Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Finding Onesimus: Recovering The Story Of A First-Century Fugitive Slave, Ryan Lokkesmoe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an investigation into the experience of a first-century fugitive slave named Onesimus, who is known to us primarily through Paul’s letter to Philemon (Phlm) in the New Testament. Within this broader purpose, this project challenges a popular historical theory for Onesimus’ flight, the so-called Amicus Domini theory. This is the theory that Onesimus fled his master Philemon with the premeditated intention of seeking out the Apostle Paul as a peacemaker in a conflict Onesimus was having with Philemon. The Amicus Domini theory is accepted by many scholars, though rarely discussed in detail or examined critically.

The goal …

Condemnation, Death, And Justification: From What Is One Saved In Paul's Thought?, Mark E. Maxwell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Salvation requires that a person or group of people have a problem, a peril I am calling it, like disease, tyranny, eternal damnation, or the unbridled wrath of God. Paul's gospel promises salvation. What, exactly, is the peril from which one is saved in Paul's thought? The traditional response to this question is that believers are saved from the punishment of death, and from the wrath of God. The former is the legal consequence of Adam's transgression in Eden in the primordial past, and the latter is the legal consequence of a guilty verdict in a divine courtroom in the …

Addressing Roman Jews: Paul's View On The Law In The Letter To The Romans, Dennis Haugh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For many years, Pauline scholars have wrestled with two related questions: (1) how did Paul envision the composition of the audience for his letter to Rome? (2) What did Paul see as the role of the Law in the community of Jesus followers? As to the first question, I contend that Paul wrote to an implied audience composed of non-Judeans who had first converted to Judaism and then acknowledge Jesus as Messiah, or who became Jews at the time of their acceptance of Jesus as Messiah. In either case, they adopted the beliefs and practices of the followers of Jesus …