Full Description
Rather than viewing the Apostle Paul's many references to peace and non-retaliation as generalized ethical principles drawn from Paul's background, Jeremy Gabrielson argues that peace and non-retaliation should be understood in relation to Paul's history of being a violent persecutor of Jesus' followers. After his 'Damascus road' experience, Paul zealously announced the gospel and abandoned his violent ways. His apostolic vocation included calling and equipping assemblies of people whose common in life was ordered by a politics characterized by peaceableness. This political dimension of Paul's gospel, in continuity with the earliest evidence we possess regarding Jesus and his disciples, stands in stark contrast to the politics of both the contemporary Roman imperial power and those who would seek to replace Rome by violent means.
Contents
List of Illustrations
Acknowledgments
List of Abbreviations
1 Introduction
2 The End of Violence in the Gospel of Matthew
3 The Memory of a Non-Violent Jesus in Paul's Letters
4 Trajectories of Violence and Peace in Galatians
5 Supporting Evidence in First Thessalonians
6 Conclusion
Bibliography
