Paul and the Language of Scripture
Citation Technique in the Pauline Epistles and Contemporary Literature

A careful examination of the way Paul and other ancient authors handled the wording of their explicit quotations.

Christopher D. Stanley (Author)

9780521077965, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 11 September 2008

412 pages
22.4 x 14.4 x 2.3 cm, 0.52 kg

Explicit quotations from the Jewish Scriptures play a vital role in several of the apostle Paul's letters to struggling Christian congregations. In most cases the wording of these quotations differs markedly from all known versions of the biblical text. Studies of Paul's use of scripture routinely note the problem and suggest possible solutions, but none to date has made this phenomenon the primary object of investigation. The present study aims to remedy this deficiency with a careful examination of the way Paul and other ancient authors handled the wording of their explicit quotations. In drawing general conclusions, Dr Stanley examines the broader social environment that made 'interpretive renderings' a normal and accepted part of the literary landscape of antiquity.

Part I. The Issues: 1. Defining the issues
2. A question of method
Part II. Citation Technique in the Letters of Paul: 3. Sources
4. The evidence of Romans
5. The evidence of 1 and 2 Corinthians and Galatians
6. Paul and the text of Scripture
Part III. Comparative Studies: 7. Citation technique in Greco-Roman literature
8. Citation technique in early Judaism
9. Conclusions.

Subject Areas: Biblical studies & exegesis [HRCG]