The Power of God in Paul's Letters

The concept of God's power is a leading motif in Pauline theology. It functions in key passages of Paul's letters and is intrinsically linked to his theology of the cross and its soteriological explication in the message of justification. Because this concept is so closely related to the message of the cross, Paul often speaks of 'power' in a paradoxical context. Although 'power' is generally assumed to be an important motif in Pauline theology, the concept has not yet been fully explored. Petrus J. Gräbe investigates the concept of God's power in Paul's letters. He also gives an overview of God's power in the broader New Testament context in order to distinguish more clearly the specific Pauline interpretation of the power of God. The investigation comprises three sections: A lexico- and conceptual-historical overview of the concept of power, an exegetical investigation of the concept of God's power in Paul's letters and a theological scope of the concept of God's power in the Pauline letters. In the last section Petrus J. Gräbe distinguishes between a theological-christological and a pneumatological emphasis. The concept of God's power plays an important role in the way Paul views his apostolic ministry. In the concluding chapter the author therefore deals with Paul's ministry within the christological perspective on weakness and power. "The work is an important contribution to Pauline studies and is a well-researched, thorough, and scholarly study." Jeffrey R. Asher in The Catholic Biblical Quarterly vol. 64. (2002), page 762 "This book is a useful refresher course on Paul, with a valuable dialogue with the most recent monographs and commentaries on his letters." Benedict T. Viviano in Zeitschrift für Missions- und Religionswissenschaft Jahrgang 86 (2002), p. 74