Download Hebrew Bible – Old Testament – the Mikra or the acronym Tanakh

Bible Lecture – Paul
Overview
1. Paul is the oldest known canonical writing.
2. Each of the letters give a snapshot of an evangelist dealing with the specific problems of
a specific community at a specific time in history
3. Each letter seems to struggle with the religious and cultural life of the Greco-Roman
world
4. You can see in examining the texts that the presentation of the faith is different than that
of Jesus
a. Paul’s interest lies in the “Christ Event”, the death and resurrection, and the
significance this event has on the faithful
b. Paul is more about the theological Jesus than the historical Jesus – he merely is
one interpretation (almost in the Talmudic tradition)
5. There is not total agreement that Paul wrote all 14 letters
The Letters
1. There is broad agreement on the works that are Paul’s and even theories as to their
composition dates (Pauline Letters):
a. 1 Thessalonians
b. Galatians
c. 1 Corinthians
d. 2 Corinthians
e. Philemon
f. Philippians
g. Romans
2. The six DeuteroPauline (or disputed) letters are the following:
a. 2 Thessalonians
b. Colossians
c. Ephesians
d. 1 Timothy
e. 2 Timothy
f. Titus
3. Finally there is the letter to the Hebrews
a. This does not bear Paul’s name
b. It is treated as a non-Pauline letter now
Paul’s Life
1. Born in Tarsus (present day Turkey) in the province of Cilicia (SE coast of Asia Minor)
a. Diaspora Jew
2. Saul went to Jerusalem to study the rabbinic tradition from the famed Pharisee Gamaliel
3. He converted to Christianity 2-3 years after the death of Jesus
4. He never met Jesus, but claims to have encountered a resurrected Christ (Acts 9:3-9)
5. His importance is not with what he knows of Jesus, but how he interprets Jesus’ teachings
6. He gives details of his pre-conversion existence in Gal.1:11-2:14)
a. He was a practicing Jew
b. He had persecuted the followers of Jesus
c. He experienced God’s revelation
d. He went to Arabia after and didn’t discuss his conversion – went back to
Damascus
e. Three years later went to Jerusalem and spend fifteen days with Cephas (Peter),
seeing no other apostles but James (brother of Jesus)
f. Went to Syria and Cilicia – untouched by Church
g. Fourteen years later (not clear if it is from conversion or visit) he went back to
Jerusalem privately laying down the message he’d been preaching to pagans
h. Titus, Paul’s companion, did not have to be circumcised
i. He preached his message to the uncircumcised just as Peter had been called to
preach to the circumcised.
j. Paul’s ministry was given approval and he agreed to remember the poor in
Jerusalem
k. Peter (Cephas) came to visit Paul in Antioch, joining in meals with the
uncircumcised, but when friends of James came, Peter withdrew from table
fellowship in fear of those who “insisted on circumcision.” For this, Paul chided
Peter.
7. Some assert Paul to be the most important 1st Century CE Christian
a. Even over the Apostles
8. Pauline Christianity
a. Assumption that Paul’s shaping of the church and role as second founder puts him
in a position to comment on the emergence of Christianity out of Judaism
b. Paul refers to himself as the apostle of the Gentiles
Paul and the Law
1. Played a major role in carrying Christianity beyond Palestine’s borders
2. Helped make Christianity a world religion
3. Paul added another layer of debate to the Law discussion
a. Paul was accused of not having enough respect for the Law
b. There were those who believed you had to be a good Jew in order to be a good
Christian
c. This tension created by such criticism is reflected in Paul’s letters and is
observable in the reports about him in Acts
d. Romans 2:25-29
Thessalonians
1. Some have questioned the authenticity of this letter
a. It lacks quotation of Hebrew Scripture
b. Its lacks a justification by grace through faith that was prevalent in Pauline
documents
c. Problems are resolved by noting that Paul wrote the church to address specific
problems and limited his remarks to those problems
2. Problems
a. Paul was worried about his messenger Timothy and the persecution being faced
by the Thessalonian converts
b. The churchgoers worried about the rumors they’d heard about those who died
before Jesus’ return not gaining salvation
i. Paul reminds them that those who are already dead will share in the
salvation of the living (4:13)
ii. He counsels them to be patient with those who have taken to despair and
idleness in their misunderstanding of the teachings about the return
iii. He urges them to maintain the spirit of love and support
3. This letter is widely accepted as a foundation for the theology of Rapture (3:20-21)
Galatians
1. The church here was having a conflict with Paul’s earlier teachings.
2. Someone had been debating the fact that you could be uncircumcised and receive
salvation. This was counter to Paul’s teachings
3. The churchgoers were being confronted by the idea that you had to be an observant Jew
to be a good Christian
4. Paul stated that the purpose of the Law was to specify crimes until the promise made to
Abraham, namely, that justification would come by faith, was expressed in the midst of
history.
a. “The Law was to be our guardian until the Christ cam and we could be justified
by faith” (3:24).
b. God’s promises extended beyond Judaism because Abraham is the father of
humanity
5. To live in the spirit, Paul counsels, is to relinquish self-indulgence. New life is brought
in Christ (6:15-16).
a. He develops this theme further in Romans
b. This idea aids the “Born Again” theology
1 & 2 Corinthians
1. Actually four letters
a. 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1
b. 1 Corinthians
c. 2 Corinthians 10-13
d. 2 Corinthians 1-9 (except for 6:14-7:1)
2. Letter One (2 Cor. 6:14-7:1)
a. This short letter has a single message: Do not associate with people living
immoral lives. Quoting from the Hebrew Bible Paul counsels to maintain purity
3. Letter Two (1 Cor.)
a. This letter addresses multiple problems
i. The first problem is that of unification. Some look to Paul, Apollos, or
Cephas for guidance. Paul urges to look to Christ.
ii. The second problem is that of incest (a man living with his father’s wife).
Paul says to rid of the bad before the whole is polluted (5:1-13)
iii. The third problem is that of church members taking each other to civil
court. Paul states that their concern should be God’s Kingdom.
iv. The last problem is that of religious significance in the body. Paul warns
readers to avoid prostitutes, indicating that fornication is a violation of
one’s own body, which is now God’s property and should be used for his
glory (6:12-20)
v. The remaining chapters are responses to a series of questions
4. Letter Three (2 Cor. 10-13)
a. Paul addresses a “harsh” letter that was written against him
b. Many challenged his authenticity and knowledge
i. He was then driven to boast of his spiritual accomplishments
1. “out of body experience” (12)
ii. He defends against slanderous attacks
c. Chapter 13 he calls for a renewed spirit of love/brotherhood
5. Letter four (2 Cor. 1-9)
a. Written for reconciliation and joy
b. Paul received word from Titus that all was well
c. Paul boasts of a new spirit and calls for a continuing sense of harmony that has
been created