Paul the Letter WriterBy Chan Wai Hung

IntroductionEach Paul’s letter :Deal with different problems and issuesFacing particular communitiesDistinctive contentsParticular themes

Is there any `Overall’ theology of Paul?

1 ThessaloniansPlace: from CorinthTime: 41-50CEThemes: made righteous or `justified’ by

faith, urged to live holy life and love one

another,Problem: The death before Jesus comeTeaching: The day of Lord will come suddenly

GalatiansPlace: southern part of the Roman provinceThemes: expresses Paul’s astonishment to

quick change of the church to other

gospel, urged to live holy life and love one

anotherProblem: The Galatians quickly turning to

another gospel, Application of Jewish Law and

circumcision,Teaching: Christian’s freedom doesn’t imply

immoral, Christian live in Spirit not under

law,

1 CorinthiansIssues: The divisions among the Church issues connected with those divisions (sexual immorality, taking case to

court, worship appearance, the Lord’s

Supper, use of spiritual gifts, the

resurrection…etc. )Teaching: urged to live holy life and love one

another

2 CorinthiansThemes: confrontation from Paul , comparing Paul with his opponents, Paul’s thankfulness

PhilemonTheme: Personal window on social

relationship in early churchIssue: Onesimus run away or done some

wrong things to his ownerTeaching: set free to Onesimus

PhilippiansTheme: RejoicingIssue: preaching of circumcision by Jewish-

Christian missionaries Teaching: stand firm in their commitment to

Christ, selfless love to one another

RomansTime: 55-58CE.Theme: Theological argument as base, Ethical instructionIssues: Paul need practical and spiritual

support, Tensions between Jewish and Gentile

Christian,Teachings: Both sides are under sin and

saved by God, justified by faith, released from

sin by dying with Christ, new life in the

Spirit

DiscussionCan we read Paul’s letter without the context?

Is there any difference between reading Paul’s letter as `overall’ Theology and as contextual response?

Criticism of Pauline lettersRhetorical criticism

Social Scientific approach Political approach

Feminist interpretation

Rhetorical criticismGreco-Roman Rhetoric : the art of public speaking to persuade the

listeners

Function:Understand letter structureExamine Paul’s style by techniques of that

timeGet the central thesis or argument of PaulAppreciate better to Paul’s art work

Rhetorical criticismHans Dieter Betz:The rhetorical structure of Galatians :The epistolary prescript (1.1-5) :openingThe exordium (1.6-11) :prepare the readerThe narratio (1.12-2.14) : statement of factsThe propositio (2.15-21): summary of narratio ,

main thesesThe probatio (3.1-4.31): The Proof of the caseThe exhortatio or paraenesis (5.1-6.10) : Exhortation and

instructionThe conlusio (6.11-18): sum up and final concerns

Margaret MitchellThree Types of rhetoric identifiedForensic or Judicial: persuade to make

judgment of past eventsDeliberative: persuade to take action in futureEpideictic: persuade to reaffirm points at

present

1 Corinthians as Deliberative rhetoric

Rhetorical criticism

Social-scientific approach Social-scientific approach: Use of theories from Anthropology and

Sociology

Function: understand relationship between early

Christians and the wider world

Social-scientific approach The social level of the Pauline Christians

Gerd Theissen (1974) : Corinth ChurchMajority lower classFew influential members from upper classMixed levels but very top and bottomJustin Meggitt(1998) `new consensus’Majority come from poor Close to subsistence level

Social-scientific approach The character of the Pauline congregationsMeeksBaptism works as `ritual of initiation’Lord’s Supper as `ritual of solidarity’Robin Scroggs (1975): NT Church as

Sociological `sects’Distinction between insider and outsider,Intensity of fellowship love,Egalitarianism and lack or organized hierarchy

Social-scientific approach Leadership in the Pauline churchesLack of formal officesSpirit’s gifts distributed not by official

positions Leadership positions started after Paul’s

deathBengt Holmbery: 3 levels of authority relationship of Paul:

with leaders in Jerusalem, over his own congregations, within those congregations themselves

Political approachRelationship between Paul and the Roman EmpireAdolf Deissmann,Parallelism between the cult of the emperor and

the cult of Christ,Christians using terms from emperor worshipRichard Horsley, (1997)Paul seems submission to the state, and see

imperial authority as instruments of GodBuilding new society as alternative to Rome

dominatonHousehold assemblies opposed the state

Feminist approachesFeminist:A modern debate about position of women in

society and church.

Function:Argued that Paul was in favour of women’s

liberation and equality

Feminist approachesElisabeth Schussler Fiorenza,

`In Memory of Her: A Feminist Theological Reconstruction of Christian Orgins ‘,1983

Reconstruct early history of Christianity,Suggested that the history was male centered,Text was written by man and interpreted by

man,

Feminist approachesThe earliest Christianity :

(i.e. Jesus movement & Pauline Church)

Equality in Spirit,Full and active participation of women,Husband and wife owe to one another , implies

equal and parallel status for both partners. (1 Corinthians 7)

Paul advice of free from marriage bond opposite to exiting law and culture, offered possibility of indepant of women.

Feminist approachesCorrection of interpretations of Paul’s teaching

about women in Church:

1 Cor 11.2-16 : all things come from God, women has rights to pray and prophesy

1 Cor 14.34-35 : wife, not womenCol3.18-4.1, Eph 5.21-6.9 The `household

codes’: Not Paul’s writing but his `patriarchal zed’ followers

DiscussionPaul’s impact on women’s leadership in Christian missionary.

Feminist approachesFiorenza:

Paul’s impact on women’s leadership in Christian missionary movement is double edged.

Affirms equality and freedom,Subordinates women’s behavior in marriage

and in worship.