Introduction:
“Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: ‘It is well for a man not to touch a woman.’” This is according to the Apostle Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians. Although Saint Paul goes on to say that it is better for one to be married to avoid sexual immorality, historians widely believe that his sexual ethics, especially in relation to virginity, played a significant role in the lives of Christians, especially young women, throughout the early Church. The Acts of Paul, an apocryphal text according to Saint Jerome, written between 185-195 C.E. relates an expanded treatise of Paul’s understanding of the necessity, or lack thereof, for identifiable sexuality within human life and marriage. Expounded upon further …show more content…
There is no verified historical proof which certifiably cites her as an actual person. That being said, this does not undermine the possibility that Thecla was a real person; rather, it raises the probability that she is a character piece in a popular novel of that era. I tend to believe, based on the writings of Tertullian, Jerome, Origen, Gregory of Nyssa, Egeria, and the author of 1 and 2 Timothy that Thecla is a historical figure, but her actual role as an Apostle to Paul is highly embellished. What reasonably can be surmised is that Thecla is a female from Iconium who served with Paul as a …show more content…
The Apostle Paul was traveling on the Royal Road with his companions Demas and Hermogenes, who the text notes were full of hypocrisy. It should be noted that the Royal Road, which is maintained by the Roman Empire, will play into numerous interpretations of the Thecla story. Moreover, upon meeting Onesiphorus, our author(s) note that Paul is a bald man of short stature who has a crook. The text goes on to say that he occasionally has the face of an angel, but this text seems to be making a mockery of Paul’s appearance and status. I believe the text reveals Paul in this way to juxtapose him against Thecla’s suitor. Paul then enters into the home of Onesiphorus with his family and Paul’s companions. While there, Paul begins preaching a version of the Beatitudes remarkably similar to Matthew
“Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: ‘It is well for a man not to touch a woman.’” This is according to the Apostle Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians. Although Saint Paul goes on to say that it is better for one to be married to avoid sexual immorality, historians widely believe that his sexual ethics, especially in relation to virginity, played a significant role in the lives of Christians, especially young women, throughout the early Church. The Acts of Paul, an apocryphal text according to Saint Jerome, written between 185-195 C.E. relates an expanded treatise of Paul’s understanding of the necessity, or lack thereof, for identifiable sexuality within human life and marriage. Expounded upon further …show more content…
There is no verified historical proof which certifiably cites her as an actual person. That being said, this does not undermine the possibility that Thecla was a real person; rather, it raises the probability that she is a character piece in a popular novel of that era. I tend to believe, based on the writings of Tertullian, Jerome, Origen, Gregory of Nyssa, Egeria, and the author of 1 and 2 Timothy that Thecla is a historical figure, but her actual role as an Apostle to Paul is highly embellished. What reasonably can be surmised is that Thecla is a female from Iconium who served with Paul as a …show more content…
The Apostle Paul was traveling on the Royal Road with his companions Demas and Hermogenes, who the text notes were full of hypocrisy. It should be noted that the Royal Road, which is maintained by the Roman Empire, will play into numerous interpretations of the Thecla story. Moreover, upon meeting Onesiphorus, our author(s) note that Paul is a bald man of short stature who has a crook. The text goes on to say that he occasionally has the face of an angel, but this text seems to be making a mockery of Paul’s appearance and status. I believe the text reveals Paul in this way to juxtapose him against Thecla’s suitor. Paul then enters into the home of Onesiphorus with his family and Paul’s companions. While there, Paul begins preaching a version of the Beatitudes remarkably similar to Matthew