This latest addition to the "Fortress Social-Science Commentaries on New Testament Writings" illuminates the values, perceptions, and social codes of the Mediterranean culture that shaped Paul and his interactions - both harmonious and conflicted - with others. Malina and Pilch add new dimensions to our understanding of the apostle as a social change agent, his coworkers as innovators, and his Gospel as an assertion of the honor of the God of Israel.
Bruce J Malina is Professor of New Testament at Creighton University, Omaha, USA and author, coauthor or editor of many influential volumes in the New Testament including Social-Science Commentary on the Book of Revelation. John J Pilch is Professor of Biblical Studies at Georgetown University, Washington, USA. He is the author of a number of key titles including Healing in the New Testament.
Abbreviations Preface Introduction 1 THESSALONIANS I. 1 Thess 1:1 Letter Opening (Superscription) II. 1 Thess 1:2-3:13 About the Relationship between the Change Agents and the Jesus Group They Formed III. 1 Thess 4:1-5:24 Directives and Exhortations IV. 1 Thess 5:25-28 Letter Closing: Salutation and Blessing 1 CORINTHIANS I. 1 Cor 1: 1-8 Letter Opening (Superscription) II. 1 Cor 1:9-6:20 Reaction to a Report from Chloe's People III. 1 Cor 7:1-15:58 Response to Corinthian Questions IV. 1 Cor 16:5-24 Letter Closing: Salutations and Blessings 2 CORINTHIANS I. 2 Cor 2:14-6:13 Letter 1: Written before the Dispute II. 2 Corinthians 10-13 Letter 2: Written during the Dispute III. 2 Cor 1:1-2:13 [7:5-16] Letter 3: Written after the Dispute IV. 2 Cor 8:1-24 Insert: Part of a Letter of Recommendation for Titus about the Collection for Jerusalem V. 2 Cor 9:1-15 Insert: Part of a Letter about the Collection for Jerusalem GALATIANS I. Gal 1:1-5 Letter Opening (Superscription) II. Gal 1:6-9 Introduction III. Gal 1:10-2:21 Paul Defends His Honor (Form: Encomium) IV. Gal 3:1-6:10 Paul Defends His Gospel (Form: Public Argument) V. Gal 6:11-18 Conclusion ROMANS I. Rom 1:1-7 Letter Opening (Superscription) II. Rom 1:8-10 Letter Thanksgiving III. Rom 1:11-17 Introduction and Travel Plans IV. Rom 1:18-32 They and the Ten Commandments V. Rom 2:1-16 You Judeans and Judging Hellenists VI. Rom 2:17-3:20 Israelites VII. Rom 3:21-8:39 The Present Time: Now VIII. Rom 9:1-11:36 Recalcitrant Israel IX. Rom 12:1-13:14 You: Jesus-Group Values X. Rom 14:1-15:13 They (the Weak) and the Torah Commandments XI. Rom 15:15-32 Conclusion and Travel Plans XII. Rom 15:33 Letter Ending XIII. Rom 16:1-29 Appendix: Letter of Recommendation for Phoebe and Doxology PHILIPPIANS I. Phil 1:1-11 Superscription II. Phil 1:12-2:15 Body A: Paul's Prison Circumstances and Its Significance for the Philippians III. Phil 2:16-3:21 Body B: Ingroup and Outgroup Relations IV. Phil 4:1-23 Concluding Remarks PHILEMON I. Phlm 1-3 Superscription II. Phlm 4-7 Thanksgiving: The Exordium III. Phlm 8-16 Body of the Letter Part A: Perobatio IV. Phlm 17-22 Body of the Letter Part B: Peroratio V. Phlm 23-25 Conclusion Reading Scenarios for the (Authentic) Letters of Paul Bibliography List of Reading Scenarios
"If you are tired of reading the same 'new' book on Paul over and over, this commentary on the letters of Paul is the place to go next. In addition to traditional material on rhetoric and background, this social-scientific commentary brings to the fore necessary, significant and enlightening ways of understanding the social role of Paul and his social dynamics with the churches he founded. In this it is unique; it is the only comprehensive social-science reading of Paul. The reading scenarios at the end are themselves worth the price of this book." -- Jerome Neyrey, University of Notre Dame "This is not the typical introspective, individualistic Paul of Western theology. Rather Malina and Pilch reveal Paul as a thoroughgoing Mediterranean person, functioning as a change agent among Israelites living in minority communities around the Greco-Roman world. Pauline theology will never look the same again." -- Richard L. Rohrbaugh, Lewis and Clark College
