This research paper by Garrett Spitz, submitted to Dr. Bob Cara for NT520 – Pauline Epistles at Reformed Theological Seminary – Charlotte, argues that Paul consistently upheld a positive view of work. Spitz challenges Ronald Hock’s influential claim that Paul shared the upper-class disdain for manual labor, demonstrating instead that Paul regarded work as honorable, necessary, and God-glorifying.
Through textual and historical analysis, Spitz evaluates Hock’s sociological assumptions and reinterprets key passages in 1 and 2 Corinthians, 1 Thessalonians, and the Pastoral Epistles. He concludes that Paul’s attitude reflects the Hebrew Scriptures more than Greco-Roman elitism, portraying labor as both a gift and a means of serving others. Work, though demanding, fulfills divine purposes: providing for oneself, aiding the weak, supporting gospel ministry, and reflecting God’s creative order.
The paper concludes that Paul viewed work as “hard but good.” While the fall made labor toilsome, it remains a redemptive calling that manifests God’s glory in human diligence. For Paul, believers who work faithfully imitate their Creator, testify to their faith before the world, and participate in God’s mission to redeem all creation through Christ.
Course and semester: NT520 Pauline Epistles — Spring 2015
