ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses how the early Christians interpreted the totality of the tradition the scriptures as a whole and tries to understand the implications of eschatology and related matters for moral thought and practice. In particular, it attempts to set the memory of Jesus' ministry in eschatological perspective and to appreciate the importance of christocentric perspectives on the scriptures for moral understanding in the early churches. Paul's startling image of the faith community as the holy temple of God where the Spirit of God dwells is directly related to the quality of its moral life. The passions that have to be put aside as unspiritual are jealousy and strife, as well as pride divisive qualities which destroy community. The chapter provides selected examples from Paul's writings, which illustrate the relationship between scripture, christocentric exegesis and moral practice in the Christian communities.
