Book Report

Book report
What Saint Paul Really Said

The book What Saint Paul Really Said, written by N.T. Wright aims to bring to the
public's attention a way in which the writings of the Apostle Paul must be understood. Of
all the aspects, the author focuses on offering a new solution regarding the understanding
of the concepts of "gospel" and "justification" in Paul's writings.
In the first chapter of the book, Wright, starting from the four questions that are
always asked about Paul and underlined by Schweitzer, briefly presents how theologians of
the 20th century understood Paul in relation to these four questions related to history,
theology, exegesis, and application of Paul's writings. Among them, Wright creates a
synthesis of the opinions of Schweitzer, Bultmann, Kasemann, Sanders. In the end, he
presents his opinion on the four questions.
In chapter 2, Paul is introduced by drawing his pre-conversion historical portrait
culminating in the moment of his conversion. The perspective presented by the author is
that Paul was part of a strict sect of the Pharisees, namely he was a Shammaite Pharisee.
Towards the end of the chapter is presented the transformation of Paul, who left that
encounter with a new perspective, because seeing Jesus truly risen from the dead Paul
understood that what “God had done for Jesus of Nazareth, in the middle of time, what
Saul had thought he was going to do for Israel at the end of time ”.
The next aspect addressed by the author is his understanding of the significance of
the gospel. The general view is that the gospel is about how one is saved. To understand
this aspect Wright researches the backgrounds for the words euangelion and
euangelizesthai in both biblical and Greco-Roman literature. In the author's opinion, this is
not the meaning with which Paul used the term "gospel," but rather the way in which we
are saved. For Paul, the gospel is much more complex comprising several aspects: (1)
through Jesus the victory over the powers of evil was won, (2) through the resurrection of
Jesus the new age began, (3) the crucified and risen Jesus is the true Messiah, ( 4) Jesus is
the Lord of the world. Also, for the pagan world, he brought to mind two aspects: (1) idols
are not gods, but the true God is the God of Israel, (2) this God can now be known through
Jesus.
In chapter 4, the author builds Paul's perspective on God by claiming that Paul went
to the Gentiles as a Jew who believed in one God, but a Trinitarian God manifested in the
three persons of the Godhead, namely the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit.
Another idea highlighted by the author is how Paul's message to the pagan world
was perceived. His message was more of a confrontation with paganism. This message
brought good news, but this message was to replace their worldview with a Jewish one,
reworked around Jesus. This message brought paradigm shifts to God and creation, true
religion, worship (God or Caesar), the true history of the world in contrast to mythology,
and this was also a challenge to the system.
The author further presents how the term "righteousness" should be understood,
namely, not as a law court metaphor because it seems to point rather to a transaction or part
of a business. Instead, the author proposes that "God's righteousness" be understood in
terms of God's faithfulness to the covenant. From N.T. Wright's perspective, the doctrine
of justification must be understood through the three key categories: covenant, law court,
eschatology.
As for the covenant, justification is a covenant declaration that will be made at the
end of history when those who believe in God will be redeemed while those who do not
believe in God will see that they have erred in their understanding. Justification also works
as a verdict in a courtroom: by acquitting a person that person receives the status of
righteous. Also, from an eschatological point of view, this statement will be made at the
end of history, although through the sacrifice of Jesus God did something that can be done
by God in the present, a justification that he will confirm at the end of time. As such, all
who believe in Jesus are already considered to be part of Abraham's family.
Finally, the author presents how Paul understood the renewed humanity. On the one
hand, he understood that humanity renews in Christ is in striking contrast to the degraded
world that characterizes paganism. On the other hand, he believed that renewed humanity
in Christ represented the fulfillment of Israel's mission, a mission that physical Israel had
failed to accomplish. For renewed humanity the center is the worship of the true God, the
goal is the resurrection, the transformation takes place through sanctification, also in the
life of these reborn people love and missionary spirit must be present.
The ninth chapter of the book presents the practical implications that the gospel
should have for Christians today and the last chapter of the book presents the answer to the
author's question from the cover of the book "Was Paul of tarsus the real founder of
Christianity?" Regarding this aspect, although this question is stated in the title of the
book, the author reserves very little space to provide an answer, the content of the book
focusing more on the other chapters of the book.
The book What Saint Paul Really Said, written by N.T. Wright is a controversial
book in the evangelical world, especially because of its conclusions about the significance
of the gospel and justification, an opinion that deviates from traditional opinion.
Although I cannot say that I understood very clearly all his arguments, one thing I
do not agree with is the historical portrait of Paul drawn by the author. The basis on which
Wright bases his view that Paul was an extremist Shammaite Pharisee based on the fact
that Paul was very zealous does not seem convincing to me.

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What Saint Paul Really Said

of the concepts of "gospel" and "justification" in Paul's writings.

synthesis of the opinions of Schweitzer, Bultmann, Kasemann, Sanders. In the end, he

presents his opinion on the four questions.

In chapter 2, Paul is introduced by drawing his pre-conversion historical portrait

and this was also a challenge to the system.

of a business. Instead, the author proposes that "God's righteousness" be understood in

as a verdict in a courtroom: by acquitting a person that person receives the status of

who believe in Jesus are already considered to be part of Abraham's family.

focusing more on the other chapters of the book.

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