How does Paul speak about Christ’s agency? Lexical analysis and patristic reception of Paul’s vocabulary

Abstract

This article attempts to contribute to recent scholarly discussion on the theological character of Christ’s activity by providing a close analysis of the language that Paul uses in three selected texts: 1 Thessalonians 3:12–13; Philippians 3:20–21; Romans 15:18–19. The rationale for selecting these three Pauline texts in particular is that they include three different Greek verbs (στηρίζω, µετασχηµατίζω, and κατεργάζοµαι) that provide varied starting points for exegetical analysis and theological interpretation. In terms of research methodology, this article treats each Pauline verse in relation to two poles: (1) the vocabulary of the Septuagint and classical Greek sources; (2) the reception of these three Pauline verses according to the data recorded in Biblindex concerning patristic sources between the 1st and 5th centuries.
Contribution: By developing the argumentation with a fresh presentation of this Pauline data, scholars will gain not only more robust comparative and historical frameworks for the interpretation of Christ’s varied actions according to Paul’s grammar but also a richer appreciation for the nuanced vocabulary that Paul uses to communicate his experiences in relation to Christ. Rather than treating linguistic and theological elements in parallel, this study proposes that Paul’s vocabulary can be conceived as an act of language that functions to describe and influence the reality in which Paul and his addressees are situated.