Tag: Paul’s Use of Family
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Household: Paul’s Use of Family in Romans
Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians contains more fictive family metaphors per word than any of his other letters. Paul used the metaphor to unite a diverse community of people who had become conflicted about many issues. Paul emphasized the sibling metaphors to symbolize how they should all relate to each other. Paul’s letter to…
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Household: Paul’s Use of Family in 1 Corinthians (Part 2)
The 1 Corinthians epistle is modeled on the Greco-Roman concord discourse. It was a form of oration and writing that implored divided factions to respect the natural hierarchal order. Only by submitting to the natural order of class and status could harmony be achieved. Paul appeals to the Corinthians for order, but his basis for…
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Household: Paul’s Use of Family in 1 Corinthians (Part 1)
We have seen that Paul used the family metaphor liberally throughout his writings, with at least a few instances in every book attributed to him. The fictive family is Paul's primary metaphor for instilling unity among believers and uniting them in common mission. However, Paul's use of the metaphor is uneven and varies from book…