Journal: Tyndale Bulletin
Volume: TYNBUL 71:2 (NA 2020)
Article: The Influence Of The Murder Commandment In 1 Corinthians
Author: William Andrew Williamson

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The Influence Of The Murder Commandment In 1 Corinthians

William Andrew Williamson

and

Brian S. Rosner

([email protected] / [email protected])

Summary

This article investigates the influence of the Decalogue commandment not to murder in 1 Corinthians as a case study of Paul’s dependence on the law for ethics. Paul does not quote or allude to the murder commandment in the letter. However, there is good evidence that the murder commandment, in line with its interpretation in the Jewish Scriptures and early Jewish moral teaching, is a fundamental presupposition of Paul’s moral teaching in 1 Corinthians. This can be seen in Paul’s use of murder as a metaphor and of antisocial vices as synecdoches for the murder commandment, his concern about the moral impurity of such murder, and the close relationship between Paul’s call to love and his call to forsake such antisocial vices. Reading 1 Corinthians with the murder commandment in mind, especially as it was understood in ancient Judaism, sheds light on the nature of the problems in the church of God in Corinth and clarifies Paul’s response to the problems in the church.

1. Introduction

The relationship between the Apostle Paul and the law of Moses is a longstanding and ongoing area of research with many historical, exegetical, and theological dimensions.1 One question that remains a matter of dispute concerns the extent to which, given his negative critique

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of the law,2Paul continues to use the law to regulate the conduct of believers in Christ. As James D. G. Dunn states: ‘Any continuing role for the Torah (Jewish law) in Paul’s ethics is a matter of continuing controversy.’3

As a case study of Paul’s dependence on the Law for ethics this article considers the influence of the Decalogue commandment not to murder (Exod. 20:13; Deut. 5:17) in 1 Corinthians.4Paul does not quote the murder commandment in 1 Corinthians, nor does the ‘murder’ lexeme (φον-), which is used in the LXX murder commandment, appear in the letter. However, noting such explicit indications of influence is misleading. Evidence of more subtle and indirect influence needs to be considered.5 Critically, the way in which the murder c...