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Paul and First-Century Letter Writing: Secretaries, Composition and Collection
Traditional Christian art depicts Paul the letter writer, pen in hand, attentive to the Spirit. We might think we know better and imagine him pacing in agitation as he rapidly dictates to a secretary his letter to the Galatians. But in reality neither of these pictures is accurate. In Paul's day, producing a letter was a time-consuming and costly business. And we have ample resources from the ancient world to piece together what it must have been like. A secretary was usually part of the picture. But so were notes, drafts, corrections and careful rewrites, not to speak of scratchy pens, sooty ink and coarse papyrus. Interestingly, there is evidence that Paul involved his missionary team in the writing of letters. And then came the delivery over land and sea, the reading and circulation, as well as the epistolary afterlife of copying, collecting and storing. E. Randolph Richards has extensively studied ancient letter writing and secretaries. Informed by the historical evidence and with a sharp eye for telltale clues in Paul's letters, he takes us into this world and places us on the scene with Paul the letter writer. What first appears to be just a study of secretaries and stationery turns out to be an intriguing glimpse of Paul the letter writer that overthrows our preconceptions and offers a new perspective on how this important portion of Christian Scripture came to be.
252 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2004
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About the author
E. Randolph Richards
13 books83 followersErnest Randolph Richards (M.Div. and Ph.D., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) is dean of the School of Ministry and professor of biblical studies at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Florida. He is coauthor of "Discovering Paul: An Introduction to His World, Letters and Theology" and "The Story of Israel: A Biblical Theology." He is the author of "Paul and First-Century Letter Writing" and "The Secretary in the Letters of Paul."
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 25, 2020
Really informative book. Just great.
October 20, 2024
This book lived up to its mission.
Extremely technical, but masterfully documented.
The author clearly doesn't venture out assuming facts history cannot prove, yet he carefully takes the liberty in presenting us with potentially plausible scenarios.
You know it's good when it convinces you that things are not as simple as often preached, while dispersing the mist around the subject.
Extremely technical, but masterfully documented.
The author clearly doesn't venture out assuming facts history cannot prove, yet he carefully takes the liberty in presenting us with potentially plausible scenarios.
You know it's good when it convinces you that things are not as simple as often preached, while dispersing the mist around the subject.
July 29, 2018
Steve made me read this. A super informative look at the first-century process of letter writing, with implications for how we understand both inspiration and inerrancy. Richards explores Paul’s use of coauthors, secretaries, letter carriers, and explains the influence all of these individuals likely had on the writing process and interpretation.
This would be a really good book for a NT survey class.
This would be a really good book for a NT survey class.
March 7, 2023
Does well to address the topic at hand, which is quite surprising! More lively than I expected as well, considering this was assigned reading for a course.
January 13, 2016
Richards’ discussion of the technical aspects of writing on papyrus is quite good. His exegesis of Paul’s letters reflects his religious zealotry, and is less useful. But Richards’ discussion of the cost of Paul’s letters is shameful, even scandalous. I confine my discussion to costs, a critical area that is almost never mentioned.
In estimating the cost of the papyrus for Paul’s letters, Richards, like other scholars, assumed that the cost of a sheet of papyrus was about two-thirds of a day’s wage. Richards claimed the daily wage was one-half a denarius (p. 167). However, Matthew 20:2 says the daily wage was one denarius. No scholar that I know of supports Richards’ estimate, nor did Richards provide any references. Furthermore, this reflects the cost of papyrus at its source in Egypt. As Richards notes, papyrus was shipped in the form of scrolls, which were both fragile and bulky. Transport costs were high, and there were often shortages in the cities of Paul’s mission. Paul’s cost of papyrus was far higher. When confronted with these facts, Richards remained silent.
There was no public mail system in the Roman Empire. To send a letter, you needed a private messenger to carry it. Richards assumed that Paul incurred no cost for having Timothy or Titus carry his letters to Paul’s distant churches, claiming that they would have eaten anyway (p. 181). This claim is utterly preposterous, and Richards himself contradicted it several times. Travel was expensive, especially sea travel. Paul wrote the Corinthians of his dire poverty, lacking both food and shelter. Paul wrote this letter from Ephesus, across the Aegean Sea. The letter’s cost could have purchased room and board for a year. When confronted with these facts, Richards remained silent.
Paul, like virtually all letter-writers, used a professional secretary to create his papyrus scroll. Richards claims that the price edict of Diocletian said the (maximum) secretarial wage was 25 denarii per ten thousand lines produced, and used this figure in his calculations. In fact, the price edict said secretaries could charge 35 denarii per hundred lines produced. When confronted with this, Richards remained silent.
Faith is far better at suppressing and misrepresenting facts than it is at moving mountains. Richards’ faith-based estimates eliminated over ninety percent of Paul’s costs. His evangelical publisher, InterVarsity Press, refused to issue any corrections when notified of the facts. In over a decade, his brethren New Testament scholars have had nothing but praise for the book, even overlooking its contradiction of the Gospel of Matthew. These are the kind of pious miscreants who banned the teaching of evolution, who burned witches, and who conducted inquisitions. Jesus said the truth will set you free, but that’s not part of their gospel.
In estimating the cost of the papyrus for Paul’s letters, Richards, like other scholars, assumed that the cost of a sheet of papyrus was about two-thirds of a day’s wage. Richards claimed the daily wage was one-half a denarius (p. 167). However, Matthew 20:2 says the daily wage was one denarius. No scholar that I know of supports Richards’ estimate, nor did Richards provide any references. Furthermore, this reflects the cost of papyrus at its source in Egypt. As Richards notes, papyrus was shipped in the form of scrolls, which were both fragile and bulky. Transport costs were high, and there were often shortages in the cities of Paul’s mission. Paul’s cost of papyrus was far higher. When confronted with these facts, Richards remained silent.
There was no public mail system in the Roman Empire. To send a letter, you needed a private messenger to carry it. Richards assumed that Paul incurred no cost for having Timothy or Titus carry his letters to Paul’s distant churches, claiming that they would have eaten anyway (p. 181). This claim is utterly preposterous, and Richards himself contradicted it several times. Travel was expensive, especially sea travel. Paul wrote the Corinthians of his dire poverty, lacking both food and shelter. Paul wrote this letter from Ephesus, across the Aegean Sea. The letter’s cost could have purchased room and board for a year. When confronted with these facts, Richards remained silent.
Paul, like virtually all letter-writers, used a professional secretary to create his papyrus scroll. Richards claims that the price edict of Diocletian said the (maximum) secretarial wage was 25 denarii per ten thousand lines produced, and used this figure in his calculations. In fact, the price edict said secretaries could charge 35 denarii per hundred lines produced. When confronted with this, Richards remained silent.
Faith is far better at suppressing and misrepresenting facts than it is at moving mountains. Richards’ faith-based estimates eliminated over ninety percent of Paul’s costs. His evangelical publisher, InterVarsity Press, refused to issue any corrections when notified of the facts. In over a decade, his brethren New Testament scholars have had nothing but praise for the book, even overlooking its contradiction of the Gospel of Matthew. These are the kind of pious miscreants who banned the teaching of evolution, who burned witches, and who conducted inquisitions. Jesus said the truth will set you free, but that’s not part of their gospel.
February 11, 2018
Paul's Oral Letters
This is an excellent scholarly study of the letters of Paul in light of the times and technologies. He reviews all the classical examples from the whole range of ancient Mediterranean writers in various languages, formal, scholarly and popular or informal. He analyzes Paul's formats, syntax and content in light of other letters of the first century before Christ and after Christ.
His analysis and the perspectives from the other sources he cites on letters of the era confirm vibrantly the oral and relational character of letter writing. An important characteristic is that they were written to be read.
They were meant to be oral, not analytical treatises. They were practical and written to represent Paul's presence with the recipients. The oral relational character of the society and of Paul's priorities are overwhelmingly clear.
This is an excellent scholarly study of the letters of Paul in light of the times and technologies. He reviews all the classical examples from the whole range of ancient Mediterranean writers in various languages, formal, scholarly and popular or informal. He analyzes Paul's formats, syntax and content in light of other letters of the first century before Christ and after Christ.
His analysis and the perspectives from the other sources he cites on letters of the era confirm vibrantly the oral and relational character of letter writing. An important characteristic is that they were written to be read.
They were meant to be oral, not analytical treatises. They were practical and written to represent Paul's presence with the recipients. The oral relational character of the society and of Paul's priorities are overwhelmingly clear.
April 30, 2013
Although this book contains some interesting ideas and is fairly accessible in its readability, it will most likely only interest those involved in NT studies and canon formation.
June 16, 2021
E. Randolph Richards brings a wealth of information on letter writing in the first century and how it relates to Paul's letters. This is a wonderful book that sheds so much light on the actual process of Paul's letters and how we misperceive the process by mapping our modern concept of letter writing onto Paul and his ancient context. It is extremely interesting to get a window into the context of Paul's writings, and it is helpful to build a better picture of the process of inspiration and the making of scripture.
Richards clearly demonstrates his knowledge base in ancient letter writing and examination of the ancient letters we have found, mostly from sites in Egypt that were able to best preserve ancient papyrus. He also draws many parallels from well-known letter writers in this time period, especially Cicero. Richards begins by giving words to our modern (often unconscious) picture of what Paul looked like when he was writing a letter and then proceeds to show how these assumptions simply do not stand in the ancient world.
Richard then dives deep into letter writing in the ancient world, discussing aspects including the materials and tools used, the time it took to write letters, the use of secretaries, the absence of privacy in the ancient world, how the mail system worked through letter carriers, the cost of letter writing, and the location of the letter-writing process. He notes where Paul aligns with ancient conventions and where he deviates, such as his frequent use (and naming) of coauthors.
Throughout the book, Richards tries to reconstruct an accurate historical picture of how Paul wrote his letters. He also discusses how this context may inform and shape how we perceive and interpret Paul's letters. It is so interesting to see little comments in the text come alive and give us so much information, especially in light of the ancient context. Contributing to the wider discussion about Paul's letters, Richard puts forth and discusses some theories on how the Pauline corpus was compiled, reasons why some of Paul's letters might not sound as Pauline as others, and some thoughts on inspiration in light of the evidence.
My biggest criticism of the book is his lack of discussion about Phoebe as the letter carrier to the Romans. Richards discusses letter carriers in great detail and even talks about Tychicus and Titus in some detail, but only mentions Phoebe twice (once identifying her as certainly the carrier of the Roman letter and once in a footnote). I assume that he avoids a discussion of Phoebe because he doesn't want to get into the implications that this fact has on women's roles in the church of the first century (from another book of Richards I have deduced his position on this controversial topic), but I think this is a disservice to Phoebe and the context of Paul's letters. Throughout the book, Richards shows that he is not afraid to allow the data and evidence to reshape his view of Paul in the first century. However, it seems he is unwilling to take this step with Phoebe as well. But the conclusions he draws about letter carriers in the first century speak for themselves.
Other than that one criticism, this is a great book. I learned so much from it, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in Paul's letters. It is very interesting and will give you a good picture of letter writing in the first century.
Richards clearly demonstrates his knowledge base in ancient letter writing and examination of the ancient letters we have found, mostly from sites in Egypt that were able to best preserve ancient papyrus. He also draws many parallels from well-known letter writers in this time period, especially Cicero. Richards begins by giving words to our modern (often unconscious) picture of what Paul looked like when he was writing a letter and then proceeds to show how these assumptions simply do not stand in the ancient world.
Richard then dives deep into letter writing in the ancient world, discussing aspects including the materials and tools used, the time it took to write letters, the use of secretaries, the absence of privacy in the ancient world, how the mail system worked through letter carriers, the cost of letter writing, and the location of the letter-writing process. He notes where Paul aligns with ancient conventions and where he deviates, such as his frequent use (and naming) of coauthors.
Throughout the book, Richards tries to reconstruct an accurate historical picture of how Paul wrote his letters. He also discusses how this context may inform and shape how we perceive and interpret Paul's letters. It is so interesting to see little comments in the text come alive and give us so much information, especially in light of the ancient context. Contributing to the wider discussion about Paul's letters, Richard puts forth and discusses some theories on how the Pauline corpus was compiled, reasons why some of Paul's letters might not sound as Pauline as others, and some thoughts on inspiration in light of the evidence.
My biggest criticism of the book is his lack of discussion about Phoebe as the letter carrier to the Romans. Richards discusses letter carriers in great detail and even talks about Tychicus and Titus in some detail, but only mentions Phoebe twice (once identifying her as certainly the carrier of the Roman letter and once in a footnote). I assume that he avoids a discussion of Phoebe because he doesn't want to get into the implications that this fact has on women's roles in the church of the first century (from another book of Richards I have deduced his position on this controversial topic), but I think this is a disservice to Phoebe and the context of Paul's letters. Throughout the book, Richards shows that he is not afraid to allow the data and evidence to reshape his view of Paul in the first century. However, it seems he is unwilling to take this step with Phoebe as well. But the conclusions he draws about letter carriers in the first century speak for themselves.
Other than that one criticism, this is a great book. I learned so much from it, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in Paul's letters. It is very interesting and will give you a good picture of letter writing in the first century.
September 28, 2020
How do you picture the Apostle Paul as he wrote his letters? In Paul and First-Century Letter Writing, E. Randolph Richards helps us see what was really involved in letter writing - from secretaries, to composition, and collection.
Challenging and Compelling
In about 250 pages, Richards peels away our presuppositions and reveals the true letter writing process. We are accustomed to thinking of Paul as a modern Western writer. I used to think that he would write alone, in a room lit well by candlelight, and furiously writing in a quick flurry of genius. But the reality of this first-century letter writer was a very different story.
Drawing from many sources including the Roman scholar Cicero, Richards paints a picture of what it was probably like for Paul. He was a leader of a mission team, he had coauthors, he probably used different secretaries, and the letter writing was most likely done in the day with many people around. I am generalizing here, but the book goes into much finer detail. I was constantly challenged and compelled to learn more.
Art and Craft
This book is an academic work, but I found it to be beautifully written and highly rewarding. While the technical process of letter writing fascinates me, some readers will definitely be intrigued by how Richards explains how material gets inserted into a letter. Also interesting are the attempts to analyze Paul’s writing style, and understanding the sheer amount of work and expense that went into writing and sending a letter.
The book ends by discussing how a letter was dispatched, carried, and collected. I am thankful that God would see that the letter writing process would require copies - and that many would be preserved for us today. These are the inspired words of God, and I have a greater appreciation for the art and craft that God deemed fit to hold his word.
Written Word
This book is perfect for serious students of the Bible, as it will give you unparalleled contextual insight. I especially encourage preachers and teachers to read it, as it will enhance your overall worldview of the text. While this book changed my understanding of Paul and his letters, it does not change my convictions. My faith is strengthened. I feel a deeper appreciation for the apostle. And I have a greater love for the written word - and the Author who inspires it.
I received a media copy of Paul and First-Century Letter Writing and this is my honest review.
Challenging and Compelling
In about 250 pages, Richards peels away our presuppositions and reveals the true letter writing process. We are accustomed to thinking of Paul as a modern Western writer. I used to think that he would write alone, in a room lit well by candlelight, and furiously writing in a quick flurry of genius. But the reality of this first-century letter writer was a very different story.
Drawing from many sources including the Roman scholar Cicero, Richards paints a picture of what it was probably like for Paul. He was a leader of a mission team, he had coauthors, he probably used different secretaries, and the letter writing was most likely done in the day with many people around. I am generalizing here, but the book goes into much finer detail. I was constantly challenged and compelled to learn more.
Art and Craft
This book is an academic work, but I found it to be beautifully written and highly rewarding. While the technical process of letter writing fascinates me, some readers will definitely be intrigued by how Richards explains how material gets inserted into a letter. Also interesting are the attempts to analyze Paul’s writing style, and understanding the sheer amount of work and expense that went into writing and sending a letter.
The book ends by discussing how a letter was dispatched, carried, and collected. I am thankful that God would see that the letter writing process would require copies - and that many would be preserved for us today. These are the inspired words of God, and I have a greater appreciation for the art and craft that God deemed fit to hold his word.
Written Word
This book is perfect for serious students of the Bible, as it will give you unparalleled contextual insight. I especially encourage preachers and teachers to read it, as it will enhance your overall worldview of the text. While this book changed my understanding of Paul and his letters, it does not change my convictions. My faith is strengthened. I feel a deeper appreciation for the apostle. And I have a greater love for the written word - and the Author who inspires it.
I received a media copy of Paul and First-Century Letter Writing and this is my honest review.
December 28, 2023
This book came to my attention via Forgery and Counterforgery: The Use of Literary Deceit in Early Christian Polemics by Bart D. Ehrman. The descriptions of the mechanics of first century letter writing and delivery are excellent but the author goes off the rails in discussing forgery and interpolations because of his theological presuppositions. He asserts, without any supporting evidence, that the purpose of ancient forgeries was usually to denigrate someone or their ideas. Whereas there are examples of this, probably the main purpose of forging a document in the name of a famous person in antiquity was to get a better hearing for one’s own ideas.
The idea that Paul's letters were written by committee is more interesting, but it ultimately fails. He gives four examples of such letters in the secular literature in a brief footnote, of which I was able to track down three. One was a letter of recommendation; one was an inventory of sesame, poppy seed, and croton; and one was an invitation to a birthday party. None of these are comparable to the sorts of letters Paul wrote. Thus the idea that Paul's use of different secretaries and receiving input from others can account for the stylistic differences between his undisputed letters and the forged Pauline letters doesn’t really work, as Bart Ehrman has correctly pointed out.
The idea that Paul's letters were written by committee is more interesting, but it ultimately fails. He gives four examples of such letters in the secular literature in a brief footnote, of which I was able to track down three. One was a letter of recommendation; one was an inventory of sesame, poppy seed, and croton; and one was an invitation to a birthday party. None of these are comparable to the sorts of letters Paul wrote. Thus the idea that Paul's use of different secretaries and receiving input from others can account for the stylistic differences between his undisputed letters and the forged Pauline letters doesn’t really work, as Bart Ehrman has correctly pointed out.
March 11, 2026
Paul and First-Century Letter Writing by E. Randolph Richards completely changed the way I read Paul’s epistles. This book took me a significant time to read and absorb and take notes (about 2 months) and only now that I’ve sat with the content for can I write my review.
This is not a devotional or Bible study. Instead, Richards carefully reconstructs how letters were actually written, composed, and circulated in the first-century Roman world. He explores everything from writing materials and costs to the role of secretaries, letter carriers, and the process behind composition.
One of the most fascinating insights is realizing that Paul likely did not simply sit alone writing letters as we often imagine. Letters were expensive, carefully constructed, and often developed through discussion as Paul addressed real theological questions coming from early Christian communities but allowing the Holy Spirit to guide his answers. Even the physical act of writing looked different, people when writing often pulled their cloak across their knees to create a surface on which to write. Tables were just not a common place price of furniture.
The book gave me a much deeper appreciation for the human effort behind these Spirit-inspired letters and for the incredible process through which they were preserved.
Highly recommended for pastors, seminary students, and serious Bible readers who want richer historical context for Paul’s writings.
This is not a devotional or Bible study. Instead, Richards carefully reconstructs how letters were actually written, composed, and circulated in the first-century Roman world. He explores everything from writing materials and costs to the role of secretaries, letter carriers, and the process behind composition.
One of the most fascinating insights is realizing that Paul likely did not simply sit alone writing letters as we often imagine. Letters were expensive, carefully constructed, and often developed through discussion as Paul addressed real theological questions coming from early Christian communities but allowing the Holy Spirit to guide his answers. Even the physical act of writing looked different, people when writing often pulled their cloak across their knees to create a surface on which to write. Tables were just not a common place price of furniture.
The book gave me a much deeper appreciation for the human effort behind these Spirit-inspired letters and for the incredible process through which they were preserved.
Highly recommended for pastors, seminary students, and serious Bible readers who want richer historical context for Paul’s writings.
August 18, 2023
I heard about this book on a Bible Project podcast. It seemed like an interesting, geeky, niche, deep dive and I was not disappointed. Randolph Richards essentially read through all the first century-ish epistles he could find. He looked for clues and comments about the writing process and constructed a picture of what it was like to write an epistle in the first century Greco-Roman society. He asked questions like the following. What does it mean to be an author? Who is typically involved in the writing process? Who contributes to the content of the letter? How are the letter delivered? How are they authenticated? What are the challenges? What are the costs in time and money? Where are the typically written? Why and when were epistles written? Richards answers these questions an many others. He also gives clear account of his investigated process and writes in a narrative style that is engaging and accessible. His evidence and analysis has had a ripple effect on my understanding of the New Testament Epistles and the New Testament cultures. I am grateful for this book. It is a multi-read and I will keep it in my library as an excellent reference book.
October 16, 2023
⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Really Liked It
E. Randolph Richards details the process of letter writing in the first century. This process included the use of a secretary, collaboration with others, and multiple drafts. This was very insightful and has given me a fresh perspective on the letters of the New Testament. I would recommend this book to anyone who has read or plans to read any of the New Testament epistles.
E. Randolph Richards details the process of letter writing in the first century. This process included the use of a secretary, collaboration with others, and multiple drafts. This was very insightful and has given me a fresh perspective on the letters of the New Testament. I would recommend this book to anyone who has read or plans to read any of the New Testament epistles.
December 29, 2024
This book was so fascinating to me. Dr. Richards has changed the way I see Scripture more than any other scholar, and I mean that in the best way possible. I love learning the history of how our Bible was produced. What more edifying thing could on possibly study?
This book will give you a look into HOW Paul's letters were produced, and I promise, it's probably not how you think.
This book will give you a look into HOW Paul's letters were produced, and I promise, it's probably not how you think.
November 1, 2025
Endlessly fascinating. You might think this would be so niche to be any use but it’s great. The author is careful not to push beyond the evidence he presents. This really helps to provide some brilliant background to the letters in the NT. From the material used to write with and write on, to the way letters were delivered, read, and stored.
January 18, 2021
I cannot express the helpfulness this book presents to the pastor, the theologian, or the lay Christian seeking a better understanding of the mechanics of biblical authorship. If you want to better understand the why and how of Scriptural production - READ THIS BOOK.
Read
January 1, 2024Another book I merely skimmed. Each chapter has a helpful summary conclusion to give one the gist of things, and that was enough for me in this season of life.
February 28, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Certainly you have to have a particular interest to even pick up a book like this, but it is well worth the time. The process of ancient letter writing was a fascinating aspect of this book. Perhaps it is due to all my time sitting at a desk with a pencil in hand, but I found the conversation on quills, ink, parchment, desks etc. to be really enjoyable. Additionally this book is helpful in understanding the role of an amanuensis and how scribes and co-authors contribute to the authorship of New Testament book. This may not be the first book I would go to understand the debates over authorship in the New Testament, but it is an illuminating piece on the topic.
July 7, 2009
Membaca buku ini membuat kita sadar bahwa Alkitab yang kita miliki saat ini memiliki akar sejarah yang tidak terlepas dari konteks zamannya. Richards menunjukkan tentang segala sesuatu mengenai proses penulisan surat-menyurat pada abad-abad awal kekristenan dan bagaimana relevansinya dalam memahami surat-surat PB, khususnya surat-surat Paulus. Misalnya, soal materi yang digunakan, koleksi, pengantar surat, sekretaris/amanuensis, dsb.
Menarik bahwa Richards tidak sekadar menunjukkan keterkaitan fakta-fakta tersebut dengan surat-surat Paulus, tetapi juga mengakhiri bukunya dengan sebuah diskusi teologis, khususnya mengenai keterlibatan amanuensis dalam penulisan surat-surat Paulus. Pertanyaan kuncinya adalah apakah para amanuensis dan para co-authors Paulus juga diinspirasikan? Richards menjawab, Ya! Menurut Richards bahkan keseluruhan proses penulisan surat-surat Paulus harus dianggap "diinspirasikan". Bagaimana tanggapan Anda? Silakan baca review saya yang lebih luas mengenai buku ini dalam:http://arastamar.blogspot.com/2009/07....
Menarik bahwa Richards tidak sekadar menunjukkan keterkaitan fakta-fakta tersebut dengan surat-surat Paulus, tetapi juga mengakhiri bukunya dengan sebuah diskusi teologis, khususnya mengenai keterlibatan amanuensis dalam penulisan surat-surat Paulus. Pertanyaan kuncinya adalah apakah para amanuensis dan para co-authors Paulus juga diinspirasikan? Richards menjawab, Ya! Menurut Richards bahkan keseluruhan proses penulisan surat-surat Paulus harus dianggap "diinspirasikan". Bagaimana tanggapan Anda? Silakan baca review saya yang lebih luas mengenai buku ini dalam:http://arastamar.blogspot.com/2009/07....
March 16, 2008
Good read. Informative. Always wanted to know how much it cost to write Romans. ;)
Interestingly he dances around issues like anachronistic interpretations re: ancient reading/writing practices (and even, at one point, the history of the notion of "justification by faith" v. works)... but he never quite goes the distance. He strikes me as a bright scholar who maybe just loves Jesus a little too much to get too critical. I guess seminary can do that to you.
Interestingly he dances around issues like anachronistic interpretations re: ancient reading/writing practices (and even, at one point, the history of the notion of "justification by faith" v. works)... but he never quite goes the distance. He strikes me as a bright scholar who maybe just loves Jesus a little too much to get too critical. I guess seminary can do that to you.
May 4, 2015
Interesting book that challenges one to think about composition of the Pauline letters. Richards presents a fascinating case for community composition of the corpus. This may explain the many "interpolations" in the text and the presence of cowriters. Richards gives considerable attention to the use of secretaries, coworkers, and various other conventions in the composition of the letters.
Very helpful little book but one that would've benefited from more research and substantiated arguments.
Very helpful little book but one that would've benefited from more research and substantiated arguments.
May 6, 2009
This is a great book for thinking about the complexities of the compilation of the canon. It helpfully explains how one may answer many higher criticism questions (and sometimes agree with them) and yet maintain a high view of inspiration. The focus of this book is on Paul and the NT in particular, but the principles involved seem applicable to the entire canon.
May 25, 2013
This book is where you should start before beginning to study one of the Apostle Paul's letters.
May 10, 2013
Good book. Very helpful in understanding the topic of letter writing and delivery in the formation of the cannon.
March 15, 2014
Fascinating book on how letters were composed in the 1st century. Important to a proper understanding of the Apostle Paul and the doctrine of inspiration.
April 12, 2015
Fine academic work... Certainly not the most exciting material. If you are interested, but don't have the time for 200+ pages, Richards included excellent conclusions at the end of every chapter.
August 12, 2011
Quite interesting for my thesis purposes! think I will buy it because of some important references.
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