Workshop As Social Setting For Paul's Missionary Preaching
Workshop As Social Setting For Paul's Missionary Preaching
Workshop As Social Setting For Paul's Missionary Preaching
Plutarch, Maxime cumprinc. phil. diss. 776B. For the tendency in Plutarch's time to
withdraw from public affairs, see F. Wilhelm, "Plutarchos ,'* Rheinisches
Museum 73 (1924) 466-82. For Plutarch's own view, see now C. P. Jones, Plutarch and Rome
(Oxford: Clarendon, 1972) 110-30. For Simon and the workshop as an alternative setting to the
households of kings and other men of power, see my article, "Simon the Shoemaker as an
Ideal Cynic," GRBS 17(1976)41-53.
438
2
E.g., T. G. Soares, "Paul's Missionary Methods," Biblical World 34 (1909) 326-36,
esp. 335: Paul's workshop acquaintance with Aquila and Priscilla "may very well suggest the
constant personal evangelism that Paul must have carried on during his hours of labor with the
various fellow-workers with whom he was thrown into companionship" (my italics). See also
E. Haenchen, The Acts of the Apostles: A Commentary (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1971)
512.
3
This criticism is not new; cf. J. Z. Smith, "The Social Description of Early
Christianity," Religious Studies Review 1 (1975) 19-25, esp. 19.
4
Form critics have not merely neglected questions about Sitz im Leben. The lack of any
previous study of the workshop as a setting for missionary activity suggests that they have also
tended to conceive of Sitz im Leben too narrowly. The concept is often used (probably
unintentionally) with modern notions of the church in mind that restrict our thinking about the
settings of Paul's preaching to the contemporary setting for preaching: liturgical proclamation.
Thus to argue that Paul's preaching was done in part from behind a workbench may keep us
from picturing him too readily as preaching solely from behind a pulpit.
s
Recent examples: G. Bornkamm, Paul (New York: Harper, 1971) 12, and F. F.
Bruce, Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1977) 107-108, 220.
On placing Paul in the Greek East of the early Roman Empire, see the programmatic
essay by E A Judge, "St Paul and Classical Society," JAC 15 (1972) 19-36 Judge is interested in the specific social settings of Paul's mission, though he does not posit the workshop
as one of them Even so, I have found this essay most stimulating and important for Pauline
studies This and other writings of Judge are summarized and assessed by A J Malherbe,
Social Aspects of Early Christianity (Baton Rouge Louisiana State University, 1977) 45-57
and passim
7
That Paul worked even when in custody in Rome is argued by H J Cadbury,
"Lexical Notes on Luke-Acts III Luke's Interest in Lodging," JBL 45 (1926) 305-22, esp 32122 Cadbury renders the obscure phrase en idi misthmati in Acts 28*30 as "on his own
earnings " The phrase "may refer
to what was paid to Paul as wages for his work rather
than to what was paid by Paul for food and lodging" (p 322) Cadbury's interpretation has
been accepted by F F Bruce {The Acts of the Apostles [Grand Rapids Eerdmans, 1951] 480),
but rejected m favor of "in his own rented quarters" by H Conzelmann {Die
Apostelgeschichte [7, 2nd ed , Tubingen Mohr, 1963] 96) and Haenchen {Acts, 726 2)
Cadbury's thesis has been argued afresh and persuasively by E Hansack, "Er lebte
von
seinem eigenen Einkommen (Apg 28 30)," BZ 19 (1975) 249-53 The objections of F Saum
{BZ 20 [1976] 226-29) are answered by Hansack in "Nochmals zu Apostelgeschichte 28 30,"
BZ 21 (1977) 118-21
Acts 17:11. Where the Beroean Jews examined the scriptures is not said, but the
workshop is a possibility since synagogue-going was probably confined to sabbaths and feastdays in the first century (so S. Safrai, "The Synagogue," The Jewish People in the First
Century [eds. S. Safrai and M. Stern; Philadelphia: Fortress, 1976] 2.908-44, esp. 918) and
since reading was one of the intellectual activities carried on in workshops
13
E.g , E. von Dobschutz, Die Thessalonicher Briefe (MeyerK 10; 9th ed.; Gottmgen:
Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1909) 97. Others holding this view are listed by H. A. W. Meyer, A
Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Epistles to the Thessalonians (New York Funk &
Wagnals, 1884)56
14
E.g., Meyer, Epistles to the Thessalonians, 56; B. Rigaux, Les Epitres aux
Thessaloniciens (EBib; Pans: Gabalda, 1956) 423-24; and E. Best, A Commentary on the First
and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians (HNTC: New York: Harper, 1972) 103.
15
E.g., Best {Epistles to the Thessalonians, 104) has argued that the financial assistance
from Phihppi for Paul while he was in Thessalonica (Phil 4:16) suggests that he did not earn
enough money from tentmaking so as to allow him time off to preach.
16
C. J. Elhcott, A Critical and Grammatical Commentary on St. Paul's Epistles to the
Thessalonians (Andover: Draper, 1884) 37.
17
The circumstances of Paul's working have often been understood to have been the
poverty of the Thessalonians Paul worked because the Thessalonians were poor people,
unable to entertain a traveling preacher like Paul for any length of time (so, e g , J. Frame, A
Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistles of St Paul to the Thessalonians [ICC;
Edinburgh: Clark, 1912] 103). This understanding of the circumstances, however, is made
IF THESE SIX passages from Acts and the letters speak, at least suggestively, of Paul having used the workshops as social settings for missionary
preaching, then we need to interpret this social setting by placing it against
the background of Paul's missionary activity as a whole and against the
background of intellectual life in the cities of Paul's day. Only then will
Paul's working and preaching be seen with greater clarity and in better
perspective.
The general silence of Paul's letters regarding social settings has been
noted; consequently, we are left with the data of Acts. In general, it must be
said that if the workshop was one social setting for missionary activity, it
certainly was only one such setting, for Luke has Paul preaching in a variety
of social settings. Most frequently mentioned, of course, is the synagogue.
Paul is found in synagogues in Damascus (Acts 9:20), Jerusalem (9:29),
Salamis (13:5), Pisidian Antioch (13:14, 44), Iconium (14:1), Thessalonica
(17:1), Beroea (17:10), Athens (17:17), Corinth (18:4), and Ephesus (18:19;
19:8).19
Another important missionary setting is the house, especially the
houses of Lydia in Philippi (16:15, 40), of Titius Justus in Corinth (18:7), of
an unidentified Christian in Troas (20:7-11), and of several persons in
Ephesus (20:20). Other houses should be included, though Luke makes no
explicit mention of missionary activity as having gone on: Jason's house in
Thessalonica (17:5-6); Aquila's and Priscilla's in Corinth (18:3); Philip's in
unlikely by the presence in Thessalonica of persons of substance and status, such as the leading
women (Acts 17:4) and Jason (17:5-9); they could have easily entertained Paul (see H. Alford,
The Greek Testament [Cambridge: Deighton & Bell, 1880] 3.257, and Rigaux, Les Epitres aux
Thessaloniciens, 424). Moreover Paul, as an apostle, could have in any case demanded to be
cared for (see 1 Thess 2:7 and von Dobschutz, Die Thessalonicher Briefe, 97-98).
18
Frame {Epistles to the Thessalonians, 4) picks up on Paul's individual contact with the
Thessalonians that was carried on apart from the Sabbath sermons (cf. Acts 17:2) and says: "It
is quite to be expected that the Apostle would take every opportunity to speak informally about
the gospel to every one he met." But Frame does not go on to suggest where these meetings
took place.
19
Mention should also be made of the proseuch ("place of prayer") by a river outside
Philippi (Acts 16:13).
20
When cataloguing Paul's missionary activity m houses, we should also include
references to "churches," since they were house-churches Thus, note the missionary activity
m the house-churches of Antioch (Acts 11 26, 13 1, 14 27-28, 15 30-35) and of Lystra,
Iconium, and Pisidian Antioch (14 21-23)
21
For classical Athens, see especially R E Wycherley, "Penpatos The Athenian
Philosophical Scene, Parts I and II," Greece & Rome 8 (1961) 152-63 and 9 (1962) 2-21
22
For Socrates m Simon's workshop, see Plutarch, Maxime cum princ phil diss 776B,
and Diogenes Laertius, 2 122
23
Xenophon, Mem 4 2 1-39, 3 10 1-15
24
Plato, Apol 17C, and Hipp Min 368B Cf Wycherley, "Athenian Philosophical
Scene, Parti," 157-58
Zeno in the Painted Stoa: Diogenes Laertius, 7.5; Chrysippus in the Odeum: 7.184.
Cf. further Wycherley, "Athenian Philosophical Scene, Part II," 16-17, and "The Painted
Stoa," Phoenix 1 (1953) 20-35.
34
On Diogenes and the Cynics, see Wycherley, "Athenian Philosophical Scene, Part I,"
161-162, and E. Zeller, Die Philosophie der Griechen in ihrer geschichtlichen Entwicklung (5th
ed.; Leipzig: Reisland, 1922) Vol. 2, Pt. 1, 317.
35
For Crates and Metrocles, see Teles,/r<7g. IVB (p. 48, 21-31 O'Neil) and frag. I V A (p.
42, 125-127).
36
Ps.-Socrates,?p. 13.1 (p. 26, 10 Khler).
37
Lucian, Cat. 14-29. Cf. Lucian, Demon. 63, which has Demonax frequenting the
breadsellers.
38
Lucian, Fug. 12-13, 17, 28, 33; bis ace. 6; and Icar. 30-31.
39
On the Cynics' simple life, see Diogenes Laertius, 6.104, and Zeller, Philosophie der
Griechen, Vol. 2, Pt. 1, 314-321. On necessities provided by nature and the cities, see Teles,
frag. II (p. 8,30-44 0'Neil).
Other traditions, admittedly few, show that Cynics were not unalterably opposed to work. There is, for example, Simon the shoemaker, who
by the time of the early empire has been turned into an ideal Cynic philosopher, demonstrating by his working the Cynic virtue of self-sufficiency and
attracting to his workshop other philosophers as well as aristocratic youth
and men of wealth and power. Obviously, this ideal of the "workingphilosopher" was not widely accepted, even among Cynics.43 But the ideal
was occasionally embodied, most notably by Dio Chrysostom and Musonius
Rufus. Dio, when exiled by Domitian, led the life of a wandering Cynic
and, according to later tradition, worked at several menial jobs, though it is
not reported that he taught while doing so.44 It is said, of Musonius, however, that when he was exiled by Nero to Gyara, he worked with his students
on a farm and lectured them in the fields on sound judgment, justice, and
perseverance.45 More generally, we can point to Philiscus the shoemaker
who in Crates' eyes was an ideal candidate for philosophy because his
stitching did not distract him from listening to Crates read Aristotle's Protrepticus.46 Lastly, Lucian's conception of the Cynic lifestyle as especially
suited to artisanstanners, carpenters, etc.presupposes the ideal of the
40
On Cynic begging, see Diogenes Laertius, 6.29, 33, 37, 40, etc., and Zeller,
Philosophie der Griechen, Vol. 2, Pt. 1, 317.
41
See the references in n. 38.
42
Stobaeus, Flor. 3.5.52. Cf. a similar aloofness on the part of Diogenes in Lucian, Hist,
conscr. 3.
43
On Simon as an ideal Cynic and the intra-Cynic debate over him, see my article,
"Simon the Shoemaker," 44-45 and 50-53.
44
For Dio's working, see Philostratus, V. Soph. 488, and H. von Arnim, Leben und
Werke des Dio von Prusa (Berlin: Weidmann, 1898) 246-48.
45
Musonius, frag. XI (p. 82, 31-33 Lutz).
46
Teles,/r<7g. IVB (p. 48, 21-31 O'Neil) and W. G. Rabinowitz, Aristotle's Protrepticus
and the Sources of its Reconstruction (Los Angeles: University of California, 1957) 28-34, esp.
29.
47
For artisans suited for Cynic philosophy, see Lucian, Vit. auct. 1 and 11. Cf. also
Lucian, Timon 7, and Merc. cond. 6. For Lucian's view that artisans who left their workbenches for Cynic philosophy were frauds, see the references in n. 38. For his praise of the
Cynic Demetrius of Sunium, who worked as a porter, see Lucian, Tox. 31.
48
This is the thesis of J. Lynch, Aristotle's School, 163-207.
49
Note, e.g., the visit of an Epicurean to Epictetus' school (Epictetus, Diss. 3.7.1) and
the debate between an Epicurean and a Stoic in the Painted Stoa (Lucian, J. Trag. 4-5, 16-18,
35-51).
50
On the importance of the gymnasium as a social setting for intellectual discourse in the
early empire, see Epictetus, Diss. 3.16.14; 4.1.113; Plutarch, Non posse suav. vivi 1086D; and
Dio, Orat. 13.31. On the houses of the rich and powerful, see Dio, Orat. 77/78.34-36; Lucian,
Philops. 6 and 14; Pise. 11-13; Vit. auct. 15; and Philostratus, V. Soph. 520-21 and 600. On the
philosophers' own living quarters for teaching, see Seneca, ep. 76.1-4; Epictetus, Diss. 4.1.177;
Dio, Orat. 15.1; Plutarch, Consol, adux. 609C; Lucian, Nigr. 1-7; Aulus Gellius, N. A. 2.2.12and 12.11.1.
51
The Socratic-Cynic character of Paul's preaching in the workshop fits in well with
other Cynic features in his missionary practice, as identified by A. J. Malherbe, "Gentle as a
Nurse: The Cynic Background of 1 Thes 2," NovT 12 (1970) 203-17.
For discussing, see Diogenes Laertius, 2 122, and Xenophon, Mem 3 10 1 and 6 Cf
Plutarch, Maxime cum princ phil diss 776B, Diogenes Laertius, 2 21, and ps -Socrates, ep
13 l ( p 26, 10 Khler)
53
For Crates, see Teles, frag IV B (p 48, 21-22 O'Neil), for Euthydemus, see Xenophon,
Mem 4 2 1
54
Diogenes Laertius, 2 122-123, and my article, "Simon the Shoemaker," 41 2 and
42-43
55
Diogenes Laertius, 2 122 Cf Plutarch, Maxime cum princ phil diss 776B
56
Teles,//Og IVB(p 48, 21-32 O'Neil)
57
Xenophon, Mem 4 2 1-2
58
Ps -Socrates, ep 13 1 (p 26, 3-7 Khler), Cf Sykutns, Brief e des Sokrates, 54 and
59
Xenophon, Mem 3 10 1-15
60
Diogenes Laertius, 2 122-123
61
We do not know, of course, whether Paul worked m Jason's workshop or even
whether Jason was a tentmaker like Paul, but both assumptions are often made (see, e g ,
Zahn, Apostelgeschichte, 634, and Haenchen, Acts, 512) In any case, the shop was not
Paul's own nor one operated by an independent artisan, since he would have worked
alone or with one assistant, perhaps his son. Rather, we should assume a workshop of a
relatively wealthy person, whose shop employed many workers, mostly slaves, and thus
could accommodate Paul as well.
62
Note, e.g., that Epictetus was visited on occasion by people who had heard of his
reputation (Epictetus, Diss. 3.9.11-14). Note also the excitement caused by the arrival in
Ephesus of a celebrity like Apollonius of Tyana (Philostratus, V. Apoll. 4.1).
^ s
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