Mid-term RQs Flashcards
RQ 1.1. Read Paul chap 1. Give A. Schweitzer’s view of Paul
- Center of Paul’s theology as Christ-mysticism - how the Church is involved in and with Christ in his death and resurrection. Has to be understood in a Jewish-eschatological sense with the coming of the Kingdom. Paul is faced with the problem of Jesus’ death and res but not the fullness of the Kingdom/ new eschaton. Solves this by saying that the Messianic Kingdom has come but not the full Kingdom of God. The elect have risen with Christ and are joined to him by the Spirit.
-The end of the aeon signifies the end of the Law over man. The power of sin has been destroyed.
RQ 4.1. Read BTINT, “Galatians.” Why does the South Galatian theory allow for an earlier dating of Galatians, and the North Galatian theory requires a later date?
Paul travelled to South Galatia, near the coast of the northeast Mediterranean, in his first missionary journey, c. 47AD, allowing for the penning of Gal any time after. Paul did not travel to the northern region of the province of Galatia (home of ethnic Galatians, Celts) until second journey, meaning a mid-50s dating for epistle at earliest.
5.1) From Ridderbos ch.2: According to Ridderbos, what is the interdependence between eschatology and Christology in Paul’s theology?
For Paul, the person and work of Christ, particularly his death and resurrection, are the central events of redemptive history, fulfilling the OT and ushering in the kingdom-age. Christians now live in a time of “already and not yet”, a tension between fulfillment and expectation. Ultimately, Paul looks forward to ultimate fulfillment of kingdom and glory at Jesus’ second coming.
7.1) Read BTINT, “1 Thessalonians.” Concerning the apostolic defense in 1 Thess 2:1-12, does Cara see this as intentionally exemplary? Give a nuanced answer.
Paul’s apostolic defense in 1 Thess 2 should not be understood as primarily facile and/or exemplary, b/c Paul seems to have real opponents with specific criticisms in mind (e.g. 2:2, 14). The assertion of an exemplary emphasis here is a newer view that indentifies Paul to closely with the rhetorical methods and traditions of the travelling philosophers of his time. Nevertheless, this passage does exhibit a secondary exemplary emphasis, which is not problematic in light of the rest of the episitle and Paul’s larger theology of encouraged imitation
7.2) How does Cara interpret “kingdom” in 1 Thess 2:12? (“[God] calls you into his own kingdom and glory.”)
Explicit mentions of the kingdom are relatively rare in Paul’s writing (though his eschatological understanding clearly includes the concept), but when he does mention it, it is usually related to Christ’s kingship and/or the already-but-not-yet nature of this age. In 1 Thess 2:12, Paul is emphasizing the future aspect of the kingdom - seen in part with the words close connection to God’s “glory” - as a means of encouraging Christians to walk appropriately obedient in light of their ultimate hope at Christ’s return
8.1) Read Ridderbos, chap 3. How does Paul’s view of sin affect his understanding of law? [Note, Cara does not agree w/ Ridderbos’ view of Rom 7.]
Per Paul’s understanding of human sinfulness as a condition of radical corruption from which he cannot save himself (see Rom 3:9ff), no person will be attain righteousness by works of the law; not b/c of some shortcoming in the law, but b/c sinful man is powerless to keep it (Gal 3:10). B/c of man’s sinfulness, the law cannot, nor was it intended to (Gal 3:21), save.
8.2) Is Ridderbos a trichotomist? Give his view of 1 Thess 5:23.
Ridderbos is not a trichotomist; He does not believe that Paul divides spirit and soul from body in his understanding of man. A human is a soul and a body, that is, to be embodied is human, and the person can only manifest himself through the actions of his body, as God intended it from the beginning. In 1 Thess 5:23, “body” does not refer to a separable component of the person, but as his external behavior and obedience unto God.
9.1) Read BTINT, “2 Thessalonians.” How does Cara respond to the argument that Paul did not write 2 Thessalonians because it is more formal in tone than 1 Thessalonians?
It is true that 2 Thess has a more formal style, but this does not indicate a different author. In Paul’s 1st letter to Thess, he is clearly writing with deep, positive emotion in light of the good report about the church that Timothy has returned with. In the 2nd letter, with that strong affection already expressed, Paul does not need to write as informally
10.1) Read Paul, chap 4. What does Ridderbos mean by the “eschatological character of justification”?
The doctrine of justification - that is, the revelation and forensic application of the righteousness of God to the Christian - should neither be counted as the primary emphasis of Paul’s theology nor as a negligible afterthought. Rather, it should be understood as an important component of Paul’s larger, unifying theology of the eschatalogical, redemptive-historical accomplishment of Christ by his death, resurrection, and impending return. In other words, justification is exceedingly important, as it is the pronouncement by which God brings a Chrisitian into his kingdom and participation in the “already but not yet,” but it is far from the only doctrine that matters across the Pauline corpus.
10.2) According to Ridderbos, what is the relationship in Paul between “grace” and “faith”?
The relationship between justification “by faith” and “by the grace of God” in Paul is so close that it can almost be called an equation. Righteousness by grace through faith has less to do with Paul’s description of the ordo salutis and more to do with a unified understanding of what has taken place redemptive-historically in Christ. God has manifest justification by his grace (as opposed to the recipient’s meritorious works), and that grace is recognized and recieved through faith.
11.1) Read BTINT, “1 and 2 Corinthians.” What city is the capital of the Roman province of Achaia?
Corinth - a highly significant crossroads of commerce, culture, and governance
11.2) Waters concludes that 1 Cor 15:3-5 indicates X’s “‘comprehensive’ solution to the human plight of ‘sin.’” What does Waters mean by “comprehensive”?
Paul states that Christ “died for our sins”, but he does not give a specific description of the connection, whether forensic or otherwise. Per Waters, Paul has in mind here the comprehensive solution to the problem of sin that Jesus death and resurrection accomplish, not only a forensic justification for deliverance from the penalty of sin, but also for the overcoming of the power of sin. In other words, Paul is describing Jesus death and resurrection as the one and only means of our justification and sanctification, our total salvation.
12.1) Read Paul chap 5. Compare and contrast justification and reconciliation.
Paul speaks of justification and reconciliation as two parallel, closely related realities of Christian salvation (e.g. Rom 5), and neither should be understood in subordination to the other. Whereas justification general refers to a religious-forensic concept whereby the Christian is pronounced righteous before God, reconciliation refers more generally to a social-relationship restoration of positive relationship, specifically “peace” with God. Paul uses both concepts to refer to the change of status and life that has occurred for the Christian in Christ.
