Thank you for the Bultmann quote. I appreciate your taking the time to
type this out for me. I like what Bultmann seems to be saying here, if I
understand him correctly. The German is not the problem, for that is clear.
It reminds me of an experience I had while doing some college teaching in
Peru. I was reading Kierkegaard in German and a lady who was my colleague
in Greek teaching came and asked what I was reading. I handed her the
book--I knew she could read it--and she read a page or two and handed it
back to me. She told me she had no trouble at all in understanding the
German but had no idea of what Kierkegaard was talking about! It is not
quite that bad with me but I must say that his German is not the problem,
however I'm not completely sure of what he is saying. I like his reference
back to Isaiah 53 as to a tradition already in the Christian community. I
was also interested in his reference to Paul's preference for STAUROS versus
hAIMA. I thought that was good. On the other hand from my study of other
writers in German and English on Rom 3:23-25 it seems to me that this
passage would possibly be the most difficult of the entire epistle. By
difficult I mean difficult in terms of the problems and issues the epistle
is dealing with, in terms of the context of his theology as well as that of
the thinking of the church at that time. I was therefore even more
interested in Bultmann's reference back to Isaiah.
I'm sorry this reply wasn't given sooner but we're moving house as well as
keeping up with my other duties and that has put me under quite some pressure.
John