Conversion in the New Testament: Paul and the Twelve

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Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1999 - 397 Seiten
Based upon Thesis (Ph. D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1990. This dissertation proposes that a fresh examination of the biblical materials concerning conversion will shed light on the definitional question. The approach to this question is case study in orientation and inductive in methodology in which a single, representative experience of conversion (that of St. Paul on the Damascus Road), drawn from a particular tradition (Christian), and presented in a specific document (the New Testament, specifically The Acts of the Apostles) is examined in detail with the aim of deriving inductively a definition of Christian conversion. In the Preface, the problem is defined and set in the context of ecclesiastical and psychological discussions, the approach to the issue is defined, and the methodology delineated. In the Introduction there is a lexical study of the various Greek words found in the New Testament related to conversion; specifically, metanoeo, epistrepho and metamelomai. In Part I a definition of Christian conversion is derived from the experience of St. Paul on the Damascus road. It is demonstrated that at its core this experience has three parts to it: repentance, faith, and discipleship. The thesis of Part II is that what happened to the Twelve can indeed be called "conversion" in the New Testament sense. It is conversion in the strict lexical sense of the word, and, even more importantly, it is conversion in that their experience bears the same marks as that of Paul. The argument in Part II is as follows. In chapter four it is argued from the literary structure of the Gospel of Mark that conversion is a central theme of the Gospel. An original outline of the Gospel is developed which reflects the six part movement of the Twelve in their unfolding understanding of who Jesus is. Specifically, Mark shows them moving from a cultural view of Jesus (he is seen first as a teacher; then as a prophet, then as the Messiah) to a complete view of Jesus (he is shown to be the Son of Man (a suffering Messiah), the Son of David, and finally the Son of God). In chapter five the case is argued in detail for Mark having structured his Gospel around an unfolding view of Jesus on the part of the disciples. In chapter six the case is argued in detail that Mark has consciously used the components of conversion as sub themes within his six units.
 

Ausgewählte Seiten

Inhalt

The Event The Core Pattern of Pauls Conversion
17
The Three Accounts of Pauls Conversion
20
The Core Pattern Defined
25
Call or Conversion?
27
Pauls Own Accounts of His Conversion
29
Insight The Context of Conversion
37
Paul the Persecutor
38
A Shift in Assumptions
52
An Analysis of Unit Six Mark 1411539
207
Summary
215
Conversion Themes in Marks Gospel Response Faith Repentance
216
The Theme Defined in the Prologue Mark 1115
217
An Analysis of Unit One Mark 116434
223
An Analysis of Unit Two Mark 435630
237
An Analysis of Unit Three Mark 631330
244
Conversion Themes in Marks Gospel Discipleship
253

Turning Encounter with Jesus
56
The Turning
85
Transformation The Emergence of New Life
88
The Response
89
The Commission
94
The Continuity
98
Conclusion
99
THE EXPERIENCE OF THE TWELVE
103
The Theme of Conversion in the Gospel of Mark An Outline of the Gospel
105
The Structure of Marks Gospel Themes in Mark
110
A Thematic Outline of the Gospel of Mark
113
An Analysis of the Structure of Mark
126
Transitions between Units
136
The Use of Parentheses
146
The Use of Titles
149
A Comparison
151
Summary of the Structural Argument
155
Jesus the Messiah
157
An Analysis of Unit One Mark 116434
163
An Analysis of Unit Two Mark 435630
171
An Analysis of Unit Three Mark 631830
179
Jesus the Son of God
188
An Analysis of Unit Five Mark 10461337
197
An Analysis of Units Five and Six Mark 10461539
269
A Summary
279
EVANGELISM
283
Encounter Evangelism A Critique
285
EncounterOriented Evangelistic Activities
288
An Assessment of Encounter Evangelism
298
Process Evangelism Theory
309
Spiritual Pilgrimage
310
The Geography of Pilgrimage
311
A Model for Process Evangelism
319
Process Evangelism Practice
330
SmallGroup Evangelism
334
GrowthOriented Evangelism
336
The Spiritual Disciplines
340
Worship Evangelism
343
Conclusions
344
A Lexical Summary of Conversion
346
Selected Bibliography
354
Psychology
372
Author Index
381
Subject Index
385
Scripture Index
388
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Seite 4 - Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.

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