Outside of Jesus Christ, there may not be a more important figure in Christianity other than St. Paul the Apostle. Paul was at one point a persecutor of early Christians, however a revelation experience in the mid-30’s AD changed his view of the faith. He ultimately became the most prominent figure in the spread of early Christianity, as his many missions established Christian churches throughout the Roman Empire. During the time of his missions, Paul penned numerous letters to the various Christian communities that he had helped establish. Pauline writings were the earliest of the New Testament writings, and ultimately comprise a third of the New Testament. One letter of particular interest when studying the theology of Paul and the early
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Paul explicitly denounces what he perceives to be Christless religiosity practiced by Jewish Christians, as ritualistic practices and archaic law was contradictory to his theological views of what Christianity should be. The opening Chapter Three in particular is rich in delineating the differences between Pauline theology and the theology of Judaic Christians. Paul urges the Philippians to, “beware of the dogs! Beware of the mutilation! For we are the circumcision, we who worship through the Spirit of God, who boast in Christ Jesus and do not put our confidence in flesh” (Phil 3:2-3). The usage of the word “dogs” in the first sentence is rather vague and cryptic. However, similar language is utilized in other Pauline letters to describe a group of Christians known as Judaizers, Jewish Christians who insisted Gentile Christians submit to Mosaic Law . They believed that in order for Gentiles to truly accept a Jewish Messiah, they had to become Jews first. Ritualistically, part of becoming a Jew was the act of circumcision, as outlined in the …show more content…
Paul introduces his audience to suffering leading to joy through a description of the situation he is in while writing the letter. As has already been mentioned, Paul was imprisoned at the time of this letter’s writing. However, prisons during his time period were significantly more brutal than they are today, as can be evidenced by Paul’s death at the hands of a prison torturer around 62 AD. In the first chapter of the letter, Paul weighs the positives and negatives of staying alive in prison against dying as a martyr. He ultimately states regarding his predicament, “Yet that I remain in the flesh is more necessary for your benefit. And this I know with confidence, that I shall remain and continue in the service of all of you for your progress and joy in the faith” (Phil 24:25). Paul had expressed earlier in his lecture on life and death how he really wishes that he could die. The rotten conditions that he was enduring in prison caused him to wish that he could join his savior Jesus Christ in heaven. Thus, much like many a man must do in a lifetime, Paul had to choose between what he very much wanted to do and what he must do. Yet he sacrifices for others, and subsequently for Christ and the Gospel,
Paul explicitly denounces what he perceives to be Christless religiosity practiced by Jewish Christians, as ritualistic practices and archaic law was contradictory to his theological views of what Christianity should be. The opening Chapter Three in particular is rich in delineating the differences between Pauline theology and the theology of Judaic Christians. Paul urges the Philippians to, “beware of the dogs! Beware of the mutilation! For we are the circumcision, we who worship through the Spirit of God, who boast in Christ Jesus and do not put our confidence in flesh” (Phil 3:2-3). The usage of the word “dogs” in the first sentence is rather vague and cryptic. However, similar language is utilized in other Pauline letters to describe a group of Christians known as Judaizers, Jewish Christians who insisted Gentile Christians submit to Mosaic Law . They believed that in order for Gentiles to truly accept a Jewish Messiah, they had to become Jews first. Ritualistically, part of becoming a Jew was the act of circumcision, as outlined in the …show more content…
Paul introduces his audience to suffering leading to joy through a description of the situation he is in while writing the letter. As has already been mentioned, Paul was imprisoned at the time of this letter’s writing. However, prisons during his time period were significantly more brutal than they are today, as can be evidenced by Paul’s death at the hands of a prison torturer around 62 AD. In the first chapter of the letter, Paul weighs the positives and negatives of staying alive in prison against dying as a martyr. He ultimately states regarding his predicament, “Yet that I remain in the flesh is more necessary for your benefit. And this I know with confidence, that I shall remain and continue in the service of all of you for your progress and joy in the faith” (Phil 24:25). Paul had expressed earlier in his lecture on life and death how he really wishes that he could die. The rotten conditions that he was enduring in prison caused him to wish that he could join his savior Jesus Christ in heaven. Thus, much like many a man must do in a lifetime, Paul had to choose between what he very much wanted to do and what he must do. Yet he sacrifices for others, and subsequently for Christ and the Gospel,