Temple of the Living God

When writing to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul used figurative temple language repeatedly to shape the identity of his audience (""Temple of God,"" ""Temple of the Holy Spirit,"" and ""Temple of the Living God""). While other scholars have identified the place of the Jerusalem temple in Paul's thinking or the impact of temples in the life of Corinth, there has been no comprehensive study of the way that figurative temple language in philosophy could have influenced the Corinthians' worldview. Hellenistic philosophy was pervasive in the first century and provided theological guidance for faith and practice to Paul's Gentile audience before their conversion.

Philip N. Richardson provides a comprehensive survey of figurative temple language in Hellenistic philosophy, shedding light on the way that the kinds of philosophical thought known in cities like Corinth may have influenced the Corinthians to think about figurative temple language. This study throws into sharp relief the similarities and differences between Paul's use of temple language and that of philosophy, and illuminates Paul's setting of this language in the wider framework of 1-2 Corinthians and his purpose for its use in the argument of the letters.


""Although others have rightly explored the Judean background of NT temple imagery, Richardson here fills an important gap by showing how a Diaspora audience would have conceptualized temple language . . . He establishes and maintains a consistent approach as he works through the ancient philosophic sources and, afterward, through key texts in the Corinthian correspondence.""
--Craig S. Keener, Asbury Theological Seminary

""In this outstanding study, Philip Richardson brings fresh light to Paul's figurative temple language in the Corinthian correspondence by examining it in comparison with the surprisingly frequent use of such language in Graeco-Roman philosophy . . . Richardson's work reinforces the opinion that Paul was conversant with contemporary philosophical currents and capable of exploiting this knowledge for theological and pastoral purposes.""
--Edward Adams, King's College London

""Philip's exquisite monograph is a model for any research in biblical studies, with carefully defined objectives brilliantly, and judiciously, met. It is wonderfully informative on the Graeco-Roman philosophical background to Temple-of-God metaphors for authentic human life. It is beautifully illuminating on the relation to the relevant Corinthian passages, and marvelous in how Paul focuses this in bodily existence.""
--Max Turner, Emeritus Professor, London School of Theology

""Philip Richardson puts us in his debt by this thoughtful and thorough examination of Paul's use of 'temple' language for the believing community in the Corinthian letters. He brings a fresh angle by his sure-footed discussion of ancient philosophical thinking about temples and the spirit, uncovering a new context to illuminate the key Pauline texts. This engaging and well-written study will be required reading in study of this theme and Paul's Corinthian correspondence.""
--Steve Walton, Trinity College, Bristol


Philip N. Richardson is a theological education consultant with One Mission Society (OMS), Greenwood, Indiana.