Love and longing in 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13: expanding Robert Funk's exclusive-authority view of the apostolic parousia

Smith, Cary

Etd

Love and longing in 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13: expanding Robert Funk's exclusive-authority view of the apostolic parousia

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MLA citation style (9th ed.)

Smith, Cary. Love and Longing In 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13: Expanding Robert Funk's Exclusive-authority View of the Apostolic Parousia. rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/a1b6fb46-0ba2-4646-96a1-7756089cf602.

APA citation style (7th ed.)

S. Cary. Love and longing in 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13: expanding Robert Funk's exclusive-authority view of the apostolic parousia. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/a1b6fb46-0ba2-4646-96a1-7756089cf602

Chicago citation style (CMOS 17, author-date)

Smith, Cary. Love and Longing In 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13: Expanding Robert Funk's Exclusive-Authority View of the Apostolic Parousia. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/a1b6fb46-0ba2-4646-96a1-7756089cf602.

Note: These citations are programmatically generated and may be incomplete.

Creator

Smith, Cary

Keyword

Pauline theology

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In Copyright

Abstract

In his influential 1967 essay, Robert Funk coined the term “apostolic parousia” to describe Pauline passages where the apostle groups material related to his presence into one section of the letter. Funk argued that such material manifests the apostle’s presence within the letter, exclusively seeking to convey Paul’s apostolic authority and power to the readers. Funk’s essay and proposal have significantly impacted NT studies and continue to influence scholarly discourse. While affirming much of Funk’s proposal, this thesis offers an expanded perspective of the apostolic parousia convention that corrects an unnecessarily restrictive view of its literary function. The study examines 1 Thess 2:17-3:13 and demonstrates that Paul literarily manifests his presence in that passage primarily to convey personal affection and a desire to see the readers.The first part of the argument focuses on 1 Thessalonians as a whole and establishes that expressions of affection and affirmation as well as Paul’s minimization of authority characterize the entire letter, particularly the first three chapters. Such factors indicate no need for the apostle to emphasize his authority in the apostolic parousia section. An exegetical examination of 1 Thess 2:17-3:13 then demonstrates that Paul seeks to convey love and longing more than authority in this section.The evidence confirms that 1 Thess 2:17-3:13 does not function exclusively or primarily to convey Paul’s authority and power, as Funk’s unqualified approach suggests. Pauline studies will consequently benefit from clear qualifications about the limits of Funk’s work in this area and also from further exploration and clarification of the multiple functions apostolic parousia passages exhibit in the apostle’s letters.

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