University of Windsor Scholarship at UWindsor Electronic Theses and Dissertations Theses, Dissertations, and Major Papers 1-1-1998 The Jewish and Hellenistic influences on aul:P A case study of "mysterion". Christopher Gary Fraser University of Windsor Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/etd Recommended Citation Fraser, Christopher Gary, "The Jewish and Hellenistic influences on aul:P A case study of "mysterion"." (1998). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 6921. https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/etd/6921 This online database contains the full-text of PhD dissertations and Masters’ theses of University of Windsor students from 1954 forward. These documents are made available for personal study and research purposes only, in accordance with the Canadian Copyright Act and the Creative Commons license—CC BY-NC-ND (Attribution, Non-Commercial, No Derivative Works). 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Bell & Howell Information and Learning 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 USA 800-521-0600 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. The Jewish and Hellenistic Influences on Paul: A Case Study of Mysterion Christopher Gary Fraser A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research through the Department of Religious Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts at the University of Windsor Windsor, Ontario, Canada 1998 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. National Library Bibliotheque nationale 1*1 of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographic Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Canada Canada Your tae Votre reference Our hie Notre reference The author has granted a non­ L’auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant a la National Library of Canada to Bibliotheque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, preter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette these sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format electronique. The author retains ownership of the L’ auteur conserve la propriete du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d’auteur qui protege cette these. thesis nor substantial extracts from it Ni la these ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent etre imprimes reproduced without the author’s ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. 0-612-52460-4 Canada Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. © Christopher Gary Fraser 1998 All Rights Reserved Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Approved by: Dr. Stephen S. Bertman, Department of Classical and Modern Language, Literature and Civilizations Dr. E. Crowley, Professor Emeritus, Department of Religious Studies ( » Dr. Dorothy Sly, Advisor Dr. J. Norman King, Chair Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Abstract This study examines how the word mvsterion ("mystery") in the Apostle Paul's writings was influenced by both Jewish and Hellenistic sources. The word mysterion occurs eight times, twice in Romans (11:25 and 16:25), and six times in 1 Corinthians (2:1, 7; 4:1; 13:2; 14:2; and 15:51). This study is divided into two parts. The first section (Part I) uses an historical methodology to focus on the origin and development of the word mysterion. This section will look not only at the use of the word mysterion within the mystery cults, but also at the way it developed in other areas. By examining these different areas, it will demonstrate not only similarities between the areas' uses of the word mysterion but also the unique characteristics that developed in their use of the word. The second section (Part II) will consist of an exegesis of certain verses in Romans and 1 Corinthians. The main intent of Part II is to examine the word mysterion as it occurs within Romans and 1 Corinthians, to see how the "mystery verses" relate to each other and how the use of mysterion was influenced by Jewish and Hellenistic sources. Each chapter in this section is divided into four parts. The first section will examine the authenticity of some of the "mystery verses." The second section will examine certain words and phrases that surround the word mysterion to help determine Paul's meaning. The third section uses the analysis of the second section to determine the Jewish and/or Hellenistic influences on the mysterion. The last section demonstrates the connections and links between the "mystery verses." The study comes to the conclusion that the mysterion was influenced by both Jewish and Hellenistic sources. Paul was a complex person who was influenced by different factors. Therefore, Paul's use of mysterion was not influenced by just one factor, but rather Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. iv by several. Moreover, during the research for this thesis, an unexpected discovery was made that mysterion is being hierarchically. The meaning of mysterion is hierarchical because the mystery was first hidden in God, and then was revealed to apostles and prophets through the Spirit. These apostles and prophets then shared these revelations with other mature Christians. Conversely, the apostle and prophets did not usually share the mvsteria to the "infants" of the Christian community (the second mature) because of their lack of maturity. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Dedicated to my parents Gary and Patricia Fraser and to my brother Derek Fraser (who has beaten the academic odds) vi Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Acknowledgments I am grateful to Dr. Dorothy Sly, Dr. Edward Crowley and Dr. Stephen Bertman (the members of my thesis committee) and Dr. J. Norman King (chair) for their guidance throughout my thesis ioumev. and their helpful advice and comments on the development on this thesis and my academic career. I would also like to thank Mr. E. B. Landale who opened the door when I was in Grade 11 to the curious and astonishing world of ancient history. Another teacher I would also like to thank is Ken Stewart, who inspired me to continue to pursue a meaningful career in teaching. I would as well like to thank Gloria at "Your Secretary" for taking the time and having the patience to type this thesis. And finally, I would like to thank my best friend, Marty Sanders, whose comments and encouragements gave me the strength to continue and complete this work. vii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. List of Diagrams Page 1. The Process of the Mysterion within the Qumran Community ........................... 71 2. The Symmetrical Structure of 1 Corinthians 2: 6-16 ................................... 107 -108 3. The Hierarchical Structure of Paul's Mysterion 144 4. The Basic Structure of a Prophetic Oracle Compared to 1 Corinthians 15: 51-55 ...........................................................................................177 5. The Symmetrical Structure of 1 Corinthians 15: 51-55 .......................................... 178 6. Comparison Between the Present