Scot McKnight - The Apostle Paul and the Christian Life: Ethical and Missional Implications of the New Perspective

S COT M C K NIGHT AND J OSEPH B. M ODICA

O ne of the greatest double-play combinations in baseball history is Tinker to Evers to Chance. They were the glue that held the infield together and in many ways the entire team. As many of us know, especially one of the coeditors of this volume (whose initials are SMcK), the Cubs have waited very patiently for their chances to return to the World Series.

With all such combinations there is a rhythm and sequence. As one briefly reflects upon the origins and impact of the new perspective on Paul (NPP), one immediately thinks of an imaginary double-play combination of Stendahl to Sanders to Dunn. It appears that the three worked assiduously with one another, almost like teammates, even when the contribution perhaps was unknown to the one who followed. Granted, there are always contributing factors to any new movement, but for now well very briefly consider the three contributions to this so-called NPP double-play combination.

What can one say about E. P. Sanderss landmark book Paul and Palestinian Judaism , except that it is essential reading for any serious interpreter of the New Testament? What Sanders did was reinterpret and recontextualize for modern-day readers what constituted first-century Judaism(s). Perhaps the most enduring contribution of Sanders is the understanding that Judaism was not a works-based religion emerging from human effort but one emerging from divine election and the obedience expected of those who were already in the covenant. The implications for Paul simmered on the topic of Sanderss reevaluation of Judaism. Sanderss classic definition of Judaism as covenantal nomism has now redefined a generation of New Testament scholars, even if not all have bowed the knee to the idea.

Here is where we find James D. G. Dunn, affectionately known as Jimmy, playing first base. Dunn completes the double play with his groundbreaking lecture in 1982 entitled The New Perspective on Paul. that the apostle Paul, according to Dunn, opposed when critiquing Jews and Judaism. Instead of seeing works of the law as attempts by humans to earn favor with God in order to be saved, Dunn located this expression in the debate between Paul and those who thought gentiles needed to adopt the works of the law if they wanted to be fully acceptable to God and full members in the Israel of God. In retrospect, Sanders does not spend much time with the apostle Paul in his book (exceedingly much more with Palestinian Judaism); it is Dunn who is actually responsible for using Sanderss observations in interpreting the apostle Pauls letters.

We are well aware that at times standing at first base were othersnot least N. T. Wright, who in his massive studies has given his own twist to the NPP in what he at times has called the fresh perspective on Paulbut it is more than fair to say that Dunns contribution was to turn the relay throw of Sanders into an out.

What we attempt to answer in this book is this question: How did the apostle Paul understand the Christian life? We believe that a new-perspective reading of Paulhowever that might be understood todayoffers much to an understanding of the Christian life, so we have assembled a collection of essays from new-perspective scholars. We are very fortunate to have two of the major players (not to overuse the baseball analogy) contribute to this volume: Professors James D. G. Dunn and N. T. (Tom) Wright.

Likewise, we recognize and value the contributions of the old perspective, but we have not yet encountered how a particular old-perspective reading of the apostle Paul unpacks ones understanding of the Christian life. Sometimes an old-perspective reading of Paul can simply get stuck with the implications and aspects of individual salvation or chase the whole of Pauls thought through what is often called the ordo salutis . Of course, individual salvation is important. Moreover, it seems that a new-perspective reading of Paul offers a fresh and a rich approach as one grapples with the apostle Pauls understanding of the Christian life.