Pauline Literature Class 2

1. Pauline LiteratureClass 2 Fr. Chris Shocklee, MA

2. Today’s Plan • 1st Corinthians • 2nd Corinthians • Intro to Ephesians • Ephesians Ch. 1-2

3. 1st Corinthians • Date • Written from Ephesus (3rd MJ53-58 AD) c. 56 AD • Corinthians • Busy Trade Community • Church founded by Paul – c. 51AD • Mixed community (much like the US today) • Themes • Morality • Liturgy • Opinion • Format • Address (1:1-9) • Particular problems in the community (1:10-6:20) • Questions (7:1-14:40) • Resurrection (15:1-58) • Farewell (16:1-24)

4. Address • Greeting (1:1-3) • Vs2 “To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:” (RSVCE) • Vs 3 “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” • Thanksgiving (1:4-9) • Vs 5 – “that in every way you were enriched in him with all speech and all knowledge”

5. Particular problems in the community • Need for Unity & Maturity (1:10-4:21) • 1:12f - What I mean is that each one of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? • 1:22f “For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles” • 2:15 “The spiritual man judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.” • 3:21ff “So let no one boast of men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future, all are yours; and you are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.” • 4:1-6 – Judging others/self • 4:14-17 – Fatherhood • Scandal of Incest (5:1-13) • 5:1 – “It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and of a kind that is not found even among pagans; for a man is living with his father’s wife.” • 5:5 – “you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” • 5:9-13 - Excommunication • Lawsuits among Christians (6:1-11) • Trying to settle matters among Christians by Christians • Vs 9-10“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sexual perverts*, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God.” • *NAB: boy prostitutes nor practicing homosexuals, Other translations: male prostitutes, homosexuals • Sexual Immorality and the Body (6:12-20) • 6:12 “’All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are helpful.” • 6:19 “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own;”

6. Questions • Marriage and Celibacy (7:1-40) • Vs 1-6 – Mutual gift of self • Vs 7-9 – Remain single if possible (but …) • Vs10-11 – Separation/not divorce • Vs 12-16 – Sacramental Marriage vs Natural • Vs 17-24 – Living the State God Calls you to • Vs 25 – “Now concerning the unmarried, I have no command of the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. “ • Vs 32-35 – Celibatevs Married State • Vs 39 – Marriage until Death • Idol Food and Christian Liberty (8:1-10:33) • 8:1-13 – Idol Food – No effect, but danger of scandal • 8:13 “Therefore, if food is a cause of my brother’s falling, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to fall.” • Ch 9 – Rights & Responsibilities of Authority • 9:22 “To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” • 10:23 “all things are lawful” … • 10:33 “just as I try to please all men in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.”

7. Questions (Cont.) • Problems with Liturgy and Assembly (11:1-34) • 11:2-16 – Head coverings • 11:17-34 – Division at Eucharistic Gathering • “Lord’s supper” • 11:23-26 • Institution of the Eucharist • 11:27-34 • Unworthy reception of the Eucharist • The Body of Christ and the Gifts of His Members (12:1-14:40) • Ch 12 – Each his own gifts • Ch.13 – Love • Ch. 14 – Gifts of the Spirit & Orderly Worship • A Tension

8. Resurrection • Christ’s Resurrection (15:1-11) • Christ has truly Risen • Resurrection of Christians (15:12-58) • Christians Likewise will rise • Not just their spirits living on

9. Farewell • Collection for Jerusalem (16:1-12) • “contribution of the Saints” • Saint – “Sanctus” “Holy” or “Holy One” • Final Exhortations (16:13-24) • Love & be Servants • 16:23-24 “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. “

10. 2nd Corinthians • Date • Late 56 AD (same years as 1st Corinthians) • Seems to have multiple parts (Theories?) • Corinthians (connection at this point) • What has changed between Paul & the Corinthians between the last letter and this letter? • Silent Majority • Themes • Apologetic – define • Authority • Format • Address (1:1-11) • Paul’s Ministry (1:12-7:16) • Collection for Jerusalem (8:1-9:15) • Paul’s Defense of himself (10:1-13:10) • Farewell (13:11-14)

11. Address • Greeting • Vs 2 “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” • Thanksgiving (1:3-11) • Affliction & Thanksgiving

12. Paul’s Ministry • Paul’s Travel Plans (1:12-2:17) • 1:20 – “Amen” (Word Study) • 1:21f “But it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has commissioned us; he has put his seal upon us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” • Σφραγισάμενος – Sphragisamenos (Sphragis) • Signat - Signed • Ministry of the New Covenant (3:1-4:18) • Sent not by self, others, but by God • The Christian’s Eternal Destiny (5:1-10) • 5:1 “For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. “ – Funeral Reading • 5:5 “given us the Spirit as a guarantee.” • Ministry of Reconciliation (5:11-6:10) • 5:19 “that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” • Paul’s Reconciliation with Corinth (6:11-7:16) • 6:16 “What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will live in them and move among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. “ • 7:2-16 – Joy at Repentance

13. Collection for Jerusalem • Example of others (8:1-7) • What Macedonia has done • Supplying the Needs of Others (8:8-15) • Abundance to those in need (equality) • Arrival of Titus and Companions (8:16-24) • Going on Paul’s Behalf • Appeal for Generosity (9:1-15) • Supplying others needs

14. Paul’s Defense of himself • Paul’s Ministry of Divine Power (10:1-12) • Not of human commendation, sent by Christ • Boasting in the Lord (10:13-11:20) • Boasting only in God • Boasting in Suffering and Weakness (11:21-33) • Suffering is his commendation • Paul’s Heavenly Journey (12:1-10) • Speaking of himself in the third person (12:7) • Appeal for Unity and Peace (12:11-13:10) • Paul’s hurt by the disunity and sinfulness of the community

15. Farewell • Farewell (13:11-14) • Usual farewell • Blessing (13:14) • “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

16. Ephesians • Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture • Midlevel commentary • Not heavy academic, not just reflection either • Heavier Commentaries • The Navarre Bible, Sacra Pagina, New Jerome Biblical Commentary, Anchor Bible Commentary

17. Authorship • Principle: The held opinion holds weight • Burden of proof lies with those presenting a new view of authorship / dating • Questions raised: differences in vocabulary, style, and theology • Answers to these questions: use of scribes and Paul’s own educated background (see CCSS website) • Held opinion – St. Paul (60-62AD) • Significance of the argument – • effects on Interpretation and Protestant view of authority • Effects on Dating (late 90’s AD)

18. Paul’s Relationship to the Community • Three years (Acts 20:31) • 4th Largest city in Roman Empire • Artemis – main deity • Among others • Significant Jewish Community • Paul begins with the Jewish Community – why? • Significance of Paul having success with those practicing magic? (Acts 19:19)

19. Ephesians • Not just those in Ephesus • Region around as well • Circular letter (encyclical) • Jews & Gentiles • Addresses the Gentiles particularly

20. Format • Ch 1 – Greeting • Ch 1 – 3 – Content of Faith (indicative) • Ch 4 – 6 – Advice & Exhortation (imperative) • Ch 6 – Conclusion

21. Themes • Christ – who He is, what He has done • Union with Christ –past, present, future connection to Christ • Christian Identity – Identity before / Identity after • Holy & Righteous conduct (define Holy? Righteous?) – Living the faith • The Church – Church as universal, Church as Christ’s body

22. Ephesians Ch. 1-2 • Greeting (1:1-2) • Blessing (1:3-14) • Prayer to know God & understand his gifts (1:15-23) • Salvation by grace through faith for good works (2:1-10) • Reconciliation of Gentiles and Jews in the Messiah (2:11-22)

23. Greeting (1:1-2) & Blessing (1:3-14) • Greeting (1:1-2) • Vs 1 “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are also faithful in Christ Jesus:” • Vs 2 “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” • Father’s plan of Salvation (1:4-6) • Vs 4 “as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.” – Predestination -? • Vs 5 – “sons through Jesus Christ” • Vs 6 – “grace which he freely bestowed” • Fulfillment through Christ (1:7-10) • Vs 7 – “we have redemption through his blood” • Vs 10 – “a plan for the fullness of time” • “to unite all things in him” , “to sum up all things in Christ” (NAB) • Inheritance through the Spirit (1:11-14) • “we” vs“you” (ICSB:NT) (vs 12 & 13) • Vs 13 - “were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,” • Vs 14 “the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it,”

24. Prayer to know God & understand his gifts (1:15-23) • The motive of Paul’s prayer (1:15-17) • Vs 16 – What typical part of Paul’s letters? • Vs 17 “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him” • Understanding our glorious future (1:18) • Vs 18 “what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,” • Grasping the greatness of God’s power for us (1:19-23) • Vs20 “which he accomplished in Christ when he raised him from the dead and made him sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,” • Vs21 “all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come;” • Vs 22 “all things under his feet and has made him the head…” • “for the church” • Vs 23 “which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”

25. Salvation by grace through faith for good works (2:1-10) • The problem: the human condition apart from Christ (2:1-3) • Vs 1 – “And you he made alive, when you were dead through the trespasses and sins” • Gen 2:7 “then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” • Gen 2:17 “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.” • Vs 2 “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.” • Vs 3 “we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” • God’s solution, God’s motives (2:4-7) • Vs 5 “even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ” • “by grace you have been saved” • Grace, faith, and works (2:8-10) • Vs 8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God”

26. Reconciliation of Gentiles and Jews in the Messiah (2:11-22) • The Gentiles previous status as outsiders (2:11-12) • Vs 11 – Uncircumcisionvs circumcision • Vs 12 – “strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.” • Reconciliation for all through Jesus’ death on the cross (2:13-16) • Vs 13 “have been brought near in the blood of Christ.” (How?) • Vs 15 – abolishing the law of commandments and ordinances, one out of two • Vs 16 – Reconciled through the Cross • Peace and access to God in the Spirit through Jesus resurrection (2:17-18) • Vs 17 – “peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near” • Vs 18 “in one Spirit” • Fellow citizens, members of God’s house hold, a holy temple (2:19-22) • Vs 19 “members of the household of God” • Vs 20 “foundation of the apostles and prophets” • Vs 21 “the whole structure” • Vs 22 “in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit”