Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free.
Grand
Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1977.
The frontispiece offers this classic: “The days will
come when men will call their dogs Nero and their sons Paul.”
On a larger trajectory beyond Prof. Bruce’s work, we
have several sets from the following and recommended offerings from the
Teaching Company (although save your money on Biblical studies, frankly). These
are expensive, but worthy sets of the first order. School libraries should own the entire
corpus.
- A cornucopia of scholarly offerings on Ancient Greece, Rome and the Classical World at: http://www.thegreatcourses.com/tgc/courses/courses.aspx?s=846&ps=918
- Also, a cornucopia of scholarly offerings on Egypt and Ancient Near Eastern cultures at: http://www.thegreatcourses.com/tgc/courses/courses.aspx?s=847&ps=918
- Off-topic, but Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) Allen Guelzo’s course on “The American Mind” is an intellectual tour de force, but that’s off-topic.
More narrowly, we return to Prof. Bruce’s
introduction to St. Paul with a series of not-so-necessarily connected musings
and notes. I first read Prof. Bruce’s volume in 1980 and perhaps have run
through it 3-4 times since; time for a retour.
Paul:
- Inveterate letter writer. Ulrich von Wilamouwitz, a classicist, stated Paul was a “classic of Hellenism” (15).
- His letters are the primary source for insights; they were often dictated
- Luke’s Acts is the second source of insights
- Prof. Bruce dates his conversion at AD 33 and the bulk of his apostolic ministry between AD 47-57 (18). We’ll hold off on the dating-issue for now. He quotes R. Allen’s Missionary Methods: St. Paul’s or Ours? London, 1927, page 3.“In little more than ten years St. Paul established the Church in four provinces of the Empire, Galatia, Macedonia, Achaia and Asia. Before A.D. 47 there were no Churches in their provinces; and could plan extensive tours into the far West without anxiety lest the Churches he founded might perish in his absence for want of his guidance and support.”
- Paul is a preacher of free grace, free election, free justification and sanctification which flows from it all.
- Marcion’s zeal for Paul outstripped his understanding of Paul. Marcion cut off the OT which, for Paul, was the Word of God. Marcion could not abide the Final Judgment while Paul asserted it.
Chapter
1: The Rise of Rome: we get Prof. Bruce’s quick tour.
- From the standpoint of Hammurabi or Assyrian civilizations, it was hard to imagine Rome becoming the center of a civilization and empire. But writers in antiquity reflected on the rise of Rome (including the ancient prophet, Daniel, for one).
- Polybius is one source.
- From settlements amidst the hills adjacent to the Tiber, to Etruscan take-over, to a growing nation or confederation of tribes, to Punic Wars (264-241/218-202) where Rome escaped annihilation by an inch.
- We refer the reader to the video-course outlined above for enlarged treatments of Roman history.
Chapter
2: Jews Under Foreign Rule: we get the standard
review of the history.
- Skipping Egypt (and more), Prof. Bruce skips to Cyrus of Persia (BC 559-529) as an “enlightened imperialist” who granted religious freedom.
- The standard development of Alexander the Great, Rome’s expansion and take-over by Pompeii in BC 63, with the dissolution of the Hasmonean dynasty. Finally, of course, we get the obligatory note on AD 66-70 when Jerusalem was sacked.
Chapter
3: “Of No Mean City” (Acts 21.39): This is Paul’s claim while defending himself
in Jerusalem, a statement about Tarsus, his home of record and origin. Prof.
Bruce offers important observations:
- Tarsus is in the southeast sector of Asia Minor
- There was a fertile plain to the east of Tarsus called Cilicia Pedes (=Cilician foothills)
- Tarsus was on a major trade-route between Syria and the interior of Asia Minor
- To the west of Tarsus was rugged hills that went down to the Mediterranean Sea
- The ancient Hittite culture (BC 2000-1200) encompassed Tarsus; they were called the Kizzuwatna; treaties exist with them
- Cilicia was allied with Troy in the Trojan Wars
- Hector’s wife was a “Cilician Princess”
- Tarsus and Cilicia fell to the Assyrians in the 9th century (like northern Israel); they were called “Hilakku” or, centuries later, “Helech” (Ez. 27.11); Shalmanezer 111 captured it in BC 833; Sennacherib ruled Cilicia as a satrapy, BC 698.
- Persian overlords dominated until BC 400, followed by Alexander the Great, the Seleucids and the Romans
- Tarsus was situated on the river Cydnus, 10 miles inland from the Mediterranean
- Cicero took residence in Tarsus during his proconsulship (BC 51-50)
- Julius Caesar paid a visit in BC 47
- Mark and Antony paid a visit in BC 41
- Under Augustus, the city was exempted from imperial taxation
- Strabo noted the city was devoted to pleasure, but also the study of the liberal arts, philosophy and “the whole round of learning” (Geography, xiv.5.12ff.)
- Prof. Bruce claims that Tarsus was on a par with Athens and Alexandria for learning
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