ABSTRACT

In his masterful survey of research dealing with Hellenistic moral philosophy and NT literature, A.J. Malherbe (1992) challenges contemporary scholars to move beyond superficial comparisons and the uncritical use of parallels.1 In particular, Malherbe laments the scholarly tendency to emphasize distinctions without offering constructive formulations.2 AlthoughMalherbe’s article contains no specific information about the topic of passions in Paul’s letters, his observations remain an important starting point for my inquiry. The present essay outlines the current state of research on passions such as

are the

Pauline the I am especially interested in the relationship between control of the passions and progress in moral virtue. I begin with a brief survey of traditional approaches to Paul’s passion language, demonstrating that NT scholars generally have viewed Paul as rejecting the perspectives of Hellenistic philosophy. Following this, I provide an overview of late twentieth-century scholarship that moves beyond these traditional approaches. Paul’s references to various emotions and desires can best be understood in conversation with Greco-Roman cultural perspectives and literary treatments of the passions. Finally, I conclude with brief comments about Paul and the theme of philosophical selfmastery.