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Pauline Christology: An Exegetical-Theological Study
An exhaustive study of Pauline Christology by noted Pauline scholar, Gordon Fee. The author provides a detailed analysis of the letters of Paul (including those whose authorship is questioned) individually, exploring the Christology of each one, and then attempts a synthesis of the exegetical work into a biblical Christology of Paul. The author's synthesis covers the following Christ's roles as divine Savior and as preexistent and incarnate Savior; Jesus as the Second Adam, the Jewish Messiah, and Son of God; and as the Messiah and exalted Lord. Fee also explores the relationship between Christ and the Spirit and considers the Person and role of the Spirit in Paul's thought. Appendices cover the theme of Christ and Personified Wisdom, and Paul's use of Kurios (Lord) in citations and echoes of the Septuagint. "Anyone who has read even a smattering of Paul's writings recognizes early on that his devotion to Christ was the foremost reality and passion of his life. What he said in one of his later letters serves as a kind of motto for his entire Christian 'For me to live is Christ; to die is [to] gain [Christ]' (Phil. 1:21). Christ is the beginning and goal of everything for Paul, and thus is the single great reality along the way."
-- From the Introduction
-- From the Introduction
707 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
About the author
Gordon D. Fee
72 books221 followersGordon Fee was Professor Emeritus of New Testament at Regent College, where he taught for sixteen years. His teaching experience also included serving schools in Washington, California, Kentucky, as well as Wheaton College in Illinois (five years) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Massachusetts (twelve years).
Gordon Fee was a noted New Testament scholar, having published several books and articles in his field of specialization, New Testament textual criticism. He also published a textbook on New Testament interpretation, co-authored two books for lay people on biblical interpretation, as well as scholarly-popular commentaries on 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus and on Galatians, and major commentaries on 1 Corinthians and Philippians. He is also the author of a major work on the Holy Spirit and the Person of Christ in the letters of Paul.
Gordon Fee served as the general editor of the New International Commentary series, as well as on the NIV revision committee that produced the TNIV. Besides his ability as a biblical scholar, he was a noted teacher and conference speaker. He has given the Staley Distinguished Christian Scholar lectures on fifteen college campuses as well as the annual NT lectures at Southwestern Baptist Seminary, North Park Seminary, the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, the Canadian Theological Seminary, Duke Divinity School, Golden Gate Baptist, Anderson School of Theology, Asbury Seminary, and Chrichton College. An ordained minister with the Assemblies of God, Gordon Fee was well known for his manifest concern for the renewal of the church.
Gordon Fee was married and had four married children.
Gordon Fee was a noted New Testament scholar, having published several books and articles in his field of specialization, New Testament textual criticism. He also published a textbook on New Testament interpretation, co-authored two books for lay people on biblical interpretation, as well as scholarly-popular commentaries on 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus and on Galatians, and major commentaries on 1 Corinthians and Philippians. He is also the author of a major work on the Holy Spirit and the Person of Christ in the letters of Paul.
Gordon Fee served as the general editor of the New International Commentary series, as well as on the NIV revision committee that produced the TNIV. Besides his ability as a biblical scholar, he was a noted teacher and conference speaker. He has given the Staley Distinguished Christian Scholar lectures on fifteen college campuses as well as the annual NT lectures at Southwestern Baptist Seminary, North Park Seminary, the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, the Canadian Theological Seminary, Duke Divinity School, Golden Gate Baptist, Anderson School of Theology, Asbury Seminary, and Chrichton College. An ordained minister with the Assemblies of God, Gordon Fee was well known for his manifest concern for the renewal of the church.
Gordon Fee was married and had four married children.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 2, 2022
Review to follow
May 27, 2012
When recently taught through Philippians and Colossians at a Bible College, I was shocked to discover some of my students were unfamiliar with the concept of Jesus being fully man and fully divine, and some had a very weak Trinitarian understanding. The most shocking thing was that I didn't feel ready to respond to their difficulties! I had not been challenged in these areas. This set me off to study Christology.
It had come to my attention that this work by Fee is one of the best (and few) books on Christology. After reading it from cover to cover I'd have to agree. While not every exegetical conclusion may be agreed with, I consider this a monumental work. The attention to detail through Fee's rigorous scholarship, the clarity of his prose, and the personal devotion that he shows throughout this book make it a very unique contribution to Pauline studies. I know of no better work of Pauline Christology to recommend.
This book would be suitable for any patient student of the Word, as a resource for preachers, and a great textbook for Bible classes. My only slight hesitation would be for the layman, as despite having such insights and clear writing, this book is very long and technical. At the very least I would recommend the ‘Synopsis’ section to anyone. My desire is that Fee would produce a condensed version of this work, but I believe he is leaving scholarship due to this declining health. My prayers for Fee and thanks for his life’s work are many.
If anyone is wanting to understand Paul's contribution to Biblical Christology and is willing to patiently engage the texts, they couldn't find a better or more fruitful book to assist them.
Note: You can read my 6 part engagement with the book here:
http://mydigitalseminary.wordpress.co...
It had come to my attention that this work by Fee is one of the best (and few) books on Christology. After reading it from cover to cover I'd have to agree. While not every exegetical conclusion may be agreed with, I consider this a monumental work. The attention to detail through Fee's rigorous scholarship, the clarity of his prose, and the personal devotion that he shows throughout this book make it a very unique contribution to Pauline studies. I know of no better work of Pauline Christology to recommend.
This book would be suitable for any patient student of the Word, as a resource for preachers, and a great textbook for Bible classes. My only slight hesitation would be for the layman, as despite having such insights and clear writing, this book is very long and technical. At the very least I would recommend the ‘Synopsis’ section to anyone. My desire is that Fee would produce a condensed version of this work, but I believe he is leaving scholarship due to this declining health. My prayers for Fee and thanks for his life’s work are many.
If anyone is wanting to understand Paul's contribution to Biblical Christology and is willing to patiently engage the texts, they couldn't find a better or more fruitful book to assist them.
Note: You can read my 6 part engagement with the book here:
http://mydigitalseminary.wordpress.co...
September 6, 2011
Excellent book on Paul's Christology. Worth the time and effort to read this 700 pager! The book constantly points to Christ, exactly what would be expected from Paul.
July 3, 2021
I just finished "Pauline Christology" by Gordon Fee.
A passionately written, totally geek book. 480 pages of exegesis on Paul's corpus and 150 pages of closing comments.
Fee's case for Paul's High Christology was well made. One topic which he covered well was the preexistance of the Son (Ph. 2; Col 1 etc).
Another quite amazing comparison was pulling from the LXX and seeing how Paul handled the Greek OT (the only version he would have had). For instance, the in the Shema (Deut. 6:4), Kyrios (Lord)=Yahweh and Theos=God. Then in 1 Cor 8:6 where Paul quotes the Shema, Jesus is given the name Kyrios (Lord)=Yahweh and the Father is called Theos (God). All from the diehard monotheist, Paul.
This was really a well written, though somewhat academic, book. I suggest reading it. I have already bought Fee's 900+ page book on the Holy Spirit because he is such a good exegeet.
A passionately written, totally geek book. 480 pages of exegesis on Paul's corpus and 150 pages of closing comments.
Fee's case for Paul's High Christology was well made. One topic which he covered well was the preexistance of the Son (Ph. 2; Col 1 etc).
Another quite amazing comparison was pulling from the LXX and seeing how Paul handled the Greek OT (the only version he would have had). For instance, the in the Shema (Deut. 6:4), Kyrios (Lord)=Yahweh and Theos=God. Then in 1 Cor 8:6 where Paul quotes the Shema, Jesus is given the name Kyrios (Lord)=Yahweh and the Father is called Theos (God). All from the diehard monotheist, Paul.
This was really a well written, though somewhat academic, book. I suggest reading it. I have already bought Fee's 900+ page book on the Holy Spirit because he is such a good exegeet.
January 5, 2022
What a monumental work of clear exegesis and thoughtful theological reflection and synthesis. This book makes an important contribution to both Christology and Pauline Theology, and it needs to be reckoned with in both areas of study.
Fee's ability to demonstrate Paul's commitment to Christ, as the eternal (pre-existent) Son of God who became the Messianic Son of God to redeem us (and as Lord), encourages the reader to join Paul in his devotion to Christ.
Fee's ability to demonstrate Paul's commitment to Christ, as the eternal (pre-existent) Son of God who became the Messianic Son of God to redeem us (and as Lord), encourages the reader to join Paul in his devotion to Christ.
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August 3, 2011This important book by professor Fee is truly a monumental achievement and an important contribution to the study of Paul and of Christology more broadly. When I decided to buy this book a few months ago, I scanned the contents and, noting that the first two thirds of the book was largely exegetical, figured I would maybe graze through a few sections of that, but mostly focus on the synthesis portion at the back (still more than 100 pages of discussion). But, in reading the book, I found that Fee's exegesis of Paul, going book by book and passage by passage, was too rich to pass up, so instead of mostly skipping over the first four hundred pages of the book, I read almost the entire portion. There is no doubt that this book will become an important reference for me as I study any passage on Paul that touches on Jesus Christ. His in-depth discussions of some of the key christological passages in Paul is extremely worthwile. As should be no surprise, 1 Cor 8:6, Philippians 2, and Colossians 1, among others, receive sustained attention. But the careful and sustained exegetical attention given to each of Paul's letters (both the undisputed and "disputed" letters) helps Paul's own thoughts to come through clearly, and builds a very powerful cumulative argument for Paul's high christology.
Fee argues that Paul holds a very high christology. Paul envisions Christ as the Preexistent One who became incarnate as the human Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah. Jesus died and was raised again, proclaimed to be the risen Lord, receiving "the Name" and exalted to the highest place. It is this same Jesus who shares in a large array of divine prerogatives, is worshipped as God, and who along with the Father sends the Spirit.
The details of Fee's work, both exegetical and synthetic, are too many and varied to communicate here, but the value of his work is easy to ascertain. Interesting among is emphases is that much of Paul's christological discussion comes in the form of assumptions that seem to be held in common with his audience (Colossians 1 being the primary exception, where christology is the primary focus). Fee repeatedly emphasizes that this lends great weight to these inherent assertions, since they were so fundamental to both parties that they could be assumed.
In all, this book is a great statement of Paul's understanding of Christ, and demonstrates how the data from Paul's letters, along with that of John and Hebrews, led the church down the road to Nicaea and Trinitarian Orthodoxy. While Paul wasn't overtly Trinitarian, the way he talks of Christ (and the Spirit) shows that these developments find rich soil in Paul's thought. I highly commend this great study. It's ambition is clearly matched by its execution.
Fee argues that Paul holds a very high christology. Paul envisions Christ as the Preexistent One who became incarnate as the human Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah. Jesus died and was raised again, proclaimed to be the risen Lord, receiving "the Name" and exalted to the highest place. It is this same Jesus who shares in a large array of divine prerogatives, is worshipped as God, and who along with the Father sends the Spirit.
The details of Fee's work, both exegetical and synthetic, are too many and varied to communicate here, but the value of his work is easy to ascertain. Interesting among is emphases is that much of Paul's christological discussion comes in the form of assumptions that seem to be held in common with his audience (Colossians 1 being the primary exception, where christology is the primary focus). Fee repeatedly emphasizes that this lends great weight to these inherent assertions, since they were so fundamental to both parties that they could be assumed.
In all, this book is a great statement of Paul's understanding of Christ, and demonstrates how the data from Paul's letters, along with that of John and Hebrews, led the church down the road to Nicaea and Trinitarian Orthodoxy. While Paul wasn't overtly Trinitarian, the way he talks of Christ (and the Spirit) shows that these developments find rich soil in Paul's thought. I highly commend this great study. It's ambition is clearly matched by its execution.
January 20, 2022
This book is an excellent statement of Paul's understanding of Christ, demonstrating how the data from Paul's letters, along with that from John and Hebrews, led the church to Nicaea and Trinitarian Orthodoxy. While Paul was not outright Trinitarian, the way he speaks of Christ (and the Spirit) demonstrates that these developments found fertile ground in Paul's thought. I wholeheartedly endorse this excellent research. Its execution clearly matches its ambition.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews