“I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own people, in danger from Gentiles” (2 Corinthians 11:23-26).

Counterpoints: Four Views on the Apostle Paul highlights four distinct ways of reading the Apostle Paul, by an author sympathetic to a particular view, and each with interaction from the other three views. The four views presented are Reformed, Roman Catholic, Post-New Perspective, and Jewish. The editor of the volume, Michael F. Bird, prepares readers by providing an introduction to the credentials and positions of each the four contributors. Bird then highlights the four key areas each contributor will address: Paul’s understanding of salvation, the significance of Christ, the framework of Paul’s theological perspective, and Paul’s vision for the churches. Bird concludes each chapter with a consideration of areas of agreement and disagreement between the contributors as well as how each view interacts with his own take on the apostle.

Thomas Schreiner explores Paul’s views of salvation from a Reformed perspective and explores the role of Jesus Christ in the modern church. Schreiner explores Paul’s view of the church by exploring his letters to his congregations. Jesus is at the center of Paul’s theology, according to Schreiner, and the apostle’s writings are best interpreted in an eschatological framework.

Timothy Johnson explores Paul’s writings from that of a Roman Catholic perspective. Johnson asserts that Paul’s messages encourage people to embrace the power of salvation, and that salvation is attainable through the rejection of the world. Johnson relies on various historical criticisms and explores how Paul addresses a variety of themes. Moreover, Johnson, employs various Greco-Roman cultural ideas to critique various arguments made in different Pauline letters.

Douglas Campbell explores Paul’s emphasis of the Holy Spirit. Campbell presents a Post-New Perspective on Paul through an analysis of Hebrew traditions and Old Testament teachings, and presents readers with an ecumenical account of Paul’s writings based primarily on his letter to the Romans. 

Mark Nanos begins by describing why many Jewish believers have been opposed to Paul’s teachings and uses the opportunity to explore the relationship between Christianity and Judaism. According to Nanos, Paul’s writings are representative of a strong Jew whose beliefs center on Jesus Christ. While insisting Paul advocated a Torah-based form of worship, Nanos acknowledges Paul’s rejection of major cultural and religious demands of Judaism, such as circumcision. It is worth noting that Nanos devotes more than half of his response to comments Schreiner makes in his Galatians commentary regarding Nanos’s views.

The book invites several leading scholars who hold different positions on a challenging topic to present their own views and interact with the positions explored by each of the other contributors. Seminary students being introduced to the academic study of Paul, and pastors wishing to understand some of the more recent trends in Pauline studies, in particular, will not only discover key interpretive approaches of differing perspectives and traditions, but they will also find an introduction to ongoing debates on the apostle’s life and teaching.

“I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own people, in danger from Gentiles” (2 Corinthians 11:23-26).[1]

[1] Michael F. Bird, Four Views on the Apostle Paul (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012), 9, ISBN: 978-0-310-32695-3. 

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