Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes: Cultural Studies in 1 Corinthians

Kenneth E. Bailey

Sep 2022 · Tantor Media Inc · Narrated by Tom Parks

About this audiobook

Paul was a Hebrew of the Hebrews, steeped in the learning of his people. But he was also a Roman citizen who widely traveled the Mediterranean basin, and was very knowledgeable of the dominant Greek and Roman culture of his day. These two mighty rivers of influence converge in Paul's first letter to the Corinthians. With razor-sharp attention to the text, Kenneth Bailey examines the cultural milieu and rhetorical strategies that shaped this pivotal epistle. He discovers the deep layers of the Hebraic prophetic tradition informing Paul's writing, linking the Apostle with the great prophets of the Old Testament. Throughout, Bailey employs his expert knowledge of Near Eastern and Mediterranean culture to deliver to listeners a new understanding of Paul and his world. Familiar passages take on a new hue as they are stripped of standard Western interpretations and rendered back into their ancient setting.

About the author

Kenneth E. Bailey is an author and lecturer in Middle Eastern New Testament studies. He spent forty years living and teaching in Egypt, Lebanon, Jerusalem, and Cyprus. He has written many books in English and Arabic, including The Cross and the Prodigal, Jacob and the Prodigal, and Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes.

Since recording his first book for the Kansas Audio Reader Network in 1985, Tom Parks has enjoyed giving voice to stories. He has been nominated for Audie Awards and has received several AudioFile Earphones Awards, and reviewers have described his performances as "conversational," "energetic," and "sincere."