Paul Among Jews and Gentile [Paperback]

Krister Stendahl (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1976

A sharp challenge to traditional ways of understanding Paul is sounded in this book by a distinguished interpreter of the New Testament. Krister Stendahl proposes-in the key title essay-new ways of exploring Paul's speech: Paul must be heard as one who speaks of his call rather than conversion, of justification rather than forgiveness, or weakness rather than sin, of love rather than integrity, and in unique rather than universal language. The title essay is complemented by the landmark paper, "Paul and the Introspective Conscience of the West," and by two seminal explorations of Pauline issues, "Judgement and Mercy" and "Glossolalia-The New Testament Evidence." The book concludes with Stendahl's pointed reply to the eminent scholar Ernst Kasemann who has taken issue with the author's revolutionary interpretations. This volume provides convincingly new ways for viewing Paul, the most formative of Christian teachers.

Product Details

• Paperback: 148 pages
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Publishers (August 1, 1976)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800612248
• ISBN-13: 978-0800612245
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #137,638 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Paul Among Jews and Gentiles and Other Essays, July 24, 2007

By 

Jeffrey M. Kirk "Via Media" (Cherry Hill, NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Paul Among Jews and Gentile (Paperback)

In only 133 pages Krister Stendahl, retired Swedish Lutheran Bishop and former Dean and Professor of New Testament at Harvard Divinity School, debunks the Post-Reformation view of Paul's doctrine of justification as a creature of the "introspective conscience of the West." Stendahl argues brilliantly that Paul's primary task was to make the Gospel available to the Gentiles without the demands of the Jewish Law, even while Paul himself believed he had no "personal difficulties in obeying the law." Hence, Paul's arguments about justification do not stem from a personal struggle with legalism, but as an explanation for inclusion of the Gentiles in the Church.The implications for ecclesiology, preaching, and interfaith relations are apparent. I heatily recommend this series of essays. - The Rev. Dr. Jeffrey M. Kirk, Cherry Hill, NJ

30 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for understanding the Jewish side of Paul, August 25, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Columbus, Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Paul Among Jews and Gentile (Paperback)

This is a great book for anyone who is truthfully looking for an account of the new testament, especially on Paul, in light of Judaism. The book is a compilation of a few essays in which Mr. Stendahl, a bishop from Sweden, displays an unusually gifted insight and discernment between Paul and the introspective Western conscience, which unfortunately plagues Christianity in America today. Anyone who reads this book will definitely be enlightened and will acquire a new, authoritative way of looking at Scripture.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars STENDAHL STRIKES AT THE ROOT OF ANTI-SEMITISM!!, November 10, 2011

By 

William S. Downer (Chico, California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Paul Among Jews and Gentile (Paperback)

K. Stendahl's short book (133) published in 1976 contain four essays and a concluding epilog. Presented in printed/lecture form from 1960 to 1975 his titles include "Paul Among the Jews and Gentiles"; "The Apostle Paul and the Introspective Conscience of the West"; "Judgment and Mercy"; "Glossolalia-The New Testament Evidence" and in conclusion "Sources and Critiques." But it is in his first two essays, Stendahl tells us,that he "attempts to get at the roots of Christian Anti-Semitism...which "had caused developments of satanic dimensions." (126) Paul's doctrine of justification by faith Stendahl also notes, "neither grew out of his 'dissatisfaction' with Judaism nor is intended as a frontal attack on 'legalism'" (127) but was developed as the means by which Gentile inclusion could be achieved outside of Torah observance. Stendahl believes, then, that justification by faith was only for Gentiles to become "honorary Jews" (5) because Paul "in none of his writings give us information about what he thought to be proper in these matters for Jewish Christians" (2).

Thus Stendahl believes Paul is "striking at the most vicious root of theological anti-Judaism" (127) while basically seeing him writing "apologetically (not polemically 132) as he defends the right of Gentile converts to be full members of the people of God." (130) According to this thesis Stendahl follows his thinking through with Paul not asking 'how one finds a gracious God?' but 'in my mission to the Gentiles how do I understand their place in the plan of God to participate in God's promises?' (131). Judaism's experience was with a gracious God and to suggest otherwise by seeing Paul interpreting "Judaism as a code word for all the wrong attitudes toward God" and that they have been "abandoned to sin and death" simply is "impossible to substantiate in Jewish texts" (132,133).

Stendahl's first article, "Paul Among the Jews and Gentiles" is broken down into six sub-sections: Jews/Gentiles; Call/conversion; Justification/forgiveness; weakness/sin; love/integrity and unique/universal. Throughout he hopes to unmask Paul's original focus of Jew/Gentile which has been been lost because Paul is now read through the lenses of Luther's pangs of conscience (3). Much of Stendahl's basis for interpreting Paul come from his "call" which understood was not a "conversion" as in one religion to another but as his "mission" as the Apostle to the Gentiles (10-12). Further, as such, Paul was a "happy and successful Jew ...with no problems,no qualms of conscience, no feelings of shortcomings" (13) There is no indication that Paul had problems of conscience. Thus it was not Paul's inability to keep Torah that lead Paul to Christ or him feeling the heavy weight of Jewish legalism (as in Luther's heavy guilt ridden conscience) but his call to the Gentiles (13-21). All started with Augustine who applied Paul's doctrine of Justification by faith to sooth the guilty introspective conscience which ended up becoming "the opposite of what Paul said." (16,22,86)

His next section of "justification rather than forgiveness" emphasis Paul's use of "justifying" word groups rather than Paul actually using the word forgiveness. (Stendahl only utilizes 7 letters of Paul as most scholars today so that must be kept in mind in reading Stendahl) Thus root words related to "justification" are dominant in Paul in Galatians and especially Romans (50 times) where Paul deals with Jews and the Gentiles. Again Stendahl argues that "justification" is not "the pervasive, organizing doctrinal principle or insight of Paul"...but..."originates in Paul's grappling with the problem of how to defend the place of Gentiles in the Kingdom- the task with which he was charged in his call" (25-26).

In "Weakness Rather than Sin" Paul has a robust conscience and sees himself as weak but not "guilty" or of "sin" (40,41). The two are different and not the same. This is not a weakness of introspection (51) but as one who is in Christ who was "crucified in weakness" (44). Any weakness is to be attributed to Satan's attack and is not sin. To say such is to fall into the modern misunderstanding (41).

Stendahl next unit discusses "Love Rather than Integrity." He says that when we order our lives through the lead of another's weaker conscience,then we are living by love. Integrity by itself is of "no value." (61) Rather love allows us to respect and feel for the integrity of others. This Paul stressed in Romans 14 (67).

Finally in "Unique Rather than Universal" Stendahl ends his first article by again stressing Paul's unique mission to the Gentiles. But Paul is not the only NT voice. Indeed many make up the scriptures and in their own ways can therefore speak universally to the many needs of the church today. (75-77)

It's difficult to estimate the influence Stendahl's next article on "The Apostle Paul and the Introspective Conscience of the West" has had in theological interpretations of Paul. But what is also interesting is that this paper was originally given in 1961 at a meeting of the American Psychological Association! As such it formed the basis for the first article in this book "Paul Among the Jews and Gentiles" and repeats in less detail what was covered there. Stendahl begins by bringing up the problem of interpreting ancient texts which is interpreting them from our modernistic viewpoint or "hypothesis of contemporaneity" (79) tends to read back into the ancients our experience. The most drastic difference being Pauls' supposed struggle with sin interpreted through Luther's struggle of his conscience (79). In Phil 3 Paul had said he was blameless as to the law which was to be understood as Paul living in the covenant God had with the Jews. But it has not be so interpreted since Paul. Paul's supposed impossibility of keeping the law rather needs to be seen in his "scriptural argument about the relationship between Jews and Gentiles" (81). But all seemed to be well in reading Paul in his correct relationship to Judaism until 350 years later when Augustine came on the scene. Prior to that his doctrine of justification by faith "was forgotten" which according to Stendahl then became a misunderstanding for Augustine to have resurrected it unto the "timeless human problem" (83-85). Law also was misinterpreted and became that which must first "crush the self-righteousness" in order to lead to Christ. It also became the "tutor" unto Christ but not from rightly having done its duty in leading the Jew to Christ (though that was why Paul saw no reason to impose law on Gentiles 86).

Paul saw himself as having a good, clear conscience (Acts23:1) while we find very little about sin playing a role in his daily life. Romans 7 is often quoted as Paul's main experience of his sinful "I" But Stendahl argues that Paul does see his "mind" and "will" as good (94). This is Paul's argument about the law done in a diatribe fashion (92). The "I" is not identified with "Sin or Flesh" (92) In other words "the argument is one of acquittal of the ego, not one of utter contrition. Such a line of thought would be impossible if Paul's intention were to describe man's predicament" Thus "Sin and Flesh" is to blame, not the ego which in turn "rescues the Law as a good gift of God" (93). But in later interpretations of Paul Roman 7 became insight into human nature and the center of depravation. All because they read back into Paul one who had a troubled conscience! Bur such a reading should not occur "into such a text which is so anxious to put the blame on Sin" (94) Indeed Stendahl says "the West for centuries has wrongly surmised that the biblical writers were grappling with problems which no doubt are ours, but which never entered their consciousness."(95)

Stendahl ends his article calling for us to do "more justice" by being "suspicious" when teachings in the church lead to an "introspective awareness of sin and guilt" for "Paul seemed to have little such awareness" (96)

Stendahl has two more articles in this book entitles "Judgment and Mercy" and "Glossolalia-The New Testament Evidence" I am not going to comment on them.

But I do want to make a few comments. First of all if we are to do "more justice" in our work in the churches by not heeding an emphasis on guilt and sin, which I can agree too, then what is the answer if some do have a troubled conscience heavy ladened with guilt? What is the answer to sin if indeed Rom 7 discovered that SIN is the issue?

Has God provided another way for Jews to be saved if they too are sinful as Rom 2-3 shows? Evidently God will just save them as Paul says "all Israel will be saved."