Paul And The Gentiles

This exciting new interpretation of Pauls Letter to the Romans approaches Pauls most famous letter from one of the newest scholarly positions within Pauline Studies: The Radical New Perspective on Paul (also known as Paul within Judaism). As a point of departure, the author takes Pauls self-designation in 11:13 as apostle to the gentiles as so determining for Pauls mission that the audience of the letter is perceived to be exclusively gentile. The study finds confirmation of this reading-strategy in the letters construction of the interlocutor from chapter 2 onwards. Even in 2:17, where Paul describes the interlocutor as someone who calls himself a Jew, it requests to perceive this person as a gentile who presents himself as a Jew and not an ethnic Jew. If the interlocutor is perceived in this way throughout the letter, the dialogue between Paul and the interlocutor can be perceived as a continuous, unified and developing dialogue. In this way, this interpretation of Romans sketches out a position against a more disparate and fragmentary interpretation of Romans.

In the first major analysis of Paul's understanding of Gentile salvation in several years, Bible scholar Terence Donaldson offers a creative approach to the apostle's theological convictions. According to Donaldson, Paul as a believer in Jesus Christ did not abandon his Jewish frame of reference but reconfigured it, especially by the stimulus of his mission to the Gentiles.

"In David D. Visser's illuminating mediation, Paul -- The Apostle to the Gentiles, the author shares an in-depth biography of Paul's life, and why his role as an apostle differed from that of the other apostles."--Publisher's description on back cover.

Originally presented as the author's thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oxford, 1984. Includes bibliographical references (pages 232-244) and index.

Jurgen Becker, one of the most respected German New Testament scholars, delves into the person, world, work, letters, and thought of Paul in order to provide a comprehensive and through study that answers both historical and theological questions. He gives a detailed, careful, and imaginative presentation of the chronology of Paul's life and works diligently thorough evidence available concerning the Hellenistic world in which Paul, Judaism, and early Christianity existed.

Paul, Missionary to the Gentiles focuses on the life of Paul and his letters. +