Paul, John, and Apocalyptic Eschatology (Studies in Honour by Jan Krans, Bert Jan Lietaert Peerbolte, Peter-Ben Smit, Arie

By Jan Krans, Bert Jan Lietaert Peerbolte, Peter-Ben Smit, Arie Zwiep (eds.)

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Jesus has revealed his own story, globally considered, that is to say his own condition as son of God (Gal 1:16): this is the summary of the revelation that Paul has received. Naturally, once this revelation had taken place, Paul had to “flesh it out” with the story of Jesus as explained by the early community (Phil 2:6–11 and 1 Cor 8:6 are two eminent examples). The end result is a mature and deep theological discourse in which Jesus is not a mere heavenly figure, on the sidelines of the world, a kind of revelatory gnostic figure, but a person who lives out his condition of servant and endures death on a cross.

The letter to Philemon is a case in point. 34 On the one hand Paul seems to accept a continuing masterslave relationship between Onesimus and Philemon. On the other hand, the situation has irrevocably changed—through his conversion the former slave has become a son to Paul (Phlm 10). 35 The concrete application of these theological principles in the lives of real people cannot but have far-reaching social consequences and signaled the start of a movement whose momentum in the end proved to be unstoppable.

However, this remained a controversial issue. Even Peter (according to Gal 2:11) yields to the pressure from the “circumcision group” and refrains from socializing with the Gentile believers in Antioch. Paul’s public reprimand of Peter’s double standards is an indication that at least as far as the actual integration of Gentile believers in the community of faith is concerned, Paul acted in accordance with his own precepts. As far as the second inclusion (slave and free) is concerned, we find a different picture.

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