Paul and Scripture

Abstract

The tenth volume in the series Pauline Studies centers on Paul and his use of Scripture. After an introductory essay by Stanley Porter, the collection unfolds in four parts. Part one consists of three general essays. Stanley Porter probes Paul’s use of Scripture and argues for the default working presumption that his scriptural citations are drawn from the Septuagint, even when the Septuagint matches the Hebrew text. Ryder Wishart uses vector space analysis to identify a monosemic value for νόμος, concluding that its baseline gloss should not be “law” but “custom”—a social norm that is not necessarily legislated. Gerbern Oegema observes lexical similarities between Gal 1:13–14 and 1–2 Maccabees. This suggests that Paul’s pre-Christian life was influenced by zealot theology that flowed within Maccabean thought, rather than what inspired the freedom fighters who fought against Rome.Part two focuses on Paul’s use of Scripture in the letter to the Romans. Colin Kruse surveys Paul’s scriptural citations and allusions so as to elucidate his scriptural hermeneutic, not least of which is the conviction that the OT still functions as the inspired Scripture of the church despite believers’ living no longer under the regulatory norm of the Mosaic law. Tom Holmén examines Rom 3 and the theodicean situation brought about by God’s saving act in Jesus, asserting that Paul references Scripture to show how the new covenant Spirit enables believers to do genuinely good things. Jey Kanagaraj also focuses on Rom 3. Through his exegesis of the chapter, he holds that Paul uses Scripture as a significant source for his theological construction.Part three comprises half the book and consists of seven studies on the Corinthian letters. H. H. Drake Williams explores the scriptural understanding of the recipients of 1 Corinthians and maintains that they were more literate than what has been commonly presumed. Panayotis Coutsoumpos argues that Paul’s language and use of ἀδιάϕορα in 1 Cor 8–10 is informed by his own theological framework, despite sharing similarities with Stoic thought. John Cook maintains that Paul had in mind Hos 6:2, when he wrote in 1 Cor 15:4 that Christ was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. Ilaria Ramelli inspects Paul’s use of Pss 8 and 109 in 1 Cor 15:24–28, claiming that, in light of the patristic writings and ancient versions, Paul transformed these psalms for his eschatological project. James Harrison affirms that Paul uses a rhetoric of consolation in 2 Cor 1:3–11 and 7:4–13 to heal the hurts and the rifts that were brought about by the deviant person in Corinth. Christopher Land analyzes Paul’s use of Exod 34 in 2 Cor 3:13–14. He concludes that Moses did not veil his face so that the Israelites could not stare at his fading glory; rather, Moses did it as an affronted withdrawal from their unbelief. Craig Blomberg contends that 2 Cor 8–9 can be divided into three sections, each of which is governed by a central OT quotation.Part four contains essays on the other Pauline letters. Linda Belleville investigates the Sinai-Μεσίτης tradition in Gal 3:19–20, claiming that the presence of a mediator highlights Israel’s weakness and need rather than the inferiority of the law. Lau Chi Hing applies Porter’s criteria for direct quotations to the use of Job 13:16 in Phil 1:19, contending that his criterion of formal correspondence (with a minimum of three words found in the earlier texts) is overly broad. Markus Öhler surveys Paul’s use of Scripture in 1 Thessalonians and Philippians, noting that future work should focus on the historical situation behind Paul’s writing of the letter and its reception by the original readers. Finally, Arland Hultgren considers the use of Scripture in the Pastoral Epistles and observes that it is different from the undisputed Pauline letters. Paul uses Scripture to further his theological arguments; the author of the Pastorals, however, uses it in hortatory contexts to support the leadership of the church.This volume is a welcome contribution to the study of Paul’s use of Scripture. It contains not only essays by seasoned scholars but also works from newer scholars. The international scope of the contributors is also commendable, spanning countries as diverse as the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Belgium, Finland, India, and China (Hong Kong).The contributions in this volume are grouped into four areas: three touch on general issues, four on Romans, seven on the Corinthian letters, and four on the other Pauline letters. I would appreciate seeing a few more essays that focus on methodological issues and other Pauline letters such as Colossians or Ephesians. If space was a concern (this volume, after all, is the longest that has appeared in the Pauline Studies series thus far), the number of essays on the Corinthian letters could have been reduced.A few essays in this volume are particularly significant. Wishart demonstrates a creative way for obtaining a baseline semantic contribution of νόμος; Land presents an innovative reading of the Exod 34 tradition in 2 Cor 3; and Belleville wrestles judiciously with the μεσίτης tradition in Gal 3. Some essays, however, do not rigorously engage with the main focus of this volume, that is, with the relationship between Paul and Scripture. For example, Coutsompos does not mention how Paul uses or understands Scripture in his discussion of ἀδιάϕορα in 1 Cor 8–10; and Holmén’s analysis of Paul’s use of Scripture in support of his theodicean solution in Rom 3 is minimal and cursory. These essays might be better served by placing them in a different volume. Nonetheless, this volume is a commendable addition to the series Pauline Studies.