How does one prophecy

In a communal context, the discernment of spirits may find a formal analogy in the Dead Sea Scrolls, of which the Scrolls movement was also prophetically inspired and engaged in "revelatory exegesis".

That is, the examination and testing of spirits as well as deeds recurs in the Qumran Community Rule 1QS 5. This same text also mentions the authoritative role of an interpreter in finding out matters hidden from Israel 1QS 8.

More generally speaking, the testing of prophecy in Paul also stands in relation to its Jewish heritage. In Paul, early Christian prophecy yet has a relatively more distinct and outspoken place: "the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets" 1 Cor , RSV. Our next passage, 1 Cor , pinpoints the limitations of prophecy from an eschatological perspective. Prophecy is here considered finite, it will pass away, and it only manifests itself in part 1 Cor Prophetic knowledge could be perceived as being limited also in early Jewish thought, as illustrated by the Qumran Pesher to Habakkuk, which speaks of the final age being extended "beyond all that the prophets say" 1QpHab 7.

Paul compares the contemporaneous situation with seeing in a mirror dimly and knowing in part over against seeing face to face and gaining full understanding, being fully understood in the final age 1 Cor Throughout chapter 13, Paul emphasizes that that which endures from the present to the final age is love.

Without love, nothing is gained with prophetic powers 1 Cor Wolter calls this the eschatological relativization of the gift of prophetic speech in Paul's theology.

The aim of love 1 Cor , heavily stipulated in 1 Cor 13, does not preclude eagerness for gifts of the Spirit, but in Paul's understanding should predetermine it. Perhaps it should be added that prophecy is not so much relativized as its nature is put into perspective with regard to the final age. Yet the notions of full understanding and face to face contact appear proleptically embodied in Paul's understanding of love. If the aim of love undergirds the desire of the special gift of prophecy then Paul has nothing against it, but even commends it in the interest of the upbuilding of the faith community, as we see in 1 Cor This distinction has already been foreshadowed by consecutive references to speaking in the tongues of men and of angels and to prophetic powers in 1 Cor Speaking in tongues without love is associated with "a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal" in 1 Cor , whereas prophetic powers are surrounded by the understanding of all mysteries and all knowledge and all faith in 1 Cor , which yet amount to nothing without love.

In 1 Cor , Paul addresses this distinction in increasing sharpness. Thus we read in 1 Cor In 1 Cor , Paul adds that prophecy is greater than speaking in tongues. Both may be put in practice, but the latter is only for one's own benefit, unless it is followed by interpretation. Where does this distinction between prophecy and speaking in tongues come from? Glossolalia vs.

Speaking in tongues is characterized as unintelligible to other people, whereas prophecy stands out for its intelligibility and moral outreach to the faith community in Paul's understanding in 1 Cor In his study on prophecy and inspired speech, C. Forbes sought to dissociate alleged Hellenistic religious contexts of "ecstatic speech" from Paul's discussion of speaking in tongues. Forbes rather associated Pauline glossolalia with spiritual elitism among the Corinthians drawing on speculations within Jewish Hellenism.

Thus a spiritual sense should be included. The fact that Paul does not specify where his idea of "speaking in tongues" comes from could imply its diffuse presence in various contexts.

With "speaking in the tongues ofmen and of angels" 1 Cor in mind, heavenly thanksgiving with angelic tongues which is evoked in the so-called Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice from Masada Mas1k and Qumran 4Q, , 11Q17 may constitute a parallel from Judaism.

This manifests itself in unconsciousness of words spoken and lines written and at the same time relates to the reception of "language, ideas, an enjoyment of light, keenest vision, pellucid distinctiveness of objects" Migr.

In any case, Paul wants his Corinthian audience to stay away from unintelligible ecstatic utterances which are not guided by the Spirit 1 Cor and only commends speaking in tongues as inspired speech when it is accompanied by interpretation 1 Cor , Homiletic functions of prophecy.

How does Paul arrive at assigning these homiletic functions? In fact, the Corinthian audience has been addressed as God's building in 1 Cor Paul here sets out to assign a constructive role to prophecy, beginning with the faith community's upbuilding. Analogously, upbuilding would also be part of prophetic roles of a "prophet in the womb" according to Sirach Jewish literature has been noted in previous scholarship regarding "prophets as proclaimers of consolation".

The last passage under our consideration is 1 Cor a. It has been argued by F. Wilk that Paul's discourse in 1 Cor reflects a broader reading of Isaiah Under wrong influences, they have gone astray and their counsel has become void.

Perhaps Paul's distinction between speaking in tongues and prophecy may here intertextually denote a contrast between ecstatic, distorted forms of prophetic inspiration and pure mediation of prophecy. Paul even goes so far that speaking in tongues would give the impression of madness to outsiders and unbelievers 1 Cor Perhaps the intertextual dialogue with Isaiah When Paul goes on to discuss prophecy and other spiritual matters in 1 Cor a, he makes general references to prophecy: "if all prophesy" 1 Cor and "you can all prophesy one by one" 1 Cor Which generalization of prophecy could be at work?

Two examples from Jewish Hellenism may illustrate generalising tendencies of thought about prophecy:. The Wisdom of Solomon 7. The prophetic state is deemed generally reconcilable with holy souls and friends of God in Wis 7. In Paul's view, prophecy is reconcilable with the community of the faithful, calling even the outsider or unbeliever to worship of God, to acknowledgement of God's presence 1 Cor Evaluation and conclusions. It is time to draw a balance and come to conclusions.

Paul's Letters are the earliest documents of emerging Christianity, and also provide the earliest evidence of Christian prophecy. How does Paul stand between the alleged "cessation of prophecy" in Judaism and prolific early Christian prophetism?

As I have argued in this essay, it is not so much a matter of "cessation of prophecy" as a cessation of the line of biblical prophets. Paul also distinguished the prophets of the Holy Scriptures Rom from his ideas about early Christian prophecy.

Yet prophecy as a revelatory phenomenon had not ceased in the Second Temple period. Even if it were in decline in the early post-exilic period, it went through a transition. Illuminating worlds of thought in late Second Temple Judaism, the Dead Sea Scrolls provide clear indications of the heightened significance of biblical prophecy as well as contemporizing, eschatologically oriented exegesis of prophecy.

The abundance of parabiblical elaborations on prophetic texts among the Scrolls attests to an open dialogue with prophecy. The eschatological fervour of emerging Christianity also brought prophetic inspiration to the fore. In his Corinthian correspondence, Paul sees early Christian prophecy as an active and constructive force in the upbuilding of the faith community at Corinth.

As for the second question which this essay aimed to answer, the sense of "prophecy" which Paul has in mind in 1 Cor , I conclude that its homiletic functions of upbuilding, encouragement and consolation may be partly correlated in broad lines with early Jewish tradition and synagogue settings, as illustrated in Acts Early Christian prophetic speech as identified in Romans , regarding Israel's salvation, and in 1 Cor , regarding resurrection, is also intertextually correlated with biblical prophecy by Paul, as we have seen.

Early Christian prophecy thereby builds on biblical models of prophecy and early Jewish contexts of prophecy. As for the third question what prophetic performance does in the communal setting of 1 Cor , it is destined to contribute to the upbuilding and peace of the faith community 1 Cor Acts When the faith community is united in prophecy, it ultimately also reaches out to the unbeliever or outsider in Paul's view 1 Cor Arzt-Grabner, P. Ash, J.

Aune, D. Barrett, C. Brooke, G. Burkert, W. Raffan from German original in , Cambridge, Mass. Conzelmann, H. Cook, L. De Jong, M.

Donfried, K. Dunn, J. Fee, G. Feldman, L. In Floyd and Haak eds. Fitzmyer, J. Floyd, M. Haak, eds. Forbes, C. Garcia Martinez, F. Hogeterp, A. Jassen, A. Klijn, A. Charlesworth ed. Lange, A. De Troyer and A. Lange eds. Levinskaya I. Li, S. Luz, U. Merklein, H. Nicklas, T. Nissinen, M. Perkins, P. Sanders, E. Sandnes, K. Schnelle, U. Schniedewind, W. Sharp, C. Thiselton, A. Tibbs, C.

Verheyden, J. Weippert, M. Wilk, F. Moyise and M. Menken eds. Wolter, M. See also Schnelle ; Wolter Old Testament, is substantiated by a preceding biblical quotation from Ps in Rom Wilk ; Wilk , "certain sections of Isaiah have significantly shaped Paul's self-understanding and his theology", who designates theological vocabulary, phraseology and motifs from Isaiah as "the background of several Pauline concepts".

Cook 90 n. Mk , , ; Lk , , ; Acts , On early Christian prophecy and prophetism, see studies by Aune ; Luz Hogeterp Barrett on 1 Cor as concerning "many, though not all, of the Corinthian Christians having been non-Jews; cf. Acts 5, 6, 8"; Fitzmyer on 1 Cor as Paul's reaction to "Corinthian Christians of pagan background"; Perkins on 1 Cor as the "Corinthians' past as idol worshipers".

Barrett on 1 Cor as referring to three groups, Jews, Greeks and Christians, of which the latter is seldom added by Paul; Fitzmyer on 1 Cor as concerning "three groups of humanity Jews, Gentiles, and Christians "; Fee on 1 Cor as relating to "Jews, nonbeliever, or fellow believer".

Perkins on 1 Cor as Paul's reaction against "Corinthian tendencies toward making distinctions between believers", in comparison with 1 Cor as relating to Jews and non-Jew alike. Levinskaya on epigraphic and literary evidence for a Jewish community in Roman Corinth; Hogeterp on Judaism as a surrounding culture to the Corinthian congregation. Lange on Neh as evidence of "the marginalization of prophecy in Persian times", who further argues for a decline of "aural prophecy" and the ascent of "literary prophecy" evidenced in the Scrolls.

Laws 4. Feldman [ ] , thus distinguished the Essenes, who "seldom, if ever,.. Jassen Cohen and J. Levison in Floyd and Haak and At any rate, Philo's concern with prophetic inspiration stands in the shadow of his overwhelming literary concern with the Pentateuch.

Cook 8. On succession among biblical prophets, cf. LXX Sir In Floyd and Haak , an article by L. Grabbe pp. Tibbs , "In the second-century church, prophetic possession rapidly declined", and n. Dunn 11 on Rom "The prophets and prophecies in question would have been established as Christian proof texts as one of the earliest apologetic requirements of the new movement cf. Sanders , See also Donfried on 1 Thess In addition, "brethren" naturally and commonly refers to one's closest relative e.

It is said that Muhammad was like Moses in many points. Both were brought up in their enemies' houses, appeared among idolaters, were at first rejected by their own people and afterward accepted by them, each gave a law, fled from their enemies Moses to Midian, Muhammad to Medina, a name of a similar meaning , marched to battle against their enemies, wrought miracles, and enabled their followers to conquer Palestine.

These correlation's prove nothing. God Himself has explained in the Gospels that this prophecy referred to Christ, not to Muhammad. Compare Deuteronomy , "Him you shall hear," with Matthew ,". This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him! Jesus explains that this and other passages refer to Himself John ; Genesis ; ; ; ; He was descended from Judah Matthew ; Luke ; Hebrews , was born in Israel, and spent almost all of His life among the Jews.

In Acts , this prophecy is cited as referring to Christ Jesus. Psalm And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness; And Your right hand shall teach You awesome things. Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King's enemies; The peoples fall under You. In Islam, Muhammad is called "the Prophet with the sword. Verse six declares, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. Furthermore, Hebrews clearly states that verse six is an address to Christ. Isaiah And he saw a chariot with a pair of horsemen, A chariot of donkeys, and a chariot of camels.

Muslims think that the words "a chariot of donkeys" in this verse are a prediction of the coming of Christ, who entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey, and that :a chariot or troop of camels" refers to Muhammad, since he always rode on a camel.

In fact, the context shows that this chapter refers to neither Christ nor Muhammad. It is a prophecy of the fall of Babylon, as we learn from verse 9, and tells how travelers bring word of the capture of the city and the destruction of its idols, which took place under Darius in B.

Is Muhammad Mentioned in the New Testament? Matthew The biblical kingdom of God has temporal and spiritual aspects, present and future implications. Long before the rise of Islamic power, Christ announced the presence of the kingdom, saying, "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you" Matthew In Mark , Christ told His disciples that some of them would not taste death until they saw the kingdom of God present with power.

Did they see Muhammad and the "kingdom" of Islam? Certainly not. Mark Muslims maintain that the gospel of Jesus is the record of God's Word given through Jesus.

Only occasionally can we find Jesus' gospel buried in the midst of man's words and opinion. One of the preserved lines of Jesus' gospel, they say is in Mark , where Jesus supposedly prophesied of Muhammad, "There cometh after Me he that is mightier than I. The context clearly shows this to be true see also Matthew ; Luke ; and John It will not do to say that Christ was already in the world, and that therefore He could not be said to come after John. Christ began to preach only after John had been cast into prison and beheaded see Mark ; also compare Matthew , 17 , thus ending the forerunner's ministry.

John Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. This is supposed by some Muslims to be a declaration that Jerusalem would no longer be the Holy City and the "Qiblah" focus of prayers , but that its place would be taken by another city, which, the Muslims say, must be Mecca. Yet in verses , Christ Himself explained the meaning of His own words, saying that true and acceptable worship does not depend upon the place where it is offered by upon the state of the worshipper's heart.