Understanding 1Corinthians Part 2
The Formal Midrash Structure
By
James Scott Trimm
A major key to understanding 1Corinthians from a Jewish Perspective, is in recognizing that the opening portion of the book is written in a formal form of Midrash known as a “Proem Homiletic Midrash” (In Hebrew this is called a “Petihah” Midrash and in Aramaic a “Petihta” Midrash).
This form of Midrash makes use of the Second Rule of the Seven Rules of Hillel. The Seven Rules of Hillel are seven rules of Jewish hermeneutics first written by Hillel. The second of these rules is G’zerah Shavah (equivalence of expressions) in which an analogy is made between two separate texts on the basis of a similar phrase, word, or root.
In a Proem homiletic midrash, the expositor opens by citing a Scripture passage. He then gives an exposition based on key terms in that passage, ultimately connecting that passage to another passage that contains the same key terms.
It is not surprising that Paul, a student of Gamaliel, who was the grandson of Hillel, would use this formal form of Midrash. In the case of 1Corinthians, Paul’s Midrash is a complex. compound and extended Proem homiletic midrash.
The First Midrash
In 1Corinthians 1:18-31 Paul first Gives a Proem homiletic midrash connecting Isaiah 29:14 with Jeremiah 9:23-24 using the connecting terms “wise/wisdom” and “fool/foolishness” along with the key word “boasts”. The First Midrash is structured as follows:
Introductory Passage (1Cor. 1:18-19): Isaiah 29:14 (see also Isaiah 19:11f & 33:18)
Exposition (1Cor. 1:20-30): Connecting terms “wise/wisdom” and “fool/foolish” with keyword “boast”
Final Passage (1Cor. 1:31): Jeremiah 9:23-24 (while our current text only quotes Jer. 9:23(24) it is clear that Paul is referencing both verses, and either Paul, or a later hand, abbreviated the quotation).
The Second Midrash
In 1Corintians 2:6-16 Paul’s Second Midrash connects Isaiah 64:3(4) with Isaiah 40:13-14 using the connecting terms “son of man” and “know/knows” This Proem homiletic midrash is structured as follows:
Initial Passage (1Cor. 2:6-9): Isaiah 64:3-4 (see also Isaiah 65:16 LXX)
Exposition (1Cor. 2:10-15): Connecting terms “son of man/men” “know/knows”
Final Passage (1Cor. 2:16): Isaiah 40:13-14 (see also Wisdom 9:13) Here again our current text of 1Corinthians only quotes Isaiah 40:13, and as it appears in the LXX. However if Paul was citing more completely Isiah 40:13-14, the connecting words appear. Again, either Paul, or a later hand may have abbreviated the quotation. Also it is important to note that quotations that agree with the LXX may not have the LXX as their source, but may have come from Hebrew manuscripts which agreed with the LXX in that reading. Such Hebrew manuscripts that agree in places with the LXX against the Masoretic Text, have been found at Qumran.
The Extended Midrash
As I said, this is a compound extended Proem homiletic midrash. Paul expertly presents these two expositions, and then ties them together, extending his midrash by connecting his first midrash to two more passages (Job 5:13 & Ps. 94:11) s follows:
Extended Exposition (1Cor. 3:1-18): Connecting terms “wise” and “foolish”
Additional Passages (1Cor. 3:19-20): Job 5:13 and Psalm 94:11
Extended Exposition (1Cor. 3:21-4:21)
Now that we can plainly see that the first part of 1Corinthians (chapters 1-4) is written in the formal structure or an Extended Proem Homiletic Midrash, in Part three I will explore the meaning of the first part of this compound midrash from a Jewish perspective.
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