Paul's Political Strategy in 1 Corinthians 1-4: Constitution and Covenant

370 Pages·2015·2.607 MB·English

by  Bradley J. Bitner

PAUL’SPOLITICALSTRATEGYIN1CORINTHIANS1–4
ConstitutionandCovenant
Volume163
Thisvolumeexamines1Corinthians1–4withinfirst-centurypolitics,
demonstrating the significance of Corinth’s constitution to the inter-
pretationofPaul’sletter.BradleyJ.BitnershowsthatPaulcarefully
considered the Roman colonial context of Corinth, which underlay
numerousecclesialconflicts.Romanpolitics,however,cannotaccount
for the entire shape of Paul’s response. Bridging the Hellenism-
Judaism divide that has characterized much of Pauline scholarship,
Bitner argues that Paul also appropriated Jewish biblical notions of
covenant.Epigraphicalandpapyrologicalevidenceindicatesthathis
chosencontent andmannerarebest understoodwithreferenceto an
ecclesialpoliteiainformedbyadistinctivelyChrist-centeredpolitical
theology.Thisemergesasa“politicsofthanksgiving”in1Corinthians
1:4–9 and as a “politics of construction” in 3:5–4:5, where Paul
redirectsgratitudeandglorytoGodinChrist.Thisinnovativeaccount
ofPaul’spoliticaltheologyoffersfreshinsightintohispastoralstrat-
egyamongnascentGentile-Jewishassemblies.
bradley j. bitner isTutorinNewTestamentandGreekatOak
Hill Theological College in London. He is the coeditor, with James
R.Harrison,ofNewDocumentsIllustratingEarlyChristianity,Vol.11
(forthcoming).

SOCIETYFORNEWTESTAMENTSTUDIES
MONOGRAPHSERIES
GeneralEditor:PaulTrebilco
163
PAUL’SPOLITICALSTRATEGYIN1CORINTHIANS1–4
SOCIETYFORNEWTESTAMENTSTUDIES
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’
Paul s Political Strategy in
–
1 Corinthians 1 4
Constitution and Covenant
Volume163
BRADLEY J. BITNER
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©BradleyJ.Bitner2015
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Firstpublished2015
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
AcatalogrecordforthispublicationisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary.
LibraryofCongressCataloginginPublicationData
Bitner,BradleyJ.
Paul’spoliticalstrategyin1Corinthians1–4:constitutionand
covenant/BradleyJ.Bitner,OakHillTheologicalCollege.
pages cm.–(SocietyforNewTestamentStudiesMonographseries;163)
Revisionoftheauthor’sthesis(Ph.D.)–MacquarieUniversity,2013.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978-1-107-08848-1(hardback)
1. Bible.Corinthians,1st,I–IV–Criticism,interpretation,etc. 2. Christianity
andpolitics–Historyofdoctrines–Earlychurch,ca.30–600.
3. Politicaltheology–Biblicalteaching. I. Title.
BS2675.6.P6B57 2015
2270.2067–dc23 2015004551
ISBN978-1-107-08848-1 Hardback
CambridgeUniversityPresshasnoresponsibilityforthepersistenceoraccuracyof
URLsforexternalorthird-partyInternetWebsitesreferredtointhispublication
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CONTENTS
Listoffigures pageix
Acknowledgments xi
Listofabbreviations xiii
Introduction:constitutingtheargument 1
PartI ConstitutionandcovenantinCorinth 11
1 Paulandpolitics 13
1.1 NosterPaulus:ancientperspectivesonthepoliticalPaul 15
1.2 RecentscholarshipandthepoliticsofPaulineinterpretation 18
1.3 Paulandpoliteia:thepatternofinquiry 33
1.4 ApproachestoPaulandpoliticsinCorinth 39
2 Lawandlife 44
2.1 Law’sLeben 44
2.2 Crook’schallenge 46
2.3 Crook’schallengers 47
2.4 Crook’sconditions 49
3 TheCorinthianconstitution 52
3.1 Sourcesforfirst-centuryRomancivicconstitutions 53
3.2 Physicalfeaturesofextantcivicconstitutions 56
3.3 Displayandfunctionofconstitutions 61
3.4 Structureandcontentofconstitutions 65
3.5 ThevalidityofapplyingtheconstitutionstoCorinth 72
3.6 PlausiblecontextsfordisplayinCorinth 74
3.7 ConstitutionandtheCorinthianpoliteia 79
3.8 Conclusion 82
4 TracesofcovenantinCorinth 84
4.1 TheJewishcommunityinfirst-centuryCorinth 85
4.2 ThesynagogueinscriptioninCorinth 91
4.3 NewcovenantcommunityinCorinth 100
4.4 Conclusion 103
vii
viii Contents
5 ConstitutingCorinth,Paul,andtheassembly 106
5.1 Rendering1Corinthians 106
5.2 Comparativemethod 107
5.3 Communicationandmetaphor 122
5.4 Corinthianportraiture:Corinth,Paul,andtheassembly 129
5.5 Conclusion 134
PartII Constitutionandcovenantin1Corinthians1:1–4:6 135
6 1Corinthians1:4–9andthepoliticsofthanksgiving 137
6.1 Historyofscholarshipon1Corinthians1:4–9 139
6.2 ThepoliticsofthanksgivinginGraeco-RomanandJewish
settings 148
6.3 Politeiaandtheconstitutionofcommunity 170
6.4 Themediationofcommunalprivilegesinfirst-century
communities 175
6.5 Promiseandtheconfirmationofprivilegesincommunity 186
6.6 Conclusion 187
Excursus:μαρτύριονandthetextof1Corinthians2:1 189
7 1Corinthians3:5–4:5andthepoliticsofconstruction 197
7.1 Historyofscholarshipon1Corinthians3:5–4:5 200
7.2 Thepoliticsofconstruction 212
7.3 ThepoliticsofconstructionandGreektemplebuilding 216
7.4 ThepoliticsofconstructioninRomanCorinth 224
7.5 JeremiahandthePaulinepoliticsofcovenantal
construction 242
7.6 Architecturein1Corinthians3:5–4:5 252
7.7 Authorityin1Corinthians3:5–4:5 260
7.8 Approvalin1Corinthians3:5–4:5 271
7.9 Acclamationin1Corinthians3:5–4:5 275
7.10 Conclusion 285
Excursus:1Corinthians4:6andtherhetoricofreconstruction 289
Conclusion:comparisonofconstitutions 302
Bibliography 309
Indexlocorum 335
Subjectindex 343
Modernauthorindex 350