Paul - (see Roetzel - The Letters of Paul: Conversations in Context. Fourth edition. (Louisville: Westminster/John Knox, 1998 as well as Barr, Chapter 3)
A. Biography
1. Sources: Acts and Pauline letters. Paul as primary source.
2. Pauline Autobiographical Passages
Philippians 3:5-8:
Hebrew, Pharisee, persecutor of the church, as to righteousness under the law blameless
Galatians 1:11-2:21
(Cephas is the Aramaic equivalent of the Greek Peter)
a. Conflict between Jerusalem Christians and Paul
b. Paul argues he is not dependent on Jerusalem; his gospel comes from direct revelation
c. after conversion goes to Arabia and then returns to Damascus
(does not go to Jerusalem immediately after conversion as implied in Acts, where the author of Luke-Acts has the theological model of Jesus’ movement from Galilee to Jerusalem paralleled by Paul’s movement from Jerusalem to a new sacred center in Rome where Paul preaches openly and unhindered)
d. Model of Prophetic Call or Commission rather than conversion: Set apart from birth, called by grace, commissioned to preach to the Gentiles
e. Jerusalem Council (2:1-10) - Paul would go to the uncircumcised, Peter to the circumcised.
f. Peter in Antioch - Why compel Gentiles to become Jews first?
I Corinthians 9:1-2; 15:3-11
Resurrection appearance to Paul makes him an apostle
B. Chronology - M. A. Powell: http://www.introducingnt.com/images/sidebars/html/11-04.html
C. Letter Form - See Barr(4th ed., p. 82) and helpful outline by Just at http://catholic-resources.org/Bible/NT_Letters.htm
Paul's Letters are substitute for personal presence and "occasional" or "contextual" - attempts to construct a Pauline Theology have certain difficulties, but can also be instructive
Thanksgivings especially important since they often summarize subjects the letter will address. Absence of thanksgiving in Galatians indicates how upset Paul is with the Galatians.
Body often uses typical Hellenistic rhetorical forms as outlined in Barr in the tables on pp 15 and 16 as well as rabbinic forms of argument such as qal wachomer. He also makes ample use of metaphors, similes, analogies, and appeals to passages from the Jewish Bible or traditions of Jesus. He also often defends or appeals to his own authority or relationship to his recipients.
D. Pauline and Deutero-Pauline. Questions of Authorship. See Barr, pp. 93-95
E. Rhetorical Forms and Traditions -Body often uses typical Hellenistic rhetorical forms as outlined in Barr as well as rabbinic forms of argument such as qal wachomer (from lesser to greater).
1. Allusion to or use of Hebrew Scriptures in form of Septuagint (LXX) – for example references to Abraham, Adam, creation, etc. - Adam and creation - see Genesis 1-3; Abraham - see especially Genesis 12, 15, 17-22; Images of Messiah (Ps 2:1-2; 2 Sam 7:12-14; 2 Sam 23:5; Is.9); Suffering Servant (Is. 42:1-4; 49:1-7; 50:4-14; 52:13-53:12); Wisdom (Proverbs 8); Final Prophet/Prophet like Moses (Joel 2:28-32; Deut 18:15); Son of God (different meanings to Jews and Gentiles; to Jews Israel and the King were both depicted as God's son)
2. References to traditions and sayings of Jesus ( Examples: I Cor 7:10-11; 9:14; 11:23-24; I Thess. 4:16-17 and echoes such as I Thess 5:15=Matt. 5:39=Rom 12:17)
3. Materials from Worship – Hymns (e.g., Philippians 2:6-14), prayers, baptismal forms, etc.
4. Oral Preaching of earliest Christianity - C.H. Dodd's reconstruction:
Prophecy fulfilled, arrival of messianic age
Inauguration of this new age in life, death and resurrection of Jesus
Exaltation of Jesus
Holy Spirit in church as sign of Christ=s power and glory
Imminent Return (Parousia) as consummation of messianic age
Call to repentance and offer of forgiveness
I Corinthians 15:3-7 a classic example of Paul's incorporation of primitive material
4. Parenesis – Ethical Exhortation – e.g., lists of virtues and vices.
5. Metaphors – E.g., familial (father, mother, family), athletic (running a race), military (armor, battle, etc.)
6. Traditional Rhetorical Forms – borrows from judicial (to accuse, defend), deliberative (to persuade), epideictic (praise or blame someone)
7. Rhetorical Techniques – Examples: rhetorical questions, diatribe (exchanges with an imaginary dialog partner)
II. I Thessalonians
A. Exercise: Imagine - How would your behavior and/or attitudes change if you thought the end of the world would come within a year?
Historical/Social – Clues to the Thessalonian Congregation's Story
1. Thessalonica – port, large city, capital of Roman province of Macedonia, on Egnatian Way; Serapion and other temples; elite class, workers, slaves
2. Paul, Silvanus,Timothy – Paul worked while in Thessalonica 2:9; apparently left Phillipi (where he/they had suffered 2:2), stayed at Thessalonica a brief time, went on to other parts of Greece - brief but close relationships established; likely date of writing circa 50 CE. Timothy visited and reported to Paul (1 Thess 3)
3. Most apparently Gentiles: Thessalonians are "those turning away from idols", persecuted by your compatriots as those in Judea are persecuted
4. Concepts of Body and Life After Death
a. body as unity versus body as prison house of the soul
b. death is the end; soul persists, resurrection of the body
5. Paul's earlier teaching - may have reflected much early Christianpreaching/teaching -
Oral Preaching of earliest Christianity - C.H. Dodd's reconstruction:
Prophecy fulfilled, arrival of messianic age
Inauguration of this new age in life, death and resurrection of Jesus
Exaltation of Jesus
Holy Spirit in church as sign of Christ's power and glory
Imminent Return (Parousia) as consummation of messianic age
Call to repentance and offer of forgiveness
C. Some Literary Aspects of 1 Thessalonians
1. Letter Form - prominent thanksgiving - points to be developed in miniature
Thanksgiving 1:2-10 (NRSV)
2We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly 3remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you, 5because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake.
6And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, 7so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it. 9For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, 10and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.
Faith, Hope, Love
Imitation Paul and Christ - role model, charismatic leader, ancient tradition of imitation of philosophical teachers
Turned from idols
awaiting parousia - resurrected Jesus - rescue from wrath to come - apocalyptic issues
2. Imagery – Metaphors/Similes, etc.
Familial - brothers(and sisters), Paul is like a father and nurse to the Thessalonians, childbirth/labor pains
Armor - 1 Thess 5.8: “But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.”
Death as sleep
Apocalyptic: Day of the Lord; Darkness/Light; thief in the night
Imitation of Paul, Christ, other churches: 1:6; 2:14
3. Faith, Hope, Love Triad - thematic returns
4. Apocalyptic Imagery
D. Problems and Themes - I Thessalonians Outline handout
Interlocking Themes
1. Behavior in the Light of the Coming Parousia
2. Faith, Hope, and Love - Past, present, and Future - The Already/Not Yet
3. Imitation of Paul and Christ
4. Church as Family
5. Honor and Shame