Signs of Continuity: The Function of Miracles in Jesus and Paul (Bulletin for Biblical Research Supplement)

For more than a century, scholars have debated whether Paul the apostle was a faithful follower of Jesus or a corruptor of Jesus’s message and the true founder of Christianity. Signs of Continuity intervenes in this debate by exploring a largely overlooked element of similarity between the two men: the place of miracles in their ministries. In his close analysis of the miracles performed by Jesus and Paul, Greg Rhodea points to signs of continuity between these two historical figures of Christianity. He argues that both Jesus and Paul understood their miracles as accompanying and actualizing a message of gracious inclusion of the marginalized, resisted proving their ability to work miracles to those who asked for a sign despite the importance of miracle-working to their personal authentication, and interpreted miracles as proof of the presence of the eschatological kingdom. Based on these similarities, Rhodea concludes that Paul the apostle knew of Jesus’s miracles and that he imitated Jesus in his own ministry of miracle-working. In highlighting this previously unexplored area of continuity, Rhodea makes a significant contribution to the debate over the relationship between Jesus and Paul. Biblical scholars and students interested in this debate will find Signs of Continuity enlightening and informative.

For more than a century, scholars have debated whether Paul theapostle was a faithful follower of Jesus or a corruptor of Jesus'smessage and the true founder of Christianity. Signs ofContinuity intervenes in this debate by exploring a largelyoverlooked element of similarity between the two men: the place ofmiracles in their ministries.

In his close analysis of the miracles performed by Jesus andPaul, Greg Rhodea points to signs of continuity between these twohistorical figures of Christianity. He argues that both Jesus andPaul understood their miracles as accompanying and actualizing amessage of gracious inclusion of the marginalized, resisted provingtheir ability to work miracles to those who asked for a signdespite the importance of miracle-working to their personalauthentication, and interpreted miracles as proof of the presenceof the eschatological kingdom. Based on these similarities, Rhodeaconcludes that Paul the apostle knew of Jesus's miracles and thathe imitated Jesus in his own ministry of miracle-working.

In highlighting this previously unexplored area of continuity,Rhodea makes a significant contribution to the debate over therelationship between Jesus and Paul. Biblical scholars and studentsinterested in this debate will find Signs of Continuityenlightening and informative.

For more than a century, scholars have debated whether Paul the apostle was a faithful follower of Jesus or a corruptor of Jesus's message and the true founder of Christianity. Signs of Continuity intervenes in this debate by exploring a largely overlooked element of similarity between the two men: the place of miracles in their ministries.0In his close analysis of the miracles performed by Jesus and Paul, Greg Rhodea points to signs of continuity between these two historical figures of Christianity. He argues that both Jesus and Paul understood their miracles as accompanying and actualizing a message of gracious inclusion of the marginalized, resisted proving their ability to work miracles to those who asked for a sign despite the importance of miracle-working to their personal authentication, and interpreted miracles as proof of the presence of the eschatological kingdom. Based on these similarities, Rhodea concludes that Paul the apostle knew of Jesus's miracles and that he imitated Jesus in his own ministry of miracle-working.0In highlighting this previously unexplored area of continuity, Rhodea makes a significant contribution to the debate over the relationship between Jesus and Paul. Biblical scholars and students interested in this debate will find Signs of Continuity enlightening and informative Explores the debate over whether Paul was a faithful follower of Jesus or a corruptor of Jesus’s message. Focuses on an element of similarity between the two men: the place of miracles in their ministries.