Paul, Apostle of Weakness
In this book I examine every occurrence of astheneia and its cognates in the Pauline Epistles, both in their immediate contexts and in their relation to Pauline thought as a whole. The Pauline weakness motif is then summarized, with the conclusion that the concept of weakness is foundational to Paul's anthropology, Christology, and ethics.
Review (from Amazon):
“It is only when we study what the Bible, in particular the apostle Paul, has to say about weakness that we discover what it means to the follower of Christ. Into this study comes the revised edition of Dr. David Alan Black's work Paul, Apostle of Weakness. This is an important entry into the study of Paul's writing on a critical topic for conversation in the church. . . . All in all, a very challenging book both because of the counter-cultural nature of the topic as well as the more complex than average writing level but it is also a worthwhile use of your time. Weakness as a submission to God is not being a weakling but rather a discovery of the source of our truest strength, reliance on God who is all sufficient. Check out Paul, Apostle of Weakness to aid your study of this never ending fountain of true strength!”
The Authorship of Hebrews: The Case for Paul
In this adaptation of two articles I wrote for Faith and Mission, I re-examine both the internal and external evidence for the authorship of Hebrews. I conclude on basis of the church's early attribution of the epistle to Paul and linguistic affinities between the epistle and other Pauline writings, that it is more than likely that Paul authored the epistle.
Reviews (from Amazon):
“A pastor once told me that anyone who can read Greek can see that Paul did not write Hebrews. In fact, about the only thing scholars can agree on about the authorship of Hebrews is that it was not Paul. Yet David Alan Black, a professor of NT Greek for 30 years, systematically undercut the assumptions that this consensus is built upon. Black uses his extensive knowledge of the Greek language, the NT text, and linguistics to amass a considerable amount of evidence to support his case, and it is clear that this is but a summary. The first part focuses on internal evidence and uses example after example to show how the use of words, phrases and style have parallels to the writings of Paul. The second part deals with the external evidence, the testimony of the early fathers. I like books that challenge “accepted conclusions” in a clear and intelligent way. Black certainly does that. Even if in the end he does not persuade you, he will give you a lot to think about.”
“While most modern scholars admit that they do not know who wrote the book of Hebrews, they are almost unanimous that it COULD NOT have been Paul. David A. Black goes against this consensus opinion, arguing for the book to be genuinely Pauline, though possibly physically written by Luke. In this short work, he examines and critiques the basic arguments against Pauline authorship, as well as the evidence supporting it. Well worth the time to read and digest his reasonings, and a great price also.”
