God’s Modus Operandi and the Composition of the Christian Community. A Study on 1 Cor 1:26-31
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Jan 18, 2019
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José Adriano Filho
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8157-4529
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8157-4529
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Abstract
In analyzing 1 Cor 1:26-31, this paper seeks to highlight the rhetorical power of the Pauline argument which states that most of the people God called to create the Christian community at Corinth are not “wise,” “powerful,” and “from a prestigious family,” but “fool things,” “weak things,” “despicable things,” and “things that are nothing.” By revealing his wisdom and power in the cross of Christ, God chooses the weakness and madness of the world, destroying the foundations of human pride. The paper also shows that Paul’s statements cannot be dissociated from the Greco-Roman culture’s honor discourse, associated with power, gender, and social standing. In addition to wealth, associated with people of high social status, there was a hierarchy of values that included family lineage, connections with Rome, and cultural sophistication.
Keywords
Letters to the Corinthians, 1 Cor 1:26-31, social composition of the Christian community, honor, shameCartas aos coríntios, 1 Cor 1,26-31, composição social da comunidade cristã, honra, vergonha
References
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Berger, Klaus. Formas Literárias do Novo Testamento. São Paulo: Loyola, 1998.
Best, Ernst. “The Power and Wisdom of God”. In Paolo a una Chiesa Divisa (1 Co 14), editado por L. de Lorenzi, 9-39. Roma: Edizioni Abbazia di S. Paolo, 1980.
Clarke, Andrew D. Secular and Christian Leadership in Corinth: A Socio-Historical and Exegetical Study of 1 Corinthians 1—6. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1993.
Conzelmann, Hans. 1 Corinthians. Philadelphia (PA): Fortress Press, 1975.
De Silva, David A. The Hope of Glory: Honor Discourse and the New Testament Interpretation. Collegeville (MN): The Liturgical Press, 1999.
Donahoe, Kate C. “From Self-praise to Self-boasting: Paul’s Unmasking of the Conflicting Rhetoric-Linguistc Phenomena in 1 Corinthians”. Tese de Doutorado, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews (U. K.), 2008.
Fee, Gordon D. The First Epistle to the Corinthians. Grand Rapids (MI): W. B. E. Publishing Co.,1984.
Finney, Mark T. Honour and Conflict in the Ancient World. 1 Corinthians in its Greco-Roman Social Setting. London: Bloomsbury, 2013.
Friesen, Steven J. “Prospects for a Demography of the Pauline Mission: Corinth among the Churches”. In Urban Religion in Roman Corinth. Interdisciplinary Approaches, editado por Daniel N. Shovalter e Steven J. Friesen, 351-370. Cambridge (MA): Harvard University Press, 2005.
Hays, Richard B. First Corinthians. Louisville (KY): John Knox Press, 1997.
Heil, John Paul. The Rhetorical Role of Scripture in 1 Corinthians. Atlanta (GA): Society of Biblical Literature Press, 2005.
Horrell, David G. The Social Ethos of the Corinthians Correspondence. Interests and Ideology from 1 Corinthians to 1 Clement. Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1996.
Kammler, Hans-Christian. Kreuz und Weisheit. Eine exegetische Untersuchung zu 1 Kor 1,10-3,4. Tübingen: J. C. B. Mohr, 2003.
Kwon, Oh-Young. 1 Corinthians. Reconstructing its Social and Rhetorical Situation. Eugene (OR): Wipf & Stock, 2010.
Litfin, Duane. St. Paul’s Theology of Proclamation. 1 Corinthians 1-4 and Greco-Roman Rhetoric. Cambridge (U. K.): Cambridge University Press, 1994.
Marshall, Peter. Enmity in Corinth. Social Conventions in Paul’s Relations with the Corinthians. Tübingen: J. C. B. Mohr, 1987.
Martin, Dale B. The Corinthian Body. New Haven (CT)-London: Yale University Press, 1995.
Meeks, Wayne A. Os primeiros cristãos urbanos. O mundo social do apóstolo Paulo. São Paulo: Paulus/Academia Cristã, 2011.
Mihaila, Corin. The Paul-Apollos Relationship and Paul’s Stance Toward Greco-Roman Rhetoric. Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 2009.
O’Day, Gail R. “Jeremiah 9:22-23 and 1 Corinthians 1:26-31: A Study in Intertextuality”. Journal of Biblical Literature 109/2 (1990): 259-267.
Okambawa, Wilfrid. Paulus und Sophia. Eine exegestisch-rhetorische Untersuchung zu 1Kor 1,10-31. Frankfurt am Main-Berlin: Peter Lang, 2002.
Pickett, Raymond. The Cross in Corinth. The Social Significance of the Death of Jesus. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1997.
Pogoloff, Stephen M. Logos and Sophia. The Rhetorical Situation of 1 Corinthians. Atlanta (GA): Scholars Press, 1992.
Strüder, C. W. Paulus um die Gesinnung Christ. Identität und Entscheidungsfindung aus der Mitte von 1 Kor 1-4. Leuven: Peeters, 2005.
Theissen, Gerd. The Social Setting of Pauline Christianity. Essays on Corinth. Philadelphia (PA): Fortress Press, 1982.
Thiselton, Anthony C. The First Epistle to the Corinthians. Grand Rapids (MI): W. B. E. Publishing Co., 2000.
Voss, Florian. Das Wort vom Kreuz und die menschliche Vernunft. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2002.
Witherington III, Ben. Conflict and Community: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on 1 and 2 Corinthians. Grand Rapids (MI): Eerdmans, 1995.
Berger, Klaus. Formas Literárias do Novo Testamento. São Paulo: Loyola, 1998.
Best, Ernst. “The Power and Wisdom of God”. In Paolo a una Chiesa Divisa (1 Co 14), editado por L. de Lorenzi, 9-39. Roma: Edizioni Abbazia di S. Paolo, 1980.
Clarke, Andrew D. Secular and Christian Leadership in Corinth: A Socio-Historical and Exegetical Study of 1 Corinthians 1—6. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1993.
Conzelmann, Hans. 1 Corinthians. Philadelphia (PA): Fortress Press, 1975.
De Silva, David A. The Hope of Glory: Honor Discourse and the New Testament Interpretation. Collegeville (MN): The Liturgical Press, 1999.
Donahoe, Kate C. “From Self-praise to Self-boasting: Paul’s Unmasking of the Conflicting Rhetoric-Linguistc Phenomena in 1 Corinthians”. Tese de Doutorado, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews (U. K.), 2008.
Fee, Gordon D. The First Epistle to the Corinthians. Grand Rapids (MI): W. B. E. Publishing Co.,1984.
Finney, Mark T. Honour and Conflict in the Ancient World. 1 Corinthians in its Greco-Roman Social Setting. London: Bloomsbury, 2013.
Friesen, Steven J. “Prospects for a Demography of the Pauline Mission: Corinth among the Churches”. In Urban Religion in Roman Corinth. Interdisciplinary Approaches, editado por Daniel N. Shovalter e Steven J. Friesen, 351-370. Cambridge (MA): Harvard University Press, 2005.
Hays, Richard B. First Corinthians. Louisville (KY): John Knox Press, 1997.
Heil, John Paul. The Rhetorical Role of Scripture in 1 Corinthians. Atlanta (GA): Society of Biblical Literature Press, 2005.
Horrell, David G. The Social Ethos of the Corinthians Correspondence. Interests and Ideology from 1 Corinthians to 1 Clement. Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1996.
Kammler, Hans-Christian. Kreuz und Weisheit. Eine exegetische Untersuchung zu 1 Kor 1,10-3,4. Tübingen: J. C. B. Mohr, 2003.
Kwon, Oh-Young. 1 Corinthians. Reconstructing its Social and Rhetorical Situation. Eugene (OR): Wipf & Stock, 2010.
Litfin, Duane. St. Paul’s Theology of Proclamation. 1 Corinthians 1-4 and Greco-Roman Rhetoric. Cambridge (U. K.): Cambridge University Press, 1994.
Marshall, Peter. Enmity in Corinth. Social Conventions in Paul’s Relations with the Corinthians. Tübingen: J. C. B. Mohr, 1987.
Martin, Dale B. The Corinthian Body. New Haven (CT)-London: Yale University Press, 1995.
Meeks, Wayne A. Os primeiros cristãos urbanos. O mundo social do apóstolo Paulo. São Paulo: Paulus/Academia Cristã, 2011.
Mihaila, Corin. The Paul-Apollos Relationship and Paul’s Stance Toward Greco-Roman Rhetoric. Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 2009.
O’Day, Gail R. “Jeremiah 9:22-23 and 1 Corinthians 1:26-31: A Study in Intertextuality”. Journal of Biblical Literature 109/2 (1990): 259-267.
Okambawa, Wilfrid. Paulus und Sophia. Eine exegestisch-rhetorische Untersuchung zu 1Kor 1,10-31. Frankfurt am Main-Berlin: Peter Lang, 2002.
Pickett, Raymond. The Cross in Corinth. The Social Significance of the Death of Jesus. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1997.
Pogoloff, Stephen M. Logos and Sophia. The Rhetorical Situation of 1 Corinthians. Atlanta (GA): Scholars Press, 1992.
Strüder, C. W. Paulus um die Gesinnung Christ. Identität und Entscheidungsfindung aus der Mitte von 1 Kor 1-4. Leuven: Peeters, 2005.
Theissen, Gerd. The Social Setting of Pauline Christianity. Essays on Corinth. Philadelphia (PA): Fortress Press, 1982.
Thiselton, Anthony C. The First Epistle to the Corinthians. Grand Rapids (MI): W. B. E. Publishing Co., 2000.
Voss, Florian. Das Wort vom Kreuz und die menschliche Vernunft. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2002.
Witherington III, Ben. Conflict and Community: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on 1 and 2 Corinthians. Grand Rapids (MI): Eerdmans, 1995.
How to Cite
Filho, J. A. (2019). God’s Modus Operandi and the Composition of the Christian Community. A Study on 1 Cor 1:26-31. Theologica Xaveriana, 69(187). https://doi.org/10.11144/javeriana.tx69-187.modccc
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