Paul and Union with Christ: An Exegetical and Theological Study
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Paul and Union with Christ: An Exegetical and Theological Study
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Overview
Following a selective survey of the scholarly work on union with Christ through the twentieth century to the present day, Greek scholar Constantine Campbell carefully examines every occurrence of the phrases ‘in Christ’, ‘with Christ’, ‘through Christ’, ‘into Christ,’ and other related expressions, exegeting each passage in context and taking into account the unique lexical contribution of each Greek preposition. Campbell then builds a holistic portrayal of Paul’s thinking and engages contemporary theological discussions about union with Christ by employing his evidence-based understanding of the theme.
This volume combines high-level scholarship and a concern for practical application of a topic currently debated in the academy and the church. More than a monograph, this book is a helpful reference tool for students, scholars, and pastors to consult its treatment of any particular instance of any phrase or metaphor that relates to union with Christ in the Pauline corpus.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780310329053 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Zondervan Academic |
| Publication date: | 11/10/2012 |
| Pages: | 480 |
| Sales rank: | 352,035 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.30(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.60(d) |
| Age Range: | 18 Years |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
Paul and Union with Christ
an exegetical and theological studyBy Constantine R. Campbell
ZONDERVAN
Copyright © 2012 Constantine R. CampbellAll right reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-310-32905-3
Chapter One
Introduction and Methodology
1.1 Paul and Union with Christ
The theme of union with Christ in the writings of the apostle Paul is at once dazzling and perplexing. Its prevalence on every page of his writings demonstrates his proclivity for the concept, and yet nowhere does he directly explain what he means by it. This creates a problem for any student of Paul's theology, since union with Christ is both important yet obtuse.
These two realities have amply been demonstrated in the New Testament scholarship of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The volume of scholarly activity conducted in search for Paul's meaning speaks to the obtuseness of union with Christ. The degree of controversy surrounding the theme speaks to its importance. Consequently, two of the central concerns addressed in this book include what union with Christ actually is and what role it performs in Paul's theology.
The path to addressing these concerns is not straightforward. As explained below, we cannot presume to speak of Paul's theology before engaging his writings through detailed exegesis. And yet, it is difficult to know what to look for in exegesis if we have not already determined what Paul considers to be relevant to the theme of union with Christ. While building on previous advances of scholarship, I take nothing for granted in this book. Instead, it represents a fresh investigation of the Pauline material, examining the exegetical minutiae and moving through to the wide spheres of Paul's thought. The work is therefore self-consciously exegetical-theological, allowing exegesis to shape theology and vice versa.
1.2 An Exegetical-Theological Approach
Within the literature concerning the theme of union with Christ, there appear two opposite tendencies among various methodological approaches. Some contributors write of union with Christ as a broad theological concept that is used within a theological matrix of ideas and themes within the Pauline canon. It is discussed in relation to justification, trinitarianism, ethics, and so forth. This is a valid and important direction to be pursued, since union with Christ is connected to many such themes within Paul's writings; it is a theologised concept. One weakness of such an approach, however, is that the theme almost immediately turns abstract, sometimes without careful analysis of the key texts that give rise to the conception of union with Christ—that is, without an exegetically derived description of what union with Christ is. While it is important to understand how this theme relates to other themes and to Paul's theology as a whole, the conclusions of some investigations must be received with caution, since the detailed groundwork has yet to be established.
By contrast, some contributors investigate union with Christ on a purely terminological basis, focusing on a Pauline 'formula'—usually [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]—and exploring the various uses of the formula in the contexts in which it is found. Again, this is an important and valuable endeavour since it is the kind of exploration that produces the groundwork sometimes missing from the aforementioned approach. A weakness here, however, is that the discussion can become severely limited, as though a phrase such as [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] tells the whole story of the theme of union with Christ. Even from a purely exegetical approach, it is apparent that the ideas expressed by [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] are related to other phrases too, such as [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII], [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII], and [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]. In other words, 'pure exegesis' leads away from a narrow investigation of [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] alone and requires the inclusion of other elements of Paul's language.
But is there such a thing as 'pure exegesis' in the first place? Paul was a theologian and, while not 'systematic' in modern terms, he presented his thinking through the interaction of themes that are broader than the use of so-called formulas. Consequently, a proper approach to Paul must be theological as well as exegetical. Indeed, for a theological writer such as Paul, the two approaches become inextricably entwined. In this book, therefore, exegesis and theology will be conducted hand in hand, while the structure of the book (to be explained below) will move from an exegetical pole to a theological one. We will begin with attention to the details of Paul's language, investigating the relevant phrases in context, then widening the scope to consider metaphorical devices. From there, the interest becomes dominantly theological as the results of the exegetical analyses are interpreted with respect to Paul's broader thought. This study, then, is exegetical-theological, belonging to the discipline of New Testament theology. It will be apparent that this differs from traditional systematic theology in that it begins with textual minutiae and develops through to the conceptual big picture; it does not start with the whole, but progresses from one pole to the other.
1.3 Determining the Exegetical Data
In order to begin at the 'exegetical pole' of the topic, we must address the essential task of determining which data this will include. Such an endeavour is at once both simple and complex. On the one hand, it involves surface-level analysis. We are concerned to ask which texts within the Pauline canon are relevant to the wider task at hand. This is simply a question of what's in and what's not; what are the parameters of the discussion from a textual point of view? Along such lines, the task here is to delineate which texts are of interest.
On the other hand, the manner in which the relevant texts are ascertained is far from simple. The most perplexing question concerns the issue of how we know which texts are about union with Christ and which are not. Clearly, the use of some notable phrases will automatically signal a text's relevance. But how far does the concept permeate when such phrases are not extant? Which other phrases may be regarded as related to the topic? Which ideas and metaphors are connected to the concept of union?
The issue is more complicated than merely chasing down the phrase 'in Christ' and describing how it is used and what it means. That Paul may discuss the concepts raised by the phrase 'in Christ' without actually using the phrase in certain instances is a reasonable presupposition. Observation of the workings of human language demonstrates that we may speak of concepts and ideas through variegated expressions. Rarely, if ever, is the communication of a concept limited to one phrase or peculiar locution. Sophisticated language users may summon synonymous, parallel, symmetrical, analogous, metaphorical, and otherwise related means by which to speak of their chosen themes.
As such, our endeavour to demarcate the texts of relevance to the theme of union with Christ is more complicated than it first appears. To find the theme, we must first know what the theme is. What is union with Christ? How are we to define this topic? What are the essential ingredients that establish the concept of interest? The problem here, of course, is that we cannot know what the theme is until we examine the relevant texts. And yet we have already established that we may not know what the relevant texts are until we are able to recognise the theme within them. The task at hand, therefore, is inevitably circular. We must examine texts that deal with union with Christ in order to know what union with Christ is, and yet we cannot know which texts deal with union with Christ until we know what union with Christ is.
This kind of circularity is not unique. Several areas of research are beset with similar problems of definition and method. In the study of verbal semantics within linguistics, for example, the issue of semantic circularity is at once a foundational and highly obtuse problem of methodology. In order to secure data, texts are examined with semantic presuppositions already in place. As the data are assessed, evidence is gathered to support the semantic conclusions that were assumed at the outset. Thus, the evidence is corrupted from the beginning because it is assembled in order to prove propositions that are already accepted. If a different set of propositions was presupposed, the data would lead to a different result, which would be in keeping with those presuppositions. And so it goes.
The methodological circularity identified here is unavoidable, and yet the point at which one 'enters the circle' will affect the shape of the discussion that ensues. In order to minimize the distorting effects of circularity, the starting point at which we enter must be determined as objectively as possible. We must search for an objectively derived tangent into the circularity—a 'way in' that will lead to commendable results rather than weak conclusions skewed by unwitting circularity.
The most obvious tangent into the methodological circularity is the phrase [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]. Scholars unanimously regard this phrase to be central to the theme of union with Christ, so beginning here is uncontroversial. It will be necessary to observe all the uses of this phrase to gather our preliminary data. The two most important questions that we will seek to address are as follows. First, what appear to be the unifying features of the usage of 'in Christ' language? Second, how may we move out beyond this phrase to detect other phrases or indicators of the theme of union with Christ? These two questions will shape how we move from the phrase [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] into the broader discussion.
1.4 Prepositions, Formulas, Idioms
The prepositional phrase [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] is often described as a formula. What that means differs, but it usually connotes the conviction that the phrase refers to the same thing each time it is used. The idea is that the 'formula' compresses a theological conviction into a convenient locution, and its usage conveys the fully orbed concept it represents. Scholars have firmly rejected this assumption, however, particularly those of the second half of the twentieth century. No proposal as to what is meant by the 'formula' has ever found wide acceptance, which is why Markus Barth, for instance, concludes that the phrase is flexible.
In fact, [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] has a range of usage determined by the elasticity of the preposition [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII], and close exegesis of the phrase in context demonstrates this, as we will see in chapter 3. Consequently, it is best to abandon the term formula when referring to the phrase [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]; it is misleading at best. Strictly speaking, [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] is a prepositional phrase, and there is no reason not to label it such. Paul's fondness of the phrase, however, suggests that it might also be described as an idiom. Its frequency indicates that it is not an accidental combination of preposition and proper name, and yet it does not convey a fixed meaning every time it occurs. Idiom usefully captures these nuances. Thus, [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] is a frequent Pauline idiomatic expression with flexible usage.
We have already noted that the theme of union with Christ is not limited by the idiom [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]; there are other related phrases, perhaps also idioms, that contribute to the theme. What has yet to be ascertained is how these phrases are distinct and what such distinctions tell us about their functions. The key element that distinguishes these phrases is their prepositions. What meanings are evoked by the [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] of [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]? And how do they differ from the [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] of [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]? What is meant by the [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] of [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]? The syntax and semantics of Greek prepositions are complex, and it will not be possible to offer a full treatment. Nevertheless, given the importance of prepositions to the theme of union with Christ, it is necessary to explore the function and meaning of the relevant prepositions, at least in a limited way.
On this lexical issue, the role of BDAG is both essential and troublesome. Despite its flaws, BDAG currently remains the standard lexicon for our literature and is drawn into the discussion at several points. While the lexicon is explored for the range of usage of each preposition, its conclusions about how each prepositional occurrence functions are not accepted prima facie. The editors of BDAG have listed particular occurrences of prepositions under certain functions by observation of context and through exegesis. We will reproduce those steps here and are therefore not dependent on the lexicon's analyses. As such, this study relies on BDAG insofar as it describes the scope of possible functions for each preposition. Beyond that, BDAG is a useful companion with which we are free to disagree, as we can do with any commentator.
Subsequent chapters will investigate each preposition in turn and the functions of the idiomatic phrases to which they belong. Finally, some synthesis of how each preposition contributes to the theme of union with Christ will be attempted.
1.5 The Pauline Canon
In keeping with the current climate in New Testament scholarship, most recent studies of Pauline theology are based on a truncated canon, putting the Pastoral Epistles, and often Ephesians and Colossians, to one side. While these so-called 'deutero-Pauline' letters are sometimes addressed in appendices, they are not integrated into the fabric of Paul's reconstructed thought. The approach taken in this book, however, is to work with the entire Pauline corpus, in keeping with the arguments advanced by Brevard Childs. The goal of his 'canonical hermeneutic' is 'to reflect on the theology expressed in various forms within the Pauline corpus'. While he acknowledges that there may at times be a distinction between the theology of the 'historical Paul' and that of the Pauline corpus, Childs resists 'any permanent separating of a reconstructed "historical Paul" from the witness of the "canonical Paul"'. The failure of scholarly approaches to Paul lies in 'the assumption that one could recover Paul's theology apart from its ecclesial reception'.
This means that the Pauline authorship, or otherwise, of various elements of the canon is not taken into account here. Childs does not assume direct Pauline authorship of all the letters bearing his name, but rather acknowledges 'their status within a traditional apostolic collection'. The author(s) of each letter that bears his name will be addressed as Paul, regardless of which part of the canon is in view. Some readers may prefer to understand the author as 'Paul (so-called)', depending on the letter in question, but no such distinction will permeate this study.
As Childs suggests, the study of Pauline theology is not ultimately for the purpose of reconstructing a purified 'theology of Paul', but rather to operate within the larger context of the Bible, in order 'to understand the full range of the message of the Pauline corpus whose witness continues to instruct, admonish, and sustain the apostolic faith of the church'. Finally, then, acceptance of the entire Pauline canon is necessary here because this book is not for academia alone. It is also for the church.
1.6 The Shape of the Study
The book consists of three parts. Part 1 raises introductory matters in this chapter, and the following chapter provides a selective survey of major academic developments through the twentieth century to the present time. Part 2 comprises roughly half the book, addressing the exegesis of relevant texts. Chapters 3, 4, 5, and 6 each deal with a prepositional phrase and their respective alterations: [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII], [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII], [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII], and [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]. Chapter 7 explores Paul's use of metaphor for expressing union with Christ. Part 3 draws on the results of the exegetical studies conducted in Part 2 and seeks to integrate them into the broad spheres of Paul's thought. Chapters 8, 9, 10, and 11 address the work of Christ, Paul's trinitarian thought, Christian living, and justification, respectively. Chapter 12 draws together the fruit of the entire study in order to articulate a comprehensive description of union with Christ. This chapter also includes a discussion about the conceptual antecedents of Paul's thought. Chapter 13 explores the implications of the book's conclusions and marks out future directions for research. The two implications explored are, first, the role of union with Christ in Paul's theological framework vis-à-vis other themes and concerns, and, second, the theological structure of his thought.
1.7 The Major Conclusions of the Study
The major conclusions and implications of this study are established in chapters 12 and 13, but it is worth outlining them from the outset. First, the term 'union with Christ' is deemed insufficient to convey all that Paul includes in the theme. Indeed, other terms such as 'participation' and 'mysticism' are likewise insufficient. To do justice to the full spectrum of Paul's thought and language, the terms union, participation, identification, incorporation are adopted, in place of previous terminology. These four umbrella terms successfully capture the full range of prepositional phraseology, metaphorical conceptualisations, and theological interactions that Paul draws on to communicate what it means to be united to Christ. Some of the characteristics of the metatheme of union, participation, identification, incorporation include locality, instrumentality, trinitarianism, eschatology, and spiritual reality.
Second, certain conceptual antecedents that give rise to Paul's metatheme of union, participation, identification, incorporation can be found in Jewish theology and the Old Testament, but most profoundly in the words of Jesus, beginning with his words to Paul on the Damascus road. While such antecedents inform Paul's thinking, his conception remains boldly original in its language, scope, and pervasiveness.
Third, the metatheme of union, participation, identification, incorporation is regarded to be of utmost importance to Paul, yet does not occupy the 'centre' of his theological framework. It is, rather, the essential ingredient that binds all other elements together.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Paul and Union with Christ by Constantine R. Campbell Copyright © 2012 by Constantine R. Campbell. Excerpted by permission of ZONDERVAN. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Table of Contents
Contents
Acknowledgements....................15Abbreviations....................17
Chapter 1 Introduction and Methodology....................21
Chapter 2 The State of the Union....................31
Chapter 3 [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]....................67
Chapter 4 [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]....................200
Chapter 5 [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]....................217
Chapter 6 [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]....................237
Chapter 7 Metaphors....................267
Chapter 8 Union with Christ and the Work of Christ....................327
Chapter 9 Union with Christ and the Trinity....................353
Chapter 10 Union with Christ and Christian Living....................369
Chapter 11 Union with Christ and Justification....................388
Chapter 12 Defining 'Union with Christ'....................406
Chapter 13 Implications and Future Directions....................421
Bibliography....................445
Scripture Index....................464
Subject Index....................469
Author Index....................476