rockhurst University
Lecturer, University of Kansas
Co-Moderator, Corpus Paulinum
http://www.marknanos.com



on 3/27/06 7:29 PM, Jeff Krantz @ optonline.net at jkrantz AT optonline.net
wrote:

> Quick question for Mark or someone familiar with his work about Galatians
> 3:10.  I'm doing a presentation on Paul for a local clericus (interfaith)
> tomorrow, and I'll be talking about The Irony of Galatians.  In light of
> Mark's suggestion that Paul is himself Torah observant, I wonder how I might
> deal with the "curse" of 3:10ff.  All that is present in the book is the
> inclusion of the passage among those that are examples of "ironic" speech.
> 
> Anything else I might speak to if it comes up?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Jeff Krantz
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Corpus-Paul mailing list
> Corpus-Paul AT lists.ibiblio.org
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/corpus-paul