The Church in the Wilderness: Paul's Use of Exodus Traditions in 1 Corinthians (Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen Zum Neuen Testament 2.Reihe)

"Much attention has been devoted to Paul's quotations from the Old Testament, but little attention has been given to Paul's use of biblical narratives. The most extensive use of scripture in 1 Corinthians involves an allusion to Israel's exodus (10:1-22), which contains only one quotation (1 Cor 10:7). Since there is much debate on how to identify scriptural allusions, Carla Works examines two passages where there is overwhelming scholarly consensus regarding the presence of exodus imagery: 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 and 10:1-22. These passages, therefore, provide an ideal place to consider how Paul is using Israel's exodus traditions to instruct a predominantly non-Jewish congregation. The author argues that the exodus tradition, a tradition used to bolster Israel's identity and to teach Israel about the identity of God, is reinterpreted by Paul in light of Christ and is employed to foster the identity formation of the Corinthians as the church of ""one God and one Lord"" (1 Cor 8:6)." --From publisher's description Cover Preface Table of Contents Abbreviations Introduction: Being the Church of God in Corinth A. Situating this Study B. Paul and the Corinthian Congregation as Readers of Scripture C. An Overview Chapter One: God and the So-Called Gods: Teaching the Corinthians to be the “Church of God” A. “Many Gods and Many Lords” I. Corinth’s Religious Landscape II. The Corinthian Church and the Problem of Many Gods and Many Lords B. The Power of Paideia C. One God and One Lord: Pauline Paideia with Exodus Traditions I. The Power of the Exodus Tradition as Paideia II. Passover and Paideia III. Concluding Reflections on the Power of Exodus Traditions IV. Pauline Paideia, Israel’s Exodus, and 1 Corinthians D. Conclusion: Being the Church of God in Corinth Chapter Two: A “New” Past: 1 Corinthians 10:1–22 Part One A. Situating this Reading B. 1 Corinthians 10:1–13: The Legacy of Faithfulness I. 1 Corinthians 10:1–5: God-Created Unity 1. The Rites of Baptism and Eucharist Among the Corinthians 2. The Rites of Baptism and Eucharist Among the “Ancestors” 3. “Our Ancestors” 4. The Ancestors’ Baptism 5. Baptism into Moses 6. Baptism “in the Cloud and in the Sea” 7. The “Eucharist” of the Israelites 8. Summary: Revisiting 1 Corinthians 10:1–5 and Hearing the Dire Warning II. 1 Corinthians 10:6–11: Learning from the Mistakes of Our Ancestors 1. The Ancestral Examples 2. The Ancestral Transgressions a. Craving Evil b. Idolatry c. Porneia d. Testing Christ e. Grumbling 3. Summary C. Our Theological Past: Serving the Faithful God of our Ancestors I. Illustrating God’s Unswerving Faithfulness II. God’s Faithfulness in 1 Corinthians D. Conclusions Chapter Three: The “New” Past in Light of the Perilous Present: 1 Corinthians 10:1–22 Part Two A. 1 Corinthians 10:16–17: The Eucharistic Tie that Binds Summary B. 1 Corinthians 10:18–20: The Bond of Fellowship in Sacrifice I. 1 Corinthians 10:18: The Israelites as Partners in the Altar II. 1 Corinthians 10:19–20: The Sacrifices at the Corinthian Temples 1. Idol Food and the Table of Demons: Looking Back at 8:1–13 2. The Table of the Lord and the Table of Demons: 1 Corinthians 10:19–20 Summary C. 1 Corinthians 10:21–22: Kοινωνία with a Jealous God Summary D. Conclusions for 1 Corinthians 10:14–22 E. Revisiting the Whole: Reading 1 Corinthians 10:1–22 I. Reading the Exodus through the Wisdom of the Cross II. “God is really among you”: The Story of God for the Church of God Chapter Four: Be as You Really Are: 1 Corinthians 5:6–8 A. 1 Corinthians 5:1–5: The Dilemma B. 1 Corinthians 5:6–8: Be As You Really Are I. 1 Corinthians 5:6–7a: Cleanse Out the Old Leaven II. 1 Corinthians 5:7b: The Paschal Sacrifice 1. Christ, Our Πάσχα 2. A Paschal People III. 1 Corinthians 5:8: Let Us Feast 1. “Not Even Among the Gentiles:” The Significance of the Invitation 2. The Corinthians and Passover 3. Paul’s Treatment of the Paschal Tradition C. 1 Corinthians 5:9-13: Drive Out the Wicked Person D. Being “A New Lump:” The Identity of the Community E. Paul’s Use of Exodus Traditions in 1 Corinthians 5:6–8 Conclusion: Paul’s Use of Exodus Traditions in 1 Corinthians A. Re-reading the Exodus Traditions in Literary Order B. Paul’s Use of Exodus Traditions C. Conclusion: The “Church of God” in Corinth Bibliography Index of Ancient Sources Hebrew Bible/Septuagint Ancient Authors Apocrypha and New Testament Index of Modern Authors Index of Subjects