Paul and the Salvation of the Individual (Biblical Interpretation Series)

This work suggests that it is possible to maintain that Paul had a lively interest in the salvation of the individual, without having to revert to traditional Lutheran interpretations of the text. It focuses on three important texts in Romans. PAUL AND THE SALVATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL......Page 4 Contents......Page 6 Acknowledgements......Page 10 The Increasing Emphasis on the Group in New Testament Studies......Page 12 The Use of the Social Sciences in New Testament Studies—Some Preliminary Concerns......Page 17 The Purpose of the Present Study......Page 21 Methodology & Approach......Page 23 Part I: THE SELF AND INDIVIDUALITY IN THE HELLENISTIC WORLD......Page 32 The Primacy of the Self......Page 34 Conclusions......Page 39 The Self in the Ancient World......Page 41 The Shame Culture of the Ancient World......Page 50 Individualism in the First Century......Page 57 Summary: The First Century Situation......Page 61 Conclusions......Page 66 The Development of Religion in the Ancient World......Page 69 Religion in the Hellenistic World......Page 72 Conclusions......Page 78 Judaism in the Hellenistic World......Page 79 Individualist and Corporate Elements in Jewish Tradition......Page 84 The Qumran Community......Page 92 Conclusions......Page 95 Conclusion to Part I......Page 97 Part 2: SELECTED TEXTS IN ROMANS 1–8: THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INDIVIDUAL IN PAULINE THOUGHT......Page 100 Introduction......Page 102 Introduction......Page 103 Recent Assumptions Regarding the Background to Romans......Page 105 Recent Approaches to Romans Stress the Collective......Page 107 Collective and Individualistic Themes......Page 116 Tensions in Rome?......Page 117 A Consideration of Paul......Page 120 Conclusion......Page 124 Introduction......Page 126 δικαιοσύνη and δίκαιος: Relational Concepts......Page 128 Righteousness in the Context of Jewish Sectarianism......Page 131 Justification......Page 133 Paul's Use of Righteousness Language......Page 136 Collective Interpretations of Romans 1:16, 17......Page 142 Individualist Interpretations......Page 148 Conclusion......Page 157 Introduction and Context......Page 159 Faith in the Old Testament and Judaism......Page 160 The Meaning of Faith for Paul......Page 165 Focus on Verses 21–23......Page 169 Covenantal Theology Leads to a Soteriology of the Individual......Page 174 Sociological Interpretations of Faith......Page 179 Conclusions......Page 182 Introduction......Page 184 Collective Interpretations......Page 185 Romans 7—Primary Focus is the Individual......Page 198 The "I"—Paul and His Readers......Page 203 The Adam Story or the Story of Israel?......Page 206 Introduction: The Present Tense and the Personal Pronoun......Page 209 The Danger of Falling Back into Law Observance......Page 211 The Immature Christian?......Page 216 Summary of the Argument in verses 14-25......Page 218 Conclusions: Romans 7—Personal & Collective Aspects......Page 221 Introduction......Page 226 Part I: The Self and Individuality in the Hellenistic World......Page 227 Part II: Selected Texts in Romans 1-8—The Emphasis on the Individual in Pauline Thought......Page 231 Conclusion......Page 239 Texts, Versions and Reference Works......Page 242 General Bibliography......Page 243 G......Page 254 M......Page 255 W......Page 256 Z......Page 257 Annotation This Book Proposes That There Was A Lively Sense Of The Individual Self In Persons In The Hellenistic World Of The Urban Centres In Which Paul Lived And Ministered, Whereby Individualistic Behaviour Was Not Unknown And Where Individuals Were Not Simply Determined By Their Culture And The Group Of Which They Were A Part. This Is In Contrast To Many Recent Sociological Approaches To The New Testament Which Emphasise The Collective Over The Individual. Hence It Is Argued That The Individual Is A Central Feature Of Paul's Letter To The Romans. Three Texts In The First Eight Chapters Of Romans Are Examined To Indicate Paul's Concern With The Salvation Of The Individual, And Not Just With Questions Of A More Collective Nature To Do With The Identity Of The People Of God. This Book Challenges The Very Strong Emphasis Put Upon The Collective In Recent Approaches To Paul's Letter To The Romans, Especially By Sociologically Based Nt Research, But Also Within The Wider Body Of Romans Research. It Suggests That It Is Possible To Maintain That Paul Was Vitally Interested In The Salvation Of The Individual, Without Having To Revert To Traditional Lutheran Interpretations Of The Text. Pt. 1. The Self And Individuality In The Hellenistic World -- Pt. 2. Selected Texts In Romans 1-8 : The Importance Of The Individual In Pauline Thought. By Gary W. Burnett. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [231]-242) And Index.