Paul: His Story

by Jerome Murphy-O'Connor

Overview

For someone who has exercised such a profound influence on Christian theology, Paul remains a shadowy figure behind the barrier of his complicated and difficult biblical letters. Debates about his meaning have deflected attention from his personality, yet his personality is an important key to understanding his theological ideas. This book redresses the balance. Jerome Murphy-O'Connor's disciplined imagination, nourished by a lifetime of research, shapes numerous textual, historical, and archaeological details into a colourful and enjoyable story of which Paul is the flawed but undefeated hero. This chronological narrative offers new insights into Paul's intellectual, emotional, and religious development and puts his travels, mission, and theological ideas into a plausible biographical context. As he changes from an assimilated Jewish teenager in Tarsus to a competitive Pharisee in Jerusalem and then to a driven missionary of Christ, the sometimes contradictory components of Paul's complex personality emerge from the way he interacts with people and problems. His theology was forged in dialogue and becomes more intelligible as our appreciation of his person deepens. In Jerome Murphy-O'Connor's engaging biography, the Apostle comes to life as a complex, intensely human individual.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780191574054
Publisher:	OUP Oxford
Publication date:	03/18/2004
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	793 KB

About the Author

Jerome Murphy-O'Connor OP was born in Cork, Ireland, and educated at the Christian Brothers College, Cork, and Castleknock College, Dublin. He entered the Irish Province of the Dominican order in September 1953 and, after studies at the the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 1960. After he completed his doctorate, he researched the Dead Sea Scrolls at Heidelberg University, Germany, and New Testament theology at Tubingen University, Germany. Since 1967 he has been based at the Ecole Biblique et Archéologique Francaise, Jerusalem, where he is Professor of New Testament.

Table of Contents

	List of Figures	xv
1	The Early Years	1
	Galilee	2
	Tarsus	3
	Going up to Jerusalem	7
	A City Set on a Mountain	9
	A Pharisee in the Holy City	11
	Did Paul meet Jesus in Jerusalem?	15
	Confrontation with Christianity	16
2	Conversion and Its Consequences	20
	Recognizing the Unrecognizable	21
	A Pharisee's Knowledge of Jesus	22
	Encounter with the Risen Lord	23
	Mission in Arabia	25
	Three Years in Damascus	27
	Learning a Trade	28
	A Hurried Departure	31
	Peter and Jesus	32
	A Messiah who should not have Died	34
3	Apprenticeship in Antioch	38
	The Third City of the Empire	39
	A Mixed Community	41
	Missions from Antioch	44
	A Traveller in a Strange Land	48
4	A Journey into Europe	54
	An Unexpected Visit to the Celts	56
	To the West and Europe	61
	The First Sea Journey	63
	Partnership at Philippi	65
	Missionary Strategy	70
	Labour in Thessalonica	72
5	South to Achaia	76
	Anxiety in Athens	76
	Corinth the Crossroads	79
	The First-fruits of Achaia	85
	Correspondence with Thessalonica	90
	Financial Matters	93
	A Crucial Date	95
6	Antioch and Jerusalem	97
	A Law-free Mission	98
	A Meeting in Jerusalem	101
	Trouble at Antioch	107
	Farewell to Antioch	111
7	The First Year in Ephesus	120
	A Return Visit to Pessinus	120
	Ephesus	122
	Crisis in Galatia	129
	A Sophisticated Strategy	132
8	The Second Year in Ephesus	139
	Imprisonment	139
	A Mistimed Gift	143
	The Weaknesses of a Pastor	144
	Trouble at Colossae	147
	A Pastor at his Best	151
	Future Plans	155
9	Conversations with Corinth	158
	Situation Reports on Corinth	159
	First Corinthians	163
	An Unplanned Visit to Corinth	167
	Faithful Macedonia	170
10	Macedonia and Illyricum	173
	An Emergency Plan	173
	The Report of Titus	175
	A Carefully Crafted Letter	179
	Missionary in Illyricum	186
	Bad News from Corinth	188
	A Furious Response	189
11	Farewell to the East	193
	Planning for the Future	194
	Decisions on Tactics	197
	A Letter to Rome	199
	Journey to Jerusalem	205
	Reception in Jerusalem	212
	In Roman Custody	215
12	The Final Years	218
	A Mission to Spain	218
	Return to Illyricum	220
	Macedonia and Asia	222
	A Problem in Ephesus	223
	A Fateful Journey to Rome	225
	Back in a Roman Gaol	228
	Sentence of Death	233
	Epilogue	235
	Notes	240
	Further Reading	251
	Index	253

Editorial Reviews

Murphy-O'Connor, a noted Pauline scholar, professor of New Testament at the Ecole Biblique et Archeologique Francais in Jerusalem and author of a previous work on the life of Paul, approaches the apostle from a critical and academic standpoint. The present work combines the biblical record with a deep understanding of the culture and geography of the region to produce an excellent, albeit inventive, biography. O'Connor draws from Paul's letters hints and shades of meaning that assist the reader in forming a consistent view of a sometimes conflicted but always fervent servant of God. The book is replete with conclusions drawn from inference, but the inferences are reasonable, and taken together, put flesh on the man. Beginning with Paul's childhood, and following him through his travels and finally to his death, Murphy-O'Connor brings Paul to life as a real person with real passions. The author nimbly handles aspects of Paul's teachings that have generated controversy, such as his views on the Jewish law or the leadership role of women. Written at a popular level, this book will be helpful as enrichment for the lay reader. Critical issues such as authorship, translation, sources and textual accuracy are mentioned only as they fit into the larger context of Paul, the man. Several maps depict the travels of Paul, and a suggested reading list offers guidance for further study. (June) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

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