Of all the first-century partisans of Christianity, only St. Paul left a substantial written legacy. Letters attributed to him comprise a quarter of the New Testament, and another twelfth of its pages—most of the Book of Acts—are devoted to a description of his career.
St. Paul's letters are the focus of this volume. Close attention must be paid to them, for they are our most direct and earliest primary sources from the beginning of Christianity. They are presented here with an introduction and annotations by Wayne A. Meeks and John T. Fitzgerald. The letters are accompanied by a selection of critical writings on St. Paul and his influence by some of the foremost religious and philosophical minds of all time. Together these writings form a thorough introduction to the man who has been called "the second founder of Christianity."
Preface
Introduction
MAP: The Eastern Mediterranean in the Time of St. Paul
Abbreviations
Part I. Annotated Text: The Undoubted Letters of St. Paul
The First Thessalonians (ca. 50-51)
The Galatians (ca. 54)
The First Corinthians (53-55)
The Second Corinthians (54-56)
The Romans (ca. 57)
The Philippians (ca. 62? 56?)
The Philemon (ca. 62? 56?)
Part II. Annotated Text: Works of the Pauline School
The Second Thessalonians (ca. 51?)
The Colossians (ca. 65-75?)
The Ephesians (ca. 80?)
The Pastoral Letters (95-125?)
First Timothy
Second Timothy
Titus
Part III. Annotated Text: Pseudo-Pauline Works
Anonymous ·Correspondence of Paul and the Corinthians (second century)
Anonymous ·Epistle to the Laodiceans (second to fourth century)
Anonymous ·Correspondence of Paul and Seneca (fourth century)
Anonymous ·The Apocalypse of Paul (third century?)
Anonymous ·The Gnostic Apocalypse of Paul (second century)
Part IV. Views of Paul in the Ancient Church
“Luke”·The Chosen Instrument (ca. 95)
Irenaeus·Luke as Paul’s Companion and Biographer (ca. 180)
Daniel R. Schwartz·Paul in the Canonical Book of Acts (1990)
Jacob Jervell·Paul in the Acts of the Apostles (1979)
Susan R. Garrett·Paul and Bar Jesus (1989)
THE APOCRYPHAL PAUL: SOME EARLY CHRISTIAN TRADITIONS AND LEGENDS
Jerome·Paul at the End of the Fourth Century (393)
Tertullian·Jacob Foresees the Two Phases of Paul’s Life (ca. 212)
Anonymous·The Risen Christ Foretells Paul’s Conversion and Mission (ca. 150?)
Anonymous·Paul’s Physical Appearance (ca. 190)
Clement of Alexandria·Paul’s Wife (ca. 215)
Ambrosiaster·Paul’s Daily Schedule (Late Fourth Century)
Anonymous·Paul and the Baptized Lion (ca. 190)
Clement of Alexandria·Paul’s Use of Pagan Oracles (ca. 215)
John Chrysostom·Paul as the Paragon of Virtue (ca. 390)
Anonymous·Paul’s Missionary Journey to Spain (Late Second Century)
THE MARTYRDOM OF PAUL
Clement of Rome·Pillar of the Church and Example of Endurance (ca. 96)
Anonymous·Paul Is Beheaded and Appears to Nero (ca. 190)
PAUL AS SATAN’S APOSTLE: JEWISH-CHRISTIAN OPPONENTS
New Ambrosiaster·The Non-Apostle (Late Fourth Century)
Anonymous·A False Proselyte (Third Century?)
Epiphanius·The Cerinthians (ca. 375)
Anonymous·Messenger of Satan (ca. 200?)
Anonymous·Persecutor of the Faith (date unknown)
J. Louis Martyn·Paul’s Opponents in Galatia (1985)
Martin Hengel·The Letter of James as Anti-Pauline Polemic (1987)
David Flusser·Paul’s Jewish-Christian Opponents in Jerusalem and in the Didache (1987)
PAUL AND HIS PAGAN CRITICS
Julian·Against the Galileans (363)
Pauline Double Talk: Is the God of Israel really the God of the Gentiles?
Whether Paul called Jesus “God” and the Secret Worship of Paul’s Tomb
An Anonymous Hellene·An Attack on Paul (Late Fourth Century?)
Valentinus and the Gnostic Paul
Theodotus·Paul as the Type of the Paraclete and the Apostle of the Resurrection (Second Century)
Elaine H. Pagels·The Gnostic Paul (1975)
Irenaeus·On the Valentinian Interpretation of Scripture (ca. 180)
THE ONLY TRUE APOSTLE: MARCION’S RADICAL PAUL
Irenaeus·Marcion (182-188)
Tertullian·Marcion’s Special Work (207)
Marcion·The Antitheses (ca. 140?)
Adolf von Harnack·Marcion’s Starting Point (1924)
……
Part V. Law Versus Grace, and The Problem of Ethics
Part VI. “The Second Founder of Christianity”
Part VII. Pauline Christianity and Judaism
Part VIII. Reading Romans
Part IX. A Sampler of Modern Approaches to Paul and His Letters
Selected Bibliography
Name Index
Index
