Where is the Wise Man: Graeco-Roman Education as a Background to the Divisions in 1 Corinthians 1-4

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The divisions in the Corinthian church are catalogued by Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:12: "Each of you says, I follow Paul, or I follow Apollos, or I follow Cephas, or I follow Christ. White shows how these splits are found in the milieu of 1st-century Graeco-Roman education. By consulting relevant literary and epigraphic evidence, White develops a picture of ancient education throughout the Empire generally, and in Roman Corinth specifically. This serves as a backdrop to the situation in the Christian community, wherein some of the elite, educated members preferred Apollos to Paul as a teacher since Apollos more closely resembled other teachers of higher studies. White takes a new and different direction to other studies in the field, arguing that it is against the values inculcated through higher education in general that the teachers are being compared. By starting with this broader category, one that much better reflects the very eclectic nature of Graeco-Roman education, a sustained reading of 1 Corinthians 14 is made possible.

Reviews

Whites presentation is clear, well-written, and persuasive; his work will be a necessary read for any future study of 1 Cor 14, and is highly recommended for scholars and libraries working within the Corinthian letters or New Testament rhetorical research. * Religious Studies Review *
The book provides an informative and helpful review of the practice of education in both philosophy and oratory Hellenistic society we should be grateful for what has been done [in this book], which is valuable. * Anglican and Episcopal History *

Author Bio

Adam G. White (PhD, Macquarie University, Australia) is lecturer at Alphacrucis College, Sydney, Australia.