The Pauline Christology of 1 Corinthians 8:6

“Emad Hanna makes a very strong case for the idea that the apostle Paul had what scholars call a ‘high Christology.’ He shows convincingly how Paul assumed that the Jesus of history was part of the identity of God by including him in the ‘shema yisrael’ of Deuteronomy. This book is a must-read for New Testament scholars and for anyone with an interest in the theological development of the concept of the Trinity. And a bonus: the book is very readable.”


—Jos M. Strengholt, CEO, Anafora Theological Studies





“In this focused study, Emad Hanna skillfully navigates the primary and (voluminous!) secondary literature on 1 Corinthians 8:6, proving himself to be a welcome ally for all those advocating for an early divine Christology.”


—Chris Kugler, research associate in theology, Keble College, University of Oxford





“There is no doubt that Deut 6:4 has held pride of place in Jewish writings and culture throughout history. It should come as no surprise, then, to see Jesus, the New Testament writers, and subsequent Christian communities embracing and using this core Jewish creed when articulating their belief in God. And within the New Testament, perhaps no text is as clear as 1 Cor 8:6 regarding the well-known Jewish Shema and the New Covenant. Now, thanks to Emad Hanna, we have a new work examining the major shock that when Paul defines ‘one,’ it includes Jesus—the crucified and risen Messiah. Anyone seeking a readable and carefully researched take on 1 Cor. 8:6 should start here.”


—Brian J. Wright, senior pastor, Redeemer Community Church