Early Christian Mission: Paul And The Early Church (Volume 2)

Description

Eckhard J. Schnabel’s Early Christian Mission: Paul and the Early Church (Volume 2) provides a comprehensive analysis of the apostolic missionary efforts that shaped the spread of Christianity in the first century. Building on Volume 1’s exploration of Jesus’ ministry and the Twelve, this volume focuses on Paul’s missionary work and the broader early church’s strategies, emphasizing theological foundations and practical methods.

Key Themes and Content
Paul’s Missionary Activity: Schnabel meticulously examines Paul’s journeys as recorded in Acts and his letters, highlighting his focus on urban centers, household-based evangelism (oikos strategy), and collaboration with local believers. Paul’s approach combined proclamation of Christ’s death and resurrection with establishing self-sustaining churches.

Historical and Theological Framework: The book defends the historicity of Acts while integrating archaeological and literary evidence to reconstruct early missionary practices. Schnabel argues that the early church’s Gentile mission stemmed directly from Jesus’ mandate, not from pre-existing Jewish missionary models.

Missionary Strategy:

Contextualization: Early missionaries adapted their message to cultural settings without compromising core doctrines.

Suffering and Perseverance: Missionaries like Paul embraced suffering as integral to their witness, reflecting Jesus’ model.

Church Planting: Local churches served as hubs for discipleship and further outreach, ensuring continuity and growth.

Scholarly Contributions
Schnabel challenges assumptions about early Jewish missions, demonstrating that the Gentile mission was unprecedented and uniquely Christian. He synthesizes decades of scholarship to present a unified narrative of how a Jewish messianic movement rapidly transformed into a global faith through intentional, Spirit-led outreach.

Significance
This volume is praised as a landmark work for its depth and integration of historical, theological, and practical insights. It underscores the early church’s reliance on Scripture, communal witness, and divine guidance—a model Schnabel sees as relevant for contemporary missions.

By combining rigorous scholarship with accessible analysis, Schnabel offers a definitive resource on the early church’s missionary zeal and its enduring impact on global Christianity.