The Doc Scibs Easy Read Book on Paul

St. Paul: a brief look From the

class of Dr. Scibilia

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The World Where Paul Lives The Background of Paul- Paul’s writings were influenced by his past. It is hard to tell whether that past is Greek or Hebraic. Many things point to him being Greek. First, the letters are written in Greek. He also uses the Greek name Paulos rather than the Hebraic, Shaul. He uses a Greek method popularized by Greek Stoics in his writing. His allusion to dying and rising with Christ and his references to the Eucharistic traditions also suggest that he is Greek, but they do not agree with the Jewish traditions. It does not agree with Jewish traditions because the distinction between God and Man must be maintained. Some suggest there was so much Hellenistic influence because he spent his younger years in Tarsus, a trade center with a very large Stoic school.

Even though there was so much Hellenistic influence in his writings, Paul was still proud of his Jewish heritage. His Jewish heritage affected him in many ways. He often appeals to Jewish scripture. Also, his exegetical method came from the rabbis. The way he compares Jesus and Adam and uses texts to interpret others show how much his Jewish heritage affected his writings. The way Paul views eschatology is also very Jewish. The Greek words he uses are hard to understand other in full light of their Jewish background. His works would also be very hard to understand if it were not for their relationship to the Old Testament.

Mystery ReligionsThroughout Paul’s writings, the Mystery Religions take on an important role. A mystery religion is basically a Greco-Roman cult, having to do a lot with initiation. There isn’t much information known about the Mystery Religions. The reason for this might be that the Greeks were known to protect their secrets. Most of the concern of the mysteries was personal salvation. Depending on the religion, personal salvation is said to be caused by the power of a deity or by personal responsibilities.

Through the prescribed rites, Paul received more than a vision; he experienced solidarity with the God. Solidarity is interpreted in many different ways. It refers to ties in society that bring people together as one. One should recognize the difference between a vision and solidarity. A vision is having a “sight” of something that will happen or a sign of some sort. All though the two are similar, solidarity is a strong connection in which two people are brought together.

In these sorts of Mystery Religions, there were certain steps and careful preparation to be done in order to communicate with God(s). This included multiple cleansing rites such as baptism. The importance of being clean and unclean is vital. You must be spiritually clean to communicate with someone as great and powerful as God(s). However, under the influence of mystery religions, the ancient fertility rites changed focus. The focus changed substantially from the renewal of crops to the renewal of life after death. When God dies, the initiate dies. This is terminology for “born again”, “changed.”

Stoicism- Stoicism wasn’t a revolutionary idea, but it was uncommon. The reason is that most people didn’t have individual care for

Stoicism’s concentric “circles” are as follows: the first circle is the mind, then immediate family, extended family, the local community, neighboring communities, the country of the Stoic in question, and the whole of the human race.Hierocles determined that a Stoic’s task is to draw the later concentric circles twords the center, making all people part of a Stoic’s concern.

themselves or self preservation to the level of the Stoics. Most people thought about other beings and how others reacted and not solely about their “circle”.

There are signs of Stoicism in Paul’s letters, but there are numerous differences. Paul’s letters have historical facts in them, which the Stoics did not care for. His letters were about freedom by and from God, and things you would have to do to achieve freedom from sin through God. The Stoics believed you would have to achieve this state yourself, because everything else was uncontrollable. There are many hints of Stoicism in Paul’s gospel, but they’re all under the Christian roots and laws. The Christian rules are more important to Paul while writing these letters, even though he was in Tarsus, a town with a lot of Stoics, while he was writing them. Paul’s writing the Gospel with these spiritual options brought problems to him between the apostles and churches.

Gnosticism

Gnosticism had a big influence in the early churches which Paul was also involved in. The Gnostic belief is the opposite of the Stoic belief. Gnosticism may or may not have been created before Christianity. A Gnostic believes the opposite of a Stoic because instead of believing in a “good” world, a Gnostic believes in the world as evil along with an evil creator, Yahweh.

During Paul’s time this belief goes hand and hand with the thought of the Kingdom of God at hand because the world as is full of sin and evil. Christianity believes that their God is great and the evil in the world is based on evil people in the world. The Gnostic view on any thing is light or dark - good or bad.

The Gnostics also believe in a god above and a god below which agrees with good or evil. Christianity believes that there is one God and what the god below in Gnosticism would be the equivalent to Satan in Christianity.

As Paul was teaching he ran into Gnostics. Of course Paul would have tried to convert them into Christians even though it would be hard because of their extreme differences. Paul as a Jew believes the same as Jesus which

is that their God is good not evil. When faced with a totally different view of the world the Gnostics would have trouble believing Paul’s teachings on Christianity. The fact that Gnostics believe that the creator of the world is evil it creates an immediate problem which would be hard to get around.

Neo-PythagoreansNeo-Pythagoreanism was able to synthesize diverse traditions and because this, there was a wide spread revival in the first century B.C. This idea blended philosophy and religious piety which led to a genuine, popular appeal.

The soul is divine, and its goal is to free itself from the body and return home to a cosmic source. Because the sole was divine, this belief often led to an abstinence from sex and a life of poverty. Sometimes a vow of silence was taken. The soul is believed to be immortal and transmigration was believed in, but the soul was not just for humans, animals also had souls. This would often cause people to not eat meat and to not wear animal skinned clothing.

Similar to God intoxicated worshippers, there was a strong mental current. These people call

themselves Enthol. This literally means, “Those in whom God dwells.” Other times this group calls themselves Ekstatikoi, which means “those possessed or beside themselves with the spirit.” This would show itself in miraculous works. The miracles revealed the divinity of the one performing the action.

The Neo-Pythagoreans held number in very high regard. They believed themselves to be divine, and harmony was the essence of this divine nature. The precise rhythm of the cosmos and the delicate balance of good and evil led them to believe in divine rule. Balance of all things would lead to a Neo-Pythagorean to feel uncomfortable with modern logic as even and odd numbers and finite and infinite are seen as a fundamental reality.

Astrology was also very important to ancient people. It was important for religious reasons, not scientific ones. They believed that “heavenly spheres” were the source of divine order. Astral bodies were viewed as divine beings whose will could be known thorough their movements. They were thought to determine the destiny of the world.

Chart of the Heavenly Spheres by Nicholas Copemicus 1543

Chance was a very big player in the thoughts of Neo-Pythagoreans. People felt ruled by an unknown power. They thought that only the uncertain was certain. Chance was a goddess proving the uncertainty of god, therefore taking god’s place.

Many felt that the powers governing them were careless, and that humans were just play things of the gods. Play things of Fate (Moria), Chance (Tyche), and Necessity (Anake). Life was formed by fundamentally

irrational sources, which were blind to moral distinctions. A way out of the world was by touching the divine within one’s self. The soul would abandon its “fleshy prison” and return to the source free from the tyranny of capricious, irrational powers. This is where life gained a purpose and meaning which made it tolerable.

One of the most famous Neo-Pythagoreans is Apollonius of Tyana. He lived in the 1st Century BCE. He believed in a strong link between self knowledge and salvation. To know one’s self is to know everything, and since god knows every thing, the truly good man is the god man. He does many divine deeds such as predicting a plague, raising a dead girl, and excising demons. He was persecuted by Nero for “meddlesome business” but before his execution one tradition speaks of his mysterious disappearance and ascension before his trial. Neo-Pythagoreanism is accepted my many because of the spiritual vacuum and fatalistic outlook of the period.

Source:

http://teacherweb.com/NJ/StPetersPrep/scibiliad/apt5.aspx

Image Sources:

http://www.webexhibits.org/calendars/year-text-Copernicus.html

http://geekswithblogs.net/images/geekswithblogs_net/liammclennan/WindowsLiveWriter/Stoicism_FF78/Stoicism_cheat_sheet_3.gifhttp://starweaverwitch.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/gnostic.jpghttp://renewaldynamics.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/apostle-paul-liturgical.jpg

A Prof i le on Paul Looking at the life of Paul requires one to look at many aspects of Paul’s life. Close attention must be paid to Paul’s letters. These letters of Paul are a good source for understanding Paul’s life and include some information about his life. Throughout the life of Paul, one would see that his opinions change drastically, and are radical to his time. Through observing these letters, it is possible to find information about Paul himself that exhibits his basic profile.

Prob lems in Construct ing an Account o f Pau l ’s L i fe Historians do face many problems when trying to write a life of Paul. The problems that historians face when reconstructing the life and teachings of Paul are similar to the problems of recreating the life and teachings of Jesus. Unlike Jesus, Paul wrote letters that put his ideas into words. Scholars have good reasons for believing that some of these letters are pseudepigrapha. The fact that some of “Paul’s” writings may not have been actually written by himself, makes reconstructing the life of Paul a difficult task. A helpful source to historians in this task is the New Testament. Half of the books in the New Testament are either indirectly or directly related to Paul.

Scholars have divided Paul’s letters up into three categories, the “undisputed” Pauline epistles, the Deutero-Pauline epistles and the Pastoral Epistles. The “undisputed” Pauline Epistles are all grouped together because scholars and historians are almost certain that the author of these letters is Paul. This includes Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, and Philemon. The Deutero-Pauline epistles are considered to be possibly pseudonymous. This includes Ephesians, Colossians, and 2 Thessalonians. Historians consider the Pastoral Epistles to likely be pseudonymous. These letters, 1 and 2 Timothy, and Titus, were most likely not written by Paul, but by a later member(s) of one of his churches. The division among Paul’s writings is a problem for recreating the life of Paul because some of the information in on set of letters differs from the information of another.

The problem of other writers writing in Paul’s name is such a big deal because recreating the life of Paul on the accounts stated in some of the letters might not be reliable. Even though scholars have letters that are near close to being defiantly written by Paul, they only include so much information on him. Scholars and historians have to use the rest of the New Testament as a source. From that they have learned that Paul has three stages to his life. He was first a Pharisee, then he converted to believing and having faith in Jesus and God, and then he became a disciple. Even with the life of Paul scholars have come up with, there are still many questions as to the detail of his life. The problems behind those questions include the authenticity of Paul’s writings.

Out l ine o f Pau l ’s L i fe

There are two parts of Paul’s life that a person should need to pay attention too in order to successfully piece together Paul’s views of Jesus. The first part of his life that needs to be acknowledged is Paul’s life before his conversion. The second part that needs to be analyzed is the events that happened after his conversion, and how his views changed because of them. Prior to his conversion, Paul was a Pharisee, and persecuted those who chose to follow Jesus and believe in his teachings. He strictly abided by the rules of the Pharisees, and made sure that the other Pharisees abided by them too. He wrote in a “blameless” style—not the one to blame the misfortunes and wrong doings on. He also maintained the “tradition of elders”: a group of oral laws that the Pharisees were held to abide unconditionally by.

Pseudepigrapha - a text that falsely claims to be written by another author. Deutero-Pauline - meaning second Paul

As a young man, Paul studied the Jewish scriptures at great length. Having been taught by the well-known and respected rabbi Gamaliel, Paul took an unremitting interest in the law and Jewish religion. Signs show that Paul grew up in the Greek city of Tartus, such as the fact that Paul’s primary language was Greek. It is a little out of place that he would speak this language. Most people living in this language spoke mostly Aramaic. While on the road to Damascus and staying in the house of Judas, Paul experienced his conversion. Paul supposedly had this experience with God or the disciples. Paul was told about the new conception of Jesus and was commended to teach and spread the message. After having been through this life changing experience, Paul became to be the spreader of Christianity by talking about the Gospel in significant areas. In result of him being exposed to this new view of Jesus, Paul began to wonder what the crucifixion had to do with the resurrection of Jesus. He evidently knew that it was a sign. However, he did not understand the way God was presenting Jesus as the messiah figure. He understood that because Jesus overcame death, he surely overcame fear, yet he thought about why God would send this Messiah as a suffering, weak human. By reading the Jewish scriptures, he expected the Messiah to be this all powerful, divine figure. Jesus obviously does not meet this expectation. Under further contemplation, Paul understands that because this is chosen one of God, there is no need for him to suffer. It must be that Jesus is symbolically taking those sufferings that have been deserved to be for “people who deserve it”, and making the sinful and unclean people forgiven, without them suffering. By Jesus doing that, Paul assumes that God rewards Jesus by rising from the dead. Paul often referred to himself as the “apostle to the Gentiles” because for the first time, he presented this new version of Jesus to Gentile people, and Jewish people. Jewish people obviously were not fond of Jesus being excepted as their Messiah. Many Jewish People thought that he was part of a cult, and crazy. Several of them plotted to kill him. The Jewish population, due to his radical beliefs and teachings,

disliked him greatly. As aforementioned, Paul was a Pharisee prior to his conversion. In this period, he upheld all the traditional Jewish beliefs. Beliefs stating that the only people of God were the Jews. Once Paul switched over to Christianity he began to embrace a new belief, in which all men, if they chose to belief in Jesus would be rewarded with heaven. Biblical historians are unsure as to what may have expedited the conversion of Paul, but they do know that if Paul had not converted the world of Christianity would be a very different place. Like Paul’s views on Gentiles, his opinion of the Jewish law changed once he underwent the conversion. Prior to his conversion Paul’s religion focuses around the Law of God, and the Torah of Moses. Since Paul was a Pharisee, and during the time of Jesus all Pharisees were an apocalyptic people, he would have believed that the end was just around

the corner, and that all who followed Jesus should prepare for it. Paul describes himself in letters later in his life as being a law-abiding zealous Jew who persecuted the Church. Paul believed that the Jews were the chosen people and all those who were not Jewish had not business following the will of God. All of this changed when he met what he described as the risen Jesus. After his meeting with Jesus he became a changed man and instead of persecuting the church he became the church’s greatest proponent. He embraced Christianity and encouraged all Jews and Gentiles alike to do so as well.

Essent ia l Teach ings o f Pau l In the time of Paul, it was believed by Jews that only Jews could believe in their God and Jesus as a messiah. However, Paul, who also was a Jew, wished to spread these beliefs across nations and other religions. The Gentiles were often strongly disliked by the Jews for their polytheistic beliefs. Not only did Paul write to Gentiles, but he also wished to make them a member of his religion. Paul often expresses his feeling on the Gentile exclusion from the Jewish belief system as a misunderstanding on both behalves. He wished to let it be known that you did not have to be a Jew to believe in one God and Jesus as the messiah. This gave Gentiles hope as they sought to emerge from their polytheistic beliefs into a more connected relationship with their monotheistic belief in God. Paul sheds light on a common misconception by the Jews that leads Gentiles to become more outspoken about their new belief of one God. Since the beginning of Judaism it has been believed that the Jews are the people of God. They hold a special covenant with God that they believed was solely between themselves and God. Paul wanted to dispel this belief on the idea that God loves everyone evenly. Paul spread the idea to both Jews and Gentiles that God is fair and loves all. This angered Jews as they thought that Abraham’s covenant with God was only between Him and the circumcised Jews. This also encouraged Gentiles to become more comfortable with their newfound belief in Jesus loving all. With the continuation of Paul’s letters, Gentiles slowly grow out of old polytheistic beliefs. However, the beliefs of these converts were still not on point with the belief of Judaism. Thanks to Paul, this difference in belief eventually became known as the religion of Christianity. However, Christianity did not become very popular until some time after Paul. Paul’s integrity became noticed in both the Jewish and Gentile communities. The influential voice was heard by everyone and molded values to be parallel to those of Paul. Not only did Paul change the views of Gentiles to believe in one God, but he also recruited the strict believers of the Jewish religion to believe in what he said. The idea that God loved and accepted all to eternal life was fresh when compared to the past beliefs of a dreary afterlife. Paul’s heavy preaching of what is right to believe is most likely the biggest contributor to the forming of the Catholic religion. Paul gave the spark needed to Christianity and since than has been overlooked by many followers. With Paul’s help, Christianity became the most popular religion in the world today. Paul is now recognized very often at Churches all over the world as his letters are often seen in the readings at mass. Paul did not intend to begin a religion, however his beliefs grew further away from those of the Jews. The Jews also believed that you had to be circumcised to be a Jew, this upset older men and resulted in the formation of the religion of Christianity.

Occas iona l Nature o f the Let ters o f Pau l When viewing the letters of Paul, it is highly important to recognize the occasional nature of these letters. This refers to the fact that Paul only wrote letters when he felt the occasion (circumstances or events in the communities he established) called for them. These letters are specifically written for the communities Paul felt needed them most. When the nature of these letters is recognized, it is easy to see that Paul was not attempting to methodically create a series of mandates that would govern Christianity. He instead was addressing different communities with letters that would hopefully correct their misconceptions or deviations from what Paul thought of as Christianity. Because Paul only occasionally wrote letters to make his views known, we do not know the entirety of Paul’s views.

Polytheism – religious belief in many gods or goddesses. Jews and Christians are monotheistic, meaning they believe in a singular god.

Although Paul addressed the issues he determined needed his letters, many more issues have occurred along the course of Christianity's history that would have benefitted from the views of Paul. It is therefore unfortunate that Paul only wrote letters occasionally. The letters that Paul did write only address conflicts or problems experienced in Christian communities of Paul’s time. Paul’s words on these matters

were very influential. Because of this great influence, it is easy to see how others would have used Paul’s name in order to further their own views. In this instance, the occasional nature of Paul’s letters does benefit modern historians.

It is possible by recognizing this factor of Paul’s letters to partially verify the authorship of a letter. Paul would only have written to communities with problems that existed during his life. Using this as a basic guide, historians are able to say that some of Paul’s writings are not written by Paul, but by another using his name. In addition to being able to verify writings, Paul’s letters do enable us to see some of Paul’s other views. Due to the fact that Paul only wrote letters to communities he thought needed them, Paul does not always address issues that are a part of

his core teachings. In some instances, it is possible to view the customs or practices that Paul accepts. Through an understanding of the occasional nature of Paul’s letters, one can observe Paul’s intent and beliefs when reading his letters.

Conc lus ion

In conclusion, the life of Paul is not easily pieced together. However, through examination of the letters likely to be written by Paul it is possible to outline the drastic changes that occur in his life. Along with these changes come Paul’s many views that are expressed through his letters. The letters of Paul bring to light many facts which otherwise would be unknown on the life and beliefs of Paul. Sources: http://teacherweb.com/NJ/StPetersPrep/scibiliad/img-305111949-0001-5.pdf Images: http://ericsammons.com/pictures/Paul-icon.jpg http://www.ebibleteacher.com/sites/default/files/images/1/Pauls%20Letters%20to%20Churches%201024.jpg

Chapter 3 Anatomy of a le t ter

What is an anc ient le t ter?

In every letter there is a certain structure that distinguishes the letter. An ancient letter has a structure that is very different than the structure of Paul’s letters. Paul’s letters are much less in depth than an ancient letter. Paul’s letters have a strong emphasis on Christ, which is not commonly found in ancient letters. If an ancient letter is broken down into its structural elements, it can be seen that the salutation is very simple. It includes the name of the sender, and no other background information about that sender. The recipient, closing, and greeting elements do not include a “Reference to Christ” as found in Paul’s letters. There are also some other elements that are not included in an Ancient letter that are included in a Pauline letter. These elements that are missing in an ancient letter are the “Peace Wish” and the “Kiss”.

(Shalom) Peace Wish

What ’s a Pau l ine le t ter? Paul used and wrote letters to display his apostleship. He believed the words he spoke held the authority of God and showed his role. Paul’s words and beliefs played a major role in the development of Christianity. He greatly impacted the religion and spread the word to far-off places. According to Roetzel, Paul’s apostolic presence put the community in the Lord’s presence. Roetzel states that Paul’s letters were an extension of his apostleship. Paul’s letters were very important and, as aforementioned, greatly impacted the religion of Christianity. Paul’s letter’s unlike ancient letters show a strong connection between Paul, and Christ. For example, in the salutation Paul introduces himself as the “Prisoner of Christ”. Many connections with Christ are found in the Thanksgiving, Closing, and Conclusion.

Sa lutat ion

The salutation of an ancient letter is very precise. It includes the names of both the sender and the recipient. The greeting is also put into the salutation. When Paul wrote the letters to the Romans and Galatians, he modifies the salutation to his purpose. Paul tells Philemon that the apostolic mission gave Paul a prior claim to Onesimus. Although Paul said that he would return Onesimus only if he would be treated like a brother, the central message of Paul's letter to Philemon is lenient to Onesimus. This was said right in his opening, the salutation. In the salutation of his letters, Paul included a summary of his Gospel and the definition for his apostolic mission. Overall Paul tries to make the integrity of his identity recognizable and the same as his Gospel. In the salutation he modifies the stereotype form for the different views his readers have. Paul’s salutations give clues about the body and acts as an introduction to the body of the letter.

Thanksg iv ing

One structural element of Paul is the Thanksgiving. In the Thanksgiving, Paul brings back the situation that the recipient is in. It shows why Paul is writing the letter. For instance in a Pauline letter Paul would say: “I thank my God always when I remember you in my Prayers.” Through this structural element, it offers a preview of one major emphasis, which is to come into the next element known as the “Body”. Lastly, Paul shows how the thanksgiving serves as a peephole through which the main portion of the letter is seen. Body The body of a letter is the point where the greetings and opening regards come to a close, and the writer gives the specific reason he is writing. The purpose of the body is to complement the thanksgiving of the letter in terms of specification, and also to express to the recipient of what needs to be said or requested. In terms of writing structure, the body serves as the main idea of the letter. Two typical topics of discussion were Paul’s travel plans, and his requests. Often, the body would begin with phrases like “I beseech you…” or “I would not have you ignorant…” He would also use the body to state his theological argument, which would usually come with the promise of an apostolic visit. This promise was known as a travelogue. While much of the letter involved greetings and blessings, the body would get straight to specifics. After reading this part of the letter, it should become clear why it was written.

Paraenes is (Eth ica l Instruct ion and Exhortat ion)

A Paraenesis is an exhortatory composition, which is a use of words that will excite or tempt the reader. Paul also included three different types of ethical instruction to help guide the readers to do things that were morally right. The first type of ethical instruction is an assortment of moral maxims. In the section they were found in such as Romans 12:9-13 they were basically just paragraphs of different ideas that had nothing in common. They were just there to remind the reader of what is right and what they should do. The next type of instruction is a list of virtues and vices mended from Jewish and Hellenistic traditions. The final type of ethical instruction found in Paul’s letters is a prolonged exhortation or homily on a particular topic. This is usually highly personal and supportive. Here Paul gets a chance to include personal things that happened to him in his everyday life. Also, Paul gets to connect with the reader not through their own traditions, but by his own personal experiences The purpose of these ethical instructions is to connect with the readers on a more personal level. It tells them to do good and avoid unethical choices. It is used as a way to show the people how the gospel will take effect as well as to guide people to do the right thing. Also the Paraenesis is used in Paul’s letters to connect the body of the letter to the conclusion and to keep the readers focused on the same idea that is presented throughout the letter.

Conc lus ion

Paul’s conclusions consist of 4 major parts: 1. Peace wish, 2. Greetings, 3. Kiss, 4. Close (grace benediction). The conclusion starts off with a traditional peace wish or shalom. Roetzel says the peace wish was literally utilized for expressing a desire for the reader to be at total well being - both physically and spiritually. The “peace wish”, or shalom, played a similar role to the “goodbye” in Greek letters. It was the

final statement to show that the writer wants the recipient to be well. The peace wish is only a small factor in a series of other major components in the conclusion. It seems that Paul does add his more famous alterations in this part. The greeting is another major component in the conclusion. Paul opens the greeting with a grace, which places both writer and reader in the presence of God. Greetings are placed between the peace wish and grace resulting in a circle of repetition in sections. Again, before closing, Paul brings both sides into the presence of God by saying grace and wishes the recipient do well in life after reading the letter in God’s presence. Unique in this part is that the peace wish is also incorporated. Paul wishes the reader a great life beyond the letter. The greeting plays a similar role to the peace wish. The kiss served as an introduction into the serving of the Eucharist since it is said that Paul’s letters were read at church. Also, it is said that Paul’s letter were written to congregations. Paul uses this kiss as a symbolization of Christ’s relationship with his family. The benediction is another part of the conclusion. This is founded in every one of Paul’s complete letters. Paul’s benediction is conveyed through a Christian perspective, “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you”. All of these sections compose the conclusion of an ancient letter written by Paul. Each plays a significant role, which feed off each other.

The conclusion played a very big role in Paul's letters. It is important because it rings the information together. It also sums up all the information spoken of prior. Paul utilizes his conclusion by giving the "full circle effect". This connects the ideas from the introduction of the letter and restating them some of them. This gives the reader a summary of what he/she just read. The conclusion is a major component of Paul's letters.

Sources :

http://teacherweb.com/NJ/StPetersPrep/scibiliad/img-227083647-0001-2.pdf

Image Sources :

http://www.sosmemphis.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/shalom.jpg

http://www.first-baptist-church-carrollton-ky.com/image-files/pauls-letters.jpg

http://payingattentiontothesky.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/saint-paul.jpg

How

Sees

Dr.  Dominic  P.  Scibilia’s  interpreta4on  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  educa4on.  The  leader  of  the  synagogue  was  the  principal  teacher,  the  rabbi.  

During  the  era  of  the  Roman  rule  of  Judea,  many  rabbis  shared  an  apocalyp4c  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  opposi4on  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