Last Updated on Saturday, 12 September 2009 22:01 Written by Greg Tuesday, 14 October 2008 09:51

Here is the second installment of papers I've written in the past.  This was my first real exegetical research paper, written as a junior at Harding, and it was through writing it that I fell in love with the process.  I want to say thanks to Dr. Ken Neller at Harding in Searcy for all that I learned from him about NT research.  He is one of the finest undergraduate professors there is--although he may not want to be associated with my paper in any way!  Just attribute the parts I did right to him.

I've gone back over this one very thoroughly, rewording a number of things, but I've left my argument intact.  Not only was this my first exegetical research paper, it was also the first in a long line of last minute all-nighters to finish it in a rush and sacrifice good proof reading for content.  So it needed some fine tuning.

To be very honest, I have never been settled firmly on an understanding of 1 Cor. 11:2-16.  I've added an addendum to the paper, stating that I am still in agreement with some key points in my argument, but it is always difficult to go with an interpretation that is neigther mainstream nor obvious without a grasp of linguistic possibilities that are hardly the first choice among translators.  Yet, as you will see when you read, the problems with what is "obvious" and typical are weighty.  All in all, I find it an exercise in appreciating the insights that the research provides and holding lightly to a conclusion on the passage as a whole.

I would consider this paper semitechnical, which means there are some Greek words sprinkled in here and there and a little less-common terminology, but I've added some parenthetical help with the Greek.  For anyone who bothers to work through it, you are going to want to read over 11:2-16 four or five times before you start, to have the turns of phrase fixed in your mind as you read.

1 Corinthians 11:2-16