No abstract

Since J. Louis Martyn proposed that John reflected a two-level drama, there has been much criticism of his (anachronistic?) use of the Birkat Ha-Minim to explain the expulsion of Christians from the synagogue. Adele Reinhartz maintains that this is really a case of anti-synagogue propaganda on the part of the evangelist. Yet, in all the exegetical discussion, one aspect which is rarely examined is the nominal form of ἀποσυνάγωγος (Jn 9.22; 12.42; 16.2a), a strange term which Bible translations have to turn into a verb. This label appears to come from a Greek-speaking Jewish milieu, and its negativity is re-appropriated by the author of this Christian text. Social identity research provides an insight into how a positive approach to stigmatizing labels can allow a community to thrive. This can be applied to ἀποσυνάγωγος in John, an insult which actually demonstrates the validity of one’s faith and identity. It is good to be a reject.

No abstract

Paul only mentions Ephesus twice explicitly, in 1 Cor 15:32 and 16:8. The latter reference leads most to place the writing of 1 Corinthians in Ephesus, while the former causes much hand-wringing over Paul’s bout with wild beasts. If indeed Paul has written to the Corinthians from Ephesus, we may be able to infer—albeit speculatively—aspects of Christian life in the city. Theißen and Hartwig’s concept of the Nebenadressat, which they apply to the Corinthians as secondary addressees of Romans, may be applied to the Ephesians as secondary addressees of the letter to Corinth. We can see from Paul’s guidelines for the Christians in Corinth how Christians in Ephesus would have lived.

No abstract