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The Enslaved Paul in an Imperial Context: 1 Corinthians 8:1-11:1 By The Enslaved Paul in an Imperial Context: 1 Corinthians 8:1-11:1 by Lynton Clifford Spies Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Theology in the Faculty of Theology at Stellenbosch University Supervisor: Prof. Jeremy Punt December 2017 Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za i Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Abstract In 1 Corinthians 8:1-11:1, I attempted to address Paul’s response to his Corinthian audience concerning their eating of meat sacrificed to idols in temples. The main concern Paul addresses is the strong Corinthian Jesus-followers’ misuse of their Christian freedom. As a response to their misuse of their Christian liberty, I argued that Paul presents himself as an example of the proper use of Christian freedom. In a strategic action of self-denial, I posited that Paul’s example is that of one who uses his Christian liberty to become a slave to others in order to save many. Various scholars consider Paul’s example as limited to attractive Christian ethical conduct, and not an example that functions as a strategy for evangelism. I attempted to solve this problem by showing that Paul exhorts his Corinthian audience to imitate his approach of slavery which includes an admonition to evangelism and mission, and not an approach limited to the responsibility of embodying attractive Christian ethical conduct. The method I used to address this research is that of rhetorical criticism. In particular, I investigated Paul’s use of deliberative rhetoric as he persuades the strong Corinthians Jesus-followers to follow a strategic action of evangelism and mission. I attempted to show that Paul’s example of Christian freedom is to be viewed in the context of evangelism and not limited to a lifestyle of attractive Christian behaviour. In conclusion, I challenged individual Jesus-followers and the Church to adopt Paul’s use of Christian freedom in 1 Corinthians 8:1-11:1 as a model for evangelism and mission in contemporary contexts to partake in the spreading of the Gospel. Opsomming Ek het, volgens 1 Korintiërs 8:1-11:1, probeer om Paulus se reaksie te ondersoek oor die Korintiërs se opvatting i.v.m die eet van vleis wat in tempels aan ’n afgod geoffer is. Die belangrikste kommer wat Paulus aanspreek, is Jesus se volgelinge in Korinte se misbruik van hul Christelike vryheid. In reaksie hierop, beskou ek Paulus as ʼn voorbeeld van wat ware Christelike vryheid werklik behoort te wees. Ek gaan ook van die veronderstelling uit dat Paulus juis sy Christelike vryheid gebruik om vir ander diensbaar te wees en om sodoende menige lewens te red. Vele geleerdes beskou die voorbeeld wat Paulus stel as beperk tot uitnemende Christelike etiese gedrag, en nie ʼn voorbeeld wat funksioneer as ʼn strategie vir evangelisasie nie. Ek het probeer bewys dat Paulus die Korintiërs aangemoedig het om sy benadering ten opsigte van slawerny te volg en dat hy hulle ook attent gemaak het op evangelisasie en sending én ook onder hul aandag gebring het dat sy benadering nie beperk is tot die verantwoordelikheid om uitnemende Christelike gedrag te beliggaam nie. Die metode van ondersoek wat ek gebruik het om hierdie probleem na te vors, is die retoriese kritiek- ii Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za metode. Verder het ek ook in diepte Paulus se gebruik van beraadslagende kritiek ondersoek tydens sy poging om die groot aantal volgelinge van Jesus te oortuig om ʼn strategiese aksie van evangelisasie en sending na te volg. Voorts het ek ook gepoog om Paulus se voorbeeld van Christelike vryheid binne die evangeliese konteks te plaas en dit nie te beperk tot ʼn leefstyl van uitnemende Christelike gedrag nie. Ten slotte daag ek individuele volgelinge van Jesus en die Kerk uit om Paulus se gebruik van Christelike vryheid, soos in 1 Korintiërs 8:1- 11:1 uiteengesit, te aanvaar as ‘n model vir evangeliese en sending in die hedendaagse konteks, ten tye van die verspreiding van die evangelie. iii Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Dedication This thesis is dedicated to my beautiful mother, wise father, and loving brother - Chrystal, Hilton and Larnelle Spies. Thank you for all the sacrifices you have made to ensure that I receive the best possible education. I cannot express how thankful I am for your enduring presence in my life. Thank you for being my pillar of strength throughout my journey at the University of Stellenbosch. Your prayers, inspiration, and motivation have made me the man that I am today. I hope I make you proud. “May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering” - Leonard Dober A LUTA CONTINUA. iv Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE ........................................................................................................................ 1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Motivation and aim ........................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Literature study ................................................................................................................. 5 1.2.1 New Testament studies ............................................................................................ 5 1.2.2 Missiological studies ............................................................................................... 6 1.3 Problems and perspectives ................................................................................................ 7 1.4 Hypothesis ...................................................................................................................... 10 1.5 Methodology ................................................................................................................... 11 1.6 Chapter discussions ......................................................................................................... 13 CHAPTER TWO ...................................................................................................................... 14 RHETORICAL CRITICISM: PAUL AS RHETOR IN THE SOCIO-HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF CORINTH ...................................................................................................... 14 2.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 14 2.2 Rhetoric in the Greco-Roman context ............................................................................ 14 2.3 Paul’s deliberative rhetoric in 1 Corinthians 8:1-11:1 .................................................... 16 2.4 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 21 CHAPTER THREE .................................................................................................................. 22 AN EXEGESIS OF 1 CORINTHIANS 8:1-11:1: RHETORICAL SITUATION, LITERARY CONTEXT AND THEOLOGICAL THEMES AND CONCEPTS ........................................ 22 3.1 Rhetorical situation of 1 Corinthians 8:1-11:1 ............................................................... 22 3.2 Literary context 1 Corinthians 8:1-11:1 .......................................................................... 28 3.2.1 1 Corinthians 8:1-13: Paul’s definition of Christian freedom ............................... 29 3.2.2 1 Corinthians 9:1-27: Paul as an example of Christian freedom ........................... 37 3.2.3 1 Corinthians 10:1-22: A warning against idolatrous behaviour .......................... 48 3.3 1 Corinthians 8:1-11:1: A summary of the rhetorical situation and the literary context .... ........................................................................................................................................ 59 3.3.1 Rhetorical situation summary ................................................................................ 59 3.3.2 Literary context summary ..................................................................................... 59 3.3.3 Theological concepts and themes .......................................................................... 64 3.3.3.1 Freedom .......................................................................................................... 64 3.3.3.2 Gospel ............................................................................................................. 64 v Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za 3.3.3.3 Soteriology: Salvation as the telos (purpose or end) of the Pauline missional example ........................................................................................................................ 65 3.3.3.4 Christology: Principle of incarnation ............................................................. 65 3.4 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 66 CHAPTER FOUR .................................................................................................................... 68 PAUL’S APPROACH OF SLAVERY AS AN EVANGELICAL MISSION STRATEGY: EXEGESES OF 1 CORINTHIANS 9:19-23 AND 1 CORINTHIANS 10:31-11:1 ................ 68 4.1 Structure of exegetical analysis ...................................................................................... 68 4.1.1 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 ...........................................................................................
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