Frank

Cheryl, I would like to amend the first sentence, of the third paragraph in Comment 10 to read, “Now, in 1 Tim. 2:8-15, we again have the same pattern of general rules for the churches, rooted in Paul’s own teaching and practices…,” and not as “rooted in the Lord Jesus’ teaching and practices.” And the original error was due to a trick of eye or mind (I’m not sure which), I here now correct it. And as one who has translated and exegeted NT texts myself, I want to express my appreciation for the great care you have taken in navigating us through 1 Tim. 2:11-15. From what I have seen in consulting the various commentaries available, this is a very complex and difficult passage for any exegete to sail through without running aground somewhere. Yet, I think it is fair to say, if I may so put it, that you have done a fine job in piloting us around some of this text’s more dangerous shoals and reefs. So with your permission, I would like to finish my comments on the parallels between 1 Cor. 11:33b-40 and 1 Tim. 2:11-15, and the necessity, as gengell succinctly puts it (41), of setting them in their proper place within the entire Pauline corpus.

Most NT scholars acknowledge that 1 Corinthinans 11-14 is a subsection of a larger literary unit that begins in 7:1 and ends in 15:58. And in this section, as a result of both a letter and an oral report from Chloe’s house church, Paul finds himself again addressing problems that he had previously dealt with (cf. 1 Cor. 1:10-17; 5:1-12; 7:1-16). Whether it has to do with sexual ethics, marriage and divorce (Ch 7); food offered to idols (Ch 8); the difference to be made between liberty and license (Chs 9-10), etc–Paul is constantly having to define and clarify, rebuke and correct, chastise and remind the Corinthians of teachings and rules and guidelines that he has reviewed with them several times, and which he had expected them to have learned and understood now before visiting them again (Cf. 2 Cor. 13:1-4, which indicates Paul is primarily referring to the second of three visits he was to make to Corinth in order to deal with these persistent disorders).

Now what I find most interesting about 1 Cor. 11:2-14:40, is what I would describe as the “stark contrast” between 11:2-16, which serves as the introduction of this literary section, and 14:33b-40, which serves as its conclusion. In 11:2-16, Paul “commends” the Corinthian congregation for praying and prophesying in compliance with “the traditions,” or authoritative teachings, he has passed on as regulating all Christian belief and practice. And in agreement with many NT schloars, I believe he is referring to the tradition of “the New Creation in Christ,” which he first sets forth in Gal. 3:26-4:7, and then further develops in 2 Cor. 5:11-6:4; Rom. 4:13-17; and Rom. 8:12-21. But in this passage, he gently rebukes a partial misunderstanding of this tradition. However, I will have to finish the rest of this comment tomorrow. I have some errands I must run now. To be continued…