Paul, Apostle of God's Glory in Christ

A Pauline Theology

Thomas R. Schreiner

• Publisher: IVP Academic
• Year: 2020
• eBook ISBN: 9780830854127
• Edition: 2
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblical Criticism & Interpretation

The theology of the apostle Paul is complex, set forth in numerous occasional letters, and subject to a seemingly endless variety of interpretations. How should students of Scripture engage the challenging task of discerning the shape of Paul's thought? In Paul, Apostle of God's Glory in Christ, Thomas R. Schreiner seeks to unearth Paul's worldview by observing what Paul actually says in his writings and laying out the most important themes and how they are connected.

According to Schreiner, "The passion of Paul's life, the foundation and capstone of his vision, and the animating motive of his mission was the supremacy of God in and through the Lord Jesus Christ." While continuing to return to this foundation, Schreiner explores themes such as the inclusion of the Gentiles in God's people, the power of sin, God's liberating work of grace, and the unity of the church, as well as the often-neglected topics of Paul as a missionary and his apostolic sufferings.

This second edition is revised throughout and engages with more recent works on Paul. While thoroughly informed by the issues of contemporary Pauline studies, Schreiner offers an accessible account of Paul's theology that focuses on the primary sources. Paul, Apostle of God's Glory in Christ remains a sound, insightful, and trusted exposition of Paul's theology that is well-geared to the needs of seminary students and working pastors.

CHAPTER ONE

Introduction

The Centrality of God in Christ in Paul’s Theology

THE GOAL IN WRITING A PAULINE THEOLOGY is to unearth his worldview and present it to contemporaries. The task is not merely to reproduce Paul’s thinking on various topics, but to rightly estimate what is most important in his thinking and to set forth the inner connections between the various themes. Such a task is difficult since Paul’s theology is complex and presented in occasional letters written to churches. If scholars debate the nature of John Calvin’s theology, even though he wrote an organized summary of his theology in the Institutes of the Christian Religion, how much more challenging is it to discern Paul’s theology since we lack a systematic explanation of his thought. It would be naive and pretentious to assert that I have discovered the key to Paul’s theology. Nonetheless, I believe that I have detected some themes that are insufficiently appreciated in most standard works on Paul. The goal in this work is not to interact point by point with other scholars who have investigated Pauline thought.1 Such a task would make this book far too long (and boring!). It should be evident, on the other hand, that this work has not been done in a vacuum and that the contributions of other scholars form the backdrop for what is discussed. The footnotes in each chapter either provide the source for a citation or point to works that should be consulted for further research.

The goal in the present work is to see what Paul says and to see it in the right proportions. Adolf Schlatter, the famous German New Testament scholar whose work has been rediscovered today, has rightly commented that the hardest thing to observe is often right in front of our eyes because we may think we have understood when we actually only have a superficial acquaintance with reality. He perceptively remarks:

The first task of New Testament theology consists in perceiving the facts of the case, and it would be childish to worry that there is no more work for us to do since countless scholars have been observing the New Testament for a long time now. That would show how little we were aware of the size of the task posed by the formula “observation.” What has happened exceeds in its fullness and depth our capacity for seeing, and there is no question of an end being reached even of the first and most simple function of New Testament study; namely, seeing what is there.2

Schlatter is correct when he says that the task is so large that no one can claim to have seen all that is present in the documents before us. And yet I hope that I can introduce a fresh vision of Paul to students in a relatively nontechnical way.

THE CENTER OF PAUL’S THOUGHT

Scholars have been attempting to perceive the central theme in Paul’s thought ever since biblical theology became a discipline in its own right.3

The sheer number of proposals has led some to doubt that any center can be identified at all. The very search for a center is dismissed as an attempt to capture the uncapturable. It smacks of an enlightenment pretension that claims the ability to summarize everything under one main idea. Anything that conflicts with the central theme is swept aside or domesticated. In the process the genuine Paul, the Paul with rough edges and sides, is planed down to fit a prefabricated theory. The danger of imposing an alien center on Paul is a real one, and it may be the case that no single theme embraces the whole of Paul’s thought. One of the problems here is with the word center itself. If one theme is in the center, then we may form an image or picture in our minds of other teachings in Paul radiating out from that center. If we conceive of the center as a bull’s-eye and of other Pauline themes as circles around the center, then we could get the impression that some Pauline teachings are crucial since they are near the center, whereas others are peripheral and insignificant since they are far from the center. We may be tempted, therefore, to erect a “canon within the canon” in which the core represents Paul’s real convictions and in which other themes (which do fit with our center) are dismissed as secondary and unimportant. The image of a center could lead to a static conception of Pauline theology that gives one theme hegemony and slots in other themes accordingly. No vital connection is established between the various themes, and the whole enterprise appears startlingly subjective.

Some centers proposed, however, have struck a chord with many Pauline scholars. Scholars have sensed that these themes are comprehensive enough to warrant further scrutiny or even to be accepted as “the center.” We think of themes like justification, defended by Ernst Käsemann, Peter Stuhlmacher, and Karl Kertelge;4 reconciliation, which has been proposed by Ralph Martin;5 the mystical doctrine of being “in Christ,” as it is set forth by Albert Schweitzer, or participation in Christ, as explained by E. P. Sanders;6 salvation history, supported by Herman Ridderbos and C. Marvin Pate (and we can probably put N. T. Wright here as well);7 or the imminent apocalyptic triumph of God, as defended by J. Christiaan Beker and now in a fresh way by Douglas Campbell.8 It is not the intention of this work to discuss the merits and demerits of each of these proposals individually. They would not have exercised such appeal if they were secondary motifs in Paul. Their obvious importance has provoked some scholars to propose, and some to ratify, them as the center. And yet others have, just as emphatically, denied that these various themes serve as the center of Paul’s thought, for in each case there are some Pauline themes that sit awkwardly with the proposed center.

I would like to suggest that each theme fails as the “center” for the same reason. Every proposed center suppresses part of the Pauline gospel. Identifying the center as, say, justification exalts the gift given above the giver. The gift of righteousness is not more important in Paul’s thinking than the person who gave the gift. A similar objection could be directed against the idea that reconciliation should have pride of place. Nor does salvation history or apocalyptic fare any better. In these instances the fulfillment of God’s promises in the history of redemption is featured. Jesus Christ is acknowledged as the fulcrum of history, but the focus is fixed on salvation history, reconciliation, or apocalyptic instead of on God and Jesus Christ. God’s unfolding plan in history cannot be more central than the person who generates and sustains the plan. The fulfillment of God’s saving promises is of massive importance. It would be a mistake, though, if the promises received more attention than the one who made and fulfilled them. Now some may object that I have already imposed on Paul my own “center.” They may think that I have placed a preformed grid over the Pauline materials so that my preferred theme emerges as victorious. We must all beware of preformatting Paul in such a way that his voice is not heard. I can only say at this juncture that I will attempt to demonstrate in this chapter that the centrality of God in Christ is not imposed from without but is vindicated by an inductive study of his letters.

THE IMAGE OF A HOUSE

The image of a house may help us visualize the heart and soul of Pauline theology. I am not using the illustration of the house in the same way Paul himself does, where the house functions as an illustration of the church. For instance, Paul describes Apollos and himself as workers in God’s house, that is, in the church of Jesus Christ (1 Cor 3:5-13). Paul plays the vital role of the one laying the foundation of the house (i.e., the church), and he warns that those who work on the house must be careful to build on the foundation (1 Cor 3:9-15). The foundation of the building is Jesus Christ himself (1 Cor 3:11). Similarly, in Ephesians 2:20-22, Paul also conceives of the church as God’s temple, though here the foundation is the apostles and prophets and Jesus Christ is the cornerstone. I use the illustration of a house here because it is suggestive in conceiving of Paul’s theology, not because Paul himself supplies such an illustration. No analogy fits perfectly when we try to communicate the Pauline gospel. Visualizing Paul’s thought in terms of the building of a house provides an entry point into Paul’s thought, a doorway through which we can enter into his worldview.

The foundation of the house is God himself. From him the house takes its shape, and it is utterly dependent on him for its growth. The house in this illustration represents God’s saving plan in history, and that plan includes the role of the church in history. God is the foundation for all that occurs, “because from him and through him and for him are all things. May the glory be his forever” (Rom 11:36).9 The words we wish to highlight here are “from him” (ex autou): God is the source of all things—he is the foundation. This verse is not wrenched out of context because Paul introduces this thought after explaining in Romans 9–11 God’s saving plan by which both Jews and Gentiles will be beneficiaries of God’s saving mercy. God has constructed history so as to pour his lavish mercy on both Jews and Gentiles. That God is the origin of all things is confirmed in 1 Corinthians 8:6, “But for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things.” One advantage of thinking of God as the foundation is that the other teachings of Paul are not then conceived as concentric circles that are farther and farther from the center. Whether Paul thinks of justification, reconciliation, or sin, they are all based on the foundation; they are not separate from the foundation, nor are they far removed from it. These themes frame the house (or they are the pillars of the house) and give it detail, but all these themes depend on the foundation. Since God is the foundation of the house and it depends on him for its survival, he deserves honor for the building of the house. Paul draws this very conclusion in Romans 11:36. Since God is the one from whom all things come, he is therefore the one who receives glory.

Such an illustration also highlights the importance of salvation history, what is often called the “already but not yet” dimension of Pauline theology. When we speak of salvation history, we think of the fulfillment of God’s saving plan and promises. The fulfillment of God’s plan in history is announced in the Pauline gospel. The promises made to Israel in the Old Testament have now become a reality in and through the ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God’s saving promises are already a reality for the believer in Jesus Christ—in this sense God’s plan is “already” being fulfilled. The gift of the Holy Spirit, for example, demonstrates that God’s covenant promises are now a reality for those who have faith. On the other hand, believers still await the consummation of salvation history; in this sense we do “not yet” enjoy all that God has promised. Believers who have the gift of the Spirit still struggle with sin and await the day when their bodies will be resurrected (Rom 8:18-25). Salvation history, then, could represent the remodeling of the house since the new covenant fulfills what was promised in the old (Jer 31:31-34; 2 Cor 3:4-18). The image of “remodeling” is misleading if it suggests that God “starts over” with the church. Perhaps we should think of the Old Testament as the framing of the house and think of the fulfillment of salvation history as the completion of the inside of the house. We could also say that the theme of salvation history is the gospel of God (Rom 1:1). Hence, the image of the house nicely captures various dimensions of Paul’s theology—the foundation is God and Christ, salvation history portrays the progress being made on the house, and the theme of the house is the gospel.

The newer apocalyptic study of Paul questions a salvation-historical emphasis as too neat and tidy, contending that salvation history ignores the disruptions in history when the people of God move backward instead of forward. The story isn’t a linear narrative but is full of starts and stops, and salvation history in particular, it is worried, fails to see God’s irruption into history, the dramatic and sudden work of God that totally transforms everything. I would suggest, however, that apocalyptic and salvation history aren’t enemies but friends. Yes, there is a story and it has a linear shape, but the story moves forward and lurches backwards, and so we don’t have a straight line.10 God’s intervention into history upends history and simplistic explanations of the storyline. Still, there is a storyline beginning from the promises made to Eve (Gen 3:15), Abraham (Gen 12:1-3), David (2 Sam 7), the prophets (e.g., Jer 31:31-34; Ezek 36:26-27), and moving forward to Christ. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the story, even if that fulfillment takes place in surprising and unanticipated ways.

GOD AND CHRIST

God is not only the foundation of the house; he and his Son, Jesus the Messiah, are the means by which the house is built. They are the architects, the contractors, and the workers who build the house. Saying that God is the one who builds the house does not deny the role of human beings in the house’s construction. It has already been noted that Paul lays the foundation of the house (i.e., the church) and others build on the foundation (1 Cor 3:9-15). But the work accomplished by Paul and others is ultimately ascribed to God (1 Cor 3:5-7). One plants and another waters, “but God is the one who gives the growth” (1 Cor 3:7). And the foundation laid for the house is none other than Jesus Christ (1 Cor 3:11).

One should not conceive of God (or Christ) merely as a static foundation of the house; he is actively building the house now. Once again, both Romans 11:36 and 1 Corinthians 8:6 are germane. The house comes not only from God but also “through him” (Rom 11:36). The agency of Jesus Christ is featured. In 1 Corinthians 8:6 he says that there “is one Lord, Jesus the Messiah, through whom are all things and we exist through him.” Jesus is the agent through which all things, without exception, exist. A similar theme is sounded in Colossians. Everything in the universe is created “in Christ,” whether earthly or heavenly beings. In other words, “all things have been created through him and for him” (Col 1:16). Nothing exists in the universe apart from the mediating, creative work of Christ. Nor is it right to think of Christ’s work in the past only, as if he brought the world into being and then it continues on its own power. Colossians 1:17 clarifies that “all things in him hold together.” The natural world endures and continues because of the dynamic work of the Son who continually sustains and preserves it. Suffice it to say that we have ample evidence that the building, whether it is conceived of as the people of God or the universe, would not remain without the sustaining and preserving work of the Father and the Son.

To continue the illustration, what is the ultimate goal of the building of the house? The goal is not the building itself, whether it is conceived in terms of God’s righteousness, reconciliation, salvation history, or apocalyptic. All of these themes are dimensions of the house, but they are not the end for which the house was made. Fulfilling salvation history cannot itself be the goal of salvation history since that would be redundant. Instead God has built the house to bring honor and praise to himself. Romans 11:36 again surfaces as a crucial text: “Because from him and through him and for him are all things. May the glory be his forever.” Not only do all things have their source and agency in God, he is also the one “for whom” (eis auton) all things exist. Similarly, in 1 Corinthians 8:6, after Paul says that all things are from the Father, he reaches a climax by saying that “we exist for him” (hymeis eis auton). Nor is such language restricted to the Father, for not only were all things created by means of the Son’s agency, but also “all things were created for him” (Col 1:16). The ultimate reason for the creation of the world and for the fulfillment of salvation history (see Rom 11:36) is for the sake of the Father and the Son. Doubtless the metaphor of the house is imperfect since, for example, the Father is both the foundation of the house and the reason the house was made. But it conveys the dynamic interaction of the various themes better than the term center, and it also provides a visual image by which the various Pauline themes are laid on the superstructure of the ultimate foundation, that is, God himself. He is the source, the means, and the goal of all things. Th...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Dedication Page
• Contents
• Preface to the Second Edition
• Preface to the First Edition
• Abbreviations
• 1 Introduction: The Centrality of God in Christ in Paul’s Theology
• 2 Proclaiming a Magnificent God: The Pauline Mission
• 3 The Basis of Mission: The Fulfillment of the Promise to Abraham
• 4 Suffering and the Pauline Mission: The Means of Spreading the Gospel
• 5 Dishonoring God: The Violation of God’s Law
• 6 Dishonoring God: The Power of Sin
• 7 The Person of Jesus Christ: The Exaltation of Christ for the Glory of God
• 8 God’s Saving Righteousness: The Basis of a Right Relationship with God
• 9 God’s Liberating Work for His People: Divine Transforming Grace
• 10 Living to Honor God: The Power to Live a New Life
• 11 Faith and Hope: The Ground of Perseverance
• 12 Life of Love in the Spirit: Exhortations and the Law in Paul
• 13 The Church and Spiritual Gifts: The Unity of God’s People
• 14 The Ordinances of the Church and Its Ministry: The Building Up of the Body
• 15 The Social World of the New Community: Living as Christians in the Culture
• 16 The Hope of God’s People: The Fulfillment of God’s Saving Purposes
• Epilogue: Magnifying God in Christ
• Author Index
• Subject Index
• Scripture Index
• Notes
• Praise for Paul, Apostle of God's Glory in Christ
• About the Author
• More Titles from InterVarsity Press
• Copyright