THE MYSTICAL ELEMENT IN THE PAULINE EPISTLES A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the University of EdinTburgh by C. M« CURRIE, B.A., M.A., B.D. January| 1933. TABLE OF CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION. Chapter I. SOURCES - DAMASCUS. (1; Sources. (2) Damascus. II. PAULf S MYSTICISM. (1) Paul's Mysticism. (2) Paul's Mysticism and Other Closely Related Conceptions. (3) Summary. III. CHARACTER OF PAUL'S MYSTICISM. (1) Cross and Resurrection. (2) Paul's Faith or Christ Mysticism. (3) History Mysticism. (4) Cross and Resurrection Mysticism. (5) Sacramental Mysticism. (6) Ethical Mysticism. (7) Development of Paul's Mysticism. (8) Summary. IV. FORMATIVE INFLUENCES DETERMINING PAUL'S MYSTICISM. (1) Pre-Christian Days, Conversion, Early Church, Jesus and the Old Testament. (2) Judaism. (3) Hellenism. (4) Summary. V. MYSTICISM. (1) Historical Survey. (2) Definition. (3) Comparison. (4) Summary. CONCLUSION. APPENDICES. BIBLIOGRAPHY. INTRODUCTION "In the life and work of Paul, New Testament scholar­ ship finds a problem surpassed in interest and impor­ tance only by that which is presented by the life of Jesus." E. D. Burton. "There is probably no more misused word in these days than 'mysticism'." D. Butler. "I am not acquainted with any treatise on Paulinism, nor any commentary on St. Paul's epistles, which gives a permanent place as I would wish to the distinctive notes or characteristics of mystical religion, which as it seems to me, forms the presuppositions on which his (Paul's) system of Christian theology is based." W. R. Inge. The apostle Paul,during his lifetime,was the stormy petrel of the early Christian faith, not only before his conversion, as the persecu­ tor of the Church, but also later,as the defender of its freedom. In the history of New Testament thought,the Pauline question has been in lifce manner the centre of conflict, Baur,in his day, pitting Paul against Peter, made the apostle the object of controversy. Today,with the rise of the Comparative Religion school, the battle zone has shifted to the question of Paul versus Jesus. Was Jesus or Paul the true founder of Christianity? If,within the field of New Testament criticism,the Pauline ques­ tion is a very thorny one, within the field of the philosophy of religion, the problem of mysticism is equally beset with difficulties. The many 1 definitions of mysticism varying greatly in character illustrate the magni­ tude of this problem. Further,there is a new and widespread interest in 1* Inge - Christian Mysticism. In the Appendix several pages of definitions are given. I INTRODUCTION _________II mysticism today,and certain schools of thought have welcomed it and praised its virtues,while others have looked upon it with disfavour, and have se­ verely criticised its shortcomings. These two larger questions form the background of the more inme- diate subject of inquiry of this thesis, namely, the mysticism of the apostle Paul,and both of these converge upon the specific problem, was Paul a mystic? On this question,New Testament scholars can roughly be divided into three classes: those who answer in the affirmative and neglect 1 2 to define the term fully, those who reply emphatically in the negative, 3 and finally those who with some hesitation classify him as a mystic. They are hesitant since the answer to this question is to be sought not only within their own field, namely New Testament criticism, but also within another, the field of the philosophy of religion and mysticism. If it is accepted that Paul was a mystic, other problems arise: what was the character of the apostle's mysticism; what was its manner of expression;and finally what were the sources from which it sprang, Judaism, Hellenism»or Paul's own conversion experience. After /Wring stated the problems, the fields of investigation and the extent of this inquiry, the next step is to define the limits of this in­ vestigation. It will be assumed until the latter part of this thesis that the apostle was a mystic,and Rufus Jones* statement, 'Mysticism is simply 4 religion at its most acute, intense and living stage,' will be accepted as a tentative definition of mysticism. The inquiry will be concerned mainly 1. Deissmann, Schweitzer, Peake and others, 2. Denney, Strachan, Rawlinson " " . 3. Moffatt, Kittel, Bartlet, Kennedy " ". 4. Rufus Jones - Studies in Mystical Religion, p. xv. INTRODUCTION III with the apostle's religious experience,which the writer believes to be mystical,and will therefore be confined within the field of New Testament criticism. The concluding chapter only will be an excursion within the field of mysticism,and this will be for the purpose of substantiating the choice of the writer's definition of mysticism, defending his claim that the apostle was a mystic,and lastly classifying that mysticism. A further and twofold limitation of our inquiry within the field of New Testament criticism has been made by the title of this thesis* The question under investigation is the mystical element of the apostle. Other phases of Pauline study, his life and thought, his theology, his connection with the Church of the first days, Jesus, the Old Testament»and the world of his day,will be dealt with only in so far as they are closely related to and throw light upon his mysticism. Finally, this inquiry will be confined principally to the mystical element found in the Pauline epistles. The apostle's letters will form the primary data; the Acts of the Apostles, the secondary. There is also the question of the method of approach,and one of three ways may be chosen. This inquiry might be primarily a lexical inves­ tigation of the mystical formula "fvX|»>«-T£ " and its companion phrases, and from this one might formulate his conclusions. Approaching the whole sub­ ject from another angle,after the Banner of the Comparative Religion school, one might examine the religious life and thought of the world of Paul's day- Judaism and Hellenism - make certain comparisons with that of the apostle, INTRODUCTION IV mark the similarities and differences and come to one's conclusions* There is a third method of approach,and the writer believes that this if the only adequate one* For an understanding of the apostle and especially his mys­ ticism, lexical investigation has a part to play, the world of Paul's day to has much of value to say, but it is imperative that one should go/the apostle himself, to his letters and especially to his career* Further, it is necessary to approach Paul from within, to note the inner life of Saul during his pre-Christian days under the law, to mark well the conversion crisis at Damascus»and above all else ?to examine in every detail that Christ-indwelt life lived by Paul the Christian. When this has been accom­ plished, the apostle himself, his career, theology and relation to the world of his day these different phases of Pauline study will unite in one con­ sistent and harmonious whole,and the enigma, Paul, will become a great spiritual genius and thinker,and also a very human and lovable figure, the servant of Christ; and his mysticism, the supreme secret of his genius, will be intelligible. There is the final question of a plan. The first chapter will consist of an examination of the sources, the primary and secondary data (the epistles and Acts),and of Paul's conversion experience at Damascus. Chapter two will follow with a preliminary study of the apostle's mysticism and closely related mystical phrases and coneoptions,and chapter three will complete this with a more thorough investigation of the character of Paul's mysticism. Chapter four will deal with the formative influences determining INTRODUCTION the character of that mysticism, each in order of worth Paul's pre-Chris­ tian experience under the law and his conversion crisis, his relation to the early Church, to Jesus and the Old Testament,and the kinship of his mysticism with Judaism and the Hellenic world. This being completed,the New Testament phase of our investigation will be brought to a close. The final question, as to whether the apostle can rightly be called a mystic or not, remains to be answered,and this will require an excursion within the field of mysticism. The concluding chapter will be concerned with this. There will be an historical surrey of Oriental (Hrahmanism, Buddhism, Sufism), Christian (Ascetic and Humanist),and Prophetic Mysticism, con­ cluding with a definition. We will turn then to what the critics and exponents of mysticism have to say regarding mysticism, defend our defi* nition , complete this inquiry with a comparison of Paul's mysticism with those types,and end with a conclusion. CHAPTER I SOURCES DAMASCUS "....St. Paul's letters are soul pictures in such high degree that their writer is probably the best known man of the early Empire; not one of his celebrated con­ temporaries has left us such frank confessions." A* Deis smarm, "In truth that vision near Damascus is the critical point on which all study of St. Paul's life must turn* 1* Sir William Ramsay* I. SOURCES A* Primary Data - The Pauline Epistles. Since the days of the Tubingen school and their radical treatment of Paul's letters, a reaction has taken place in favour of accepting as genuine all but the Pastoral epistles* Baur, in his day, did not question the authenticity of Galatians, Romans,and First and Second Corinthians* Since then,the epistle to the Philippians had been added to this group, and today these are regarded as Pauline, Formerly, the eschatological section of Second Thessalonians appeared to be a very perplexing problem marking the letter as non-genuine.