Understanding Paul as an Antitype of Job: The Joban Allusion in 2 Corinthians 12:1–10

A careful reading of 2 Corinthians 12:1–10 reveals that the passage shares several motifs with the Book of Job: (1) a supernatural adversary, (2) physical suffering, (3) an otherworldly place, (4) social adversity, (5) affluence, and (6) boasting. In light of an audience-critical perspective, this a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Religions (Basel, Switzerland ) Switzerland ), 2024-06, Vol.15 (6), p.720
Main Author: Lee, Sanghwan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
2 Corinthians 12:1–10
allusion
audience-critical approach
Audiences
Christianity
Eschatology
Job
Paul
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Summary:A careful reading of 2 Corinthians 12:1–10 reveals that the passage shares several motifs with the Book of Job: (1) a supernatural adversary, (2) physical suffering, (3) an otherworldly place, (4) social adversity, (5) affluence, and (6) boasting. In light of an audience-critical perspective, this article proposes that the language and imagery in 2 Corinthians 12:1–10 contain a number of allusions that could direct its audience to juxtapose Paul with Job—a well-known righteous figure who demonstrated physical vulnerability but received public vindication from YHWH. According to this reading, the Joban allusion in the Corinthian passage functions as a rhetorical device that defends Paul’s apostolic authority against the super-apostles’ charge that his vulnerability evinces his lack of authority.
ISSN:2077-1444
2077-1444
DOI:10.3390/rel15060720