The Pauline proclamation of the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Christ within its New Testament setting
Colossians and Ephesians occupy an unusual position in the Pauline literature. While they are clearly influenced by the apostles theology and language, they contain ideas which many have thought to be too far distant from the theology of the non-disputed letters to be considered Pauline. We have already discussed the meaning of the with regard to the subjection of the angelic Powers. Mt this point we will examine Colossians and Ephesians in order to evaluate the context in which their authors speak of the rule of God and of Christ. It is immediately apparent that the kingdom theology of Colossians and Ephesians is strongly influenced by the general purposes of the letters. These epistles were not written in a theological void; they were directed against a particular teaching (Colossians) and for readers who feared a hostile cosmos (Ephesians). In discussing questions such as the role of realized eschatology, cosmology, and the relationship between church and kingdom in these letters we need to pay attention to the polemical aims of their writers.
Shogren, Gary Steven
Theology of Paul
The Pauline proclamation of the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Christ within its New Testament setting. Colossians and Ephesians occupy an unusual position in the Pauline literature. While they are clearly influenced by the apostles theology and language, they contain ideas which many have thought to be too far distant from the theology of the non-disputed letters to be considered Pauline. We have already discussed the meaning of the with regard to the subjection of the angelic Powers. Mt this point we will examine Colossians and Ephesians in order to evaluate the context in which their authors speak of the rule of God and of Christ. It is immediately apparent that the kingdom theology of Colossians and Ephesians is strongly influenced by the general purposes of the letters. These epistles were not written in a theological void; they were directed against a particular teaching (Colossians) and for readers who feared a hostile cosmos (Ephesians). In discussing questions such as the role of realized eschatology, cosmology, and the relationship between church and kingdom in these letters we need to pay attention to the polemical aims of their writers.
pauline proclamation kingdom_god kingdom christ within new_testament setting ephesians occupy unusual position pauline literature clearly influenced apostle theology language contain idea many think far distant theology non letter consider pauline already discuss mean regard subjection angelic powers point examine ephesians order_evaluate context author speak rule god christ immediately apparent kingdom theology ephesians strongly_influence general purpose letter epistle write theological void direct particular teaching reader fear hostile cosmos ephesians discuss question role realize eschatology cosmology relationship church kingdom letter need pay_attention polemical aim writer