The sources collectively advocate for a significant re-evaluation of Paul, urging a shift from interpreting him as an apostate from Judaism to understanding him firmly "within Judaism." Traditional scholarship, often influenced by Christian normative theology, is criticized for using anachronistic terms like "Christianity" and "church" to describe the first-century Jesus movement. This imposed modern religious distinctions onto the past, creating a false dichotomy that portrayed Paul as fundamentally opposed to Jewish "legalism." The "Paul within Judaism" perspective argues that Paul remained a Torah-observant Jew. His controversial statements, particularly regarding Torah observance and circumcision, were not universal condemnations of Jewish law. Instead, they were specific instructions for Christ-following non-Jews, whom Paul believed should worship the God of Israel without converting to a full Jewish identity. This reflected the diverse and flexible nature of Jewish law (halakah) in the first century, where different interpretations of observance coexisted. Paul's gentile converts were envisioned as occupying a unique "in-between" identity—neither full Jewish proselytes nor traditional idolaters. This nuanced status was crucial to Paul's "chronometrical gospel," which held that the awaited messianic age had dawned, necessitating a distinct role for non-Jews alongside Jews. By challenging essentializing categories and anachronistic terminology, this new perspective aims to provide a more historically accurate understanding of Paul, rooted in his Jewish context and responsive to the complex social and political realities of the Roman world.
Paul Within Judaism: The State Of Questions
The Question Of Terminology: Contempory Discussions On Paul.
The Question Of Assumptions: Torah Observance In The First Century
The Question Of Conceptualization Qualifying Pauls Position On Circumcision
The Question Of Identity: Gentiles In Pauline Communities
The Question Of Worship: Gods, Pagans, And The Redemption Of Israel
The Question Of Politics: Paul As A Jew Under Roman Law
The Question Of Gender: Relocation Of Paul In Relation To Judaism