Deck 22: The Life of the Apostle Paul

Question 1

1. Why would Paul's assertion that salvation was available to gentiles seem counterintuitive to Jews of his day? How did he justify the inclusion of gentiles in his mission?

Answer 1

According to Paul, the salvation that came through Jesus was available to all people, not just to Jews. Paul, moreover, taught that Gentiles should not convert to Judaism-Jesus brought God's promises to all people. This message would sound strange to Jews in antiquity: If Jesus was Israel's messiah and his coming was in accordance with God's plan, then this salvation should have been brought to God's chosen people, the people with whom God had made a covenant. Paul, though, spent his missionary life arguing vehemently against the idea that justification was restricted to Jews. In particular, he argued that the Law did not make anyone righteous, so keeping the Jewish Law will not put one in a right standing with God. Instead, only the grace of God through Christ can make a person righteous enough to please God. As a result, it is not necessary for Gentiles to keep the Jewish Law; instead, they must receive the Holy Spirit, which will make them righteous and therefore lead to salvation. Paul also asserted that the inclusion of the Gentiles does not invalidate God's promise to Israel but instead fulfills it (he references the covenant with Abraham to illustrate this)-gentiles can be incorporated but Jews need not be excluded.

Question 2

2. Scholars divide Paul's letters into three groups. What are these three categories, what books do they contain, and how does this categorization relate to the concept of forgery in antiquity? Which books are most relevant for understanding Paul himself?

Answer 2

Writings under a false name are called pseudepigrapha. There are a number of writings attributed to Paul that are certainly pseudepigraphic (e.g., 3 Corinthians and the correspondence of Seneca and Paul). It is likely, however, that the New Testament also contains pseudepigraphic writings. Scholars divide Paul's letters into three groups on the basis of authorship. First are the seven undisputed Pauline letters (Romans, 1-2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, and Philemon). All scholars agree that Paul wrote these letters. Second are the Deutero-Pauline letters (2 Thessalonians, Ephesians, and Colossians). Many scholars agree that Paul did not write these letters, although there is significant debate. Third are the Pastoral epistles (1-2 Timothy and Titus). With few exceptions, scholars agree that Paul did not write these epistles.

Question 3

1. Each of Paul's letters is written in response to a specific problem or occasion.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

2. Paul was a well-established and noncontroversial authority in the early church.

Question 5

3. Paul claims God has moved to the gentiles and left the Jews behind.

Question 6

4. Paul considered himself to have left Judaism to become a Christian.

Question 7

5. Paul claims works have no role in the process of salvation.

Question 8

1) All of the following were included in a Greco-Roman private letter except

A) the name of the author.
B) the title of the letter.
C) the identity of the recipient.
D) a thanksgiving to the gods.

Question 9

2) All of the New Testament letters were written

A) to particular communities to address specific issues.
B) as general guidelines for the church.
C) as apologies for the Christian faith.
D) as conversion literature.

Question 10

4) Who of the following was most important, other than Jesus, for the history of Christianity?

A) Paul
B) Peter
C) Thomas
D) Mary

Question 11

20) Paul believed that God's first covenant applies to

A) gentiles.
B) Jews.
C) all people.
D) Moses.