Contents -- Preface -- Abbreviations -- Chapter 1. Reading the Pauline Letters: Presuppositions and Contexts -- 1.1 Earlier Studies on Paul and Power -- 1.2 Hermeneutical Presuppositions of this Study -- 1.2.1 The Cultural Embeddedness - Judaism and its Scriptures -- 1.2.2 The Social, Political and 'Religious' Context - The Roman Empire -- 1.3 The Focus of this Study -- 1.4 Plan of the Book -- Chapter 2. Concepts of Power in Contemporary Theory -- 2.1 Definitions of Power -- 2.2 'Power-over' or Strategic Power -- 2.3 'Power-to' or Communicative Power -- 2.4 Strategic and Communicative Concepts of Power in Critical Discussion -- 2.4.1 Critiques of Arendt: Habermas and Feminist Theories -- 2.4.2 Transformative Power -- 2.4.3 Power-to and Power-with - a Feminist Conception of Power -- 2.4.4 Asymmetry and Hierarchy in Power Relations -- 2.5 Conclusion -- Chapter 3. The Exercise of Power - Networking in the Early Christ-Movement -- 3.1 The Circle of Apostles and Paul -- 3.1.1 Apostles and Their Relationship According to 1 Thessalonians -- 3.1.2 Apostles and Power Dynamics According to Galatians 1.13-2.14 -- 3.2 Paul and Co-Workers in Christ -- 3.2.1 (omitted) - Terminology and Identity Issues -- 3.2.2 (omitted), (omitted) - Terminology and Identity Issues -- 3.2.3 Co-Senders of the Pauline Letters -- 3.2.4 Letter Endings and Paul's Assistants -- 3.2.5 Others Greeted in the Pauline Letters -- 3.2.6 Moved by Christ - Leadership on the Move -- 3.3 (omitted), Paul and the Pauline Circle -- 3.3.1 Letter Writing and Ongoing Communication -- 3.3.2 (omitted) as Communities of Siblings -- 3.4 Conclusion: (omitted) and (omitted) - Asymmetrical Relationships -- Chapter 4. Power in Action - the Dynamics of Grace -- 4.1 The Power of the 'Grace and Works of the Law' - Dichotomy in Pauline Interpretation -- 4.2 Grace and Power or Grace as Power.

4.3 Grace in Action - the Collection Project (2 Corinthians 8-9) -- 4.4 The Power of Grace according to the Scriptures -- 4.4.1 (omitted) and the (omitted) Debate -- 4.4.2 The Covenantal Dimension of (omitted) -- 4.5 Conclusion: Grace as Mutual Empowerment -- Chapter 5. The Grace and Burden of Apostleship: Paul's Perception of (omitted) -- 5.1 The (omitted) of Being Called and Sent - Paul's Call Narrative in Galatians 1-2 -- 5.2 Being Called and Sent According to the Prophets -- 5.2.1 The Call Narrative in Isaiah 6 -- 5.2.2 The Call Narrative in Jeremiah 1 -- 5.2.3 The Call Narrative in Ezekiel 1-2 -- 5.2.4 Paul's Experience of (omitted) in Light of the Prophets -- 5.3 (omitted) and (omitted) in Romans -- 5.4 Paul's Perception of (omitted) in Relation to (omitted) -- 5.5 Authority and Power in Prophetic and Apostolic Sending -- 5.6 Message and Messengers Intertwined -- 5.7 Conclusion -- Chapter 6. Power in Weakness - The Discourse of Confrontation and Conflict -- 6.1 Troublesome Beginnings - 1 Thessalonians -- 6.2 A Letter of Passionate Concern - 2 Corinthians -- 6.3 The Signs of an Apostle - Disputed -- 6.4 Suffering, Weakness and Power - Related but not Identical -- 6.5 Entering the Ring of Competition - 'For When I am Weak I am Strong' -- 6.6 Weak Apostles but Powerful Leaders? The Power of Gentleness and Humbleness -- 6.7 Conclusion -- Chapter 7. Power in Interaction - Paul and the Discourse of Education -- 7.1 The Ethos of Education in Jewish Tradition -- 7.2 Aspects of the Teaching and Learning Discourse in the Scriptures -- 7.3 Traces of the Teaching and Learning Discourse in Second Temple Judaism -- 7.4 Paul - a Father/Mother of his Communities -- 7.5 Parental Images in 1 Corinthians -- 7.6 Parental Images in 1 Thessalonians -- 7.7 Paul the Teacher and Transformative Power -- 7.8 Conclusion.

Chapter 8. Power in Interaction - The Discourse of Imitation -- 8.1 The Perception of Imitation in Pauline Interpretation -- 8.2 The Texture of Paul's Imitation Language -- 8.2.1 (omitted) as Copying -- 8.2.2 Imitation in the Scriptures -- 8.2.3 Aspects of Mimesis in Contemporary Literary Theory -- 8.3 Content and Structure of Pauline Imitation Language -- 8.4 The Imitation Discourse in 1 Corinthians (4.16 and 11.1) -- 8.4.1 Again - Paul the Father -- 8.4.2 Divisions and Differences - Struggles for Power? -- 8.4.3 The Functionality of Apostleship -- 8.4.4 Diversity Among Apostles -- 8.4.5 Flexible Hierarchies and Apostolic Claims -- 8.5 Christ as the 'Pattern' - The Deconstruction of Hierarchies -- Chapter 9. Power in Interaction - The Discourse of Response-ability -- 9.1 Obedience as Faith and as Submission to God -- 9.2 Obedience as Hearing and Responding -- 9.2.1 In Contrast to Judaism? -- 9.2.2 As Oral Transmission -- 9.3 Called to Hear and to Do - God and His People -- 9.3.1 Called into Existence -- 9.3.2 Inter-Dependence - not Subordination, Submission or Obedience -- 9.4 Responding as Response-ability -- 9.4.1 (omitted) and (omitted) in Romans and Galatians -- 9.4.2 Guidance to the Called in Corinth -- 9.4.3 (omitted) in Other Letters -- 9.5 Submission and Order Discourse (1 Cor. 14.32-34 and Rom. 13.1-7) -- 9.6 (omitted) - a Hidden Request for Obedience? -- 9.7 Conclusion -- Chapter 10. The Dynamics of Power and the Challenge of Empowerment -- 10.1 Beginnings - Promise and Trust -- 10.2 The Guiding Parameters - Christ and the Coming Kingdom of God -- 10.3 Life in the Realm of Christ - 'Already and Not Yet' -- 10.3.1 'It Shall Not Be So Among You' - Internal Limitations to Power -- 10.3.2 Ambiguous Leaders - Vulnerable and Disappointing but Empowering -- 10.3.3 'In This World but not From This World' - Impacts of the Empire.

10.3.4 Limited Challenges: Gender Hierarchy and the Institution of Slavery -- 10.4 The Dynamics of Power and the Tune of Empowerment -- Bibliography -- Index of Ancient Sources -- Index of Modern Authors -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- R -- S -- T -- W -- Y -- Z.