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Title: The Paul Quest: The Renewed Search for the Jew of Tarsus by Ben, III Witherington ISBN: 0-8308-2660-2 Publisher: Intervarsity Press Pub. Date: November, 2001 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $21.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.57 (7 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: An Interesting Read With Some Unique Conclusions
Comment: It might be said that in writing The Paul Quest, Dr. Witherington embarked upon a quest impossible to complete in a satisfactory fashion: to identify and characterize Saul of Tarsus in such a way as to make him accessible to the average person. This is a lofty aim, to say the least, but one that I think Dr. Witherington nearly arrives at. His aim is not solely to present a theology of Paul, but rather to introduce the reader to the person of Paul the apostle. He does so by analyzing various aspects of the man, from his identity as an apostle and theologian, to his training in rhetoric and his ability as a letter-writer. The end result is a balanced work that achieves Dr. Witherington's primary goal almost flawlessly.
If there is a weakness to Dr. Witherington's approach, it is simply that the book begins with some very poignant arguments regarding Paul's use of rhetoric in his speaking and writing, but seems to taper off toward the end when the discussion has turned to Paul's theology. Dr. Witherington also does not really include the Pastorals in his discussion of Paul's theology, due to the controversy surrounding the authorship of those letters. This is understandable; however, whether one subscribes to the Pauline authorship side of that debate or not, the Pastorals could provide another perspective on Pauline theology that should earn them a place in any discussion relating to that topic. Other than this, Dr. Witherington has crafted a very balanced treatise of Paul the man. It is a fine introduction and tribute to the second most influential person in Christian history.
Rating: 5
Summary: A great study of the complex person of Paul
Comment: Dr. Witherington has prepared a well crafted, engaging study on the complex qualities that comprise the New Testament figure Paul. He discusses Paul as prophet, as an apostle, as a Jewish man, and as an ethicist, but where Ben really succeeds is in showing just how profound an impact Paul's conversion experience on the Road to Damascus had on how he saw himself and his role in life. Dr. Witherington also demonstrates how Pauls' conversion affected his entire understanding of salvation and the Christian life.
This is a great read, and is recommended as a good place to start learning about the apostle Paul.
Rating: 5
Summary: balance and precision
Comment: The Paul Quest. By Ben Witherington III. InterVarsity Press, 1998. 347 Pages..
Witherington structured this book into 8 nearly equal chapters dealing with what he sees as the essential elements of a quest for the historical Paul. Along with a very brief introduction and conclusion, he includes a very informative appendix, "Timely remarks on the life of Paul," which attempts to devise with a timeline for Paul's life. The eight areas that Witherington considers foundational are as follows: 1) On Constructing an Ancient Personality, 2) The Trinity of Paul's Identity, 3) Paul the Writer and Rhetor, 4) Paul the Prophet and Apostle, 5) Paul the Realist and Radical, 6) Paul the Anthropologist and Advocate, 7) Paul the Story teller and Exegete, 8) Paul the Ethicist and Theologian. This book is second in sequence to The Jesus Quest and, in some ways, is also a continuation of Paul's Narrative thought World. (Steve, I'm assuming that these are books and therefore should either be in all italics or underlined, not in quotation marks. Quotation marks are only used for article titles.) As Witherington states the quest for this historical Jesus, leads us to Paul since he is one of our greatest sources about Jesus. It is, therefore, logical to leave The Jesus Quest and embark on a new search that leads to The Paul Quest. As a result, it has many aims and goals. Those goals are best summed up as follows: a short study on the four sources for Paul, exposing readers to new developments in the quest for the historical Paul, and an examination of Paul's different roles and how those would have shaped him. Witherington also proposes to sample relevant Pauline literature in each of his eight foundational areas. I have often heard it asked, "Why another book on Paul?" With the quantity of books published yearly, it appears that no one in the publishing industry is asking the same question. However, I would say this is a book of great value to the large canon of Pauline literature. It is a very good book written in a fun and engaging style. Witherington tends to present a few of the different opinions on each topic and then states his personal view. He uses the Scriptures as his primary starting point, but then supports his views and premises from a historical perspective. I found it invaluable to have Witherington begin with his study of the ancient personality, specifically in regards to the three aspects of Paul: Paul as Jew, Paul as Christian, and finally, though of lesser import, Paul as Roman citizen. This sets all readers on a level playing field for the rest of the work. Each reader has a very clear view of how Witherington is approaching Paul, why, and where he intends to lead us as we search for the historical Paul. In presenting his different topics, Witherington draws upon numerous sources that include both modern and ancient. When criticizing an outside source, he does so in a fair way, evaluating both the strengths and weaknesses of a particular book or theory. He then goes on to support his opinions with Pauline sources or other contemporaries. I believe this would be an ideal book for a new student to Pauline studies. It has a strong historical approach. It includes a valid use themes and archetypes; not those of modern psychology, but instead those of the ancient world, Prophet, Storyteller, Jew, Greek, etc. It raises many of the contemporary issues in Pauline theology, as well as those necessary for an understanding of the man himself. It deals with the opposing views in a balanced way, presenting both sides of an argument fairly. For example on women, it presents both views of Paul as liberator and feminist, and Paul as the patriarchal repressor of women. In Paul's Narrative Though World (Westminster/John Knox Press, 1994), Witherington was hard to read and even harder to understand. However, in this effort he is a masterful wordsmith who leaves you hungering for more. It was hard to put the book down; it is such a compelling read. Through its many referenced sources, it also allows you to continue further into any area that piques your interest in an easily accessible way. The greatest strength of the book is its balanced approach and equal treatment of the different topics and views. I was very impressed that he did not over-focus on the storyteller or "narrative thought world" given his previous writing in this area. The greatest weakness is the last chapter. In my opinion, Witherington does not do a good job of presenting Paul the theologian, or of presenting a clear view of Paul's theology. (Steve, you may want to include an example here that illustrates your point or at least some further explanation as to why he is unclear. It would make a stronger statement then simply stating your opinion without any obvious backup.) Since he has made an strong presentation in every other section, I would still say that this is an excellent book which is a good read, and well worth anyone's time and money to pursue it. I believe this book achieved its stated aims. Much like a gemologist working with a raw diamond cuts and shapes the stone into a beautiful thing that radiates and reflects light from its many facets, so too has Witherington shown each of the differing views of the separate facets of Paul, and through them brings clarity, light and vision to the reader.
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Title: What Are They Saying About Acts? by Mark Allan Powell ISBN: 0809132796 Publisher: Paulist Press Pub. Date: January, 1992 List Price(USD): $10.95 |
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Title: The Jesus Quest: The Third Search for the Jew of Nazareth by Ben Witherington III, Ben, III Witherington ISBN: 0830815449 Publisher: Intervarsity Press Pub. Date: May, 1997 List Price(USD): $20.00 |
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Title: The Theology of the Acts of the Apostles by Jacob Jervell, James D. G. Dunn ISBN: 052142447X Publisher: Cambridge University Press Pub. Date: 16 May, 1996 List Price(USD): $19.00 |
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Title: Exploring the New Testament: A Guide to the Letters & Revelation by I. Howard Marshall, Stephen Travis, Ian Paul ISBN: 0830825568 Publisher: Intervarsity Press Pub. Date: August, 2002 List Price(USD): $25.00 |
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Title: Set Free: A Journey Toward Solidarity Against Racism by Iris De Leon-Hartshorn, Tobin Miller Shearer, Regina Shands Stoltzfus ISBN: 0836191579 Publisher: Herald Pr Pub. Date: June, 2001 List Price(USD): $14.99 |
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