Contours Of Pauline Theology

Hollands primary thesis is to demonstrate that the theology of Paul is strongly indebted to the Hebrew Bible. In chapter 1 Holland rejects the view that Paul Hellenized the Christian message or that he consciously departed from Jesus teaching (11). He argues rather that Pauls theology has its roots and model in the Passover and exodus (12). Chapter 2 asserts that Paul picked up the new exodus paradigm through his citations of Isaiah, particularly evident in Romans. Holland writes, Paul received his theological model from his Jewish upbringing, in which he was taught that Yahweh would bring about the promises New Exodus. He had come to realise that this had been inaugurated by the death of the only Son in his Paschal death (43). Holland then discusses faulty presuppositions in Pauline theology in chapter 3. He attacks the purported view that Hellenism and Gnosticism are the appropriate backgrounds for New Testament study. Holland writes of a growing realisatio n that the New Testament is not a collection of Hellenistic writings, as argued by the liberal forefathers, for it is being increasingly recognised to be a collection of essentially, if not entirely, Jewish writings. [Full Review]