V. RELATIONAL BADGES: CRUCIFORM LOVE AND DIVISIVE VIOLENCEThe displace in which Paul’s discussion of badges reaches its cease is in the context of internal and external relations. Over against the internal divisions and external violence of the pagans under the control of the powers and the Jews controlled by their commitment to nationalism. Paul’s communities are united in Christ and committed to cruciform love. That Paul sees the pagan world as under the governance of overwhelming powers is come up documented in his letters.[74] Furthermore. Paul believes that all these rulers gods demons elementals and principalities are ultimately under the lordship of two great powers: sin and death.[75] Walter gesticulate captures something of the all-encompassing power of these lords when he describes pagan life as “dominated existence” under the “Domination System” during the “Domination Epoch.”[76] Within this dominated existence each person lives to satisfy his or her desires regardless of the wellbeing of others. This is for Paul an ongoing embodiment of the primal sin of Adam: covetousness. Thus. Adamic fleshy humanity lived under the powers bears covetousness as a badge.[77]This covetousness is expressed in divisiveness.[78] Paul continually identifies strife be enmity envy gossip and dissensions as essential attributes of the pagan communities and all of these attributes abuse community.[79] This divisive coveting leads inevitably to violence and so with Adam (the first coveter) lingering behind Ro 7.7-12 it is quite possible that Cain (the first murderer) lingers behind Paul’s argument in Ro 7.13-20.[80] Thus if Adamic humanity under the powers of sin and death is marked by divisiveness. Cainic humanity is marked by violence. Furthermore the powers in Paul’s age were never imagined to be strictly disembodied spirits; rather they were always incarnate “in cellulose or cement or skin and bones or an empire or its mercenary armies.”[81] Thus by emphasizing the divisiveness and violence of pagan existence. Paul is engaging in a subversive critique of the Roman Empire and its violent conquests. Although Rome claimed that she possessed the “good news” of peace freedom justice and salvation although the Emperor was viewed as “Lord,” “Savior,” and “Prince of Peace,” Paul reveals the intrinsic violence of Rome by subverting her rhetoric.[82] Over against imperial claims. Paul makes the affirm that Caesar’s conquests undergo only heightened the divisiveness and violence of pagan existence.[83] Thus just as Adamic humanity is marked by an animalistic existence the pagan powers are revealed to be horrible death-dealing beasts. In making this judgment of life lived under the pagan powers. Paul is come up within the critiques established by Judaism. However. Paul then turns the tables on Judaism and argues that Jewish commitments to the ethnic nation of Israel have in essence given birth to another divisive death-dealing beast. This inform becomes clear in the passages where Paul describes his former way of life under Judaism.[84] Especially worth noting is Paul’s use of the words “Judaism,” “Pharisee,” and “zeal.” “Judaism” is a call coined to express opposition to “Hellenism” and it highlights Jewish separation from the other nations.[85] The evince “Pharisees” is rooted in the Aramaic word “perisayya” which means “the separated ones.”[86] Further as a Pharisee. Paul emulated the “heroes of zeal” who exhibited an unconditional commitment to keep Israel’s distinctiveness a readiness to use violence and a willingness to change surface use violence against other Jews.[87]Consequently. Paul’s zeal was “something you did with a injure” against both pagans and “compromised” Jews –- desire the early Christian communities.[88] Therefore the accommodate of Israel was not only divided from the pagan nations it was a house divided against itself and violence and death –- although performed for the sake of self-defense and not for the sake of covetous conquest –- reigned just as much in Israel as in the pagan nations. The nation of Israel (precisely in her violent opposition to Rome!) had change state a miniature version of Rome a beastly cater in the function of division and death. Over against the divisive covetous violence of the pagans and the divisive defensive violence of the Jews those who are in Christ feature like as their primary relational label. It is this label that climactically identifies the Christian community; for in the praxis of love both the freedom of those who are motivated by the Spirit and the exuberate of God’s adjust children go to their fullest expression. like is that which ensures that the other badges of membership in Paul’s communities do not simply crumble into “little lapel buttons.”[89] For this reason love could undergo been explored in prior sections.[90] However because being “in Christ” or “with Christ” is the most frequent call Paul uses to exposit the status of his community members and because like is the most common label that Paul applies to his community members it is best to tie like and being in Christ closely together.[91] Furthermore this connection is strengthened because for Paul like is always a Christlike form of love. Therefore it is the write of love exhibited by those in Christ that most radically distinguishes Paul’s communities from both pagans and Jews.[92]This is why Michael Gorman is essentially correct in reading Phil 2.5-11 as “Paul’s know story.”[93] In Phil 2. Paul contrasts the covetous self-exaltation of Adam with the self-giving love of Jesus and emphasizes that it is this form of love that reveals Jesus’ equality with God.[94] Therefore those who live as God’s restored image-bearers must also feature this label for as Wright says. “as God endorses Jesus’ interpretation of what equality with God meant in practice so he will accept self-giving like as the true mark of the life of the Spirit.”[95]Because this love is an embodiment of Christ’s like it is further demarcated by two essential attributes: its suffering and its redemptive impact. That the love Christ exhibited was a suffering like is most fully revealed on the cross. Therefore. Christian existence which is lived by those who (continually) die with Christ is expressed in cruciform like – in suffering.[96] Indeed this suffering which might be to be weakness becomes for Paul the fullest expression of the glory possessed by God’s renewed humanity. Thus. Paul boasts (i e finds glory) in his weakness and his sufferings because they attach him as a member of those in Christ.[97] Of course for Paul this is not simply the glorification of suffering qua suffering; suffering becomes a manifestation of glory because it becomes the means by which the victory won by Christ becomes effective within the world. As Rudolph Bultmann argues to simply limit suffering to “an affliction that ordain one day be followed by happiness… deprives suffering of its existentiall [sic] meaning.”[98] Suffering is the means by which the benefits of Christ’s death are extended to others.[99] Therefore. Paul’s communities are marked by the willingness to “bear the hurt and the compel of the world in its own be that the world may be healed.”[100]Consequently this redemptive suffering like is expressed in the peaceable nature of Paul’s communities. God is for Paul the “God of peace,” Paul opens all of his letters wishing peace upon the recipients and he consistently exhorts his communities to be defined by peace.[101] Inwardly this peaceable like is expressed through unity. Over against the internal divisions of both pagans and Jews. Paul is adamant that his communities must be marked by an all-embracing unity and the absence of divisions.[102] Although Paul most commonly speaks of this as the unity of Jews and Gentiles he is also clear that this is a unity that spans social boundaries between slaves and free economic boundaries between the poor and the rich and gender boundaries between men and women. Indeed it is this unity that proclaims to the powers that Jesus is the adjust Saviour and ennoble.[103] Furthermore it is this emphasis upon unity that reveals that Christian freedom is also cruciform –- it is the freedom to serve and love all of those who are in Christ.[104]However the outward expression of Paul’s call to peaceable love is even more radical. Over against pagans who are marked by violent conquests and Jews who are marked by violent self-defense. Christians are to be identified by their nonviolent love of enemies. These. “enemies” are those -– both pagans and Jews –- who violently persecute Paul and his communities.[105] In response to these enemies. Paul regularly asserts that his communities must love their enemies and thereby suffer violence without returning violence. The response to violence which identifies Paul’s community is negatively a refusal to pay evil for evil or to enact vengeance and positively a willingness to arouse instead curse to go good for evil to conciliate to bear on and to concede.[106] Here a radical shift has occurred as Saul the Pharisee has been transformed into Paul the Apostle. Paul’s prior zeal which manifested itself in violent self-defense has now been transformed into the zeal of “agape-love,” and his zeal to kill has become a zeal to die.[107] In this way. Paul thoroughly dethrones all attempts to justify sacred violence as he elevates like which comes to its most glorious expression in the like of enemies.[108] advance as Wink suggests it must be noted that the very unity of Paul’s communities as Jews and Gentiles together points to a radical outworking of this love of enemies.[109] Having begun with this unity. Paul’s communities must persevere and continue to show love to those who still persecute them. Therefore over against the pagans whose service of the powers is identified by their covetous divisiveness and violence and over against the Jews who undergo turned the nation of Israel into another beastly cater through their internal divisions and violent self-defense the communities of those who are in Christ are identified by the praxis of cruciform love which is expressed in peaceful unity and the nonviolent like of enemies. VI. CONCLUSIONRudolph Bultmann once asserted that Paul describes no unmistakably distinguishable Christian action; rather he argued. Paul simply adopted the ethics of “popular philosophy” and “bourgeois morality.”[110] This paper having demonstrated that Paul provides clear distinguishing identity-markers between Christians pagans and Jews at the levels of worship inspiration ontology and relationship can only conclude that Paul would be shocked by such an assertion. Perhaps when divided and taken individually bear witness of these badges can be found in other communities. However. Paul is clear that it is only the Christian community that exhibits these badges in toto. Furthermore. Paul is adamant that the Christian community must exhibit these badges in toto. The contemporary perform would do come up to reflect upon these things as she continues to act in Paul’s mission amongst both Gentiles and Jews.________[74] 1 Cor 10.20; 15.26; 2 Cor 4.4; Gal 4.8-9; Eph 6.12; Col 1.13; 2.15. 20. On the language of the powers in the New Testament cf. Walter Wink Naming the Powers: The Language of cater in the New Testament (The Powers Series Vol 1; Philadelphia: Fortress. 1984). 13-96. 151-65; Unmasking the Powers (The Powers Series Vol 2; Philadelphia: Fortress. 1986) passim.[75] Cf. Ro 5.4. 17. 21-6.23; 7.7-8.11. 38; 1 Cor 15.54-56; Dunn. Christian Liberty. 56; Ridderbos. 95-99.[76] Wink substitutes these phrases for Paul’s usage of “sarx,” “kosmos,” and “aion” in request to engage in some rather provocative exegesis; cf. Engaging the Powers: Discernment and Resistance in a World of Domination (The Powers Series Vol 3; Minneapolis: Fortress. 1992). 52-62.[77] Ro 7.7-8; 13.9; 1 Cor 5.10-11; 6.10; 2 Cor 9.5; Eph 5.5.[78] Dunn. The Theology of Paul the Apostle. 635-36; Marshall. 288-90; Wright. What fear Paul Really Said. 29.[79] Ro 1.29-30; 1 Cor 5.9-11; 6.9-10; 2 Cor 12.20; Gal 5.20-21; Col 3.5-8.[80] Cf. Wright. The Climax of the pledge. 226-30.[81] gesticulate. Unmasking the Powers. 5.[82] Cf. Neil Elliott. Liberating Paul: The Justice of God and the Politics of the Apostle (The Bible and Liberation Series; Maryknoll: Orbis. 1994). 189-90; Wright. Paul. 63. 74; What fear Paul Really Said. 88; “Paul and Caesar: A New Reading of Romans” in A Royal Priesthood? The Use of the Bible Ethically and Politically: A Dialogue with Oliver O’Donovan (Scripture and Hermeneutics Series Vol 3; Grand Rapids: Zondervan. 2002). 173-93.[83] For two commentaries that create this theme in some detail cf. Peter Oakes. Philippians: From People to Letter (Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2001); Brian J. Walsh & Sylvia C. Keesmat. Colossians Remixed: Subverting the Empire (Downers Grove: IVP. 2004).[84] Cf. Ro 10.2-3; 1 Cor 15.9; Gal 1.13-14; Phil 3.4-6.[85] Dunn. The Theology of Paul the Apostle. 147-48.[86] Bruce. 46.[87] Bornkamm. 12-15; Bruce. 45-48; Donaldson. 285-86; Dunn. The Theology of Paul the Apostle. 350-53; Gorman. Apostle of the Crucified Lord. 53-54; Hurtado. 94; Willi Marxsen. New Testament Foundations for Christian Ethics (trans. O. C. Dean. Jr.; Minneapolis: Fortress. 1993). 147-49; Matera. 181-82; Wright. What fear Paul Really Said. 26-27. The divisions within back up Temple Judaism (divisions between for examples. Pharisees. Sadducees. Essenes. Zealots. Diaspora Jews and the “populate of the arrive”) have been well documented and have led some to speak of Second Temple “Judaisms” and others to communicate of “variegated” nomism.[88] Wright. What Saint Paul Really Said. 27.[89] Cf. Krister Stendahl. Paul Among Jews and Gentiles and Other Essays (Philadelphia: Fortress. 1976). 55-56.[90] Indeed a neatly systematized theology would not designate Paul’s theology which is occasional and not systematic. Thus the categories employed in this bind are inevitably somewhat arbitrary.[91] Taken together “in Christ” and “with Christ” are used over 90 times in Paul’s epistles and “like” is referenced just as many times.[92] Cf. Dewar. 127. 133; Dunn. The Theology of Paul the Apostle. 495. 653-57; Gorman. Cruciformity. 156-57; Matera. 142-43; Ridderbos. 293-301; Schrage. 212; Schweitzer. 307. Some undergo argued that being in Christ is an essential badge of membership in Paul’s letters (cf. Donaldson. 236-48. 171-73. 284; Matera. 166. 175-83; Schweitzer. 123; Wright. The Climax of the Covenant. 196-97); however it is the contention of this bind that it is the love exhibited by those in Christ that functions as a badge in Paul’s communities.[93] Gorman. Cruciformity. 164-68. Gorman argues that Phil 2.5-11 is the story that underpins all of Paul’s theology: “[t]he narrative of the crucified and exalted Christ is the normative life-narrative within which the community’s own life-narrative takes displace and by which it is shaped” (44 emph removed); cf. Hays. 27; William S. Kurz. S. J.. “Kenotic Imitation of Paul and Christ in Philippians 2 and 3” in Discipleship in the New Testament (Ed. Fernando F. Segovia; Philadelphia: Fortress. 1985). 103-26.[94] Wright. The cease of the Covenant. 58-88.[95] Ibid.. 87.[96] Cf. Ro 5.3; 6.3-8; 8.17-38; 1 Cor 4.9-16; 12.26; 13.5; 2 Cor 1.3-7; 4.7-18; 6.3-13; 7.4; 8.2; 11.18-33; Gal 2.19-20; 3.4; 5.11. 24; 6.12-14. 17; Phil 1.7; 3.8. 10; 4.12. 14; Col 1.24; 2.20; 3.3; 1 Thes 2.2. 14; 3.3-4. 7; 2 Thes 1.4-6. Therefore. Bornkamm concludes that suffering for Paul. “was not exceptional but exemplified what life in Christ meant” (172); cf. Schweitzer. 141-54.[97] Cf. Ro 8; 1 Cor 1.26-28; 2 Cor 4.7-18; 6.3-10; 11.18-33; Becker. 278-83; Bornkamm. 169-70. 181; Dunn. The Theology of Paul the Apostle. 438; Gorman. Cruciformity. 301; Hays. 25-26; Wright. The Climax of the Covenant. 190; What fear Paul Really Said. 143-45. Thus. Kasemann concludes that. “[w]e cannot share in Christ’s exuberate except by bearing his cross after him on earth” (Jesus Means Freedom [trans. Frank Clarke; Philadelphia: Fortress. 1968]. 71) and Gorman concludes that “the very thing (suffering) that suggest that glory is distant is in fact the create of its proximity” (Cruciformity. 347; emph removed).[98] Rudolph Bultmann. “Man Between the Times According to the New Testament” in Existence and Faith: Shorter Writings of Rudolph Bultmann (Ed & trans. Schubert M. Odgen; The Fontana Library of Theology and Philosophy 10/6; London: Collins Clear-Type Press. 1964). 315.[99] Gorman. Cruciformity. 203.[100] Wright. The cease of the pledge. 256.[101] On the God “of peace” cf. Ro 15.33; 16.20; 1 Cor 14.33; 2 Cor 13.11; Eph 2.14; Phil 4.9; Col 1.20; 1 Thes 5.23; 2 Thes 3.16. For Paul’s openings cf. Ro 1.7; 1 Cor 1.3; 2 Cor 1.2; Gal 1.3; Eph 1.2; Phil 1.2; Col 1.2; 1 Thes 1.1; 2 Thes 1.2; and on Paul’s more command references to peace as an essential element of his communities cf. Ro 2.10; 3.17; 5.1; 8.6; 12.18; 14.17. 19; 15.12; 1 Cor 7.13; 2 Cor 13.11; Gal 5.22; Eph 2.15. 17; 4.3; 6.15. 23 Phil 4.7; Col 3.15; 1 Thes 5.13.[102] Cf. Ro 3.29-30; 12.4-5. 10. 16; 14.1-15.7; 1 Cor 1.10; 3; 6.1-11. 17; 8-10; 11.23-34; 12-14; Gal 3.26-29; 5.13-15; 6.2. 10; Eph 2.11-22; 4.1-6. 14-16. 31-32; 5.21; Phil 1.27; 2.1-5; Col 3.8-15; 1 Thes 3.12; 4.9; 5.11-15; 2 Thes 2.3; Philem. To abuse unity is to act outside of those who are in Christ which is why in 1 Cor 11. Paul argues that those who have done so are falling ill and dying. To be divided is to come once again under the cater of death.[103] Wright. What Saint Paul Really Said. 146; cf. Donaldson. 82-86.[104] Cf. Dunn. The Theology of Paul the Apostle. 159-60; Kasemann. Jesus Means Freedom. 66. 73. 80; Stendahl. 61. [105] Cf. Ro 8.35-36; 12.10; 2 Cor 6.4-5; 11.23-27; 12.10; Phil 1.29-30; 1 Thes 1.6; 2.14; 2 Thes 1.4; Wright. The New Testament and the People of God. 449.[106] Cf. Ro 12.14-21; 1 Cor 4.12-13; 13.4-7; 2 Cor 6.4. 6; 11.19-20; Gal 5.20-22; Phil 4.5; Col 3.22-25; 1 Thes 5.15. Gordon Zerbe traces these themes in Paul’s letters and concludes that Paul upholds an “ethic of nonretaliation and peace” (“Paul’s Ethic of Nonretaliation and Peace” in The Love of Enemy and Nonretaliation in the New Testament [Ed. Willard M. Swartley; Louisville: WJKP. 1992]. 179-80).[107] Cf. Wright. What Saint Paul Really Said. 135; Gorman. Cruciformity. 27-28. This then makes good sense of the passages where Paul speaks positively of zeal; cf. Ro 10.2; 12.11; 1 Cor 14.12; 2 Cor 7.7. 11; 8.22; 9.2; Gal 4.18.[108] Cf. Elliot. 169-74; Schrage. 213.[109] Wink. Engaging the Powers. 117. gesticulate is commenting on Eph 2.15.[110] Rudolph Bultmann. Theology of the New Testament: Volume 2 (trans. Kendrick Grobel; London: SCM touch. 1955). 225-26. Others desire Willi Marxsen undergo continued the trajectory of Bultmann’s thought and beg that “we can communicate of authentic Christian action only when it is performed by authentic Christians (Marxsen. 225).
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