Theme: Thoroughgoing monotheism

Exegetical note
Paul is apparently addressing here a number of people who had been polytheists or, more likely, henotheists - that is, devotees of one god ("idol" here) who nevertheless did not deny the reality of others. Thus he congratulates them on their having become monotheists, rejected the other gods as (mere) idols, and embraced the "living and true God." In Old Testament times even the Jews had been subject to henotheistic "lapses" into the worship of other gods (idols).

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