Paul’s Use of Tradition in First Corinthians: What It Shows about Paul’s Relationship with the Wider Church1

Interpreters often find the portrait of Paul’s good relationship with the church in Acts incompatible with his claims of independence. This essay draws on Paul’s use of traditional material in 1 Corinthians to show that he was dependent upon the teaching of the church that was developed before he was influential and outside his sphere of influence. This suggests that his claims to independence need to be situated in a more nuanced understanding of Paul’s relationship with the Jerusalem church.