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Does Paul(of Tarsus) ever quote from the Talmud?

Anon
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    Seems unlikely since the Talmud wasn't written down until several centuries later. – Noah Apr 17 '14 at 05:08
  • However, if you mean the broader rabbinic tradition instead of strictly the Talmuds, that is another thing. It would be possible to compare Paul's writings to the traditions preserved in the Midrash and Talmud and see if he quotes, references, or teaches in the same vein. – Frank Luke Apr 17 '14 at 14:12
  • What, in the context of second-temple Judaism, do you mean by "broader rabbinic tradition"? – fdb Apr 18 '14 at 11:15
  • The Talmud wasn't written until at least 100-150 years after Paul wrote his letters. And parts of it weren't finished until close to 450 years later. This question is unanswerable and shows no initial research effort. – Dan Apr 22 '14 at 02:21

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As stated above, it would have been impossible for Paul, writing in the first half of the first century, to quote the Talmud. Everett Ferguson says in Backgrounds of Early Christianity, p462 that the Talmud consists of commentary on the Mishnah, which itself was largely written by Rabbi Judah the Patriarch (or Prince) at the end of the second century. However, As it is Written: Studying Paul's Use of Scripture, edited by Porter and Stanley, contains a number of essays that look at Paul's use of the Hebrew scriptures.

Paul's references were to the Greek Septuagint, and are variously described as quotations, allusions or echoes, depending on how clearly Paul identifies his sources. He would at times alter or misrepresent a scriptural passage in order to meet the needs of the moment.

Dick Harfield
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