Conversion in the New Testament: Paul and the Twelve

Richard Peace

Jan 1999 · Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing

About this ebook

Based upon Thesis (Ph. D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1990. This dissertation proposes that a fresh examination of the biblical materials concerning conversion will shed light on the definitional question. The approach to this question is case study in orientation and inductive in methodology in which a single, representative experience of conversion (that of St. Paul on the Damascus Road), drawn from a particular tradition (Christian), and presented in a specific document (the New Testament, specifically The Acts of the Apostles) is examined in detail with the aim of deriving inductively a definition of Christian conversion. In the Preface, the problem is defined and set in the context of ecclesiastical and psychological discussions, the approach to the issue is defined, and the methodology delineated. In the Introduction there is a lexical study of the various Greek words found in the New Testament related to conversion; specifically, metanoeo, epistrepho and metamelomai. In Part I a definition of Christian conversion is derived from the experience of St. Paul on the Damascus road. It is demonstrated that at its core this experience has three parts to it: repentance, faith, and discipleship. The thesis of Part II is that what happened to the Twelve can indeed be called "conversion" in the New Testament sense. It is conversion in the strict lexical sense of the word, and, even more importantly, it is conversion in that their experience bears the same marks as that of Paul. The argument in Part II is as follows. In chapter four it is argued from the literary structure of the Gospel of Mark that conversion is a central theme of the Gospel. An original outline of the Gospel is developed which reflects the six part movement of the Twelve in their unfolding understanding of who Jesus is. Specifically, Mark shows them moving from a cultural view of Jesus (he is seen first as a teacher; then as a prophet, then as the Messiah) to a complete view of Jesus (he is shown to be the Son of Man (a suffering Messiah), the Son of David, and finally the Son of God). In chapter five the case is argued in detail for Mark having structured his Gospel around an unfolding view of Jesus on the part of the disciples. In chapter six the case is argued in detail that Mark has consciously used the components of conversion as sub themes within his six units.