Snatched into Paradise (2 Cor 12:1-10)
eBook - PDF

Snatched into Paradise (2 Cor 12:1-10)

Paul's Heavenly Journey in the Context of Early Christian Experience

  1. 403 pages
  2. English
  3. PDF
  4. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - PDF

Snatched into Paradise (2 Cor 12:1-10)

Paul's Heavenly Journey in the Context of Early Christian Experience

About this book

Recent scholars have tended to interpret 2 Corinthians 12:1–10 as an attempt to belittle ecstatic experiences, such as Paul's ascent to paradise, in favor of suffering in the service of the gospel. This study offers an alternative. An analysis of ascent traditions in the Greco-Roman and Jewish worlds investigates ascent as both a literary motif and a religious practice. This analysis probes several issues relevant to 2 Cor 12:1–10, including dynamics of ascent and suffering. The study turns next to religious experiences Paul believes he and his communities have undergone. A pattern emerges in which extraordinary experiences provide the basis for suffering and service. Moreover, Paul expects his communities to have had experiences similar to, if less dramatic than, his ascent to heaven. The author argues that in its context in 2 Corinthians, Paul's ascent should be understood as an encounter with Christ that transcends human language and endows Paul with divine power, which must be refined through suffering. With the help of four premodern interpreters, the study further explores the theological relevance of Paul's ascent. For Paul, mystical encounter with Christ forms the precondition for suffering and service because it enables self-transcending love for God and neighbors.

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Yes, you can access Snatched into Paradise (2 Cor 12:1-10) by James Buchanan Wallace in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Theology & Religion & Biblical Criticism & Interpretation. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Information

Table of contents

  1. Acknowledgements
  2. Table of Contents
  3. Abbreviations
  4. 1. Introduction
  5. 2. Ascent to Heaven in the Greco-Roman World
  6. 3. Ascent to Heaven in Ancient Judaism and Christianity
  7. 4. Religious Experience in Paul’s Letters
  8. 5. Second Corinthians 12:1-10 in its Context
  9. 6. Premodern Interpretation of 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 in the Eastern Church
  10. Epilogue
  11. Bibliography
  12. Index of Ancient Texts
  13. Index of Modern Authors
  14. Index of Subjects