Paul and the Greco-Roman Philosophical Tradition (The Library of New Testament Studies, 527)

Paul and the Greco-Roman Philosophical Tradition provides a fresh examination of the relationship of Greco-Roman philosophy to Pauline Christianity. It offers an in-depth look at different approaches employed by scholars who draw upon philosophical settings in the ancient world to inform their understanding of Paul. The volume houses an international team of scholars from a range of diverse traditions and backgrounds, which opens up a platform for multiple voices from various corridors. Consequently, some of the chapters seek to establish new potential resonances with Paul and the Greco-Roman philosophical tradition, but others question such connections. While a number of them propose radically new relationships between Paul and GrecoRoman philosophy, a few seek to tweak or modulate current discussions. There are arguments in the volume which are more technical and exegetical, and others that remain more synthetic and theological. This diversity, however, is accentuated by a goal shared by each author – to further our understanding of Paul's relationship to and appropriation of Greco-Roman philosophical traditions in his literary and missionary efforts. Cover -- Half Title -- Series -- Title -- Copyright -- Dedication -- Contents -- Abbreviations -- List of Contributors -- Preface -- Foreword -- Introduction -- 1 Paul and the Militia Spiritualis Topos in 1 Thessalonians -- 1.1 Introduction -- 1.2 Abraham Malherbe on Paul, Popular Philosophy, and 1 Thessalonians -- 1.3 Paul and the Militia Spiritualis Topos -- 1.4 Soldiers at the Ready (1 Thess. 5.8) -- 1.5 Loyalty and the Bonds of πίστις -- 1.6 Orderliness -- 1.7 Conclusion -- 2 Elements of Apocalyptic Eschatology in Seneca's Writings and Paul's Letters -- 2.1 Introduction -- 2.2 Methodological Considerations -- 2.3 Seneca -- 2.3.1 Ad Marciam de Consolatione -- 2.3.2 Ad Polybivm de Consolatione -- 2.3.3 Naturales Quaestiones III -- 2.3.4 Summary of Seneca's Works -- 2.4 Comparison -- 2.4.1 Grief and Consolation -- 2.4.2 Hope and Sanctification -- 2.4.3 Personifications and Powers -- 2.4.4 Cosmic Destruction and Renewal -- 2.5 Conclusion -- 3 Paul and Aristotle on Friendship -- 3.1 Aristotle's Philosophy of Friendship in Ethics 8-9 -- 3.1.1 Defining Friendship -- 3.1.2 The Three Forms of Friendship -- 3.1.3 The Role of Self-Love in Reciprocal Virtue-Friendships: Between Altruism and Egoism -- 3.1.4 The Role of Virtue in Virtue-Friendships -- 3.1.5 The Role of God in Virtue-Friendship -- 3.2 Paul's Theology of Friendship in Philippians48 -- 3.2.1 The Ideal Definition of Friendship -- 3.2.2 The Role of Self-Love in Reciprocal Friendship: Between Altruism and Egoism -- 3.2.3 The Role of Virtue in Friendship -- 3.2.4 The Role of God in Friendship: Where Paul and Aristotle Part Ways -- 4 Bruce Winter and the Language of Benefaction in Romans 13.3 -- 4.1 Benefaction in the Greco-Roman World -- 4.1.1 Dionysius of Halicarnassus -- 4.1.2 Aristotle -- 4.1.3 Demosthenes -- 4.1.4 Seneca -- 4.1.5 Cicero -- 4.1.6 Beneficiary Inscriptions -- 4.1.7 Summary List of Abbreviations -- Notes on Contributors -- Preface -- Foreword: Troels Engberg-Pedersen -- Introduction / Andrew W. Pitts -- 1. Powers, Baptism, and the Ethics of the Stronger: Paul Among the Ancient Political Philosophers / Niko Huttunen -- 2. Paul and (Pan)theism / Runar M. Thorsteinsson -- 3. Bruce Winter and the Language of Benefaction in Romans 13.3 -- Andrew W. Pitts and Bahij Ajluni -- 4. Paul and Aristotle on Friendship / Dave E. Briones -- 5. Paul and the Militia Spirituals Topos in 1 Thessalonians / Nijay Gupta -- 6. Divine Causation and Prepositional Metaphysics in Philo of Alexandria and the Apostle Paul / Orrey McFarland -- 7. Early Conceptions of Original Sin - And its Overcoming. Reading Galatians 4.21-31 Through Philo's De Opficio Mundi / Gitte Buch-Hansen -- 8. Gendered Exegesis of Creation in Philo (De Opficio Mundi) and Paul / John Worthington -- 9. Natural Hair: A 'New Rhetorical' Assessment of 1 Cor. 11.14-15 / Timothy Brookins -- 10. Elements of Apocalyptic Eschatology in Seneca and Paul / Joseph R. Dodson -- 11. The Nature of True Worship: Reading Acts 17 with Seneca and Paul, Epistle 95 / Brian J. Tabb -- 12. Death as an Ethical Metaphor in Seneca's Writings and in Paul's Letter to the Romans / Matthias Nygaard -- 13. The Wilderness Tradition in Paul, Wisdom of Solomon, and Hebrews / Madison N. Pierce -- Index of Ancient Sources -- Index of Modern Authors -- Index of Ancient Figures Cover Half-title Title Copyright Dedication Contents List of Abbreviations Notes on Contributors Preface Foreword Introduction 1. Paul and the Militia Spiritualis Topos in 1 Thessalonians 2. Elements of Apocalyptic Eschatology in Seneca’s Writings and Paul’s Letters 3. Paul and Aristotle on Friendship 4. Bruce Winter and the Language of Benefaction in Romans 13.3 5. Powers, Baptism and the Ethics of the Stronger: Paul among the Ancient Political Philosophers 6. Divine Causation and Prepositional Metaphysics in Philo of Alexandria and the Apostle Paul 7. Paul and Pan(en)theism 8. The Wilderness Tradition in 1 Corinthians, Wisdom of Solomon and Hebrews 9. Natural Hair: A ‘New Rhetorical’ Assessment of 1 Cor. 11.14 –15 10. Gendered Exegesis of Creation in Philo (De Opificio Mundi) and Paul (1 Corinthians) 11. Early Conceptions of Original Sin: Reading Galatians through Philo’s De Opificio Mundi 12. Death as an Ethical Metaphor in Seneca’s Writings and in Paul’s Letter to the Romans 13. The Nature of True Worship: Reading Acts 17 with Seneca, Epistle 95 Index of Biblical and Ancient Sources Index of Modern Authors Index of Ancient Figures This volume provides a fresh examination of the relationship of Greco-Roman philosophy to Pauline Christianity and an in-depth look at different approaches currently employed by scholars who draw upon philosophical settings in the ancient world to inform their understanding of Paul. The book is divided into two sections, one consisting of essays that situate Greco-Roman philosophy as a social setting for Pauline Christianity, and one consisting of exegetical studies dealing with various passages where motifs emerging from ancient philosophical culture provide illumination. The chapters summarize the state of the discussion on Paul's relationship to the Greco-Roman philosophical tradition, examine obstacles to positioning Paul in relation to ancient philosophy, compare different approaches, and compile the diverse methodologies into a single comparative study. It then interrogates several philosophical motifs for the exegetical insights that they may yield when interpreting Paul's letters.