The Early Reception of Paul the Second Temple Jew

Pauls relationship to Christianityas a Pharisaic Jew whose moment of revelation on the road to Damascus has made him the most famous early Christianis still a topic of great interest to scholars of early Christianity and Judaism. This collection of essays from world-renowned scholars examines how Christians of the first two centuries perceived Pauls Jewishness, and how they seized upon Pauls views on Judaism in order to advance their own claims about Christianity. The contributors offer a comprehensive examination of various early Christian views on Paul, in texts contained both in and outside of the New Testament, demonstrating how the reception of Pauls thought affected the formation of Judaism and Christianity into separate entities. Divided into five sections, the arguments focus upon Pauls reception in Ephesians, the other Deutero-Pauline Epistles, the Acts of the Apostles, Marcion of Synope and the reaction of Pauls opponents. Featuring essays from scholars including Judith Lieu, James H. Charlesworth and Harry O. Meier, this volume forms a perfect resource for scholars to reassess Pauls Jewishness and relationship with Judaism.