Aside from Jesus, the Apostle Paul had the greatest formative influence on the early Christian movement. Yet who was this passionate missionary who carried the message of Christ throughout the Mediterranean world? The New Testament writings give us not one but two portraits of Paul. We read numerous details of Paul's life and relationships in the Book of Acts and we also find an additional set of details about Paul's activities in his letters. Yet how consistent are these two portraits? And which one gives us the most accurate picture of the historical Paul? In this volume Thomas E. Phillips examines the portrayals of Paul in recent biblical scholarship in the light of these two major NT portraits. Believing the apostolic conference at Jerusalem to be a watershed event, Phillips draws conclusions that help contemporary readers get a more accurate picture of Paul.

Paul's influence on the history of Christian life and theology is as profound as it is pervasive. A brief survey of almost twenty centuries of Christian thought and practice will confirm the enduring importance of Paul for the life of the church in the Roman and Protestant traditions of the West as well as the Orthodox traditions of the East. Even as Christianity, at the dawn of its third millennium, has become increasingly global and traditions have come to develop and intersect in new and complex ways, Paul's place in the story of Christianity remains deeply rooted in the church's theology, worship, and pastoral life. In both past and present, Paul's influence on the Christian church can hardly be overestimated. Among the many intriguing issues generated by the historical Paul, his New Testament letters, and early church history is the question, what happened to Paul after Paul? Whether we think in terms of the reception of Paul's theology, or the ongoing legacy of Paul, or early Christian reinterpretation of his letters, the questions persist: what did the early church do with Paul's memory? How did it reshape his theology? And what role did his letters come to play in the life of the church? The focus of the present discussion is in the early decades and centuries of Christianity, a time when the memory and legacy of Paul came to serve varied and often competing interests in the emerging church. It was a time when Paul's reputation and importance to the church were being reinforced and when his epistles were gaining the authority that would ensure their place in the sacred library of Christianity. It was also the time when the Jesus movement forged itself into Christianity, a process in which Paul played a pivotal role and eventually also became an object of revision and transformation himself. What is virtually indisputable in this process is that Paul, during his lifetime and after, played a critical role in making Christianity what it was to become.

Except for Christ himself, no figure has been more influential in the history of Christianity than the apostle Paul. And yet his remarkable life remains shrouded in mystery. In this probing new book, John B. Polhill scrapes away the myths about this great man and uncovers the truth of his life and thought. Using Acts, the Pauline epistles, and reliable traditions from non-canonical sources, Polhill weaves together the remarkable story of Paul's transformation from persecutor to persecuted, producing a dynamic account of his entire ministry. By placing each of Paul's letters in its proper historical context, Polhill brings new light to these foundation stones of the Christian faith. He follows Paul from his early years in Tarsus and Jerusalem to his imprisonment and eventual martyrdom, painting a detailed, comprehensive portrait of Paul that will serve as an indispensable resource for students, teachers, and pastors alike.

Stanley E. Porter focuses upon the depiction of Paul in the book of Acts from literary-critical, rhetorical, and theological perspectives, among several others. The essays within this volume examine various topics related to the Paul of Acts such as the extent to which the we passages of Acts should function as a source regarding Paul, and the theology and perspective of these passages in terms of their portrait of him. Porter analyzes the Acts passages that deal with Paul and the Holy Spirit and the question of whether Paul is an epistolographer or rhetorician. He examines Paul s missionary speeches and apologetic speeches in Acts. Porter also looks at Acts 21 and Paul s arrest in Jerusalem before he closes with an analysis of some common conceptions and misconceptions of the Paul of Acts and the Paul of the letters.The Library of Pauline Studies is a series of books exploring key issuesin Pauline and related studies. This series is edited by Stanley E. Porter, Principal, Dean, and Professor of New Testament at McMaster Divinity College, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada."

As a sequel to the hugely successful Jesus and the Heritage of Israel, this book brings together fourteen internationally acclaimed scholars in antiquities studies and experts on Paul and Luke. The contributors provoke new approaches to the troubled relation of the Lukan Paul by re-configuring the figure and impact of Paul upon nascent Christianity, with the two leading questions as a driving force. First, 'Who is "Israel" and the "church" for Luke and Luke's Paul' and secondly 'Who is Jesus of Nazareth and who is Paul in relation to both?' The contributors provide challenging new perspectives on approaches to the figure of Paul in recent scholarship as well as in the scholarship of previous generations, 're-figuring' Paul by examining both how he is portrayed in Acts, and how the Pauline figure of Acts may be envisioned within Paul's own writings. Paul and the Heritage of Israel thus accomplishes what no other single volume has done: combining both the 'Paul of Paul' and the 'Paul of Luke' in one seminal volume.

This Greek-English synopsis of parallel passages in the Pauline corpus and the Acts of the Apostles is an essential tool for studying the New Testament. "It has become fashionable in recent years to lay out parallels to Paul's writings. The value of being able to examine such parallels so conveniently--without having to use fingers, thumbs, spare pens, and bookmarks to maintain access to multiple passages at the same time--hardly needs to be stressed. This volume, however, provides also the Greek, with some indication of variant readings, which is much better for those who can handle the Greek and who don't want to be confused by varied translations or misled by any hidden agendas of translators." --James D. G. Dunn, University of Durham "We have long needed a thorough and up-to-date synopsis of the Pauline letters. The synopsis edited by James Ware does not limit itself to parallels in content but also explores parallel texts in terms of literary form and epistolary structure. This immensely practical tool is a vital resource for the study of the Pauline letters." --Thomas R. Schreiner, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary "Ware has produced an invaluable tool for beginning and more advanced students of Paul. Synopsis of the Pauline Letters in Greek and English provides a user-friendly way to view how Paul addresses similar concerns in different contexts, allowing ready access to how Paul formulates the ramifications of the good news as he addresses the needs of diverse congregations. When turning to the study of Paul, you will want to keep this volume within easy reach." --Joel B. Green, Fuller Theological Seminary "Synopsis of the Pauline Letters in Greek and English provides students, pastors, and scholars with a powerful tool for comparing the Pauline letters. While there are other Pauline synopses, this is the only one that employs the Greek text with a critical apparatus as well as an English translation. By bringing together groups of related passages, Ware's synopsis enables readers to see how the Pauline letters treat similar themes. This synopsis, which fills a long-standing need, is destined to become a standard tool for Pauline exegesis." --Frank J. Matera, The Catholic University of America (emeritus) "A wonderful resource that will delight and inform students and scholars alike. Simply reading it is an education in Paul's letters and theology! Using it carefully will provide endless opportunities to make connections and see new things. Every serious student of Paul should own it." --Michael J. Gorman, St. Mary's Seminary & University