Great Sermon Tradition as a Fiscal Framework in 1 Corinthians: Towards a Pauline Theology of Material Possessions

Paul's theology of material possessions is influenced by the synoptic sermon tradition, which demonstrates a continuity in the broad fiscal thought of Jesus and Paul. Carter establishes this by demonstrating the plausibility of Paul's acquaintance with the tradition through evidence related to his historical environment and extant writings. The synoptic sermons have a pervasively eschatological orientation, and Jesus seeks to redefine the financial worldview of Christian disciples. Carter compares the synoptic sermons' fiscal thought with Paul's in 1 Corinthians and considers alternate sources in Jewish and Hellenistic literature as potential explanations for any correspondences. The study concludes that Jesus and Paul's financial thought evidence remarkable symmetry that cannot be explained by a shared cultural environment, and that Paul very likely depends on the dominical tradition for the contours of his financial thought.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 27 June 2019
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Paul's theology of material possessions is a fascinating subject that has been the subject of much scholarly inquiry. In this text, the author seeks to answer two related questions: firstly, what is Paul's theology of material possessions, and secondly, what is the source of the apostle's thought on this subject? To address these questions, the author proposes a hypothesis that Paul owes his pecuniary thought to the synoptic sermon tradition.

Unlike other studies that investigate this link, the author does not appeal to verbal parallels to establish this theory. Instead, he demonstrates a continuity in the broad fiscal thought of Jesus and Paul. This is accomplished by first establishing the plausibility of Paul's acquaintance with the dominical tradition through evidence related to the apostle's historical environment and his extant writings.

The author then establishes the likelihood that Paul knew the pre-synoptic sermon tradition because of its ubiquity in early church discipleship, the judgment of form critical scholars, and its pervasive resonances in Pauline literature. From this point of embarkation, Carter moves on to articulate the broad fiscal thought of the synoptic sermons. It is found that the synoptic sermons' fiscal material has a pervasively eschatological orientation, and that in the sermons, Jesus seeks to redefine the financial worldview of Christian disciples.

Having examined the synoptic sermons, their fiscal thought is compared with that expressed by Paul in 1 Corinthians. Through the course of this comparison, alternate sources in Jewish and Hellenistic literature are considered as potential explanations for any correspondences. Ultimately, the study concludes that Jesus and Paul's financial thought evidence remarkable symmetry that cannot be explained by a shared cultural environment. Consequently, it is determined that Paul very likely depends on the do.

This study provides valuable insights into the theology of material possessions and the sources of Paul's thought on this subject. It demonstrates that while there are some similarities between the synoptic sermons and Paul's writings, there are also significant differences. The author's approach to investigating these questions is innovative and rigorous, and it contributes to our understanding of the complex relationship between Jesus and Paul on this issue.

In conclusion, this text is a valuable contribution to the study of Paul's theology of material possessions. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the synoptic sermon tradition and its relationship to Paul's thought on this subject. The author's hypothesis is well-supported by the evidence presented, and the study's conclusions are insightful and thought-provoking. This text will be of interest to scholars of New Testament theology, biblical studies, and religious history.

Weight: 444g
Dimension: 205 x 260 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780567689290