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Introducing Paul and Pauline Literature. HFCBS Keynote Address 26 April 2006. Physical Description: Acts of Paul and Thecla (Asia Minor, ca. 175 C.E.).
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Introducing Paul and Pauline Literature HFCBS Keynote Address 26 April 2006
Physical Description: Acts of Paul and Thecla (Asia Minor, ca. 175 C.E.) • 1:7—At length they saw a man coming (namely Paul), of low stature, bald on the head, crooked thighs, handsome legs, hollow-eyed; had a crooked nose, full of grace, for sometimes he appeared as a man, sometimes he had the countenance of an angel
Sources for Reconstructing Paul • Paul’s Letters • Deutero-Pauline Letters • Apocryphal Acts • The Acts of the Apostles
Paul’s Curriculum Vitae • See Philippians 3:5-6 • Name: Paulos = common Greek name • Acts tells us that Paul is called Saul prior to his conversion (Paul never mentions this in his letters) • Paul is born in the city of Tarsus, Cilicia around the turn of the era (contemporary of Jesus but he never met the “earthly Jesus”)
Paul’s Curriculum Vitae • In Acts he is described as having an ideal education. From the Mishnah we learn that this entails: • Began to read Torah at 5 years • Began to read the Mishnah at 10 • Began to fulfill the mandates of Torah at 13 • At 20 would begin his career as a Pharisee
Paul’s Curriculum Vitae • Pre-Christian Career: He was a member of the Pharasaic sect; was more zealous for the Law than his peers and actively persecuted Christians (1 Cor15:9; Galatians 1:13; Philippians 3:6)
Paul’s Conversion and Claim to Apostleship • Galatians 1:11-24 – Paul’s conversion in his own words • Acts 9:1-19 and 22:6-16 – Paul’s conversion as recounted by “Luke”
Paul and Peter or Paul vs. Peter? • See Galatians 2:11-14 • Jewish Christianity vs. Gentile Christianity
Paul’s Letters • Undisputed Letters: (0 Corinthians: see 1 Cor 5:9) 1, 2 Corinthians; 1 Thessalonians; Philemon, Philippians, Galatians, and Romans (consistency in writing style, vocabulary and theology) • Deutero-Paul (disputed/possibly pseudonymous): Ephesians, 2 Thessalonians, Colossians, (3 Corintians) (content slightly different or more developed than traditional Paul)
Paul’s Letters • Pastorals (probably pseudonymous): 1, 2 Timothy, and Titus (highly developed church order; differences in content, language, style—but written by someone who knew Paul’s work) • Hebrews: not written by Paul; attributed to Paul because Hebrews was almost not admitted into the New Testament