Divine and Human Agency in Second Temple Judaism and Paul
A Comparative Study
by Jason Maston
Recent scholarship on Second Temple Judaism and Paul has maintained that both held salvation to be through God’s grace alone, not human obedience. In this study, Jason Maston argues against this trend by demonstrating the spectrum of perspectives available during the Second Temple period regarding the interaction of divine and human actions. Using Josephus’ depiction of the Jewish schools as the starting point, he argues that ancient Jews were discussing the issue of divine and human agency and that they were putting forward alternative and even contradictory perspectives. These different viewpoints are shown in Sirach and the Hodayot. Into this spectrum of opinions, the Apostle Paul is situated through an analysis of Romans 7-8. The author challenges the idea that all of Judaism can be explained under a single view of salvation. Recognising the diversity allows one to situate Paul firmly within a Jewish context without distorting either the Jewish texts or Paul.
- By (author) Jason Maston
Other Titles in this Series
The Cosmic Drama of Salvation
A Study of Paul's Undisputed Writings from Anthropological and Cosmological Perspectives
Volume 276
Kult und Macht
Religion und Herrschaft im syro-palastinensischen Raum. Studien zu ihrer Wechselbeziehung in hellenistisch-romischer Zeit
Volume 319
The Characterisation of Jesus the Davidic Shepherd in Mark’s Gospel
A Narrative Analysis through the Lens of Metalepsis
Volume 626
“Make Disciples of All Nations”
The Appeal and Authority of Christian Faith in Hellenistic-Roman Times
Moral Transformation in Greco-Roman Philosophy of Mind
Mapping the Moral Milieu of the Apostle Paul and his Diaspora Jewish Contemporaries
Volume 515
Paul’s Teaching on the Pneumatika in 1 Corinthians 12-14
Prophecy as the Paradigm of ta Charismata ta Meizona for the Future-Oriented Ekklesia
Volume 455
Vielfalt der Emotionen in neutestamentlicher und frühchristlicher Literatur
Exegetische Studien zu Darstellung, Funktion und Deutung
Sprachethik im Neuen Testament
Eine Analyse des fruhchristlichen Diskurses im Matthausevangelium, im Jakobusbrief und im 1. Petrusbrief
Volume 394
The Mysticism of Hebrews
Exploring the Role of Jewish Apocalyptic Mysticism in the Epistle to the Hebrews
Volume 331
Die Theologie der Liebe Gottes in den johanneischen Schriften
Zur Semantik der Liebe und zum Motivkreis des Dualismus
Volume 197
Communal Participation in the Spirit
The Corinthian Correspondence in Light of Early Jewish Mysticism in the Dead Sea Scrolls
Volume 575
Portraits of Paul’s Performance in the Book of Acts
Luke's Apologetic Strategy in the Depiction of Paul as Messenger of God
Volume 556
The Doubt of the Apostles and the Resurrection Faith of the Early Church
The Post-Resurrection Appearance Stories of the Gospels in Ancient Reception and Modern Debate
Volume 495
Semantik und Ethik des Wortfeldes ‘Ergon’ im Johannesevangelium
Kontexte und Normen neutestamentlicher Ethik / Contexts and Norms of New Testament Ethics, Band VIII
Volume 431
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