RelSt 436: Life and Letters of Paul Class Notes for week #1, 14 January 1999 By Greg Ewing and Michael Zbiegien General introduction. We looked at the course web page. Among other things, we will look at ancient secondary sources, and the NT book of Acts will be a major ancient secondary source. Things that you have to do (see Requirements): 1. Research paper (10-15 pages) 2. Review (1-2 pages) 3. Minutes 4. Wrap up (probably oral) "Eschatology" is the study of the "end times" (of the world, of one's own life). It is very important, because Paul thought that he was living in the end times. For Paul, Jesus is God's agent for the end times. Paul still sees himself as Jewish. It is not until later in the first century that Christianity in general comes to view itself, and to be viewed, as an identifiable separate religion from its Jewish origins, but even this does not happen all at once for everyone everywhere. When reading modern authors, it is important to know a little background on them so as to know what drives them or may influence them. For example Witherington has a relatively conservative scholarly Christian view; he'll tend to support traditional interpretations when it is possible. "Gnostic" is a catch all term for groups of early Christians that thought that Jesus represented the God who rules over all spiritual reality but is not responsible for the material/physical world. To such gnostics (which comes from a Greek word meaning to know) the physical world is preventing us from re-uniting our spiritual selves with this spiritual God. For them, Jesus only appears to be fleshly. Paul is revered as authoritative by some gnostics (e.g. Valentinus, Marcion). We looked at the map of the Mediterranean to be found on the web page. Tradition has Paul starting in Tarsus (Kraft questions this) and then going to Jerusalem to learn. From there, according to Acts (but this is not clear in Paul's letters), he goes to Damascus and on the way experiences his calling (not "conversion," since Paul still thinks of himself as Jewish). After Paul travels to Antioch, Asia Minor (Galatia) and Greece (Corinth); we lose sight of him planning to go to Rome. There are traditions that Paul travelled to Spain and even some that say he reached Britain, but these are problematic. According to tradition, Paul was executed (beheaded) in Rome. There is no suggestion that Paul travelled in Egypt or North Africa, but he is said to be in contact with some people from those regions (see Acts). Ancient Sources -- see the web page The NT has many letters attributed to Paul. According to Kraft, the following are the most likely to be authentic: Romans, Galatians, and 1 & 2 Corinthians ("group one" on the chart). It is highly improbable that everything attributed to Paul was written by the same person (see, e.g. Laodiceans, 3 Corinthians, Pastorals). How do you tell? A first step might be to group them -- as done on the web page. Grouping is based on what they have in common as works of literature. Then determine when and why groups or their individual items are likely to have been written. Kraft is pretty sure that Group 1 was written by Paul. Some of group 2 could also be by Paul. Many scholars argue for 7 authentic letters of Paul -- Group 1, Philemon, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians. It is probably misleading to attribute "second coming" (of Jesus) language to Paul, who thinks of a continuity from Jesus death/resurrection to the resurrection of Jesus' followers. "Day of the Lord" is shorthand for Judgement Day. Some people felt that the end is already coming or has started to come. parousia = presence (of Jesus); indicates the hope and expectation that Jesus will soon be present with his followers again In the Book of Acts, the author attempts to compensate for the delay of the parousia. It was probably written in the late 80's, or possibly even later. The author is aware of eschatological hopes, but does not have the same intensity as we find in Paul. Nag Hammadi Library -- collection of books buried in an area of Egypt and rediscovered about 50 years ago; it probably originated from gnostic Christians. Some of the works are attributed to Paul, though is unlikely that he wrote them. Others speak favorably about Paul. We looked at "3 Corinthians." It is part of the Acts of Paul, but is also found independently. In it "the faith" is something that can be subverted; it is a formal concept -- this does not agree with some other works attributed to Paul, but is similar to the Pastorals. It affirms that Jesus was born in the flesh, died, and raised up from the flesh. It contains the notion of a God in control of all things. It also says that God sent prophets to the first Jews. It is a forceful example of the use of Paul against Christian heterodoxy or heresy of a "gnostic" sort. We also looked at "Laodiceans." It includes what appear to be snippets from other Pauline letters, assuming that it is not authentic. The RelSt 135 page may be helpful. Look at the people timeline and the listing of the gospels and other biblical books, for example. //end of notes 1// --- RelSt 436: Life and Letters of Paul Class Notes for week #2 (21 January 1999) by Andrew M Exum The Book Review (or review of reviews) -choose a book from the list online or a comparable one Paul as Eschatological Dualist It is not only possible but also desirable while still living "in the flesh" and "in this age/era" also to live on another plane, that of the "age to come" ushered in by the resurrection of messiah Jesus. Paul speaks of two "bodies": "the body of Messiah/Christ" (the "mystical" community) and the earthly body of an individual self. Paul's Eschatalogical Perspective (see the chart on the class page) Possibly the main focus of discussion in the class and one of the most important things to understand about Paul. Paul genuinely felt he was living out the world's last days. That belief influenced much of his thinking, theology, and teaching. A Little Historical Background David ~1000 BC (see Romans 1.3) Moses ~1300 BC (e.g. 1 Corinthians 10.2) Abraham ~1700 BC (e.g. Galatians 3.6) Who was David? David was a warrior king, supposed author of some psalms, founder of a dynasty that lasted in Judah until 587/586 BCE. The Messiah Concept Much debate surrounded (and still does surround) who the Messiah was supposed to be. Was he to be a political/military deliverer? a priestly/religious figure? an "otherworldly" spiritual savior -- as Jesus came to be interpreted. We are led to believe, rightly or wrongly, that most Jews seemed to favor the messiah as a "second David," one who would lead them to political salvation. Although much debate surrounds Paul's "call/conversion," it is clear that he had some sort of experience that convinced him Jesus was the expected messiah. Judaism in Paul's Day Synagogues, brought about by the diaspora, existed in Paul's day. They served as houses of prayer and gathering places for Jews. The one "official" Temple in Jerusalem, on the other hand, was marked by priests, sacrifices, and the calendar of centralized observances. Of the many groups associated with these institutions, we are led to believe that Sadducees were especially tied to the Temple, while Pharisees were more "popular" in their goal to uphold the law while expecting God to act eschatologically in history. This leads to another question: was Paul associated with one of these two groups? If so, which one? It seems likely that Paul would be considered a Pharisee if anything -- as is explicitly claimed in Philippians and Acts. He certainly felt a concern for the law and for eschatology, and this perhaps explains his early animosity toward the claim that the crucified Jesus was Messiah. More on Paul and the Law later... The Dead Sea Scrolls How do they affect scholarship? Do they legitimize scripture? For that matter, do they serve to call the traditional reconstruction of early Judaism into question? (Pseudepigrapha: e.g. Enoch, Jubilees, Testament of Moses, Apocalypse of Isaiah) Larger Questions What is Paul's relationship to both Jesus and Christianity? Prof. Kraft mentioned the "Last Temptation of Christ," in which Paul tells Jesus he doesn't need him for the religion/message he brings. Is this true? Is Jesus as "Christ" the basis for a religion, but Paul the actual founder of the Church? Who is Paul in Christianity? Some call him THE Church father, while others label him as the anti-Christ, perverting Jesus' message through his establishment of the separate, "new" religion. This is a question that needs to be considered when studying Paul. //end of notes 2// --- RelSt 436: Life and Letters of Paul Class Notes for week #3 (28 January 1999) by Erick Allen and Elisabeth Berger 1. Discussion of Gal 3.10-14 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." 11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. How does Paul construct arguments? --Citation of Jewish scriptures How did Paul use the scriptures before he began to follow Jesus? Does his use of scriptures here betray something of his motive for and/or approach to persecuting Christians? Note Paul's concern for "the law" (Jewish law, torah); law probably was an issue in Paul's period as persecuter. (1) Gal 3.10 quotes from Deut 27.26 in context of "law": "Cursed is the man who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" Note the original setting of Mounts Gerizim and Ebal, covenant renewal, entrance of Israelites into the "promised land," rehearsal of blessings and curses. Paul's method of interpretation is more "proof-texting" than showing sensitivity to original, historical context. For his argument, Paul assumes no one is keeping the law. Paul uses the term "justification" in a forensic (legal) sense -- to be "declared not guilty" by the judge (God). (2) Gal 3.11 cites Habakkuk 2.4: "See, he is puffed up; his desires are not upright; but the righteous will live by his faith." Paul's argument is that you don't get righteous by keeping the law but by faith. This argument is probably a summary, shorthand of a fuller treatment he had given in person. (3) Gal 3.12 from Lev 18.5: "Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the LORD." Since no one can keep the law, the curse upon the one not keeping the law prevents that person from obtaining the life available by keeping the law. Paul's Key Concepts: life, righteousness, faith, law, curse. "Curse": God's curse vs. God's declaration of righteousness. Redemption: often a slave-term, reference to a slave's freedom purchased. (4) Gal 3.13 from Deut 21.22-23: "If a man guilty of a capital offense is put to death and his body is hung on a tree, you must not leave his body on the tree overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God's curse. You must not desecrate the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance." "Hangs on a tree" here for Paul traditionally is understood to refer to crucifixion. 2. How does the curse upon the messiah cancel out the curse on the law-breaker? Kraft's proposal: This passage may have been a key argument in Paul's earlier attack on Christians -- How could Jesus be messiah if he was hung on the tree, and therefore cursed by God? Paul is struggling with two types of authority: scripture and his personal experience (Gal 1.16) Dilemma of the tension between Deut 21.23 and his personal experience of the messiah. One option: reject the scriptures and/or their traditional interpretation. Another option: find a way for them to be compatible. Paul opts for the latter. Jesus is cursed on the tree and in turn frees others from the curse, thus the messiah is "the end of the law" (Rom 10.4). For Paul, the law is still important, but not as a means of obtaining life before God. For Paul the law is internalized. This is related to Paul's idea of union with the messiah (aka life "in the Spirit"). Gal 3.10-14 in the larger context of Gal 3.1ff. Paul is very upset with the Galatians for being misled by someone persuading them to begin (return to?) keeping the Mosaic Law if they were to follow Jesus. The opposition in view is Spirit (life) vs. flesh (related to works of the Law, death). Paul appeals to the Abraham story for justification of his argument. Abraham was declared righteous because he "believed." Gal 2-3 the "heart" of Paul's teaching. Keep in mind though he is responding to a problem, so his discussion is shaped not only by his theology but by the situation to which he is responding. "ad hoc" letter not a general treatise. Paul did not think of "Christianity" as something distinct from Judaism. Christianity was the eschatological realization or form of his Judaic heritage. The coming of the messiah transforms Judaism. The NT conflict between "Christian" Jews and "non-Christian" Jews is an in-house conflict, not a battle between two different religions. 3. Brief discussion of Acts and the question of authorship/sources. The alternation between "I"/"we" and "he"/"they". Possibly reflects the compilation of sources, or that the canonical form of Acts represents a pre-final stage of its composition. Kraft suspects it originates from early first third of 2nd c. The ending of Acts seems abrupt. May suggest that another volume/scroll was intended. 4. Brief discussion on Romans 11 and the reference to "grace" (11.5ff). "xaris" reflecting the Hebrew "hesed," which was closely connected to the giving of the covenant. Sometimes translated as "covenant loyalty" "covenant faithfulness," the loyalty of God to his people, to the covenant. Paul's use of "xaris" has overtones of the Jewish scriptureal use of hesed. You do not work for God to accept you but you trust God to stay faithful to the promise (i.e. to exercise "grace"). Paul and the concept of "remnant." He retains the framework/language of "remnant" but applies it to Gentiles. It is an eschatological understanding of "remnant." Rejection of the gospel by the Jews opens it up to the Gentiles. This window of opportunity of the Gentiles seems to have a limited timeframe (Rom 11.25). 5. Brief discussion of "adoption" in Rom 8.28ff. Paul is preoccupied with persecution, suffering. In his understanding of the last times, the world must go through the "labor pains" (Rom 8.22) of bringing forth the new creation (the followers of Jesus must participate in the Messianic "woes" which will usher in the eschaton ("end"; Rom 8.17). Followers of Jesus are united to him and must suffer "with" Jesus. Suffering becomes a sign of Paul's own apostolicity. //end rs435 notes for wk3// --- RelSt 436: Life and Letters of Paul Class Notes for week #4 (4 February 1999) by Carrie Wang and Jennifer Hall Class didn't feature much discussion but here's what happened: 1. We went through the Dead Sea Scrolls CD-ROM for awhile 2. We read and discussed the people Paul was listing in Romans 16, which is potentially an added fragment from another letter (to Ephesus?) because Romans could have ended with 15 (or even 14). There was some debate as to whether or not Andronicus and Junia (Julia) were relatives of Paul in prison with him. 3. There was some discussion on Paul's birthplace (Tarsus vs. somewhere closer to Jerusalem, according to Prof Kraft), his citizenship, and his death (he was beheaded in about 64 AD). 4. The rest of the time we watched a movie on Paul. It basically just went through when Paul enters the picture in Acts and continues through to his death. Here's what they showed and the questions raised(**): --stoning of Steven (Acts 7) --Paul's encounter with Jesus and his "conversion" **what a heretic is --Ananias unblinding Paul **if it really says Paul was called to his own people and the Gentiles, to which the answer was determined as a yes (Acts 9.15; compare 22.15 and 26.17) --Paul preaching and healing people **what is the message of salvation, what do people need to be saved from? What are people understanding by the word "saved" at this time? --Paul and Silas telling people they weren't gods and to turn from their idols --Paul getting stoned (but not dying) --Roman leaders discussing Paul --Paul commanding the demon out of the slave girl **discrepancy: in Acts 16.18, the girl followed them for a while first --Paul and Silas beaten and jailed...the "earthquake"...the jailer what he needs to be saved **would the jailer be asking this question to them? meaning what? --Paul going to Macedonia --Paul and Silas separating with Paul going to Athens **discussion on "Brother Steven" (controversial campus evangelist) and a comparison between him and Paul. The issue of why people were offended by the preaching arose...if it's because they're being told they're wrong or if it's because they just think the other person is wrong, etc; does the argument really matter...the issue of tolerance and it being about the same...the issues of pluralism and relativism -- are they more common today? --Paul healing the sorcerer's son --Paul going to Caeserea, after being beaten at the temple, arrested and imprisoned --King Agrippa listens to Paul's story and finds no fault --sea storm, Paul predicting the safety of the members --everyone alive but shipwrecked, Paul bitten by a snake but nothing happens --Paul is beheaded asking God not to hold this against them 5. Then the class ended, as do these notes! //end of notes 4// --- RelSt 436 Life and Letters of Paul Class Notes for week #5, 11 February 1999 by Christian Kunder (ckunder@sas) 1. Went through the text of 2 Corinthians 11 (Paul boasting). -Paul is indignant in the face of those who attack him. -He is clearly confident in his authority. -2 Cor 11.4 -- Paul mocks the Corinthians for too easily accepting those who preach a "different Jesus" and a "different spirit." -He explains the burdens he undertook for their sake. -Discussion of Satan (2 Cor 11.14 - And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.): -Satan seen in Judaism at this time as the great opponent of God, the Accuser -Lucifer means "light bearer." -Belial (see especially the Dead Sea Scrolls) -Note that "worldly" did not necessarily have a negative connotation here, it merely meant things having to do with everyday life. -Note sarcasm in Paul, here in 2 Cor 11.19. -Are Israelites, Hebrews, and descendants of Abraham the same thing? -Paul claims he is a better servant of Christ than the "false apostles." What makes him better? He has endured more suffering and more persecution. A discussion of Paul's suffering follows. -Discussion of the punishments of Paul: under what authority was he punished? For what? Under what circumstances? -In Paul there is the idea of things getting really bad before the dawn of the Messianic Age. -Paul thinks the world is in its "birth pangs." He believes that the "body of Messiah" must endure suffering, just as Jesus did, before the resurrection. While Jesus was the beginning of the resurrection, he is also the beginning of the suffering in the end times. -Col 1.24 -- "completing what is lacking in Messiah's sufferings..." -Phil 3.10 -- "that I may share in his sufferings..." -Discussion of false apostles. What did they teach? -In chapter 12, Paul writes of a man "caught up to heaven." Why is this here? -Paul must be talking about himself (he's still boasting). -He "heard things that cannot be told," and this appears in other descriptions of revelations in the period. Discussion of what this might mean. -Discussion of chronology starting with the mention in 2 Cor 12.2 that this man was caught up to heaven fourteen years ago. -In Galatians, Paul say explicitly that three years after his call he went to Jerusalem (Gal 1.18). Then he says that fourteen years after that (or possibly after his call, it's not clear which), he went again to Jerusalem. -If the experience Paul is talking about in 2 Cor is his original call, then 2 Cor was written fourteen years after his call. If this is true, then 2 Corinthinians was written before Galatians, or about the same time. -Galatians is usually held to be earlier, on other grounds. 2. Discussion of dating for Jesus' birth and death. -There are conflicts in the G.Luke's account of when Jesus was born. He is supposed to have been born during the reign of Herod the Great (Herod died in 4 BCE), and also during the census, while Quirinius was governor of Syria, but the census was in 6 CE (according to other sources). -Jesus is traditionally held to have died in 33 CE, but most scholars have him dying in 30 CE. The earliest he could have been crucified was 26 CE, since this was when Pilate became Roman prefect of Judea. -Other problems include calendar references in the Gospels, and Passover references. 3. Professor Kraft gave his theories on Paul's name and origins. -He was born Paul somewhere near Jerusalem, and he was from a well-off family, of the tribe of Benjamin. This is not unlikely, since the tribes of Benjamin and Judah were those that ended up in Judaea. He was possibly bilingual. "Of Tarsus" may have originally been "the Tarsian," and there was a well-known guild of weavers called the Tarsians. His Jewish enemies may have been the ones to call him Saul after he began preaching Jesus, after the original Saul, also from the tribe of Benjamin, who was a "heretic" type figure. 4. Discussion of Phil 3 (possibly not written directly by Paul) -"Paul" warns against trusting in his opponents, who promote circumcision, calling them "mutilators of the flesh." He "puts no confidence in the flesh," that is, a circumcision of the flesh does not gain them anything. -He claims to be a Pharisee. Josephus also identifies himself with the Pharisees, although in describing them, he does not say much about their eschatology. 5. Discussion of 1 Cor 12-14: Spiritual Gifts. -The word "charisma" comes from here, meaning "gracious gift." -Those who possess gifts (knowledge, wisdom, faith, healing, etc) should work for the common good of the body of Christ. All the members of the body have a role, and each has a different role. -There is a hierarchy of gifts. There are first apostles, then prophets, then teachers, miracle workers, healers, helpers, administrators, and those that speak in tongues. -1 Col 13: Love. A hymn? -Paul can speak in tongues. He is both pneumatic, led by the spirit, and charismatic, possessing spiritual gifts. 6. Discussion about 1 Cor 14.33-36. -"women should remain silent in the churches." -This may have been added later by someone else. It seems to conflict with other things Paul says concerning or relating to women. //end of notes 5// --- RelSt 436 Life and Letters of Paul Class notes for week #6 (18 February 1999) by Erin Moran and Eric Yearley Professor Kraft does Something Relevant!! Occasionally, Prof. Kraft peer review/edit articles by other scholars before an editor decides whether or not to publish an article. A recent article he was asked to review made an interesting claim about Paul. This scholar claimed that Paul was in fact hired by the Roman government to be a subersive/CIA type with the purpose of founding a Non-Jewish Christianity. While this idea is interesting and the article was written with a reasonable amount of footnotes, the author began with his own beliefs and interpretations, which he then proceed to "prove." This is NOT a recommended paper topic. Did Romans know the difference between Christians and Jews? Probably not. But about the year 112/113 ce Pliny the Younger as a Roman governor asked the emperor Trajan what to do about accusations being made against Christians. He most likely knew the difference between Jews and Christians. What are the sources for the death of Paul? Primarily the Apocryphal Acts of Paul/Acts of Peter. Little is known about the circumstances of his death, but in the earliest sources it does not seem to be connected with the fire in Rome in 64 ce, for which Nero is said to have blamed the Christians. Who were the apostolic fathers? The Apostolic fathers were Christian authors who came after the apostles. One example is the Epistle of Barnabas, which virtually no one thinks was written by Barnabas, and which Prof. Kraft did his dissertation on. No one knows when this epistle was written, although it was not before the 1st revolt against Rome by the Jews, nor after the 2nd. Little is known about the 2nd revolt, which occurred in 132 ce. We know more about the 1st revolt, which culminated in the year 70 ce, because of Josephus' accounts. But both revolts are useful to help date documents from this time period. For example, the Jerusalem temple was destroyed in the 1st revolt; and was not rebuilt as a Jewish institution. So if an author makes a reference to the temple being destroyed, it can be dated after the first revolt (unless it refers to the earlier destruction in 586 bce!). How do we date a text? In terms of documents attributed to a known author or related to known events, they can be viewed in relation to the "terminus a quo" -- before which the document could not have been written -- and "terminus ad quem" -- later than which the document could not have been written. There are several elements which are useful for dating: INTERNAL EVIDENCE AND FORMS OF "LOWER CRITICISM" (focus on the text and its language) The FORM in which a document is written (e.g. letter, apocalypse, etc.) The STYLE of a document (its grammar and syntax) The WORDS used in the piece (vocabulary, idioms, textual variants) The CONTENT of the writing (references to events, ideas, etc.) EXTERNAL EVIDENCE AND "HIGHER CRITICISM" (focus on how the text relates to other known evidence) Who is likely to have written it and under what conditions? Is it known to or used by other authors? Does its internal content correspond to its alleged authorship and setting? "Textual Criticism" is the attempt to determine what the original author (or some identified stage in the transmission) wrote, as distinct from changes introduced as the text was copied and recopied. E.g. most discrepancies in copies of documents probably are due to "errors of the eye," or "of the ear." It used to be a business to copy writings and keep records; if someone misread or misheard what was being dictated, the error might be transmitted uncorrected into subsequent copies. Follow up on (silly?) film--looking more at biographical texts In Gal 1.13, Paul speaks of his "former life in Judaism" -- as if it is something he has not left. "Judaism" may refer to the geographic location of Judea, though, and not to the Jewish religion as such. On the variety of Jewish viewpoints, we have the story of Tiberius Julius Alexander (ca before 20 ce - after 70 ce), nephew of Philo of Alexandria. Josephus said that TJA did not keep the traditions of his fathers. TJA was the Roman procurator of Judea a decade or so after Pilate, and later was Roman governor of Alexandria and Egypt. He gave support to Vespasian to become emperor of Rome in 68 ce, when Vespasian was the general suppressing the first Jewish revolt. TJA was reassigned from Alexandria/Egypt to help out Vespasian's son, Titus, in the siege of Jerusalem. So TJA is there when Romans put down First Revolt. When Josephus speaks of "keeping the traditions of the fathers," what precisely does this mean in relation to Jewish identity and selfunderstanding? For example, Philo (brother of Alexander, TJA's father) talks of three types of Jews -- those (unfortunate, thinks Philo) "literalists" who obey the law without understanding it's meaning, the "radicals" who feel they don't need to keep the literal laws because they claim to understand the meanings, and the middle group that both understands and keeps (Philo's recommended option). It may be that TJA saw himself as Jewish, of the second type. Gal. 1.17 covers the chronology of Paul's "call." After having the experience of the life-changing revelation, he specifically points out that he did not go to see the established leaders in Jerusalem. He then goes on to cover his travels, first going to Arabia and after 3 years to Jerusalem to meet with Peter (Cephas) and James, the "brother" of Jesus. Compare the different details given in the book of Acts. (This lead to the discovery that Leonne may be in posession of a heretical Catholic Bible, which says as Protestant Bibles do that James is the brother, rather than cousin or other relation, etc, of Jesus. From some early sources we get the theory that James is Jesus' half brother -- Joseph already had children from a previous marriage. Jerome expounded the theory that BOTH Mary and Joseph were eternal virgins. Also, the "immaculate conception" refers to MARY'S conception, not Jesus' "virgin birth.") Why is Paul not concerned with the historical Jesus? As in 2 Cor. 5.16: "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation." He is more concerned with the eschatological significance of Jesus, his death and resurrection. In 1 Cor. 7.8 he makes the distinction between quoting the Lord's teachings and his own teachings, both of which are presented as authoritative. Was Paul married? Christian tradition says he was not married, but in Phil. 4.2 he refers to someone as being his "yokefellow"; which was interpreted by some early fathers (e.g. Clement of Alexandria) as "wife" or "mate." Also, in 1 Cor. 9.5 he implies that he has the right to take a/his wife with him on his travels. Other theories argue that if Paul was a member of the Sanhedrin (since Acts mentions that he "cast his vote against Stephen" -- but did he actually vote or was he just publicly voicing his opinion?) at that time, he would have had to be married. Another, more far out theory, apparently circulated by some of his Jewish Christian enemies, says that before his "call", a broken love affair angered him enough to cause him to preach in opposition to the Jewish law. What did marriage mean at that time? The word probably did not have the same meaning as now. "Marriage" was more like "cohabitation," and was often arranged by contract between families. We don't know if there was even a special ceremony involved, and if so, what the ritual would have been. There is a parallel between Roman marriage and Paul's view; i.e. that of having the right mate for the purpose of posterity. A question was raised about Paul's "boasting" mentioned in 2 Cor. 8.24- 9.1. It was noted that 2 Cor 10-13 is sometimes identified as the "harsh letter." An interesting, if frequently used paper topic explores the contacts and writings of Paul to Corinth, and the possibility that 2 Cor is probably at least two different letters. //end of notes for week 5// --- RelSt 436: Life and Letters of Paul Class Notes for week #7, 25 February 1999 by Sean-Michael Green (Jdavidin@aol.com) Opening Tangent: Humm's pseudepigrapha page. What are "pseudepigrapha"? "Falsely ascribed writings" that are not included in Christian or Jewish canon. 1 Cor seems to have been written at one time by one person, and it is written ad hoc -- that is, it was written to address specific problems in the community. One problem being addressed is that someone in the Corinthian community is questioning the teachings of Paul. (The kerygma of Paul.) Peter (Greek) and Cephas (Aramaic Kefa) are both words meaning "rock." This is a title. Peter's given name is Simon. Starting in 1 Cor 15.5, Paul writes that Jesus appeared to Cephas, then the 12, then to more than 500 "brothers (and sisters)." Then Jesus appeared to Jacob/James, and then to all of the apostles. Lastly, according to the passage, Jesus appeared to Paul. Paul tries to be careful with his language. He uses the future tense to describe the raising of Jesus' followers in Jesus. Some "gnostics" might argue that they were already raised with Jesus. Paul, however, writes that Jesus is the first fruits of the resurrection. That Jesus has been raised demonstrates the existence of the resurrection, and his followers will be raised at a future time. At least one of the problems at Corinth seems to be that someone in the community doubts the resurrection. Paul argues that Jesus' resurrection is proof of resurrection (although it is unclear how it follows that there will be a general resurrection), and he argues that otherwise believers are living and dying in vain. During a discussion of Marcion, a second century Christian with gnostic inclinations and great respect for Paul, we went off on the Gnostic Garden of Eden tangent (the Serpent represents the Ultimate Deity, while Adam and Eve are prisoners of the Creator God). Paul vs. the Law: Paul does not believe that keeping the Law is wrong, but it is unnecessary. The Law served as guidance before the arrival of Jesus. The law affords no special privilege to its adherents (other than a chronological superiority of Jews before Gentiles during the apocalypse?) and believing otherwise is wrong. We looked at Kraft's chart of Paul's Eschatological Views (again). We discussed the meanings of messiah in the Judaism of the time. Different groups and individuals held different views about messiah. He may have been expected to be a military or political figure. Emperors and popular figures were sometimes called "messiah" (anointed by God). Some Jewish groups even expected multiple messiahs (e.g. priestly and political). The Maccabees Tangent: The period of the Maccabees lasted from about 165 to 63 BCE. The Jews of Palestine established a kingdom as much of the surrounding world was politically unstable. In 63 BCE the Romans (Pompey) took over as they swept towards Egypt. Jewish governance continued under the ethnic kings (e.g. Herod) but only by the grace of Rome. We discussed baptism on behalf of the dead (1 Cor 15.29). We discussed Paul's use of the Adam/Man tradition in 1 Cor 15.20ff. We ended by discussing the Platonic worldview, which may provide the background for Paul speaking of "earthly" and "heavenly" things (e.g. first and last Adam), or at least may indicate how some of his hearers may have understood such distinctions. //end of notes 7// --- RelSt 436: Life and Letters of Paul Class Notes for week #8 (4 March 1999) by Leonne Tanis The issues in 1 Cor 5 Paul heard reports of bragging by the people in Corinth about the acceptance of some kind of sinful activity. Paul gives only a general description of the activity -- a man who "has his father's wife." The people are not dealing with the problem as Paul thinks they should. Paul addresses internal community problem not extra-community problems. Paul writes about leaven and unleavened bread (5.6ff). Maybe referring first to a proverb about unleavened bread and then to the festival of unleavened bread. Paul connects leavened bread with "malice and evil," and unleavened bread with "sincerity and truth," warning the community about the danger of their "boasting" getting out of hand! History of Unleavened bread... Jews had to leave Egypt so quickly that they couldn't let the bread rise. So, use of unleavened bread reminded Jews of ancestors escaping slavery in Egypt in search of the promised land. A two-week festival in the spring commemorated this event. The unleavened bread is one aspect, and may have been a separate agricultural festival before the "Passover" events. 1 Cor 5.7 -- Does Paul know of a tradition where Jesus died at the time of the slaughter of Passover Lamb (see John 18.28, 19.31) when he makes reference to Christ as sacrificial Lamb? Jesus' death is in some way related to Passover in Paul's mind. Historical aspect of Passover: Each Jew celebrates as if s/he also came out of Egypt. Reminder of forefathers. It is not clear whether observant Jews could sacrifice the passover lamb at home or only in the Temple. We do know of many people flocking to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. 1 Cor 7.10 "To the married I give charge, not I but the Lord"; Paul frequently refers to Jesus as "the Lord." (See Larry Hurtado One God, One Lord who traces development of the idea that Jesus is divine and one with the father.) Paul gives his opinion and quotes or paraphrases Jesus. One of the few places where he refers to Jesus' teachings. Note that in the gospel traditions, Matthew twice has Jesus giving an exception clause; "no divorce except when sexual infidelity is involved." Mark and Luke are more "black and white," like Paul! David Daube, British Oxford scholar had double appointment with Berkley, recently died, researched Ancient Near Eastern Law and argued that since for Paul the end times have begun, all relationships that began in the old times are nullified. Paul's concept of death/resurrection of and with Jesus means the old age (Jewish law) has been put away and the new things (universal access to God by grace) have started. Paul as anti-sex? No clear evidence of this. He is interpreted that way partly to justify Christian views of celibacy. Paul wants people to concentrate on getting the word out that the end has begun, and not to get involved in superfluous matters. Paul wants people to focus on issues of the Lord. In 1Cor 7.9, Paul grants permission to marry if one's passion is so great, but his preference is to be clear of such involvements. Keep the status-quo regarding such matters, including circumcision and slavery. For Paul, circumcision (1 Cor 5.17) in itself means nothing, and removing the marks of circumcision is also valueless. This is because of "the present distress" -- the end times ushered in by messiah Jesus. Paul urges people to stay in the condition in which they were called (7.20, 24). Next week, spring break; then we will look more closely at how Paul has been interpreted, especially in modern "critical" times, and we need also to look more closely at Romans. Note Paul's dicotomies, such as flesh/mind and body/spirit, bondage/freedom, death/life (look again at the chart of Paul's eschatology). Paul also has strong views on predestination, but also expects people to make appropriate decisions -- the usual paradox of predestination and freewill. //end of week 8 notes// --- RelSt 436: Life and Letters of Paul Class Notes for week #9 (18 March 1999) Erick Allen, Elisabeth Berger Modern Interpreters of Paul and Early Christianity 1. F.C. Baur and his "Tu%bingen School." First published in 1831. Adopted Hegelian view of history as "thesis, antithesis, synthesis." Peter/James as Judaic, "legal" (thesis), Paul as grace/freedom (antithesis), early Catholicism (synthesis). Paul of the "pastoral epistles" is compromising in Baur's view, therefore not genuinely Paul. Also, because more of a synthesis, must be late. Baur dated them very late to give the synthesis time to develop. When scholarship demonstrated they could have been earlier, it began to undermine his theory. Also an oversimplification to see only two sides, actually more than one "conflict" in early church. 2. Albert Schweitzer: Lauched "Quest for Historical Jesus" movement. Jesus as an apocalyptic preacher, who tries to "force God's hand." Demands a radical lifestyle. Went to Africa as a missionary to apply it. Also wrote on "Mysticism of the Apostle Paul" in which Paul's apocalyptic outlook and eschatological focus are highlighted. 3. Walter Bauer "Orthodoxy and Heresy in Earliest Christianity." Earliest forms of Xy later rejected as heresy. "Heretical" aspects include Gnosticism (Valentinus), Marcionism. Ignatius of Antioch (d. ~116): letters an early attempt of Roman conforming of sectarian beliefs. Rome tries to synthesize the various versions of Xy, displacing some, forcing others to conformity. Classical Xy gelled in 3rd-4th c. Book is online on Kraft's website. Paul's ambivalent position in these early developments is noted. Text Exploration "Pastoral Epistles" = 1-2 Timothy, Titus. Probably not later than 125-130 CE. Question of authorship: did they know Paul? Van Campenhausen thinks Polycarp wrote them. All three presented as if by Paul, none of them are used by Marcion in his collection of Pauline letters around 150 ce. Discussion of 1 Timothy Macedonia = northern "Greece" Written to Timothy in Ephesus (western Asia Minor/Turkey) Frequent reference to sound/unsound teaching and bad people 1.15 Perhaps an early "confession" or "creed" Discussion of "giving over to Satan" - a curse? excommunication? a purging concept? Put to death? Unclear. Cf. 1 Cor 5.5 4.1 "last times" sounds like we are a while later than the earlier Paul moderation more than asceticism (4.3ff) Discussion of Apostolic Fathers as witnesses to Paul's writings Post-NT writers, next stage of literary production of early Christianity. Ignatius (d. 106/116). Wrote 7 letters en route to Rome for execution. Possibly references Corinthians and Ephesians. Polycarp (d. ~140) Influential in Smyrna, w. Turkey. Contemporary w/Ignatius. Both Ignatius and Polycarp mention Paul's letters. Other Apostolic Fathers: Papias, Shepherd of Hermas, Didache (an anonymous "teaching" or manual). Other letters such as 1 Clement, Epistle of Barnabas do not claim authorship by these figures. 1 Clement written to Corinth from Rome. Brief discussion of "nomina sacra" - abbreviations of certain commonly used words in Greek biblical manuscripts. E.g., Jesus, God, Lord, father, son, spirit, man, heaven; "Paul" is never abbreviated! Brief Discussion of Book Reviews Other Book reviews will be distributed via email. **Read Pastoral Epistles for next class mtg. //end of notes 9// --- RelSt 436: Life and Letters of Paul Class Notes for week #10 (25 March 1999) by Michael Zbiegien There is general agreement that some ancient Pauline material has been produced by people other than Paul, in Paul's name. Marcion thought people had been tampering with Paul's letters, and he reedited accordingly -- he did not include the pastorals in his collection. Is this because he did not know them, or because he thought them un-authentic? 100 years ago, the argument that the pastorals were un-authentic because they did not fit easily into the biography of Paul as Acts presents it was prominent. However, today with the question of the value of Acts for such details in focus, it is less important. The differences in vocabulary, style, and theological viewpoint are the most serious obstacles to authenticity of the pastorals. If the same author wrote these as wrote the others, then a period of time and several events must have occurred to explain the changes. These changes reflect a certain development of Christianity. The Pastorals look as though they are relatively later in that process. Other than believing them inauthentic, the following view points are possible of the Pastorals: -Pauline fragments are used, but were not united by Paul (Harrison) -the differences are due to an amenuensis who wrote for Paul, therfore, the content is genuine Pauline, but the style would not be -Paul wrote in changed circumstances, they are direct creations of Paul -2 Thessalonians 2.2 "a letter as though from us" -- If this quotation is authentic, then other material in Paul's name was thought to exist in his lifetime, if not then this letter itself is am example of such material 1 Timothy and the Pastorals -questions of authenticity have long plagued these writings -especially 1 Timothy is explicitly anti-gnostic (see 6.20f) -reflect a developed stage of Church organization, various offices with qualifications (but don't forget that not all "Christian" groups will have developed at the same rate) Marcion The story told (by his opponents) is that he went to Rome and attempted to buy his way into authority among the Christians, but failed (due to his teachings?), so he started his own movement. He preached dualism between the created world and the spiritual, but without the strict determinism typical of many "gnostic" groups (thus there is hesitation about calling him "gnostic" in a strict sense). His creator God is a God of "justice" and law, inferior to the ultimate God of Jesus and Paul who is loving and gracious. Marcion had a "canon" consisting of the Gospel of Luke (without the birth story) and 10 (edited) Pauline epistles, which did not include the Pastorals or Ephesians, but did have "Laodiceans" (see Colossians 4.16), which may be just another name for Ephesians. He had all of the other canonical Pauline letters. It is possible that the Pastorals were written as a polemic against Marcion, and to help rescue Paul from Marcionite connections. The "Gnostics" Some of these various dualistic Christian groups gained prominence by about 150, mid-2nd century ce (e.g. Valentinians, Basilideans). Some scholars argue that there were gnostic Jews and Christians earlier, which would aid as an argument for an earlier date of the Pastorals. Philo (Alexandrian Jewish contemporary of Paul) -- believed that we must analyze what the scriptures really mean, not just what they say. He argued for allegorical interpretation. His Platonic orientation (dualism of mind/matter) and reference to those who search only for the allegorical meanings can also be construed as evidence for early (Jewish) gnostic developments. //end of week 10 notes// --- RelSt 436: Life and Letters of Paul Class notes for week #11 (1 April 1999) by Christian Kunder *Discussion of The Acts of Paul -first mentioned by Tertullian, who says it was written in his time (the late second century) -probably an "evolved" form of an earlier Christian work Why look at these old sources? In order to gain perspective on sources which are often debated by some for non-academic reasons. (intervening discussion of the Paul list) -The Acts of Paul and Thecla also exists separate from the main text -a note about martyrdoms: be skeptical about details found in martyrdoms; early Christians were very zealous on this subject -some background history: Constantine, around 311-313 CE, made Christianity legal by the Edict of Toleration and Edict of Milan and began operating in a Christian framework. Julian "the Apostate," who ruled 361-363, tried to suppress the Christians again. But the important thing is that up until Constantine, Christians were in danger of being persecuted for their faith, "confessors" were highly elevated in the Christian world (= "martyrs" as "witnesses"). -Coptic: the language of ancient Egypt written down phonetically with Greek letters; some manuscripts of The Acts of Paul are preserved in Coptic, also many other Christian texts since the second century. *The Origins of Christianity in Egypt -before 79 ce, Philo writes of "Therapeutae," a "monastic" Jewish group west of Alexandria -Eusebius (author of the first large-scale Christian history, around 326 ce) claimed the group was early Christian monks -the founding of the Alexandria church is usually traditionally ascribed to Mark, without much solid historical evidence -an edict of Claudius to Egyptian Jews in 41 ce refers to rabblerousers from Syria (possibly Christians) *The Acts of Paul -Jesus as God's "child": this terminology comes up frequently in early sources (e.g. the Didache, canonical Acts) -Christ is used as a name here (though this may be due to a copyist's addition/editing) -also a description of Paul: short, thin-haired, crooked legs, healthy, with joining eyebrows, a hooked nose (Dr. Kraft suggests this description may have originated with Paul's enemies -- the antichrist gets a similar description in the Apocalypse of Elijah) The Martyrdom of Paul: -may have been incorporated later; separate texts existed -the Seal of the Lord, perhaps a cross on the forehead, associated with baptism -note military imagery, "the soldier of God" *The Acts of Peter (beginning) -there is here the story of Paul's journey to Spain //end of notes 11// --- RelSt 436: Life and Letters of Paul Class Notes for week #12 (8 April 1999) by Andrew M Exum Kraft began class by admitting that he is "content to wander" through today's class and texts. Tangent #1: Lilith (see Alan Humm's home page and lilith page) -myth and demon -good or bad? -Adam's first wife -famed temptress (causes nocturnal emissions, etc.) Tangent #2: Discussion of values of various e-discussion lists Tangent #3: Discussion of knowing what publishers publish what Digression: A Big Question -- When does Christianity actually become "Christianity" and not "just" Judaism? -perhaps some Christians separated from Judaism when the Romans levied special taxes on the Jews as a result of the revolt in 66-70 ce? -we know that "Jewish Christianity" still existed in 400 ce (see Jerome) -big point of contention: Jewish tradition versus Christian revelation Paul As A Revealer Figure -2 Cor. 12: Paul talks in the third person but is speaking of himself with regard to "visions and revelations." -Gal. 1: God "reveals his son in [Paul]." -1 Cor.: Paul and "spriritual gifts" (Apostles, Teachers, Miracle- Workers, Speakers in tongues, and Others), including him prophesying and communicating his revelations The NHL Apocalypse of Paul (Gnostic) -Part of the Nag Hammadi library -Two Themes and Questions Discussed -Paul as the recipient of revelation -Are these claims part of that revelation? -Reading and Discussion -The text really just serves as an outline; not elaborate or detailed. The Apocalypse of Paul (non-Gnostic) -How is Paul presented? (For an Islamic View -- see the "traditions" section on the class page: a "power-seeking Jew" who "switched sides;" includes Paul as a revealer figure; in some other depictions, Paul is even seen as a gentile.) -Paul is seen as a revealer. -called "the blood of the Lord ... roof and foundation of the Church." -Paul takes trips through heaven (afterlife romance reminicent of Dante to some extent but unique as well) -at the end, meets famous men (and Mary) //end, notes 12// --- RelSt 436: Life and Letters of Paul Class Notes for week #13 (15 April 1999) by Grace Muscarella PROLEGOMENON In an article in one of Hershel Shanks' several journals, BIBLE REVIEW (=BR), Prof. Gager of Princeton maintains (BR 12/98) that Paul addressed his concept of salvation apart from the law to the Gentiles only. The response by Ben Witherington (BR 4/99) takes the opposite (and more probable) position that Paul presented a single view of faith in Jesus without reliance on Jewish law as intended for both Jews and Gentiles. Question: To what does "Albrightian" refer (in a comment made in class)? William Foxwell Albright was the "dean" of American biblical archaeology from the 30s through the 60s. His 'literary remains' are in Philadelphia at the Philosophical Society, not at Johns Hopkins where he worked and where one would have expected his papers to have been deposited. His widely influential approach focused on the data (archaeological and also textual/linguistic) and tended to be "conservative" with reference to the historical reliability of much of the biblical tradition, without being uncritical about it. Much can still be learned from his publications. PAUL: TEXTS & TRADITIONS Review of Course Materials available on www for RS 436 Added Text: Tertullian AM-AV (texts just added to the material available, AM = against Marcion, AV = against Valentinus; also against Hermogenes, between those two!) CANONICAL TEXTS EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS: authorship? No claim to be by Paul except for the title; scroll titles were easily and often added later and adjusted. Hebrews was associated with Paul's name by the end of the 2nd c. -- evidence: 1. Origen (ca. 200-250) says it expresses Pauline ideas "but who wrote it God only knows." 2. Clement of Alexandria (late 2nd c.) thought it was written by Luke. Other names known from the Book of Acts have been suggested recently for the author of Hebrews (Apollos, Priscilla). Clement of Alexandria is too late to be of much historical value in such matters. The first generation or two, before traditions get relatively "fixed," are probably the main source of variations and confusions. This is the same Clement whose letter the late Morton Smith (author of Jesus the Magician and formerly of Columbia Univ.) claimed to have found. The letter claims to know a longer, "secret" (somewhat "gnostic") version of the Gospel of Mark, which was shortened and edited for "popular" consumption. Some scholars believe this to be a forgery, whether ancient or possibly by its discoverer (unlikely). 3. 1 Clement (an anonymous writing that is usually associated with Clement, Bishop of Rome, ca 91-96) contains a lengthy passage in chapter 36 that parallels parts of Hebrews 1-3, therefore Hebrews might be earlier or both might share a common source or possibly the author of 1 Clement wrote Hebrews (unlikely). 4. Other possible witnesses to Hebrews: Justin Martyr and Theophilus of Antioch, both mid to late 2nd c. MORE EXRACANONICAL TRADITIONS ABOUT PAUL (from the class page) Who was Paul? Extracanonical Accounts Regarding Paul's Teachings: EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLES JOSIPPON Joseppus, Hypomnestikon see Migne, #148, Patrologia Graeca, (=PG) 106 Provides a sort of 'crib' for students; shows how "quotes" (not always in accord with extant texts today) from Paul were used to present his teaching. SAMARITAN CHRONICLE 2 Samaria, between Judea and Galilee, regarded by some Jews as dangerous or unworthy in antiquity. Samaritans had their own Temple on Mt. Gerizim, which was destroyed before the turn of the era. But the Samaritan people and religious traditions survived and still exist. This Chronicle was probably written under Muslim rule. Lists twelve disciples and fourteen letters ascribed to Paul. Other early traditions also survive in Muslim settings. The Mandaeans (or 'knowers' , Semitic for Greek 'gnostics') have John the Baptist as a more central figure than Jesus. Mandaeans still exist, very attached to baptism for which they call the water "Jordan." The Samaritan Chronicle also claims that Luke worked as a physician in Antioch and in SBYWS (not vocalized). Reports that the Nazarenes had 35 Gospels apart from the four already mentioned, including one associated with Paul! For a gospel apparently written with Muslim interpretation of Jesus in view, see the "Gospel of Barnabas." [G.F.M. left early: last hour of class not covered here] //end notes 13// --- Religious Studies 436: Life and Letters of Paul Class Notes for week #14 (22 April 1999) by Eric Yearley A. We started out the class talking about the due dates of our papers. B. A question about temporal body vs. resurrected body. 1. One problem is the time gap between us and Paul. a. we must think in terms of Paul's day b. Paul really thought the end was near. c. It's hard to know what Paul would have thought if he knew the world was going to continue! 2. He talks about the death of the flesh a. Paul seems to think that since Christ has risen already, the end times have begun. b. Being "crucified with Christ" means "flesh" is overcome. 3. Sarx=flesh, this word is viewed negatively a. But body isn't viewed negatively 4. Paul is sometimes somewhat ambiguous on the subject of flesh a. This allowed many groups to go in different directions. b. Allowed for more different interpretations 5. Paul believes he has an immaterial aspect, united with the flesh, and the flesh keeps it from doing what God wants (Rom 7). a. Flesh is often connected with sin C. Body 1. We first look at what Fitzmyer has to say. 2. Paul views humans as unable to follow the Law of God because of the flesh a. Fitzmyer notes that Paul can use the word "body" to mean only flesh, blood, and bones 1. Some passages (Gal 1:16, 1 Cor 13:3, 2 Cor 4:10; 10:10, Rom 1:24) b. In others Paul uses the word "body" to mean "body of death" (Romans 8:3), "body of sin" (Rom 6:6), or sin-ruled self (Rom 7:23) 3. Flesh again is viewed as negative. Paul contrasts "flesh" and "spirit" -- flesh is life not dominated by the Spirit. D. Looking at 1 Cor 15:35 1.Paul compares how the dead are raised with growth of wheat seed. 2. Paul says that God raises the body that He has chosen. 3. Paul says that the sown seed (flesh) is perishable and raised seed (spirit) is imperishable 4. Paul says that our flesh breeds sin, but there is a way to be right with God through trust/faith. 5. Problem is raised with the flesh in 1 Cor 15:39 and body in 1 Cor 15:40 a. Maybe a solution is comparing flesh with the terrestial body 6. 1 Cor 15:39 also tells us about the author, when he talks about the three groups of animals in Jewish laws. Still holding on to his Jewish tradition. 7. What is Paul envisioning with Creation? a. He views physical first and spiritual second E. Professor Kraft talked about his dissertation on Barnabas F. Paul is interested in the end times, he is really not focused on anything else. 1. Paul describes an afterlife, but not rewards or punishments. a. Maybe he wasn't concerned about punishments 2. Talk about purgatory -- one way ticket to heaven, everyone moves up 3. Fitzmyer mentions there is a passage in the deutero-Paulines, "bonded with Satan" G. We discuss Origen, a great Christian thinker, says ultimately all souls will be saved ("universal salvation"). H. Discussion on Gnostic theology I. Jewish tradition of death 1. Someone mentions the fact that a child has to reach a certain age to talk about death, Rabbinic Judaism. J. I bring up that my translation mentions hell 1. But it is not what it says in the Greek text. This is an example of a problem with translations. K. Back to Paul 1. Paul mentions vague thoughts about this vague idea of afterlife. 2. Paul does mention that people need to clean up their lives, because they will judge angels, give us some idea of afterlife. 3. Paul only mentions Satan twice a. 1 Cor 14 and 1 Cor 12:7 BREAK -We discussed book topics, and Professor Kraft warns us to be careful when using deutero-Pauline writings in our papers. Oral -Everything is fair game that we've talked about in class. -Must know about eschatology!! You must understand eschatology to understand Paul!! -Know info about Gnostics -Why didn't the Jews like Paul? -On the web page there are guidelines and requirements about the Paul class. Read through the questions and be able to answer them! Backgrounds -We talked about the backgrounds of several modern authors Professor Kraft ended the class talking about his publications. He says the list is "thin" with respect to books. His first publication was on Barnabas. [THANKS TO ALL FOR A STIMULATING SEMESTER! RAK] //end of 1999 class notes//