Paul and the Apocalyptic Imagination

Since the mid-twentieth century, apocalyptic thought has been championed as a central category for understanding the New Testament writings and the letters of Paul above all. But "apocalyptic" has meant different things to different scholars. Even the assertion of an "apocalyptic Paul" has been contested: does it mean the invasive power of God that breaks with the present age (Ernst Käsemann), or the broader scope of revealed heavenly mysteries, including the working out of a "many-staged plan of salvation" (N.T. Wright), or something else altogether? Paul and the Apocalyptic Imagination brings together eminent Pauline scholars from diverse perspectives, along with experts of Second Temple Judaism, Hellenistic philosophy, patristics, and modern theology, to explore the contours of the current debate. Contributors discuss the history of what apocalypticism, and an "apocalyptic Paul," have meant at different times and for different interpreters; examine different aspects of Paul's thought and practice to test the usefulness of the category; and show how different implicit understandings of apocalypticism shape different contemporary presentations of Paul's significance.;Paul and the Apocalyptic Imagination: An Introduction / Ben C. Blackwell, John K. Goodrich, and Jason Maston -- "Then I Proceeded to Where Things Were Chaotic" (1 Enoch 21:1): Mapping the Apocalyptic Landscape / David A. Shaw -- Apocalyptic as God's Eschatological Activity in Paul's Theology / Martinus C. de Boer -- Apocalyptic Epistemology: The Sine Qua Non of Valid Pauline Interpretation / Douglas A. Campbell -- Apocalyptic as Theoria in the Letters of St. Paul: A New Perspective on Apocalyptic as Mother of Theology / Edith M. Humphrey -- Apocalyptic and the Sudden Fulfillment of Divine Promise / N.T. Wright -- Some Reflections on Apocalyptic Thought and Time in Literature from the Second Temple Period / Loren T. Stuckenbruck -- The Transcendence of Death and Heavenly Ascent in the Apocalyptic Paul and the Stoics / Joseph R. Dodson -- Second-Century Perspectives on the Apocalyptic Paul: Reading the Apocalypse of Paul and the Acts of Paul / Ben C. Blackwell -- Some Remarks on Apocalyptic in Modern Christian Theology / Philip G. Ziegler -- Righteousness Revealed: The Death of Christ as the Definition of the Righteousness of God in Romans 3:21-26 / Jonathan A. Linebaugh -- Thinking from Christ to Israel: Romans 9-11 in Apocalyptic Context / Beverly Roberts Gaventa -- Apocalyptic Allegiance and Disinvestment in the World: A Reading of 1 Corinthians 7:25-35 / John M.G. Barclay -- After Destroying Every Rule, Authority, and Power: Paul, Apocalyptic, and Politics in 1 Corinthians / John K. Goodrich -- Plight and Solution in Paul's Apocalyptic Perspective: A Study of 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 / Jason Maston -- The Apocalyptic New Covenant and the Shape of Life in the Spirit according to Galatians / Michael J. Gorman -- The Two Ages and Salvation History in Paul's Apocalyptic Imagination: A Comparison of 4 Ezra and Galatians / J.P. Davies. Since The Mid-twentieth Century, Apocalyptic Thought Has Been Championed As A Central Category For Understanding The New Testament Writings And The Letters Of Paul Above All. But Apocalyptic Has Meant Different Things To Different Scholars. Even The Assertion Of An Apocalyptic Paul Has Been Contested: Does It Mean The Invasive Power Of God That Breaks With The Present Age (ernst Käsemann), Or The Broader Scope Of Revealed Heavenly Mysteries, Including The Working Out Of A Many-staged Plan Of Salvation (n. T. Wright), Or Something Else Altogether? Paul And The Apocalyptic Imagination Brings Together Eminent Pauline Scholars From Diverse Perspectives, Along With Experts Of Second Temple Judaism, Hellenistic Philosophy, Patristics, And Modern Theology, To Explore The Contours Of The Current Debate. Contributors Discuss The History Of What Apocalypticism, And An Apocalyptic Paul, Have Meant At Different Times And For Different Interpreters; Examine Different Aspects Of Paul’s Thought And Practice To Test The Usefulness Of The Category; And Show How Different Implicit Understandings Of Apocalypticism Shape Different Contemporary Presentations Of Paul's Significance. Paul And The Apocalyptic Imagination: An Introduction / Ben C. Blackwell, John K. Goodrich, And Jason Maston -- “then I Proceeded To Where Things Were Chaotic” (1 Enoch 21:1): Mapping The Apocalyptic Landscape / David A. Shaw -- Apocalyptic As God’s Eschatological Activity In Paul’s Theology / Martinus C. De Boer -- Apocalyptic Epistemology:the Sine Qua Non Of Valid Pauline Interpretation / Douglas A. Campbell -- Apocalyptic As Theoria In The Letters Of St. Paul: A New Perspective On Apocalyptic As Mother Of Theology / Edith M. Humphrey -- Apocalyptic And The Sudden Fulfillment Of Divine Promise / N. T. Wright -- Some Reflections On Apocalyptic Thought And Time In Literature From The Second Temple Period / Loren T. Stuckenbruck -- The Transcendence Of Death And Heavenly Ascent In The Apocalyptic Paul And The Stoics / Joseph R. Dodson -- Second-century Perspectives On The Apocalyptic Paul: Reading The Apocalypse Of Paul And The Acts Of Paul / Ben C. Blackwell -- Some Remarks On Apocalyptic In Modern Christian Theology / Philip G. Ziegler -- Righteousness Revealed: The Death Of Christ As The Definition Of The Righteousness Of God In Romans 3:21–26 / Jonathan A. Linebaugh -- Thinking From Christ To Israel: Romans 9–11 In Apocalyptic Context / Beverly Roberts Gaventa -- Apocalyptic Allegiance And Disinvestment In The World: A Reading Of 1 Corinthians 7:25–35 / John M. G. Barclay -- After Destroying Every Rule, Authority, And Power: Paul, Apocalyptic, And Politics In 1 Corinthians / John K. Goodrich -- Plight And Solution In Paul’s Apocalyptic Perspective: A Study Of 2 Corinthians 5:18–21 / Jason Maston -- The Apocalyptic New Covenant And The Shape Of Life In The Spirit According To Galatians / Michael J. Gorman -- The Two Ages And Salvation History In Paul’s Apocalyptic Imagination: A Comparison Of 4 Ezra And Galatians / J. P. Davies. Ben C. Blackwell, John K. Goodrich, And Jason Maston, Editors. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes. Contributors ix Preface xi Part I. 1. Paul and the Apocalyptic Imagination An Introduction Ben C. Blackwell, John K. Goodrich, and Jason Maston 3 2. “Then I Proceeded to Where Things Were Chaotic” (1 Enoch 21:1) Mapping the Apocalyptic Landscape David A. Shaw 23 Part II. 3. Apocalyptic as God’s Eschatological Activity in Paul’s Theology Martinus C. de Boer 45 4. Apocalyptic Epistemology The Sine Qua Non of Valid Pauline Interpretation Douglas A. Campbell 65 5. Apocalyptic as Theoria in the Letters of St. Paul A New Perspective on Apocalyptic as Mother of Theology Edith M. Humphrey 87 6. Apocalyptic and the Sudden Fulfillment of Divine Promise N. T. Wright 111 Part III. 7. Some Reflections on Apocalyptic Thought and Time in Literature from the Second Temple Period Loren T. Stuckenbruck 137 8. The Transcendence of Death and Heavenly Ascent in the Apocalyptic Paul and the Stoics Joseph R. Dodson 157 9. Second-Century Perspectives on the Apocalyptic Paul Reading the Apocalypse of Paul and the Acts of Paul Ben C. Blackwell 177 10. Some Remarks on Apocalyptic in Modern Christian Theology Philip G. Ziegler 199 Part IV. 11. Righteousness Revealed The Death of Christ as the Definition of the Righteousness of God in Romans 3:21–26 Jonathan A. Linebaugh 219 12. Thinking from Christ to Israel Romans 9–11 in Apocalyptic Context Beverly Roberts Gaventa 239 13. Apocalyptic Allegiance and Disinvestment in the World A Reading of 1 Corinthians 7:25–35 John M. G. Barclay 257 14. After Destroying Every Rule, Authority, and Power Paul, Apocalyptic, and Politics in 1 Corinthians John K. Goodrich 275 15. Plight and Solution in Paul’s Apocalyptic Perspective A Study of 2 Corinthians 5:18–21 Jason Maston 297 16. The Apocalyptic New Covenant and the Shape of Life in the Spirit according to Galatians Michael J. Gorman 317 17. The Two Ages and Salvation History in Paul’s Apocalyptic Imagination A Comparison of 4 Ezra and Galatians J. P. Davies 339 Index of Names 361 Index of Ancient Writings 371 Since the mid-twentieth century, apocalyptic thought has been championed as a central category for understanding the New Testament writings and the letters of Paul above all. But "apocalyptic" has meant different things to different scholars. Even the assertion of an "apocalyptic Paul" has been contested: does it mean the invasive power of God that breaks with the present age (Ernst Kasemann), or the broader scope of revealed heavenly mysteries, including the working out of a "many-staged plan of salvation" (N. T. Wright), or something else altogether? Paul and the Apocalyptic Imagination brings together eminent Pauline scholars from diverse perspectives, along with experts of Second Temple Judaism, Hellenistic philosophy, patristics, and modern theology, to explore the contours of the current debate. Contributors discuss the history of what apocalypticism, and an "apocalyptic Paul," have meant at different times and for different interpreters; examine different aspects of Paul's thought and practice to test the usefulness of the category; and show how different implicit understandings of apocalypticism shape different contemporary presentations of Paul's significance. About the Author Ben C. Blackwell is assistant professor of Christianity at Houston Baptist University and the author of Christosis: Pauline Soteriology in Light of Deification in Irenaeus and Cyril of Alexandria (2011). John K. Goodrich is assistant professor of Bible at Moody Bible Institute and the author of Paul as an Administrator of God in 1 Corinthians (2012). Jason Maston is assistant professor of theology at Houston Baptist University; the editor, with Michael F. Bird, of Earliest Christian History: History, Literature, and Theology. Essays from the Tyndale Fellowship in Honor of Martin Hengel (2012); and the author of Divine and Human Agency in Second Temple Judaism and Paul: A Comparative Approach(2010). Together, Blackwell, Goodrich, and Maston have edited Reading Romans in Context (2015). Since the mid-twentieth century, apocalyptic thought has been championed as a central category for understanding the New Testament writings and the letters of Paul above all. But "apocalyptic" has meant different things to different scholars. Even the assertion of an "apocalyptic Paul" has been contested: does it mean the invasive power of God that breaks with the present age (Ernst Kásemann), or the broader scope of revealed heavenly mysteries, including the working out of a "many-staged plan of salvation" (N. T. Wright), or something else altogether? Paul and the Apocalyptic Imagination brings together eminent Pauline scholars from diverse perspectives, along with experts of Second Temple Judaism, Hellenistic philosophy, patristics, and modern theology, to explore the contours of the current debate. Contributors discuss the history of what apocalypticism, and an "apocalyptic Paul," have meant at different times and for different interpreters; examine different aspects of Paul's thought and practice to test the usefulness of the category; and show how different implicit understandings of apocalypticism shape different contemporary presentations of Paul's significance Since the mid-twentieth century, apocalyptic thought has been championed as a central category for understanding the New Testament writings and the letters of Paul above all. But "apocalyptic" has meant different things to different scholars. Even the assertion of an "apocalyptic Paul" has been contested: does it mean the invasive power of God that breaks with the present age (Ernst Kasemann), or the broader scope of revealed heavenly mysteries, including the working out of a "many-staged plan of salvation" (N.T. Wright), or something else altogetherPaul and the Apocalyptic Imagination brings together eminent Pauline scholars from diverse perspectives, along with experts of Second Temple Judaism, Hellenistic philosophy, patristics, and modern theology, to explore the contours of the current debate. Contributors discuss the history of what apocalypticism, and an "apocalyptic Paul," have meant at different times and for different interpreters; examine different aspects of Paulђ́ةs thought and practice to test the usefulness of the category; and show how different implicit understandings of apocalypticism shape different contemporary presentations of Paul's significance