Abstract
The relationship between proclamation and confession in Paul. It is a well-known fact that in his letters Paul for different purposes made use of traditional materials, among others confessional formulae and hymns. In this study the question is asked as to how these materials were evaluated by Paul, that is, whether he regarded them as fixed dogmas to be handed down in their original form, and in the event of proclaiming the gospel, to be strictly adhered to as kerygmatic guidelines. The conclusion arrived at is that, although Paul definitely regarded these materials as existential expressions of faith of some importance and as forms of proclamation in their own right, he never saw them as unchangeable dogmas to be strictly adhered to as prescriptive for his understanding and proclamation of the gospel. He, on the contrary, made free use of them in such a manner that he modified them in different ways in order to bring them in line with his theology and to serve the purpose of his theological argument. In so doing, he clearly demonstrated that, in his view, the confessional formulae should be of service to the kerygma, and not the other way around.
Highlights
The relationship between proclamation and confession in Paul It is a well-lawwn fact that in his letters Paul for different purposes made use of traditional materials, among others confessional formulae and hymns
In this study the question is asked as to how these materials were evaluated by Paul, that is, whether he regarded them as fixed dogmas to be handed down in their original form, and in the event of proclaiming the gospel, to be strictly adhered to as kerygmatic guidelines
The conclusion arrived at is that, Paul definitely regarded these materials as existential expressions offaith of some importance and as forms of proclamation in their own right, he never saw them as unchangeable dogmas to be strictly adhered to as prescriptive for his understanding and proclamation of the gospel
Summary
Paulus het by verskeie geleenthede en op strategiese punte in sy briewe gebruik gemaak van tradisiemateriaal waaronder belydenis-agtige formules en himnes of liedere. Dat Paulus hom met hierdie toologie maar ook met ander vereenselwig het, blyk duidelik uit die neerslag wat dit in sy briewe gevind het, 'n feit wat nie beredeneer hoef te word nie en waaroor daar in kritiese geleerdheid lank reeds eenstemmigheid bestaan (kyk Wegenast 1962:9). Soos reeds hierbo gemeld, nie konsensus is oor wat alles as voor-Paulinies beskou moet word nie, sal die oorgrote meerderheid saamstem dat die volgende met 'n hoe mate van sekerheid as voor-Paulinies onderskei kan word: God het sy Seun gestuur (Rom 8:3; Gal 4:4); Hy is as Godseun ingestel (Rom 1:3-4); is 'vir ons' oorgelewer (Rom 8:32; Gal 1:4; 2:20; vgI ook Ef 5:2, 25); het 'vir ons' gesterf (Rom 5:6, 8; 14:15; 2 Kor 5:14; 1 Tess 5:10; vgl 1 Kor 1: 13; 8: 11; Gal 2: 21); is as soenmiddel daargestel (Rom 3: 25); is uit die. En dan ook nog tradisie-stukke, soos die oor die instelling van die nagmaal (1 Kor 11 :24-25), oor wat die doop inhou (Gal 3:27-28) en ander wat met meerdere of mindere konsensus as voor-Pauliniese formules beskou word (bv 1 Kor 6: 11)
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