Very Unlikely You Would Have Believed Either

Last Year in Life of Christ published a post on the challenges the Jews faced when it came to accepting Jesus as the messiah. If everyone in the society that you were raised in believed in a different kind of messiah, along with the fact that there were many others who claimed to be the messiah, you probably would not have believed either. As we have looked at the cities that Paul visited over the last couple of weeks and their responses to the Gospel, I cannot help but ask myself if I would have believed or went along with the rest of society.

The Jews obviously were raising the same challenges that they did during the ministry of Jesus. Now they even had the issue of Paul challenging their Law even more than Christ. The Gentiles were raised in paganistic societies where several dieties were often worshipped and the knowledge of the God of Israel is very limited in comparison to the Jewish people. The Jews at least knew of God's attempts to redeem His people through the Old Testament and Paul is able to utilize that redemptive history to show how God has fulfilled the need for forgiveness through Christ. The Gentiles would not have been as familiar with such a history. The Gentiles also saw Christianity as a sect of Judaism and would have led to even less of a belief in the message of Paul if his own Jewish brothers and sisters were turning the Gospel away and attacking him. Keeping this in mind I am not sure if I put myself into the shoes of the Gentiles that I would have believed either and I can easily see how they reacted violently the way they did when provoked by the Jews to do so.

Think of it this way, If some guy came to us and claimed to be Christ and told us that he is returning, did not perform any miracle (even though Paul and Christ did, would we believe him. What if a guy claimed to be an apostle of God and began to proclaim as a prophet does, would we buy into it? Do any of these scenarios sound familiar? The fact is that similiar events have occurred during our time and we responded the exact same way that the Jews and Gentiles, by not believing and persecuting the individuals. We reacted in such a way, because we taught a different messaage just as the Jews and Gentiles were. Still think you would have believed then? I think we need to be thankful we have a cannonized bible and for being born into a society that already believes in the right message and is free to do so. We also need to be respectful of the individuals who were skeptical about Paul when they first heard the Gospel. I bet you didn't accept the first time you heard the Gospel either.

ghostbuster wannabees

The story of the seven sons of sceva that we talked about in class on Friday seems almost like a comical exorcist movie, but I feel that as Dr. Foster put it, the fact that the demons recognized the authority of Paul and of Jesus reinforced how valid Paul and his telling of the Gospel was. I have never really thought about it like that before because I have always just seen this story as a funny one of these guys trying to play ghostbusters/demon exorcisors and getting a beating and running with their tails tucked between their legs. After further study however you can plainly see that the demons admitted that Jesus had autority as well as Paul and that strengthened Paul's evangelistic effort in my view. This was just a much more serious view than I had ever taken on this story and it makes alot of sense.
Peace...Ira

A Little Lesson from Pagans

Often in our culture we look at other religions as “evil.” I, by no means, agree with this, however, I also think that (as we continually discuss in class) we should look into the cultural context of things. In Acts 19:23-41, the silversmith Demetrius incited a riot against Paul and his mission team. He was angry for the sake of Artemis; but is this any different from our fervent offense for the sake of Christ? When we watch movies or hear jokes of sacrilege, we become offended because it is an offense to us because of our Lord. But would we not also be offended if we were believers in Artemis, our Patron deity (who fell to us from the sky)? I believe that we would be offended. I believe that Demetrius is commendable for his anger for the sake of his god. As we also discussed in class, the citizens of Ephesus did not riot because Paul was preaching the Gospel and putting a damper on silver shrine business. They were truly angry for the sake of Artemis. I believe that though he was wrong in his fervor and the deity where he placed his faith, I do believe that we often fail to be THIS emotionally defensive for OUR God, the ONE TRUE GOD! I once again commend Demetrius, and I challenge us all (myself included) to be offended for the sake of Christ!

Zach Pyron

About Corinth...

Corinth was a key spot for God to lead Paul to. As we learned in class, it was a socio-economic center. it was the main sea passage for Rome to imort and export to all of Asia Minor Macedonia and the Mediterranean. Making Corinth a probable cultural melting pot. With this in mind, it is reasonable to think that Paul wanted to really lead Corinth out of thier culturally acceptable sins, beacuse the Church at Corinth was going to be the first view that many people would see of Christianity. Not downplaying the imortance of other epistles or their significance, but to me this seems like Corinth could have been the next Antioch of Seria and really had an impact on the world though missions. And being so closely connected to the Games... what a thought....

Another interesting thought that occured to me as we've been studing Corinth through class and in the Book review is how applicable the issues that Paul deals with are for American society. At first i thought that Corinth was a dispicable place with no morals, but there are even today places in America that promote such immoral behavior, and that Paul's message can still easily be used as a good example to fighta with a lead other Christians out of darkness.

I have heard of a youth pastor who had an affair and at first was not remorseful or repentant about it, but i can imagine that the words like those in First Corinthians really helped bring him back to fellowship with God.

Just Say No!...to the Holy Spirit.

In Acts 21 Paul is warned by the Holy Spirit not to go to Jerusalem. He is also warned by his disciples, who were warned by the Holy Spirit as well, not to go . Refusing to heed the warnings, Paul travels to Jerusalem. Why is he so adamant about going? Has his personal goal overshadowed the overall purpose of the Holy Spirit? Is Paul wrong for proceeding? These are only some of the many questions I have found myself asking after studying this text. Perhaps Paul knew he would be killed in Jerusalem, therefore he possed a drive and a will that refused to not go. Maybe he was so zealous about this trip because he wanted to get it over with. The disciples resolution to the situation is interesting. They seem to toss the issue into the air and say, "God, you deal with it!" And maybe, here lies the answer. Perhaps God did deal with it. Perhaps God presided over the whole event, recognizing the heart and will of Paul and considering them to be precious. Since the details of the outcome are not fully know, I do not want to speculate too much. But I think Paul was aware of what he was doing. His joy to preach the gospel despite persecution drove him to a state where he remained faithful, immovable, and eager to carry out the will of the Lord.

I am ready to die

The discussion in class on Paul’s journey to Jerusalem, though he was warned by disciples in Tyre against going on to Jerusalem, brings several things to mind. There are several possible reasons that Paul would go on to Jerusalem despite the warnings. One is that he just simply wanted to go back to Jerusalem and he was hard set on doing that regardless of what someone else said. Perhaps he thought that he would be able to go through persecution once again like he had in the past. But what I think is the reason kind of goes along with Dr. Foster’s ideas of the fish going back up stream theory. I think he knew that this would be his end but that he fought a good fight and as he said "I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."
Matt Justice

A Pursuit of Martyrdom...or Obedience

There is no doubt about it. At the end of his third missionary journey, Paul was indeed driven to Jerusalem. He was compelled to go there and to preach even after being warned by his brothers and sisters through the spirit not to go. Why? Was it this mission brought about by some intense desire to be martyred for the faith? We see the glorification of martrydom and the pursuit of it develop later in church history with characters such as Origen, so perhaps in Paul's day it was a very admirable thing. However, Paul makes perfectly clear in Romans 15 that he desire to continue the ministry in places such as spain, so why would he seek to die in Jerusalem before ever having the oppurtunity to go to Spain? Was this strictly obedience to God's will and Spirit, and, if so, why was he told in the Spirit not to go? Ultimately I believe that Paul was obedient to God over any desire of his own. Was Paul's undying affection and burden for his people (the Jews) so great that he felt irrisistably drawn to Jerusalem?

I believe the answer to these questions in "yes", especially to the latter two pruposed. I cannot illustrate Paul's exact mentallity as he ventured to Jerusalem and certain doom, but his own litterature makes evident his desire to follow Christ at all cost as well as the compassion and burden he had to see his people accept the Messiah. Paul clearly measures his desire to stay at or go to places by the oppurtunity that is there as well as the adversaries that are there (1 Cor 15:9).

Whatever the reason, we must be encouraged and inspired by Paul to march square into danger and peril if it means obeying Christ and preaching the gospel.

finishing the race...

"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." Acts 20:24

I have heard this verse a lot in the last few years. I remember in high school a lot of people said it was their favorite verse. Sure, it sounds good enough. I might seem really humble if it was my favorite verse. I see now, however, after learning so much about Paul and what he did during the three missionary journeys what exactly this verse means. Paul was going to preach the Gospel, especially if it killed him. His whole farewell speech to the elders of Ephesus in Miletus is a great testimony to what all God had done in Paul's ministry since he started.
Hopefully, when we've reached the end of our lives, we will all be able to make the same claim Paul did in verse 27, "For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God."

Jennifer Young

Guiding of the Holy Spirit

Throughout Acts 20-21, we see that Paul is continually warned by the Holy Spirit, through others, not to continue to Jerusalem. Paul seems to dismiss these cautions, but why? If the Holy Spirit was truely using other people to speak to Paul, wouldn't that be the work of the Lord. In other words, believing in the trinity, wouldn't the Holy Spirit's warning be from God. If that's the case then why would Paul continue his journey towards Jerusalem. Or if it was God's will for Paul to suffer in Jerusalem, then why would the Holy Spirit try to convince him not to go. The best I can understand is that maybe the Holy Spirit was giving these revelations to others so that Paul might be remembered as someone willing to follow Christ no matter the cost. Maybe the Holy Spirit wanted him to go, but wanted others to see his sacrafice in going.

Seven Sons of Sceva, Vanity, and the Sovereignty of God Over His Own Name

Reflecting on Friday’s discussion about the seven sons of Sceva and a discussion on the third commandment in Basic Christian Ethics, I see how the issue of using or taking the Lord’s name in vain could become a problematic issue in a polytheistic society. The seven sons of Sceva were Jewish, but the text indicates that both Greeks and Jews practiced sorcery. The superstitious beliefs of the first century complicated a convert’s understanding of Christianity. As Winter noted in After Paul Left Corinth, superstition spilled over into Christianity in the form of curses in the name of Jesus. Such practices recognized the power and authority of the name of Jesus, but they failed to recognize the sovereignty of God over the use of his own name. The beating of the seven sons served as a wake up call for superstitious pagans and church members. For many pagans, demonic recognition of Christ evidenced the power of the one true God. In the same way, Jews, who were supposed to practice a monotheistic worship of the one true God, recognized the error of their ways. "The name of the Lord was held in high honor." Verse eighteen indicates that fear gave way to belief, and belief resulted in action. The people burned sorcery scrolls that were valued in excess of an average man’s wages for 136 years. I find it interesting that the people torched their scrolls rather than sell them. As a modern Christian, I recognize that vanity is one of the most common sins. When we recognize that something has displaced God in our lives, we prefer to put that thing in a box and save it for later. Christian Ephesians had a zeal for putting their faith into action. They destroyed the things that hindered them. Despite the failure of the seven sons of Sceva to recognize the true authority of Christ’s name, God used the incident to increase the power and authority of his word.
In Christ,
the other Paul

Online Poll: Paul's teaching of resurrection

Hey guys and gals. I'm doing my paper on the 1 Corinthian 15 passage which contains some of Paul's theology of resurrection. My basic thesis is that the resurrection for believers in the future will be of the same nature as the resurrection of Jesus. Based on the text found within this passage, what is your opinion of future resurrection of believers? Please keep in mind how Paul ties the future resurrection to that of the resurrection of Christ. Will it be physical in that graves with open up releasing the dead, or is it somehow just a spiritual resurrection? Please condsider this question based on Pauline theology and leave me some comments. I'm interested in what you think.! Peace!

Wade

Paul's Parallel to Christ

I never thought of Paul's mad dash to Jerusalem after leaving Ephesus to be of any significance until today. I always thought that he was in such a hurry to get there only because he desperately wanted to go. I never thought of the parallels to Christ's passion that are so numerous in this passage. Paul was warned by several different people at several different places to not go to Jerusalem. Agabus even ties himself up with Paul's belt and warned him to not go to Jerusalem. If this had been me, I think I would have gotten the message at this point and gotten the heck out of dodge! It is almost that Paul saw that it was his duty to go to Jerusalem to die, just as Christ had to die in Jerusalem. Paul was very tenacious in his determination to go to Jerusalem- at all costs. The parallels to Christ's final days are amazing to me, and I believe we all can learn from Paul's determination.

Steven Price

The will of the Lord be done!!

In Acts 21:11-14 we can see the situation Paul has. I think we can grasp the reality of the situation in Jerusalem in this section. Paul is not stupid, he is not away fromt the spirit's focus. God I believe has revealed to Paul that these things were not going to be easy when he got to Jerusalem. We see Paul in verse 13 in a new light almost in an outroar for his situation. He understood the persecuation that awaited him in Jerusalem, and he was willing. The question I wonder is, is that what he wanted. He goes on the basically put himself out in front of the Jews to be persecuted inadvertly. To me this is a wonderful demonstration of God's will being done. Verse 14 is the approval of that. That stoic philosophy is seen here, God's will is God's will and there is nothing we should do to try to persuade other wise.

Jacob

Man...That Guy was BORING!

Acts 20:7-12

I find this passage hilarious! According to Luke, Paul was talking "on and on" (vs 9 NIV). It says that this young man Eutychus was falling asleep, but in the NIV it is called a "deep" sleep...but unfortunately, this lad didnt seem to bright, because he seated himself in a window, and fell out...oooppss, so much for not getting caught napping during bible study...

So this raises the question, was Paul boring?? Doubtful, but it is somewhat a comical approach to this passage.

Abbi

Paul's procession

Even though I we thoroughly covered Paul’s decision to go to Jerusalem in spite of being warned not to proceed, the ordeal keeps running through my mind. Maybe I am beating a dead horse by bringing it up again, but questions keep coming up. My mind would delight in the satisfaction of understanding the events surrounding Paul’s choice to go and the Spirit’s warning for him not to continue there. Would he have been obedient to the Lord if he had stayed longer in any of the towns or cities on his rush to get back to the J’ville? Was Paul sinning in his decision to proceed? I am not sure if Dr. Foster was implying this thought or not, but I wonder if the apostle felt the urgency to get back in order that he might be able to preach boldly to his own people. Maybe he the closure he needed involved washing his hands of their blood by telling them the gospel. The passage is unsettled in my soul.

kevin

Well...if that's what the Spirit says....

What if Paul had paid attention to the words of trouble in Jerusalem in Acts 21? What if he acknowledged the Spirit speaking through these disciples and prophets and decided not to go? We could see that maybe many other churches would have been started by Paul and many other prominent leaders would have come to know Christ through the words which Paul would have spoken to them. Paul's followers would have grown more in knowledge and action, as well as learned more from their great teacher.

Or, what if Paul had taken their word and not gone, would he be deny what the Spirit might be saying to him? That statement is a stretch beyond means, but Paul obviously knew that going to Jerusalem was not the wisest choice ever. He knew from the Spirit that if he went he would face trouble and maybe even death. Would Paul be escaping from what the Spirit was wanting him to do? The entire idea of why Paul went rest on his words that he was ready for what was about to come to him. He knew that the time was at hand for him to face death and Jerusalem was the way to get there. This is the never ending battle of "what if?" that stems from making one decision over another.

Living and Leaving a Spiritual Legacy?

Paul seemed to be able to make disciples in all the churches he established and could leave in confidenced the leadership that had been created. In Acts 20:1-6 we find an account of some of the disciples that were part of a larger missionary team. These were not just people from Antioch of Syria, but members of the local congregations that had been established along the missionary journeys. This helps to reconcile Paul's determination to return to Jerusalem. Not only had a firm foundation been laid in the churches, but also strong leadership so that Paul became able to go to Jerusalem and face what he knew would happen to him there, his arrest and subsequent imprisionment in Rome and eventual death. It also seems from the text that the Holy Spirit had been telling these disciples of Paul's fate in Jerusalem (of which Paul was also aware) and they desired him not to go. This I beleive is not disobeince on Paul's part but rather a kind of obedience that is rarely seen. The kind of obedience that he could carry out with confidence because of the spiritual legacy that he would be leaving behind. The question that comes to mind is what kind of disciples are we creating? Are they just passive listners of active learners? Where is the standard of discipleship in our own ministry work? Can we say as Paul , "Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ"? Are we living and leaving a spiritual legacy?

Paul & The Godhead

Obvious parallels between the Lukan accounts of Paul and Christ bring up serious questions about Luke's conception of Paul. As Christ continually honored the Father in Luke's Gospel, so Paul continually honors Christ. Both figures are suffering heroes; both are presented without flaw (that is, post-Damascus Paul is presented without flaw).

This brings to the surface some disturbing questions: Did Luke see Paul as part of the Godhead? Did he believe in a Quaternity, instead of a Trinity? Or perhaps did Luke see Paul's life as a model by which all Christians can attain godhood?

These questions may rock the foundations of traditional Christian interpretation, but textual considerations demand they be considered.

The Church a greek fraternity?

Discussion in class on Friday about a Greek association got my wheels to spinning. I have spent many years attempting to reconcile the church's practices with the practices of the early synagogue and was always coming up short. I often wondered where different forms of government and a constant need to eat that seems to crop up in Corinthians was all about. The light has been turned on. It was the Greek association that led to the modern church and a good deal of current societies. I think that the theological implications of this are numerous. It allows us to take a step back and realize that while our leadership in churches do need to be Godly people, we may not need to try to fit ourselves into mold of deacon/elder that we so tenaciously cling to. I think that much of the conflict that we face as a result of our strict adherence to this archaic system could be stemmed off if we would just look at more efficient and modern ways to run our church. Obviously Paul had no problems taking ideas from his culture in order to find molds for church. Why should we?

Destroying the wisdom of the wise.

It’s amazing to me how similar the early philosophers, scientists, and debaters are with those of today. Trying to explain the ways of God through all kinds of efforts by of all kinds of people has been and still is the goal of many. Seeking everything from signs, wisdom, or physical proof to support an explanation of the ways of God has never been enough, because signs can be interpreted in different ways, wisdom isn’t always applicable in every situation, and sometimes there is not enough physical proof to support your belief. When it comes to the cross, something that scientific methods, forms of debate, branches philosophy, or mountains of physical evidence could never explain, methods of understanding have become useless in this area. Maybe explaining or understanding everything about God is not the issue. The issue is belief in Him and His word in spite of something that doesn’t make sense in the eyes of the “wise”.

Destroying the wisdom of the wise.

It’s amazing to me how similar the early philosophers, scientists, and debaters are with those of today. Trying to explain the ways of God through all kinds of efforts by of all kinds of people has been and still is the goal of many. Seeking everything from signs, wisdom, or physical proof to support an explanation of the ways of God has never been enough, because signs can be interpreted in different ways, wisdom isn’t always applicable in every situation, and sometimes there is not enough physical proof to support your belief. When it comes to the cross, something that scientific methods, forms of debate, branches philosophy, or mountains of physical evidence could never explain, methods of understanding have become useless in this area. Maybe explaining or understanding everything about God is not the issue. The issue is belief in Him and His word in spite of something that doesn’t make sense in the eyes of the “wise”.

Milk and Honey

After looking at 1 Corinthians 3: 1-2, I have come to the conclusion that most church members only want infant food. Think of your church; how many of the people in your church are actively seeking new understanding about God? How many of us ministry students are actively seeking new understanding about God? I know that there is an argument that most of the people in church are not ready for the real food of God’s Word, but there are some – and they are not being provided for. Christian books and studies are utter vanity. They are the same empty messages that we have read and heard for the last fifty years. No wonder the world looks down on Christian writers and scholars – their work sucks! How will we, the next generation – nay the current generation of Christian writers and scholars provide meaningful, scriptural food for our flock and disciples.

Danny the Argumentative

Exorists and Demons

Dr. Foster discussed the sons of Sceva in class Friday. He stated that in order for demons to be removed, the person had to bind the individual by calling on the name of the divinity. The divinity would be greater than the demon and would be able to force out the demon. Not only would you call on the divinity, but you must also have the authority to use the words. The sons of Sceva, much to their dismay, did not have that authority when they stated, "we adjure you by the name Paul preaches" to come out. The demons stated that they knew Jesus and that they knew Paul, but they did not know the sons of Sceva.

The exorcism failed because they did not have the authority to use "the Name".

I thought it was rather ironic that demons helped to spread the Word of God and Jesus. It reminded me of Marcion who was going to eliminate Paul from the New Testament. When Marcion organized his canon, he had no intention of Paul being remembered. However by establishing his canon, he inadvertantly established the New Testament canon and the validity of Paul's letters. The demons did not recognize the authority of the sons of Sceva and inadvertantly helped to spread the Word of God and Jesus.

Paul's hands were clean

Paul makes a reference to Ezekiel’s illustration of the watchman (Ezek. 33: 1-7) after being rejected by the Jews in Corinth (18: 5-8). Paul states that he is not liable for the Jews not accepting Christ because he has shared the gospel with them. When I think of this statement along with the assumption Paul had of Christ coming back in Paul’s lifetime, it becomes rather evident to me why Paul saw his mission as so urgent. Believing that he would be responsible for the ignorance of those around him and thinking that at any time Christ will return would force Paul to act quickly and share the message of Christ before time expired. I can’t help but ask, did Paul have some sort of personal fear of Christ condemning him for not telling everyone he could about the gospel. Another question that I would ask is why do we not feel such an urgency or responsibility to share the gospel with all those around us. Paul was definitely right in shaking off his garments to the Corinthian Jews and saying that he did his duty, but can we say the same about those that we encounter everyday?

Travis Adams

The Persistance of Paul

As we continue to view Paul's life, i am continually amazed by his persistance for the Gospel. I can't say that i see that urgancy or unstoppable force being reflected in others and especially not in my life. To live only for the sake of the Gospel seems far from my life, what does this take? I used to think it was weird when Paul would say take from his example, but now i see why, it is because he was a good example of true Christian living. i am overwhelmed and challenged.

Idleness

In 2 Thessalonians 3, Paul warns the church to stay away from idle men. I am astounded at how often Paul mentions the importance of working for oneself in these two letters alone. Apparently, this is something the Thessalonians were really struggling with. Paul, again, served as a great example while he was with them, never eating food he couldn't pay for. I also think about these idle men and what they must have been doing with their time if they refused to work at all. They were probably not any help at ministry stuff either, since they chose not to work in general. Laziness is bad. "They are not busy, they are busybodies" (v 11). I'm afraid this describes too many in churches today.

Jennifer

the Body of Christ

I have known for a few years now that the body of Christ or church includes three parts the local, community, and universal. I probably learned this from Purpose Driven Life or the Baptist Faith and Message. But I am excited at gaining a greater understanding of how this concept echoed through his writings. As I looked at some of the section in the DPL my mind began to process the information. I thought that maybe more often I should think of my connection with Christ and his church in these three facets. Often I think we (specifically college students) lose sight of the church on all three levels. We may help on the community level or the universal level yet neglect the local level. We may help at the local level yet forget about the majority of Christianity around the world. This made me think that I should be better about praying on all three levels for the church and then I would probably have an better awareness for the church and her needs.

kevin

Not Being a Burden

In 1 Thessalonians 2 Paul talks about the hardships that he faced working night and day so that he could independently support himself. He did not want to be a burden to the people that he was ministering to. He wanted to preach the word to them free of charge. It’s hard for me to imagine doing the kind of ministry that they were doing with out any financial support. Preaching the word seems exhausting without the extra hardships. I believe that ministering with out anything in return is an example of a true servant. It is an expression of sacrificial love to the people. It is showing that the only thing that matters is that the people are getting discipled and Jesus is being glorified. If we have to work double time to feed ourselves then that’s what needs to be done no matter how degrading the extra work is. This reminds me that supporting my family in the future as a minister could be very challenging but it will be a great blessing to work hard for the Lord.

Stephen Foust

A statement for Christianity

Dr. Foster touched on something in class today. In reading of the letters, we see that the people are complaining because Paul and his companions have been around turning the place "upside down" and were afraid that the same would take place in their town. This is a massive stand for Christianity. Someone wiser than me once said... We must be the change we want to see in the world. I believe Paul set a standard at this point and we should do our best to follow. Something that struck me while I was reading this material was the quiet time I had in Romans 6 this morning. Paul showed us an outward example that we see is tangible... we also need to make that inner commitment as well.

Good Job Thessalonians

The Thessalonians where doing a good job and where well known for it also. In 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10 Paul congratulates and encourages the Thessalonians because of the way that they were well known about being followers and imitators of the Lord. They were so well known, like Dr. Foster said, that before Paul was able to tell anyone about the church in Thessalonica, they already knew about it. I find that awesome that they were so well know for there stand even through persecution that Paul was not able to tell anyone cause they already knew the stories of them and their faith in Jesus Christ.
Matt Justice the Shaggy

Paul the Honorable

One thing that I have found to be interesting this week is the incident of Paul and Silas in the prison at Philippi. Prison is not a fun place under any circumstance. In our present culture, the prison experience is somewhat flexible. But for Paul and Silas, prison was not a place where you can use the internet, watch tv, and take course in order to gain your GED. Prison was filthy and harsh, especially when you are shackled in chains. The area that stricks me the most throughout that whole scenario was the amount of honor that Paul had. Even when they were given the opportunity of freedom, he still felt that honor was more important than a quick release. He did not walk out on the jailer forcing him to kill himself. Instead he stayed put and in the process led that jailer to knowing Christ. Even when he was given a pardon, he knew that he would not feel honorable without a public apology for a public flogging. Paul understood where he was, he knew what prison meant. He also knew his task and he strived to complete his task under any and every cost. That to me is a man of honor.

When and How?

I really enjoyed the simplicity in how 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 was presented in class today. I have often been asked my opinion from church members, friends, and family on the topic of whether I think that the end is near or whether christ has already come. The question used to terrify me and cause me to get into discussions that were not healthy nor productive. Both parties in the discussions would always end up more confused than they were before they started. I believe that Satan is constantly trying to give us topics to argue about within the church. I would rather focus my energy on doing what the bible is specific about and trust God to handle the things I don't understand. After time I began to understand that I did not have a sufficient answer because there isn't one unless you speculate. The fact is that noone knows when Christ will return. Even Christ himself stated that only the Father knows. The bottom line is that I felt affirmed today by the reading of 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6. The passage is very specific in telling us that we have no way of knowing when the return will occur and I believe therefore we should not waste time and energy worrying. The passage also encourages us by letting us know that not only will you know when the return is occuring, you will not mistake it for something else. The bottom line is live like the return of Christ could happen at any time and be assured that just like birth pains you will not mistake it for something else nor will you miss it, just ask any mother!

Lydia, a help in Philippi.

The first thing we read about in Acts 16 of Paul's visit to Phillipi is a dealer of purble cloth by the name of Lydia. Paul presents the message of salvation to her and she is converted. What is amazing about Lydia is she was so quick and eager to allow Paul and his entourage to come into her home. It's amazing to think of the people the Lord will use to further his Kingdom. At the end of chapter 16, Paul and Silas meet at Lydias house once again after their imprisonment. They had a place to stay after they were beaten and some one to help clean their wounds once again (Phillipian Jailor did earlier). There is no telling how much of a help she was to Paul's second missionary journey. I hope, as well as most of you, that when God sends somebody my way that I will be just as willing to give a place to stay as Lydia did.

Brother in Christ,
Billy Hardesty

Proof of Citizenship

In looking on the passage we went over in class today, I started thinking about how Paul and Silas were imprisoned. They were beaten and imprisoned under the pretenses of Jewish troublemakers. However, a question arises for me: if there was some diadache to prove their Roman citizenship, why were they still thrown in prison? When they were released from prison, the magistrates kissed up to them severely. I just cannot understand HOW the magistrate that threw them into prison would not find (or even ask) for some proof of citizenship. I can understand why Paul and Silas would be so ticked off for being imprisoned. Shallow and pointless though it seems, I still wonder about these things.

Zach

Encouragement

In reading Thessalonians 1 & 2 I am blown away at the encouraging words that Paul offers to his churches. I know its most of the epistles that we have, but Paul is such an encourager. The verses that really caused me to think about this is 2 Thess. 2:16-17...

"May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word."

After reading about this chruch, and discussion in class today, we understand that this church was at a great disadvantage. I say that meaning, these new christians were faced with persecution so early on, and really the whole trip to Thessalonica seemed a failure, however it was not. That is really cool to me, and the fact that Paul knew how difficult these times were for that church, he provided words and words of encouragement so that these new christians would not lose heart.

If only we modern Christians could learn to provide words of encouragement in times of discouragement...if only today we could notice things around us, and the needs that need to be met. This is quite a challenge to me...there is so much more that I could do for my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Abbi

Eschatology and Paul

For as long as I can remember I have wondered about the end times. I was thinking about eschatology before I knew what the word meant. The fact that Paul addresses people who have 'fallen asleep' and talks about 'meeting the Lord in the air' in First Thessalonians means that Christians in the first century were perplexed about these issues also. Paul genuinely believed that the Lord would return in his lifetime, therefore he wasn't too worried about falling asleep and missing out on the Lord's returning. The people of Thessalonica obviously were disturbed about the ramifications of 'falling asleep.' Today, we (probably me more than anyone) don't completely understand ecshatology, and are asking the same questions that the Thessalonians were. It amazes me how many parallels that the we today have to the First Century Christians, and how we can learn from the teachings of Paul just as they did.

Steven Price

Surprise return

We discussed the coming of Christ and how Paul describes this coming as an unexpected one. As I began to think about this, I began to wonder why there will be such a surprise. As we discussed, it is of course a surprise because we do not know the day nor the hour in which it will happen, but still we know that it is coming. We prepare and make ready for this return, yet when it happens we are still caught off gaurd. My suggestion is that perhaps this element of surprise that we will experince has more to do with the significance of what will take place rather than the fact that its time of occurance is a mystery. Perhaps it is not the fact that the thief comes unexpected that throws people off so much as that it is something that they cannot understand until it happens to them. Everyone is aware of the tragedy that can befall a home when it is broken into, but no one thinks that it will happen to them personally. As with having a baby, perhaps the shock comes from the timing, but also from the fact that it is an indescribable event being realised in a person's life. I will never experience the pains of child birth so I cannot begin to understand what that will feel like, but young women for whom this wonder will be a new experience will not comprehend it until it happens even though they fully expect it to happen. Perhaps the reason that there is such shock in to coming of Christ is because it is the actuallity and realisation of feelings, sights, and emotions that were previously inconcievable.

Chase

Luke-Acts as a defense for Paul in Rome

I find it fascinating that the Luke-Acts account might have been written as a defense for Paul while he was imprisoned in Rome. Luke certainly admires Paul, viewing Paul as a heroic character that persevered through trials and suffering. The book of Acts gives an excellent description of the development of Christianity and its spread among Gentiles, but would it provide a practical defense before a Roman audience? The typical charge against Paul was that of disturbing the peace and causing an uproar with his teachings. How would Acts defend against such charges? First of all, Luke portrays Paul as a suffering minister of the Gospel. The issue of shame and honor played an important role, as Luke described the unjust imprisonments and beatings that Paul endured. Second, the text indicates that Jews typically instigated the "uproar" that followed Paul’s teachings. The narrative does not explicitly defend the character of Christians or the teachings of Paul as compatible with Pax Romana. Instead, the part of the narrative that describes Paul’s teaching focuses on the kerygma. I think that the Acts narrative provides a defense for the spread of the gospel throughout the empire rather than a personal defense for the apostle Paul. I am not saying that Acts could not be the defense that Paul presented at his final trial. Paul would value the cause of the gospel more than his life. The narrative gives a description of the message and the manner in which it was presented. Thus, if Paul used Acts as a defense, Acts serves as a description of the spread of the Gospel, and Paul is saying that if spreading the gospel is a crime, first to the gentiles and then to the Jews, he is guilty as charged.
In Christ,
the other Paul

Acts of Physical Obedience

In Acts 18:18, we see where Paul cut his hair – symbolizing the end of his vow. I think that we as modern, protestant Christians may be lacking the obedience of taking a vow. The Catholic Church has lent and then the monasterial order to provide their followers with a sense of physical obedience. What do we have? I know that as young guys many of us may have worn rubber bands on our arms as reminders to abstain from certain acts and thoughts and many young ladies may have worn true love waits rings, but how soon did those become just jewelry? I think that we are missing something – I do not know what. Maybe the Nazarite vow or something like lent, but I think that we are missing that celebration of physical obedience.

Danny the Talkative

How dey gonna play me like dat?

On his second missionary journey (Acts 17) Paul, along with Silas, was arrested, beaten and thrown into jail. His punishment was unrightful in that he was a Roman citizen, and therefore excused of this type of punishment. I find it very interesting how Paul handles this situation. Rather than allowing the majestrates to quitely dismiss him and Silas, he demands a public apology. His boldness is remarkable. This is especially true when considering his motives. Paul was wrongfully offended in public, therefore demanded a public apology, which the majestrates (punks) were delighted to give after discovering Paul's Roman citizenship. Paul wanted no harm to be committed to his work of the gospel. He had done no wrong and did not want his witness damaged. This is bold and brave and should give encouragement to all. As Dr. Foster mentioned this is also a great "honor, shame" passage which was also probably part of Paul's motive for his behavior.

The Coming of Christ

In 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul relates the coming of Christ to child birth. I think that child birth is a great example of Christ coming. Just as Dr. Foster said that it is expected to be unexpected. We know that Christ is coming back, when? that is the question! Or does it matter? I think that is possibly by Paul is being so vauge here, 5:1 says "I really don't need to write to you about how and whne all this will happen... " It will happen! That statement is satisfaction enough for me. Just as Dr. Foster said, he had his bags packed already from months back, we do need to be ready and ready to be suprised but we won't be suprised that it happened..because it will.

Jacob

Apollos

An interesting aside occurs in Acts 18:24-28 concerning Apollos. Apollos an Alexandrian by birth had received a great deal of education in Judaism one can assume since Alexandria had become a center for Jewish scholorship in the first century. This passage says also that "This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John" (verse 25 emphasis mine). Had Apollos met Jesus as a disciple of John's? how familiar had he become with Jesus' teachings after having to flee at the beheading of John? These questions come to mind, yet we find here in verse 26 that he "began to speak boldy in the synagogue." I think it is safe to say that he was speaking of Jesus as the Messiah. Apparently he had not become as convincing as Paul had in the synagogue and had the message a bit mixed up because the next verse says that Priscilla and Aquila took him aside and taught him the word of God more accurately. This gives us a great picture of the work of Paul in the lives of believers. Even though Paul was absent Priscilla and Aquila were able to carry on the gospel message and raise up Apollos who already had an audience at the synagogue so that, as we read in verse 28, "For he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ." Apollos was able to do all this without yet receiving the Holy Spirit which he does in the next verses. How much more than are we to speak the word of the Lord boldy?

Michael Carpenter

Eschatological Specifics

Eschatomania can be defined as an excessive preoccupation with the end times. One question I have for these groups. If we know that we can not know when the second coming will be, then why are so many people still trying to pin "the end" down to a certain time. Do they consider themselves greater than Jesus who said that he doesn't even know the times that these things will happen. If God wanted us to know, would he have told us? Is there enough biblical evidence to fully support what is known as the rapture other than the second coming of Christ? You tell me… Will it just be one event? I have looked into this subject and am inconclusive with my findings. The common definition of rapture that I have heard is expressed like the events found in the Left Behind series., but is this biblical? Are all Christians going to disappear out of their clothes? Will there be a trumpet, and will everyone hear it or just Christians? Is the "church" defined as the New Testament and following gentile believers only or the collection of Old and New Jew and Gentile? After looking for these answers and finding few solid answers (and some conflicting ones) I believe that I may develop a form of eschatophobia. I get so confused when I try to sort these issues of the end times out. Maybe this is what was happening with Thessalonica. It seems to me that the context of the scripture suggest that they need to be ready for what will happen (no specifics on what will occur), and that the dead won't be left out of the picture. I am a Christian, so, when Jesus comes (pre, mid, post tribulation) and however he does (Once, twice, three times a rapture) I am secure in my salvation and I will be ready.
Craig A. Golden

Asleep in Christ?

In the reading on page 192 I found it interesting that Polhill states that the Thessalonians were probably not doubting the eventual return of Christ, but were more worried about the place the dead would have in the events surrounding the return. It seems like a logical concern but at the same time as I am coming from a background of being taught the belief that to be absent from the body is to be present with God. I have not searched scripture on this and it makes me think about it more because I have in the past just trusted this as fact from the things I have been taught. I will have to look for the basis on this, but if it does come from scripture then I find myself asking why didn't the Thessalonians know about it unless it is from the new testament writings. I really need to search this out better but this is my first thought after doing this reading and it kind of makes me question this that I have taken as fact which is probably a good thing that will give me motivation to study on it more.

Paul screwed up?

A comment in Polhill’s chapter on Thessalonians threw me while I was reading for class. On page 193 Polhill states that Paul understood that he would be alive during Christ’s return. I found this kinda odd, because if Paul really did believe that then that would make Paul wrong. I find it hard to think of Paul as being wrong since he wrote so much of the New Testament. I started asking myself, “If Paul was wrong about this, what else did Paul screw up?” I’m not saying that I doubt the authenticity of Scripture or its inspiration, but it did cause me to step back and see Paul in a different light. I realized that though while Paul was a great man, he was still just a man. I guess he’s allowed to make some mistakes being human and all. I think too often we see the authors of the Bible as supermen who are totally flawless. The truth is they are dirty sinners like us that God used anyway. So now I don’t see Paul’s flaw as discouraging, but rather encouraging because it makes me realize that even the awesome Paul made mistakes, so I should probably cut myself some slack when I screw up.

Man of Lawlessness

In II Thessalonians, Paul discusses the Second Coming of Christ. His eschatological references reassures the people that the Lord had not yet come. Paul states that there will be a rebellion and that the man of lawlessness would be revealed. The man of lawlessness would set himself up in God's temple and would even say that he is God.

I have a few questions. Where did Paul get this concept? Who did Paul or the people of his day believe this person would be? What exactly did they believe he would do (besides set himself up in the temple and claim to be God)?
How did they believe it would happen? Where would this person come from?

Can anyone help me to understand what was said in Paul's day about this or what you may know about this?

seminar

I was a bit nervous going into the seminar Friday. I typically think of myself as a people person, but when it comes to class projects, sometimes I feel inferior enough to just not participate. I was in a group of boys..er, men... who all seemed to have a good grasp on the Biblical text (and some of them are a bit intimidating) and I really felt like I would have nothing to contribute to the letter. The first time I spoke up, they listened to and respected me and showed appreciation for my attempt. From that point on, I really felt like I was a part of this group - like we all worked together. I was really proud of everything we accomplished, despite whatever flaws it may have had, because we came together in a really unexpected manner and had one long letter to the Dystopians. I feel like everyone contributed in some way or another and the differences in the group proved to be our strength.

Pauline Seminar Application

The thing that struck me the most about the Pauline seminar was that I didn't know near enough about God's word. Facing a future as a missionary in an area that is extremely hostile toward Christians has forced me to face my inadequacies. More often than not, I won't be able to walk around with my Bible out in public, sharing the Gospel out in the open. However, if I take advantage of what I've learned and the time I have left before hitting the field, I can soak up as much of God's word as possible. With His word hidden in my heart, I can reach out to those who are starving for the message of Christ without endangering them or myself.

Seminar Reflection

I thought the seminar was a great expierence. I was really nervous about how the whole thing was going to shake down, what with work dynamics and the project as a whole. I went in feeling extremely un-prepaired. After getting into the group, I was really excited because I thought our group worked very well together, we didn't really run into any tension or differences, we got distracted at times, but as a whole we worked well together, encouraging and helping each other rather than tearing each other down. I am not sure how other groups went, but I thought it was an awesome testament to the people in our group at how flexible our group members were to the task that was given to us.

I also learned that I need to study the word a great deal more. I know scripture pretty well, but citing its source is a problem, something that I was really challenged on after doing this project.

Abbi

Seminar Reflection

I think the seminar went very well. I learned a lot. I have never thought about trying to write like Paul, so it was interesting trying. It was interesting to learn from Wade of all the weird grammar things Paul used that was ok in Greek but when translated into English are not acceptable and then putting them into our letter. It was also interesting to learn today Paul’s favorite books of the bible. I knew Paul never really used the book of Job in his writings but because the book of Job dealt with the issue so well, (and because it was fresh on our minds from OT Poetry,) it just seemed like we should use it. I don’t think our group used the Psalms at all. I also learned that I need to know the Bible a lot more and my arguing skill are not that great. Another interesting thing is to see how much effort we put into the letter and then to realize how much Paul would have to work on the letters he had written. Paul was a really smart guy!

Justin Lowe

REFLECTION of the seminar

WOW!!! I went into this having no clue whatsoever as far as what to expect. I really did come out of it knowing, even before dinner that it was going to be a great experience. I have to give props to my group- I havent had a lot of chances to sit down with a lot of them and work together that was fun!!! I learned a lot from them and about them and I think we made a really good team. It was almost amazing to see how much I DID know and how much I REALLY didnt know... I struggle a lot with the arrogance ministry majors get tagged with.. and what I seen is the exact opposite.. I think we were all very humbled from it.. I know i was. It was very hard for me to put my bible down saturday!

Ode to the Dystopian Council

To say that this experience was unique and special does not give it credit. Despite the group dynamics, time constrainsts, and differing opinions we accomplished something to be proud of.
Looking into the task from the Pauline process gave writing an entirely new complication. It would have been relatively easy to write something from our perspective and era, but to think in ways prior to New Testament composition and prior to modern thinking was a hurdle at best.
I was encouraged in the way that our group responded to the problems of the Dystopians and that knowledge that they had of the text and time. It comforts me to some end to know that these men and women will be leading the church of the twenty-first century.
I'm glad I was able to be a part of it and gain the experience and receive the inspiration.
Peace out

Mr Bill Lee Faber

Paul's gifts and the church

As I think about Pauline literature, I stand in awe. How could anyone write so well? As I sat in the class room hearing the groups read their epistle, many things went through my mind. I thought towards the final moments of our groups’ editing of our work, “Our letter sounds really good.” Then as I heard other groups’ readings, I became skeptical. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed my group and thought they did an excellent job, but some of the letters were better than ours. Listening to the other letters and working in my group caused me to think of individual gifts and talents amongst our class and how they work together to accomplish God’s purpose(s). Sometimes I wish I could communicate as well as others, but then I have to realize the Spirit gives gifts as He wills for His reasons. Paul obviously was a gifted communicator and as Dr. Foster said in class one day, Paul truly is an intellectual. But we (specifically I) must not forget that in the kingdom the Lord sees Lydia’s gifts, Titus’ role, and the other faithful as great in the kingdom.

Comments on the Pauline Seminar

Overall the seminar experience friday night was better than the experience from Life of Christ. There seem to be better organization and thought put into the assignment. The one area where improvements might be made is in the area of roles for the individuals involved. It would be more fair is specific roles could be assigned for the participants and those who would fill the roles could be decided by vote within the individual groups. Doing so would allow those who are timid vocally but possess valuable skills to fully participate in the project. My group in particular contained a bit of a survival of the fittest type of environment in the beginning and may have made some uncomfortable. I believe we overcame the problem, but I have know doubt that there was valuable input missing.

I say all that to say this. If their were several authors of Greek letters typically and their were a bunch of Pauls in the room, they must have encountered some of the same problems. I recognized the difficulty in taking a topic that needs to be addressed and then trying as a group to address the problem, not just verbally but on paper. Giving input and trying to put that input into words that are clear and concise is not the easiest task in the world.

I would also like to say that I enjoyed working with the guys in my group. I had an opportunity to meet some young men who I may have never met otherwise. I also learned from the input from those around me in the aspect of understanding how other ministry majors think.

Suggestion for future seminars. The students of a particular class could write a commentary on a specific piece of scripture. It would be interesting to see how students interpret as a group and how their theology would influence the outcome.

Pauline Seminar Reflection

This is my second time to encounter a Dr. Foster seminar, and just like the first seminar in Life of Christ, I realized how little I understood about the biblical text. The one thing that I appreciated the most out of the seminar was the group that I worked with. Most of the people in our class I am familiar with in some way, but it was joy to work with people that I really did not know anything about. The seminar helped me to better undrestand the organization of Paul's letters and his writing style. The thought and the heart that Paul poured out in each letter must have been great in order to show so much care and concern as he did in his letters. But even then, I think that you can reflect away from Paul and even to other letters written in the New Testament. Each letter contains so much emotion. Paul was gifted in the area of speaking to people. He was very able to speak in the area of letter writing. I feel that this seminar gives me a new perspective on who Paul was and the construction of his letters.

Do not know as much as I thought...

Dr. Foster pointed out alot of things that I did not know today in class. What seemed to interest me the most was the books of the old testament he said that Paul quoted the most. I had no idea that it was those three books. I have read my bible like I am suppose to, but I realize I do not study it like I should. He read some where around Acts 16 and pointed out that it mentions the Holy Trinity. That is something I probaly should have caught myself, but I did not. Sometimes the truth hurts and it sure did hurt when he told the truth that most Christians do not study the old testament like we should. I am one of those people that love to stay around the Gospel's and Paul's works, but we all need to see the whole picture of the bible.

Our group

I really did enjoy the project on Friday. I’ve never really tried to think and write like Paul so it was interesting to put myself in his shoes. It was difficult to try to answer the questions about the disaster without creating a new theology. We didn’t want to assume something about the characteristics of God that we did not already obviously see in the bible. Our group only used one computer and that was difficult for us to everything together in the amount of time that we had. I also thought it was challenging to think of Old Testament passages to use in our letter. It seemed allot easier to quote Romans then anything in the OT that would pertain.
Stephen Foust

Complexity of Letter Writing

I think that the seminar illustrated the diversity of opinions that exist within Biblical scholarship, even within a group of individuals who hold similar values and beliefs. We know that many Pauline epistles were composed by groups rather than exclusively by Paul. The task of composition would be complicated by differing viewpoints. Some of Paul's companions were Jewish and others were Gentiles. While we wrote to an impersonal non-existant group of believers, Paul and his companions often had detailed knowledge of the recipients. The issues and personalities of the parties must have made composition a very tedious task. In the same way, our group faced a difficult task. Eight different people have eight different perceptions of Paul's epistles, eight different sets of memorized scriptures, and eight different systems of theological thought. Despite obstacles, we were able to synthesize our thoughts into a single letter. I can only imagine how much more difficult it would have been to synthesize differences, deal with the issues, and allow the Holy Spirit to overcome personal prejudices. I believe that divine inspiration is certainly evident within the Pauline Corpus.
In Christ,
the other Paul

Dystopians

I thoroughly enjoyed the seminar this weekend. Dr. Foster mentioned how are group consisited solely of males, but I think it worked for the best. Nothing against the ladies, but the members of our group colaborated well together. The point in class today about the various authors involved in the letter writings was new to me. I always pictured Paul writing these in solitude. This started off as a challenge for us. The areas we would attack were in agreement, but the order in which we would aproach them wasn't. I had no idea that this was probably an issue in Paul's time as well. One other thing we got caught up on was trying to make our letter sound King Jameish. This probably wasn't issue for the biblical authors, but writing in a retro sense it was a challenge for us. This is a lesson that should be taken fom this. We sometimes like to interpret solely form our modern translations, but we must remember that the wording isn't as important as the meaning of the text.

Like Playing Batman

I felt that the seminar was tremendously effective in getting us all in the mind of the times. We honestly have very little idea what it was like to live in those times, yet for a brief six hours, we placed ourselves in the first century to write a letter to a group of people we were supposed to know. It was similar to playing Batman as a kid, except for a grade. I was tested by the seminar: I had to call up memory of scripture; I had to speak up to make myself heard; and I had to work in cooperation with people (which just is not my style). I believe the hardest part of the seminar was forcing myself to get into the context of the time and write to a first-century church. I discovered one thing that challenged me greatly: I am not familiar with Biblical history and the dates that go along with Biblical events. I see it now as a test of my Bible knowledge, and it is a challenge to me to cultivate a greater understanding and memory of the Scripture. God used it to test me and make me aware of my shortcomings.

Zach Pyron

I had the job of "faithful scribe" in my group during friday's project, and having that position caused me to think of two different things concerning Paul and the letters he wrote.

One, whether Paul wrote the the letters physically or he had a scribe, and i am guessing both are possibilities, there was much at stake. i mean, i had spell and grammer check, and still as chase was reading saw many a mistake, granted, paul probably wasn't under the parameters of fa six hour time limit, i think that the importance of the lack of error is emmence. Though these letters were divinly inspired.

Two, though i was working almost constantly, it was awsome to watch my team interact as if we were disciples of paul and try our best to encourage and help these "people" in his stead. thinking WOW paul wants us to take on this matter!

Jesus Words in Paul's Writtings

I was told today in class that Paul rarely quotes Jesus directly. He is one of the first pillars in the church and he did not have a New Testament to work with. It makes me feel weak. This man hears divine words from the Lord and recieves everything he knows about the faith he valiantly defends simply through the Holy Spirit. He did not have Jesus words in front of him to dwell upon; he had to ask the Lord directly to find his way. I also thought about why we put so many quotes from stories like Job in our presentations when Paul rarely, if ever, used those lines. I realized that this is a simple reflection of our church. Paul's "church" was the Holy Spirit and the Torah. Of course, he would use the scriptures that he was most familiar with. We used the scripture we were most familiar with. We are taught from the New Testament 80% of the time or we get the main points of the Old Testament. I am not too certain about the content of Deuteronomy, but I could tell you the whole story of Joseph, Job, or David. It has been emphasised in my spiritual up-bringing to mimic the strenghts of these men. I ignorantly assumed Paul would teach this way.

Commentary on the Dystopian epistle

I cannot speak for everyone, but I thought that the seminar on Friday was truly outstanding. It is one thing to learn a set of notes and to have the ability of intillectual regurgitaion, but to put myself in the hypothetical mindset of Paul during the trial dealed with in the project was quite another. This project took more than empty memorization, it required a true understanding of the Paul's mind as well as the creative ability to apply that to a foriegn situation. I thought it was interesting to observe and attempt to mimick the grammatical tendencies of Paul and the majority of Greek litterature as our group sought to use a lot of participles, run-on sentences, and sentences with many prepositional phrases. These are things that I had previously been taught, but the importance of Paul's writing style became abundantly more meaningful to me through this seminar. As our group began the task of writing our own epistle, it dawned on me in a new light that my ability to interpret scripture is not based soley on my knowledge of language, historical facts, or other parts of scripture (all of which are important), but my ability is also connected to how well I know Paul the person. What was his personality? What gave him joy or riled him up? What is his preferred style of argumentation? When we examine scripture, we often push these types of personal questions to the side in exchange for a systematic approach, good illustrations, or earth-shaking aphorisms, but it is these questions that give life to the text that we study. The idea that was reitterated to me through this seminar was my need to know Paul because no piece of litterature is fully utilized lest its author is fully understood.

Chase

A new appreciation.

I have a new appreciation for Paul and the absoluted knowledge it took for him and the others around him to write letters to these individual churches. I am amazed at the way Paul put things in context in a way the recepients could understand. It took us the entire amount of time allowed to write just the small fictional letter that we wrote. I can't imagine writing a letter with great magnitude like Romans with my small amount of knowledge. I guess I just always imagined Paul sitting down to write a letter and maybe an hour or two later he was finished. I never took into account the amount of time and detail that Paul put into every letter. The seminar really gave me a new appreciation for the knowledge of my fellow classmates, but especially of Paul.

Steven Price

Random thinking

I have a random thought, maybe this is inappropriate but I thought I would throw it out there to see a response. Why is Jesus , in some religions, just a prophet and not an abomination, to go with that why is Paul not even a question of reality. I think it goes along with what Dr. Foster said in class that Paul is more considered as the ground breaker for Christianity. Maybe this is just practical reasoning but Paul gives. This is just a random thought. But I feel there is such a significance to Paul.

Master Minded Paul

After experiencing the seminar Friday, I really realize how much thought and time would have to be put into writing a letter with the equality of Paul's. It was really challenging to write in a Pauline mind set on everything and like pointed out in class today referencing to the Old Testament like Paul would have was very difficult as well. I really did enjoy it for the most part though and really liked how we came together in a group unity, it took putting all of our minds together to come up with something that would work, and I really thought the people in my group did a fantastic job, it isn't always easy to agree on things when you have so many ministry people in the same room together at times, but again we were up to the challenge and came together as a team and accomplished the task. The whole class did a great job from listening to the other group's letters and I would have loved to hear some of their discussion.

Master Minded Paul

After experiencing the seminar Friday, I really realize how much thought and time would have to be put into writing a letter with the equality of Paul's. It was really challenging to write in a Pauline mind set on everything and like pointed out in class today referencing to the Old Testament like Paul would have was very difficult as well. I really did enjoy it for the most part though and really liked how we came together in a group unity, it took putting all of our minds together to come up with something that would work, and I really thought the people in my group did a fantastic job, it isn't always easy to agree on things when you have so many ministry people in the same room together at times, but again we were up to the challenge and came together as a team and accomplished the task. The whole class did a great job from listening to the other group's letters and I would have loved to hear some of their discussion.
Big BRo James

Master Minded Paul

After experiencing the seminar Friday, I really realize how much thought and time would have to be put into writing a letter with the equality of Paul's. It was really challenging to write in a Pauline mind set on everything and like pointed out in class today referencing to the Old Testament like Paul would have was very difficult as well. I really did enjoy it for the most part though and really liked how we came together in a group unity, it took putting all of our minds together to come up with something that would work, and I really thought the people in my group did a fantastic job, it isn't always easy to agree on things when you have so many ministry people in the same room together at times, but again we were up to the challenge and came together as a team and accomplished the task. The whole class did a great job from listening to the other group's letters and I would have loved to hear some of their discussion.

Pauline Project: A lesson in biblical theology

Last Friday's project was a good lesson in biblical theology! As Dr. Foster's instructions pointed out, we were to think and write like Paul thought and wrote. This is the basis of biblical theology: thinking of passages in their specific context, but also considering works by specific authors. For example, Paul has a different theology than John. Not that these two are in conflict, but passages can best be understood in the light of doing biblical theology. It is only when we have practiced excellent biblical theology that we can start making a few statements systematically. The Pauline project hopefully helped us all strive to understand theology in a Pauline way. Peace.

Wade Drury

The Letter to the Church at Dystopia

Last Friday my friends and I of Group 4 embarked on 6 hour journey. The experience was exausting yet enlightening as well. The eight of us were given the task of composing a letter to a group of people who were experiencing true sorrow and chaos and wanted answers to their problems. The whole process of composing this letter was a challenge. Trying to think as one would in the first century wasn't particularly an easy thing to do. Working with seven other people proved to be difficult at times when it came to providing answers or resolutions to the situations addressed in the letter. Each of us have different perspectives, view-points, mind-sets, and personal life experiences that reflect the way we interpret some issues. However, the joy of the experience was the coming together of our group to hypothetically meet the needs of the church at Dystopia. I discovered through this process my unfamiliararity with the biblical text. This disturbed me and has motivated me to become more knowledgeable of God's Word. I also realized the thought and time Paul must have given to the letters he wrote. I'm sure he prayerfully composed the letter in a wise and strategic manner. He had to be careful communicating his mood (do I be firm with them? let them know I'm angry? or do I be gentle?), his personal view, and his message. With these, he also had the privelage but pressure of being responsible to God of what he writes and teaches. Overall, this experience challenged me and raised my awareness in important areas.

Well, how do you like that?

The events captured in Acts 16: 28 are amazing to me. Paul and Silas choose to follow God, to leave the idea of an ordinary life, and go all over the place spreading the good news of the gospel to the gentiles. Well, what do they get for their efforts? A demon possessed slave girl harasses them. How do you like that? They decide to help her out, despite of her actions, and are dragged into the marketplace, falsely accused, stripped of their clothes, and beaten. How do you like that? I tried to put myself in their shoes, but it just is not happening. I probably would have lost it as I was being falsely accused. , they continue to be optimistic. Later in the dungeon, they are chained up in shackles, and they begin to sing. Singing in a time like this? How do you like that? Sometimes I feel like cursing when I get something negative that I do deserve. Finally, the guys avoid their chance of escape that has miraculously happened to save the jailors life. How can I get so mad and discouraged from meaningless little while Paul and Silas went through this without complaining. How did they maintain their integrity in this time even when they deserved escape? They have truly practiced complete patience. “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 It is my goal now to try hard not to sweat the small stuff, and compared to these guys, everything I have ever faced is small stuff.

Implementation of Paul's Letter Writing

The most significant things that I learned while doing the Pauline seminar project were the implementation of Paul's letter writing style and the format that he followed. We did not have to worry about the style of his letter writing because we had already learned it in class and through reading. The group was able to discuss the purpose of the letter and was able to concentrate on the content of the letter.

The group brainstormed on Biblical ideas for the content. We focused on the way Paul approached his audience, on the people in his audience, and on his way of accomplishing specific goals.

Paul always spoke with a purpose and directed his comments to a particular group. The round table discussions of the group helped to formulate the content and made the execution of the presentation flow smoothly. I appreciated the group's knowledge of the Bible, the Greek culture, and the Greek language.

Vicky

A good group

I am, by choice and by nature, a loner. I do not like working with groups. I was not looking foward to working with my group. I was planning on trying to take over my group and doing everything my way. Luckly, I got a good group that I did not have to be a jerk and take over. I am thankful for my group. This was the first group that I have ever been in that was a group of equals. I was most likely the last of the equal. Strange.

Challenged

Fridays seminar was really good. To be honest I was dreading the project and was a little bit afraid of it, but once we got in there and got started it flowed well and time flew by. I thought about how easily a group of people could have just got together and wrote out a letter, similar to Paul’s, said that it was from Paul and that it was inspired. It is just amazing how God can just have His hand on everything to make sure that only what He wanted in would be put in to the cannon. Another thing that was both challenging during the project and is now a personal challenge is truly hiding God’s Word in my heart. I was really challenged to know scripture better because I do not know it as well as I thought that I did. But it is one of many things I must work on.

Matt Justice

Inspired or not?

In the project we wrote during the project on Friday it was interesting just how much the letters seemed to sound like a Pauline letter. It made me think of many of the letters and books that were written in the same time period of Paul's letters that were deemed as not being inspired and what line was drawn to determine whether or not a book was inspired? I realize that each of the books were prayed over carefully, but I still wonder from outside appearances what makes a book inspired and if more inspired books turned up if they would be included in the modern cannon? These are all just logistical curiousities, but they make me wonder even as I understand the cannonization process that took place of the small details of that same process.
peace.....Ira R.

Paul's caring nature

I found this weekend’s seminar to be a very good experience. It was challenging to have to form arguments using scripture without the use of the Bible. Trying to do that while arguing like Paul was even more of a challenge. It made me realize how incredibly smart Paul was in constructing his arguments and how much time Paul must have put into each individual letter. He had to make each one so individualistic since each had to deal with such unique circumstances. Paul’s ministry was very personal. He extended himself so much to make sure that everyone’s needs were meet and done so fully. I hope that one day I am able to be as wise as Paul in forming arguments for my faith and piety and also being caring enough to reach all those who need help and to do it the best way possible. Paul didn’t halfway do his work. He did the best that was possible. Since I serve the same God, I must do the same.

Travis Adams

The Motivation, The Mindset, and The Model. What Beautiful Alliteration!

I agree with Pohill in that Paul's antidote for unity is timeless and can still be applied in the church today(Pohill, 169). If one has experienced the grace of Christ Jesus then one has all the motivation to unify with believers and set one's mind on others instead of self. Paul gives the "perfect" model in Christ and urges believers to be imitators of Him. Just as in the days of Paul the church still currently experiences differecnes in the fellowship, but it is essential to believers to maintain unity. This may be achieved by focusing on what motivates unity, the mindset of unity, and the model, which gives the best example of how to live at peace with one another.

Paul the Name Caller

In Philipians 3:2 Paul calls the Judaizers "dogs", "evil workers", and "mutilators".
I can't help but wonder if Paul had intentions of his opponents seeing the letters. I wonder if he were hoping that the Judaizers would be present when the letters were read to the church in Philipi. It almost seems that Paul was an advocate of labeling those who opposed his teachings. I wonder if he encouraged the church to label the Judaizers by these names. I understand the intentions of Paul to build a case against those who were seeking to destroy the church, but would it be acceptable if I were to stand behind the pulpit today and call atheists, homosexuals, and the ACLU dogs, evil workers, and destroyers to build my case against them as being wrong. I believe the comments made in verse 2 are an example of how frustrated Paul may have been with the Judaizers and that he was a human being expressing that frustration.

Paul's letter

I like what we discussed in class today about just the breaking up and different portions of the letter. It helps seeing it broken apart like that to break it down and see what Paul really was trying to convey. We learn so much from the writings of Paul about just who we should strive to be in Christ and he isnt afraid to voice himself and tell what he thinks.. I tend to agree with the idea that it is "Chopped" for lack of a better term, it explains a lot about how the letter is constructed.

three in one.....ok?

As we studied about Philippians and the controversy of whether or not it was one letter or several combined I found myself asking what it mattered. I realize that it would have an effect on the way we interpret the book as a whole, but in general the book still emphasizes the three main characteristics that were discussed in class of suffering, humility, and Christian living. If you look at the text in this view with these central themes I think that even if it was still three letters we can see how they coincide and work together. Even in several letters or just one Paul makes these three themes work together very well even if his writing style seems sketchy.
peace.....Ira R.

Paul the Arrogant??

Phillipians 3:4-6 The relavence of this scripture to me is, how important it is to read scripture into context. Reading 3:4-6 I see a whinny baby that feels he has any right to be confident in himself, after all he was circumcised on the 8th day, of the people of Israel, of the tride of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, a Pharisee, why wouldn't he be able to boast in himself. Yet Paul see God as his greatest gain, no superficially but in a real relationship way. His confidence remains in Christ, that he considers all of his worldly gains as loss compared to his relationship in Christ, a humble thought.

Jacob Moseley

Pastor Paul

I tend to overlook Paul's pastoral ministry at times. My tendancy is to focus on the missionary aspect of his ministry and on his argumentation and block out the rest. This account of Paul's nurturing an infant church is amazing. I wish there were more Pastors who tend to the specific needs of their congregations as Paul does in 1 Thesselonians. He addresses the issue of the second coming with hope and encouragement. He knows that this church is young and ambitious and he does more good for them through corespondence than some would do in a month of local service.Paul overcomes "Satan's" attempts to keep him from being effective by using his words and his companions. He does everything in his power to encourage his congregation. We need to take note.

Bill Lee

Connecting Old and New Testament dogs

In Philippians 3:2, Paul referred to some of his opponents as "dogs", specifically Jewish Judaizers. As said in class, this was typically a name that was given to the Gentiles by the Jews, so Paul calling other Jews a dog had to have hacked some folks off. The J.J.s could have picked up on Proverbs 26:11 from having studied the OT to great lengths. This verse says that dogs return to their vomit, just as fools return to their foolishness. Although the J.J.s were covered by grace, they reverted back to their old ways of strictly following the law in an attempt to obtain salvation. Peter also addresses the issue in 2 Peter chapter 2. He tears into false teachers who have the knowledge of Christ and have experienced salvation through grace, but deceive others by teaching that they have to observe the old law that was fulfilled through Christ. Simeon Peter references Proverbs 26:11 in in saying that they, like dogs, have returned to their own vomit, that "it would have been better for them to have never known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them (2 Peter 2:21-22). Apparently the problem with this heresy persisted even after Paul addressed it in Philippians, and Simeon Peter and possibly even Paul utilized OT Scripture that would have rang a bell with the Jewish Judaizers and called them out for the foolishness that they were teaching, and causing others to be led astray.

Philippians

Due to the discussion in class and lack of my own studying, Perkin's view of Philippians being an accumulation of Paul’s letters to Philippi seems rather sound. This would explain the abrupt subject changes and the resembling closing remarks throughout the book. The fact that it might not be a solitaire letter does not offend me in the slightest. In fact, I find encouragement in the answer purposed because it gives in sight without taking away from the text. One question for the argument of the book as a whole based on themes, “could these themes not be areas of concentration in all of the Pauline letters to the Philippians?”

Joy in Suffering

I enjoyed reading the part about Joy in the Dictionary of Paul. It talks about him having joy even though he is in prison. This reminds me of my brother, who is in jail, but unlike Paul he is constantly trying to find a way to get out. But Paul had joy and wrote to encourage brothers in Christ telling them to "rejoice in the Lord". He was not worried about getting out as much as serving God where he was at.
Matt Justice

Who is the enemies of Paul?

The whole discussion of the enemies of Paul has been rather interesting. I had no idea that there was so many ideas of who the enemies of Paul could have been. I had previously thought that the enemies mention were mainly the Jewish Judiazers. After examing the different ideas in class I have a different perspective of who Paul was talking about. I am still undecided on who I think he was talking about in each of the different books, but I can say that now I can look at these verses with a better of understanding of all the different groups that Paul could have been dealing with. I know this discussion really enlightened me to new ideas, maybe it did to some of you as well.

Who ever said boasting is a BAD thing?

I love that Paul was so outspoken about everything. I especially love that Paul boasts about his legalistic “righteousness” in Philippians 3:2-11. It is astonishing to me to see WHAT Christ can do in someone’s life. Especially when they already seem to have it all together as Paul did: “…circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel…” yada yada yada. Paul had a one-up on almost anyone who wanted to boast about their accomplishments. But in verse seven, he turns around and says that it was all a waste because he now knows Christ. He sees EVERYTHING that he has done (works) as useless: the prophet Isaiah called them “filthy [menstrual] rags”; Paul says that he considers his works to be “rubbish.” Paul is so puffed up about his former life, but not of what he has done, but what Christ has done in his life. We should all boast of the work of Christ for it is HIS work that makes us worthy of HIS righteousness.

Zach Pyron

Paul's Friends

Paul definitely had his enemies, but he had his friends as well Paul, had the backing of the Pillar disciples and the elders of the church. Paul had meant with James and Peter and had in fact gotten them to stand for his cause. Peter and James the brother of JEsus; head of the church both highly supported the Gentile case that Paul was trying to accomplsih. I find it ironic that even with the Christian leaders of the day that the Jews still had a problem with the Gentiles bcecoming Christians without going through the the Jewish process and Peter and James both present a great defense for Paul. Peter's speech clarified that the Gentiles were equal to the Jews, because Jesus purified their hearts by faith as well. Peter thus establishes that Gentiles should remain Gentiles when they convert to CHristianity. James adds to this the problem of scocial contact between theses two groups, accomplishing this by dealing with Table Fellowship by telling the Gentiles to not eat meat sacrificed to idols, or meat with blood or that is strangled and to stay clear of sexaul immortality.
BY having the help of his friends and with the authority that they had it really secured and solidified Paul's mission to the Gentiles.

The humanity of Jesus

For as long as I can remember whenever I have read Philippians 2:5-11 I always wonder as to its meaning. What does it mean that he 'emptied himself,' or that he 'did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped?' I have always wondered as to the meaning of these things, but never until today did I grasp the full effect of Jesus' humanity. The fact that Jesus was tempted just as we are and still did not sin, even though He had the ability to, gives me great comfort. The text says that He 'took the likeness of men.' I'm so glad of that. I suppose we could argue forever about the meaning of Philippians 2:5-11, but throughout it all, one thing remains constant: Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. No one else could have sufficed.

Paul's Life Motto

I have always been intrigued by Paul's life motto, "For me to live is Christ; to die is gain" (Phil 1:21). It is obvious by Paul's life that he meant this whole-heartedly by the way he faced beatings and persecutions. "...To depart and be with Christ is a very much better thing [than living]," is something only someone in a position ready to die for the Gospel could say. Paul obviously had a real grasp of what Jesus Christ is like to be so ready to join him. Why does it seem Christians today are less excited about seeing Jesus Christ? I think Paul had a totally different mindset than modern Christians. Paul longed to be with Christ in a way that is an example to me now. Paul's motto is centered on Christ on both sides. He wanted to live a life worthy of the Gospel and his calling. On the other hand, he longed to be with Christ in his death.

Jennifer Young

Paul's Strong Voice

I am very perplexed by Paul. He most definately teaches love and unity and yet he uses some of the most vicious terms. He calls men dogs and workers of evil. Those are terms I would reserve for when I feel no love for someone. I understand that Paul is trying to communicate that these things that are being said to the contrary of the Lord are wrong. However, his name calling is not helping the new converts to do anything but alienate and hate those that may be mis-understanding grace. It is an appeal to emotion. He could just have easily put down the ideas without the insults hurrled at the "knife- happy circumcizers." The Lord does tell us to hate the sin and to push it away. He was even provoked to call the hypocrites vipors, I just can't help but wonder where to draw the line. If I stood in a town square and shouted that anyone believing outside of my own perseption of right was a dog, my ministry would be over. No one would listen to me talk about loving my enemy, unity, or the peace that I have inside. I am sure I have a lot to learn about how to hate sin properly, but when I think about the confused people in the world I do not feel hatred, only compassion. I am really learning alot from Paul, or should I say really being confused alot by Paul.

A PAUSE FOR PEACE

I have been noticing how that Paul puts a fairly large emphasis on peace. If you look at the openings and conclusions of his letters he normally bestows some kind of blessing of peace. One could even say that Paul’s call for unity in Philippians is a call for peace. I think that we as Christians, as American, do not put enough emphasis on the peace and harmony that Christ has brought to us.
I see peace as part of the harmony of being that Christ died to give us (Joy and the Holy Spirit being the other parts). We often try to fill our life with so much business that we can never come to understand nor experience the Peace that Paul speaks of. I think that we should whole-heartedly be seeking the peace of God. Those that are not seeking peace, make me wonder, did Christ come only to save your life and not to change your life?

May Peace favor you,

Danny the Red.

He Emptied Himself

When I read the passage of Phil. 2:5-11, the phrase “He emptied himself,” immediately I asked myself many questions about just how empty Christ became. Did he lay aside his omnipresence? It sure seems so, as he was bound by the restrictions of time and space. Did he lay aside his omniscience? It sure seems so when he stated that he did not know when the time of His return would be. Did he give up his omni benevolence? That surely does not seem to be the case. These arguments, though puzzling, don’t seem to be the focus of what that piece of scripture is about. I believe that the focus of this passage is to attempt to show us exactly what the very definition of humility is and how far we are to take it. The creator of the universe took on the form of a lowly creation. The master of everything became the servant of everyone. He carried this humility to the point of death. This is a perfect example of humility for us to imitate, and I believe that this was the intention of this passage.

Craig A. Golden

Co-senders

Did the co-senders have any voice in the letters that were being sent? Polhill expresses that some people believe that the co-senders such as Timothy or Sothenes, who is the co-sender of 1 Corinthians, may have had say in the content of Paul’s letters. I must admit that I have never thought about this issue before now. I always thought that the letters were from Paul’s words alone. Perhaps Paul allowed his brothers to add their thoughts to his work. I don’t think it would be necessarily wrong to believe that this is possible but I have a feeling that their names appear to show that they endorse all that is being said to the churches. If the men have a strong connection with the church it seems good that they are supporting the teachings of Paul. I think the important thing to see is that all the leaders have unity over the doctrine that the Holy Spirit is allowing them to teach. The teachings need to be precisely the same so that there is not any confusion.

stephen foust

Joy

I really enjoyed reading about Joy this past week in Dictionary of Paul's Letters. The word Joy in our society can be used in such loose terms, but it is not something that is fleeting or something that can be lost. Joy in the Lord. Wow. I have dealt with the whole 'joy' word for the past year when confronted to struggles in my life, and though I may get down in the dumps there is always a hope in my Soveriegn God. I liked how the term joy was discussed and empasized, and basically said that Paul was a Joy Preacher...he preached on having Joy and its necessity in the Christian Walk.

Abbi

Pauline Authorship and Canonization

The authorship of the Pauline Corpus and its component epistles may be one of the greatest controversies in New Testament scholarship. There seem to be just as many scholars as there are opinions. I discovered this issue last year, while studying a passage in 1 Timothy. For scholars that doubt Pauline authorship, the pastoral epistles seem to be the first books to receive the mark of doubt regarding the authorship of Paul. Despite recognition of the criticisms surrounding the Pauline Corpus, Polhill recognizes that the value of the epistles may lie in their Pauline nature rather than Pauline authorship. Regardless of actual authorship, one must concede that Paul’s original letters had a definite influence on subsequent epistles of "Pauline nature", if they were not written by Paul himself. I believe that the best argument for the canonization of the entire Pauline corpus lies in the text itself. As some would say, "The proof is in the pudding." One may examine the use of the epistles in the decades following its creation, but time has muddied the waters of subsequent uses of the epistles. Scholarship has not reached a consensus on the compilation of the Pauline corpus. Thus, I believe that the best way to examine the validity of an epistle is to compare its elements with that of well established epistles. I believe that once one examines the corpus as a whole, it is difficult to pick apart certain epistles as false or theologically unsound.
In Christ,
the other Paul

The missing puzzle pieces

It seems the more I learn the more questions I have. Scholars just seem to constantly debate and theorize about dates, authorships, locations, people groups, and on down the line about everything I look in biblical studies. It seems to me that there are so many crucial things that are not answered that can totally change perspectives on context. How much more would we know if we knew exactly who were Paul’s opponents and beliefs. How much difference it would make if we knew what all of Paul’s letters, both true and false, said. What if Philippians really was a copy and paste job? Who the heck wrote Hebrews and why? If I weren’t receiving all of this education, I would be completely ignorant of the context we do know and of all the possible solutions to the things we don’t. The thing I guess that is really getting under my skin is why didn’t Paul get specific? I guess the main reason would be that the recipients would already know the situation. But, did Paul not know that what he wrote was going to be universally applied to the church for centuries to come? If he did, one would think that he would have been a little more specific in his letters about the entire situation. I guess in the long run, asking questions that may never be answered will just give you a headache and allow you to miss the entire point. What is crucial for the church today is to not worry about how many letters make up Philippians, but to embrace the message of joy, unity, and servant hood. While it would be amazing to know everything there is to know about context and authorship, I doubt it will ever come to be. Ultimately, we must rely on faith and not scholarship, as hard as that may be at times. I just hope that we future ministers still remember that ultimately, God is the provider for wisdom and our finite human understanding will never be adequate.

Travis Adams

Canonization of the Pauline Letters

The canonization of Paul's writings in the DPL was very informative. I had never heard of the Deutero-Pauline hypothesis. It suggests that after Paul's death an individual or individuals of the Pauline school of theology gathered his material to reveal his writings and theology to later generations.

Marcion rejected the Old Testament as an inferior perspective of God and the Law. He inadvertently helped establish Paul by his deliberate selection of Paul's letters in which he viewed supported his rejection of the Old Testament. The ten letters he selected helped establish the collection of Paul's Letters.

The Chester Beatty Codex is the earliest extant verification of Paul's Letters. I am not sure what the numbers with the letter "P" are, I can't read that small of print.

Paul's letters were canonized because they were recognized as "part of the apostolic deposit of faith".

Vicky