Paul and the Language of Scripture: Citation Technique in the Pauline Epistles and Contemporary Literature

by Christopher D. Stanley

Explicit quotations from the Jewish Scriptures play a vital role in several of the apostle Paul's letters to struggling Christian congregations. In most cases the wording of these quotations differs markedly from all known versions of the biblical text. Studies of Paul's use of scripture routinely note the problem and suggest possible solutions, but none to date has made this phenomenon the primary object of investigation. The present study aims to remedy this deficiency with a careful examination of the way Paul and other ancient authors handled the wording of their explicit quotations. In drawing general conclusions, Dr Stanley examines the broader social environment that made 'interpretive renderings' a normal and accepted part of the literary landscape of antiquity.

408 pages, Hardcover

First published January 29, 1993

About the author

Christopher D. Stanley is Professor Emeritus at St. Bonaventure University in western New York, where he taught courses on the sacred texts of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and the role of religion in contemporary society.

Dr. Stanley has written widely about the social world of early Christianity, including four authored books, three edited books, and dozens of articles in top international journals. He has presented papers and given lectures at conferences, universities, seminaries, and churches around the world, including South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Austria, Romania, England, Scotland, Ireland, and India. He is a member of the Studiorum Societas Novi Testamenti (SNTS), an elite international organization of New Testament scholars, and served as the founding chair for two ongoing sections of the Society of Biblical Literature.

In recent years Dr. Stanley has expanded his repertoire to include historical fiction. He recently completed a trilogy titled "A Slave's Story" that takes readers on an immersive and engaging journey through the social, religious, and political worlds of first-century Asia Minor (modern Turkey) and Israel/Palestine. All three books in the series--"A Rooster for Asklepios," "A Bull for Pluto," and "A Ram for Mars"--are available from Amazon and other booksellers in both ebook and paperback formats. The first two books are also available as audiobooks on Audible, and the third one is currently in process of being recorded.