Paul the Man and the Teacher in the Light of Jewish Sources

Paul - the Man and the Teacher describes the course of the apostle’s life, the influences he received in his childhood, his education at the feet of Gamaliel, and his inner crisis as the opponent of Christianity when he became the Apostle to the Gentiles. From hundreds of little scraps of information there emerges a close-up picture of Paul’s psychology and the foundations of his thinking. The Christian reader can agree with the final conclusion reached by Rabbi Gottlieb Klein: "Thus Paul drew conclusions from his faith. He broke down the fence erected between Israel and the Gentiles. God-fearing Gentiles no longer belong to a secondary system as semi-proselytes and, as it were, an appendage of Judaism. In Christ all are equal -- the bond to Israel must not be severed. No, it should be tied more strongly!"

"When the Jews return to the land of their fathers, they will return along a bridge of papyrus," says an ancient proverb. In this way they will return home to their roots. As Christians, we too need to return to the birthplace of our faith. This book on Paul is intended as a continuation to the books "The Messiah in the Old Testament in the Light of Rabbinic Literature" and "The Messiah in the New Testament in the Light of Rabbinic Literature," by Risto Santala.

Please check with us for availability of this book in Hebrew or Russian.

Printed in Israel by Keren Ahvah Meshihit (Christian Brotherhood Fund), a publication run Jewish believers, dedicated to the reprinting of timeless Messianic classics.

190 Pages.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

FOREWORD

IN SEARCH OF PAUL

PAUL IN THE LIGHT OF MODERN SCHOLARSHIP

PAUL'S CHILDHOOD AND EDUCATION
The Significance of Greek Culture
Paul's Rabbinic Training

PAUL'S CALL TO BE APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES

PAUL MEETS STEPHEN
The First Crisis of the Synagogue and the First Christian Congregations and its Background
Measures due to the Growth of the Infant Church
Stephen's Sermon and its Effects
The First Persecutions of the Early Church

PAUL'S CONVERSION EXPERIENCE
The Miracle on the Damascus Road
Paul Renewed

PAUL'S INTERMEDIATE YEARS
Paul's Activities in Arabia
The Work in Syria and Cilicia
Universal and Human Conclusions

PAUL'S MISSIONARY JOURNEYS PROPER

PAUL'S FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY

THE APOSTOLIC COUNCIL OF JERUSALEM

PAUL'S SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY

PAUL'S THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY
The Enigma of the Evening Meeting at Troas
PAUL'S JOURNEY FROM JERUSALEM TO ROME
Paul's Activities in Rome
Paul's Final Years

PAUL THE TEACHER
Paul's Teaching on 'Good Works'
Paul's Swan-Song, his Last Will and Testament

PAUL'S TEACHING ON THE JEWISH LAW
Academic Discussion about Paul's Teaching on the Law
The Basic Premisses of Paul's Interpretation of the Torah
The Logic of Paul's Teaching on the Torah
The Apostle Paul's View of Man
The Grounds of Justification by Faith

PAUL'S CHRIST MYSTICISM
The Mysteries in Jewish Literature
Elements of Paul's Christ Mysticism:
1. The Mystery of Redemption
2. The Expression 'in Christ Jesus'
3. The Theology of Death and Life

THE FUTURE OF ISRAEL
Arguments from Salvation History
The Renewal of Israel

WHAT THEN SHALL WE SAY TO THIS?
Universal and Human Observations
The Methodological Approach
The Uniqueness of Paul
What is to be hoped of the reader

LITERATURE CONSULTED