LIBRARY OF NEW TESEAMENT STUDIES THE PAUL-APOLLOS RELATIONSHIP AND PAUL'S STANCE TOWARD GRECO- ROMAN RHETORIC / CORIN MIHAILA xCONTENTS Preface ix Acknowledgments xi List of Abreviations >xiit InTRODUCTION 1 Importance of the Topic 2 Methodology 4 Approach to the Topic 6 1. Tre LITERARY AND THEMATIC UNITY OF 1 CORINTHIANS 1-4 9 Introduction 9 Discourse Units in 1 Corinthians 1-4 ul The Building Blocks of the Argument of 1 Corinthians 1-413. Epistolary Salutation and Thanksgiving: 1 Cor. 1.1-9 13 The First Section: 1 Cor. 1.18-2.5 17 The Second Section: 1 Cor. 2.6-3.4 24 The Third Section: 1 Cor. 3.5-4.5 31 The Fourth Section: 1 Cor. 4,6-21 45 Major Themes in | Corinthians 1-4 52 The Theme(s) of Each Segment 52 The Cohesion of the Segments within Each Major Section 55 Chiastic Structure of 1 Corinthians 14 56 The Introduction (1 Cor. 1.10-17) 37 Coherence of | Corinthians 1-4 60 The Rhetorical Scheme of 1 Corinthians 1-4 61 The Logical Arrangement of the Building Blocks of 1 Corinthians 1-4 65 Conclusion 68 2. THE SOCIAL AND RHETORICAL BACKGROUND OF 1 CorintHIANs 1-4 69 Introduction 69 The Background of Zopia in | Corinthians 1 4 70 Ginosticism 0viii Contents Hellenistic Jewish Wisdom Greco-Roman Rhetoric The Social Background of 1 Corinthians 1-4 The Number and Nature of Parties in 1 Corinthians 1-4 Conclusion . PAUL AND SOPHISTIC RHETORIC IN 1 CORINTHIANS 1-4 Introduction A Survey of Various Views on Paul, Preaching, and Rhetoric Paul Is Opposed to Rhetoric Paul Does not Oppose Rhetoric Paul Is Ambivalent towards Rhetoric The Rhetorical Nature of 1 Cor. 2.1-5 Written and Oral Communication in Paul and His Culture Written versus Oral Communication in Antiquity An Exegesis of 2 Cor. 10.10a Paul's Literary Style Paul's Apologia in 1 Corinthians 1-4 and the Concept of Paterfamilias Conclusion = Avo.os' KUNCTION IN | CORINTHIANS 1-4 Introduction Paul's Relation (o Apollos according to 1 Corinthians 14 Paul und Apollos Are Rivals Apollon’ Unintentional Role in the Dissensions Apollon’ Neutral Roly in the Dissensions Paul's Relation to Apollos according to 1 Cor. 16.12 Apollos’ Rhetoric according to Acts 18.24-28 Paul and Apollos in 1 Cor. 3.5 4.5 The Meaning of ystsoxnuctioa in 1 Cor. 4.6 Conclusion $, SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION Summary Implications Methodological Implications Biblical Implications Homiletical Implications Bibliography Index of Biblical Citations Index of Other Citations Index of Authorn ce) 82 94 109 118 119 119 120 121 135 a 146 151 152 155 164 169 179 180 180 183 183 186 189 190 193 197 202 ae 213 213 214 214 217 219 221 247 250 251PREFACE The present work is a revision of my doctoral dissertation completed in December 2006 at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary under Dr ‘Andreas Késtenberger. His scholarship, exegetical skills, guidance, and encouragement have made a great impact upon me throughout my studies, and have had a tremendous influence upon my development as a student of the Bible. I would also like to thank my second readers, Dr David Beck and Dr Scott Kellum, for their insightful suggestions during the defense. Dr David E. Garland, the external reader of the dissertation, has been a tremendous encouragement. His commentary on 1 Corinthians in the BENTC series has very much shaped my thinking and interpret- ation of the first four chapters of | Corinthians. Dr Garland has also been. instrumental in publishing this dissertation by offering a positive evaluation of it and by encouraging me to seek out a publisher for it, and I am thankful for that. ‘The present work began as a desire to understand the biblical (Pauline) theology of preaching. What challenged me to think about this topic was the three weeks spent at Tyndale House, Cambridge, England, with other undergraduate students from Romania, under the leadership of my friend Dr Radu Gheorghita and in the company of Dr Bruce Winter, then the ‘Warden at Tyndale House. It was the summer of 1996, when Dr Winter's monograph Paui and Philo among the Sophists was being published. His lectures during those weeks on 1 Corinthians 1-+ in light of Greco-Roman rhetoric fascinated me and influenced my thinking on biblical preaching. It was during those days that I started thinking about the relationship between Paul and Apollos in light of Paul's rejection of sophistic thetoric, as can be gathered from the Corinthian correspondence. Since then, I have come to appreciate the importance of studying the letter by also looking into its social background. Many authors have helped me in that direction, as will be seen throughout this work. So I am indebted to many scholars, both past and present, for their exegetical, rhetorical, and social analysis of the text of | Corinthians 14, They have influenced my thinking on this topie, Any delici however, are all my ‘own, In this present work, then, [try to explain Paul's relationship tox Preface Apollos in light of Paul’s stance toward Greco-Roman rhetoric as most clearly seen in 1 Corinthians 1-4, Soli Deo Gloria Corin Mihaila Brasov, Romania September, 2008ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: Growing up in the communist Romania, I never dreamed that I would ever have the blessing of studying the Scriptures in such depth. I learned from my parents to love the Word of God, study it, and memorize it. But the skills necessary to rightly divide the Word of truth were refined during my studies at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC. I benefited greatly from the wisdom and godliness of the professors at this seminary. Each contributed in some way to my getting where I am. First and foremost, my mentor, Dr Andreas Késtenberger, has been a model of scholarship to me. His encouragement throughout the program as well as his trust in giving me the opportunity to work as his research assistant as well as a doctoral fellow have motivated me to pursue excellence in my academic work. Professors such as Dr Maurice Robinson, who was the first to encourage me to pursue a Ph.D. while still working on my M.Div. at the same institution, and Dr David Beck, who trusted me with substitute teaching for him at numerous times and different courses, have made my experience at SEBTS a joyous one. Aside from the academic support, I have been blessed to have the financial support of many people and churches, without which my studies would have been impossible. First I would like to thank my friend Dr Mark Harris who believed in me enough to motivate his church at that time, Center Grove Baptist Church, Clemmons, NC, to meet all my financial needs during my M.Div. years at SEBTS. Center Grove Baptist Church has continued its support through my Ph.D. studies, for which I will be forever indebted. Mark went to Pastor Curtis Baptist Church, Augusta, GA, and that church started to contribute to my financial needs during my Ph.D. studies. There other churches that have ministered to me in different ways, including financially, such as Command Baptist Church, Statesville, NC, and Second Baptist Church, Greer, SC. I have developed life-long friendships with these churches and many families in them, whose names would take the length of another dissertation to mention. But I would be wrong not to mention Jerry and Geraldine Houston, who have been like my American parents through the last few years. Their sacrificial giving and love are beyond words, Among the many things that they huve done for me ix to provide for me a very reliuble means ofsii Acknowledgments transportation, that allowed me to travel in order to preach and speak at many church events throughought the eastern part of the US. Also the faithful support of Eric and Lisa Todd has been a great blessing. Pastor Hall Holliefied and his commitment to serve God even into his 80s has been an encouragement. Many others have provided me with a place to slay us I have moved from one place to another throughout the years or have fed me in numerous times. Thank you all for being a blessing to me. I will never be able to express fully how much I appreciate all of you. God knows your names and I pray that he may richly reward you according to his many riches in glory. Above all, | would like to thank my God and Savior Jesus Christ for his. grace through the whole time of my studies. Help me, Lord, to make good use of all you have taught me so that your Kingdom may benefit from it und the fame of your name be spread through me to all nations.AB ABD ABR ADP AGJU AnBib AsTI ATR AUSS BCL BDAG BDF oe BETS BHT Bib BibInt BKNTC BNTC BR BSac BIB BZNW BQ cc List OF ABBREVIATIONS Anchor Bible Freedman, David Noel, ed. Anchor Bible Dictionary. New York: Doubleday, 1992 Australian Biblical Review Advances in Discourse Processes Arbeiten zur Geschichte des antiken Judentums und des Urchristentums Analecta biblica Asbury Theological Journal Anglican Theological Review American University Studies Series Biblical Classics Library Baver, W., F. W. Danker, W. F. Arnt, and F. W. Gingrich. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. Chicago: Chicago University Press, 3rd edn, 1999 Blass, F., A. Debrunner, and R. W. Funk. A Greek Grammar of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 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New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, 4 vols. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1975-1985 ‘New International Greek Testament Commentary NIV Application Commentary Novum Testamentum Novum Testamentum, Supplements New Testament Guides New Testament Studies Nederlands Theologisch Tijdschrift New Testament Theology Okumenischer Taschenbuch-Kommentar Publications of the Finnish Exegetical Society Migne, J.-P., ed. Patrologia cursus completa ... Series graeca, 166 vols. Paris, 1857-1883 Packard Humanities Institute Latin Literary Texts up to AD 200 Perspectives in Religious Studies Reformation & Revival Restoration Quarterly Review and Expositor Revue de Qumran Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart Recherches de Science religieuse Reformed Theological Review Studies in Bible and Early Christianity Society of Biblical Literature SBL Dissertation Series SBL for the Nag Hammadi Seminar SBL Seminar Papers SBL Semeia Studies SBL Symposium Series Studia Evangelica Svensk exegetisk drsbok Studies in the History of Religions Scottish Journal of Theology Series Monographique de Benedictina: Section paulinienne Studien zum Neuen ‘TestamentSTAEKU TDNT THKNT ThH TLG TNTC TR TWNT TynBul Te“ UBS USBHS WRC WTS WUNT ZNW Aristide Aristotle Augustine Cicero List of Abbreviations Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series Studies of the New Testament and Its World Sacra pagina Studies in Religion| Sciences religieuses Studia theologica Schriftenreihe des Theologischen Ausschusses der Evangelischen Kirche der Union Kittel, G. and G. Friedrich, eds. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, 10 vols.; trans. G. W. Bromiley. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1964-1976 Theologischer Handkommentar zum Neuen Testament Théologie Historique Berkowitz, L. and K. A. Squitier, eds. Thesaurus linguae graecae; Canon of Greek Authors and Works, Oxford: Clarendon, 3rd edn, 1990 Tyndale New Testament Commentaries Theology and Religion Kittel, G. and G. Friedrich, eds. Theologische Wérterbuch zum Neuen Testament. 11 vols.; Stuttgart, Kohlhammer, 1932-1979 Tyndale Bulletin Tubinger Zeitschrift far Theologie United Bible Society USB Handbook Series; Helps for Translators Word Biblical Commentary Westminster Theological Journal Wissenschafiliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament Zeitschrift fur die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft Ancient Sources Or. Oratoriae Poet. Poetica Pol. Politica Rhet. Rhetorica Doctr. Chr. De Doctrina Christiana Acad. Academicae quaestiones Amic. De amicitia Alt. Epistulae ad Atticum Fam. Epistulae ad familiars Fin. De finibus Inv. De inventione rhetorica Of. De officiis Part. or. Partitiones oratoriaeDead Sea Scrolls Dio Chrysostom Dionysius Halicarnassus. Epictetus Eusebius Tsocrates John Chrysostom Exp. List of Abbreviations xvii Sest. De or. Quint. Fratr. 1QH 11QT Achil. Alex. Charid. Cont. Def. Dei. Cogn. Dial. Dic. Exercit Exil. Isthm. De pace Pulchr. 4 Regn. Rhod. 2 Serv. Lib. Soer. 1 Tars. Troj. Tumult. Tyr. Virt. (Or. 8) 1-2 Amm. Ant. Comp. Dem. Is. Thue. Diatr. Ench. Comm. Ps. Hist. eccl. Antid. Areop. Demon. De pace Paneg. Soph. Pro Sestio De oratore Epistulae ad Quintum fratrem Hodayot or Thanksgiving Hyms Temple Scroll Achilles (Or. 58) Ad Alexandrinos (Or. 32) Charidemus (Or. 30) Contio (Or. 47) Defensio (Or. 45) De dei cognition (Or.12) Dialexis (Or. 42) De dicendi exercitatione (Or. 18) De exilio (Or. 13) Isthmiaca (Or. 9) De pace et bello (Or. 22) De Pulchritunide (Or. 21) De regno iv (Or. 4) Rhodiaca (Or. 31) De servitude et libertate ii (Or. 15) De Socrate (Or. 54) Tarsica prior (Or. 33) Trojana (Or. 11) De Tumultu (Or. 46) De tyrannide (Or. 6) De virtute (Or. 8) Epistula ad Ammaeum i-ii Antiquitates Romanae De compositione verborum De Demosthene De Isaeo De Thucydide Diatribai (Dissertationes) Enchiridion Commentarius in Psalmos Historia ecclesiastica Antidosis (Or. 15) Arcopagiticus (Or. 7) Ad Demonicum (Or. 1) De pace (Or. 8) Panegyricus (Or. 4) In sophistay (Or, 13) Exxpositiones in Psalmosxviii Josephus New Testament Apocrypha Old Testament Pseudepigrapha Philo Philontratun Plato Plutarch List of Abbreviations Hom. | Cor. Laud. Paul. Sac. pee Ae Gos. Thom. Apoc. El. 1 En. Abr. Aet. Mund. Agr. Cher. Flace. Jos. Leg. All. Leg. Gai. Migr. Abr. Mut. Nom. Op. Mund. Plant, Poster. C. Rey. Div. Her. Sacer. Somn. Spec. Leg. Virt. Vit. Cont. Vit. Mos. Vit. soph. Apol. Gorg. Leg. Phaedr. Prot. Soph. Theaet, Tim. Adem. Caes. Cle. Dem. Frat, anor Homiliae in epistulam I ad Corinthios De laudibus sancti Pauli apostoli De sacerdotio Antiquitates judaicae De Bello judaico Gospel of Thomas Apocalypse of Elijah 1 Enoch De Abrahamo De aeternitate mundi De agricultura De cherubim In Flaccum De Josepho Legum allegoriae Legatio ad Gaium De migratione Abrahami De mutatione nominum De opificio mundi De plantatione De posteritate Caini Quis rerum divinarum heres sit De sacrificiis Abelis et Caini De somniis De specialibus legibus De virtutibus De vita contemplativa De vita Mosis Vitae sophistarum Apologia Gorgias Leges Phaedrus Protagoras Sophista Theaetetus Timaeus Aemilius Paullus Caesar Cicero Demosthenes De fraterno amoreList of Abbreviations xix [Lib Ed.] De liberis educandis Mor. Moralia Per. Pericles Thes. Theseus Quintillian Decl. Declamationes Inst. Institutio oratoria Strabo Geogr. Geographica Xenophon Cyr. Cyropaedia Mem. Memorabilia Occ. Occonomicus Friberg-Friberg Lampe, Lexicon Louw-Nida Miller, Lexicon LSJ LW Robertson, Grammar Thayer WDNTECLR Other Sources Friberg, Timothy, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F. Miller. Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker, 20 Lampe, G. W. H. A Patristic Greek Lexicon. Oxford: Clarendon, 13th edn, 20 Louw Johannes P. and Eugene A. Nida. Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains. New York: UBS, 2nd edn, 1989 Miller, Neva F. Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker, 20 Liddell, H. G., R. Scott, and H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon with Revised Supplement. Oxford: Clarendon, 9th edn, 1996 Luther’s Works. J. Pelikan and H. Lehman, eds. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1966 Robertson, A. T. A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 3rd edn, 1919 Thayer, J. H. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. New York: American Book Company, 1889 The Westminster Dictionary of New Testament and Early Christian Literature and Rhetoric. Westminster: John Knox, 2003INTRODUCTION Importance of the Topic This work will be an exegetical and socio-historical investigation into the text of 1 Corinthians 1-4 in order to determine the relationship between Paul and Apollos in light of Paul’s stance toward Greco-Roman rhetoric. The topic is important for several reasons. First, this passage is rightly assessed to be the clearest presentation of Paul’s theology of preaching. ‘The text of 1 Cor. 2.1-5, in particular, reveals Paul’s intentional style of preaching as characterized by ‘weakness’ as contrasted with the rhetorical eloquence characteristic of the sophists. On the other hand, the Corinthians are portrayed in this section of the epistle as evaluating their teachers in light of worldly standards of what constituted persuasive speech. Consequently, the dissensions that existed in the church were caused by the Corinthians’ preferences for different styles of delivery: some preferred Paul’s, while others preferred Apollos’. In light of this situation, Paul gives theological reasons for his choice of style. But this raises a serious question: Is Apollos portrayed by Paul in 1 Corinthians 1- 4.as one who adopts a sophistic rhetoric that Paul himself refutes? And if so, is Apollos an opponent of Paul? Is Paul competing against the more rhetorically gifted Apollos? ‘The topic is important, second, because it also addresses the issue of the social make-up of the Corinthian church, which is closely related to the issue of sophistic rhetoric. We know from 1 Cor. 1.26-28 that the Corinthian congregation was made up mostly of people of low status, though some in the congregation such as Erastus were from among the nouveau riche of Corinth. As a society driven by honor and shame, people sought to enhance their status and increase their honor by associating with people who could help them climb the social ladder. Among such people were the rhetors who would enter into a patron/client relationship with the rich. Thus, the social climbers knew what ‘good’ speech was and therefore evaluated and associated only with those who guaranteed them an increase in honor. In light of these social values prevalent in the Corinthian society, it is not hard to see how the Corinthian Christians, upon their conversion,2 The Paul-Apollos Relationship brought the same values into the church. This is seen especially in their preference for different teachers. Faced with such a situation, Paul insists on a re-socialization of the Christians which consisted in a change of values. This he does by means of reminding the Corinthians of the centrality of the cross. The cross, as a symbol of ‘weakness’ and ‘shame’, vhallenges the Corinthians’ thirst for status and honor. But this raises another question: Has Apollos accepted to play along with the patron/ client mold that Paul seeks to break? Or was Apollos someone who could help some of the Corinthian Christians to enhance their status by associating themselves with one who embodied the qualities of a rhetor? Third, | Corinthians 1-4 gives us a picture of the proper role of a minister in the Christian ecclesia (cf. 1 Cor. 3.5-4.5). According to Paul, all the teachers are co-workers and servants in the church, while God alone holds the ultimate role. Paul, then, seems to challenge the Corinthians’ preferences for different leaders by pointing to their equally insignificant role in the ministry in contrast to the centrality of God’s role. Nevertheless, even in his presentation of the equal ‘importance’ of the ministers, some argue that Paul makes a distinction between the one who ‘plants’ and the one who ‘waters’ (1 Cor. 3.6) and between the one ‘father’ and the multiple ‘guardians’ of the Christian ecclesia (1 Cor. 4.15). This distinction seems to place an emphasis on order and therefore on authority, This raises yet another question: Is Paul seeking to restore his authority among the Corinthians, which had been diminished by the work of Apollos among them, by reminding them that he is the founder of the vhurch? Is he claiming the authority inherent in the social concept of paterfamiliax? If 0, is Apollos seen as an opponent and a competitor rivaling Paul's authority? All of thone questions are raised by the text and are in need of an adequate anawer, in keeping with the text. This work seeks to give such anawers and then to synthesize them in order to present a description of Paul's stance toward rhetoric and how this sheds light on his relationship with Apollos, a description that we hope is coherent with an accurate reading of the text in light of socio-historical and exegetical research. ‘Thin work, in a sense, seeks to build upon previous research into the thetorical background of the concept of copia as found in the monographs of Bruce W. Winter,' Duane Litfin,? Stephen Pogoloff,> 1 Winter, Philo and Paul among the Sophists: Alexandrian and Corinthian Responses 10 a Jullo-Claudan Movement (Grand Rapids: Ferdmans, 2nd edn, 2002) 2 Klin, St. Paul's Thealogy of Proclamation: ¢ Corinthtanis 1 4 and Greco-Roman Rhetoric (SNYSMS, 79; Cambridge: Cambridge University Prem, 1994). 3 Pogoloff, M. Stephen, LOGOS AND SOPHIA: The Rheturleal Situation of 1 Corinthlane (SBLDS, 14; Atlanta: Scholnrs Prowa, 1992),Introduction 3 and Andrew D. Clarke.’ We will also build upon the research into the social background of early Christianity, especially of Pauline congrega- tions, done by Peter Marshall,> Wayne A. Meeks,° Gerd Theissen,’ and most recently by C. K. Robertson.’ We have decided to present a survey and evaluation of these previous studies in the body of the work, particularly at the beginning of each chapter, rather than, as is typically done, in the introduction. We will use the conchisions offered by these studies to discuss the relationship of Paul and Apollos in 1 Corinthians I- 4, This work will thus supplement them by an integration of the findings with exegesis of the passages and words relevant to Paul’s relationship to Apollos. Not much has been written on the Paul-Apollos relationship, at least not in the format of a monograph that takes into consideration all the recent research into the rhetorical and socio-historical background of the concept of copia in 1 Corinthians 1-4. One dissertation may be considered an exception. Patrick Lynn Dickerson wrote his ‘Apollos in Acts and First Corinthians’ in order to reconstruct what can be known of Apollos, and we point to it as a good source for a detailed bibliography on the topic. His work is a historical research into the life of Apollos as can be gathered from the two canonical books. In ch. 2 of his dissertation, Dickerson argues that the relationship between Paul and Apollos was ambiguous: they were not quite allies, but not quite opponents either. While we agree with him that it is difficult to assess with precision the nature of Paul's relationship with Apollos, we will suggest here that, taken at face value, Paul's argument in I Corinthians 1-4 points to a harmonious relationship between the two. Any perceived tension between them is going beyond the evidence present in the text, and therefore should be looked upon with suspicion. Thus, we will attribute to Apollos a place between a positive and an ambiguous role. 4. Clarke, Andrew D., Secular and Christian Leadership in Corinth: A Socio-Historical and Exegetical Study of I Corinthians 1-6 (AGIU, 18; Leiden: Brill, 1993). 3 Marshall, P., Enmity in Corinth: Social Conventions in Paul's Relations with the Corinthians (WUNT, 2; Tubingen: Mohr, 1987). 6 Meeks, Wayne, A.,The First Urban Christians: The Social World of the Apostle Paut (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1983). 7 Theissen, G.. The Social Setting of Pauline Christianity. Essays on Corinth by Gerd Theissen (ed. and trans. by John H. Schittz; Philadelphia: Fortress, 1982), 8 Robertson, C. K., Conflict in Corinth: Redefining the System (SBI, 42; New York: Peter Lang, 2001), 9 For earlier monographs on Apollon see Patrick Lynn Dickerson, “Apollos in Acts ancl Kirt Corinthinnw’ (Unpublished doctoral diawertation, University of Virginia, 199%),