Paul and the Greco-Roman Philosophical Tradition

This volume provides a fresh examination of the relationship of Greco-Roman philosophy to Pauline Christianity and an in-depth look at different approaches currently employed by scholars who draw upon philosophical settings in the ancient world to inform their understanding of Paul. The book is divided into two sections, one consisting of essays that situate Greco-Roman philosophy as a social setting for Pauline Christianity, and one consisting of exegetical studies dealing with various passages where motifs emerging from ancient philosophical culture provide illumination. The chapters summarize the state of the discussion on Paul's relationship to the Greco-Roman philosophical tradition, examine obstacles to positioning Paul in relation to ancient philosophy, compare different approaches, and compile the diverse methodologies into a single comparative study. It then interrogates several philosophical motifs for the exegetical insights that they may yield when interpreting Paul's letters.