Paul's Disputed Letters

Question 1

Deutero-Pauline Letters

Answer 1

2 Thessalonians, Colossians and Ephesians are less disputed letters

Question 2

Deutero

Answer 2

second or secondary

Question 3

“Pastoral Epistles”

Answer 3

1 & 2 Timothy and Titus are even more disputed

Question 4

Pastoral

Answer 4

related with Church ministry/Church community

Question 5

Pseudonymity

Answer 5

Creating new works in the name of a well-known but deceased personage is called pseudonymity

Common ancient practice in Greek philosophy (Plato, Aristotle, Alexander the Great) and Jewish tradition (Book of Deuteronomy ascribed to Moses).

Question 6

The Problem of Pseudonymity

Answer 6

• To some modern readers, the notion that unknown Christians write in Paul’s name is ethically acceptable
• This practice of creating new works in the name of a well-known but deceased personage is called pseudonymity
• Intending to honour an esteemed figure of the past rather than necessarily to deceive the reading public, both Jews and Christians produced a large body of pseudonymous literature ascribed to such revered biblical figures as Daniel, Enoch, Moses, Isaiah and Ezra
• Pseudonymous works were written long after a figure’s death, not during his life. So the first appearance in the 90s of a letter by Paul in Thessalonica should deceive no one
• From about 80-150 CE, numerous works - Gospels, apostolic Acts, letters and apocalypses - became associated with the names Peter, John, James and Paul. - Some of these pseudonymous books were viewed as “apostolic” in content even though today we doubt their apostolic authorship

Question 7

Historical Context of 2 Thessalonians

Answer 7

Author: Scholars are sharply divided on whether Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians, or if one of his unidentifiable followers after his death
Audience: Most hold that the letter went to the Church at Thessalonica; a few hold it authentic doubt about the destination
Date: If by Paul, it would have been written shortly after 1 Thessalonians, about 51 or 52, if pseudonymous, probably in the 90s
Unity and Integrity: maintained almost by all
Purpose: to urge readers/listeners to eagerly await the return of Christ in proper understanding and living, but to caution that this was not going to happen immediately

Question 8

How is 2 Thessalonians different from 1 Thessalonians

Answer 8

1 Thessalonians is where Paul’s apocalyptic messages are most clear, but he does not give any of these ideas about signs of the end, as 2 Thessalonians does.

Attention to the timing of the apocalypse.

Question 9

Outline of 2 Thessalonians

Answer 9

1. The end of time in teaching and exhortation
2. The end is near, but not yet: apocalyptic signs and events that bust precede the coming of Jesus
3. Renewed Thanksgiving, teaching, salvation
4. The author requests prayer from them, and prays for them
5. Moral exhortation, especially against idleness and disobedience as the end draws near

Question 10

Criteria for 2 Thessalonians as Pseudonymous

Answer 10

The main reasons given by those who question Pauline authorship include:
(1) The eschatology of 2 Thessalonians is regarded as different from that of 1 Thessalonians. Specifically, the sudden/imminent expectation of Christ’s return in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11 is said to be inconsistent with the requirement in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 that specific signs must first take place.

(2) The many commonalities between 1 and 2 Thessalonians are alleged to reflect literary dependence, which is regarded as inconsistent with Paul’s authorship
(3) 2 Thessalonians supposedly has a colder tone than 1 Thessalonians. It is less concerned with community.
(4) 2 Thessalonians 2:2 and 3:17 are thought to make best sense if written by a pseudonymous author

Question 11

Example: The Day of the Lord

1 Thessalonians 5

vs.

2 Thessalonians 2

Answer 11

1 Thessalonians 5

• The “Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” “sudden destruction”
• Authentic Pauline Tone: urgent voice

2 Thessalonians 2

• “Not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed”
• Signs that the Lord will come
• 2 Thessalonians talks about “The Lawless One” and is worked up around apocalyptic thought
• Similar to other writings in the 90s, such as the book of Revelations

Question 12

The Persuasive Purpose of Apocalyptic

Answer 12

2 Thessalonians is not just eschatological, but apocalyptic in theology and (to some extent) in style

• Eschaton: the end
• Apocalyptic adds further nuances to the eschaton; the end
• Like most Christian apocalyptic, it tries to balance two poles: lively expectation of the end of time with a caution that the end is not yet. Errors occur at each pole.
• Apocalyptic often features a sharper distinction between the “in-group” and the “out-group” than other parts of the NR. It urges the in-group to stay loyal to God because the persecuting “out-group” will be punished in the end

Apocalyptic is dramatic and visionary in style, and a favourite challenge for Western artists.

Question 13

Historical Context of Colossians

Answer 13

Author: a substantial minority holds for Paul; a growing majority holds for a disciple of Paul after his death
Audience: the Church at colossae in the Roman province of Asia. Founded by Paul’s co-worker Epaphras, it is a Pauline church
Date: if by Paul, 61-64 from Rome; most who hold for pseudonymity place it in the 80s
Integrity and Unity: not questioned
Purpose: To motivate believers to hold the cosmic Christ, putting away false teaching about salvation and immoral practices carried over from Gentile life

Question 14

Historical Jesus

Answer 14

Jesus of History

Until the resurgence of critical studies in the 19th century, Christians did not become focused with the Jesus of History.

Question 15

Christ of Faith

Answer 15

Image that early Christians came to have about Jesus, especially w regard to his death and resurrection

Paul did not seem to be concerned with the Jesus of History, but was very focused on the Christ of Faith.

Question 16

Cosmic Christ

Answer 16

When our imagine Christ to be the Lord of the universe/cosmos (every principle power of the universe), then you are talking about the cosmic Christ

The image of the cosmic Christ is present in Colossians and Ephesians
It is part of the Christ of Faith; belongs under it as a sub-title

Historical Paul: Paul of History

Pauline Tradition: Paul’s followers continued his thinking after his death

Cosmic Christ is very much a part of the Pauline Tradition

Question 17

Historical Paul vs. Pauline Tradition

Answer 17

Historical Paul: Paul of History

Pauline Tradition: Paul’s followers continued his thinking after his death

Question 18

Continuity between Colossians and Paul’s thought

Answer 18

Paul:

Christ is the supreme because God’s power now manifested in him is the same power that created the entire universe, including those invisible entities that the false teachers mistakenly worship (THE COSMIC CHRIST!)

When they realize Christ’s supremacy and experience his indwelling Spirit, the Colossians are initiated into his mystery cult, voluntarily harmonizing their lives with the cosmic unity he embodies.

Question 19

Exegesis

Answer 19

critical explanation or interpretation of a text or portion of a text, especially the Bible

Question 20

Criteria for Colossians as Pseudonymous

Answer 20

1. Sapiential Christology
2. Rules of Christian Households
3. The Household Code

Question 21

Sapiential Christology (and Pre-Existence) in Colossians

Answer 21

Sapientia: Wisdom
Has its roots in currents found in Hebrew Bible’s Wisdom Literature where “Wisdom” is portrayed as having pre-existed before all creatures.

Christ the Firstborn of Creation (Colossians 1)
The idea that Christ is supreme over all things visible and invisible became a later belief in Christianity, and we find it in Colossians

This idea is not dominant in Paul’s authentic letters, he did not speak of the Cosmic Christ, rather he was focused with the Christ of Faith.

Question 22

Rules of Christian Households (Colossians 3: 18-25)

Answer 22

“Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.”

• Paul was more egalitarian towards women and men
• This does not sound like the real, historical Paul
• Christians had to be respectable and follow Greco-Roman culture (and its patriarchy)
• When this author was writing, the Christian community was already well-established in Greco-Roman culture, and he is just stating the household code

Question 23

The Household Code

Answer 23

• The “household code,” a well-known list of social moral duties in the Greco-Roman household, makes its first appearance here in the NT
• Organized into instructions for husbands and wives, parents and children, masters and slaves
• The “upper” member of these pairs has the duty to guide with love, and the “lower” has to obey and respect willingly
• Feminist and cross-cultural criticism is generally negative toward house-tables, because they turn against earlier Christian practices
• House-tables by their nature tend to be socially conservative, but Ephesians uses the Colossians house table and makes it more socially conservative still
• Household Codes were common sense in Christian communities

Question 24

Historical Context of Ephesians

Answer 24

Author: A strong majority holds that Ephesians is pseudonymous; a small but persistent minority holds for Paul.
Audience: Christians in the Pauline churches, perhaps in western Asia Minor, where Ephesus is located. However, “in Ephesus” (1:1) is not in the best manuscripts, and is likely a later addition.
Date: If Pauline, 60-64; if pseudonymous, probably in the 90s.
Unity and Integrity: Not questioned.
Purpose: To keep its audience’s loyalty to the heights of Pauline Christianity, especially to faith in Jesus Christ alone as sufficient for salvation and the basis of a faithful life.

Question 25

Outline of Ephesians

Answer 25

God’s plan of cosmic salvation in Christ through the unified body of the Church (1:15 – 3:21)

Moral exhortation on living in the world while united to Christ (4:1–6:20)

Spiritual warfare and the armor of God (6:10-20)

Question 26

Note the parallels between Colossians 1 and Ephesians 1

Answer 26

Ephesians is closely connected with Colossians, they share many commonalities, namely, the Cosmic Christ.

Colossians 1: Christ, the Firstborn of all of Creation

• He himself is before all things
• By making peace through the blood of his cross

Ephesians 1: Spiritual Blessings in Christ

• To gather up all things in him
• Gospel of salvation
• God chose us before Christ before the foundation of the worlds*

Question 27

“The Dividing Wall” (Ephesians 2:14)

Answer 27

Jerusalem Temple Warning to Gentiles
One complete and two fragmentary copies (all in Greek) of the Jerusalem Temple warning to Gentiles to proceed no further than the Court of the Gentiles have been discovered.

The inscription reads:
“No foreigner is to enter within the barrier and embankment around the sanctuary. Whoever is caught will have himself to blame for his death which follows.”

Both Greek and Latin versions of this warning were posted at regular intervals on the wall separating Gentile areas from Jewish areas.

If you were a Gentile, you were too unclean and unfit to enter the courtyard of the Jews, and could be killed there.

The letter to the Ephesians says that, in Jesus, now, we have brought near by the blood of Jesus Christ because he made groups into one.

Question 28

The Christian Life as a Military Conflict in Ephesians

Answer 28

Ephesians 6:10-20 is the most developed of several places where military metaphors for the Christian life are used. This list presumes that readers are familiar with how soldiers are dressed and armed.

It could be read as endorsing Roman rule or militarism in general, but not necessarily.
The theme of “spiritual warfare” in Ephesians puts the struggle of faithful living in context with the cosmic spirituality of the letter as a whole.

For those familiar with Roman army combat, combat has a social nature: to win the battle, soldiers must fight as a unit. In the Roman army, as a 2003 US Army recruiting slogan has it, there was no such thing as “An army of one.”

“Spiritual warfare” is only one of the several NT images of the Christian life.

The archaeological remains of Ephesus, some partially rebuilt, suggest the former glory of this cultured city, which has a connection to both Pauline and Johannine Christianity.

Question 29

Ephesus is closely connected with two figures:

Answer 29

1. Paul

2. John