NEW TESTAMENT FOUNDATIONS

  NT 102

  Lecture 2

Paul: The Man & His Letters

The Beginnings of the Gentile Church (Paul’s missionary journeys)

I. Paul: The Man & His Letters

 

I.1 Introduction

 

I.2 Paul's Jewish Upbringing

Tarsus & Jerusalem

a. Hellenistic

(1) grew up in Tarsus in Cilicia

 

(2) received Greek education

Tarsus

(3) familiar with Greek religions & customs

  

b. Jewish

I.3 Paul’s Conversion

Roman road

What happened on Damascus road?

a. He received his revelation.

 

b. He received his apostleship/calling

Implications of Paul’s call:

1. Jesus as Lord (LXX = God) 

2. Importance of the resurrection

i. Jesus’ vindication by God (the Jewish hope)

ii. In-breaking of the kingdom

3. Implication for Torah

4. Implications of the Cross

5. Theology of Grace

 

I.4 Paul's Missionary Career

 

1. Post call

 

2. Paul the traveler

Roman Forum

Ephesian theater

3. Paul’s missionary journeys

 

a. From Paul’s conversion to the first missionary journey

 

b. From Paul's first missionary journey to his death

Chronology of Paul’s Life

Paul’s first missionary journey

Paul’s second missionary journey

Roman Agora in Athens

Stoa in Athens

Paul’s third missionary journey

Chronology of Paul’s Life

I.5 Paul’s Character1. Passionate & zealous

 2. Leadership ability

 3. Motivated by Christ’s love

Imageries of Paul to his converts:a. Like a father (1 Cor. 4:15; 1 Thess. 2:11)b. Like a mother (Gal. 4:19; 1 Thess. 2:7)c. Like a brother (Phil. 1:12)d. Partners in the gospel (Phil. 1:7)

 Implications for our life & ministry today

I.6 Paul’s Theology 

I.6.1 Current “issues” & “Debate” 

A. What letters did Paul write?  

B. Pauline Thought: Coherence, Development, and Contingency.

 

Is Paul’s theology:

i. Inconsistent & incoherent?

 

 

ii. Developed chronologically?

 

 

iii.Interplay between a constant core and contingent interpretation?

 

iv. Is there a theological center of Paul’s theology? Some proposals:

a. “Justification by faith” (e.g. Käsemann) 

b. Anthropology (e.g. Bultmann)

c. Salvation-historical (continuity between Judaism & Paul)

 d. Jewish apocalypticism (e.g. Beker)

 e. Christocentrism (Pauline gospel)

v. Is there a central Pauline narrative or story?

C. Paul & Politics

D. Portraits of Paul

1. Demeanor: the orator?

  2. Who, what and when?

  3. Paul the Man

a. the anti-Semitic Hellenist

  b. the platonically radicalized now universalist Jew

  c. the fundamentally Jewish Christian

  d. Hellenistic Jewish Christian

E. Paul’s formative influences

1. Jerusalem or Tarsus or both

  2. influence of Greek rhetoric

F. Paul & Jesus

G. First century model for Pauline churches

1. Synagogue

2. Philosophical school

3. Voluntary association

4. A heterogeneous mix of some or all BUT in the context of the house

H. Pauline Christology

1. Wisdom Christology?

 

2. High Christology?

I.6.2 Shape of Pauline Theology

 

a. The revelation of Christ

 

b. Early Christian traditions

 

c. OT

 

d. Graeco-Roman world

 

e. Judaism

I.7 Paul’s Letters

A. Innovation

B. Form

1. Introduction

3 part salutation

a. self-identification of the writer

b. identification of the addressees

c. greetings

2. Prayer, wish and/or thanksgiving

 

3. Main body

 

4. Personal news & greetings

 

5. Farewell section (greetings, peace, farewells, etc.)

 

C. Character of Letters

1. creative

 

2. contingency versus coherence

 

3. a particular task versus systematic theology

 

4. “development” in Paul’s thought?

D. Issues of Authenticity

1. References to Forgeries

  2. Pseudonymity & the NT

a. pseudonymous letters are unknown from NT period

b. Church’s attitude

c. lack of evidence

  3. Secretaries & scribes

  4. Question of co-authorship

  5. Theological/exegetical & hermeneutical considerations

A. Exegetical concerns (“what the letter meant back then”)

1. Recognize the letter as written in response to a particular situation

 

2. Read against that background

 

3. Reconstruct as best as possible the historical situation being addressed

B. Hermeneutical concerns (“what the letter means now”)

1. Acknowledge historical and cultural distance

 

2. Emphasize theological principles over superficial similarities

C. Our concerns/focus on NT Letters:

1. primarily exegetical-theological

 

2. some hermeneutical comments