Paul, the Law, and the Jewish People

241 Pages·1983·4.97 MB·English

by  E.P. Sanders

Paul, the Law, and the Jewish People
E. P. SANDERS
This book is devoted both to the problem of Paul' s view of the law
as a whole, and to his thought about and relation to his fellow
Jews. Building upon his previous study, the critically acclaimed
Paul and Palestinian Judaism, E. P. Sanders explores Paul's
Jewishness by concentrating on his overall relationship to Jewish
tradition and thought. Sanders addresses such topics as Paul' s
use of scripture, the degree to which he was a practicing Jew
during his career as apostle to the Gentiles, and his thoughts
about his "kin by .race" who did not accept Jesus as the Messiah.
In short, Paul's thoughts about the law and his own people are
re-examined with new awareness and great care.
Sanders addresses an important chapter i.n the history of the
emergence of Christianity. Paul's role in that development -
especially in light of Galatians and Romans - is now re
evaluated in a major way. This book is in fact a significant
contribution to the study of the emergent normative self
definition in Judaism and Christianity during the first centuries of
the common era.
E. P. Sanders is Dean Ireland's Professor of Exegesis at the
University of Oxford, England, and Part-Time Professor of
Religious Studies at McMaster University, Ontario, Canada.He
is the author of two Fortress Press books: Paul and Palestinian
Judaism: A Comparison of Patterns of Religion, the winner of two
National Religious Book Awards; and Jesus and Judaism. He is
also the editor for the Jewish and Christian Self-Definition Series
(3 volumes), also published by Fortress Press.
FORTRESS PRESS
Philadelphia
Paul, the Law, and the
Jewish People
Other Works by E. P. Sanders
J esus and J udaism
Paul and Palestinian Judaism: A Comparison of Patterns of Religion
Series Editor, Jewish and Christian Self-Definition, 3 volumes to date
Volume 1: The Shaping of Christianity in the Second and Third
Centuries
Volume 2: Aspects of Judaism in the Greco-Roman Period
Volume 3: Self-Definition in the Greco-Roman World
Paul, the Law, and the
Jewish People
E. P. SANDERS
FORTRESS PRESS PHILADELPHIA
For P. D. K.
Biblical quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1946, 1952,
© 1971, 1973 by the Division of Christian Education of the
National Council ofthe Churches ofChrist in the U.S.A. and
are used by permission.
COPYRIGHT © 1983 BY FORTRESS PRESS
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be repro
duced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the
copyright owner.
First paperback edition 1985
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Sanders, E. P.
Paul, the law, and the Jewish people.
Bibliography: p.
Includes indexes.
1. Law (Theology) - Biblical teaching. 2. Bible. N.T.
Episdes of Paul - Criticism, interpretation, etc.
3. Paul the Aposde, Saint - Attitude towards J udaism.
4. Judaism - History - Post-exilic period, 586 B.C.-210 A.D.
I. Tide
BS2655.L35S26 1983 241'.2 82-17487
ISBN 0-8006-1878-5
1936C85 Printed in Great Britain 1-1878
Contents
Abbreviations vii
Preface ix
Part One: Paul and the Law
Introduction 3
Different Questions, Different Answers 3
Central Convictions and Soteriological
Scheme 4
1. The Law Is Not an Entrance Requirement 17
Galatians 2 - 3 17
Galatians 5:3 27
Romans 3-4 and 9-11 29
Romans 3:27 -4:24 32
Romans 9:30-10:13 36
Philippians 3:9 43
Conclusion: Not by Law 45
2. The Purpose of the Law 65
Galatians 3:19-4:7 65
Romans: The Purpose of the Law and Its
Relationship with the Flesh, Sin,
and Death 70
All Are Under the Law I Christians Die to
the Law 81
v
CONTENTS
3. The Law Should Be Fulfilled 93
Doing the Law 93
The Law and the Consequences of
Transgression and Obedience 105
Summary 113
Appendix: Romans 2 123
4. The Old Dispensation and the New 137
5. Conclusion: Paul and the Law 143
Summary of Results 143
Central Concerns and Lack of System 144
Galatians and Romans 148
The Origin of Paul's Thought About the Law 149
Paul's Critique of Judaism and of Legalism
in General 154
Law and Scripture 160
Part Two: Paul and the Jewish People
6. Paul as Apostle of Christ and Member of Israel 171
Introduction 171
The Third Race 171
Paul's Missionary Practice 179
Conflicts with His Own People 190
The Salvation of Israel 192
Conclusion 198
Conclusion: Paul and the Break with Judaism 207
Bibliography 211
Indexes 221
Passages 221
Names 224
Subjects 226
vi
Abbreviations .
ARNA Aboth de Rabbi N athan, version A
ATANT Abhandlungen zur Theologie des Alten und Neuen
Testaments
BBB Bonner biblische Beiträge
BEvTh Beitrage zur evangelischen Theologie
BJRL Bulletin oj the John Rylands Library
BNTC Black's New Testament Commentaries (-HNTC)
BZ Biblische Zeitschrift
CNT Commentaire du Nouveau Testament
ConBNT Coniectanea biblica, N ew Testament
DSS Dead Sea Scrolls
ET English Translation/English Translator
EvTh Evangelische Theologie
FRLANT Forschungen zur Religion und Literatur des Alten und
Neuen Testaments
Hermeneia Hermeneia - A Critical and Historical Commentary on the
Bible
HNT Handbuch zum Neuen Testament
HNTC Harper's New Testament Commentaries (-BNTC)
HTKNT Herders theologischer Kommentar zum Neuen Testament
HTR Harvard Theological Review
ICC The International Critical Commentary
JBL Journal oj Biblical Literature
JSJ Journal jor the Study oj Judaism
JSNT Journal jor the Study oj the New Testament
JTS Journal oj Theological Studies
KEK Kritisch-exegetischer Kommentar über das Neue Testament
KuD Kerygma und Dogma
Migr. Philo, De Migratione Abrahami
NEB New English Bible
NTS New Testament Studies
PPJ E. P. Sanders, Paul and Palestinian Judaism
lQM Milhämäh (War Scroll)
vii
ABBREVIATIONS
lQS Serek hayyal],ad (Rule 01 the Community, Manual 01
Discipline)
lQSa Appendix A (Rule 01 the Congregation, The Messianic
Rule) to lQS
4QpPs Psalms Commentary
Quest. Ex. Philo, Quaestiones et Solutiones in Exodum
RB Revue biblique
RSR Recherches de sciences religieuse
RSV Revised Standard Version
SBLDS Society of Biblical Literature Dissertation Series
SBT Studies in Biblical Theology
SNTS Society of New Testament Studies
SNTSMS Society of New Testament Studies Monograph Series
ST Studia theologica
TDNT G. W. Bromiley (ET and ed.), Theological Dictionary of
the New Testament
TZ Theologische Zeitschrift
UNT Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament
USQR Union Seminary Quarterly Review
WUNT Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament
ZNW Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft
ZTK Zeitschrift für Theologie und Kirche
viii