Paul, A Critical Life

Reviewed by: Henry E. Neufeld

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O'Connor, Jerome Murphy Paul: A Critical Life
Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996.

O'Connor has produced an exceptionally good book for the serious student. I have seen reviews of this work which claim that it is dull or hyper-critical, but the key element in the work is serious detail combined with very careful documentation. O'Connor carefully documents his views and the process by which he arrives at them. He does not assume a knowledge of Biblical languages, but he does assume a willingness to dig through the serious details of historical study based on various sources.

O'Connor gives greater weight to the Pauline epistles than he does to the book of Acts throughout, but he does not indiscriminately discard Luke's material. He looks rather for Luke's intent in recording particular episodes in particular ways. Those who wish to see a perfect historical record in the Bible will find his approach disconcerting, as they likely will find any historical-critical study, but historians should find this book a valuable resource.

I found the chronological reconstruction of Paul's life of particular value, not only for the effort of fitting the limited clues into the historical picture of the time, but also for the careful and extensive citation of both primary and secondary sources.

It would be valuable to have a working knowledge of the epistles of Paul and of the book of Acts in the New Testament, as well as some knowledge of methods of historical research in order to understand this book. It is not a quick read even then, but it is a worthwhile effort.

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Other books by Jerome Murphy O'Connor:

Paul : A Critical Life ~ Usually ships in 24 hours Jerome Murphy-O'Connor / Hardcover / Published 1996
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1 Corinthians (New Testament Message, V. 10) J. Murphy-O'Connor / Paperback / Published 1991
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First Corinthians (New Testament Message: A Biblical-Theological Commentary) Jerome Murphy-O'Connor / Paperback / Published 1980
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The Holy Land : An Archaeological Guide from Earliest Times to 1700 Jerome Murphy-O'Connor / Paperback / Published 1992
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The Holy Land : An Oxford Archaeological Guide : From Earliest Times to 1700 (Oxford Archaeological Guides) Jerome Murphy-O Connor, J. Murphy-O'Connor / Paperback / Published 1998
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Paul the Letter-Writer : His World, His Options, His Skills (Good News Studies, Vol 41) Jerome Murphy-O'Connor, Jerome Murphy O'Conner / Paperback / Published 1995
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St. Paul's Corinth : Text and Archaeology (Good News Studies, Vol. 6) Jerome Murphy-O'Connor / Paperback / Published 1990
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The Theology of the Second Letter to the Corinthians (New Testament Theology) Jerome Murphy-O'Connor / Hardcover / Published 1991
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The Theology of the Second Letter to the Corinthians (New Testament Theology) Jerome Murphy-O'Connor / Paperback / Published 1991
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Becoming Human Together : The Pastoral Anthropology of St. Paul (Good News Studies, Vol 2) Jerome Murphy-O'Connor / Published 1983
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The Ecole biblique and the New Testament : a century of scholarship, 1890-1990 J. Murphy-O'Connor
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The Ecole biblique and the New Testament : a century of scholarship, 1890-1990 J. Murphy-O'Connor
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The Holy Land : an archaeological guide from earliest times to 1700 J. Murphy-O'Connor
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The Holy Land : An Archaeological Guide from Earliest Times to 1700 Jerome, Murphy-O'Connor / Published 1980
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Paul and Qumran: studies in New Testament exegesis J. Murphy-O'Connor
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Paul and the Dead Sea Scrolls (Christian Origins Library) Jerome Murphy-O'Connor, James H. Charlesworth (Editor) / Published 1990
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