I am currently working on my thesis regarding the Pauline corpus, and I’ve hit an interesting semantic roadblock that I would love to get some peer input on.
I am analyzing Paul’s deliberate choice of terminology regarding "death." Generally, Paul utilizes thanatos (death) to refer to the state or power of death. However, in specific instances, he opts for nekrosis—most notably in Romans 4:19 (“the deadness/necrosis of his body”) and 2 Corinthians 4:10 (“always carrying in the body the dying/necrosis of Jesus”).
Are there any scholarly works or commentaries you would recommend that delve into this linguistic shift in Paul’s writing?
Do you think this is a deliberate rhetorical strategy to distinguish between "death as a cosmic power" (thanatos) versus "the human experience of dying/degradation" (nekrosis)?
Any insights, counter-arguments, or pointers toward relevant literature would be incredibly helpful as I flesh out this chapter.