The Apostle Paul And His Letters

by Freed,Edwin D.

• ISBN13: 9781845530037
• ISBN10: 1845530039
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2014-08-08
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

In this book, the author deals with Paul and the book of Acts, the circumstances that led Paul to write each letter, and his responses to those circumstances. A unique aspect of the work is Paul's emphasis on the morality of the believers to whom he was writing--his "ways in Christ" as he taught "them everywhere in every church." Brief discussions of Paul's language help to enlighten meanings of his thought often overlooked. His thought is presented in light of his own times, not those of the Reformation or our own. Material from the Old Testament, Qumran, and pagan sources makes readers more aware of that fact. Paul was not writing for Christians in the modern sense of the term. Rather, he was writing primarily to converts, especially Gentiles, who came into his churches only recently from either Judaism or paganism. Paul's emphases on faithfulness toward God, the faithfulness of Jesus, and his moral teachings are primary themes.

Table of Contents

Preface	xiii
Abbreviations	xvi
Map: The Journeys of Paul	xviii
Introduction	1	(1)
How and Where the Story Began	1	(2)
Significant Phenomena behind the Story	3	(1)
Date and Arrangement of the Letters	3	(1)
Context and Nature of the Letters	4	(1)
Undisputed and Disputed Letters	5	(1)
Paul as a Person	5	(2)
Paul and the Christ Movement	7	(1)
The Independence of Paul's Churches	8	(1)
The Designation `Christian'	8	(4)
Origin of the Designation `Christian'	10	(2)
Paul and the Book of Acts	12	(14)
Common Features in Paul's Letters and Acts	12	(1)
Acts and the Gospel of Luke	13	(2)
Possible Sources for Acts	15	(1)
Acts as History	16	(1)
Acts as Theology	17	(2)
The Speeches in Acts	19	(3)
The Speeches and Luke's Theology	19	(3)
The Relationship between Luke and Paul	22	(1)
Date and Place of Writing for Luke--Acts	23	(1)
Luke and the Letters of Paul	23	(3)
Primary Purpose, Structure, and Content of Acts	26	(11)
The Work of Peter in Jerusalem	27	(1)
Stephen, his Speech, and Death	27	(1)
The Work of Philip	28	(1)
Baptism and the Authority of the Apostles	28	(1)
Baptism, the Holy Spirit, and the Laying on of Hands	29	(1)
Paul's Views on Baptism	30	(2)
Paul's Vision on the Road to Damascus	32	(1)
More Work of Peter	33	(1)
The Work of Paul and his Companions	33	(1)
Paul's Arrest, Trials, and Voyage to Rome	34	(2)
Summary	36	(1)
Paul's Primary Messages and Their Development	37	(12)
For Jews	37	(2)
Jesus Is the Messiah (Christ)	37	(2)
For Gentiles	39	(1)
God Alone Is God	39	(1)
Faithfulness toward God and the Holy Spirit	40	(1)
For Jews and Gentiles	40	(2)
Jesus Is Son of God and Lord	40	(2)
Development of Paul's Beliefs about Jesus	42	(6)
Paul's Special Religious Experience	42	(3)
Introspection, Retrospection, and Progression	45	(3)
Paul as a Mission Personage	48	(1)
Paul's Early Letters: 1 and 2 Thessalonians	49	(11)
1 Thessalonians	49	(8)
Background and Purposes of the Letter	49	(2)
Gentiles and Polytheism	51	(2)
Believers and their Behavior	53	(1)
The End of the Age and Believers Who Had Died	54	(1)
Paul's Challenge to Those Still Living	55	(2)
Summary	57	(1)
2 Thessalonians	57	(3)
Summary	58	(2)
Paul's Early Letters: 1 Corinthians 1--6	60	(16)
The Beginning of the Church at Corinth	60	(1)
Apollos Comes onto the Scene	60	(3)
Paul at Corinth	63	(1)
Paul's Correspondence with the Church at Corinth	64	(2)
The Situation at Corinth and Paul's Response	66	(10)
Divisions among Members	66	(2)
Paul's Rivals	68	(1)
Immorality	68	(1)
Lawsuits before Unbelievers	69	(1)
Morality and the Kingdom of God	70	(1)
What Paul Does Not Say	71	(1)
About Repentance	71	(2)
About Forgiveness	73	(1)
Paul's Thought and That of Hebrews	74	(2)
Paul's Early Letters: 1 Corinthians 7--16 and 2 Corinthians	76	(13)
1 Corinthians 7--16	76	(6)
About What the Corinthians Had Written to Paul	76	(1)
Paul's Response to the Corinthians' Letter	76	(1)
About Marriage	76	(1)
Paul and the Commandments of God	77	(1)
About Eating Meat from a Sacrificed Animal	77	(1)
Paul Defends Himself	78	(1)
About Idolatry	78	(1)
About the Lord's Supper	79	(1)
About Conduct at Worship	79	(2)
About Spiritual Gifts	81	(1)
About the Resurrection of the Dead	81	(1)
About Various Matters	82	(1)
Summary	82	(1)
2 Corinthians 10--13	82	(3)
The Situation in Corinth That Evoked These Chapters	82	(1)
Paul and his Rivals	83	(1)
Paul's Response to the Situation	84	(1)
2 Corinthians 1--9	85	(4)
Summary	87	(2)
Letters from Paul's Mid--Career: Galatians	89	(19)
Common Core of Material in Galatians and Romans	89	(1)
Where Did the Galatians Live?	89	(1)
When Was Galatians Written?	90	(1)
The Main Problem in Galatia	90	(2)
Paul's Response to the Problem	92	(15)
Paul and his Adversaries (Autobiographical)	92	(1)
Righteousness through Faithfulness	93	(2)
Paul's Words Dikaioo and Dikaiosyne	95	(1)
The Faithfulness of Christ	96	(2)
Paul and the Messiah	98	(1)
Righteousness and Faithfulness of Believers	99	(1)
The Example of Abraham	100	(2)
Baptism and Living by the Spirit	102	(2)
Converts as New Creations	104	(3)
Summary	107	(1)
Letters from Paul's Mid--Career: Romans 1--6	108	(18)
The Relationship between Galatians and Romans	108	(1)
Why and When Did Paul Write Romans?	109	(1)
Romans as a Letter for General Circulation	110	(1)
Paul's Arguments	111	(13)
Romans 1 and Related Passages	111	(5)
Romans 2.25--29 and Related Passages	116	(1)
Romans 3.21--31 and Related Passages	117	(4)
The Example of Abraham	121	(1)
Jesus' Death and Resurrection	121	(1)
Romans 5.15--19	122	(1)
Baptism of Converts	123	(1)
Paul and the Sect of Qumran	124	(2)
Letters from Paul's Mid--Career: Romans 7--16	126	(18)
Living by the Spirit	126	(1)
Romans 7--8	126	(7)
Romans 7.1--13: The Jews and the Law	127	(1)
The `I' in Romans 7	128	(1)
Romans 7.15--25: Gentiles and the Law	129	(1)
The Struggle To Do What Ought To Be Done	129	(3)
Romans 8.1--4	132	(1)
Romans 9--11	133	(4)
Rejection of Jesus by the Jews	134	(1)
The Stone of Stumbling and What It Is	134	(3)
The Belief That Jesus Is Lord	137	(5)
What Paul Does Not Say	140	(2)
Romans 12--15	142	(1)
The Morality of Believers	142	(1)
Summary	143	(1)
Paul's Latest Letters: Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, and Ephesians	144	(19)
Philippians	144	(5)
How the Church at Philippi Began	144	(1)
Is Philippians a Fragmented Work?	144	(1)
Purpose of Philippians	145	(1)
Paul Writes about himself, his Aspirations, his Plans, and Moral Probity	146	(3)
Summary	149	(1)
Colossians	149	(6)
Founding of the Church at Colossae	149	(1)
Is Colossians an Authentic Letter of Paul?	150	(1)
Arguments against Authenticity	151	(1)
Arguments for Authenticity	152	(1)
Comparison of Colossians with Philemon	152	(1)
Situation in the Church at Colossae	153	(1)
The Writer's Response to the Situation	154	(1)
Summary	155	(1)
Philemon	155	(1)
Summary	156	(1)
Ephesians	156	(7)
Founding of the Church at Ephesus	156	(1)
Is Ephesians an Authentic Letter of Paul?	157	(1)
Arguments against Authenticity	157	(1)
Faith in and Faith of Jesus and Being Saved in Ephesians	158	(1)
Who Wrote Ephesians?	159	(1)
Purpose and Teaching of Ephesians	160	(1)
Summary	161	(2)
Addendum: Concluding Observations and Reflections	163	(8)
Paul and the Christ Movement	163	(1)
Paul and the Synagogue	164	(1)
Paul and the Jewish People	165	(2)
Paul and the Law for Converts	167	(2)
Paul's Language	169	(2)
Bibliography	171