Abraham J. Malherbe

A PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION OF PAUL

When Paul is placed in his Greek context, it is generally his thought, vocabulary, and literary style that receive attention. This is to a degree at least also true when attention is given to the early churchs interpretation of his letters. Greek influence can also be perceived in early Christian reflections on the physical appearance of Paul. Less well known to most students of early Christianity than the literary evidence are the artistic representations of Paul, but the curious literary portrait of Paul in the Acts of Paul and Thecla, which in some respects agrees with early Christian paintings, is well known. There, Onesiphorus sees Paul as “a man small of stature, with a bald head and crooked legs, in a good state of body, with eyebrows meeting and nose somewhat hooked, full of friendliness; for now he appeared like a man, and now he had the face of an angel.”

The Early Church in Its Context

This collection of 21 essays in honor of Professor Everett Ferguson focuses on a variety of aspects of the early church and the environment.

Antisthenes and Odysseus, and Paul at War

Pauls use of military imagery in 2 Cor 10:3–6 deserves closer attention than it has received. Moffatts translation vividly reflects the descriptions of ancient sieges which underlie Pauls statements: I do live in the flesh, but I do not make war as the flesh does; the weapons of my warfare are not weapons of the flesh, but divinely strong to demolish fortresses-I demolish theories and any rampart thrown up to resist the knowledge of God, I take every project prisoner to make it obey Christ, I am prepared to court-martial anyone who remains insubordinate, once your submission is complete.