Acts 10-15: the taming of Paul?

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Acts 10-15 the taming of Paul?

• And the smoothing of relations between Judaism,
  gentiles?

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But first, Caravaggio again

• The conversion of St. Paul, in Santa Maria del
  Popolo, in Rome

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Rare moment in the NT

• We can compare two independent accounts of the
  same event.
• Pauls Epistle to the Galatians speaks of
  encounters and disagreement -- centered on the
  circumcision question.
• So does Acts 15.
• But there are important differences.
• Which can give us insight into the purposes of
  Acts.

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Pauls account in Galatians (written in mid 50s)

• Apparently someone (from Jerusalem) has persuaded
  the Galatians that they should observe
  circumcision, keep kosher.
• And Paul is furious.
• Insists first on the absolute independence of his
  proclamation of gospel 1 16.
• I did not confer with any human being.
• Only later did I briefly confer with Cephas
  (Peter) and James.
• Then 14 years later he went up to Jerusalem.
• Paul insists that he is the one who has brought
  the gospel to the gentiles.
• In a private meeting he spelled out his gentile
  gospel for the acknowledged leaders Jerusalem
  leaders, presumably James, Peter, John.
• Paul didnt back down for a second on the
  circumcision issue.
• And finally James, Cephas/Peter, and John made up
  with him and let him go to the Gentiles, while
  they work with the Jewish believers (the
  circumcised).

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But now the agreement has come unraveled

• Cephas, Paul says, has acted hypocritically on
  the issue of kosher food he ate non-kosher
  before, but now hes afraid of the circumcision
  group.
• So how can they demand kosher and circumcision of
  gentiles, when Cephas has lived like a gentile?
• So now the Jerusalem people, or at least Cephas,
  have apparently backed away from the previous
  agreement on circumcision.
• And want the Galatians to accept circumcision.
• You foolish Galatians! What are you thinking?!
• Paul forbids them from accepting circumcision.
• Its belief, faith, that matters, not fulfilling
  Law.
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The opening to the gentiles

• Historically this was Pauls work.
• But the narrative of chapter 10 of Acts assigns
  the opening to Peter.
• Story of Cornelius does it make us recall the
  centurion of the gospel Luke 7 1-10?
• Caesarea, a Roman seaside town, Joppa a Jewish
  town.
• Double visions.
• Peters is a vision of non-kosher food.
• Peter goes to Caesarea (as Jesus had accompanied
  the centurions men), but now enters a gentile
  house.
• Peter announces that Jesus appeared not to all
  the people but only to disciples.
• But now all the prophets testify that everyone
  who believes receives forgiveness.
• And gentiles are baptized! A first in Lukes
  account of things.

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Lukes revisionist account

• Opening to gentiles is embodied in a story of two
  visions, that of Cornelius and that of Peter.
• Peters vision is understood to end the role of
  the Law and to open The Way to gentiles.
• Peter is the leader in this new direction (10
  34ff, 47ff).
• Peter defends the new position to Jerusalem
  authorities (circumcision believers 11 2).
• And retells the narrative of his vision 11 4ff.
• And they easily accept his interpretation 11 18.

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Paul and Peter

• Acts 15 tells of a meeting in Jerusalem,
  presumable the same event reflected in Galatians.
  
• Paul and Barnabas have no small dissension
  (152) with Judean group insisting on
  circumcision.
• And in Jerusalem some believers . . . Pharisees
  agree with Judean group (155).
• But Peter easily agrees with Pauls position (15
  10-11).
• And James makes the final statement 15 19.
• Only requirement is abstention from things
  polluted by idols, fornication, and whatever
  has been strangled and from blood.
• No requirement of circumcision.
• Everything concluded peaceably.

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The effect of Lukes retrospective account

• The opening to the Gentiles is now initiated by
  Peter, and only secondarily by Paul.
• Pauls anger is reduced to one verse (15 2) and
  placed before the summit in Jerusalem.
• Barnabas and Paul simply tell their story (Acts
  15 12).
• Pauls role in the council in Jerusalem is
  diminished its Peter who speaks, James who
  decides.
• Barnabas and Paul simply sent off with confirming
  delegation of Jerusalem people (15 22ff) and a
  letter confirming decision.
• But in Galatians, Pauls anger had continued no
  sign that he ever made up with Peter and others
  who wanted circumcision.
• Look at Galatians 5 12. Paul wishes the
  circumcisers knives might circumcise themselves
  and worse!
• Luke has given readers a story of the resolution
  of a tense history, one that reduces Pauls role
  and his bitterness and anger
• -- in favor of a narrative of smooth unfolding
  of the opening to the Gentiles.
• In Chapter 16 Luke even says that Paul had
  Timothy circumcised as a concession to Jewish
  believers.
• Does the Paul of Galatians suggest he would ever
  make such a concession?

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Significance of Galatians

• Begins with the issue of circumcision, kosher.
• But moves to larger theoretical question of the
  nature of identity, faith and law.
• Works toward a larger universalism.
• No longer Jew and Greek, no longer slave or
  free, no longer male and female (328).
• Law the Law of Israel is no longer binding
  on believers 310-18.
• The original purpose of Law Pauls intellectual
  challenge.
• It was added because of transgressions
• But temporary until the offspring (Christ).

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But the divisive character of Pauls position

• His allegory at 422-26.
• How does this revise the actual Genesis story?
• Israel takes it descent from Abraham and Sarah --
  not from Hagar!
• This allegory would be deeply offensive to Jews
  and Jewish Christians.
• And Paul himself will later revise it when he
  re-uses the allegory in Romans 41-25. (See also
  Romans 11, where he reconciles himself to
  Israels salvation.)

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Acts and the historical Paul

• Acts seems to tame or reconcile the Paul of
  Galatians.
• He has to share his role as apostle to gentiles
  with Peter.
• And he is shown to make up with Peter and the
  Jerusalem group.
• But perhaps this is what Paul himself will do in
  his letter to the Romans.