S. Paul in the light of modern research
Publisher: New York: Longmans, Green, and Co.; London: E. Arnold
Published: 1911
Language: eng
Table of contents: title: CONTENTS; title: PART I; title: CHAPTER I; title: PAUL'S THEOLOGY IN THE LIGHT OF TO-DAY; title: Is Paul's theology a gain or loss to Christ's religion? Theology and Religion defined ; their respective spheres. Why religion never, theology always, changes. Theology must interpret and apply religion's eternal truths by the best mental, moral and spiritual light of its own day. Hence the cry: 'Away from Paul, back to Christ.' The spirit and substance of Paul's theology still true to-day, but we must recast its letter and form, and always make Christ's principles our final test. Pp. 1-14; title: CHAPTER II; title: S. PAUL — THE MAN AND HIS WORK; title: Paul's claim : 'I am not a whit behind the very chiefest Apostles,' examined. His lesser knowledge of Christ 'after the flesh' his gain and ours. None of the Twelve his equal in creative genius or force of character. Paul's deep conviction of a special 'divine call' and unique 'revelation' is the key to his pre-eminence. Superiority of his universal gospel to the narrow Jewish creed of the Twelve. Paul's signature written large on the New Testament and on Christianity. Analysis of his character. Pp. 15-28; title: CHAPTER III; title: PAUL'S DEBT TO PALESTINE, GREECE AND ROME; title: Formative influence on Paul of his (a) Jewish birth; (6) residence in Tarsus ; {c) Roman citizenship. — (b) History and description of Greek Tarsus. Its broadening influence on Paul as a boy and especially during his twelve years' residence there immediately after his conver- sion. (c) Did the Roman Empire suggest to Paul the universal Kingdom of God? (a) How Paul's Pharisaic home and early education would steep him in the Law. Pp. 29-39; title: CHAPTER IV; title: THE LAW — ITS HISTORY AND CONTENTS; title: Jewish reverence for the Law. Three stages in its evolution (viz. 840 B.C. ; 620 B.C. ; 440 B.C.) The 'Priestly Code of Holiness'; its ecclesiastical character. Its one underlying principle. The 'Oral Law' ; its Mosaic origin and after-development. The Law not all of one piece nor of the same moral worth. Pp. 40-50; title: CHAPTER V; title: THE LAW — ITS MORAL AND SPIRITUAL VALUE; title: Paul's disparagement of the Law criticised. The case stated (a) against the Law, (b) for the Law. — (a) The Law says: Do not, Be ; i.e. it preaches obedience to the letter, not the spirit, of God's commands, and neither touches the heart nor proclaims the Fatherhood of God. (6) The Law appeals to the heart, educates the moral sense, makes men children of God and produces saintly lives. — Paul a reformer, and all reformers exaggerate. The Twelve and their converts preached and practised the Law. Christ's reasonable and inspiring strictures on the Law contrasted with Paul's one-sided and sweeping denunciation of it. Pp. 51-61; title: CHAPTER VI; title: PAUL THE PHARISEE; title: Paul's zealous attempt to achieve righteousness in and by the Law proves a failure. The fault must be in himself, for the Law is God's one way to righteousness. The Law orders the extermination of heretics, and this Paul has not done. He will stamp out these blaspheming heretics, Christians, and achieve his righteousness by this one meritorious act of service to God. He starts for Damascus a Pharisee and enters it a Christian. Pp. 62-66; title: CHAPTER VII; title: PAUL'S CONVERSION; title: How far Paul's conversion can be psychologically explained. All conversion is 'natural,' not 'magical,' but an x quantity, hard to define, also enters into it. Paul's * goads' were long since driving him Christ - ward. All unconsciously, his Pharisaic faith was sapped, and he was half-converted even before his conversion. His Pharisaic attitude towards Christianity. Sketch of early Jewish - Christian Church. Stephen precipitates its break with Judaism. Paul the persecutor, face to face with Christianity, perplexed and troubled, yet sure it is a man-invented lie. Why the vision of the Risen Jesus instantly converts him. Did Paul really (objectively) see Jesus? Pp. 67-80; title: CHAPTER VIII; title: ACTS — ITS HISTORICAL VALUE; title: The three Acts-accounts of Paul's conversion agree in substance, but frequently contradict each other and Paul's own statements in his Epistles, even on material points. Except in the 'we' sections, the historical value of Acts is open to question, (i) Its sources of information are very second-hand, of unequal value, often legendary ; (2) it is an apologetic ; (3) it unduly exalts the Twelve and the Jerusalem Church; and (if we believe Harnack) (4) 'its author is credulous, inaccurate, apt to work up important situations.' Value of Acts, for Paul's life, is merely secondary and supplementary. Pp. 81-90; title: PART II: THEOLOGICAL; title: CHAPTER IX; title: PAUL'S EPISTLES 'HARD TO BE UNDERSTOOD'; title: Paul's obscurity due to — (I) The depth of his revelation. Paul a genius. What is genius? (2) The Oriental setting of Paul's theology. Paul's 'heart of fire and fiery fancy.' (3) His Rabbinical cast of thought — e.g. (a) legal phraseology, {b) allegorical use of Old Testament. (4) His mysticism, which gives him the key to (a) the sphinx-riddle of existence, and (b) the moral significance of Christ's Death through our mystical union with Him, especially in Sacraments. (3) Paul's inconsistencies, apparent and real — i.e. some are only stages in the natural evolution of his views, earlier and later pronouncements on the same theme, while others [e.g. Atonement views) are really self-contradictory. (6) Our traditional preconceptions, deep-rooted but often wrong, blind us to a right understanding of Paul. Pp. 91-109; title: CHAPTER X; title: (A) PAUL'S KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S EARLY LIFE AND TEACHING; title: (a) Paul's knowledge of Christ 'after the flesh' was meagre, says one school, because (1) he repeatedly implies as much; (2) he avowedly disclaims all human instruction ; (3) his Epistles reveal no such knowledge. — (b) Paul's knowledge of the earthly Christ was considerable, says a larger school, because (1) his Epistles explicitly reveal it, and implicitly suggest much more ; (2) 'earthly' facts lie outside his theme of the 'heavenly' Christ ; (3) he had many competent human instructors — e.g. Mark, Luke, Barnabas cf. 1 Cor. xv. 1-8); (4) his Apostleship to the Gentiles demanded a full knowledge of the earthly Christ.; title: (B) GENUINENESS OF PAUL'S EPISTLES; title: Testimony of Clement of Rome. Marcion's inclusion of our ten Pauline Epistles in his New Testament Canon. Muratorian Canon includes thirteen. Strong external evidence for ten. Why many Continental critics only accept four, some none at all. External and internal evidence supports ten as genuine, but rejects 'Pastorals.' Pp. 110-122; title: CHAPTER XI; title: PAUL'S NEW CREED; title: To the Jews the Cross was God's judgment and 'curse' on Jesus as a blasphemer ; to Christians, a clear proof of His Messiahship as the 'Suffering Servant.' Why His Resurrection, if true, would justify Christians and stultify Jews. Therefore, Paul's vision of the Risen Christ convinces him that (1) Jesus is Messiah, (2) His death is God's one way of righteousness, (3) and cancels the Law, (4) and admits Gentiles as well as Jews — Paul's threefold view of the efficacy of the Death on the Cross. Pp. 123-132; title: CHAPTER XII; title: PAUL'S THEOLOGY — ITS LEADING TOPICS AND THEIR ORDER; title: Paul's theology a rich treasure in an unattractive vessel. His one theme, 'Salvation through Christ,' involves many kindred topics. List of these topics. Can we arrange them in some logical order? Paul's own developed scheme in Romans suggests the following natural order : — (1) Man's sin ; man's dual nature, 'spirit and flesh' ; (2) God's Righteousness and Love ; (3) Christ's Person and woik and, through His Spirit, our calling, faith, justification, sanctification, glorification ; (4) the Christian Life and Church ; (5) Eschatology. Pp. 133-139; title: CHAPTER XIII; title: SIN; title: (A) Sin from the Jewish standpoint (Rom. v. 12-21). 'Sin' and 'trans- gression' distinguished. Paul's four stages in the spiritual evolution of mankind — viz. Adam, Abraham, Moses, Christ. Paul's Rabbinic view of Adam's Fall how far endorsed by science to-day. (B) Paul's psychology of sin (Rom. vii.). (1) Man's natural state of innocence ; (2) the dawn of conscience ; (3) man's dual personality, or the struggle for the soul of man between the powers of evil and the powers of good, the higher and lower self. Which is the real 'I'? How far Paul and modern thought are at one. Pp. 140-157; title: CHAPTER XIV; title: THE FLESH; title: Is Paul a Greek or a Hebrew in his view of 'sinful flesh'? His views the outcome of profound reflection on the Old Testament, and he shares the Greek view of the flesh simply because he knows human nature. On a questionable Rabbinic interpretation of Adam's Fall, Paul, a born psychologist, bases three conclusions which modern science endorses. — Paul's trichotomy of flesh + soul + spirit, taken bodily from Gen. ii. 7, but now filled with a deeper and wider meaning. Pp. 157-173; title: CHAPTER XV; title: THE SPIRIT; title: 'Spirit,' an ambiguous term in Paul. (A) 7 he purely human spirit, common to all men, neutral-tinted to start with, but probably the 'regenerate' spirit undeveloped. (B) The 'Christian spirit,' or Spirit of Christ dwelling in us through our mystical union with Him. How it crucifies the flesh and transfigures us into the Christ-likeness, unless we wilfully sever our union with Christ. (C) The Holy Spirit. Is the Holy Spirit a distinct Person in S. Paul? The work of the Holy Spirit. Paul's epoch-making insistence on the constant immanence of the Spirit in us. Paul's old-world ideas on subjects dealt with in this and preceding chapter translated into modern terms. Pp. 174-192; title: CHAPTER XVI; title: THE LOVE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD; title: Paul's new revelation, 'God and His Christ are one,' pours a flood of light on his old views of monotheism and of the character of God. God our Father is still the Righteous 'God of Israel,' but the righteousness of God is righteousness of Love. Stages in evolution of idea of 'righteousness of God' in Old Testament. Paul sums up a long previous development, and yet defines the 'righteousness of God' in a new sense of his own, compromising neither God's Love nor His Justice. Modern attacks on Paul's 'imputed righteousness,' as 'artificial' and 'immoral,' due to a total misconception of his real views. Pp. 193-207; title: CHAPTER XVII; title: PAUL'S CONCEPTION OF CHRIST; title: The Gospel is the revelation of the Person of Christ. 'He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father.' Each New Testament writer gives us what he sees ; his Portrait is the total impression Christ's Personality has made upon him. Therefore, no two Portraits quite alike, because the standpoints and perspective differ. Paul's Portrait is unique, because (i) his Christian experience is unique, and (2) he stamps his signature on all he touches. Yet the Christ of Paul and the Twelve is one, only he begins where they end, and sees in the Christ-revelation a significance unsuspected by them. Pp. 208-214; title: CHAPTER XVIII; title: THE PERSON AND WORK OF CHRIST; title: Jesus is Christ — i.e. in Him God and man meet. Speculative side of Paul's theology in which he correlates it with the rest of the intellectual stock-in-trade of his generation to show how essentially reasonable is the Christian Faith. (1) Christ's real humanity. He was a woman-born Jew Who died and was buried. (2) Divinity of Christ. He is the very 'image of God,' of His essence and Spirit; by Whom all things were made ; the source, centre and goal of the Universe ; and the Resurrection declares Him to be the 'Son of God with power.' (3) Christ's death has both an objective (i.e. it does something for us) and a subjective {i.e. it does something in us) efficacy. (4) Christ now at God's right hand pouring His Spirit into us and interceding for us. (5) His Second Coming. Pp. 215-226; title: CHAPTER XIX; title: GRACE AND FAITH; title: 'Grace,' or our Father's loving-kindness to us, as revealed in His Son. It is the free 'gift of God,' 'justifying the ungodly' and pouring every blessing hourly into the lap of the Christian soul. Has man any part or share in working out his own salvation? — Faith is the hand trustingly reached out to receive God's free gifts of grace. It is a complete self-surrender of the receptive heart, and an emptying of all self-righteousness. Paul sees no 'merit' in faith — Christ's love to Paul the Pharisee, His chief persecutor, the clue to Paul's 'universal gospel of the grace of God.' Pp. 227-239; title: CHAPTER XX; title: JUSTIFICATION CHRIST'S OWN VIEW OF THE; SIGNIFICANCE OF HIS DEATH; title: "Wrath of God' and 'enemies of God' utterly misleading terms — The intensity of our Father's self-sacrificing Love — God's holiness, sin's awfulness — Can a holy God 'wink at sin'? Can a true Father require expiation by Death before He can forgive? Christ reveals God in Himself as a Father Who fathoms the unfathomable depths of Love, humiliation and self-sacrifice to stem the world's evil, wean man from sin and win our love. The Cross saves us, not by its Blood- shedding to propitiate an angry God, but by its inspiring power of self-sacrificing Love which melts our hearts — i.e. it saves us from within us, not from without : 'I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto Me.' Only a Human heart can touch human hearts, so the Incarnation a necessity, and Bethlehem includes Calvary, as the greater the less. Christ nowhere bases forgiveness of sins on His own Death — Matt. xxvi. 28, Mark x. 45, 1 Cor. xi. 20 sqq. examined. Expiatory view of the Death a Jewish-Christian aftergrowth through identification with 'Suffering Servant.' Paul gives us both the Jewish 'vicarious Atonement' view, and the Christ view: 'The love of Christ constraineth us.' Pp. 240-258; title: CHAPTER XXI; title: SONSHIP = FREEDOM FROM THE LAW; title: 'Adoption' in Roman Law. How the 'promise to Abraham and his seed' makes us 'heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ.' Our 'adoption as sons of God' opposed by Sin and the Law, our present rightful master and jailer, till Christ pays them our 'purchase-money.' Thus Justification and Adoption go hand in hand. 'Sonship' absolutely frees us from the Law. Paul's extremely depreciatory view of the Law. Its claims against man as 'accursed,' 'condemned,' 'doomed to death.* Why God admits these claims, and how Christ satisfies them all in full. Christians now 'without the Law,' but not lawless. Gentiles now fellow-heirs with Jews. Pp. 259-272; title: CHAPTER XXII; title: PREDESTINATION AND ELECTION; title: Paul's 'predestination' an answer to Jewish plea that good works establish a claim on God. God is absolutely free, bound by nothing in man, only by loyalty to His own character — 'Predestination' involves Paul in self-contradictions (see Appendix). Paul a pre-destinarian because of (1) his exalted idea of God ; (2) his own futile attempts to 'kick against God's goads'; (3) Israel's history with its many instances of God 'choosing' or 'hardening' men and nations at His Will ; {4) his own Pharisaic belief in fatalism ; (5) Is. lxiv. 8 : 'We are the clay, Thou our potter' — Hence the five links in Paul's 'gospel of grace,' viz. foreknowledge, predestination, election, justification, glorification. Fortunately, Paul's 'predestination' (1) is that of a God Who is our Father ; (2) is only for a season ; (3) has a good purpose = salvation of all men (Rom. x.-xi.). Even evil is part of God's economy — Paul sacrifices logic to heart. Pp. 273-285; title: CHAPTER XXIII; title: THE CHURCH; title: 'Church,' its institution Christ's, but not its name. Paul's exalted idea of the Church (Eph. v. 27). (1) Unity of the Church. Paul's horror of divisions in the Church, or Body of Christ. Standing danger of a breach between the Palestine Mother-Church and Paul's Gentile Churches. How he sets to work to weld the Church into one organic whole. (2) Public Worship in the Church. Why Christians gradually gave up synagogue- worship, yet worshipped on synagogue lines. No 'ordained' local ministry in the First Church (cf. Quakers). Apostles (= Christ-appointed missionaries), Prophets (= inspired itinerant preachers), Teachers (= Catechists), had no local official authority, but served the Church at large. 'Bishops' (N.B . — Several in one town, e.g. Philippi (Phil. i. 1), Ephesus (Acts xx. 28),) 'elders,' 'pastors,' 'rulers, all' = laymen of recognised spiritual standing, 'older brethren' who 'set themselves' to 'oversee' public worship and serve (cf. synagogue 'rulers' and 'elders'). 'Deacons' = their assistants (Pastoral Epistles = later stage). Sacraments'. Paul's view of Baptism and Lord's Supper (1) as effecting a vital union with the Death of Christ ; and (2) as a fundamental witness to Christian unity. The Lord's Supper originally a Love-Feast or social meal. Abuses (e.g. Corinth) force unecclesiastical Paul to make the Lord's Supper a separate symbolic meal. Spiritual gifts. Paul abolishes distinction between secular 'moral graces' and sacred or 'miraculous gifts.' Chief 'spiritual gifts' defined. Pp. 286-312; title: CHAPTER XXIV; title: PAUL'S ESCHATOLOGY — OR, THE LAST THINGS; title: Christ's word-pictures of the end of the world based on Jewish apocalypses, but turn their clay into gold. Sketch of Jewish apocalyptic teaching. Four stages in PauUs eschatology. (A) First Stage, 1 and 2 Thess. Lurid picture of Apostasy and Second Coming on purely traditional Jewish apocalyptic lines. A visible Resurrection with annihilation of all non-Christians. (B) Second Stage, 1 Cor. xv. ; (a) Second Coming still realistic ; (b) Resurrection of or//, and a resurrection still of the body, but a transfigured body ; (c) A millennium, followed by Christ's subjection to God. (C) Third Stage, 2 Cor.; Rom. No intermediate state of the dead as in (A) and (B). No resurrection of this body of flesh in any shape or form, (1) The resurrection is instantaneous at the moment of death ; (2) we pass straight into heaven ; (3) our spirit-body is awaiting us there (2 Cor. v.). Romans tells us salvation is for all. (D) Fourth Stage, Phil., Col., Eph. Paul's Christology fully developed. No more subordination of Christ to God. 'In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.' He is the source, centre and goal of the Universe, and it is God's eternal purpose 'to sum up all things in Christ' — i.e. universality of salvation, all angels and spirits included. Pp. 313-334; title: APPENDIX; title: ANTINOMIES OF S. PAUL; title: Antinomy defined, and (because of Paul's 'predestination') Free-will taken as illustration of a 'pure' antinomy. Other antinomies in Paul due, not to human limitations, but to loose thinking arising from two causes (1) Paul is the Founder of Christian Theology and still groping his way; (2) he cannot shake himself free of his old Jewish preconceptions — e.g. Atonement. Paul the Pharisee says : The Death of Christ in itself saves me. Paul the Christian says : The constraining Love of Christ saves me. He tries to harmonise these two irreconcilable views by his conception of our 'mystical union' with Christ. Resurrection ; Three solutions. It is (1) of this body; (2) a transfigured body ; (3) not of the body at all, but of the spirit — Other antinomies in Paul's teaching — e.g ; The Law, the Flesh, also in his Christology and eschatology — Lack of finality in Paul's theology, though he was always working towards it along clearly-marked lines. He calls on us to develop his thoughts, wherever necessary, by carrying his own chain of reasoning to its logical conclusions. Pp. 335-342; title: INDEX, Pp. 343-346