GRAPHAI

From: Greg Carey (CAREY@rhodes.edu)
Date: Mon Aug 19 1996 - 11:47:10 EDT


The conversation between Larry Swain and A K M Adam (whom I'd like to
congratulate for his outstanding WHAT IS POSTMODERN BIBLICAL CRITICISM?) opens
a broader historical interest for me.

Adam suggests that PASA GRAFH THEOPNEUSTOS might have a restrictive
connotation: "every inspired writing" would seem to imply that one had to
discern which writings were inspired and which were not. One can imagine how
difficult that task would be for early Xn communities--and how contentious! In
this instance we're certainly not talking about "Scripture," but about
competing writings that were open to prophetic or spiritual assessment.

Swain replies that "plainly" GRAPH means Scripture here. And 2 Tim 3:15 would
appear to back him up. But there is a nagging problem that's begging for an
explanation. If 2 Timothy is pseudonymous, as most scholars think, then its
author (I love talking about authors!) is using PAUL as a model of inspired
writing. Is Paul now among the PASAI GRAPAI? If so, what does it mean that 2
Timothy USES Paul's name to authorize his message?

Perhaps 2 Tim 3:16 provides a more interesting view into early Christian
authority messes than we have generally thought.

Greg Carey
Department of Religious Studies
Rhodes College
Memphis TN 38112 USA
carey@rhodes.edu



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