Rediscovering Paul: An Introduction to His World, Letters and Theology

by David B. Capes; Rodney Reeves; E. Randolph Richards

Publishers:

IVP Academic; Apollos

, 2007

Overview

For some of us, the Apostle Paul is like a distant uncle. We’ve heard he’s pretty important. We’ve read the good parts of his letters. But sometimes he comes across as prickly and unpredictable. Not someone you’d like to hang out with at a coffee shop. He’d raise his voice, try to convert the barista, and we’d want to slink out the back door. For a mid-afternoon latte, we’d prefer Jesus over Paul.

But actually, this is the guy who, from Ephesus to Athens, was the talk of the marketplace and the raconteur of the Parthenon. Maybe it’s time to give Paul a break, let go of some stereotypes and try to get to know him on his own terms. If that’s where you are, Rediscovering Paul is your guide. This book helps us find Paul again—holding forth in the marketplace of Corinth, working with a secretary in framing his letter to the Romans, or pastoring the messy emerging churches of Philippi and Thessalonica.

Drawing on the best of contemporary scholarship, honed by teaching and conversing with today’s students, Rediscovering Paul is a textbook that rises above the rest.

Key Features

• Introduction to cultural background and letter writing
• Overview of Paul’s theology
• Text boxes discussing issues and relevance for today

Contents

Top Highlights

“Greco-Roman letters had a general three-part structure: opening, body and closing” (Page 56)

“According to our best estimates, in the first-century world only one out of five children lived to the age of thirty” (Page 33)

“Letter writing involved a secretary as well as input from coworkers, and in Paul’s case often a cosender, all of whom could and did contribute to the final product.” (Page 68)

“Paul combined the two greetings, producing what becomes his characteristic opening: ‘Grace and peace to you.’” (Page 58)

“Ancients, however, did not ‘sign’ their names. Rather, they wrote the final phrase in their own handwriting” (Page 60)

Product Details

• Title: Rediscovering Paul: An Introduction to His World, Letters, and Theology
• Authors: David B. Capes, Rodney Reeves, and E. Randolph Richards
• Publisher: IVP Press
• Publication Date: 2011
• Pages: 350

About the Authors

David B. Capes (PhD, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) is professor and chair of the Department of Christianity and Philosophy at Houston Baptist University in Houston, Texas. He has served as pastor of several churches in Texas, and he has participated in a variety of professional organizations, including the Society of Biblical Literature, the Institute for Biblical Research, and the National Association of Baptist Professors of Religion.

Rodney Reeves earned his PhD at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and has done postdoctoral study at Oxford University. He is dean of The Courts Redford College of Theology and Ministry and professor of biblical studies at Southwest Baptist University, both in Bolivar, Missouri. He served previously as a pastor with churches in Arkansas and Texas.

E. Randolph Richards (MDiv and PhD, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) is dean of the School of Ministry and professor of biblical studies at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Florida. He has frequently served as an interim or “supply” pastor, and from 1988 to 1996 he was a missionary with the International Mission Board, SBC, stationed in East Indonesia.