An Exegetical Study of Romans 12... (original) (raw)
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'Obedient to Death': Revisiting the Rhetorical Function of Philippians 2.6–11
2015
Despite its significance for the study of the development of early christology, Philippians 2.6–11 sits uneasily in its epistolary context. Recent scholarship shows a welcome reluctance to separate the section from the parenetic material in 2:1–5 and 2:12–18, but has underestimated the extent to which this surrounding material deals with apparently conflicting themes. 2:1–4 appears to be an exhortation to ecclesial unity marked by humility and other regard. 2:5 is best read as a call for the Philippians' participation in what Michael Gorman has called the pattern of 'cruciformity'. 2:12– 18 is an appeal for continued obedience to and support of Paul. For which of these motifs does the poetic material of 2:6–11 provide exemplary support? In this paper I argue that scholars have misunderstood the nature of 2:1–5 and have thereby underestimated the function of the text as a call for humility in the service of obedience. Just as Christ is obedient to God in such a way as to receive vindication, so the Philippians are to be obedient to Paul as Christ's emissary, thus making possible Paul's and their own vindication on the day of Christ. Paul is to be the focus of the Philippians' other regard and this rhetorical concern is consistent with the overall purpose of Philippians.
Exegetical study of Philippians 2:5-8
Philippians 2:5-8 has been so closely connected with certain theological problems of Christology and yet this passage is full of meaning concerning the humility of Jesus Christ, which the apostle Paul is calling on Christian to posses. This paper discusses the verbs and nouns in this passage to determine the true meaning of the passage.
On the Articular Infinitive in Philippians 2:6: A Grammatical Note with Christological Implications
Tyndale Bulletin, 2004
Many commentators and grammarians see ‘form of God’ and ‘equality with God’ as semantic equivalents. This semantic equivalence is based in part on the erroneous assumption of a grammatical link between ‘form of God’ and ‘equality with God’. This supposed grammatical link consists of an anaphoric use of the articular infinitive, the being equal with God (τὸ εἶναι ἴσα θεῷ). This essay contends that this link has little grammatical basis and should be discarded. The exegetical result is that it is grammatically possible to regard ‘form of God’ and ‘equality with God’ not as synonymous phrases, but as phrases with distinct meanings.
In 2018, I came across a copy of R. P. Martin’s Carmen Christi (1967 edition) in a second-hand bookshop that had been in C. F. D. Moule’s personal library, a gift to him from the author; it had his extensive marginal comments in pencil throughout, which was the main reason for making the purchase. This led me to revisit my 2016 paper on Phil 2:5-11 (published in the EJournal) and enlarge it with extra remarks here and there as well as make a clearer distinction between typological and literal intertextual usage of the Jewish Scriptures. No changes have been made to the exegesis or the philology; rather, the paper has just been expanded making it a more complete exegesis and a fuller engagement with scholarship on more points of dispute. It has gained about 6000 words in the process. So, this paper now supersedes the 2016 paper.
Fragility and Eccentricity: The Mortal and Glorified Body in Philippians 3:21
Horizons in Biblical Theology, 2024
Recent Pauline scholarship has shown increasing interest in the concepts of agency, body, personhood, and self. Situating itself within an emerging current of Pauline interpretation of the σῶμα, this article provides an analysis of Paul’s language concerning the σῶμα in Philippians 3:21. In the first part, we focus on Paul’s description of the body as τῆς ταπεινώσεως, “of humiliation.” It is argued that Paul conceives of the body in terms of its mortality, owing to its tendency towards death, as well as its monstrosity, a characteristic that illuminates how Paul reframes the perception of the body. In the second part, we analyze Paul’s description of Christ’s body as τῆς δόξης, “of glory.” It is argued that the glorification of Christ’s body emerges as a function of heavenly existence in God’s presence. In our third part, we use the results from our preceding analyses of the language in Philippians 3:21 in order to construct a conceptual framework for interpreting the σῶμα in Paul from new interpretive angles. It is proposed that the concepts of fragility and eccentricity will shine more light on Paul's conception of the body, which has a twofold character as both fragile and eccentric.
Sacrifice and Christology in Paul
Christ's atoning death is studied in the light of the levitical sin offering. Following the exegesis of Rom 8:3, 2 Cor 5:19, 21, and Rom 3:25-26a, it is concluded that Paul stresses the unity of action of God and Christ in the work of atonement. Christ as God incarnate is the only one who can 'take our place'.