Quoting Corinthians: Identifying Slogans and Quotations in 1 Corinthians

Imagine reading a letter where the writer is engaged in a heated debate with someone and repeatedly cites their positions, but never uses quotation marks to indicate that he is quoting them. This is precisely what we find in 1 Corinthians! Paul frequently quotes certain factions within the church and then proceeds to correct their faulty thinking; but he rarely explicitly tells us that he is quoting them. This poses a significant challenge for interpreters of this letter. How do we know when Paul is stating his own position rather than quoting a Corinthian position that he actually rejects? Quoting Corinthians sets forth a step-by-step process for evaluating potential quotations in the New Testament and then applies that process to eleven passages in 1 Corinthians where quotations may occur. As the first book-length attempt to establish more objective criteria for identifying quotations, Quoting Corinthians is a valuable resource for students and scholars alike who are seeking to rightly interpret the New Testament.

Edward W. Watson serves as Professor of Biblical Literature at Oral Roberts University. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the New Testament for the Modern English Version Bible (MEV), and the author of Paul, His Roman Audience, and the Adopted People of God as well as numerous articles.

Martin Culy is Director of Cypress Hills Ministries and former Professor of New Testament and Greek at Briercrest Seminary. He is founding editor of the Baylor Handbook on the Greek New Testament, and the author or co-author of seven books, including Echoes of Friendship in the Gospel of John and the volumes on Luke, Acts, and 1, 2, 3, John in the BHGNT series