Paul And Silas Research Paper

What was it that Paul and Silas taught them that caused this type of reaction? It is without question that it is theological but there has to be something more. It is not merely theological, it is sociological. Verse four may shed some light on this issue. David Williams adds an enlightening perspective, “the converts are said to have joined Paul and Silas that implies that the missionaries had by now withdrawn from the synagogue and were conducting separate meetings.” The word προσεκληρώθησαν can be rendered in the middle or passive voice. Some commentators suggest that it is passive in the sense that” God allotted these people to Paul and Silas. This interpretation does not seem likely. It is best to translate it as Williams does, …show more content…
Some operate from the orientation that the good things in life are unlimited and accessible, while others belief that the opposite is true; that things that are good exist in limited quantities and are not easily accessible. Peasant societies operate from the latter paradigm in which goods, in their perception is limited. The New Testament world in the first century under Roman domination was a peasant society. This is evident in the life and the ministry of Jesus. It is also evident in the Book of Acts and in Pauline literature. The Philippian church, although some are on the upper end of the socioeconomic strata, most operated one the lower end of that stratum. The church would be classified as peasants. Consequently, as peasants, they operated from a perception of limited …show more content…
This, in turn, creates an antagonistic society. The antagonism was evident in the Roman Empire with their obsession with games and prize fights. The antagonism in the public was an analogy of the antagonism that existed in private between individuals and groups. The groups and individual become strongly competitive because the resources are of course limited. The commodity in which groups compete is honor. Honor is the ultimate good thing. This competition for honor can be seen throughout the first century and in the New Testament. The opponents of Jesus operated from a zero sum game in respect to honor if Jesus is honored they are in turn without honor. Paul’s missionary journeys encountered groups that operated with that same perspective. This is why many attempts are made to dishonor Jesus and Paul. Dishonoring Paul would somehow allow the mantel of honor to fall on them instead. This perspective on life triggers latent envy and jealousy for when one person wins the other loses. We have seen how this perspective of limited good is evidenced in the New Testament by means of the Gospels and Acts and Paul’s letters, now there will be a particular thorough examination in Paul’s addressing of the particular situation with his rivals. Before approaching that a word must be said about methodology at this