Religious Studies 436 Paul Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2001 12:45:57 -0500 Subject: Book Review by Dickson Kungu. From: dickson kungu Davies, W.D. Paul and Rabbinic Judaism</> Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1980. (Other editions:1948, 1955, 1970) -At the time of the 1980 edition, the author was George Washington Ivey Professor of Christian Origins at Duke University. -The book is considered a classic and I agree. I learnt so much from it. -The introduction, "Paul and Judaism since Schweitzer," advises us to see Hellenism and Judaism as interacting and influencing each other. Ist century Judaism in Palestine as well as in the diaspora was not isolated from the Graeco-Roman world around it. -The dichotomy between apocalyptic Judaism and Pharisaical Judaism cannot be maintained. -Schweitzer's emphasis on Eschatology is good but overdone, and does not give due attention to Paul the Pharisee. -Justification by faith is important to Paul but not central. -Davies shows how many of Paul's ideas are derived from Judaism (apocalyptic as well as Pharisaical), and even where Paul differs with Judaism a development of the latter is demonstrable. -What was central to Paul was Christ. -Davies recommends J.A. Sanders, E.P. Sanders, and Jacob Neusner for 1st century Judaism. -Davies, while appreciating E.P.Sander's notion of "covenantal nomism," finds Sander's neglect of the apocalyptic Paul unacceptable. -Davies' strategy is as follows: -introduce a Pauline idea -refute its Hellenistic origin as suggested by other scholars -demonstrate its' origin in the Jewish scriptures and Jewish writings -show how Paul, in view of his conviction that Jesus is the Messiah, develops Pharisaic notions. -Davies structures the body of the book on the movement from the old (Jewish background) to the new (Paul's development of the old in view of Christ). -His topics are: Flesh, sin, Adam, Israel, Man, Torah, Wisdom, obedience, Spirit, The death of Jesus, Resurrection. Flesh: The flesh is not sinful, but it is under the influence of the evil inclination (sin). Adam: As the 1st Adam represented mankind, so the 2nd Adam represents a new humanity. Israel:Paul torn between the logic of his gospel (universalism) and the conviction of his background (national Israel). Man: The individual Christian , like the individual Israelite, belongs to a community, and every community has its rules. Torah: Since Torah in its wider sense is the revelation of the character and works of God, then Jesus is the New Torah. Obedience: The Spirit is at work in the Church, proving that, unlike 1st century Israel, the community is worthy. This worth was gained through the death of Jesus on the cross, which was proof of his perfect obedience. Resurrection: Judaism's hope of the afterlife and the Messianic age had arrived in Jesus the Messiah. The eschaton was come and the new bodies made available for believers. As soon as they died, or the Messiah returned, they were given their new bodies. -All along, Davies admits that Paul was aware of Greek ideas and knew the Greek language, but de did not need Graeco-Roman ideas to explain his views. Evaluation: Davies does a great job in demonstrating that Paul remained a Jew, depended on Judaism, and did not consider himself an author of a new religion but a leader of fulfilled Judaism in the Messiah. Problem: If it is true that Judaism was infiltrated by Hellenism, then is Daives justified in not emphasizing this infiltration, not just in vocabulary, but also in ideas? -Davies is excellent in showing Paul's dilemma between nationalism and universalism(Ch.4). I wish he had searched out a similar dilemma between Paul the Jew and Paul the Graeco-Roman. //end of review//