Abstract
This volume contains essays on the influence of Paul in the second century. The essays are organized by author (Paul and Tertullian, etc) or by theme (2nd Century Women and the Pauline legacy, etc.). In the introduction, Joseph Dodson lays out the groundwork for the essays to follow. Regrettably, he uncritically uses terms such as “heresy” and pulls quotes from Bauer's Orthodoxy and Heresy, such as “the oriental danger zone.” This is problematic in light of scholarship on empire in recent decades. Furthermore, many of the authors are inconsistent in terminology, struggling with issues of canon. Likewise, the Pastorals are often taken as Pauline without qualification. That said, not all authors struggle with issues of canon (Still, Gregory, Blackwell, Hogan, Foster, and Elliott), but the majority use slippery language in describing the Second Testament.
In Chapter 1, Stanley Porter examines the early stages of the Pauline letter collection. He delineates the different theories concerning when and how the letters of Paul came to be collected. Using gradual collection theory, lapse interest theory, composite anti-gnostic theory, and personal involvement theory, Porter seems fixated on the issue of the validity of the Pastoral Epistles being authentic Pauline documents, which colors his conclusions. Furthermore, his exposition of the various schools of thought on Pauline collection is helpful but does little to prove his position that Paul collected the letters himself. In Chapter 2, Carl Smith examines Pauline influence on Ignatius of Antioch. He uses the lenses of Christology, Jewish practices among followers of Jesus, the role of the bishop, and suffering and martyrdom to do so. Smith counters claims that Ignatius is anti-Semitic, preferring the term “anti-Judaism” to anti-semitism. The distinction is well taken, but he goes too far in cleaning up Ignatius. He concludes that the bishop was primarily an innovator of Pauline doctrine.
In Chapter 3, Michael Holmes analyzes Polycarp's use of Paul. He notes possible parallels with Pauline letters as well as other non-Pauline literature such as 1 Peter, 1 Clement, and 1 John. Here too, the author searches for a means to identify Pauline texts as a canon of sorts, but notes that Polycarp cites other literature (1 Clement) with equal authority as Pauline literature. This, he states, is surprising, although many other early Christian leaders do the same. Rather, it would be more surprising if Polycarp did not cite other texts.
In three of the stronger essays (Chapters 4, 5, and 6), Michael Bird sets out to correct the Pauline textual references in Diognetus compiled by Meecham, Todd Still looks to the sources of Marcion's understanding of Paul, and Paul Foster tackles Justin Martyr's use of Pauline texts. Bird concludes by noting that Paul is a major influence on the author, with the apologists of the early church in the background. Still notes that, rather than take Paul at face value, it appears that Marcion shaped Paul in his own image. Foster sets out to see if there are any parallels between Paul and Justin Martyr in spite of Justin not having cited the apostle directly. He concludes that the evidence is far too weak for any Pauline parallels to be found in Justin.
In Chapter 7, Nicholas Perrin sets out to analyze Valentinus' and Theodotus' use of Paul. Perrin concludes that the Valentinians saw Paul as “the” apostle, but the extent of their exposure to Paul's letters is unknown. In Chapter 8, Joel Willitts addresses Jewish-Christian relations in the second century. He addresses issues such as defining “Jewish-Christian” and “Gentile-Christian,” how either group would have interacted with Pauline texts, and how ethnicity should be understood in the first and second centuries. Further, he analyzes a number of second century documents to determine if they were written from a Jewish-Christian perspective or a Gentile-Christian perspective. Willitts concludes that Jewish Christ-believers in the second century had varying attitudes towards Paul rather than a monolithic anti-Pauline perspective. In Chapter 9, Andrew Gregory tackles the Acts of Paul and its connection to the Pauline legacy. He concludes that the Paul in the Acts of Paul is similar to the one in the Pauline letters with some caveats (e.g., issues of Jewish Law are absent from the text and the character of Paul emphasizes the ascetic life more than in the letters). In Chapter 10, Ben Blackwell approaches Irenaeus' use of Paul through the lens of Marguerat's tripartite reception model. He concludes that Irenaeus favors a doctrinal reception of Paul rather than a biographical one.
In Chapter 11, Andrew Bain delineates Tertullian's use of Paul through his arguments against “heretics.” Bain argues that for Tertullian, Paul is not to be dismissed because of Marcion, but rather Tertullian demonstrates that Marcion's Paul is the false one. In Chapter 12, Pauline Nigh Hogan analyzes how Paul's letters may have influenced second-century Christian women. The majority of Hogan's essay is a strong contribution to the volume as she analyses the influence of Galatians 3:28, Ephesians 4:13, and 1 Corinthians 7:34 on early Christian women's roles in the church. In Chapter 13, Mark Elliott wraps up the volume with a summary of Irenaeus's, Clement's, Tertullian's, and Origen's respective takes on Paul. This is a forward looking essay that is brief but well-crafted, pointing toward the issues within Patristic scholarship but also noting how the four authors were products of their time, utilizing Paul in particular situations.
The volume as a whole is uneven in quality, and many essays are plagued with anachronistic notions of canon and authority. This is not meant to detract from strong essays such as Hogan's and Perrin's, but rather is a caution to those who would have younger students read the book in its entirety without guidance.