This book deals with the Paul's attitude to the social dynamics of Pauline community's
practice of the common meal. A study of Paul's attitude to the common meals would help us
to see as to how far Paul could identify with the socio-cultural practices of first
century CE Greco-Roman world and to what extent he dissociated himself from such contexts
by virtue of his Christian convictions. The objective of Paul in the continuation of
common meal is the social integration of diverse social units of the church thereby
strengthening the community life of believers in the Lord.
The work is a valuable compendium of research on meals in Judaic and Greco-Roman
antiquity.
Contents
Foreword
Preface
List of Abbreviations
Introduction
Aim and Objective
Method and Definitions
Common Meal and History of Interpretation
1. Hebraic and Greco-Roman Meal Tradition
Common Meals in the Hebrew Scripture
Common Meals in the Intertestamental Period
Common Meals in the Greco-Roman World
Characteristics and Propaganda of Greco-Roman Meal
Tradition
2. Social World of Pauline Christianity : The Churches in Corinth and Galatia
Social Groups and Individual Identification
Social Symbolic Images
Paul's Attitude Towards Social Positions
Church at Corinth and Common Meals
Church at Galatia and Jewish Identity
3. Jesus and Common Meal
Jesus' Meal Fellowship with the Sinners
The Call of Disreputable Disciples
Two Feeding Stories (Mk 6:30-44, 8:1-10)
Controversies with the Pharisees
Meal Metaphors in Parables
Jesus and Food in John's Gospel
The Agapaic Nature of Jesus' Meals
4. Paul's Churches and Common Meal
Meal and Immorality (1Cor 5:9-13)
Meal and Idol Food (1Cor 8:1-13)
Meal at Cultic and Non-Cultic Context (1Cor 10:14-11:1)
Meal at a Non-Cultic Context (1Cor 10:23-11:1)
Excursus: (1) Reconciliation of Two Views on Idolatry
Excurses: (2) Meals in Romans 14:1-15:13
Agape Meal (1Cor 11:17-34)
The Meal at Antioch (Gal 2:11-14)
5. Paul's Attitude Towards Common Meal
Meal Contexts According to Pauline Epistles
Critical Stand Towards Meal Tradition
Paul's Affiliation Towards Jesus' Meals
Paul and the Conrinthian Community
Paul and the Galatian Community
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index of Subjects
Index of Authors
George Philip, MA (Sociology), MA (Philosophy), M.Th, D.Th (New
Testament), is an associate professor of New Testament and Greek language at Bethel Bible
College, Guntur, A.P. Earlier he taught at MBCBC (Mennonite Brethren Centenary Bible
College), Shamshabad, Telangana (2007-09). He has also authored several articles in
various journals. Now, he stays in Guntur with his wife, Priya and children, Aksa and
Jerim.
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