Karl Olav Sandnes, «Prophet-Like Apostle: A Note on the "Radical New Perspective" in Pauline Studies», Vol. 96 (2015) 550-564
The question of Paul's prophet-like apostolate has gained renewed interest due to the "Radical New Perspective", claiming that Paul remained fully within the confines of his Jewish identity. His prophetic call to become an apostle (Galatians 1) serves to substantiate that. The only new thing is that Paul came to a new understanding of the time, i.e. the time for the ingathering of the Gentiles had arrived (Pamela Eisenbaum). The present article argues that the prophetic model is not sufficient to explain how the Damascus event influenced the apostle's theology and mission. This event initiated a process of "slow conversion" as well.
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motif in Jer 1,5 and Isa 49,1.5. Furthermore, this phraseology is
found within a passage where all the essential elements in a
prophetic call narrative are found:
Inauguration: “when God was pleased to reveal his Son to me”
Election: “he set me apart before I was born and called me through
his grace”
Commission: “so that I might proclaim him”
Addressee: “among the Gentiles”
(NRSV)
Albeit compressed in form, this passage (1,15-16a), which is a
subordinate clause only, nonetheless conveys how Paul viewed his
apostleship. Paul reminds his audience of his vision or revelation
— a further similarity to prophetic call narratives — with features
common to prophetic vocations.
The verb introducing the message Paul is commissioned to con-
vey is euvaggeli,zomai. It is to be noted that the divine authorization
involved here applies particularly to Paul’s gospel, not to his apos-
tleship. His apostleship and gospel form a tandem, where the first
is legitimized by the second. This vocabulary may be seen in the
light of Rom 10,15-16 where Isa 52,7 is quoted as speaking about
heralds (take notice of the plural) of the eschatological good tidings
of restoration and salvation 7. Thus it becomes obvious that the pas-
sages relevant here are not primarily about Paul’s understanding of
himself, but about the gospel he was set to preach 8:
His apostolic self-understanding was totally dependent upon the mes-
sage he was commissioned to pass on. The very consciousness of
preaching the eschatological comfort-gospel seems to have been an
important reason for Paul to present his apostolate as prophet-like 9.
7
S. KIM, “Paul as an Eschatological Herald”, Paul as a Missionary. Iden-
tity, Activity, Theology and Practice (eds. T. J. BURKE – B. S. ROSNER) (New
York – London 2011) 19-24.
8
Thus also J.R. WAGNER, “The Heralds of Isaiah and the Mission of Paul:
An Investigation of Paul’s Use of Isaiah 51–55 in Romans”, Jesus and the
Suffering Servant. Isaiah 53 and Christian Origins (eds. W.H. BELLINGER –
W.R. FARMER) (Harrisburg, PA 1998) 207.
9
SANDNES, Paul, 243.
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