05.10.2013 Views

PAUL AND THE RHETORIC OF REVERSAL: KERYGMATIC ...

PAUL AND THE RHETORIC OF REVERSAL: KERYGMATIC ...

PAUL AND THE RHETORIC OF REVERSAL: KERYGMATIC ...

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

Disputed Paulines 27<br />

Colossians 3–4<br />

Again, the opening vice list is divided into two distinct sections, the first including sexual<br />

immorality (πορνείαν), impurity (ἀκαθαρσίαν), passionate desire (πάθος ἐπιθυμίαν κακήν)<br />

and greed (πλεονεξίαν), and the second involving anger and other inter-personal vices:<br />

Colossians 3:5-7: Theme I: sexual immorality, impurity, evil lusts, greed, idolatry<br />

Put to death, therefore, those parts that are earthly: sexual immorality [πορνείαν],<br />

impurity [ἀκαθαρσίαν], evil passionate desire [πάθος ἐπιθυμίαν κακήν], and greed<br />

[πλεονεξίαν], which is idolatry [εἰδωλολατρία] – on account of which the wrath of<br />

God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. 28 You used to walk among them, when<br />

you pursued these things.<br />

Colossians 3:8: Theme II: wrath, evil speech<br />

But now you must also get rid of all things such as wrath [ὀργήν], anger [θυμόν], evil<br />

[κακίαν], slander [βλασφημίαν], shameful speech from your mouth [αἰσχρολογίαν].<br />

Once more, this is followed by a “virtue” section (including much of chapters 3 and 4) that<br />

climactically emphasises mutual love (ἐπὶ πᾶσιν δὲ τούτοις τὴν ἀγάπην) within the one body<br />

(ἐν ἑνὶ σώματι):<br />

Colossians 3:12–4:1: Theme II: love; one body<br />

27 Even if the remaining epistles are not Pauline, they at least represent an early conscious<br />

attempt to sit faithfully within Pauline tradition. Thus, as extended letters in the Pauline<br />

tradition, they will still be of interest. For this reason, my examination of Pauline ethics<br />

includes contested Pauline epistles. As it turns out, the non-contested epistles remain<br />

prominent in terms of the pattern I am arguing for. The letters that appear least to fit the<br />

pattern that I am suggesting are the Pastorals.<br />

28 I leave this textually uncertain phrase in my translation, but its presence or absence does not<br />

bear upon my point.<br />

206

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!