"I Received from the Lord": Assessing the Arguments Against a Pauline Claim to Revelation in 1 Corinthians 11:23

Abstract

Abstract:This article concerns how scholars interpret Paul's claim to have received his narrative of the Last Supper "from the Lord" (1 Corinthians 11:23). Although a number of scholars maintain that Paul is describing a personal revelation from the Lord, the majority of scholars argue that Paul means that the tradition goes back to the Lord, while he himself received it from other Christ-followers. This article critically assesses the main arguments for the majority view that Paul is not describing a revelation. It is argued that these arguments neither establish the majority view nor rule out the interpretation that Paul is laying claim to a revelation.