The New Perspective on Paul

Paul

      The new perspective on Paul is really a new perspective of Paul's writings on justification and justification by faith rather than works of the law.  As a reaction to antisemitism in the 1970s, E.P. Sanders argued for a new perspective on the Judaism of Paul's time in his book titled, Paul and Palestinian Judaism. From this reaction against antisemitism came the foundation for the new interpretation of Paul's teachings on justification by faith. 

      First of all, Sanders claims that works of the law such as observing the Sabbath, circumcision, eating kosher, and etc. were thought of as markers which set apart Israel as God's covenant people.  Therefore, works of the law do not mean self-righteousness or meritorious works of righteousness as some may proclaim.  Second to this, faith is viewed as the new marker which sets apart God's people from those people who are without God.  Faith is merely what distinguishes God's people from everyone else. 

      This new perspective on Paul limits the doctrine of justification by faith.  Instead of taking a balanced approach and seeing "works of the law" as referring to both that which distinguished God's covenant people and things people were doing to try to earn divine favor, the new perspective limits "works of the law" to solely that which distinguishes God's covenant people.  In light of this new interpretation of "works of the law," the new perspective on Paul limits the meaning of faith as well by making it to be only that which distinguishes God's people.  Faith is the new distinguishing marker for both Jews and Gentiles of who is a member of God's people.  By this, justification takes on so much of a community oriented approach that individual justification takes the back seat.  Thus the new perspective of Paul leads to a view of justification where the importance of personal individualistic faith is diminished in importance. 

      I like the cultural connections the new perspective of Paul brings to light.  However, the new perspective limits too many things, just as a solely works based righteousness view of "works of the law" does ill in limiting the definition of  "works of the law."  There needs to be some balance.  The Bible reveals the Jewish people as striving to fulfill the law in order to gain favor and standing with God, just as it reveals the "works of the law" as a distinguishing marker of Israel as God's covenant people.  Because these are both biblical, they need to be incorporated in an integrated systematic understanding of justification.  The same thing goes for the issue of faith.  It is both a distinguishing marker of God's people as a whole which incorporates both Jew and Gentile, but alsoindividuals are justified by grace through faith apart from meritorious works.

      We cannot lose sight of the importance of individual justification by faith rather than by works.  Because the Bible reveals both sides of the coin on justification and the "works of the law," we cannot sit back and say it is only one sided.  To do so would lose the richness of the meaning behind Paul's teaching.  Thus we need to have a balanced approach when interpreting Paul's teachings on justification, the works of the law, and faith. 


Sources:

My information on the New Perspective on Paul came from the following article from Christianity Today.


Simon Gathercole, "What Did Paul Really Mean?," Christianity Today, 2007, http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/august/13.22.html.  Accessed on November 23, 2011.