Paul the 'AntiSemite'? About reading Paul as a Jew

~*~



THE
supposed conflict
between 'doing' as such &
'faith' as such
is simply NOT present
in GAL


what WAS at stake
was NOT a way of LIFE
summarized by the word "TRUST" versus
a mode of life summarized by
'requirements'
BUT
whether or not
the requirement for membership
in to the Israel of "G*D"
would result in there being
"NEITHER Jew
NOR Greek"

-

ONE
of the crucial passages in Paul
for determining
(or rather, constructing)
his posture vis-a-vis the Jewish religion - the Law -
is Galatians 3:10-4:7

-

Many interpreters,
especially of the "Lutheran" school,
have read this passage as if the 'curse of the Law'
consists of the inability of human beings to ever meet its demands fully
and therefore the irreparable curse that it places
on ALL!

-

The whole purpose of the Law,
on this account, is to increase SIN in the world,
so that the 'saving grace of the cross'
will be even more
abundant?

-

As can be imagined,
SUCH an interpretation of Paul leads easily to charges
that he was rabidly
'anti-Jewish' ...

-

Moreover,
IF such views are asserted as a theologically correct view of Judaism
and its historical role, THEN the theology is anti-Judaic
(and later anti-Semitic).

-

While there are, of course,
passages that CAN be read in support
of SUCH a perverse notion
of "G*D" -
ELSE it would not have achieved such widespread acceptance -
I would like to show
(AS have several other commentators by now)
that certainly in Galatians
THIS is BY NO MEANS
a NECESSARY construction
of the text.

-

Much
more plausible a priori, in my view,
would be a conception taht the ultimate inadequacy of the Law
stems from its ETHNIC EXCLUSIVENESS,
from the fact that it represents the practices of the Tribe of Israel
and THEREFORE is unsuitable as a way of life and of salvation
for the Universal Humanity
which Paul seeks to
institute.

-

EPS's insight here is also very important,
namely, that this section consists not so much of Paul's critique of the Law
but of his explanation of "G*D's purpose" in GIVING the Law,
given its inefficacy for salvation.

-

In a following myDisection
I will attempt to show that Paul produces a sort of radical,
"heretical" midrash - but midrash, nevertheless -
in support of his NEW UNDERSTANDINGS
of Judaism.
~verliefd~
engel
20 jun 2005 - bewerkt op 05 mrt 2008 - meld ongepast verhaal
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