Book on paul

How

Sees

Dr. Dominic P. Scibilia’s interpretation of Paul’s Christology as Presented in Sanders

Eschatology • For Paul, the most important parts of Jesus’ life were

Like Jesus, Paul was raised as a Jew under the influence of the Pharisees. The Pharisees associated with the synagogue, local places of worship and education. The leader of the synagogue was the principal teacher, the rabbi.

During the era of the Roman rule of Judea, many rabbis shared an apocalyptic view of history. God determined all events; for example God decided that the Romans would rule Judea. Providence (God) established what occurred in the past, is occurring in the present, and will occur in the future.

The Day of the Lord signals the establishment of the Kingdom of God, and on that day, God would rule the universe – anything in opposition to God’s rule would pass away.

They signaled the coming of God’s Kingdom.

What Jesus Does… Who Jesus is• Sacrifices were a part of all

religions (Jewish and Gentile)

• Sacrifices = Expiation– Wiping away

transgression– Animal is substitute for

transgressor– Jesus is substitute for

people

• Two ways of looking at who Jesus is– God chooses Jesus to

bring in Kingdom– God appoints Jesus to

be his agent– God adopts Jesus to be

God’s son who will free the world from slavery to sin

What Jesus Does… Who Jesus is• Acquittal

– People do wrong actions– People need to be

acquitted– Jesus’ death acquits

people of sin• Deliverer

– People show by wrong actions are under rule of sin

– Jesus’ resurrection validates that they are free

• Second Way– Jesus (not son, took

form of God) existed before the world was created

– Jesus took human form so that God could accomplish Providence’s Plan: Free people from the power of sin and death.

Sources• E.P. Sanders. Paul A Very Short Introduction. NY:

Oxford University Press, 2001.• experimentaltheology.blogspot.com• spaninquis.wordpress.com• thechristianwatershed.com –• subversivethinking.blogspot.com• www.answering-christianity.com • gospeldrivendisciples.blogspot.com• abidanshah.com• www.flickr.com