Paul in the Psalm

Discussion about the New Testament, apocrypha, gnostics, church fathers, Christian origins, historical Jesus or otherwise, etc.
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robert j
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Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 5:01 pm

Paul in the Psalm

Post by robert j »

Paul apparently mined a great deal of himself and his Christology from the scriptures.

With only a few verbatim citations, more often Paul's creative and generative use of the scriptures consisted of modified citations, conflated citations, and allusions. For Paul, the intent of the author in his scriptural sources was often ignored, and material was often fashioned to suit his own purposes.

That Paul used the Jewish scriptures extensively in support of his theological arguments is widely acknowledged. However, Paul’s extensive use of the scriptures to invent himself is not discussed much.

In addition to the apparent use of chapter 40 of Psalms to create himself and to characterize his work, Paul also drew on other passages in the LXX such as Numbers 12, Jeremiah 1, Joel 2, and portions of Isaiah for the same purpose.

Behold, I come. In the scroll of the book it is written concerning me. (Psalm 40:7)



Psalm 40 (LXX)


Paul

I announced good news (ευηγγελισάμην),



righteousness in the great assembly (εκκλησία).

(40:9)
Paul‘s announcement of good news, “the gospel” (τὸ εὐαγγέλιον) --- an unusual form at the time as a singular neuter noun with the article --- was used as Paul’s general, proprietary term for his teachings centered on faith in his JC figure.

Paul called his congregations of potential patrons the “assembly of God” (ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ θεοῦ).

… My lawless deeds overtook me and I was not able to see… (40:12)

And he led me from out of the pit of misery, and from the mud of slime. And he stood my feet upon the rock and straightened out my footsteps. (40:2)

… I was persecuting the assembly of God …


But when God … called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me …

(Galatians 1:13-16)

… and the rock was Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:4)

A sacrifice and offering you wanted not … whole burnt-offerings for sin you did not seek.


… but a body you readied to me …

(40:6)

… by works of the Law no flesh will be justified. (Galatians 2:16)



I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me … (Galatians 2:19-20)

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? (1 Corinthians 6:15)

… so we, the many, are one body in Christ … (Romans 12:5)

And he put into my mouth a new song, a hymn to our God. Many shall see and shall fear, and shall hope upon the Lord. (40:3)

God … having given to us the ministry of reconciliation … we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God is beseeching through us. (2 Corinthians 5:18-20)

(The “us” refers to Paul and his junior partners, see 2 Corinthians 5:12)

… my God you should not delay. (40:17)

Behold, I tell to you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye … (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)

But I am poor and needy, the Lord will be thoughtful of me. (40:17)

… the present hour, we both hunger and thirst, and are poorly clad, and are buffeted, and wander homeless … (1 Corinthians 4:11)

[Please place your fragrant offering to the Lord in the enclosed envelope]


robert j


Here’s Paul hard at work finding revelations --- and how the death and resurrection of his JC figure was “seen” (ὤφθη) “according to the scriptures” ----
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gryan
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Re: Paul in the Psalm

Post by gryan »

Ps. 40:12, LXX
κατέλαβόν με αἱ ἀνομίαι μου,
καὶ οὐκ ἠδυνάσθην τοῦ βλέπειν·

...my lawless deeds overtook me,
and I could not see...

Acts 9:9
καὶ ἦν ἡμέρας τρεῖς μὴ βλέπων

and he was three days without seeing

I take the blindness reported in Acts as a metaphorical literary invention, but I had not seen the link with the Psalm before. I'm glad to be made aware of that literary echo!
robert j
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Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 5:01 pm

Re: Paul in the Psalm

Post by robert j »

The Greek verb “to see” βλέπειν is used for physical seeing with the eyes, and also figuratively to see clearly, or to take heed, or to behold with the heart and mind.

.. your mercy and your truth, may they always take hold of me. For evil things encompass me for which there is no number. My lawless deeds overtook me and I was not able to see (βλέπειν) … and my heart abandoned me. Think well, O Lord, to rescue me. (Psalm 40:11-13)

In Psalm 40 here, it is not physical sight that was lost, but rather the ability to appropriately take heed, or to see clearly with the heart and mind.
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MrMacSon
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Re: Paul in the Psalm

Post by MrMacSon »

From above, modified ever so slightly


Paul apparently mined a great deal of himself and his Christology from the scriptures.

With only a few verbatim citations, more often Paul's creative and generative use of the scriptures consisted of modified citations, conflated citations, and allusions. For Paul, the intent of the author in his scriptural sources was often ignored, and material was often fashioned to suit his own purposes.

That Paul used the Jewish scriptures extensively in support of his theological arguments is widely acknowledged. However, Paul’s extensive use of the scriptures to invent himself is not discussed much.

In addition to the apparent use of chapter 40 of Psalms to create himself and to characterize his work, Paul also drew on other passages in the LXX such as Numbers 12, Jeremiah 1, Joel 2, and portions of Isaiah for the same purpose.

Behold, I come. In the scroll of the book it is written concerning me. (Psalm 40:7)



Psalm 40:9 (LXX 39.10)


Paul

.
I announced good news (ευηγγελισάμην) ...
.
Paul announce[d] good news ... τὸ εὐαγγέλιον,
an unusual form at the time—as a singular neuter noun with the article—
...
used as Paul’s general, proprietary term for his teachings centered on faith in his JC figure
.
.
... righteousness in the great congregation
.... δικαιοσύνην ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ
.
.
Paul called his congregations of potential patrons ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ θεοῦ
('assembly of God')



afaik, Paul used εὐαγγέλιον in Galatians 1:11a; 2:5, 13-14 and Romans 2:16b (and Romans 1:1,9,15,16; and Romans 16:25)

Galatians 1:11a


....γνωρίζω δε .υμίν .ἀδελφοί .τὸ εὐαγγέλιον,. τὸ .εὐαγγελισθὲν ........ ὑπ’ ἐμοῦ ...
.I make known to you brethren the good news, the good news announced by .me
........................... brothers ...................................... pronunced



Galatians 2:5

“in order that the truth of the gospel might remain” (ἵνα ἡ ἀλήθεια τοῦ εὐαγγελίου διαμείνῃ)


In Galatians 2:1314, Paul charges Peter with not observing

the true direction of the gospel (τὴν ἀλήθειαν τοῦ εὐαγγελίου)


Romans 2:16b


...... κατὰ .... τὸ εὐαγγέλιόν μου
. according to the good news of me [mine(?)]
... [according to my good news]



There's also εὐαγγέλιόν in the Priene [Calendar] Inscription about 'Augustus' aka Sebastos, τον Σεβαστον


ο Καισαρ τας ελπιδας των προλαβοντων ευανγελια παντων υπερεθηκεν, ου μονον τους προ αυτου γεγονοτας ευεργετας υπερβαλομενος, αλλ ουδ εν τοις εσομενοις ελπιδα υπολιπων υπερβολης, ηρξεν δε τω κοσμω των δι αυτον ευανγελιων η γενεθλιος ημερα του θεου· της δε Ασιας εψηφισμενης εν Σμυρνη

ho Kaisar tas elpidas tôn prolabontôn [euangelia pantôn huper]|ethêken, ou monon tous pro autou gegonot[as euergetas huperba]|lomenos, all oud en tois esomenois elpid[a hupolipôn huperbolês,]| êrxen de tôi kosmôi tôn di auton euangeli[ôn hê genethlios]| tou theou, tês de Asias epsêphismemês en Smurnêi

Caesar, by his appearance (excelled(?) even our anticipations), surpassing all previous benefactors, and not even leaving to posterity any hope of surpassing what he has done, and since the birthday of the god Augustus was the beginning of the good tidings/news for the world that came by reason of him which Asia resolved in Smyrna


See viewtopic.php?p=71360#p71360
Last edited by MrMacSon on Tue May 31, 2022 6:00 pm, edited 8 times in total.
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