The subject under consideration was first brought to the writer's attention
by Professor John Sanderson of Faith Theological Seminary. Later Mr. E. Earle
Ellis, a friend and fellow -student, gave this subject a limited treatment in a
thesis presented to the Faculty of the Wheaton Graduate School of Theology in
partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. His
study covered briefly the Biblical evidence of a conception of solidarity in the
application of punishment and blessing to the group.The chosen topic was submitted for consideration in a conference with
Professor James S. Stewart. Following his approval, the Senatus Academicus of
the University of Edinburgh accepted the present title of the thesis in its amended
form on May 4th, 1954.The primary sources for our investigation of the topic are in the first
instance, the thirteen generally accepted Epistles of Paul as they are found in
the resultant Greek text of Nestle's nineteenth edition. Although the genuineness
of Ephesians and particularly the Pastorals has been brought into serious
question, it may be assumed for our purposes (which are theological and not
critical) that they are Pauline. As to the canon of the Old Testament available
to Paul, there is no reason to doubt that its extent was different from its
present definition in the Masoretic Hebrew text.1 The primary sources of Early
Jewish thought will be discussed in the introduction to chapter two.In regard to the secondary sources which treat the life, letters, and
doctrine of Paul, there is almost no limit to the amount of literature which
might be consulted profitably. There have been more books written which deal
with Paul than there are years since he lived. It would be both impossible and
unnecessary to consult them all especially when it is noted that the background
literature covering the Old Testament and Early Judaism is still more prolific.
For this reason the attached bibliography is only representative, not exhaustive.
The categories of both "books" and "articles and essays" include only the bibliography
to which actual reference has been made in the footnotes or text, not all
of the works which have been consulted.With reference to the mechanics of composition, a few points will suffice:
1) American spelling, punctuation, and rules of grammar are employed, 2) Scriptural
quotations generally - follow the Authorized Version or the writer's own
translation; quotations from either the Revised or Revised Standard Versions
are normally indicated by the initials, R. V. , and. R. S. V. , respectively, 3) a
number of standard abbreviations as well as those used for convenience are
deciphered on p. 66
