Power and Peril: Paul's Use of Temple Discourse in 1 Corinthians (Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft Book 239) (Issn, 239)

This study probes the significance of Paul's statement in 1 Corinthians 3:16 announced to a group of believers in Corinth: "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the spirit of God dwells among you?" The question is framed in the Greek language such that Paul expected an affirmative response (i.e. 'Yes, we know we are the temple of God'), and yet mapping such an idea onto a gathering of people is rather unprecedented in antiquity. By surveying relevant literary texts and material culture from the ancient Mediterranean (roughly 400 BCE--200 CE), the author shows how Paul appropriated the concept of temple in his exhortation to the Corinthians. A few key texts in 1 Corinthians can be read as a cohesive and coherent set of passages that unpack the idea of the Corinthians as "the temple of God." While these passages are not typically read together, this study shows how themes such as power and spirit, traditions from Exodus, divine benefits, and sacrificial foods found in these passages reflect similar concerns observed in temples and other sanctuaries in ancient Greek, Roman, and Jewish contexts. Careful analysis of the religious experience of visitors to temples--an important topic that remains largely ignored in secondary literature--gives greater clarity to the nuances of Paul's temple discourse. As the temple, the Corinthian community not only receives God's power and benefits, but also remains vulnerable to peril posed by insiders and outsiders "This study probes the significance of Paul's statement in 1 Corinthians 3:16, "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the spirit of God dwells among you?" By surveying relevant literary texts and material culture, the author shows how Paul appropriated the temple concept in his exhortation to the Corinthians. Careful analysis of the religious experience of visitors to temples gives clarity to Paul's temple discourse."--Quatrième de couverture Die Reihe Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft (BZNW) ist eine der renommiertesten internationalen Buchreihen zur neutestamentlichen Wissenschaft. Seit 1923 publiziert sie wegweisende Forschungsarbeiten zum frühen Christentum und angrenzenden Themengebieten. Die Reihe ist historisch-kritisch verankert und steht neuen methodischen Ansätzen, die unser Verständnis des Neuen Testaments befördern, gleichfalls offen gegenüber Preface 5 Contents 7 Abbreviations 11 1. Experiencing Power and Peril in Corinth 13 2. Constructing Temple and Identity in 1 Corinthians 33 3. Accessing Sacred Spaces in Greek and Roman Contexts 122 4. Accessing Sacred Spaces in Jewish Contexts 166 5. Temple Discourse in 1 Corinthians 207 6. Conclusion 226 Bibliography 228 Index of Ancient Citations 253 Index of Bible Citations 273 Index of Names 285 Index of Subjects 287