Paul within Judaism: Restoring the First-Century Context to the Apostle

by Mark D. Nanos, Magnus Zetterholm (Editor)

In these chapters, a group of renowned international scholars seek to describe Paul and his work from within Judaism, rather than on the assumption, still current after thirty years of the New Perspective, that in practice Paul left behind aspects of Jewish living after his discovery of Jesus as Christ (Messiah). After an introduction that surveys recent study of Paul and highlights the centrality of questions about Pauls Judaism, chapters explore the implications of reading Pauls instructions as aimed at Christ-following non-Jews, teaching them how to live in ways consistent with Judaism while remaining non-Jews. The contributors take different methodological points of historical, ideological-critical, gender-critical, and empire-critical, and examine issues of terminology and of interfaith relations. Surprising common ground among the contributors presents a coherent alternative to the New Perspective. The volume concludes with a critical evaluation of the Paul within Judaism perspective by Terence L. Donaldson, a well-known voice representative of the best insights of the New Perspective.

Genres: Biblical Studies, Reference, Religion

360 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2015

Reviews

[Colby Reese · Rating 1 out of 5]

The “Paul within Judaism” perspective on Paul - the radical New Perspective - privileges an improperly reconstructed history over the biblical text, forcing the square peg of Paul’s writing and theology into the round hole of their viewpoints. The best part of this book is the dissenting opinion lol.

[Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

An adequate challenge to the trajectory of Pauline studies (NPP, Calvinistic justification) with an emphasis on Paul's Jewish roots. The opening chapters are most helpful and provocative, especially the summary of Pauline interpretation. Like the NPP, the PwJ perspective seeks Jewish roots but the results pan out radically differently. Nanos's project is a helpful venture and a worthwhile read.