James W. Thompson

Contrary to what we might imagine from its title, the Epistle to the Hebrews is immersed in Hellenistic thought. Its author demonstrates an acquaintance with Greco-Roman rhetoric, and often supports his arguments with the assumptions of Hellenistic philosophy. While he shares the apocalyptic worldview of other Jews in this period, he recasts it with the language of Middle Platonism.

Philosophy and Rhetoric in Hebrews

Strangers on the Earth

This fresh treatment of Paul's ethics addresses this question: how, according to Paul, can Christian communities know how God wants them to live? Leading biblical scholar James Thompson explains that Paul offers a coherent moral vision based not only on the story of Christ but also on the norms of the law. Paul did not live with a sharp dichotomy of law and gospel and recognized the continuing importance of the law. Thompson makes a distinctive contribution by locating the roots of Paul's concrete ethical thought in Hellenistic Judaism rather than Hellenistic moral philosophy. Students of New Testament ethics and Pauline theology will value this work.

The Context and Coherence of Pauline Ethics

Moral Formation according to Paul

Carl R. Holladay

John T. Fitzgerald

Gregory E. Sterling

In these fifty-three essays spanning over fifty years Abraham J. Malherbe illustrates how a critically informed appreciation of Graeco-Roman literary traditions such as Hellenistic moral philosophy and Middle Platonism can enrich our understanding of Paul, Athenagoras, and other early Christian writings.

Collected Essays, 1959–2012, by Abraham J. Malherbe

Light from the Gentiles: Hellenistic Philosophy and Early Christianity

This book is the culmination of a career of researching and teaching Paul's letters. Highly respected senior New Testament scholar James Thompson offers a unique approach to Pauline theology, focusing on Paul's attempts to persuade his audience toward moral formation. Thompson recognizes Paul as a pastor who brought together theology and rhetoric to encourage spiritual formation in his communities. Attempts to find total consistency in Paul's writings fail, says Thompson, because Paul's persuasive tactics changed depending on the situation he was addressing.

James W. Thompson

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