Paul (and why to read his works chronologically)
So a funny thing happened on the internet this week.
Over on twitter, people starting bagging pretty hardcore on the Apostle Paul and his writings. To the point of arguing that over half of the New Testament should be canceled.
I get it. The guy sounds a bit like a jerk., And more than that, usually the folks in the Western Church that seem a little “Paul intense” are kinda jerky too. I went through that phase for over a decade…and then just ignored him. But a couple of years ago I ended up doing this wild experiment. I decided to read through the last half of Acts and all of Paul’s writing chronologically. At the same time, I read NT Wright’s fantastic biography of Paul.
And a funny thing happened.
Much like when we try to take an emotionally mature and healthy understanding of someone we might disagree with in real-life relationships, I began to see the humanity in a writer (and big section of the New Testament) I had somewhat disregarded. Going through this chronologically reading quickly (probably around 10 days), while also reading this biography, I felt like I could see the journey and transitions that move through Paul’s life. Reading Acts alongside the letters helped me understand the difference between the churches he had started and spent time with, those he was only with for a few months, and the way he wrote to churches he had never been with. You also had the ability to start seeing the inner turmoil that was part of Paul’s life, and the abandonment through his time in prison. I found myself growing into a big fan of Paul.
Reading Acts as part of it showed a couple of different things as well. The first was how Paul progressed through different strategies of mission and evangelism. Seeing his transition from going first to Jews, using the synagogue as a part of ministry, and then how he adapted towards a gentile focus in his ministry is a difficult transition to see just in his letters. The second thing that Acts helps us understand is how quickly Paul’s ministry actually happened and what it meant for there to be seasons of relative inactivity. Reading Wrights's biography helps with filling in the timeline as well.
So for those who struggle with Paul, or perhaps struggle with certain parts of his writings (such as what reads like heavy 20th-century complementarianism, or the theological weight and doctrinal heft of Romans), this chronological read can be helpful. I used to see Paul as this unified magnum opus of theological writing. Now I see a beautiful and amazing missional journey from a caring and complicated leader.
Here is the order of how I read Paul chronologically.
Acts 8-9, 13-16
Galatians
Acts 17
Acts 18:1-8
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
Acts 18:19-28
Acts 19:1-41
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Acts 20:1-18
Romans
Rest of Acts
Colossians
Philemon
Ephesians
Philippians
1 Timothy
Titus
2 Timothy
Related Reading
Both of these books are a great way to understand the uniqueness of Paul’s missional movements and development.
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