Paul's Weirdest Promise: You'll Outrank the Angels

Did Paul think his followers would become angels? Scholar David Burnett says no. He argues Paul thought they'd outrank them. In 1 Corinthians, Paul says his followers will judge the angels and describes resurrection bodies that shine like stars. David Burnett argues that this reflects an ancient cosmic hierarchy in which the stars were understood as celestial beings, and that Paul's vision radically extends this transformation to ordinary followers, including Gentiles. This week, David Burnett joins the podcast to talk about Paul's cosmos, why "monotheism" may be the wrong category, what Paul was fighting against in Corinth, and why Paul thought some people would shine brighter than others. 🕒 Timestamps: 0:00 Did Paul think Christians would become angels? 1:13 Something greater than angels? 3:14 Paul's cosmology: nations ruled by lesser gods 5:13 Deuteronomy 4 and the "host of heaven" 11:18 Is "monotheism" the wrong word for ancient Israel? 15:38 The Dead Sea Scrolls call them gods, not angels 18:10 What was Paul fighting about in Corinth? 19:24 Philo of Alexandria and the allegorical afterlife 22:38 The promise that Abraham's seed would be like the stars in Gen 15 28:48 Becoming a star was for Roman emperors 30:17 "Holy ones, sons of God": Titles for divine beings 36:41 Paul's radical democratization: slaves become gods too 41:37 Baptism as a new Exodus 47:44 1 Corinthians 6: "Don't you know you will judge angels?" 51:18 A hot take on 2 Corinthians 12 and Paul’s ascent 59:22 Paul's hierarchy: some gods outrank others ✨ Support what we do and help make videos like this possible by joining the Bible & Archaeology Patreon community. Members receive early access, exclusive bonus content, and more: Patreon: bibleandarch 📚 Check out our online courses: Patreon: 118539 ✉️ Send us your questions: [email protected] 🌐 Everywhere you can find us: https://linktr.ee/bibleandarchaeology 📣 Affiliate Disclosure: Using the links above may generate a modest commission at no additional cost to you and helps support our educational work. 🎙️ Credits Guest: David Burnett Edited and Produced by Dr. Jordan Jones Bible & Archaeology is a University of Iowa production. The views and opinions expressed on Bible & Archaeology belong solely to the individuals who share them. They do not represent the positions of the University of Iowa or the State of Iowa.