Paul's use of the Synoptic Jesus tradition

Abstract

This dissertation compares the Jesus traditions in Paul s genuine letters to the synoptic Jesus tradition. The aim is to identify parallels between Jesus traditions in the Pauline letters and synoptic gospels and to determine whether the wording of the Pauline Jesus traditions is closer to any particular synoptic gospel or Q. The first main part of the dissertation aims to establish whether Jesus traditions in Paul s letters can be presupposed, as it often has been argued that Paul did not have much knowledge about Jesus or that he was disinterested in the life and teachings of the historical Jesus. In these discussions, the biography of the apostle Paul is examined. Based on the places Paul had visited after his conversion, his encounters with people close to Jesus and his initial preaching when founding new congregations, it has to be assumed that Paul was well informed about Jesus. The explicit references to sayings of Jesus in Paul s letters (1 Cor 7:10 11; 9:14; 11:23 25) confirm that Paul knew and used Jesus traditions similar to those of the synoptic gospels. In the second main part of the dissertation possible allusions (instances in which Paul uses Jesus traditions without explicitly indicating it) to Jesus traditions in Paul s letters are investigated and compared to similar synoptic sayings of Jesus. Allusions to Jesus traditions in 1 Thessalonians and Romans are revisited. Special attention is paid to possible allusions in Galatians. Galatians 1:16 is compared to Matt 16:16 17 and Paul s rendition of the command to love the neighbour in Gal 5:14 (cf. Rom 13:8 10) is compared to the love commandment in the synoptic gospels. The study shows that all of Paul s quotes and allusions to Jesus traditions have parallels in Matthew, although the wording of the Pauline Jesus tradition occasionally agrees more with Luke s gospel than Matthew s. Mark never shares more verbal agreement with a Pauline sayings of Jesus than Matthew and Luke.