| Letters of Paul |
| Articles |
| Extra-Canonical Gospels |
| Ashton, John: The Religion of Paul the Apostle (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2000). Library of Congress 00-105010. [Lev Baesh] | ||||
| Den Heyer, C.J.: Paul: A Man of Two Worlds. Trinity Press International, Harrisburg, PA, translated by John Bowden, 2000. ISBN 1-56338-301-2. #225.9/H514p [Ronald W. Francey] | ||||
| Dunn, James D.G.: The Theology of Paul the Apostle (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1998.) Moulton Library 227 D 922t [Leo Paquin] | ||||
| Eastman, Brad: The Significance of Grace in the Letters of Paul. New York: Peter Lang, c. 1999. Moulton Library #227.06 Ea78s. [Violet Eastman] | ||||
| Keesmaat, Sylvia C.: Paul and his Story: (Re)Interpreting the Exodus Traditions. (Sheffield Academic Press, Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement Series #181, Sheffield, England, 1999). ISBN 1-85075-964-2. #222.12 K258p. [Ronald W. Francey] | ||||
| Matera, Frank J.: Strategies for Preaching Paul (Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical Press, 2001.) Moulton Library 251 M417s [Leo Paquin] | ||||
| Roetzel,
Calvin J. Paul : The Man and the Myth (from: Series on Personalities of
the New Testament, D. Moody Smith, series editor). Publisher. Columbia, S.C.
University of South Carolina Press, 1998. Collation: xii, 269 p. ; 24 cm.
ISBN 1-57003-264-5. St. Paul’s School, Ohrstrom Library #225.92/P28R. [Julien
Olivier]
| ||||
| Thompson, James W. : Preaching Like Paul: Homiletical Wisdom for Today (Westminster/John Knox Press, 2001) 251 T374p [Mary Edes] | ||||
| Wallace, Richard and Williams, Wynne: The Three Worlds of Paul of Tarsus (London and New York: Routledge, 1998). Bangor Theological Seminary, Moulton Library #225.92 W155t. [Anna Mae Mayer] | ||||
| Van
Buren, Paul M.: According to the Scriptures: The Origins of the Gospel and
the Church's Old Testament ( William B. Eerdman's, Grand Rapids MI;
Cambridge UK 1998 ) 220.6 V915a [Mary Edes]
| ||||
| Wangerin, Walter: Paul: A Novel (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2000). PS3573.A477 P3 2000. [Anna Mae Mayer] | ||||
| Walton,
Steve. Leadership and lifestyle: The Portrait of Paul in the Miletus speech
and 1 Thessalonians. Cambridge (UK): Cambridge University Press, 2000.
Collation: xiv, 256 p. ; 23 cm. Moulton Library (BTS): 225.92/W1781; ISBN 0
521 78006 3. [Julien Olivier]
| ||||
| Watson, Francis: Agape, Eros, Gender: Towards a Pauline Sexual Ethic (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000). [Lev Baesh] | ||||
| Witherington, Ben: The PAUL QUEST: The Renewed Search For the Jew of Tarsus. Downers Grove, Illinois: Intervarsity Press, c. 1998. Moulton Libraray 227.09 w775p. [Violet Eastman] |
| Shelter, Jeffrey: "Reassessing an Apostle." U. S. News & World Report v. 126 no 13 (April 5, 19999): p. 52-5. ISSN: 0041-5537 Number BRDG99022145 Copyright: The magazine publisher is the copyright holder of this article and it is reproduced with permission. [Violet Eastman] |
| Volf, Miroslav: "The Social Meaning of Reconciliation," Interpretation 158-172 54, no 2 (April 2000): p.158-172. ISSN: 0020-9643 Number 52600636 Copyright: Interpretation International April 2000 [Violet Eastman] |
| Friedrich-Wilhelm Marquardt. What Think You of Christ: Jesus at Issue Between Christians and Jews, Theology Today, vol. 58 no.2 (July 2001 ) [Mary Edes] |
Useful link: http://www.ntcanon.org/writings.shtml
Dr. Thompson is the Associate Dean of the Graduate School of Theology at Abilene Christian University and the editor of Restoration Quarterly. He is the author of several other books, including Our Life Together, The Mark of a Christian, Strategy for Survival, The Church in Exile, Equipped for Change and commentaries on 2 Corinthians and Hebrews. He was a translator of the Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament. His research interests include the relationship between biblical interpretation and preaching. (biographical information obtained from Dr. Thompson's web site: http://bible.acu.edu/GST/faculty/thompson.htm)
The intended audience for Preaching Like Paul includes preachers, of course, but might well interest any person or group whose aim is to foster and encourage a stronger sense of corporate identity in our increasingly pluralistic religious communities.
Dr. Thompson's basic premise is that the situation confronting Christian preachers in the post Christian twenty first century is not unlike that which was met by the apostle Paul in his own pre Christian age. His reasoning being that the hearers of both eras were and are unfamiliar with and unschooled in the basic tenets of the Christian faith. The author recognizes that in every age, including Paul's own, preachers have attempted to communicate the Gospel message in ways that are understandable to the hearers of that age. Most recently we have seen a move away from argumentative, Aristotelean preaching, that is: 'getting an idea across', to a narrative style, or leading the hearers to 'experience the text.' (pg.3) He states that, beginning in the late nineteen seventies, and acting on the common observation that the Good News was old news to contemporary listeners, preachers began to develop and engage in ever more creative, narrative styles of preaching in order to capture and keep the interest of congregants whose attention spans had been largely formed and dictated by TV standards. This shift in preaching style was, at the time, needed and welcomed by many, including Dr. Thompson. However, it is the opinion of the author that, as a result of that trend, preaching is now, more than ever, being directed toward the concerns of the individual, or at most, the immediate concerns of the individual community. Thus, contemporary preaching, which no longer places any requirement or response from the listener, has devolved from that which is concerned with the 'larger agenda' of Christian faith and formation (pg. 90), into a sort of consumer driven commodity that functions as a self help aid for individual congregants, or 'counseling on a group scale.' (pg. 87)
That said, Dr. Thompson believes that today we may no longer assume that our hearers are familiar with Christian texts, ethics, liturgy, or history, and so it is time once again to revisit our task as preachers. He sees Paul's letters as a possible corrective model for recapturing those aspects of preaching that might educate and/or 'remind' (pg. 135 ff.) parishioners of who(se) they are, and what is expected of them as members of the whole; aspects that were central to the early formation of the corporate identity among worshipping Christians: evangelization and pastoral care. Evangelization and Pastoral Care are not to be understood as post enlightenment scholarly discourse, or the more enthusiastic revival round-up alternating with hand holding at bedside. Rather these concepts should be reclaimed: evangelization as careful and continuing education in what it means to call oneself a Christian, and pastoral care as the kind of shepherding that is aimed toward the entire community, leading them, as a body, in a particular direction and utilizing both rod and staff, correction and encouragement, to that end.
In conversation with other religious scholars, and drawing primarily from Paul's letters themselves, Dr Thompson contends that the form, style, content, and overall intent of Paul's letters, while never intended as sermons per se, were never the less intended to be read, and heard aloud. They are therefore, he believes a valid, appropriate, and mostly overlooked source of inspiration for today’s preachers.
The irony of course is that, as Paul points out, his preaching was not always successful, and that many if not most who did hear him were neither converted nor impressed. But, like the vigilant parent who consistently and continuously instructs the children in the benefits of eating dark green, leafy vegetables, and urges them to eat their spinach whether they like it or not, Paul never waivers in his message, believing that 'God has called him to be faithful, not successful.' Not depending '...on his cleverness, sermonic technique, audience manipulation, or adaptation of the text for maximum results, [Paul] confronts the audience with a message that it does not want to hear, leaving the response to God.' And in so doing, 'Paul gave his listeners a clear choice, a message they could reject! We easily forget that most of them did.' (pp. 48-9.)
As one who preaches regularly to small rag-tag group of about the same size as the early Christian communities, I felt this book might have something useful or at least interesting to say, and in that regard I was not disappointed. This is an accessible text and offers the reader a great deal on which to reflect with regard to the role and function of modern preaching. The primary questions it raised for me are: To whom am I preaching? What is my responsibility to them and to the church? How do we navigate the needs of the church within the wider goal of world community?
Given my final question, what is missing, for me, is a necessary word of caution. While Dr. Thompson does admit to the counter cultural aspect of preaching in this manner, he does not admit to the outright danger of it. Yes, he sees the danger in terms of possible offense and rejection of the message, but not in terms of exacerbating the problem of polarization between those within and those outside the Christian faith. He seems disturbed, as I know many people are, by the growing pluralism in our churches and seeks to reign them in for their own good, but I am not convinced that pluralism is in every instance an ill to be overcome. It is, I agree, a reality that must be addressed from the pulpit, but I would argue that our focus must be fixed on that filament thin line that says, Yes to the Christian faith on the one hand, and, Yes to the 'larger agenda' of God which remains beyond our grasp.
For better and for worse, the letters of Paul succeed in fostering and encouraging solid corporate identity in the church, while at the same time laying a foundation of sectarianism and exclusivity that has remained with us to this day. It is how the Christian faith has survived in the large numbers it still enjoys world wide, but its exclusive claim to authority has a shadowy legacy, as well, and one we ignore at our own peril.
I chose this book because it appeared to be interesting. Besides, being the last to choose from the list, my options were limited.
Calvin J. Roetzel (Arnold Lowe Professor of Religious Studies at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota) is the author of several books, including The Letters of Paul: Conversations in Context. Roetzel received his Ph.D. from Duke University and has studied at Oxford, Tübingen and Tantur Ecumenical Institute in Israel. The author’s purpose is stated in chapter one: "…our aim here is…to attempt an overview of Paul’s life in light of his historical context and the New Testament and apocryphal writings either by him or about him." (9-10)
After Acknowledgements and Abbreviations, the book has an Introduction followed by six chapters, which constitute the body of the book. It is followed by a lengthy (81 pages) post-text made up of an Excursus on Pauline Chronology, Notes and extensive Bibliography, Index of Scriptural Passages and Index of Subjects. The Introduction is well worth reading and, for the busy inquirer, will serve as an excellent summary of the whole. The body goes from chronological (The Early Paul and The Apostle to the Gentile) to thematic (The Letter Writer, The Theologizer, "The Model Ascetic," and The Mythic Apostle.
To say that this book is well researched and documented is an understatement. There are 542 notes (considerately organized by chapter, with a page notation at the top), 13 double-columned pages of Index of Passages (references are to the Hebrew Bible, O.T. Apocrypha, N.T. Apocrypha, N.T. and the Qumran texts) and 14 pages of bibliography. Moreover, the author uses—and appropriately cites—numerous parallel texts from the literature—letters especially—of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Countries. Fortunately, although it by no means a novel, I found that the text remains relatively unencumbered by all this documentation. The notes offer the reader the opportunity to read more extensively about an item of particular interest. I found myself doing so every two pages or so. The same is true of the biblical references which abound within the text, some of which are written in Greek others with author emphasis or translated by him. Moreover Roetzel draws heavily upon historical data to help interpret the texts and fill in the gaps "like the sympathetic observer who imagines an entire table where Rembrandt painted only a corner." (Introduction, 2) Nevertheless, Roetzel makes every possible attempt to allow the text to say only what it means, seeking substantiating evidence elsewhere. When literary, historical and theological interpretations are sought from contemporary authors, Roetzel outlines the possibilities and then tells us which, if any, he prefers and why.
Roetzel focuses his interpretation of Paul’s life first on those seven letters which he sees as "undisputed letters" (in chronological order: I Thes., Gal., 1 Cor., 2 Cor. 10-13, Phil., Philemon, 2 Cor. 1-9, Rom.); secondly, on Acts, which he sees as written some 10-20 years after Paul’s death and which contains information more theological than historical; thirdly, on biblical texts, canonical and then apocryphal; finally, on other texts, parallel documents of the period (especially Josephus and Philo of Alexandria), commentaries by Church Fathers and texts which, although not historical and clearly prejudicial, offer insights into the legacy Paul has left even to this day. (See, e.g., the chapters on Paul’s asceticism and mythical status.)
Roetzel’s rigorous textual analysis confirms some "certainties" about Paul’s origins and early life up to his "call" (a word he prefers over "conversion," which implies a foregoing of Judaism); he questions others and flatly rejects a few. According to this author, Paul was and always remained a Jew. He grew up in a strongly Hellenized environment but only "probably in Tarsus" (for this quote and the next, 42). And it is "doubtful that he was a citizen of either Rome or Tarsus." A Diaspora Jew, Paul "shared a broad range of convictions, an evaluation of what was scriptural, and an approach to texts that were Pharisaic." (24) But Roetzel stops short of asserting that Paul was a Pharisee. Moreover, according to Roetzel’s analysis, "it is unlikely that Paul studied under the great Pharisee Gamaliel"; and, as a member of the working class," he would have "learned a skill from his father." Later, "Paul’s persecution of messianists did not include capital punishment." (39) But how does he arrive at these conclusions? One example will illustrate the method: Was Paul a Pharisee? Paul’s being a Pharisee would seem to be one of the core, popular beliefs about Paul. It gives meaning to the persecution accounts, drama to Paul’s "conversion" and substance to his theology of grace. Yet the best Roetzel can say is that Paul was "one partial to Pharisaism." (43) Why? First, Acts (23:6; 22:3) is to be discounted as burdened with theological baggage. But what about Paul’s own words? Roetzel would say that, on this subject, they are few and questionable. The only explicit text is Phil. 3:4-6 "…a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law a Pharisee." But, asks, Roetzel, could the text (kata nomov pharisaios) not be translated, "I am sympathetic to and inclined toward the Pharisaic point of view"? Next, from this internal analysis, he examines Gal. 1:14 where Paul refers to "the traditions of my fathers." If Paul were a Pharisee, why doesn’t he say so clearly here? Finally, Roetzel asks if it would have been possible for Paul to be a strict Pharisee in the Diaspora. The evidence, he says, is weak. Therefore, he concludes that Paul was inclined toward Pharisaism, a statement he proves by first analyzing Pharisaism in Paul’s time: important studies by Neusner and Rivkin who examine the Mishnah, Talmud and Midrashim; and other exegetes, Josephus and the Gospel references. From that analysis, he can say that the Pharisees of the day were concerned with the spiritualization of text and tradition, concepts which, through internal analysis of Paul, Roetzel sees as important. Therefore, Paul, probably not a Pharisee, is heavily influenced by Pharisaism.
I am glad I read this book although "enjoyed" is a word I would use with precaution. Given the tightness of analysis, the casual reader might be discouraged. Yet, there is much of value here for both lay and specialized audiences. Whether the book gets read by general audiences or not, I believe that several interrelated concepts, central to the author’s analysis, warrant wider exposure: (1) Paul—the one who would grow to mythic proportions for both friend and foe—was first a man, and considerable data can be found to document his life (e.g. "where he grew up, the language he spoke, the Bible he knew, the status of his parents, and his training at his father’s side to work with leather." (176); (2) "Paul’s humanity…can hardly be understood outside of the sacred world that he inhabited." (177); and (3) Paul’s theologizing, as evidenced in his letters, evolved, and his "social and theological worlds intersect." (177) It is at their nexus that we discover the real Paul, provocative to some, an inspiration to others, vastly influential.
I chose this book because the title seemed interesting.
C.J. den Heyer is Professor of New Testament at the Theological University of the Reformed Churches in The Netherlands. The author’s claim is that the primary way one knows Paul is through an historical and biographical approach. Paul’s theology and beliefs developed gradually so chronology is important (p. 5.)
A brief introduction mentions the importance given to Paul’s life through the centuries. He wrote within the context of his own time and not for us two thousand years later. The author uses fourteen chapters to describe the chronology and context of Paul’s life to further our understanding of Paul’s letters.
The repetitive theme is that Paul is a man of two worlds: a Jew and a Christian. A biographical sketch names Paul as a Diaspora Jew, a Roman citizen, a Hellenistic Jew, from a family that had him educated in Pharisaic Law, taught by Gamaliel, a Zealot. Paul was well educated, speaking several languages and traveling widely.
The author claims that there are only two textual ways to know Paul. One can read the second half of Acts which gives a chronology of Paul’s life and travels and one can read Paul’s letters. Often the chronology in Acts differs from that of Paul’s letters. Which is accurate? The author claims that Paul ought to know about his own travels and happenings and so discounts Acts (p.19.)
The author prefers to not label Paul’s experience or vision on the road to Damascus as a conversion experience but rather names it as an apocalyptic vision, an event where Paul experienced the living Christ. For Paul, although the scandal of the cross was important, it was the bodily resurrection that was of utmost importance. It was not the suffering Christ but the crucified Christ that was central (p. 76.)
Den Heyer emphasizes Paul’s concern regarding immorality especially that which existed in the Hellenistic city of Corinth. Corinth was a cosmopolitan city with great diversity in religions which included pagan worship, worship of the Greek Goddess Aphrodite and the Egyptian Goddess Isis. Women were said to have much more predominance and freedom of expression. Prostitution was an accepted norm. Gentile Christians often frequented the houses of ill repute and continued to do so as followers of Christ. Jewish Christians felt they and anybody else who were Christians must continue to strictly adhere to the Torah (pp. 137-146.)
The author states that Paul’s text saying women should take a subservient role and should be quiet was written within the context of women’s freedom of expression within the Hellenistic culture. Den Heyer claims we take much of Paul’s writing out of context today.
Paul is often portrayed as one who is very direct, sarcastic, and emotional. He is defensive especially regarding his sense of being called, not by man, but by God as an apostle of Jesus Christ. Repeatedly Paul begins several of his seven letters mentioning his being an apostle so that he may be more credible among the people. He is often not listened to by the Gentile Christians as he persecuted them so vehemently prior to his Damascus episode. He is not accepted by the Christian Jews because he seemed not to follow the specifics of the Torah especially regarding cirmcumcision.
Paul worked toward unity, unity of all into the one body of Christ. He especially wrote that we are "to live in harmony with one another" (p. 251.) We are "standing with empty hands" before God (p. 271) regardless of our being Gentile Christians or Jewish Christians. We should fear not because it is not forgiveness that is important but that we have been set free by God.
"Paul’s striking remark about ‘Christ as the rock in the wilderness’ was not the result of a theological reflection between the two Testaments" (p. 152.) Den Heyer emphasizes that Paul believed that scripture, what we call Old Testament, gave several warnings to people about the ways of right living but that now, for Paul, the end of the ages had come (I Cor. 10: 11.) We are the one body.
Den Heyer gave me some incite into a re-reading of Paul’s letters. I have a new way of interpreting "Jew first" when used in the Roman setting where the Jews were no longer first but were returning from being cast out of the area. In this context, the expression is used not to make claim of Jewish superiority but as a reminder to the Gentile Christians that the Jews had been first and now deserved appropriate respect.
I appreciate the work done in describing the Hellenistic culture and the effect it had on Paul. I also feel closer to the emotional side of Paul as he worked toward unity.
I choose this book because I was interested in learning more about the culture of Paul’s time, how it interfaced with the Jewish religion and in how it influenced his writing.
Richard Wallace is a lecturer in the Department of Classics at Keele University and the treasurer of the Classical Association.
Wynne Williams is a retired teacher of ancient history at Keele University.
Together Wallace and Williams co-authored the book, The Acts of the Apostles: A Companion (1993). The authors’ purpose, stated in the preface, "is to give readers who are interested in Paul of Tarsus some insight into the sort of world in which he moved."
After a list of illustrations, the preface and a list of abbreviations, the body of the book is divided into the following four parts: 1. The World of Paul, 2. Peoples, Cultures and Languages, 3. The City, the State and the Individual, 4. Paul’s Cities. An extensive bibliography and index follow. The introduction in part one alerts the reader to the three worlds that the authors intend to address, namely, the native cultures of the region in which the activities of Paul took place, the Hellenes or speakers of Greek, and the Romans. Each chapter ends with suggestions for further reading and there is a 10-page bibliography containing 173 cited books and articles.
This book is scholarly and is heavily documented. It delves into the historical, social, political and cultural contexts from the time of and before Paul of Tarsus. The authors consistently cite the biblical passages that correspond with or that illustrate the material of the chapters and effectively quote from the philosophers, historians and rulers of the ancient world. In total it gives the reader a large picture of the consequences of Hellenization, Roman rule and local cultures on the thinking and actions of Paul and vice versa.
As an illustration, we can look at the concept of self-identification. While Cicero (Stoic philosopher, 106-43 BCE) lists the various levels of association among humans such as same people, tribe, language and kindred, Paul seeks to establish a new level of association: "Here there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian (non-Greek), Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all in all. (Col. 3:11). The authors note that this type of Jewish self-identification by religious allegiance rather than by political or ethnic ties was probably unique in the ancient Mediterranean world. (p. 118) The concept of slavery is another aspect of the ancient world that is discussed in both biblical and secular literature. While Paul says that masters should treat their slaves justly and fairly (Col. 4:1), Seneca (Roman statesman and Stoic philosopher, 4 BCE- 65 C.E) says slaves should respect their master, not fear them. (p. 148) In this case the authors believe that "there is no reason to believe that the attitudes of Christians to slavery in antiquity were ever significantly different from those of their non-Christian neighbors." (p. 149)
While I appreciated the wide historical and cultural scope of this book, I found myself wishing that the authors had taken more time to delve into the personal religious world of Paul and the way in which it interfaced with the Greek and Roman worlds. The parts of chapter eight that deal with religion and philosophy were helpful in that regard, but I would have liked to have seen more throughout the book. That being said, I still found this book very useful in giving shape to the reality of that time period. It gave me a deep appreciation of the difficulties and challenges that Paul encountered in his travels and in his preaching. The section that covered the cities of Paul’s travels was very inviting. Again, it heightened my appreciation for the diversity of peoples who were touched by Paul’s preaching as well as my understanding as to why Paul was so often on the run. While this book was not written for the casual reader, it can be a valuable resource for any student of New Testament times. For the most part, the text reads fairly easily, but there are times when the parenthetical material and foreign names and terminology require the reader to slow the pace. Just the same, it is worth the effort.
Malina describes The Three Worlds of Paul of Tarsus as a work of "social history" that describes the reality of the regions associated with Paul, namely, his own ethnic enclave, the wider area of Hellenistic influence and the sphere of Roman influence. After describing the structure of the book, he goes on to charge that "the book lacks adequate explanation of the presuppositions and models the authors employ to make their evidence evident." He notes that terms such as pagan, Jew, or Christian are anachronistic for the time period being explored in the book, that the treatment of the concept of self-identification lacks cross-cultural perspectives and that the authors "totally ignore the social scientific investigations of people in biblical studies." Malina also claims that Israelite henotheism is incorrectly identified as monotheism.
The reviewer concludes in the end that the book provides a wealth of useful information.
After reading this review, I have several comments. It would have been useful to me if Mr. Malina had given an example of a passage in the book that lacked an adequate explanation of its presuppositions and demonstrated how he would have presented the same material. As it is, this particular critique leaves me hanging in mid-air.
Terms such as Christian, Jew or pagan might be anachronistic for the time if put into the mouths of Paul or Seneca. However, I think the authors use of those terms helps the reader to identify religious groupings in terms that are readily understandable in the year 2002. I don’t think they suggested that those terms were in use during the time of Paul.
I agree with Malina that the book relies little on biblical studies. Although not completely absent, I think that a more explicit and expanded treatment of Jewish culture and religious practices of the time would have enhanced the book.
Finally, the concept of henotheism, belief in one god without denying the existence of others, is a new one for me. And it is the first time that I have read that the Israelite relationship to Yahweh was something other than a belief that there is only one God.
It would be interesting to do a bit of research on that topic.
I chose this title because of its appeal. Paul remains enigmatic to me. I hoped to learn of the man's leadership style and, and perhaps, in the process, gain insight into leadership in today's Christian community.
Steve Walton is an ordained priest and former chaplain to the Bishop of St. Albans (England). He is an author and a Lecturer in Greek and NT Studies at the London Bible College. In this revised version of Walton's PhD thesis (Univ. of Sheffield, 1997), the author is addressing specialists interested the "Paul of Acts and Paul of Epistles" debate.
There are seven sections to the book, but its core structure is quite forthright: (1) An examination of Paul's Miletus speech found in Acts 20:17:38 (the reason for its choice, the objectivity of possible parallels, and the context of the speech); (2) a comparison of the Miletus speech and Luke's Gospel; (3) finally another comparison, this time to 1 Thess. To this the author adds an examination of two other letters (Eph. and 1 Tim.), asking if they could have been used for this comparative study rather than 1 Thess. He concludes with a summary, followed by implications for further study of the Miletus speech and the Paul of Acts, Paul of epistles" debate and he proposes future work suggested by this study. There are two excursus into the text and translation of Acts 20:28b and the text of Lk. 22:17-20.
The text is tight. The author proceeds methodically, examining question after question with rigorous analysis. The exegetical evidence offered is of three types: Intense scholarly research (what 20th century authors have to say about a particular issue or interpretation), some logical analysis, and much linguistic scrutiny. There are constant references to the Greek text, to word counts, word study and word-groups; he examines other or parallel texts in the Gospel, Acts, Pauline and Pseudo-Pauline letters. Several pages of parallel texts in diagram form illustrate the author's point. If that is not enough, the reader is referred to copious footnotes. Walton weighs the pros and the cons of each issue, attempting to make as many definitive choices possible.
Walton's overall purpose is to revisit the "Paul of Luke, Paul of the epistles" debate by studying the Miletus speech of Acts 20:17:38 and comparing it to an epistle with similar themes, an epistle deemed to have been definitely written by Paul. If this comparison proves positive (and it does), he expects to link the two texts demonstrating that Luke knew Paul or, at least, his writings and used this knowledge in the composition of Acts. But, in his view, which epistles qualify as definitely Pauline? For Walton, they are six in number (although the intense analysis arriving at this conclusion is assumed here): Rom., 1 and 2 Cor., Gal., 1 Thess. and "probably" Phil. Thematic similarity dictates his choice of 1 Thess. for the present study.
Walton sees in the speech "four themes…specially worthy of note." (84) They will be developed further when the Miletus speech is compared to other material in Luke-Acts (particularly the Last Supper) and 1 Thess. These themes are: the fulfillment of leadership responsibility, suffering, attitudes to wealth and work, and the death of Jesus. My interest in the leadership issue leads me to use it here as an example of the author's methodology.
Having read the Miletus text carefully, the author states that the leadership "theme runs through the whole speech." Paul sets out his own track record and uses it to urge "the elders to fulfill their ministry." (84) Seeking to understand that record, Walton examines the vocabulary. Paul says that he has done his work well. (1) The repetition of pas (all) demonstrates that he "has carried out his task fully"; it "underscores Paul's faithfulness in fulfilling his task." Scholars, including L.T. Johnson, agree. (2) Seven negatives in the text show "the fulfillment of Paul's responsibilities." (85) Again the scholars agree. The author then shows how Paul tells the elders, both explicitly and implicitly, to imitate him; Greek text and verses are cited. Finally, he examines the designations given the Ephesian leaders; there are three: presbuteroi, episkopoi and poimenes. What is unusual, he says, is Luke's "using the first two terms for the same group." (86) Again, Walton's scholars agree-there are his usual reference to periti. So, he asks, what does Luke really mean by these words? The analysis takes him to other citations in Acts and to examination of the usage of the first two in the Jewish and Greco-Roman world of the time. Taking then R.A. Campbell as the decisive authority in the matter (why is not said), episkopoi is interpreted as "senior leadership of the church in Ephesus" and oi presbuteroi tès ecclèsias as an honorific designation "which implies that Luke did not read the church leadership titles of his own day back into apostolic times." (86)
This was not, for me, easy or particularly enjoyable reading. It was like having my interest in a beautiful, ancient city subjected to mathematical analysis of arcane engineering. If I gained some of understanding of Paul's leadership, the contemporary application of that understanding remains mine to do. Walton addresses the specialist. The trade jargon abounds: Doppelwerk, Sondergut, paranetic, frühkatholisch world, epexegetic… A careful reading of his text would entail checking at least the biblical references (better done in Greek). That would be a long and even more painful task, which might, however, be worth the effort for the serious student. However, even the non-initiate can gain insight from watching Walton the specialist at work. I was also occasionally drawn into discussions that I found of particular interest: leadership, the idea of Lukanisms, the reflection on "Jesus the consummate leader" (134). Finally, the author has made the text more intelligible-if not elegant-through two devices I found useful: the use of decimal numbered outline in the text and summary statements to keep the reader on target.
Having read and thoroughly enjoyed The Red Tent by Anita Diamant, an artful telling of the stories of Leah, Rachel, Zilpah and Bilhah through the voice of Dinah, it was my hope that Wangerin’s retelling of the story of Paul might be equally as artful and engaging.
Walter Wangerin holds the Jochum Chair at Valparaiso University, where he is a writer-in-residence. He has written three children’s books along with thirteen other books, including the award winning The Book of the Dun Cow and The Book of God. Paul: A Novel has been awarded the Gold Medallion Book Award in recognition of excellence in Evangelical Christian Literature. Wangerin is a Lutheran pastor and is reaching out to a wide audience with the intention of presenting the story of the emerging church after the death of Jesus. Paul is at the center of his rendering of the story.
This novel fits into the genre of biblical fiction. It has a prologue set in Corinth, which corresponds to the action of section three, five major sections set in Damascus, Antioch, Corinth, Ephesus, and Jerusalem respectively, and an epilogue set in Rome. The book’s ninety-nine chapters are presented as first person narratives by voices of the New Testament such as Prisca, James, Jude, Luke, Rhoda, Titus and Paul himself. The main exceptions to this are the chapters narrated by Seneca, a Roman statesman and Stoic philosopher who died around the year 65 CE. His chapters provide the political backdrop to Paul’s time and put into context the names of Roman officials that appear in the New Testament writings.
While it is easy to trace the biblical parallels of the chapters written in the voices of Luke and Paul, the other chapters are necessarily far more inventive. Not knowing the writings of Seneca, it is not possible for me to determine how much they might be based in his actual letters. There are no footnotes or citations to indicate the sources the author used in the writing of his book. However, there is an extensive character list of all the names that appear in this novel along with a very brief explanation of each person.
All in all, this book paints a portrait of Paul as a tireless preacher of the message of Christ, blest with a gift of enormous persuasion and willing to face any hardship in pursuit of his mission. The struggle that faced the early church over what to do with Gentile converts and the keeping of the Law gets major play along with Paul’s understanding of his new freedom in Christ. Paul generally is able to out-walk, out-preach and out-argue anyone, Jew or Gentile, Greek or Roman. In this paragraph, narrated by the apostle James, Paul has once again gained the upper hand in the on-going disagreement about what demands should be placed on Gentile converts.
"I folded my hands and tucked my chin into my throat. I was suffering a sudden sense of panic. I needed time to reflect, because my mouth had outrun my mind. That last statement of mine had, in fact, shifted my position, and Saul had recognized the variance faster than I did. He had leaped on my words and changed the language to his own advantage. The Law to us is still the Law, I’d said, with stress on the personal distinction, us. It permitted Saul to extrapolate: but not to the Gentiles." (p. 156)
Described in great detail are Paul’s physical afflictions: scarring from his numerous beatings and an excruciatingly painful back. While he requires a morning backrub to get him up and running, the apostle, by and large, seems to be able to overcome any impediment. Indeed, even prison cannot hold Paul back. Such is the strength of this teaching that prison officials are forced to change guards on a daily basis lest Paul’s persistent teachings convince them to set him free.
My overwhelming response to this book was annoyance. While it was easy to read and, at times, entertaining, the complexities of the early Jesus movement and of the emergence of the new church were glossed over in favor of an ever triumphant Paul. Other apostles, such as Peter and James, are diminished in stature as Paul is presented as the one person who truly understands the implications of the message of Jesus and how it must be lived. In the end, the story does little justice to Paul, as I was left with an impression of a man unable to appreciate and respect the religious concerns of his brother Jews, his own religious heritage or the feelings of those who did not see eye to eye with him. I sympathized with Prisca and Barnabas and they tried to collaborate with Paul. It would not have been an easy task if the author’s rendering of the apostle is even close to reality.
A novel such as this one allows the author to present a certain point of view. In that regard, the author does a good job. He sees Paul as a dedicated apostle, responsible at once for carrying the message of Christ to the Gentile world and for protecting the Gentiles against an unnecessary imposition of Mosaic Law. However, the way in which this is portrayed gives me pause to consider the dangers of Christianity triumphant. For this reason I would be reluctant to recommend the novel.
Book review of Paul: A Novel by Walter Wangerin / Reviewer: Jill Pelaez Baumgaertner / Source: "The Christian Century" v. 117 no 22 (Aug. 2-9, 2000) p. 796-800. [Anna Mae Mayer]
Baumgaertner offers an enthusiastic review of Wangerin’s novel on the apostle Paul. She feels that he overcomes the many pitfalls associated with biblical fiction and succeeds in writing an imaginative book that retells the scriptural story while remaining grounded in the scriptural texts. She takes the time to point out some Lutheran emphases in the retelling such as Paul’s love of paradox, and the theology of the cross and of the two kingdoms. She attributes this to the fact that Wangerin is a Lutheran pastor. She might have added to the list Paul’s emphasis on faith, not the law/works, a recurring theme in the book.
Baumgaertner wondered how Wangerin would handle some of the more problematic passages from Paul’s letters, especially his teachings on women. She generously allows that Wangerin’s approach is almost convincing. "He portrays Paul admitting to Prisca that until he saw Lydia preach and lead worship, he thought women should always remain silent. The experience changed his mind." My opinion is that Wangerin’s approach fails. By straying so far from the text on this point, Wangerin missed a prime opportunity to add a realistic dimension to his portrayal of Paul and to present the situation of women at that time. I agree with Baumgaertner that the scene that has Prisca’s husband Aquila getting up from the table to serve the meal is contrived. She feels that it was a valiant attempt to deal with text that does not allow much wiggle room. I feel that it just doesn’t work.
Baumgaertner concludes, "In the main, this novel masterfully integrates theological thinking, historical research and artistic rendering. It does more than merely play a biblical story for its imaginative possibilities; it presents what one thought one knew about scripture in such a way that it becomes a new exploration."
Baumgaertner is the Century’s poetry editor and, as such, might not hold the same concerns as I do about this book. She concentrates on Wangerin’s presentation of the material and sees the presentation as imaginative. I am concerned about the theological message that it sends even as a novel. Perhaps Baumgaertner’s assessment of this book is fairer, especially considering that it is a novel. Having previously stated my reservations about this portrayal of Paul, I won’t repeat them here. But, those reservations will not allow me to share Baumgaertner’s enthusiasm for this book.
Paul M. van Buren (1924-1998) was professor emeritus of systematic theology at Temple University. His other books include Christ in Our Place, The Secular Meaning of the Gospel, The Edges of Language, and the three volume Theology of the Jewish Christian Reality.
The intended audience for this book is anyone who wishes to explore and, hopefully, make some sense of the long and complicated relationship between and among Jews and Christians. Paul van Buren's writing is like an invitation. Open and engaging, it welcomes the reader into an exploration of our religious traditions and their possible origins. van Buren is, it seems to me, the consummate bridge builder. He expresses his own deeply felt convictions with a degree of respect and humility that is uncommon in much theological writing.
I chose this book because at my core I have always felt my own faith to be more intimately related to Judaism than seems culturally acceptable or somehow appropriate. My own ancestry is undeniably Christian, albeit of an ultra protestant stripe, and so I have never seriously considered converting to anything else. At the same time I have always sought out those connecting points between the faith of my immediate heritage, and that which I believe gave it a shape and language with which to express itself in the ancient world and, still, today.
This is a book in two parts, each part consisting of six clear and accessible chapters.
In part one, using 1Cor 15:3-5 as a point of departure, van Buren explores the development of early Christian thought and tradition as a community responds "... to the death of Jesus and the indescribable occurrences that followed..." van Buren contends, and common sense would concur, that, being a religious community, this small Jewish sect that followed Jesus would have turned first of all to their religious texts and traditions in order to make sense of the otherwise senseless death of their leader. In other words, they applied a new hermeneutic to their traditional stories as a means of gaining insight and understanding in the face of tragedy. Thus, when Paul reports to church in Corinth that what he has received: "that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures," the scriptures to which he refers can be none other than those available to first century Jews within the context of Second Temple Judaism.
Although van Buren cites many traditions and stories from the Old Testament to which Jesus' followers may have referred in coming to terms with all that had happened, he focuses primarily on the binding of Isaac (Gen. 22:1-19), and concludes that it is this story to which Peter, and the twelve, later followed by Paul, may have turned in their search for meaning. This is one of the main points of van Buren's discussion. As difficult a text as it is, and as much as we may wish to turn away from it, the "aqedah" was a foundational story for Israel and one with which both Jewish and Christian traditions wrestle to this day. Further he asserts that Paul's major contribution the the Christian movement was not, therefore, the concept of atonement, for that concept originated in the earlier tradition, but rather that Paul took that message to the Gentiles.
In part two van Buren asserts that Christianity and Judaism offer us two interpretations of the same biblical tradition, neither diminishing the other, but each in their own way "[bearing] Israel's tradition into the present."
The image that came to me as I read this section was from my undergraduate years as a music major. In music theory class we would be given a bass line above which we were to compose a melody and attendant harmonies to complete "the song" as we each heard it. in our hearts and heads. The integrity of the fundamental line is not lost to the new and various melodies that are written above and grounded in that original bottom line. So it is with our divergent and still faithful post biblical melodies, each built upon the bass line of God's enduring word to Israel.
It is in chapter seven, at the beginning of part two, where van Buren's passion for his subject matter is most evident. In these pages Paul van Buren identifies and abhors the subtle and not so subtle anti Semitism that has so plagued Christianity for these nineteen hundred years. Here the author issues an invitation, rather I should say an imperative to us all - that we ought to reclaim scripture in its fullness, to study the Old Testament for what it is - the very foundation of the stories and traditions that gave birth to Christianity, and apart from which we have no story, outside that of little known or documented history, to tell. As a practical consideration, van Buren suggests that the church would do well to incorporate into the common three year lectionary a far more extensive array of Old Testament texts from which to base our study, our prayer, our careful consideration, and our faith. (pg. 80)
I suppose I have given away my hand all along in this review. I enjoyed and appreciated this book for the affirmation and insight it afforded this reader with regard to a more unified memory and vision of faith among religious kin. This is a hopeful text and one to which I will return. I look forward to reading more of van Buren's work and I would recommend it freely, knowing full well that it will not please everyone as much as it did me. I end with what was one of my favorite passages from the book, for I believe it reminds us of how wonderfully human we are as we attempt, in every generation, to make sense of the mystery that is so deeply woven into our heritage.
" ...what is handed on to us from the past comes with the unmistakable smudge of the fingers of our ancestors upon it, but it will not leave our hands to be given to the next generation without bearing our own dirty fingerprints, evidence of the history through which we shall have passed." (pg. 110)
I chose this book because the title seemed interesting and because I wanted to learn more about Paul’s story.
Sylvia C. Keesmaat authored this book from seeds of interest from a graduate seminar at McMaster University in Hamilton. Her research commenced in coincidence with the publication of Richard Hay’s work Echoes of Scripture in the Letters of Paul (p.9.) The only other information on the author is that portions of several chapters previously appeared in the JSNT and in Horizons in Biblical Theology 18 and in Early Christian Interpretation of the Scriptures of Israel: Investigations and Proposals (p. 12.)
The preface introduces the major hermeneutic: intertextuality. The book has seven chapters that begin with an introduction (except for chapter 7), have a body, and end with a summary. The work is highly academic with an exhaustive number of footnotes, references, scripture cross-references, a detailed bibliography, references to texts other than scripture. The book is 237 pages of text.
The book is a scholarly work attempting to discern how Paul relates scripture to his letters. The author focuses on Romans 8:14-39, Galatians 4:1-7. The steady theme throughout the text is that Paul uses the retold and reinterpreted Exodus story throughout his letters via the mechanism of intertextuality. Intertextuality "designates the structural relations among two or more texts" (p. 48) via quotation, allusion, or echo. Allusion is an intended reference and an echo is a non-intended reference.
To add emphasis that Paul intentionally referred to the telling and reshaping of the Exodus story, Paul not only used intertextuality but he would really be focused on same through his use of occasional intratextuality.
The author repeatedly picks up Pauline phrases like being led and into fear and associates them to the Exodus story. She not only examines all notions of the relationship Paul was intentionally or non-intentionally pulling from his knowledge of the scriptures dealing with the Exodus story but she also looks for other scriptural incidences for the same phraseology.
The author takes up five chapters dealing with sections of Romans 8, one chapter working with sections of Galatians and summarizes her work in the last chapter. She nuances the differences in interpretation of the telling of the Exodus story depending on the readership of Romans and the readership of Galatians.
"Paul’s telling (of the Exodus story, emphasis mine) is new each time he tells the story for a new community (p. 234.) "Paul calls us to a groaning with creation, to realize our role in its suffering and redemption, and to a hope for its renewal (p. 236.)
I would rather have sat on a hemorrhoid than read this book. The author’s name should have been Boring for that is what the book was to me. I am thankful (partially) that each chapter had an introduction and more especially thankful for the two page chapter summaries. I am amazed that one could choose such a vocation and get pleasure from same. Yet, I expect one or two of our colleagues may really enjoy such an academic work. ;-)
I read the book with one hope in mind: how could I use the information within my pastoral ministry? My only sense of usefulness comes from the last chapter that looks to the retelling of the Exodus story within the context of postmodernism, to looking at the new exodus which offers us hope into the future. I can preach a reshaping and reinterpretation of the Exodus story to the new Gentiles, those outside the border of accepted Christianity.
I chose this book because grace as portrayed in the New Testament writings is the basis of my spirituality and religious belief as a Christian person. I hoped that focusing on Paul’s letters and the significance of grace in his writings would be both affirming and thought-provoking.
Brad Eastman wrote this book and it is Volume 11 in a collection of books made available in the Studies in Biblical Literature series. This series is available to scholars and institutions interested in studying the latest developments in biblical scholarship with a very unique theological approach. It was originally written as a dissertation. Brad Eastman’s intention was to "explore a large number of Pauline texts in detail, seeking to elicit the development of grace and human responsibility." (editor’s preface)
The volume consists of seven chapters with notations listed after each chapter. There is an extensive bibliography and author index at the end of the book. Each chapter is literally riddled with authors quoted, noted, and referenced.
Mr. Eastman is seeking to prove that Paul’s understanding of grace is exactly that, a gift. Our good works are not to be interpreted as a requirement for salvation, but rather as a thankful reaction to our new life in Christ. Then, and only then, can we live within the law.
"For Paul it is clear that, without God’s help, people would be unable to extricate themselves from their plight. In Galatians we see that Paul believes that people would not have become believers were it not for God’s initiative." (p 92)
As I mentioned in the structure section of this review, this book is cramped and cluttered by other author’s opinions, insights, findings, suggestions, questions, concerns, dismissals, and proposals with a lot of Greek thrown in to help substantiate or refute a purported claim. When the author does, in fact, take a stand it is surrounded by counter-interpretations and arguments and couched in a less than confident stance.
Paul sets "faith in Christ" over against the "works of the law." The meaning of p i s t e w s i h s o u c r i s t o u has been, and still is, vigorously debated. Many interpreters now favor taking i h s o u c r i s t o u as a subjective genitive so that the phrase would mean the "faith"(or faithfulness) of Christ," rather than "faith in Christ" (objective genitive). Although there have been many intriguing and noteworthy discussions advocating the former, it seems to me that the latter is still the more likely interpretation. Paul argues that a person is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Christ.
That said, it still remains to determine why "works of the law" are ruled out as a means of justification by Paul. There are several different ways to construe Paul’s rejection of "works of the law," as well as the meaning of the phrase itself.
He then goes on to list five authors and their examples to back up or refute a particular claim. (refer pp 75-77.)
Another Example
Paul describes justification as being d w r e a n t h a u t o u c a r i t i ("as a gift, by his grace"), but there is some question about the relation between d w r e a n and t h a u t o u c a r i t i . According to Cranfield, d w r e a n (gift) and t h a u t o u c a r i t i ("by his grace") support and confirm each other. Michel, observing that d w r e a n underscores the fact that man is not owed anything, but remains a recipient, says that c a r i s simply describes justification as an act of the grace of God. Doughty, believing that d w r e a n is a part of the traditional confessional material which Paul is using, asserts that t h a u t o u c a r i t i represents, in typical Pauline language, Paul’s commentary on the traditional formula d i k a i o u m e n o i d w r e a n . What Paul actually wants to emphasize by his reference to c a r i s is the "grace-character of the gift!" If Doughty is correct, it means that Paul explicitly interprets salvation that has been made available through God’s act in Christ by using the word c a r i s . (refer p 135)
Although I found the subject matter of this book interesting and challenging, it was very distracting to have to wade through all the referenced author quotes, comments, and criticisms in order to try to glean where Brad Eastman was going and what he was proposing.
It is not a book I would recommend to anyone who had a deadline such as ours. If I had the luxury of reading this book without the constraints of my multi-faceted schedule, perhaps it would not have felt like such a burden to wade through. That being said, it is an excellent research book but a difficult read.
Miroslav Volf, Professor of Theology, Yale University Divinity School.
In this article, grace and forgiveness do not stand in opposition to justice and blame, but affirm justice and blame in the act of transcending them and showcases the distinctive character of Paul’s use.
Paul never says that God is reconciled (or, that God reconciles himself) to human beings, but always that God reconciles human beings to himself or that human beings are reconciled to God. It is not, in fact, God who must be reconciled to human beings, but human beings who must be reconciled to God. Nor is it by people’s repentance, prayers or other good works that reconciliation between God and human beings is accomplished, but rather by God’s grace alone. (p. 161)
Paul’s distinctive use of reconciliation lies in his encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus, where he intended to persecute the early followers of Jesus Christ. (p. 161)
The encounter with the risen Lord on the road to Damascus not only stopped Paul from committing violence against fellow Jews, but did so by offering a radically different perspective on how God relates to God’s enemies. Grace, by which God justifies the ungodly, is the word Paul used in his autobiographical passages to describe God’s relation to him as God’s enemy as noted in this article by referring to Rom 1:5 and Gal 1:15. (p. 161)
It goes on to point out that though justice was an indispensable element of reconciliation, peace between Paul and the speaker of the divine voice was not the consequence of justice carried out, but of justice both armed and unmistakably transcended in the act of undeserved grace. (p. 162)
This article really helped me to see that the book that I struggled through just prior was worth it.
I chose this book because I was interested in learning more about Paul’s background.
Ben Witherington III is the author and he is a professor of New Testament. This book is an attempt by the author to "expose the reader to some new approaches to Paul and his letters as they bear on the quest for the historical Paul…" (p 11)
This book consists of an introduction by the author, eight chapters, a conclusion, appendix, bibliography, index of authors and index of subjects.
Each chapter begins with an italicized summary that leads the reader into Mr. Witherington’s discussion. Also within each chapter are several subheadings that take on a particular aspect of the chapter’s discussion and at the end of each chapter is a conclusion that sums up what has been discussed.
What is unique about the author’s approach is that he puts this work into a social and cultural context that brings the first century to life in a way that is not only historically accurate but also lifelike. Paul is not just a biblical figure. He is also an ancient Mediterranean person. He views Paul as a Jewish man, a Roman citizen, and an evangelizing Christian who is a prophet, apostle, rhetorician, and letter writer and we watch the transformation from extreme Pharisaic zeal for the letter of the law of Moses give way to a more compassionate, committed, universal call for the new law of Christ which is founded on the love and grace of God.
This is meant to be a scholarly biography of Paul. There is a great deal of historical and biblical background, reference to related works by other scholars, and other work by Mr. Witherington. It can be a bit heavy handed at times with reference to other author’s quoted work and corresponding biblical passages.
Paul lived in a very different social environment from ours, and to the extent that environment conditions and shapes personality, he was very different from modern persons, especially modern Western persons. This chapter investigates various aspects of first-century Mediterranean culture that have a bearing on Paul’s personality. For example, in antiquity people did not assume our current theories of personality development. Rather, it was believed that gender, generation and geography determine a person’s identity, which is to say it is fixed at birth. Paul or anyone else who claimed to have become a different person as a result of some experience (such as conversion) would likely be seen as a deviant, liar, or outcast. Furthermore, people did not strive to be individuals but rather derived their sense of identity from the group of which they were a part. Paul was Paul of Tarsus, or Paul the Pharisee, or Paul the servant of Jesus Christ. Yet very unlike many ancients, he gained his primary sense of identity, not from his physical family but from his Christian family and his relationship with Christ. It was more a matter whose he was than who he was… (p 18)
This book was a much friendlier read. The way the book was put together was very helpful. I enjoyed the stories as well as the history with regard to the actual writings taken from the bible texts. This book has helped me to gain a greater sense of who Paul was and what his life was like.
Shelter, Jeffrey, writer, U. S. News & World Report
In this article Mr. Shelter looks at Paul through his letters and writings to try to shed light on why Paul’s approach to the message of Christ seems to differ from those offered by other apostles who had a personal knowledge of Christ. He is also quick to point out that Paul’s background had much to do with his approach.
He never walked with Jesus of Nazareth, yet he traversed the Roman Empire proclaiming him the divine Christ. He never heard Jesus teach, yet he became Christianity’s most influential expositor of doctrine. He spoke little about Jesus’ life, yet he attached cosmic significance to his death and resurrection. (p.52)
The mother church in Jerusalem, led by Jesus’ brother, James, had kept strong ties to traditional Judaism. Its members worshiped at the temple and carefully observed the Law of Moses. As more and more Gentiles joined the fellowship of believers, leaders of the Jerusalem church grew increasingly concerned that the laws of Judaism were being neglected, particularly the law requiring circumcision of male converts. The question threatening to fracture the young church was a crucial one: Did one need to become a Jew first to become a Christian? (p. 54)
The debate over the life and works of Paul is certain to continue, not least because it goes to the very character of Christianity itself – whether, as Houlden says, it is "a religion devoted to the perpetual imitation of Jesus and the following of his teachings" or a faith "centering on elicited response" to the exalted figure of Christ. Whether or not Paul qualifies as Christianity’s true founder, his impact on the shaping of that post-Easter faith makes the search for ever clearer portraits of the man a worthy endeavor. (p. 55)
This was a very interesting article. I’m not sure it would be considered a credible source since it is from the U.S. News & World Report, but it certainly did bring to mind much of what Mr. Witherington pointed out in his book.
Miller is with Daystar University in Nairobi, Kenya.
Within the discussion of "the historical Paul," the particular contribution of this book, according to Miller, is its investigation of "frequently overlooked aspects of Paul’s life and thought." The author’s conclusions, however, are potentially controversial. Miller briefly describes the contents, signaling out chapters on Paul’s letter writing within the context of letter writing style of the day; Paul’s asceticism and particularly his celibacy, both of which are seen as key to understanding the man; Paul’s theology as not static but dynamic, a phenomenon whose development can be followed by reading closely from 1 Thessalonians through 1 Corinthians and Romans; and Paul’s legacy in the second and third centuries. The reviewer is enthusiastic about Roetzel’s work. He finds it well documented, with arguments that are well supported, a book, he says, which "represents the mature work of a seasoned New Testament scholar." Controversy provoked by Roetzel’s conclusions (particularly with regards to asceticism) will have to deal with its author’s competence. Miller finds the book useful to both scholars and pastors, who will profitably make use of it in the preparation of sermons and lessons.
The review is short and to the point. Miller seems to have grasped the essence of this book.
Berge is with Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota.
Berge’s review is straightforward: First an overall assessment, then a summary of each of the six chapters, and a final appraisal.
To describe Roetzel’s approach, Berge uses the analogy of painting. The author, he says, is an artist who sets out to paint a portrait of Paul. The canvas on which he works is Paul’s formative years, which, as they are presented by Roetzel, do not correspond to the usual presuppositions concerning Paul. For Roetzel, Paul was neither a Roman citizen nor a student of Gamaliel II. Rooted in Judaism throughout his life, Paul was nevertheless "on the margins of his Jewishness." This painting image of Berge gets somewhat confused when he states that "This is the basis canvas on which Roetzel works and the presuppositions from which his portrait of Paul emerges"—as though the canvas and the portrait were one and the same. But we can understand what he’s trying to say. The "palette" is what Roetzel considers to be the seven genuine letters of Paul and, to a lesser degree, Acts, useful only when it does not contradict the letters which are the primary documents.
In the chapter-by-chapter analysis, Berge points out those elements which he considers most important. In chapter one, The Early Paul, besides what was said above, Berge notes that Paul was of the working class and that his Christophany experience caused him to reevaluate his Pharisaic understanding of the Holiness Code. From chapter two, he notes that Paul emerges as the suffering apostle. Chapter three provides an analysis of the letter writing form in the times. The letter becomes Paul way of responding to the content of the gospel. Chapter four points to Paul the "theologizer" so as to "better appreciate the vitality and dynamism of his theologizing." In chapter five, Paul is not only shown to have been an ascetic but to have drawn "upon ascetic truth in the Hebrew Bible, Greek philosophy, Hellenistic tradition, diaspora Judaism, Qumran, Pseudepigrapha, and early Christian life." In chapter six, The Mythic Apostle, Berge returns to the painting analogy to say that here Roetzel creates "a portrait of Paul apart from the Reformation lens of seeing Paul as the great theologian of the early church." His reading of first and second century documents sees Paul as, in Roetzel’s words, "the quintessential celibate, as powerful miracle worker and martyr." (Roetzel, 156)
Berge likes the book. He sees it as "well-documented, well-written, and fresh in its approach to creating a portrait of the person Paul." He concludes with words from Roetzel’s final paragraph: "The theological Paul who is most often presented to us without the human dimensions is docetic. And a human Paul without a theological dimension is a caricature." (Roetzel, 177)
The review is complete and, in my opinion, presents Roetzel’s book very well.
The authors are not identified.
In this relative short review, the authors present an overview of Walton’s book, describe the method of analysis and the choice of 1 Thess. They then summarizes the conclusion and finish with a personal evaluation.
The overview follows the book’s chronology, pointing first to the analysis of the Miletus speech in Acts 20; then its comparison to three similar speeches by Jesus, with recurring themes of leadership, suffering, money and the death of Jesus; finally comes the comparison to 1 Thess. The authors of this review then remind the reader that the points of analysis are "vocabulary, ideas, and style of argument." In summarizing the conclusion, they point out that Walton sees the Miletus speech as "both thoroughly Lukan and thoroughly Pauline." And, they point out, it is impossible to know, according to Walton’s analysis, if Luke’s knowledge of Paul and his thought was first hand or if it came from "reliable Pauline tradition."
Their assessment of Walton’s book is short and to the point. Here it is in its entirety: "This is a highly technical work, with copious reference to earlier scholarly studies and with a great deal of detailed argument. It is certainly not for the casual reader and is aimed at other scholars; as such it is clearly an important and valuable book."
My thoughts exactly. I have, however, added in my review that even the non-specialist can benefit by reading this book in order to watch firsthand a contemporary exegetical scholar at work. If nothing else, the experience may help the student or pastoral person to appreciate the type of scholarship which eventually trickles down to non-specialists.
I picked this book because of the title and because of the gossip I have heard that Paul was a sexist pig.
This book was written by Francis Watson, a Professor of New Testament Exegesis at the University of Aberdeen in 2000. My guess as to his intended audience is the academic community, both faculty and students.
The book is built around three New Testament texts in combination with modern secular and theological writings. Corinthians II, Romans &, and Ephesians5 are set off with works by Woolf, Freud, Irigaray, St. Augustine, and others. Watson begins each section with secular text and its message about the church and sexual politics and structure in society and then dissects Paul’s words as a precursor for this thinking or in juxtaposition to these religious texts.
My sense is that the author is not writing a treatise that requires evidence; rather it is an attempt to open new questions, both theological and secular, about sexuality as described in Pauline texts and in those modern texts included in this volume. This book is not heavily footnoted. The author simply brings quotations from all the sources used, both New Testament and modern writings, and backs up interpretations of modern scholarly work with references to other academic writings. Watson does use Hebrew Scripture and Greek sources to back up English translations of New Testament text.
With I Corinthians II: 13, Watson discusses the move from women’s right to speak publicly, while veiled, to the exclusion of women’s voices in public prayer. Watson concludes that by the point in time that women are not free to speak in church, "the link between the veil and the authority to speak is broken, so that the veil becomes the uniform condition of women in church." (p.83) Watson appears to be making the argument that the Pauline view of women and prophesy has more to do with the separation of body and Spirit than with silencing women. Watson further relates this text to other scripture, both Hebrew and Greek, which support an earlier understanding that the male image is seen as Godly and the female is earthly. The veil allows the audience to hear the word of God without the distraction of the body. The male body is not a distraction and therefore need not be covered in public prayer. The author offers us the vision of receiving Agape, the Divine flow, without the influence of Eros, the earthly manifestation and somewhat confusing form of love. The uses of secular text, such as the writings of Woolf, allow us to see the further manifestation of this separation in secular life.
I loved reading this book. It gave me new insight into text analysis, the author’s intent, and caused me to look at structures in my life that are shaped by historical interpretations of earlier Biblical text. I also came to have a greater appreciation for the inclusion of the Song of Songs in the Hebrew Bible and for the energy the Rabbi’s of old expended in institutionalizing away the Eros and concretizing the Agape within the text. The flow from secular to theological and back again reminds me of how influential biblical interpretation, and religious community’s use of text as support for norms, shapes our view of life. I think this book should be read by all students of Testament and clergy and museum builders. Woolf’s ability to see a museum as the inside of a bald man’s head, with all he sees and thinks about the world, moved me.
I picked this title because of my fascination with the Jewish beginnings of Christianity and my wonder about the Jewishness of the character of Paul.
This book was written by John Ashton, a Lecturer in New Testament Studies in the University of Oxford. It is a revision of a series of eight lectures given, by the author, over a several month span. It is intended to reach an academic audience concerned with the role of Paul in early Christianity and those who question Paul’s origin and why he chose the particular audience to bring his message.
This work is divided into eight sections, one for each of the original lectures, and each based on another look at the character of Paul. It begins with a basic introduction to comparative religion and then introduces Paul as Enigma, Shaman, Convert, Mystic, Apostle, Prophet, Charismatic, and Possessed.
The author uses Hebrew and Greek source material, both Biblical and its contemporary writings to support his hypotheses. The author has extensive footnotes and a detailed bibliography. From time to time, the author comments on the legitimacy of other commentator’s theories and even resorts to calling some "far fetched".
The author asserts that all religion, like art and music relate back to an already known: the "nothing new under the sun" approach to life. In doing so, he teaches that the character of Paul is not a new invention, rather a "weird form" of an earlier Jewish personal quality or group of qualities. He also introduces Paul as a Greek God type that fits with Greek understanding. Ashton asserts that one can’t understand something for which there is no context and therefore Paul’s message, as defined by his personhood, must comport with already known experiences of God and Holy preaching.
In his chapters on Paul the Possessed, Ashton uses Romans 7:13-25 to identify the character of Paul as one shaped by enduring affliction translated into spiritual grace rather than the ordinary dream or vision. (pp. 216-217) Here he notes that this is a difficult chapter to interpret and uses literary deconstruction to get at his point. Ashton uses the RSV of the Bible and his own translation, side by side, for comparison and liberally sprinkles Greek and Hebrew into his discourse.
I was entertained by this book. The author spent a good deal of page space telling the reader of his credentials and what he thought of lesser writings. I found my reading periodically interrupted by internal giggles at his pomposity. I did like the character treatment of Paul and the systematic descriptions of his role and function in his letters. I resonated with his view of Paul’s letters as not intended to develop a systematic theology. Rather, he portrayed these letters as categorical in nature, with elements of Paul’s many qualities necessary for preaching to diverse populations. I think that our D. Min group would profit from this work. I am glad to be reading New Testament theories, even before working my way through the entire text, because it offers me an opportunity to go in with eyes wide open.
This article is a previously unpublished lecture delivered at the Hamburg Kirchentag in 1981, translated by Robert F.B. Grieg and J.C. O'Neill.
Though written nearly twenty years before van Buren's final work, Marquardt deals with the same subject and expands upon van Buren's earlier ideas with regard to right relations between Jews and Christians. Above all, Marquardt calls Christians to a new christology which acknowledges and celebrates our continuity with Judaism rather than our division from it. That is to say, Marquardt understands Jesus as the one who extends God's call to the people of Israel to be a light to the nations, to the gentiles, so that through him we may also call ourselves the people of God. We cannot separate Jesus from his Jewishness without cutting ourselves off from the very God we claim.
Like van Buren's work I find Marquardt's ideas compelling, refreshing, and above all convincing. If I have a frustration with both Marquardt and van Buren it is with the scope of the discussion. More than ever we must begin to address the inherent plurality of religious belief in the world, even as we negotiate the fine line between personal confession of faith and exclusive claims of correct belief. Marquardt himself addresses this concern, but only in the context of Jewish Christian relations. Marquardt was perhaps constrained by of the parameters of this particular lecture, rather than strict theological conviction, never the less I was disappointed that he could not carry this line of thinking a bit further. He writes: "The issue is whether the judgments of belief should appear as condemnations of other beliefs or of unbelief. Unfortunately, we Christians are used to making it sound like that. From the beginning we have thought that we were only able to give clarity to our belief through the condemnation of what we were not able to regard as right belief. We have always wanted only to say Yes, if we could at the same time burst out with a No, as if our truth obtained its force not from itself but only from the supposed untruths." ( pg. 197) It is my hope that in the coming years we may become more adept at extending the conversation and widening the circle of acceptance.
Soulen is familiar with van Buren's earlier work with regard to Jewish Christian relations, and begins his review of According to the Scriptures by noting a slight shift in van Buren's "long standing thesis that for Christians revelation happens as the fresh interpretation of Israel's Scriptures." Soulen continues parenthetically stating that : " Readers wishing to think about what else revelation must also be to be revelation must seek help elsewhere."
That pretty much sums up the tone of this review. Although Soulen clearly appreciates van Buren as a thoughtful and innovative theologian,( I wondered if that was the case before van Buren's death or only posthumously) he gives the impression that he sees van Buren's work in that regard as one man's attempt to come to terms with his own issues.
The review is quite straight forward in relaying to the reader the general content and meaning of the book in question, but there is a tone of voice that belies discomfort and disagreement with the premise long before one reaches the opening sentence in the concluding paragraph which states "van Buren's book is unconvincing as an account of Christian origins."
I was left with the impression that Soulen missed the point of the book. I do not agree, though I may be mistaken, that "van Buren desired a christology free of messianic and eschatological implications..." as Soulen suggests. I think van Buren's point was rather that those who followed Jesus in his own time may have only come to understand the fullness of Christ as they wrestled with the events of history against the background of their own tradition. Where Soulen contends that we cannot know that for sure given the scant historical information we have at our disposal, he is not willing to make the same claim with regard to his own christological stance. And the beat goes on....
Matera is the chair of the department of theology at the Catholic University of America. He hopes to reach all those who are involved in preaching, particularly those Catholic priests who historically have avoided preaching on Paul.
The text is structured thematically and follows the order of the Lectionary. His strategy for each section is to discuss each of the following areas: 1)the historical and literary background of the text 2)the context of the text and 3) its theological themes.
Matera’s bibliography reveals a variety of commentaries. He uses the information in the commentaries to assist preachers to understand the connection between Paul and the churches. Example: 1 Corinthians – at the beginning of each of the liturgical cycles, Matera explains to his readers the historical context. In this case, he notes that Paul established a congregation in Corinth during his second missionary journey. The author elaborates upon the historical context. He then presents the structure of 1Corinthians 1-4. His intent is to get preachers familiar with both the historical and literary contexts, then, he believes, they will be better able to interpret the texts.
For each Sunday, Matera identifies a theme, e.g., "the called and sanctified community" (1Cor 1:1-3), "unity of mind and person" (1Cor 1:10-13, 17).
This brief work is limited in its scope but certainly could be helpful for those preachers who have avoided Paul. It is an applied theological work. I enjoyed that. Since it follows the lectionary, it is a bit "choppy". Perhaps the lack of a comprehensive view is what I liked least about the book.
James Dunn has written several books on Paul. They include Christology in the Making (1980), a commentary on Romans (1988), Jesus, Paul and the Law (1990, and commentaries on Galatians (1993) and Colossians and Philemon (1996). I chose this title because I had skimmed through his Christology in the Making many years ago.
The text is an academic, 800-page tome with an extremely detailed bibliography. It consists of nine chapters beginning with God and humankind, working through humankind under indictment, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, salvation, the Church, and ethics.
Dunn considers Paul to be the greatest theologian of all time. He provides over 40 pages of index of Scripture and other writings of antiquity to substantiate his text. This is a book of scholarly research.
Dunn’s intent is to re-assess Paul’s relationship with his ancestral religion – Judaism. Since Paul is constantly alluding to the Jewish Scriptures, there becomes a dialogue within a dialogue. Paul’s native Judaism is in dialogue with the wider cultures of the Hellenistic and the Roman worlds. The author’s approach is one of discovering and uncovering the dialogue. He wishes to do so by getting into the mind of Paul.
What I read of this text, I found difficult and tedious. It got into more detail than I am currently interested in at this time of my life as a D.Min. candidate. I would certainly be a fine resource for a Ph.D. candidate in Biblical Theology.
I did not choose to read this book, simply to read any of those offered in class. I am unfamiliar will almost all Christian post canonical literature.
According to the text itself, the author is "Thomas the Israelite". He is addressing a specifically non-Jewish audience with which he has some familiarity. He addresses them as "brothers and sisters". His purpose for writing this work appears to be to introduce some of the early miracle workings of Jesus Christ, as performed in his youth, in his native land. One can assume that this audience is outside of Jesus’ homeland and did not know him as either an adult or a youth.
This work is divided into 19 small chapters that each tells a single story of young Jesus’ miraculous powers. The stories begin at age 5 and end with Jesus, age 12, at his home Synagogue discussing with the elders. This work begins with a prologue and ends with a blessing, much like the works attributed to Paul in the New Testament.
While the author does not site other canonical text in this writing, there are passages that reflect earlier themes and stories. According to the editor of this version of the story, Robert J. Miller, 3:2-3 of this story "may recall the episode of the withering fig tree" as described in Mark 11:12-14 and Matthew 21:18-19. Here, the withering boy is likened to a tree that will bear no fruit. Passages like this, found throughout this work, point to it’s having been created later than those Gospels. It may have served to fill in gaps in the life of this leader as well as to delineate his growth in his humanity and in compassion.
The character of Jesus, as described in this work, is maturation over time. This text allows the reader to believe that while the divine powers of this man were fully developed as of age 5, his humanity blossomed throughout his youth. He begins his miraculous career by killing those who offend him. He moves on to heal those who have fallen in his path, and ends his youth in study.
The stories presented in this text are miraculous and evocative. The early chapters made me laugh with a bit of discomfort. The theology associated with a boy wonder that can’t seem to control his temper is not what I expected of the focus of Christian doctrine. If this work was contemporary with the canonical Gospels, I understand why it was not included as it does not portray the vision of a completed master. Rather, it appears to embody a developing vision as it expresses the developmental stages of youth. If it is a later text, I imagine it was not written much later, since the quality of this figure is not one that would be held up as an example to be followed. My sense is that this text was created later than the others, but not so late as to have a fully formed Christian religion with a unified sense of identity of its God. I enjoyed this work and it moved me to read others, not included in the New Testament.
The Egerton Gospel: author unknown; original document perhaps written during second half of fist century, perhaps copied in the second half of the second century. The work exists as fragments. Named after the Englishman who funded the purchase from Egypt, the work was first published in 1935. An additional fragment, Papyrus Koln 255, was discovered and published in 1987.
I chose this gospel at random from the choices presented.
The structure contains six brief chapters with several gaps sprinkled throughout the work. Scholars have analyzed the work with respect to dating, style of writing and contents in order to attempt to determine its placement and effect on other gospel writings. Was the gospel written prior to Mark and was it a source to be used by the other synoptic gospel writers and by the writer of John? The conclusion is against such hypothesis. The gospel is not written using the same structure as the synoptics.
The gospel includes miracle stories, controversy dialogues, and incidents of violence toward Jesus, none of which are wholly preserved. (p. 412) In Chapter 1, Jesus makes charges against the legal experts. In Chapter 2, concerns a leper made clean and shown to be made clean before the priests. Chapter 3 deals with attempts to trick Jesus regarding what to do with the coins. Chapter 4 is the miracle story on scattering seed across the Jordan. Chapters 5 and 6 are too fragmentary.
The work seems to favor an early style of writing gospel events. That is, the work may result from the collection of common stories passed on orally and then rearranged by the author. The intended audience may well have been the early followers of Jesus.
One unique aspect of the gospel is the telling of a miracle story not found elsewhere. Jesus scatters seed throwing it across the Jordan River and instantly fruit grows. Chapter 4, verse 2: "As they were perplexed at this strange question, Jesus walked over and stood at the bank of the Jordan River. 3 He extended his right hand, [took water,] and scattered it over the […] 4 And then […] [scattered] water […] the […] and it [became full] before their eyes and produced fruit […] [much] […] into […] [them]
I found the gospel interesting as it contains some familiar stories that help to convince me that there may, in fact, be some level of truth to stories read elsewhere or at least that the stories were commonly known. I find it somewhat amusing, enlightening that there is so much guesswork in attempting to fill in the blanks of this fragment. I remember the warning from my seminary professors that we are to do exegesis and leave the eisegesis alone. That is, work with the text and don’t make up stuff. So, how would one preach on this text??? One certainly cannot use the exact words as there are not exact words.
is found in its earliest manuscript form as the Bodmer Papyrus V, which dates from the early fourth century. (Hock #2, p. 17)
The Scholars Version Translation with footnotes can be found in The Complete Gospels, Robert J. Miller, Editor (Sonoma, CA: Polebridge Press, 1994) Library of Congress number: BS2553.S23 1994, and in The Infancy Gospels of James and Thomas by Ronald F. Hock: (SantaRosa, CA: Polebridge Press, 1995) Library of Congress number: BS2860.J2A3 1995. [Anna Mae Mayer]
At the end of the gospel, the author identifies himself as James and says that he wrote the account at the time of the death of Herod. (4 B.C.E.) If both those claims were true, then James could very well be the half brother of Jesus and he would have had to have written the account before his own death in 62 C.E. However, both these claims are dubious. The Infancy Gospel of James clearly reflects knowledge of the gospels of Matthew and Luke, neither of which was written before the death of James. Scholars believe the Gospel of James was probably written around the middle of the second century as evidenced by its influence on other Christian literature. (Hock #2, p.17) It is unclear as to whether the author is a Palestinian Jew or merely imitated the Palestinian Jewish literature of the time. (Lowe) Since his gospel shows confusion about the geographic location of Bethlehem to Jerusalem and Judea, some suggest he was a stranger to Palestine and might have been from Syria or Egypt. (Hock #2, p. 18) The audience would have been those early Christians who were interested in the birth and early life of Mary.
The Infancy Gospel of James has 25 chapters. It is written as a narrative. Treated in the first sixteen chapters are the birth and early childhood of Mary, her passage to womanhood, how she was taken into Joseph's care, the visit from a heavenly messenger who announces to Mary that she will conceive a child, Joseph's discovery of her pregnancy and the subsequent test both Joseph and Mary endured to prove their innocence against respective charges of sexual misconduct. Chapter 17 moves into very familiar and very unique territory. It describes Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem in compliance with the census order from the Emperor Augustus, the miraculous birth of Jesus in a cave, Joseph's experience of the world "standing still," a declaration of Mary's post-delivery virginity by Salome, the visit of astrologers from the East and Herod's attempt to kill Mary's child. Chapter 22 relates how Mary and Elizabeth are both able to save their sons from Herod. Chapters 23-24 describe the murder of Zechariah for withholding information on the whereabouts of John. Chapter 25, which concludes the gospel, contains the autographic subscription of James, but for the reasons discussed earlier, we can safely assume that the gospel is pseudonymous.
In reading the Infancy Gospel of James, it was clear to me that the author had knowledge of both Old and New Testament writings. The story of Mary's parents, Anna and Joachim, echoes the story of Abraham and Sarah around the pain of being childless. Anna's lament calls to mind Hannah's lament and Anna's pointed exchange with her slave is similar to Sarah's strained relationship with Hagar. The infancy narratives found in the gospels of Matthew and Luke are also sourced frequently in James' gospel. Some examples that are easy to spot include Mary's exchange with the heavenly messenger, Mary's visit to Elizabeth, Joseph's dilemma of what to do with a pregnant Mary, the census of Augustus, the visit of the astrologers and Herod's attempt to kill Mary's baby.
However, there is a great deal of original material in this gospel that I found very engaging. The circumstances of Mary's conception are no less heavenly sent than those of Jesus, and because of it Mary's upbringing is exceptional. Her bedroom is turned into a sanctuary, nothing unclean is allowed to pass her lips. On her third birthday she is taken to the temple "where she was fed like a dove, receiving her food from the hand of a heavenly messenger." (8:2) The manner in which Mary comes into the care and protection of Joseph is distinct and the test they undergo at the hands of the high priest is not duplicated from Matthew or Luke. While the journey to Bethlehem and the birth strike several familiar chords, Joseph's narrative found in chapter 18 is unique. His description of how the earth stood still (presumably at the moment of the delivery) as he searched for a Hebrew midwife is on a par with the choirs of heavenly host described in Luke. And while Salome is the doubting Thomas of this gospel and nearly loses her hand because of it, it is she who declares that there has been a virgin birth and that the child has been born to be king of Israel. The Infancy Gospel of James also offers a creative explanation of how John, the son of Elizabeth and Zechariah escaped the murderous intentions of Herod.
I found this gospel extremely intriguing for a number of reasons. First of all, I choose it because I thought it was written about the early life of Jesus. When I began to read it, I realized that would not be the case, but I also realized that I had heard much of this material before as part of my religion classes in grade school. At the time, I assumed the stories came from the bible, and after awhile I forgot about them. However, the story about Joseph being an old man, of a dove appearing from his staff and of Jesus being born in a cave are definitely in my memory banks from days gone by. Beyond that, I find it fascinating and more than a little amusing that a gospel which was rejected by the Catholic church in t
