What would you ask Paul?

Both Stephen Carlson on Hyptoposeis and Jim Davila on Paleojudaica have blogged on a topic arising from the Corpus Paulinum email list. Jeffrey Gibson began the thread asking what you would ask Paul if you were able to go back to the sixties of the first century and somehow find a way of communicting with him. There have been some great suggestions on the Corpus Paul list; some highlights:

Paul, what was it that you and the pillars talked about when you spent your fortnight with them?

How many letters did you write and in what order?

What do you mean by PISTIS CHRISTOU?

Paul, how many other letters did you write that we don't have now? Were any of the other letters as tough as Galatians or 2 Cor 10-13?

Paul, what did Peter say after you confronted him in Antioch?

Since your about to die and all, have you changed your opinion about how quickly Jesus is going to return?

Could you explain just how many letters you actually wrote to the church in Corinth, and then give me a run-down on what they contained and when they were written?

Do you believe that homosexuality is as bad as temple prostitution and pederastry?

Fess up -- the collection which you so altruistically maintain that you were "eager" to take up actually galled and chafed you at first, didn't it? The pillars were stongarming you, no?

Why and where did you persecute fellow Jews who owned Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah and Lord, and who else was involved in this persecution?

How do you regard Jews who have not accepted Jesus as God's Messiah?

Was your letter to the Galatians a success? Did you receive a reply?

Do you keep copies of your own letters? Can we have a look at them?

When you said in (what we call) 1 Corinthians "I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh", could you explain what that means?

They are just some highlights. Visit the list archive to read them all, along with some attempts at answers; begin from 3 January 2004 and keep going.

Jim Davila adds a note on "a midterm question I used to ask my undergraduates back when I taught Introduction to the New Testament at another institution":

Imagine a meeting between a leader of the Q people, the Apostle Paul, and an Essene leader from Qumran in the year C.E. 58. Write your essay from the perspective of the Q person and explain how and where you (the Q person) agree and disagree with the other two leaders on observance of Torah law, proper religious lifestyle, relations with the gentiles (including proselytizing), the correct celebration of the communal meal, and the end of the world."

Nice idea; I'd be interested to hear a conversation between John Kloppenborg, Paul and a Qumran person!