Paul and Time - Life in the Temporality of Christ

Paul modified his inherited Jewish apocalyptic sequential two-age temporality, asserting that the ages overlap and believers live in already-not yet temporality. Jervis proposes that Paul thought in terms of life in this age or life in Christ, where Christ's temporality is time in which change occurs, and the past and future are in their present. Union with Christ has significant temporal implications, transforming believers' suffering, sinning, and physical dying and changing the significance of the eschaton.

Format: Hardback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 16 January 2024
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group

Paul's understanding of time is a subject of much debate among scholars. While some interpretations suggest that he modified his inherited Jewish apocalyptic sequential two-age temporality, others propose that he thought in terms of life in this age or life in Christ. In her book, "Paul and the Temporality of Christ," Ann Jervis challenges the standard interpretations and presents a fresh perspective on Paul's thought.

According to Jervis, Paul did not view time in terms of two ages that would eventually converge. Instead, he believed that humans apart from Christ lived in this age, while believers lived entirely in the temporality of Christ. Jervis likens Christ's temporality to God's, as it is a time in which change occurs, at least between Christ and God and creation. However, the tenses in this temporal framework are nonsequential, meaning that the past is in the present, as is the future.

One of the key insights of Jervis' book is that those joined to Christ live Christ's temporality while also living chronological time. This means that believers experience the transformation of their suffering, sinning, and physical dying as they live in Christ's time. In the present evil age, these aspects of human existence are often seen as instruments of destruction, but in Christ, they are transformed in service of God's life.

Living Christ's time also changes the significance of the eschaton, or the end times. For those in Christ, the eschaton is less important than it is for creation. Jervis argues that those who are united to the One over whom death has no dominion are not concerned with the temporal aspects of the eschaton, as they have already entered into the fullness of God's life.

Jervis' book engages both philosophical and traditional biblical understandings of time. She draws on insights from various thinkers, including Augustine, Aquinas, and Calvin, to explore the temporal implications of Paul's thought. She also incorporates biblical passages such as Romans 8:18-25 and Philippians 3:20-21 to support her argument.

Overall, "Paul and the Temporality of Christ" offers a compelling and fresh perspective on Paul's understanding of time. Jervis challenges the standard interpretations and presents a more nuanced and holistic understanding of Paul's thought. Her book will be of interest to scholars and students of the New Testament, as well as anyone interested in exploring the relationship between time, spirituality, and human existence.

Weight: 454g
Dimension: 159 x 236 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781540960788