Second Corinthians in the Perspective of Late Second Temple Judaism

In the framework of a larger research project into ‘New Perspectives on Paul and the Jews’, eight scholars from Europe, Israel, and North America join forces in querying Paul’s relationship to Jews and Judaism. The sample text selected for this inquiry is the Second Letter to the Corinthians, a document particularly suited for this purpose as it reflects violent clashes between Paul and rivalling Jews and Jewish Christians. While the first three articles address more general literary and historical questions, the following five present in-depth case studies of much-studied passages from the letter and the underlying issues. An introductory essay queries how in the case at hand we can gain an adequate understanding of Paul’s theology while fully respecting his particular place in Judaism.

• Table of contents
• Peter J. Tomson, Introductory Essay
• Reimund Bieringer, Love as That Which Binds Everything Together? The Unity of 2 Corinthians Revisited in Light of αγαπ-Terminology
• Martin Goodman, The Politics of the Fifties: Jewish leadership and the Jews of Corinth in the Time of 2 Corinthians
• Joshua Schwartz, Methodological Remarks on ‘Jewish’ Identity: Jews, Jewish Christians and Prolegomena on Pauline Judaism
• Friedrich Avemarie, The Notion of a ‘New Covenant’ in 2 Cor 3: Its Function in Paul’s Argument and Its Jewish Background
• Peter J. Tomson, Christ, Belial, and Women: 2 Cor 6:14-7:1 Compared with Ancient Judaism and with the Pauline Corpus
• Ze’ev Safrai and Peter J. Tomson, Paul’s ‘Collection for the Saints’ (2 Cor 8-9) and Financial Support of Leaders in Early Christianity and Judaism
• Catherine Hezser, Paul’s ‘Fool’s Speech’ (2 Cor 11:16-32) in the Context of Ancient Jewish and Graeco-Roman Culture
• Christopher R.A. Morray-Jones, The Ascent into Paradise (2 Cor 12:1-12): Paul’s Merkava Vision and Apostolic Call

The book addresses scholars of the New Testament and Christian origins, Ancient Judaism, and Early Church History.