1. New Testament Theology Understanding Paul’s Theology

2. Principles for Understanding 1. Doing theology carefully 2. Honoring Paul as a real person in a real historical setting 3. Paul’s unity of thought and diversity of application 4. Consider the whole teaching of Paul before applying the parts

3. Principles for Understanding 5. Subversion of culture – the Spirit of God works over time. 6. What would Jesus do? Is our application faithful to Jesus? 7. A responsive obedience, walking in step with the Spirit.

4. 1. Doing Theology Carefully Remembering the two horizons: Remembering the two horizons:

5. 1. Doing Theology Carefully Remembering the two horizons. This Means: Remembering the two horizons. This Means: Bringing our questions, issues and concerns to God and seeking guidance from his Word Searching out the impact of God’s Word on 1st Century people Searching out the message for us today

6. 2 Real historical differences These differences include: These differences include: Land, position and status Culture of complete domination Gentiles, Masters, Men (Household codes) Social relationships, education, public life Women, conception and childbirth Sexual responsibility

7. 2 Real historical differences Saying of Socrates “There are three blessings for which I am grateful to Fortune: first that I was born a human being and not one of the brutes; next that I was born a man and not a woman; thirdly, a Greek and not a Barbarian” Diogenes Laertius 1.33 (Loeb Classical Library)

8. 2 Real historical differences Jewish Prayer “Blessed are you, O God, … that I am not a brute creature, nor a Gentile, nor a woman” Talmudic tractate Menahoth 43b (Epstein trans)

9. 3 Unity and diversity Paul wrote practical letters in response to real questions and pastoral issues in churches He gave different instructions to churches located in different areas Paul had no need to systematize his own thinking – in fact some say that the idea of doing so would not have appealed to him.

10. 3 Unity and diversity: Examples E.g. widows and remarriage cf 1 Cor 7:40 and 1 Tim 5:14 1 Corinthians 7:39-40 A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband is dead, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. 40 But in my opinion she is happier if she remains as she is; and I think that I also have the Spirit of God. 1 Timothy 5:14 Therefore, I want younger widows to get married, bear children, keep house, and give the enemy no occasion for reproach;

11. 3 The underlying unity of Paul’s teaching Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

12. 3 The underlying unity of Paul’s thought The new creation is not just about ‘being saved’ but about the formation of a new community with transformed relationships cf 1 Cor 12. Paul is not saying that these categories cease to exist cf 1 Cor What has been removed by the gospel is the significance of certain (not all) distinctions and the values –ethnic-racial (Jew/Gentile), socio- economic (slave/free), and sexual-gender (female/male) –that were based on them.

13. 4 Consider the whole teaching before applying the parts The clear overall teaching of scripture should always govern interpretation of unclear passages. Major doctrines with significant practices need to be built on the whole teaching of scripture Remember for example, Acts 2:38: “repent and be baptized...”

14. 5 The subversion of culture Appreciating the outworking of principles in the church over time under the direction of the Spirit. Eg Slavery, race based status The danger of idealizing the NT church and ignoring the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit as teacher in our present situation is great, but not as great as ignoring the text.

15. 6 Jesus Centered Theology Jesus is the centre of Scripture and his approach and teaching must be the centre of our reflection – It was for Paul Jesus and women in practice The possibility of being Biblical but profoundly un-Christian

16. 7 Listening Obedience The challenge of responsive, listening obedience God continues to speak to us through scripture Seeking, prayer, study, action and reflection Three principles: freedom, equality, love.