‘One Thing’: Stoic Discourse and Paul’s Reevaluation of His Jewish Credentials in Phil. 3.1–21
Biblical scholars frequently discuss Paul’s relationship to his Jewish ancestral practices and heritage, a debate that is due in no small part to his inconsistency on the topic. Although some recent scholars have highlighted statements expressing Paul’s esteem for such credentials, the correct inter...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Sage
2023
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| In: |
Journal for the study of the New Testament
Year: 2023, Volume: 45, Issue: 4, Pages: 429-450 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Paul Apostle
/ Stoicism
/ Circumcision (Man)
/ Halacha
/ Adiaphora
/ Philemon
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| IxTheo Classification: | HC New Testament KAB Church history 30-500; early Christianity |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | Biblical scholars frequently discuss Paul’s relationship to his Jewish ancestral practices and heritage, a debate that is due in no small part to his inconsistency on the topic. Although some recent scholars have highlighted statements expressing Paul’s esteem for such credentials, the correct interpretation of his devaluation of them in Phil. 3.1–21 is a lingering scholarly problem. I argue that this text evidences adaptation of Stoic patterns of discourse that indicate that Paul’s devaluation does not depict his repudiation of such practices and credentials but his refusal to compare them to ‘knowing Christ’. His use of these patterns of discourse is designed to establish the first-order value of ‘knowing Christ’ and to model for the Philippians the epistemological evaluation he believed was crucial to their eschatological salvation. |
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| ISSN: | 1745-5294 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal for the study of the New Testament
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1177/0142064X221150209 |