Letters, Epistles, and Baptism for the Dead

Post Reply
User avatar
Homer
Posts: 2995
Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2008 11:08 pm

Letters, Epistles, and Baptism for the Dead

Post by Homer » Wed Feb 08, 2017 12:07 am

I have been reading an excellent book "Difficult Passages in the New Testament" by Robert Stein, Baker Book House. He discuses the passage, 1 Corinthians 15:29, where Paul asks "...what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead?" Stein says that one commentator has counted nearly two hundred different attempted explanations of the difficult passage and then Stein lists five of the more important attempts and the concludes that the text has withstood a satisfactory explanation over the centuries and it is unlikely that it will ever be resolved.

Stein follows Adolf Deissmann who, according to Stein, "demonstrated the essential difference between epistle and a letter". The problem with the text in 1 Corinthians is not what Paul said but the form of correspondence he used to say it. I Corinthians is more of a letter than an epistle. In an epistle the writer assumes a minimum of shared context between himself and his readers. They may have a common language, understanding of the terms and grammar used, and a general knowledge of the world about them. The writer does not assume any special understanding between those who read the epistle and others who are excluded. On the other hand, in a letter the writer assumes a special relationship and understanding on the part of his readers not available to those to whom the letter is not addressed. He does not have to elaborate regarding certain situations.

Stein gives an example of correspondence in the form of a letter that is inscrutable to others. While he and his wife were overseas their daughter wrote to them. In it she wrote something like "We went out to eat, but we had fish because there was a fire again". Outside of their family the sentence makes little sense because it is based on a shared experience they had. They had gone out to eat at a Hardee's restaurant. There was a flash fire in the kitchen so they had gone to a fish and chips restaurant next door and had fish. Their daughter was simply telling them she and her brothers had gone through the same experience again.

In a letter understanding is built on common knowledge and experience which is not shared by most readers of an epistle. The readers of a letter such as those to the Corinthians no doubt knew exactly what Paul meant by his reference to a baptism for the dead. But the practice, whatever it was and whoever was doing it, appears no where else in the NT and everything Paul taught elsewhere about faith and baptism is in opposition to it.

I had never thought before reading Stein's book of any significant difference between an epistle and a letter, and it appears that many expositors make no difference between them. For example, my Zodhiates NASB titles both Romans and 1 Corinthians as epistles while Stein says Romans is more of an epistle and 1 Corinthians a letter. I highly recommend the book.

TruthInLove
Posts: 105
Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2014 12:35 am

Re: Letters, Epistles, and Baptism for the Dead

Post by TruthInLove » Thu Feb 09, 2017 5:18 pm

Hi Homer,

Sounds like an interesting book. I checked it out online. Seems like it was printed back in the 90's. Just wondering how you heard of it and what made you decide it might be a good read?

User avatar
Homer
Posts: 2995
Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2008 11:08 pm

Re: Letters, Epistles, and Baptism for the Dead

Post by Homer » Thu Feb 09, 2017 9:55 pm

Hi TruthInLove,

You wrote:
Sounds like an interesting book. I checked it out online. Seems like it was printed back in the 90's. Just wondering how you heard of it and what made you decide it might be a good read?
Seems to be out of print. I found it at a Goodwill store while browsing through the religion section of books, looked through it, and it followed me home. He does a very good job explaining idioms, exaggeration, etc. with lots of examples. Several used for sale on Amazon.

Wife and I make our "town trip" once a week and I check the books at a large St. Vincent DePaul and large Goodwill thrift store. Found a lot of good books including a complete new set of the ante-Nicene Fathers for $50.

User avatar
steve
Posts: 3392
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2008 9:45 pm

Re: Letters, Epistles, and Baptism for the Dead

Post by steve » Fri Feb 10, 2017 1:23 pm

I have had the book for years, as well as several other good books by Stein. He is a good scholar and his books are helpful.

TruthInLove
Posts: 105
Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2014 12:35 am

Re: Letters, Epistles, and Baptism for the Dead

Post by TruthInLove » Sun Feb 12, 2017 12:31 pm

Thank you for the recommendation Homer and Steve. There a couple of other books in my purchase and reading queue, but I've added this one to the list. Perhaps someday soon. I'll be sure to respond once I've been able to read it.

Post Reply

Return to “The Gospels”