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Re: Re. 1 Cor. 3:10-17

Paul F. Evans wrote:

  In other words, is Paul observing that
> in a general sense that others are building on the foundation he has
> laid, or is there someone specific in mind.  That is, is the ALLOS
> somewhat emphatic (is that the right term?)?.  Paul was having
> problems in Corinth with Judaizers, and I was wondering if this
> construction seems to hint at it, ie. "another (singular) is
> building...." I ask this because he makes reference the possibility
> of sub-std. building materials. 

Jim Beale suggested in his reply to this that you may be reading 
something into this.  I do not think so.  Michael Goulder has made a 
strong case that Peter is specifically in view in these early 
chapters of 1 Cor.  I do not have time to rehearse his arguments in 
detail here, but briefly the key verse is 4.6 in which Paul explains that he 
has 'transferred' (METESXHMATISA) 'these things' (TAUTA), to himself 
and Apollos in order that they might learn the meaning of the saying 
'Not beyond what is written'.  In other words, Apollos is not really 
in view - he is used cleverly to stand for Peter in the argument.  
Note particularly how it goes on:

hINA MH hEIS hUPER TOU hENOS FUSIOUSQE KATA TOU hETEROU.

'so that you are not puffed up for *one* against *the other*'

If you are interested, you can follow the argument in more detail in 
several places.  The most important is Michael Goulder's article 
'SOPHIA in 1 Corinthians' in NTS 37 (1991), pp. 516-334.

Good wishes

Mark

------------------------
Dr Mark Goodacre
Department of Theology
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham   B15 2TT

Tel.: 0121 414 7512         Email: M.S.Goodacre@Bham.ac.uk
Fax.: 0121 414 6866