Belly and Body in the Pauline Epistles

The belly is today a matter of much concern. Modern cultures, particularly in the West, have developed means to cultivate this part of the body: corsets, exercises, revealing fashions. In this compelling exploration of the 'belly' motif, Karl Olav Sandnes asks whether St Paul might be addressing a culture in which the stomach is similarly high on the agenda. The result is a surprising new insight into his writings. Paul twice mentions the enigmatic phrase 'belly-worship' (Phil 3; Rom 16). The proper context for these texts is the moral philosophy debate about mastering the desires, and the reputation of Epicurus' philosophy as promoting indulgence. The belly became a catchword for a life controlled by pleasures. Belly-worship was not only pejorative rhetoric, but developed from Paul's conviction that the body was destined to a future with Christ.

Preface

xi

Abbreviations

xiii

Part 1 Prolegomena

1 Introduction, previous solutions, method and Pauline context

4

(20)

1.0 Introduction

4

(1)

1.1 Bible translations

5

(2)

1.2 The scholarly debate

7

(4)

1.3 Methodological considerations

11

(3)

1.4 Belly and body — the Pauline context of the study

14

(10)

Part 2 The Graeco-Roman belly

2 The belly as a sign — ancient physiognomies

24

(11)

2.0 Introduction

24

(3)

2.1 The stomach as a sign

27

(7)

2.2 Summary

34

(1)

3 The belly in ancient moral philosophy

35

(26)

3.0 Introduction

35

(2)

3.1 Euripides (born probably in the 480's BC)

37

(2)

3.2 Plato (c. 429-347 BC)

39

(3)

3.3 Xenophon (born around 430 BC)

42

(3)

3.4 Aristotle (384-322 BC)

45

(1)

3.5 Dio Chrysostom (AD c. 40/50-110)

46

(1)

3.6 Musonius Rufus (AD 30—AD 101/102)

47

(2)

3.7 Epictetus (mid first century to second century AD)

49

(3)

3.8 Plutarch (AD c. 50—c. 120)

52

(2)

3.9 Athenaeus (flourished c. AD 200)

54

(3)

3.10 Summary

57

(4)

4 Ancient critique of Epicureanism

61

(18)

4.0 Epicurus — the popularity and reputation of a doctrine

61

(4)

4.1 Cicero

65

(6)

4.2 Seneca

71

(3)

4.3 Plutarch

74

(3)

4.4 Summary

77

(2)

5 Banquets — opportunities for the belly

79

(18)

5.0 Introduction

79

(1)

5.1 Parties for pleasure

80

(3)

5.2 Seneca — the moral philosopher

83

(3)

5.3 Horace and Juvenal — two Roman satirists

86

(3)

5.4 Athenaeus and Alciphron

89

(3)

5.5 Summary

92

(5)

Part 3 The appropriated belly

6 The belly-topos in Jewish-Hellenistic sources

97

(11)

6.1 Sir. 23:6

97

(1)

6.2 T. Rub. 2:1-3:8

97

(1)

6.3 3 Mace. 7:10-11

98

(3)

6.4 4 Maccabees

101

(3)

6.5 A risteas to Philocrates 140-1

104

(1)

6.6 T Mos. 7:2-4

105

(1)

6.7 Cairo Geniza Wisdom

106

(2)

7 The belly in Philo's writings

108

(28)

7.0 Introduction

108

(1)

7.1 Anthropology

109

(3)

7.2 The 'geography' of the belly

112

(1)

7.3 The serpent crawling on its belly

113

(4)

7.4 Esau selling his birthright for the sake of his belly

117

(4)

7.5 Joseph and the servants of Pharaoh

121

(2)

7.6 Jewish customs as means of controlling the stomach

123

(3)

7.7 Fasts and Sabbaths

126

(2)

7.8 Food laws

128

(2)

7.9 Conversion — the safest way to rule the belly

130

(1)

7.10 Summary

131

(5)

Part 4 Belly-worship and body according to Paul

8 The lifestyle of citizens of the heavenly politeuma – Phil. 3:17-21

136

(29)

8.0 Introduction

136

(2)

8.1 'Stand firm' and the rhetoric of examples

138

(3)

8.2 'Whose god is the belly'

141

(14)

8.3 Opponents?

155

(4)

8.4 Belly-worship and body in Philippians

159

(3)

8.5 Summary

162

(3)

9 'Serving the belly' as kinship with Satan - Rom. 16:17-20

165

(16)

9.0 Introduction

165

(1)

9.1 Warning against deceivers

165

(4)

9.2 Worshipping the belly - Gen. 3:15, Satan and flattery

169

(3)

9.3 Why call the adversaries belly-worshippers?

172

(3)

9.4 'Serving the belly' and body in Romans

175

(4)

9.5 Summary

179

(2)

10 The Corinthian belly

181

(1)

10.0 Introduction

181

(38)

10.1 1 Cor. 15:32: Epicurean lifestyle versus faith in resurrection

181

(6)

10.2 1 Cor. 11:17-34: the Lord's Supper or stuffing one's own stomach?

187

(4)

10.3 1 Cor. 6:12-20: the Christian faith has implications for stomach and sex

191

(8)

10.4 1 Cor. 10:7 in context: the belly - a tempting force in Corinth as in the wilderness

199

(13)

10.5 Belly and body in 1 Corinthians

212

(3)

10.6 Summary

215

(4)

Part 5 The earliest expositors of Paul

11 The belly-dicta of Paul in Patristic literature

219

(46)

11.1 Clement of Alexandria (c. 150-c. 215)

219

(4)

11.2 Tertullian (c. 160-c. 225)

223

(3)

11.3 Origen (c. 185-c. 254)

226

(4)

11.4 Cyprian (d. 258)

230

(2)

11.5 Novatian (d. 257-8)

232

(2)

11.6 Methodius of Olympus (d. c. 311)

234

(1)

11.7 Ambrosiaster (c. 300)

235

(2)

11.8 Pelagius (late fourth and early fifth centuries)

237

(1)

11.9 Jerome (c. 345-420)

238

(6)

11.10 John Chrysostom (c. 347-407)

244

(8)

11.11 Augustine of Hippo (354-430)

252

(4)

11.12 Severian of Gabala (fl. c. 400)

256

(1)

11.13 Tyrannius Rufinus (c. 345-411)

256

(1)

11.14 Theodore of Mopsuestia (c. 350-428)

256

(2)

11.15 Theodoret of Cyrrhus (c. 393–c. 460)

258

(1)

11.16 Peter Chrysologus (c. 400-50)

259

(1)

11.17 Gennadius of Marseilles (11. 470)

259

(1)

11.18 Antiochus, the Patriarch of Antioch (d. 598)

260

(1)

11.19 John Climacus (c. 570–c. 649)

261

(1)

11.20 Summary

261

(4)

Part 6 Conclusions

12 Concluding remarks

265

(10)

12.1 Paul's critique of belly-worship in an ancient setting

265

(4)

12.2 Belly-worship and body in Paul's letters

269

(6)

Bibliography

275

(17)

Works of reference

275

(1)

Sources

276

(2)

Secondary literature

278

(14)

Index of modern authors

292

(3)

Index of Graeco-Roman sources

295

(8)

Index of Old Testament, Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha and other Jewish writings

303

(8)

Index of New Testament and early Christian writings

311

What is included with this book?

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

FREE SHIPPING

Amazon no longer offers textbook rentals. We do!

Belly and Body in the Pauline Epistles

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials