Transcript The Apostle Paul: his thought and context

Chapter 3
The Apostle Paul: his thought and
context
Questions to be addressed in this
chapter
1. Who was Paul?
2. What influence did Paul’s former commitment to Judaism
have on his Christian thought?
3. How does Paul understand the end times and Christ’s
resurrection?
4. What is salvation?
5. What is expected of Christians?
Paul’s Christian beliefs
• Since the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century, the
standard interpretation of Paul has him reacting against the
Pharisees and Judaizing Christians.
• In recent decades, however, there has been an important new
perspective on Paul that began with the work of E. P. Sanders.
Writings attributed to Paul
in the New Testament
Undisputed
Romans
1&2 Corinthians
Galatians
Philippians
1 Thessalonians
Philemon
Questioned
More strongly disputed
Ephesians
1&2 Timothy
Colossians
Titus
2 Thessalonians
Paul the Pharisee
• Paul aligned himself with a militant, extremist Jewish sect of
Pharisees.
• By the end of the first century, there were at least two very
distinct sects of Jewish Pharisees—moderate and lenient ones
known as Hillelites, and strict, hard-liners known as
Shammaites.
Hillel and Shammai
These were two of the greatest rabbis of the Second Temple
period of Judaism, and each developed devoted followings
during the first century. Hillel generally took a more open and
lenient interpretation of the Jewish law, while Shammai pushed
for strict adherence. Hillel was the president of the Sanhedrin,
or chief ruling council of the Jews, in Jerusalem until his death
around 10 CE, and then Shammai took over. Each of their
schools exercised significant influence on Judaism over the first
few centuries of the Common Era.
The Resurrection
• The Pharisees expected a resurrection of the dead, but this
was to occur in the last days—vindicating the people of God
and allowing them to share in the glorious kingdom of God.
• Contrary to his earlier beliefs, after his conversion experience
Paul affirmed that Jesus of Nazareth had been raised from the
dead.
• He believed that Jesus would return and usher in a new
kingdom age.
Paul’s Gospel
• Paul’s Gospel was not some formula about how to become a
Christian; it was simply the amazing good news that Jesus
Christ, through his death and resurrection, had been revealed
as Lord of the universe.
• Paul believed that he had been given the task of bringing that
news to the Gentiles (see Ephesians 3:8) so that they might
understand that they too could align themselves with Christ
the King.
Paul and the Christian life
• Paul lived in a time when it was commonplace for
practitioners of all religions and ethical systems to be engaged
in physical activities for the purpose of spiritual benefits.
• Paul’s instructions were for Christians to train their bodies in
ways that would come to sustain positive moral and spiritual
habits.
• But Paul emphasized throughout his letters the responsibility
that individuals had for doing the sorts of things that mature
believers ought to be doing so that God would continue to
work his grace in their lives. These two emphases are
conjoined in his passage, “work out your own salvation with
fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you” (Phil.
2:12-13).
Summary of main points
1. Paul was a Jew from Tarsus who converted to Christianity after
persecuting Christians as part of a hard-line sect within Judaism.
2. Paul’s Christian thought retained an essentially Jewish
character, but he accepted that Jesus was the long-awaited
messiah who ushered in the end times.
3. Christ’s resurrection was the definitive sign that he had been
justified by God and that the last days had begun and would
culminate with Christ’s return.
4. All people—not just Jews—were able to share in the blessing
inaugurated with Abraham and be resurrected to eternal life in
the kingdom of God.
5. Christians in this life are to be conformed more and more to the
likeness of Christ as they participate in spiritual training.