This study provides a new perspective on the contents of Philippians by investigating the wider context of disunity in the church, which focused on the issue of financial support for Paul.

Paul's Letter to the Philippians in the Light of Disunity in the Church

Theatre of Shame: The Impact of Paul's Manual Labour on His Apostleship in Corinth

This thesis seeks to elucidate the nature of Paul’s apostleship and apostolic authority by investigating how Paul portrays himself as an oikonomos of God in 1 Corinthians (41-5; 916-23) Modern studies on the metaphor have failed to ascertain what apostolic attributes are implied by the image and how Paul utilised the metaphor to meet his rhetorical and theological objectives, largely because they neither identify the appropriate source domain of Paul’s metaphor nor conduct the necessary socio-historical research to illumine its application Utilising a host of ancient sources to reconstruct the characteristics of the regal, municipal, and private administrators bearing this title, this study seeks to identify the metaphor’s source domain and to interpret the relevant Pauline discourses accordingly

Part 1 surveys the three administrative contexts from Graeco-Roman antiquity in which oikonomoi are most frequently attested: Hellenistic kingdoms (Chapter 2), Graeco-Roman cities (Chapter 3), and private estates and enterprises (Chapter 4) While minor variations existed within these administrative contexts, a general profile is discernable in and constructed for each Moreover, although the profiles of the oikonomoi serving in these contexts share certain similar social, structural, and disciplinary characteristics, these administrators are also shown to have significant differences

Part 2 engages 1 Corinthians 4 and 9 seeking to identify and interpret Paul’s metaphor in both discourses Chapter 5 demonstrates that, of the three source domains examined in Part 1, private commercial administration functions as the most plausible context in which to interpret Paul’s metaphor Chapters 6 and 7 then utilise the profile of the private commercial administrator as a model to illumine Paul’s apostleship in 1 Cor 41-5 and 916-23 respectively and explains how Paul employs the image to meet his rhetorical and theological objectives in both passages

Chapter 8 summarises the argument of the thesis and draws out the implications of Paul’s metaphor for understanding Paul’s theology of apostolic authority

Paul, the Oikonomos of God : Paul's Apostolic metaphor in 1 Corinthians and its Graeco-Roman context

Handbuch zum Neuen Testament, An die Thessalonicher I-II, An die Philipper

The central question concerning how mission and ethics are related arises within the context of the understanding of ethics itself and in this way often leads back to the familiar ‘indicative and imperative’ model. This oversimplified approach, however, is ultimately inadequate for the Pauline ethic in general and for the particular problem concerning mission and ethics. In this article, 1 Corinthians 9 was drawn upon as an example for the ‘implicit ethics’ model, a model which allows for a more nuanced presentation of the grounds and justification for behaviour and action. Through this approach it became clear that the proclamation of the Gospel does not have to be ‘unethical’; rather, it could be located and understood within the realm of the Pauline reflection on conduct. This, in turn, justified speaking of an ‘ethic of missions (activity)’ in Paul.

/pdf/mission-versus-ethics-in-1-corinthians-9-implicit-ethics-as-9y9pja6d54.pdf

Mission versus ethics in 1 Corinthians 9? ‘Implicit ethics’ as an aid in analysing New Testament texts

II Cor. ii. 9, 12 betont Paulus den Korinthern gegenuber, das er von ihnen bisher keine finanzielle Unterstutzung angenommen habe und dieses Verhalten beizubehalten gedenke. Dies ist eine merkwurdige Absicht, zumal er doch sonst durchaus bereit war, Unterstutzung anzunehmen, ja sic geradezu erwartete (vgl. Phil. 4. 10 if.). Der Frage nach dem Verhalten des Paulus bezuglich der Annahme bzw. Ablehnung von Unterstutzung durch seine Gemeinden soil im folgenden nachgegangen werden.

Wilhelm Pratscher

Papers

Der Verzicht des Paulus auf finanziellen Unterhalt durch seine Gemeinden: Ein Aspekt Seiner Missionsweise