Pauline Christology

741 Pages·2010·41.24 MB·English

by  Gordon D. Fee

P A U L I NE
C H R I S T O L O GY

PAULINE
CHRISTOLOGY
An Exegetical-Theological Study
GORDON D. F EE
r*1 HENDRICKSON
P U B L I S H E RS
Pauline Christology: An Exegetical-Theological Study
© 2007 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.
P. 0. Box 3473
Peabody, Massachusetts 01961-3473
ISBN 978-1-59856-035-0
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy­
ing, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without
permission in writing from the publisher.
Printed in the United States of America
Second Printing — April 2007
Nestle-Aland, Novum Testamentum Graece, 27th Revised Edition, edited by
Barbara Aland, Kurt Aland, Johannes Karavidopoulos, Carlo M. Martini,
and Bruce Metzger in cooperation with the Institute for New Testament Tex­
tual Research, Munster/Westphalia, © 1993 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft,
Stuttgart. Used by permission.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publioation Data
Fee, Gordon D.
Pauline christology : an exegetical-theological study / Gordon D. Fee.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
ISBN-13: 978-1-59856-035-0 (alk. paper)
1. Bible. N.T. Epistles of Paul—Theology. 2. Paul, the Apostle, Saint.
3. Jesus Christ—History of doctrines. I. Title.
BS2651.F35 2007
232.092—dc22
2006027753
For Rikk Watts
former student
present colleague
friend and fellow traveler
on the journey

Contents
ABBREVIATIONS xxi
PREFACE xxvii
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1
Pauline Christology: What Is It? 1
Pauline Christology: The Theological Difficulty 7
Pauline Christology in the Twentieth Century 10
Pauline Christology: Some Basic Matters 16
Whither Pauline Christology? 16
1 Corinthians 8:6 16
Colossians 1:13-17 17
Philippians 2:6-11 19
Paul and the Septuagint 20
Did Paul Know and Use the Septuagint? 20
Would Paul's Readers Have Been Aware of This Usage? 23
A Numerical Analysis of the Pauline Data 25
PART I: ANALYSIS
CHAPTER 2: CHRISTOLOGY IN THE THESSALONIAN CORRESPONDENCE 31
I. Christology in 1 Thessalonians 33
A Preliminary Look at the Data 34
Excursus: The Use of the Definite Article with Kvpwg 35
Jesus as Messianic/Eternal Son of God 35
1 Thessalonians 1:1, 3 (God as Father) 36
1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 (Christ as Son) 38
Jesus as the Kupioq of Septuagint Yahweh Texts 41
1 Thessalonians 3:13 43
1 Thessalonians 4:16 44
Other Kvpvoq Phrases That Echo Septuagint Usage 45
viii PAULINE CHRISTOLOGY
The Word of the lord 45
The Name of the Lord 46
The Day of the Lord 46
The Lord as Avenger 47
The Lord Our Hope 47
God and 6 K/opioq Share in Divine Purposes and
Activity 48
The Church Exists in God and Christ (1 Thess 1:1) 48
God's Will in Christ Jesus (1 Thess 5:18) 50
The Divine Presence at the Parousia 51
Christ the Lord Invoked in Prayer 51
The Grace Benediction (1 Thess 5:28) 52
1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 53
II. Christology in 2 Thessalonians 55
A Preliminary Look at the Data 56
A Case of Messianic Intertextuality—2 Thessalonians 2:8 56
Jesus as the Ktipiog of Septuagint Yahweh Texts 57
2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 57
2 Thessalonians 1:12 61
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 63
2 Thessalonians 3:5 65
2 Thessalonians 3:16 66
Kvpiog Phrases That Echo Septuagint Usage 67
The Name of the Lord 67
The Word of the Lord 68
The Day of the Lord 68
God and 6 K\>pio<; Share in Divine Purposes and
Activity 69
The Peace of the Lord (2 Thess 1:2; 1:12) 69
The Divine Glory (2 Thess 2:14) 70
The Divine Faithfulness (2 Thess 3:3) 71
The One Who Strengthens Believers (2 Thess 3:3) 72
The Gospel of God and of Christ (2 Thess 1:8) 73
Christ the Lord Invoked in Prayer 73
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (cf. 1 Thess 3:11-13) 73
2 Thessalonians 3:5 7b
2 Thessalonians 3:16 76
Conclusion 77
Appendix I: The Texts 78
Appendix II: An Analysis of Usage 83
CHAPTER 3: CHRISTOLOGY IN 1 CORINTHIANS 84
A Preliminary Look at the Data 87
Christ: Preexistent Lord and Agent of Creation 88
The Corinthian Context (1 Cor 8:1-13) 88
Contents ix
1 Corinthians 8:6 89
Christ as Preexistent with Israel 94
1 Corinthians 10:4 95
2 Corinthians 10:9 97
Excursus: 1 Corinthians 15:47 and Preexistence 98
Jesus as Messianic/Eternal Son of God 99
2 Corinthians 1:3, 9 99
2 Corinthians 1:13-2:16 100
Excursus: The Crucified Messiah and Jewish Wisdom 102
1 Corinthians 1:30; 2:7 106
2 Corinthians 15:23-28 107
Jesus as Second Adam 114
2 Corinthians 15:21-22 114
2 Corinthians 15:44-49 116
Jesus as Kttpiog 120
2 Corinthians 16:22—The Lord and Early Christian Devotion 120
2 Corinthians 5:6-8; 10:16-17; 11:17-34—The Lord of the
Eucharistic Meal 122
2 Corinthians 12:3—The Lord and the Earliest Christian
Confession 123
2 Corinthians 12:4-6—The Lord and the Divine Triad 124
2 Corinthians 9:1—Paul's Encounter with the Risen Lord 125
Jesus as the Kupioq of Septuagint Passages 127
2 Corinthians 1:2 127
1 Corinthians 1:31 129
2 Corinthians 2:16 130
2 Corinthians 10:19-22 131
2 Corinthians 10:26 133
Kupioq Jesus and Divine Prerogatives 134
The Grace of Our Lord (1 Cor 1:3; 16:23) 134
The Day of the Lord (1 Cor 1:8) 135
In the Name of the Lord (1 Cor 1:10; 5:3-4) 135
Sent/Commissioned by Christ (1 Cor 1:1, 17) 136
The Lord of Glory (1 Cor 2:8) 136
The Lord Has Given/Assigned (1 Cor 3:5; 7:17) 136
The Lord Judges (1 Cor 4:4-5; 11:32) 137
If the Lord Wills/Permits (1 Cor 4:19; 16:7) 139
The Power of the Lord Jesus (1 Cor 5:4) 139
Striving to Please the Lord (1 Cor 7:32) 140
The Command of the Lord (1 Cor 7:10, 12, 25; 9:14; 14:36-37) 140
Under Christ's Law (1 Cor 9:21) 141
Texts That Imply Subordination 142
1 Corinthians 3:23—"Christ Is of God" 142
1 Corinthians 11:3—God as the "Head" of Christ 143
Conclusion 147