Paul and the Rise of the Slave: Death and Resurrection of the Oppressed in the Epistle to the Romans

261 Pages·2016·1.67 MB·English

by  K. Edwin Bryant

Paul and the Rise of the Slave
Biblical Interpretation Series
Editors in Chief
Paul Anderson (George Fox University)
Yvonne Sherwood (University of Kent)
Editorial Board
A.K.M. Adam (University of Oxford)
Roland Boer (University of Newcastle, Australia)
Colleen M. Conway (Seton Hall University)
Jennifer L. Koosed (Albright College, Reading, USA)
Vernon Robbins (Emory University)
Annette Schellenberg (Universität Wien)
Carolyn J. Sharp (Yale Divinity School)
Johanna Stiebert (University of Leeds, UK)
Duane Watson (Malone University, USA)
Ruben Zimmermann (Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz)
VOLUME 141
The titles published in this series are listed at brill.com/bins
Paul and the Rise of the Slave
Death and Resurrection of the Oppressed
in the Epistle to the Romans
By
K. Edwin Bryant
LEIDEN | BOSTON
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Bryant, K. Edwin, author.
Title: Paul and the rise of the slave : death and resurrection of the
oppressed in the epistle to the Romans / by K. Edwin Bryant.
Description: Boston : Brill, 2016. | Series: Biblical interpretation series,
ISSN 0928-0731 ; VOLUME 141 | Includes bibliographical references and
index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016010684 (print) | LCCN 2016011507 (ebook) | ISBN
9789004296756 (hardback : alk. paper) | ISBN 9789004316560 (E-book)
Subjects: LCSH: Bible. Romans—Criticism, interpretation, etc. |
Slavery—Biblical teaching.
Classification: LCC BS2665.52 .B79 2016 (print) | LCC BS2665.52 (ebook) | DDC
227/.106–dc23
LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2016010684
Want or need Open Access? Brill Open offers you the choice to make your research freely accessible online
in exchange for a publication charge. Review your various options on brill.com/brill-open.
Typeface for the Latin, Greek, and Cyrillic scripts: “Brill”. See and download: brill.com/brill-typeface.
issn 0928-0731
isbn 978-90-04-29675-6 (hardback)
isbn 978-90-04-31656-0 (e-book)
Copyright 2016 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill, Brill Hes & De Graaf, Brill Nijhoff, Brill Rodopi and
Hotei Publishing.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,
without prior written permission from the publisher.
Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use is granted by Koninklijke Brill NV provided
that the appropriate fees are paid directly to The Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive,
Suite 910, Danvers, MA 01923, USA. Fees are subject to change.
This book is printed on acid-free paper and produced in a sustainable manner.
For Dwan, Kerissa, Kohl, Kaleb, and Kye
∵

Contents
Acknowledgements ix
Abbreviations x
Preface xiii
1 Hermeneutical Objective xiii
2 Rhetorical Terms xvi
1 Introduction 1
1.1 Current State of Research 1
1.2 A Perspective on Paul 8
1.3 The Authority of Pauline Letters 11
1.4 Paul’s Hermeneutic 12
1.5 Contexts for Interpretation 14
1.6 Methodology 18
2 The Social Reality of Slavery 28
2.1 Imploding the Ambiguities of Paul and Slavery 28
2.2 Images of Domination 40
2.3 Gift of the Grotesque 54
2.4 Slave Congregations 66
3 The Polemical Construction of Messianic Identity 77
3.1 Context of Slavery in Romans 6 77
3.2 Construction of Messianic Identity 82
3.3 The Metaphor of Slavery: Traditional Interpretations 91
3.4 Metaphor or Terminus Technicus? 94
3.5 Community at the Zero Degree 100
3.6 Theological Implications of Messianic Identity 103
4 Romans as Prophetic Discourse 108
4.1 Considerations for Exegesis 108
4.2 Inferences from Exegesis 113
4.3 Romans 1:1–2 114
4.4 Romans 16:25–27 117
4.5 Implications of Paul’s Κλῆσις 128
4.6 Prophetic Characteristics of Romans 132
4.7 Prophetic Propaganda 144
4.8 Imperial Propaganda 149
4.9 Res Gestae 156
viii contents
5 Exegesis of Romans 6:12–23 160
5.1 Text and Translation 160
5.2 The Slave as a Subject 161
5.3 Negotiating the Language of Domination: Romans 6:12–14 170
5.4 Speech in Protest: Romans 6:15–17 185
5.5 Awakening: Romans 6:18–20 194
5.6 Rise of the Slave: Romans 6:21–23 199
5.7 Conclusion 201
Bibliography 207
Reference Works 207
Primary Sources 207
Secondary Sources 213
Index of Names and Subjects 235
Index of Ancient Authors 242
Index of Ancient References 243
Acknowledgements
I take pride to be able to acknowledge all persons who provided criticism,
genuine affirmation of this project, and numerous contributions. Foremost,
I am indebted to my friend and mentor: L. L. Welborn. This partnership began
in 2007 as a student of Larry’s Corinthian Correspondence course at United
Theological Seminary in Dayton, OH. Over the last five years of my life Larry
has been responsible for my development as a historian of early Christianity.
His passion for justice inspired me to begin a journey to fill a void and space
for ministry left by the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
It will not be difficult for the readers of this book to imagine that the source
of my quest and my commitment to legitimizing lower class voices is tied to
my own ancestry as a descendant of slaves. More importantly, I thank Larry
for sharing numerous unpublished manuscripts and lectures: your views on
Messiah Jesus have transformed my life. This unconventional exploration, the
search for a positive valuation of slaves as subjects in antiquity, took shape
with your guidance.
Several scholars, colleagues, and friends read, edited, or responded to por-
tions of my manuscript. I am especially grateful to Brent Nongbri, my associ-
ate advisor, who commented on the entire manuscript; to Stephen Llewelyn,
who helped challenge and shape my understanding as an ancient historian; to
James R. Harrison, who enhanced my understanding of Paul’s gospel and its
collision with Roman propaganda; and to Larry D. George, who offered criti-
cism and guidance on how to integrate my ancestry into this project.
I wish to thank Don Barker, Brad Bitner, and Julien Ogereau for the many
conversations that gave me the confidence to pursue this project with urgency.
To Alana Nobbs, Macquarie’s NTEC group, and the many scholars like Peter
Keegan, Chris Forbes, and Robin Evans who helped strengthen my project at
critical stages.
The concluding paragraphs of this book highlight my passion for the mar-
ginalized and underrepresented persons. Divine justice provides the path for
persons who respond to and remain connected with Messiah Jesus to rise. Paul
and the Rise of the Slave signals that an awakening of the human conscience
toward the oppressed is on the horizon.