This dissertation attempts to answer the questions, “What is the most appropriate
background for understanding Paul’s views on marriage, celibacy and divorce as found in
1 Corinthians 7?” and “How do we account for the unique features in 1 Corinthians that
are not clearly delineated in the Greco-Roman works, Jesus tradition or in other NT
writings?” This work argues that Paul derives the substance of his perspective on
marriage, celibacy and divorce directly from the Jewish Scriptures (LXX) and the
uniquely motivated Jesus tradition to which he was exposed. Paul’s reception of this
Jesus tradition can be traced to first generation believers as well as to his own revelatory
religious experience. Such a proposal does not preclude Paul from being significantly
influenced by his social context, but suggests that he was acutely aware of the
philosophical differences between himself and other thinkers of his day. This work
follows the contention that Hellenism only affected the ‘outer shell’ of Paul’s brand of
Pharisaism (Hengel). What is more, the Apostle openly uses this Jesus tradition when the
situations of his missionary churches paralleled those confronted by Jesus and seems to
have expanded upon it when he had no explicit tradition from which to draw as new
situations arose within his communities. / New Testament / D. Th. (New Testament)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:unisa/oai:uir.unisa.ac.za:10500/18257 |
| Date | 06 1900 |
| Creators | Miller, Melvin Gamble |
| Contributors | Botha, Philippus Jacobus |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 1 online resource (319 pages) |
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