The Priority of XAPIΣ

Abstract

Rudolf Bultmann organizes his entire presentation of the theology of Paul with reference to πίστις. His discussion falls into two parts: (a) man prior to the revelation of πίστις and (b) man under πίστις. The diverse conceptuality of Paul thus finds its unity in the interpretation of πλστις, i.e. man in the light of πίστις. The structure of Bultmann's presentation is grounded in the presupposition that all theological understanding ‘has its origin in faith’, and that even man's existence prior to faith ‘is retrospectively seen from the standpoint of faith’. With regard to the theological thought of Paul, however, this very structure subtly pre-empts consideration of a fundamental exegetical question: From what standpoint is ‘faith’ itself interpreted by Paul? The question is whether the organization of Paul's theology in such a way, with reference to πίστις, does not obscure the christological character of the apostle's thought. Bultmann's observation that in the theology of Paul ‘every assertion about Christ is also an assertion about man, and vice versa’, may be valid. What we are concerned about, however, is the ‘vice versa’. It is certainly legitimate to interpret Paul's theology with reference to the apostle's own anthropological emphasis. But in Bultmann's presentation it does not become clear in what way Paul's assertions about man, and in particular Paul's interpretation of ‘faith’, are also christological.5