contra Deissmann

jwest at highland.net jwest at highland.net
Wed Sep 4 07:11:18 EDT 2002


> List,
> 
> 
> Question: Would anyone here care to comment on the statement that the NT
> was largely written in the "professional prose of the day," contra
> Deissmann?


In my view Deissmann is correct.  If you were to read Plato or Aristotle or 
Lucian or any number of others from the classical period to the Byzantine you 
would find that the NT documents more resemble private correspondence than 
professional literature. Compare Pindar to Paul and you will immediately see 
the striking difference between them.  Compare Lucian to Luke.  There simply is 
no justification for the notion that the NT is similar to those or 
philosophical texts from the period.

best

Jim

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Jim West, ThD
Adjunct Professor of Biblical Studies
Quartz Hill School of Theology

Biblical Studies Resources
http://web.infoave.net/~jwest




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