Book Information
The title of the selected book for this review is Paul, the Jewish Theologian: A Pharisee among Christians, Jews, and Gentiles. The author of this text, Brad Humes Young, portrays Saul of Tarsus as someone who faced rejection in the Jewish synagogue. Nonetheless, he chose to live and pursue his dreams in life within the realm of Judaism. This decision could shed more light on Paul’s view and analysis of the Torah and the factors that influenced his works as an Apostle. To deliver the intended message, the author wrote a total of 184 pages. The specific version considered for this analysis is the Reprint edition of 1995. The international standard book number (ISBN) of the text is 0801048214 and its publisher is Baker Academic.
Author’s Biographical Sketch
Brad Young, the book’s author, is currently a renowned professor in Judeo-Christian Studies. He was born in the year 1955 in Oklahoma, United States. His professional journey began after the completion of his degree in ancient Judaism and Christianity from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He went further to become a lecturer and academician at the American Institute of Holy Land Studies. He would later pursue additional studies to earn a Master of Arts (M.A.) and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His specialization is in the field of Biblical Literature and he currently works as an academician at Oral Roberts University. In most of his works and publications, Young has been focusing on the best ways to examine and present meaningful insights regarding the New Testament (4). He consults rabbinic sources to clarify most of the unanswered questions or contradictions in the New Statement.
Book Summary
The first chapter, “Introduction”, prepares the reader for the anticipated message in the entire text. In the work, Young indicates that many people have identified Saul of Tarsus as a follower of Jesus who would become the “second founder of Christianity” (1). Additional works in the field of theology have gone further to call him Gnostic or mystic (Young 1). The reader appreciates from the very beginning that Paul remains a Pharisee, a position and conviction he never gotten rid of during his lifetime. He anchored his views and beliefs in the Christian Bible. Due to his evil deeds, Christians of the time would view Saul differently since he “had parted ways with his Judaic heritage to become a Christian” (Young 2). Despite such viewpoints, Paul continued to identify himself as a Pharisee for the rest of his life. He was always willing to associate himself with the Judaic heritage since he had grown up in Jerusalem.
The author describes Paul as a Pharisee despite the fact that the Church of his time misunderstood him. Additionally, the synagogue had decided to reject him since his profile was negative, including the persecution of the early Church. This portrayal echoes most of the contestations that Rabban Gamaliel, the king of Pharisee, engaged in to get rid of all forms of religious persecution (Young 2). Paul’s awakening would emerge after his dramatic encounter and interaction with the Messiah (Young 2). Consequently, such an event would increase his religious fervor and willingness to spread the gospel to the Gentiles.
The second chapter of the book is titled, “Paul the Jewish Theologian”. The reader learns that Paul had a rich background and heritage as a Hebrew. However, such a position remains overshadowed by his works and engagements with the Gentiles. Many people remember Paul as one of the key people who spread the gospel to the Gentiles (Young 6). Such initiatives reveal that he went against the wishes of his people, thereby creating unexpected problems during the period. He went against his culture by working with individuals who exhibited interfaith relations. During the same time, Paul would continue to define and identify himself as a Pharisee.
After his encounter with Jesus, Saul assumed the name of Paul as he prepared for new missions. Based on such views, the author revealed that the Gentiles would accept Paul as a Jewish theologian. Historians of theology relying on this book will understand how agreeable parallels exist between the Dead Sea Scrolls and Paul’s theology (Young 7). These revelations explain why the author describes Paul as a theologian who took Jewish theology seriously. Such considerations and pursuits could be informed by his background as a Pharisee who never left Judaism.
Chapter three, “Pentecost, the Nations of the World, and the Apostle”, guides the reader to get a detailed understanding of the Pentecost and what it meant for Paul and other Apostles. In the work, it is notable that the Pentecost commemorates the reception of the Holy Spirit following the death and ascension of Jesus. The works of the apostles would play a positive role towards supporting the expansion of Christianity (Young 52). During his days, Paul witnessed how the Jews of Jerusalem and other regions celebrated various festivities and feasts. The author observes that the followers of Christ would find ways of spreading his message to the Gentiles. Such a strategy would help them achieve their goals and establish a strong foundation for Christianity.
The book identified specific nations that were represented at the time. Paul would be among the apostles who received the Holy Spirit. Consequently, they would be equipped with adequate powers to continue spreading the gospel. Such activities made it possible for God to be glorified in different parts of the world. Young observes that evangelism would only be possible through God’s strength (Young 59). This achievement would be possible due to the guidance and support of the Holy Spirit. This chapter plays a significant role in shedding more light on the position Paul and how he was at the center of the Pentecost.
In the fourth chapter, titled “Judaism and Christianity: Diverse Perspectives on Torah”, the studied text examines the unique relationship between Judaism and Christianity from the lens Paul’s life. Young observes that Judaism emphasized the idea of orthopraxy or correct conduct (63). Jews of the time took the Mosaic covenant seriously, as described n the Talmud and Torah. Paul observed that most of the followers of Judaism embraced both collective and individual communication with God. Ethical actions, rituals, and cultural activities remained critical in the practice of religion.
For Christianity, a diverse view of the Torah existed among early Christians and the Gentiles. For example, they decided to pursue a theology that promoted a Triune God. According to the author, Christians studied Christ as part of the Holy Trinity. Judaism continued to promote the concept of Oneness and ignored the idea that Jesus was God’s human form (Young 67). Jews relied on their Bible and described its first part as the Torah. They identified it as an important religious document passed across from generations A to B. For Christians, the Torah remains the books contained in the Hebrew Bible and remains part of Scripture. Based on these divergent perspectives, the text succeeds in describing the unique relationship existing between Judaism and Christianity.
Chapter five, “The Torah: Roots of Grace and Faith in Paul’s Message”, gives a detailed background regarding Paul’s relationship with the Torah. Having grown up in Jerusalem, Paul had a detailed understanding of Judaism and the aspects of Jewish culture. Young relies on this background to argue that Paul remained loyal and willing to read the Torah (74). He was always optimistic and willing to encourage Gentiles to embrace ritual agreements that resonated with those of Judaism. Paul would engage in purification rites as described in the Torah. These attributes would form a strong basis for guiding his aims.
Paul relied on his roots of faith and grace, most of which were based on his understanding of the Torah, to spread the Gospel to the Gentiles. His strong conviction guided him to focus on the best ways to engage his followers, thereby succeeding in converting them. However, the book reveals that Paul was ready to encourage the new worshippers of God without necessarily associating themselves with Judaism. He asserted that faith was an important thing to him (Young 77). He went further to argue that people could justify their righteousness through faith. Most of these insights and ideas were founded on Paul’s original understanding of the Torah.
Chapter six of this book is: “Torah: The Dead Letter or the Living Word?” The reader gets to learn more about the Torah and its true position in Judaism and Paul’s life. The Apostles of the time relies on the foundational scriptures contained in the Torah to guide and provide additional instructions to God’s followers. Young examines the life of Jesus and how he died on the cross (86). Such an event indicates that He does for people’s sins. Consequently, Jesus’ life, glorification, death, and subsequent resurrection try to fulfill the promises in the Torah. This understanding forms the best foundation for learning more about the Torah and how it becomes the living word.
Using Biblical verses, the writer explains how the word was with God. The Torah, therefore, becomes an inspirational document that guided members of the Jewish community. The revered word was an inspiration from God, thereby making it an important source of rules. Paul relies on this knowledge and background in Judaism to present a greater emphasis that helped support Christianity and its subsequent growth (Young 88). The author indicates that the Torah continued to guide Paul in most of his achievements despite being someone who some scholars view as an outsider in the Judaism culture.
Chapter seven, “The Transcendence of Torah in Paul’s Teachings”, describes Paul’s observance when it came to Torah and how it impacted most of his teachings. From the beginning, Paul agreed to introduce a number of ritual requirements for followers of Christ. The circumcision of Timothy becomes an outstanding example of such an argument. He was involved in purification rights in accordance with Jewish traditions (Young 99). He even discarded his background as a Pharisee. However, during his later years as an Apostle, Paul would guide believers to pursue faith since it would lead them to Christ.
The teachings of Paul, as noted in this book, were rooted in his beliefs and understanding of Judaism. Having trained as a Pharisee, he was able to interpret most of the religious and cultural attributes of the time. His positive view and interpretation of the Torah would make it easier for him to design the best teachings (Young 102). He would also borrow a lot from Jesus’ mission as a Jew. These aspects would result in powerful messages that eventually led to the spread of Christ’s message.
The eighth chapter of the book, “Love as the Foundation of Christian Ministry: The Model of 1 Corinthians 13”, describes how Paul succeeded in establishing his Christian ministry. Using 1 Corinthians 13, Paul educated his followers that love was kind and patient. He guided new believers to stop boasting, being rude, or being arrogant. Those who promoted such vices made it impossible to experience love (Young 109). Through such a foundation, Paul was able to encourage more people to avoid all forms of evil since they were capable of disorienting their experiences. Without love, the new followers of Christ would continue to do wrong.
In his ministerial work, Paul wrote to the Corinthians encouraging them to embrace the concept of love. According to him, it was the best foundation for addressing most of the social problems affecting communities. He went further to embrace unique characteristics of love, such as kindness, avoiding envy, humility, selflessness, and patience (Young 112). The message of love would guide Paul to continue spreading God’s word to the Gentiles. Such a rule would set the stage for the foundation of Christianity.
Chapter nine, “The Essence of Paul’s Jewish Faith”, reveals that Paul grew up among the Jews, an occurrence that led to his original belief in monotheism. However, he expanded his viewpoints to acknowledge the presence of different spiritual beings. In his teachings, he recognized different beings, such as demons, angels and principalities (Young 117). This new understanding encouraged him to declare the presence of many lords and gods in the universe. His relationship with Jesus after their encounter compelled him to enlighten his followers about God’s son and his predicted second coming.
With his faith in Judaism, Paul was able to spread a reasoned message that would lead to the emergence of Christianity. He combined his background in Jewish theology with his views on Jesus. His knowledge of the Torah could explain why he supported admirable values among the Gentiles, such as love, honesty, and the pursuit of good deeds (Young 129). He was keen to pinpoint the key departures from the Jewish law. Paul’s Jewish understanding would be critical towards empowering converts to select the most appropriate aspects of Judaism.
In the last chapter, “Seven Pillars of Paul’s Jewish Theology”, the author presents key pillars that describe Paul’s Jewish theology. First, he argues that Paul was a Pharisee who never became a convert. He retained his observations and beliefs as Pharisee (Young 137). Second, Young indicates that “Paul’s view of Torah was always positive” (Young 138). With his acceptance of Torah, Paul was convinced that Judaism formed the best foundation for guiding people to focus on Jesus’ coming. Third, the mission Paul undertook “separated him from the historical Jesus” (Young 139). The two exhibited a shared bond that supported the power of the Torah.
Fourth, Paul believed that healing love was a good starting point for a good Christian life and subsequent ministerial work. He informed more people about the importance of the Holy Spirit as a source of healing. Fifth, the “grace of God is revealed through Jesus” (Young 140). Sixth, Paul taught his followers that Jesus became the first fruit through his sacrifices, resurrection, and spirituality. Seventh, the second coming of Christ is worth anticipating since the happening will complete God’s process of redemption. These pillars were helpful since they reshaped Paul’s actions and goals.
Comparison with a Similar Work
Most of the arguments and views evident in this book echo the ones Hans-Joachim Schoeps presents in the text Paul: The Theology of the Apostle in the Light of Jewish Religious History. In this work, the author acknowledges that most of the past scholars in the history of religion have been focusing on external sources. Consequently, they have found it hard to get a clear understanding and knowledge of the faith of Paul (Schoeps 24). Since the topic is widely studied in Christian theology, it becomes impossible to have a detailed account of Paul as someone whose religious foundation is Jewish. With this kind of background, the author strives to demystify the origin of Paul’s theology and how it borrows a lot from Judaism.
A detailed analysis of this book reveals that the presented thoughts echo most of the ideas in Young’s text. For instance, the authors acknowledge that Paul’s theology was informed by his religious understanding or ideas. His encounter with Jesus in Damascus would compel him to appreciate the Holy Trinity. He concluded with certainty that Jesus’ resurrection was a form of awakening that set the stage for a new religion. Such an experience encouraged him to correct his original eschatology through refashioning (Schoeps 63). These two books, therefore, offer more or less the same information regarding the misconception many people promote about Paul. Consequently, they can merge Paul’s theology with his Jewish background if they are to get a clear understanding of his call to the targeted Gentiles.
Brief Evaluation and Recommendation
The studied book meets the threshold for a reputable and informative source of information. Young begins by acknowledging that Paul grew up as a Pharisee, a background that shaped his future career as a religious minister. On top of that, the reader realizes that Paul had a unique background in Judaism. Although he might have encountered rejection in the Jewish synagogue, the author reveals that the Apostle never distanced himself from Judaism (Young 57). His “Jewishness” created additional opportunities for launching his ministerial work by focusing on the Torah and presenting messages that aligned with the religious needs of the Gentiles. His positive view of Judaism and the subsequent enlightenment associated with his encounter with Jesus shaped his theological messages to the Gentiles.
The author uses adequate sources and Biblical verses to support most of the arguments. The selection of academic words and the inclusion of various historical events during the Hellenistic period help the reader to understand the intended information (Young 84). Based on these aspects, it is agreeable that Young’s book is, therefore, recommendable to any person who is interested in the history and subsequent works of Apostle Paul. It informs the reader about Paul’s early years and how such a background dictated how he crafted his writings and communicated the Gospel to the Gentiles.
Works Cited
Schoeps, Hans-Joachim. Paul: The Theology of the Apostle in the Light of Jewish Religious History. 2nd ed., The Lutterworth Press, 2022.
Young, Brad H. Paul the Jewish Theologian: A Pharisee among Christians, Jews, and Gentiles. Baker Academic, 1995.