Epilogue

This final chapter presents brief look at some of the later, especially early Christian, developments of the notion of metameleia, focussing on a passage in Paul, 2 Corinthians 7. Here there is an important distinction to be made between repentance (metanoia) and regret (metameleia). Paul both looks back to the earlier ancient philosophical accounts and also introduces new dimensions to the treatment of regret. He initially regretted sending a letter that caused its recipients pain but then, recognising that this led them to repentance, finds he no longer regrets what he did. Repentance can never be a source of regret.

Misuse of Religious titles by self-proclaimed spiritual leaders: Prophets, Apostles, and Popes in South Africa

In the world of religions, different religious officials are given different titles. Christianity as a religion in the world and in South Africa particularly, has been severely attacked by self proclaimed spiritual leaders who perform false miracles and abuse titles that have been respected by traditional mainstream churches for decades. These self-appointed spiritual leaders make utilization of these titles either through self-propagating or by accepting them when utilized upon them by their followers. This paper argues that self-appointed spiritual leaders' mere use of these revered religious titles cannot be justified within Christianity's framework. This paper offers a closer look at the literature regarding the use of religious titles such as Prophet, Apostle, and Pope. These religious titles remain very respectable within the Christian religion and are used to honour the role played by both biblical and contemporary Christian leaders. This paper makes three arguments; First, the age of the prophets was washed away by God's written Word in the Holy Bible, so those given this title should be pressed to prove the truthfulness of their prophecies beyond doubt. Second, apostles were those who were eye and ear witnesses to the teachings and resurrection of Jesus. Contemporary apostles must be compelled to defend their apostleship, as is the case in 2 Corinthians 11.Lastly, the title of Pope is traditionally bestowed upon the Catholic Bishop of Rome, the head bishop of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, and other leaders of traditional ecclesial communities. In its entirety, this paper deals with the scientifically neglected aspect within the larger question of the regulation of religions in South Africa.

Haftarot bij Paulus. De liturgische context van citaten als onderdeel van intertekstualiteit

This article argues that the liturgical use of biblical texts should be included in an intertextual analysis. Rabbinic sources demonstrate a certain consensus on the liturgical reading cycles from the Torah and the Prophets in the early synagogue. Although the content of these cycles is not certain, external evidence disclose established connections between readings from the Torah and the Prophets (the haftarah-readings) in the first century CE. Paul’s letters display similar connections and a comparable hermeneutical strategy, as illustrated by a careful exegesis of Romans 15,9-12, Galatians 4,21-31, and 2 Corinthians 3.

Penderitaan sebagai Jalan Mistik Menuju Kesatuan Hidup bersama Kristus: Belajar dari Perjalanan Paulus Ke Sorga (2 Korintus 12:1-10)

Suffering is the secret of human life. Generally, people view suffering as God's reaction to human sin. This view is corrected by Paul in 2 Corinthians 12: 1-10, which emphasizes that suffering is not God's punishment but God's way of maintaining human humility in facing life. By using the rhetorical critique method, which is a method that explores understanding by creating a single literary genre from many inter-textualities, both in biblical texts and extra-biblical texts, this researcher finds a message that suffering is actually a 'mystical path’ to experience encounter and union with God. In union with God, humans realize that they are part of life as a whole, so they must share and care for each other based on the understanding that all human beings are part of Divine life. Thus 2 Corinthians 12: 1-10 affirms that suffering is not a negative thing and needs to be complained about, but must be grateful for the understanding that this is the ‘mystical path’ of humans towards the unity of life with Christ and fellow humans.

Far More Imprisonments

This chapter takes as its point of departure 2 Corinthians 11:23 and the multiple imprisonments of Paul to which it attests. Surveying the uses of prison in the administration of Rome’s eastern provinces, it argues that the detentions of Paul and other early Christ purveyors were mostly undertaken not by Roman provincial authorities but by local magistrates. This conclusion has significant implications for reconstructing the accusations against Paul and describing his social location. Paul was not charged with treason (maiestas), as some recent scholars have suggested. Rather, local officials took punitive or coercive action against him for much the same reason they periodically sought to contain other freelance religious experts, whose activity was often deemed disruptive. For historians of the Roman prison, the detention of Paul and other early Christ purveyors provides valuable and largely neglected evidence for such use of punitive confinement.

The “Christology” of Bely the Anthroposophist: Andrei Bely, Rudolf Steiner, and the Apostle Paul

The article focuses on R. Steiner’s perception of the Gospels and the impact of that view on Bely’s works. The latter had always valued Steiner’s lectures on Christ and the Fifth Gospel, the “Anthroposophic” (relating to the philosophy of human genesis, existence, and outcome) Gospel, the knowledge of which had been received in a visionary way. In addition, Bely was an esoteric follower of Steiner and often quoted from Apostle Paul’s 2 Corinthians, “Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men”. The citation occurs in Bely’s philosophical works (The History of the Formation of the Self-Conscious Soul, “Crisis of Consciousness”), autobiographic prose (Reminiscences of Steiner), the essay “Why I Became a Symbolist…”, and letters (to Ivanov-Razumnik and Fedor Gladkov). Bely’s own anthroposophic and esoteric ideas relating to the gospel sayings are also examined. The aim of the research is to show through the example of one quotation the specifics of Bely the Anthroposophist’s perception of Christian texts in general. This provides a methodological meaning for understanding other Biblical quotations and images in the works of Bely because anthroposophical Christology is also the key to their deciphering.

Paul’s Defense: Masculinity and Authority in 2 Corinthians 10–13

In 2 Cor. 10–13, Paul tries to prove his authority as a reliable leader by using two different masculinity standards. Paul manifests his power and control over the Corinthian church members by using an image of paterfamilias (11.2-3; 12.14). Paternal control of others was an essential element of hegemonic masculinity in the Greco-Roman world. Moreover, Paul proves his manliness by revealing his endurance and submission to divine authority (11.21b–12.10) according to the Hellenistic Jewish masculinity. I argue that Paul is embedded in these different cultural assumptions regarding masculinity and that he refers to these assumptions to persuade Gentile and Jewish groups in the Corinthian church.