Reading 1 Corinthians with Philosophically Educated Women


Book Description

Women were involved in every popular philosophy in the first century, and the participation of women reaches back to the Greek origins of these schools. Philosophers often taught their daughters, wives, and other friends the basic tenets of their thinking. The Isthmian games and a tolerance for independent thinking made Corinth an attractive place for philosophers to engage in dialogue and debate, further facilitating the philosophical education of women. The activity of philosophically educated women directly informs our understanding of 1 Corinthians when Paul uses concepts that also appear in popular moral philosophy. This book explores how philosophically educated women would interact with three such concepts: marriage and family, patronage, and self-sufficiency.




Epicureanism and the Gospel of John


Book Description

The Gospel of John and Epicureanism share vocabulary and reject the conventions of Graeco-Roman theology. Would it then have been easy for an Epicurean to become a Christian or vice-versa? Fergus J. King suggests that such claims become unlikely when detailed analyses of the two traditions are set out and compared. The first step in his examination looks at evidence for potential engagement between the two traditions historically and geographically. Both traditions address concerns about the good life, death, and the divine. However, this correspondence soon unravels as their worldviews are far from identical. Shared terms (like Saviour), their respective rituals, and teaching about community life reveal substantial differences in ethos and behaviour.




Journal of Greco-Roman Christianity and Judaism, Volume 12


Book Description

This is the twelfth volume of the hard-copy edition of a journal that has been published online (www.jgrchj.net) since 2000. Volume 1 was for 2000, Volume 2 was for 2001–2005, Volume 3 was for 2006, Volume 4 was for 2007, Volume 5 was for 2008, Volume 6 was for 2009, Volume 7 was for 2010, Volume 8 was for 2011–2012, Volume 9 was for 2013, Volume 10 was for 2014, Volume 11 was for 2015 and Volume 12 is for 2016. As they appear, the hard-copy editions will replace the online materials. The scope of JGRChJ is the texts, language and cultures of the Greco-Roman world of early Christianity and Judaism. The papers published in JGRChJ are designed to pay special attention to the ‘larger picture’ of politics, culture, religion and language, engaging as well with modern theoretical approaches. Contents Seth M. Ehorn and Mark Lee The Syntactical Function of ὰλλὰ καί in Phil. 2.4 Matthew Oseka Attentive to the Context: The Generic Name of God in the Classic Jewish Lexica and Grammars of the Middle Ages—A Historical and Theological Perspective David I. Yoon Ancient Letters of Recommendation and 2 Corinthians 3.1-3: A Literary Analysis Stanley E. Porter The Synoptic Problem: The State of the Question Greg Stanton Wealthier Supporters of Jesus of Nazareth Preston T. Massey Women, Talking and Silence: 1 Corinthians 11.5 and 14.34-35 in the Light of Greco-Roman Culture Hughson T. Ong The Language of the New Testament from a Sociolinguistic Perspective Jonathan M. Watt Semitic Language Resources of Ancient Jewish Palestine Stanley E. Porter The Use of Greek in First-Century Palestine: A Diachronic and Synchronic Examination




Paroimia and Parrēsia in the Gospel of John


Book Description

The language of the Gospel of John is known for its complexity. On the basis of the modern standards of transparency and logic, previous scholars have depicted this language as obscure, confusing, and mysterious. Thomas Tops goes beyond these oversimplifications by providing an in-depth historical study of John's characterisation of Jesus' language with the terms paroimia and parr e sia . By providing original insights in these terms, the author offers a new perspective on the functioning of Johannine language. As the Johannine Jesus teaches both through paroimia and parr e sia , his language conceals and reveals at the same time. His criticism is veiled and calls on its addressees to search for the hidden meanings of his words. Veiled speech allows the Johannine Jesus to criticise his opponents and openly reveal his messianic identity to those who cannot accept the truth in any other way.




Temple of the Living God


Book Description

When writing to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul used figurative temple language repeatedly to shape the identity of his audience (“Temple of God,” “Temple of the Holy Spirit,” and “Temple of the Living God”). While other scholars have identified the place of the Jerusalem temple in Paul’s thinking or the impact of temples in the life of Corinth, there has been no comprehensive study of the way that figurative temple language in philosophy could have influenced the Corinthians’ worldview. Hellenistic philosophy was pervasive in the first century and provided theological guidance for faith and practice to Paul’s Gentile audience before their conversion. Philip N. Richardson provides a comprehensive survey of figurative temple language in Hellenistic philosophy, shedding light on the way that the kinds of philosophical thought known in cities like Corinth may have influenced the Corinthians to think about figurative temple language. This study throws into sharp relief the similarities and differences between Paul’s use of temple language and that of philosophy, and illuminates Paul’s setting of this language in the wider framework of 1–2 Corinthians and his purpose for its use in the argument of the letters.




Regulating Sex in the Roman Empire


Book Description

A New Testament scholar challenges the belief that American family values are based on “Judeo-Christian” norms by drawing unexpected comparisons between ancient Christian theories and modern discourses Challenging the long-held assumption that American values—be they Christian or secular—are based on “Judeo-Christian” norms, this provocative study compares ancient Christian discourses on marriage and sexuality with contemporary ones, maintaining that modern family values owe more to Roman Imperial beliefs than to the bible. Engaging with Foucault’s ideas, Wheeler-Reed examines how conservative organizations and the Supreme Court have misunderstood Christian beliefs on marriage and the family. Taking on modern cultural debates on marriage and sexuality, with implications for historians, political thinkers, and jurists, this book undermines the conservative ideology of the family, starting from the position that early Christianity, in its emphasis on celibacy and denunciation of marriage, was in opposition to procreation, the ideological norm in the Greco-Roman world.




The First Urban Churches 2


Book Description

Investigate the challenges, threats, and opportunities experienced by the early church Volume two of The First Urban Churches focuses on the urban context of Christian churches in first-century Roman Corinth. An investigation of the material evidence of Corinth helps readers today understand properly the challenges, threats, and opportunities that the early Corinthian believers faced in the city. The essays demonstrate decisively the difference that such an approach makes in grappling with the meaning and context of the Corinthian epistles in the New Testament. Features: Analysis of urban evidence of the inscriptions, papyri, archaeological remains, coins, and iconography Proposed reeconstructions of the past and its social, religious, and political significance A nuanced, informed portrait of ancient urban life in Corinth




The Lost Letters of Pergamum


Book Description

A Fascinating Glimpse into the World of the New Testament Transported two thousand years into the past, readers are introduced to Antipas, a Roman civic leader who has encountered the writings of the biblical author Luke. Luke's history sparks Antipas's interest, and they begin corresponding. While the account is fictional, the author is a highly respected New Testament scholar who weaves reliable historical information into a fascinating story, offering a fresh, engaging, and creative way to learn about the New Testament world. The first edition has been widely used in the classroom (over 30,000 copies sold). This updated edition, now with improved readability and narrative flow, will bring the social and political world of Jesus and his first followers to life for many more students of the Bible.




Women Praying and Prophesying in Corinth


Book Description

In First Corinthians, Paul makes two conflicting statements about women's speech: He crafts a difficult argument about whether men and women should cover their heads while praying or prophesying (11:2-16) and instructs women to be silent in the assembly (14:34-35). These two statements bracket an extended discussion about inspired modes of speech - prophecy and prayer in tongues. From these exegetical observations, Jill E. Marshall argues that gender is a central issue throughout 1 Corinthians 11-14 and the religious speaking practices that prompted Paul's response. She situates Paul's arguments about prayer and prophecy within their ancient Mediterranean cultural context, using literary and archaeological evidence, and examines the differences in how ancient writers described prophetic speech when voiced by a man or a woman.




The Gender Conversation


Book Description

Conversations about gender, both inside and outside the church, can frequently degenerate into stale and rancorous disputes in which predictable arguments are traded back and forth, or fade awkwardly away into the tense silences of mutual misunderstanding. But the issue is an important one, and calls for a better conversation than either of those alternatives. In September 2015, Morling College hosted a one-day symposium entitled The Gender Conversation. A rich and diverse mix of contributors met to discuss issues of gender, theology, and Christian living, within a shared framework of evangelical conviction. Our aim in hosting the symposium was to deepen mutual understanding and respect, highlight common ground, clarify points of difference, and unite us all in a quest to learn from the Scriptures and live in the light of the gospel. This book brings together the papers presented at the symposium and the contributors' responses to one another, as a resource for further reflection and discussion.