Chapter 17
In the chronological table, p. 138, the dates of the Epistles have already been given and the points of the history indicated where they come in. It is a pity the Epistles are not arranged in chronological order in our Bibles. Their characteristics may be mentioned:
1 and 2 _Thessalonians_. Simple beginnings. Attitude to Christ's second coming. 1 _Corinthians_. Picture of an apostolic church. 2 _Corinthians_. Paul's portrait of himself. _Galatians_. Vehement polemic against Judaizers. _Romans_. Paul's gospel. _Philemon_. Example of Christian courtesy. _Colossians_ and _Ephesians_. Paul's later gospel. _Philippians_. Picture of Roman imprisonment. 1 _Timothy_ and _Titus_. Form of the church. 2 _Timothy_. The last scenes.
Ramsay places _Galatians_ before 1 and 2 _Corinthians_; compare p. 139 above.
116. Compare Shaw, _The Pauline Epistles_.
118. On Paul's style see Farrar's Excursus at the close of vol. i. The comparison of it to that of Thucydides is more dignified than that of the text, but less true.
119. Inspiration did not interfere with natural characteristics of style. It made the writer not less but more himself, while of course it imparted to the products of his pen a divine value and authority.
120-127. Howson's _Character of St. Paul_; Speer, _The Man Paul_; Hausrath, 45-57; Baur's remarks (ii. 294 ff.) on his intellectual character are very good. But the principal sources are 2 Corinthians and Acts xx.
122. Farrar's treatment of Paul's bodily infirmities is a serious blot on his book; for these are obtruded with a frequency and exaggeration which produce an impression quite different from that made by the references to them in Scripture. This is still truer of Baring-Gould's _Study of St. Paul_. For a treatment of the same subject, realistic, but full of sympathy and delicacy, see Monod. Ramsay is of opinion that the "thorn in the flesh" was chronic malarial fever.
122 ff. _Illustrate these paragraphs fully from Scripture._
128. _Compare Paul with Livingstone and other missionaries._