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Paul's missionary tactics: faith and the law for Jews, for Gentiles and for a mixed community

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TungC_1993redux_Redacted.pdf (46.59Mb)
Date
1993
Author
Tung, Chun-Lan
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Abstract
 
 
The main question of this thesis, how Paul employs various missionary tactics to meet different situations, is explained in Chapter One. The question stems from the debate on whether Paul has a coherent attitude to the law or not. The position adopted here is that Paul has various attitudes to the law and that these various attitudes are the tactical implications of a missionary strategy which is designed to meet different situations.
 
There are three missionary tactics. Chapter Two deals with Paul's first missionary tactic: Paul encourages Jews to observe the whole law, rather than to practise circumcision only. Paul provides a law-bound tactic as an option for Jews, because the law is often so important for Jews that, unless they are allowed to continue to obey the law, it will be very difficult for them to become Christians. Observance of the law, however, is considered only as a life-style appropriate to making the response of faith. What is essential for salvation is faith in Christ. This principle is valid for both Jews and Gentiles. Paul regardes the law as optional, while his opponents regard it as essential. This is because Paul understands Jesus' death as iXaoxfipiov which has replaced, or fulfilled, all the functions of Jewish religion, including the law.
 
Chapter Three explains Paul's second missionary tactic: for Gentiles faith alone is essential. The law is not necessary for them to become members of God's people. Here Paul employs the Abraham story and claims that Abraham was reckoned as righteous by faith long before he was circumcised. Accordingly, he is a "man of faith". Therefore those who want to inherit blessings given through him must possess what Abraham has, that is, faith. Paul provides a law-free tactic for Gentiles, because Jewish law is too difficult for Gentiles to practise and because he realizes that uncircumcised Gentiles may experience the Spirit.
 
Chapter Four talks about Paul's last missionary tactic: when Paul faces a mixed community of Jews and Gentiles, he requires each individual to choose whatever he believes to be an appropriate way to respond to faith: Jewish Christians may respond to God's saving grace by observance of the law, while Gentile Christians may respond to the same grace in another way, a way freed from Jewish law and also freed from those things which are incompatible with faith. When the weak group in the community needs special care and support, however, Paul may ask Jews to abandon the law, or ask Gentiles to practise it. Paul is able to be so flexible, because he regards faith as the only condition of becoming a member of God's people, while he considers observance of the law as only one option in making the response of faith. In other words, faith is essential, while the law is optional
 
The last chapter, Chapter Five, sums up the main arguments of the thesis and presents the main results of the research, that is: Paul teaches a "universal soteriology" which claims that faith in Christ is the common foundation for both Jews and Gentiles to become members of God's people. Based upon this foundation, various types of response, law-observing or non-observing, are allowed. Finally, the question of worshipping ancestors in Taiwan is taken as a test case in order to apply the main results to a local context.
 
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http://hdl.handle.net/1842/30863
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