Paul writes, or perhaps quotes, passages in which specifically and indeed fiercely monotheistic texts from the Hebrew Bible are used, in explicit confutation of paganism; and there, in the middle of them, is Jesus. In place of Hear, O Israel: The lord our god, the lord is one.13 we have For us there is one god (the father, from whom are all things and we to him) and one lord (Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and we through him).14 The same phenomenon is visible across virtually all early Christianity for which we have evidence.15
