The Bishop and the Apostle: Cyprian’s Pastoral Exegesis of Paul

242 Pages·2018·1.42 MB·English

by  Edwina Murphy

Edwina Murphy
The Bishop and the Apostle
Studies of the Bible
and Its Reception
Edited by
Christine Helmer, Steven McKenzie,
Thomas Römer, Jens Schröter,
Barry Dov Walfish, and Eric Ziolkowski
Volume 13
Edwina Murphy
The Bishop and
the Apostle
Cyprian’s Pastoral Exegesis of Paul
ISBN 978-3-11-060103-9
e-ISBN (PDF) 978-3-11-060018-6
e-ISBN (EPUB) 978-3-11-060016-2
ISSN 2195-450X
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Murphy, Edwina, author.
Title: The bishop and the apostle : Cyprian‘s pastoral exegesis of Paul /
Edwina Murphy.
Description: 1 [edition]. | Boston : De Gruyter, 2018. | Series: Studies of
the Bible and its reception ; Volume 13
Identifiers: LCCN 2018023446| ISBN 9783110601039 (print) | ISBN 9783110600186
(e-book (pdf)) | ISBN 9783110600162 (e-book (epub))
Subjects: LCSH: Cyprian, Saint, Bishop of Carthage. | Bible. Epistles of
Paul--Criticism, interpretation, etc.
Classification: LCC BR65.C86 M87 2018 | DDC 270.1092--dc23 LC record available at https://
lccn.loc.gov/2018023446
Bibliographic information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie;
detailed bibliographic data are available in the Internet at http://dnb.dnb.de.
© 2018 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston
Logo: Martin Zech
Printing and binding: CPI books GmbH, Leck
www.degruyter.com
Acknowledgements
ThisvolumebeganasadoctoralthesisatMacquarieUniversity,Sydney.Iwould
like to thank Larry Welborn for embracing this project and generously sharing
hiswisdomandexpertise—Ireallyappreciatehisunfailingbeliefandencourage-
ment.IwouldalsoliketothankPaulMcKechnieandAlannaNobbsfortheiren-
thusiasm and support, both academic and administrative.The New Testament
andEarlyChristianityseminaratMacquarie,coordinatedbyDonBarker,provid-
edaverystimulatingandcollegialenvironment.I’malsogratefulformycollea-
guesatMorlingCollege,anditsPrincipalandBoardforgrantingmesabbatical
and other leave to complete this work.
Aversionofchapter5firstappearedas“Cyprian,Paul,andCareforthePoor
andCaptive:OfferingSacrificesandRansomingTemples,”ZeitschriftfürAntikes
Christentum20(2016):418–436,andasectionofchapter4isdrawnfrom“Wid-
ows,WelfareandtheWayward:1Timothy5inCyprian’sAdQuirinum,”StudiaPat-
ristica94(2017):67–74.Intheintroduction,I borrowfrommyargument in“‘As
FarasMyPoorMemorySuggested’:Cyprian’sCompilationofAdQuirinum,”Vig-
iliaeChristianae68(2014):533–550,andmaterialfrom“Cyprian’sUseofPhilip-
pians:To Live Is Christ and to Die Is Gain,” Augustinianum 56 (2016):35–56, is
woventhroughoutthebook.OthercontentfirstappearedinEdwinaMurphy,“Di-
vineOrdinancesandLife-GivingRemedies:GalatiansintheWritingsofCyprian
ofCarthage,”JournalofTheologicalInterpretation8(2014):81–102.Copyright©
2014byEisenbraunsInc.ThisarticleisusedbypermissionofThePennsylvania
State University Press. I would like to thank the respective publishers for their
permission to reproduce these excerpts.
I would like to thank the Society of Biblical Literature and De Gruyter for
stimulatinginterestinreceptionhistoryandtheSBL–DeGruyterPrizecommittee
formakingthisvolumepossible.IwouldalsoliketothankAlbrechtDöhnertand
the rest of the De Gruyter team, especially Aaron Sanborn-Overby and Sabina
Dabrowski for their editorial work.
Iwouldliketothankmyparentsandfirstteachers,MarjandTedMcMaster,
for their constant love and for always believing I could do whatever I put my
mind to. Thanks also to my siblings, in-laws, and nieces and nephews—I’m
very fortunate to be part of such a wonderful family. I would like to thank my
children and favourite students, Joel and Lara, who bring so much joy to my
life and from whom I am constantly learning. Most of all, I would like to
thank my husband, Peter, a true partner in Christ. His steadfast and sacrificial
support, example, and encouragement to keep growing have made it all possi-
ble.
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110600186001
VI Acknowledgements
Soli Deo gloria!
Edwina Murphy
Sydney
Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
29 June 2018
Contents
Abbreviations XI
 Introduction 1
. Scion of Carthage: A life in context 2
From darkness to light 5
. Bishop of Carthage: Pastor, theologian, patron 9
. Hearing God’s voice: Text and canon 13
Cyprian’s text of Scripture 14
Canon 15
Cyprian’s Paul 16
. Appropriating Scripture: Patristic exegesis and the early Latin
tradition 17
Cyprian’s exegesis 19
Cyprian and Paul 20
. Writing pastoral care: Treatises, testimonia and letters 22
Quod idola dii non sint 23
Ad Quirinum 24
De unitate 27
Letters 28
Versions 29
. Interpreting Paul: Pastoral concerns and reading strategies 30
 Hope does not disappoint: Divine truth and eternal glory 33
. Model 35
. Image 40
. Maxim 46
. Direct application 47
. Prophetic fulfilment 58
. Qualification 60
. Conclusion 61
 Christ loved the church: Unity, ministry and sacraments 67
. Model 73
Rome and her bishop 76
. Image 78
. Maxim 86
. Title 88
VIII Contents
. Contextual exegesis 90
. Direct application 92
Unity 95
Eucharist 101
Bishops 103
. Prophetic fulfilment 105
. Conclusion 107
 Be imitators of me: Discipline and repentance 111
. Model 112
. Image 121
. Maxim 127
. Direct application 130
Virgins 137
Ad Quirinum 140
. Prophetic fulfilment 148
. Conclusion 149
 A sacrifice pleasing and acceptable to God: Wealth and
welfare 151
. Model 154
. Image 155
. Direct application 160
. Qualification 166
. Conclusion 167
 Interpreting Paul 170
. Reading strategies and pastoral concerns 171
Model 171
Image 172
Maxim 173
Title and contextual exegesis 174
Direct application 174
Prophetic fulfilment 175
Qualification 176
. Testimonia, treatises and letters: Context, care and
communication 176
. The blessed apostle Paul 178
. Preaching the truths of the gospel 182
. Doctor Sacrae Scripturae, Doctor Gratiae? 183
Contents IX
. The church in context: Martyrs, marriage, money and the
ministry 186
Martyrs 187
Marriage 188
Money 191
Ministry 193
. Conclusion: Looking back, looking ahead 194
Bibliography 196
Primary Sources 196
Secondary Sources 198
Index of Ancient Sources 210
Index of Subjects 222