[soc.religion.christian] About Paul...

daly@strawber.princeton.edu (John Daly) (05/27/91)

It is my impression that Paul had a formidable knowledge of Roman
law.  For example, when he is taken to court near the end of Acts,
he serves as his own legal counsel.  What were Paul's educational
and occupational backgrounds?  Was Paul formally schooled in the
law, or did his knowledge simply reflect that of an average Roman
citizen of his day?

jclark@sdcc6.ucsd.edu (John Clark) (05/30/91)

In article <May.26.23.10.05.1991.24569@athos.rutgers.edu> daly@strawber.princeton.edu (John Daly) writes:
+It is my impression that Paul had a formidable knowledge of Roman
+law.  For example, when he is taken to court near the end of Acts,
+he serves as his own legal counsel.  What were Paul's educational

In Classic Greek times(400 B.C.), an Athenian Citizen(male) was required
to be able to both defend against legal action as well as prosecute. Any
citizen could bring a charge against another for infractions of Law.
I use the term 'required' loosely. A person could draft friends to
assist in his defense, but it seems that self-defense was considered
better.

How wide spread this idea was, I can not say. But I beleive this was
wide spread in the 'Greek' world. The Roman's at the time of the
Empire did have lawyers so it would seem that the weight of
precedence and 'legalism' had become so great that an ordinary
citizen would have use the lawyer's services in defense of some
charge.
-- 

John Clark
jclark@ucsd.edu