I do see what you're getting at Roads, I just don't see it applicable in John as that was directed to Jews not Gentiles. Of course what Paul said and did in Acts 17 was directed at the religious concepts of those Greeks in Athens, the center of their culture and religion. Although educated in Greek, Paul was born a Roman in Tarsus but grew up in Jerusalem and taught by Gamaliel as shown in Acts 22:3. I'm sorry but I just don't see what you see. Paul did use the situation in Acts 17 to change the Greek perception of the unknown God being their's, to the unknown God being known by the followers of Christ. I'm NOT really sure just how ubiquitous Logos really was, but obviously as far as those who were educated in Greek, there was some familiarity, and that is how Paul used it. The book of John is another story seeing as it wasn't really directed at Greek educated peoples.
The Word: Interpretation
- Thread starter Roads
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I do see what you're getting at Roads, I just don't see it applicable in John as that was directed to Jews not Gentiles. Of course what Paul said and did in Acts 17 was directed at the religious concepts of those Greeks in Athens, the center of their culture and religion. Although educated in Greek, Paul was born a Roman in Tarsus but grew up in Jerusalem and taught by Gamaliel as shown in Acts 22:3. I'm sorry but I just don't see what you see. Paul did use the situation in Acts 17 to change the Greek perception of the unknown God being their's, to the unknown God being known by the followers of Christ. I'm NOT really sure just how ubiquitous Logos really was, but obviously as far as those who were educated in Greek, there was some familiarity, and that is how Paul used it. The book of John is another story seeing as it wasn't really directed at Greek educated peoples.
Well I pray you are right about that, but seeing as that philosophy is barely 150 years old I would say it would NOT be a BIG influence on those people.
Just remember what Paul wrote in 2 Tim 3:16-17;
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Exactly. That's why the author of John is taking advantage of this teachable moment.
I can't believe I haven't heard that before, that's really funny.
Yeah. It's a lot easier to discuss postmodern ideas with people who follow after Foucault's tradition, since those are the ideas that have the most obvious implications for practical application. In our real social structures, its application usually involves some form of analysis of power structures, and criticism of claims of legitimacy/authority.
That being said, it's not impossible to discuss the theory at its core. I start with Barthes' concept of the death of the author (from post-structuralism), which, as a Christian, I believe highlights the significance of the role of the the Holy Spirit, as literally, the living Spirit of the Author, who continues to communicate with us, making the Bible the only text ever written where Barthes' theory doesn't apply.
There is a lot of study still ongoing into the influences of Hellenism on Hebrew culture. You may be interested in following this discussion. Information on it is not particularly difficult to find.
Derrida's thought is actually rather Medieval in the sense that he was very influenced by Kabbalism. For him, meaning was an endless pattern of signs which are supposedly an end in themselves, with no ultimate referent.
Some Cambridge University members of the Senate actually stood up and objected to his honorary doctorate because they viewed him as very unsound as a thinker.