The Theology of the Later Pauline LettersThis volume investigates the respective theologies of the Letters to the Colossians and the Ephesians, and in so doing provides an accessible introduction to the themes and significance of these New Testament books. A. J. M. Wedderburn examines the background to Colossians, and considers both its readers' situation and that of its author. He asks whether the proponents of the teaching against which this letter is written were Christians, putting forward their views as the true form of Christianity (as in Galatia), or whether they existed outside the Christian community as a seductive alternative to it. Andrew T. Lincoln examines in turn the authorship of Ephesians, and tries to explain the letter's strategy of persuasion and the key elements of its teaching about the new identity of the Christian believer. The similarities and differences between the thought of Ephesians and that of Paul are thereby set out clearly. Both sections of the book reflect on the relevance of these letters for today. |
Common terms and phrases
already anamnesis apostle appropriate argued assertion author of Colossians baptism believers called Christ's death Christology claims Colossae context cosmic cosmos creation Derveni papyrus distinctive divine doxology ecclesiology Epheserbrief Epistle eschatology ethical exhortation F. F. Bruce faith fullness Gentile Gentile Christians Gnostic God's purposes gospel grace heaven heavenly realms Hellenistic Hellenistic Judaism holy hope household code human hymn ideas identity imagery interpretation Israel Jesus Jewish Jewish Christians Jews Jews and Gentiles Judaism Kolosserbrief language Lincoln lives logos London Lord Old Testament paraenesis parousia particularly passage past Pauline Corpus Pauline letters Pauline tradition peace perspective Philemon Philo Pokorný prayer-report present Qumran realized eschatology reconciliation reference reflection relationship reminder resurrection role salvation Schnackenburg Schweizer seen sense sians significant simply speaks Spirit stress symbol teaching Testament thanksgiving things tion tradition unity universal Church verb verse vision worship writer of Ephesians