Paul's antitheses

From: perry.stepp@chrysalis.org
Date: Thu Feb 08 1996 - 16:58:12 EST


Dr. Conrad--

Thank you for your gracious response. I was not implying (at least not
intentionally) that Paul consistently held NOMOS and PISTOS as opposite to one
another. Paul clearly uses NOMOS in several different ways, one of which (the
kind of response it produces, "works of the law") is directly opposite to the
response PISTEWS XRISTOU IJSOU produces. I think that that particular
opposition is a pretty clearly "either/or." But Paul's understanding of NOMOS
is indeed more complex than this one isolated use (and I'm referring to Gal
2.16) indicates.

And as for Paul's ability to hold truths in antinomy: absolutely, that's why I
study Biblical theology rather than Systematic theology. When dealing with the
latter, I've always found that "theology" becomes less important than "system."

Grace and peace,

Perry L. Stepp, Baylor University



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