Course Assignment
Understanding the New Testament: RELI 222R 1W
Dr. Barbara E. Kaiser
21 November 2000

Jason Waltman
Wittenberg University
Class of 2001

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The Letter of Paul to Adam.pdf
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The Letter of Paul to Adam

1  Paul, chosen by God to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to show the implications of this news to those I preach: 2 that because of God's great grace all sins may be forgiven, 3 that in God's eye no man is better than any other man and no man is less than any other man, 4 and that God's unending love is extended to all and so to follow God is to extend our love to all as well, despite the inherent differences in our thoughts, beliefs, and morals, that in part, have been shaped not only by God, but by the society in which we live as well, 
     5 To Adam, my dear friend, an extension of the light of the world though Jesus Christ, and to the church in your house:
     6 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

7 First, I pray to God each day, giving thanks for the time we were able to spend together and the growth that each of us made in our lives, from the other, at that time. 8 I pray that God continue to work in you so that you may someday fully understand what today you do not and that your actions are actions that come from God, and you may be an example for others to follow. 9 I remember you always, and ask that by God's will we may someday be able to meet again as we did in the past.
10 I am quite distressed, however, as I feel this day may never come, and not because I will be unable to make the journey, but instead because you would not accept me. 11 For one of our brothers who has talked with you recently has revealed to me that, in your heart, the differences we had at our last meeting with regards to your feelings towards certain individuals that you do not agree with, especially homosexuals, you have still not resolved. 12 Understand that I do not feel any personal animosity towards you. I simply want to help you in resolving your feelings. 13 You are a photograph, stuck at one moment in time, static, and unmovable. 14 You must realize that love is a great gift and one that you possess to give to others as God has done, and that forgiveness comes from love.

2  You may be justifying your feelings from scripture. You may have read my letter to the Romans, in which I refer to the wicked whom God has given up and left for death, 2 specifically the men who gave up natural intercourse with women and were consumed with passion for one another, who received the due penalty for their error. 3 Or, similarly, you may have read my letter to the Corinthians, in which I describe the wrongdoers who will not inherit the kingdom of God; in this list are malakoi and arsenokoitai, which may have been translated to you simply as ‘homosexuals’.
     4 But if you are using these sayings against your homosexual peers and telling them that they will not inherit the kingdom of God, I fear you have misinterpreted these words. I feel that since I am the source of this misinterpretation, I should give an explanation.
     5 At the time those words were written, the predominant form of homosexuality was that of young boy slave prostitutes and their pederastic partners. 6 The words malakoi and arsenokoitai do not refer to all homosexuals that you perceive today but rather the two persons involved in a pederastic relationship. 7 Consensual, same-sex, same-aged relationships simply were not present and for that reason were not discussed in my letters. 8 Pederasty was rampant then and still is wrong today; 9 you cannot use these words to argue that God will not save the homosexuals that you know. For their sexual orientation has nothing to do with whether or not they will be saved.
10 Consensual gay relationships are not considered in scripture. The things condemned are idolatry, rape, and exploitation.
     Unfortunately, a reading of scripture in anti-gay ways is a result of your present culture. 11 Culture and your uncomfortability formed these opinions in your mind before any writings did.

12 If you would like a more earthly explanation, there is research to prove that sexual orientation is just that: an orientation and not a choice. 13 Did you decide to be heterosexual? Did you have to consciously think about it, and say, 'Today I've decided that I'm straight'? In the same way, homosexuals did not make this decision either. 14 If you can believe that God created humans with different color skin, and you believe that God created humans with different innate feelings, why is it hard to believe that He created humans with different feelings about the way in which to express the premier of those feelings, 15 the one that He illustrated to all of us by sending His only son to earth to die, the feeling of love towards other human beings? 16 You say that you believe in Jesus and follow the words in scripture, but you have overlooked the most important of these, your vision impaired by misinterpretation brought about by the culture in which you live. 17 For it is written,

3  It doesn't make sense for sexual orientation to be thought of as a disease, as one might alcoholism, or some other disease that could be cured. 2 If an alcoholic had never been exposed to alcohol, he would have never known what it was like to be drunk. But you cannot fit that idea into a sentence about sexuality. 3 If a homosexual had never been exposed to, to what? To love? Then he or she might have never known what it is like to be gay? 4 No! Lack of exposure to love would not make a homosexual not gay, but not a person.

5 You have chosen whom to love and whom to feel enmity towards based on what you perceive as their sin. 6 You have sinned too, however. What makes the sins you commit less than the ones you feel others are committing? 7 Who are you to judge what is sin and what sins are more extreme? 8 God loves all, without regard to sin. For it is written,

9 Some say that they love the person, but not the sin they commit. 10 Here, however, the supposed sin is sexuality. To separate the person and sexuality is to separate the person from love, and to separate the person from love is to separate him/her from understanding love, and to separate the person from understanding love is to separate him/her from understanding God's love. 
     11 I know you, and I know that you are a good person, filled with the love of Christ Jesus; you would never use the word 'hate' to describe the feelings you had towards another individual, 12 but if hate is the strongest form of dislike, then is there anything worse you could do to a neighbor than consider them removed from an ability to understand God's love?
     13 If two people love each other and are working for God, how can this possibly be bad? Why would you reject these people? 14 You should rejoice in that they have found love and are following God! 15 Why would you not forgive a friend just because he turned out to be gay? 16 It is written,

17 If you believe that God will admit repentant murders into God’s Kingdom, why is it that you cannot believe that he would admit homosexuals? 18 Is love a sin worse than murder? Is love a sin at all? Why do you not love that which God loves?
4  You, Adam, are a candle that has been illuminated by the Light of the world. 2 The match that was struck was struck by the hand of God, so that your light might help light the way for others. 3 It would appear however, that from your obvious intolerance of homosexuals that that light is quickly extinguishing itself. 4 Do not let that light burn out, as if it does, not only will you be lost, but those who are following you will become lost too. 5 Be firm, but malleable, tolerant, and forgiving under your own light as that light is from God. Allow Him to help shape you as He has shaped all of creation. 6 Do not think that part of creation was not shaped by God. All creation was shaped by God and with God you should be accepting and loving of His creation and 7 your flame should burn brightly, being an example for others to follow.

8 Let love be genuine; hate only what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love others with the affection they show towards you. 9 Love your neighbor just as you love God, forgive those who have done you wrong, live in peace, and pray to God that you may follow in his ways. 10 Whatever you do, do so for the glory of God. Let all that you do be done in love.
     11 I, Paul, write this with my own hand. The grace of the Lord Jesus with be with you. 
     I extend to you my love.

Textual Notes to the Letter

1.1-6: Salutation, compare with Rom 1:1-7, 1 Cor 1:1-3, and Philem 1-3.

1.7-9: Thanksgiving, also compare with Rom 1:8-15 and 1 Cor 1:4-9.

2: Reference to earlier letters of Paul. The writer of this letter knows that the earlier letters of Paul have been published worldwide. Since he knows the person to whom he is writing (1:7), the writer must also know that Adam is a Christian and probably knows these letters.

2.2: From Rom 1:27.

2.3: From 1 Cor 6:9-10.

2.6-7: The ideas of the terms malakoi and arsenokoitai were taken from Scroggs (101, 117, 122). See also Countryman (110).

2.9: See relation to Rom 10:8-13.

2.10: Scroggs (122, 102-103).

2.11: Some believe that this is a parallel to Pilate, and the fact that only those who had faith and stood on their own knew God.

2.14-16: God created homosexuals. See Rom 13:8-10, 1 Cor 8:2-3, and 1 Cor 12:14-13:13. The theme in these passages is quite similar to the theme addressed here. 

2.17: Mtt 22:37-40.

3.6-8: See Rom 14:10-12 and 1 Cor 5:12-13.

3.8: Lev 19:18.

3.11-12: See similarity to 1 Cor 3:16-17.

3.13-18: ~Abraham justified by faith, see in previous Pauline letter, Rom 4:7-10.

3.15: This seems to be a bit out of place. Yes, forgiveness is a definite theme here, but using the phrase ‘forgive a friend because they are gay’ may mean that the writer of this letter is, or knows a former friend of Adam’s whom Adam has refused to forgive on account that the person is a homosexual.

3.16: Lk 6:37.

4.1-7: Life as a burning candle and introductory exhortations. See similarities in theme in 1 Cor 1:30, 2:5, 2:12, 5:6, 6:20, 7:13-14, 8:10-13; Rom 3:29-31, 8:31, 9:21.

4.8-10: Final exhortations. Some taken directly from Rom 12:9-12; 1 Cor 10:31, 16:14.

4.11: Benediction. For Paul, quite short, but notice that he leaves the reader with the word love, and not much else to confuse it with.

Biblical Commentary

Although this letter starts and ends like a traditional Pauline letter—with his name—it is obvious that this letter was not written by the hand of Paul himself as the text states. Like other letters in the New Testament that are signed by Paul but probably not written by him (e.g. 1,2 Timothy, Titus), this letter is written in a similar style in the hopes, one would assume, of providing a stronger foundation for the author's argument. Unlike the letters in the Christian canon, however, this letter is unique in that it was written late in the twentieth century. This is evident, in part, as a result of the controversial subject matter and the fact that the writer makes references to other Pauline letters, namely those written to the Romans and the Corinthians. It is obvious to the author that the receiver will be familiar with these letters, and even the entire Bible. He makes no attempt to hide this fact and actually uses the assumption in his argument that focuses on misinterpretations of the Bible and of the supposed author's own letters. The letter is in one sense a petition to regard the Bible as a whole, with a central theme, not to be undermined by focus on particular passages that cause interpretative differences among ourselves as a result of our culturally influenced beliefs.
     Some scholars believe that The Letter of Paul to Adam is nothing more than a feeble attempt of a homosexual to try one last time to get a former friend and possible former college roommate named Adam to forgive him for something that took place when they knew each other or lived together. Others feel that the letter is addressed to all men, that the author had no one specifically in mind in writing, and that he is using a play on words in addressing the letter to Adam (the interpretation of Adam in Hebrew is ambiguous in that it could be the name of a man or simply mean 'man' itself). Whatever the case, the letter is interesting because it addresses a modern subject that is dealt with inadequately in the Bible, but does so in complete Pauline style with scriptural references. At the least, one must agree that it brings a unique and eye-opening view to the never-ending religious argument.
     Adam is written in the traditional structure and style of Hellenistic letters. It begins with a typical Pauline salutation: “Paul, chosen by God…To Adam, my dear friend…Grace to you and Peace…” (1:1-6; compare with Rom 1:1-7, 1 Cor 1:1-3, and Philem 1-3). This is followed by a polite thanksgiving that cites specific things the author is thankful for in regards to the recipient: “…[I give] thanks for the time we were able to spend together…” (1:7, compare with 1 Thess 1:2-3, and Philem 4-5) and a prayer (1:8-9, compare Rom 1:9-12). The author of Adam provides a list of exhortations: “Let love be genuine; hate only what is evil…” (4:8-10, compare with Rom 12:9-12, and 1 Cor 10:31) before concluding with a typical Pauline closing and benediction: “I, Paul, write this with my own hand….” (4:11; compare with 1 Cor 16:21-24, Gal 6:11-18). Notable here is the fact that the author hints at the subject of his letter in the salutation and thanksgiving (1:4, 1:8), which is also common in Paul's original letters. For example see the theme, 'reconciled in God through faith' found in the Romans' thanksgiving in verses 1:16-17.
     In addition to the simple Hellenistic letter structure followed in Adam, the author employs many elements characteristically found in Pauline letters. Probably Paul's favorite of these—especially in an argument—is the rhetorical question, which seems to be the favorite of the author of Adam too. Paul typically will use a series of questions in a row in order to prove a point. A few examples of this technique can be found in 1 Cor 14:6-9 and 2 Cor 12:18-19. This can be seen in Adam as well; for example, the author writes: “Did you decide to be heterosexual? Did you have to consciously think about it, and say, ‘Today I've decided that I'm straight'?” (2:13) and “What makes the sins you commit less than the ones you feel others are committing? Who are you to judge what is sin and what sins are more extreme?…Is love a sin worse than murder? Is love is sin at all? Why do you not love that which God loves?” (3:6-7, 18). There are a total of ten uses of the rhetorical question in Adam.
     Another favorite stylistic element of the writer of Adam is the metaphor, and at least one—that of Adam, or life, as a candle—is quite extensive and runs throughout the entire letter. The author begins in the salutation: “To Adam, my dear friend, an extension of the light of the world…” (1:5), hints at his message in the thanksgiving: “I pray that…your actions are actions from God and that you may be an example for others to follow” (1:8), and brings the symbol and arguments together in the last chapter: “You, Adam, are a candle that has been illuminated by the Light of the world…you should be accepting and loving of His creation and your flame should burn bright, being an example for others to follow” (4:1-7). As well, the undisputed Pauline letters make extensive use of the metaphor, although there may not be one that carries the entire theme of a Pauline letter, as does the example shown here. This is probably due to the fact that Paul's letters usually contain a number of arguments as opposed to the one we see in Adam. Examples of Pauline metaphor may be found in 2 Cor 10:3-6 and Rom 9:20-24.
     Paul sometimes will make his argument more feasible by comparing it to something that his reader already believes as true, which he presents as more unlikely than his new point. He might do this is one of two ways. The first would be that he presents the argument exactly as stated above: 'If you believe this, why can't you believe this other thing which is less unlikely' (see 2 Cor 3:10-11). Another way, however, might be to use a word chain to make a link of two unlike ideas by intermediate links, so that in the reader's mind the two words on opposite ends of the link must logically go together. For example Paul links suffering with hope in Rom 5:3-4 and sin through one man with death to all in Rom 5:12. These two styles have been combined in one passage of Adam and the result is a rather convincing argument of the seemingly unorthodox idea for some that God actually created homosexuals (2:14-16). Here, the author connects the fact that God created people with different color skin with the fact that God created people with different feelings, and concludes that God created people with different feelings about how to express feelings about love, which he points out (again) is the “premier of [all] feelings” (2:14). In addition, the author of Adam uses each of these elements separately: “To separate the person and sexuality is to separate the person from love, and to separate the person from love is to separate him/her from understanding love, and to separate the person from understanding love is to separate him/her from understanding God's love” (3:10), and also: “If you believe that God will admit repentant murders into God’s Kingdom, why is it that you cannot believe that he would admit homosexuals?” (3:17). 
     A few minor stylistic elements found in Adam, that are also typical of Paul are use of the triad (presentation in groups of three), the diatribe (argument with an inaudible opponent), and the quoting of scripture. The author of Adam uses at least two triads. One is in a metaphor: “You are a photograph, stuck at one moment in time, static, and unmovable” (1:13) and one in the 'life is a candle' argument: “Be firm, but malleable, tolerant, and forgiving” (4:5; compare to 1 Thess 1:3). He includes an interesting diatribe that argues against homosexuality as a disease in 3:3-4 (compare to Rom 3:1-3 and 2 Cor 10:9-11) and quotes scripture three times, not including the two controversial passages of Paul's own letters.
     The stylistic attributes of this twentieth century letter are not the only things that make it significant in terms of its similarities in regards to the original Pauline letters. The general ethical principles found herein also match those found in the undisputed letters of Paul from the first century. It can be shown that much of Paul's ideology in his letters to the Romans and the Corinthians is illustrated in Adam as well. But, before discussing any themes in Paul, let us look at the two passages that have some reference to homosexuals (Rom 1:27 and 1 Cor 6:9-10) and how the author of Adam deals with them.
     First and foremost, the writer of Adam includes these passages in his letter. This is important because these are the two passages in the Bible that are most often cited against homosexuals and their chances of getting to God's kingdom. However, it is not uncommon in the twentieth century to do so. Many theologians have argued that the two passages say nothing against consensual, same-sex relationships, as is argued in Adam. Arguably the best discussion of this is in Robin Scroggs' The New Testament and Homosexuality, which is quoted in various sources, one of which is L. William Countryman's Dirt Greed & Sex. But what is Paul actually saying in these passages? Is he writing against all homosexuality or just a subset, as these authors and the author of Adam suggest. Looking at the argument from a neutral point of view (if one exists), Dale Moody in the Broadman Bible Commentary says that homosexuality was common in the pagan world and that even “[m]ost of the early Caesars were homosexuals” (171). With regards to the passage in Romans, Moody says that homosexuality was considered unnatural in terms of the Old Testament and that the “utter disgust at pagan morals” (171) causes Paul to write the words he does. In regards to the Corinthian passage, Raymond Brown, from the same commentary agrees with others that “the word[s] translated homosexuals…probably refer to those in passive and active homosexuals roles” (323). He argues that Paul does not say that the people in his 'unrighteous' list cannot inherit the kingdom of God, but that they must repent and receive God's forgiveness before doing so (323). 
     Neither Moody nor Brown discusses the form of homosexuality at the time Paul was writing. Scroggs argues that Paul was writing only against pederasty and notes that the three places in the New Testament where homosexuality is mentioned are in letters to “Greco-Roman and/or Hellenistic Jewish cultures…where pederasty was the norm for homosexual relationships” (101). The words Paul uses in Corinthians that have been translated 'homosexuals' in some Bibles are malakoi and arsenokoitai. It's difficult to know exactly what Paul had in mind when he used them since, their meanings are ambiguous and, arsenokoitai for example, “has no prior history to Paul's use of it” (Scroggs 107). In fact, given a certain interpretation it may not have anything to do with homosexuals at all, but may simply mean 'a male fornicator' (Scroggs 107). Scroggs claims that these words cannot be used to say that all homosexuals will be excluded from the kingdom of God and also points out that, at least in the Corinthian passage, there is no mention of female homosexuality. In terms of the passage in Romans, which is a little more direct, Scroggs gets into a long theological and historical argument about the topic (the reader is referred to Scroggs 109-118), but concludes that there is not reason to believe that Paul is thinking of anything besides pederasty, while echoing “Hellenistic Jewish propaganda against Gentiles” (109-110). Countryman continues the argument, saying that Greeks at the time of Paul's writing had no concept of 'homosexual' and felt, however, that human beings could be attracted to either sex. Thus, it would appear that a writing from the first century on the modern subject would be completely outdated (118).
     So, have we gained any progress in this argument or not? In a sense, no, because we don't know what Paul would say if he were writing today, but that's just what the writer of Adam has tried to do. Some of the 'facts' brought up—mainly by Scroggs—are evident in Adam, and it's likely that the author had that text in front of him when he was writing. But let us not get too far away from the real theme in Adam—that of love. The only way to determine if what is said in Adam about homosexuality is what Paul might have said is to look at Adam's main theme. If what Adam says about love is typical of Paul, and the homosexual comments in Adam can be deduced from the ideas of love, then we may have a match. And that's probably exactly what the author had in mind.
     To do this, we will take a look at some specific passages in Adam and see how they are similar to ideas presented in Paul's original letters. (These similarities have been footnoted in the text.) First, in a response to those who say that homosexuals cannot make it to Heaven, the author of Adam argues that Paul would say that sexual orientation has nothing to do with being saved or not (2:9). In a similar manner, Romans 10:8-13 says that the only way to salvation—for everyone—is through Jesus. Faith in Jesus is universal and apart from faith, there are no distinctions (Moody 236-237). In a similar manner, the writer of Adam is upset that the recipient is even judging homosexuals in the first place. The author states that Adam has sinned too and has no right to judge others (3:6-8). This notion is echoed in Romans 14:10-12. According to the passage, Moody maintains that no one has the right to play God and that human judgment (including self judgment) is not necessary because “neither…is a substitute for God's tribunal” (266).
     The 'life as a burning candle' theme carried throughout Adam we have mentioned already holds importance to the writer's theme (see 4:1-7). The metaphor is based on the idea that Adam's opinions on the matter at hand influence the opinions of those around him. If good, then his light will lead others. This is similar to the situation in 1 Cor 7:13-14, where Paul discusses one believer and one non-believer in marriage. The Christian is supposed to bring peace to the home, not to separate (Brown 330). However, if Adam's thoughts are wrong, the light goes out and all who were following him become lost. This is confirmed in 1 Cor 5:6, where Paul states that a little yeast can leaven an entire batch of dough. Brown then concludes that “the moral turpitude of one person affects adversely the moral fiber of the whole community” (Brown 320). The candle metaphor argues that Adam should allow God to help shape him and realize that God shaped all of creation and that God is free to use this creation as he wishes (4:5-6). This idea appears in Romans 9:21 in a more elaborate form, where Moody feels that Paul says that God can use even those who are unbelievers (because he created all) any way he chooses (231).
     The writer of Adam is writing because he feels that homosexuals are being rejected—and the Bible is being used in justifying this rejection. This is the thing our author is most upset about because when this is done, the entire theme of the Bible (which is the entire theme of Adam) is overlooked and contradicted. In verses 2:14-16, the text argues that God created homosexuals, and those who do not believe this are overlooking the two most important commandments: loving God and loving your neighbor. In Brown's summary of 1 Cor 8:2-3 we see that “[k]nowledge of God is not the result of man's love but the sign of God's love of man” (337). One cannot have true knowledge without love. Brown argues that knowledge leads to arrogance, but love leads to a “concern for others” (337). It is obvious that the author of Adam is weighing his argument heavily on this Pauline principle. Those who are rejecting homosexuals are doing so without 'true' knowledge, knowledge that they should have if they 'truly' loved God. This is quite a bold statement for Christians to bear, and thus the reason this passage is so potent. But we are not quite finished.
     Chapter two ends with a scriptural quote from Matthew about the two most important commandments. The one that the writer of Adam is pushing is 'love your neighbor', which has clear resonance in Paul's letter to the Romans, 13:8-10: “Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves has fulfilled the law.…” With regards to this passage Moody quotes Origen who wrote: “The debt of love remains with us permanently and never leaves us; this is a debt which we both discharge every day, and forever owe” (259). The commentator continues with saying that Christian love should not just be extended to other Christians, but to all. This is good news for the author of Adam, because his main argument then holds in all situations.
     Before leaving this subject, it would be wrong not to point out 1 Cor 12:14-13:13 in regards to the theme of Adam. To summarize Brown in regards to these verses: the unity of the kingdom of God works because of its diversity and unity only occurs when acceptance of that diversity is reached. “To belong to Christ's body means not only to belong to him but to help one another, honor one another, and be sensitive to one another” (367). Love comes from surrendering one's self to God and is the way in which God is reviled to us and the way we should give ourselves to others. “Love is the greatest of all [feelings] because it expresses God's being, as faith and hope do not” (375). Paul writes these words to the Corinthians so that love may be their goal, just as the author of Adam is writing to make his recipient realize that love has been far from the object of his focus and to remind him that it is that only goal that matters.

—JDW

Bibliography

Brown, Raymond B. “1 Corinthians.” In Broadman Bible Commentary. Volume 10. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1970.

Countryman, L. William. Dirt Greed & Sex: Sexual Ethics in the New Testament and their Implications for Today. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1988.

Metzger, Bruce M. and Roland E. Murphy, eds. The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books--New Revised Standard Version. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991.

Moody, Dale. “Romans.” In Broadman Bible Commentary. Volume 10. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1970.

Roetzel, Calvin J. The Letters of Paul: Conversations in Context. Fourth Edition. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1998.

Scroggs, Robin. The New Testament and Homosexuality: Contextual Background for Contemporary Debate. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1983.