Showing papers in "Journal of Biblical Literature in 1997"

Ecclesiastes: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary

Abstract: Ecclesiastes: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary, by Choon-Leon Seow. AB 18C. New York: Doubleday, 1997. Pp. xxiv + 419. $39.95. This is a very welcome addition to the Anchor Bible series. It is a major commentary on Qohelet that will be widely used, and with good reason. The volume follows the traditional format of the Anchor Bible. It opens with a substantial introduction (pp. 3-69) that is organized according to eight headings: (a) The Title of the Book, (b) Canonicity and Order, (c) Texts and Versions, (d) Language, (e) Socioeconomic Context, (f) Authorship, Integrity, and Structure, (g) Message, and (h) Qohelet among the Wise. The introduction is followed by an extensive "Select Bibliography" (pp. 73-92), and then by the "Translation, Notes and Comments" section, which constitutes the bulk of the book (pp. 95-396). According to Seow, the book was written during the Persian period, "between the second half of the fifth and the first half of the fourth centuries BCE" (p. 21). This was a period of intensive economic activity, of a "monetary and commercial economy . . . that is different from the largely subsistence agrarian culture of preexilic Judah" (p. 23). Jerusalem was then "a thriving cosmopolitan marketplace," in a world in which commerce was democratized and privatized" (p. 23) and in which investment, economic growth, opportunities, and risks ruled the day. Yet in this world "for the ordinary citizen-the smallholder, the homesteader, the worker-there was much about which to worry, but not much to be certain.... The reality of the Persian period is that individuals were caught in the tides of swift political and economic changes, and most people were helpless in face of all what was happening" (p. 36). Seow maintains that the audience of the book is urban, that the language of the book reflects the everyday language of that period, and that the "author of Ecclesiastes [i.e., the book] was an unknown sage who took the pen name of Qohelet" (p. 38). According to Seow, we know nothing about the socioeconomic status of this sage. Seow maintains that 7:21 may indicate that there were slave-owners among the audience of the book, but not necessarily that Qohelet himself was a slave-owner or belonged to a slave-owner class. Seow's understanding of the text is based on a bipartite structure (1:2-6:9 and 6:10-12:8) which is enclosed by a superscription (1:1) and an epilogue (12:9-13a). The material in 12:13b-14 is assigned to a glossator. Each of the two main sections is further organized in a parallel bipartite structure. Each has a "reflection" (1:2-4:16 and 6:108:17 respectively) and an "ethics" section (4:17[MT]-6:9 and 9:1-12:8, respectively). The ethics sections deal with the advice given in the light of the situation described under reflection, so the first ethics section addresses the issue of "coping with uncertainty" and the second that of "coping with risks and death." This understanding governs, as expected, the organization of the "Translation, Notes and Comments." Thoughtful and substantial insights constantly occur in this section. Of course, it is the nature of such a work that one may disagree with some decisions. For instance, one may prefer Fox's "utter absurdity" and "vexation" over Seow's more traditional rendering, "vanity of vanities" and "pursuit of wind." Or one may remain unconvinced, as is this reviewer, of Seow's reconstruction of the text in 1:17, which leads him to propose ". . . to know wisdom and knowledge of prudence . . ." (pp. 117, 125) instead of ". . . to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. ." (NRSV). Yet the high quality of the discussion is clear at every stage. All this said, this reader has to admit to some uneasiness regarding Seow's treatment of certain issues. For instance, given the circumstance that Seow considers equally possible that (a) one and the same person produced the first-person account and the "frame-narrative" and (b) a redactor was responsible for the epilogue (p. …

Paul and the nations : the Old Testament and Jewish background of Paul's mission to the nations with special reference to the destination of Galatians

Abstract: Paul and the Nations: The Old Testament and Jewish Background of Paul's Mission to the Nations with Special Reference to the Destination of Galatians, by James M. Scott. WUNT 84. Tubingen: Mohr-Siebeck, 1995. Pp. xvi + 272. DM 178,00. Just when the North/South Galatia debate seemed permanently locked in stalemate, with the apparent certainty that nothing more could possibly be said on the matter, James M. Scott's Paul and the Nations bravely enters the fray to contribute the provocative proposal that Paul's choice of the term "Galatians" was determined by a Jewish perception of geography based on the Table-of-Nations tradition originating in Genesis 10. Scott's work builds on the premise that Paul learned geography from the Bible (Genesis 1-3; 10; Numbers 34) during his early years of education under Gamaliel in Jerusalem. He develops the case that the Table of Nations provided the primary geographical map for pre-rabbinic and rabbinic Judaism. It is thus possible, he surmises, that Paul appropriated the geographical parameters of his mission to the Gentiles according to his interpretation of the Table of Nations. Scott's method is essentially fourfold. First, he examines the Table of Nations itself (Genesis 10) and its influence on the OT and early Jewish writings to establish it as the primary geographical map utilized by Jews of the OT and intertestamental eras. Second, he embarks on a detailed study of Paul's use of (epsilon)(theata)(nu)(omicron)(sigma) to discern the influence of the Table-of-Nations tradition upon Paul. Third, he investigates the geographical language and direction of Paul's missionary strategy. And fourth, he explains how Paul's adaptation of Table-of-Nations language contributes to the identification of the Galatian addressees (Gal 1:2; 3:1). Chapter 1 verifies that Genesis 10 instituted a geographical perception that later surfaced in 1 Chr 1:1-2:2; Ezekiel 27, 38-39; Daniel 11; and Isa 66:18-20. Scott then demonstrates the influence of the Table of Nations on early Judaism. This involves a sweeping analysis of texts ranging chronologically from Jubilees to the final editions of the Palestinian Targum to the Pentateuch (fourth to eighth centuries CE). The Table of Nations emerges as the primary mapping device adopted by Jews throughout this extensive period. Changing contexts and purposes give rise to a fluid tradition adopted in different ways by different authors. Two characteristic schools of interpretation emerge, however. The first, represented by Jubilees 8-9, transformed the text of Genesis 10 to defend Jerusalem as the "indisputable geographical center of the world." The second, represented by Josephus (Ant. 1 secs 120-147), exemplifies a Hellenistic adaptation which replaced the original biblical names of Genesis 10 with contemporary Greek equivalents. A comprehensive study of "nation" in chap. 2 lays the foundation for the proposal that Paul interpreted his mission according to the Table of Nations. Scott traces "nation" indefatigably from the LXX through Jewish writings of the Greco-Roman period up to the Qumran documents. Scott's consistent equation of "nations" with Gentiles is questionable in this section due to the possibility that, in some of the writings he explores, "nations" may refer to Jews from the nations of the diaspora and not to Gentiles. Also, in covering Josephus and the OT for the second time, he could be faulted for partial redundancy. Nonetheless, Scott is to be commended for broadening the scope of his word study to do justice to the theological concepts of the Abrahamic promise, God's covenant with Israel, and restoration theology, each of which is shown to contribute prominently to Paul's Jewish understanding of the nations and their place within God's plan of salvation. …

The Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon : a commentary on the Greek text

Abstract: Dunn's study of the Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon is a contribution to The New International Greek Testament Commentary. While interacting with significant modern New Testament research, the contributors also keep in mind the needs of beginning Greek students and of pastors or laypersons not presently engaged in the study of Greek.

The Davidic Messiah in Luke-Acts : the promise and its fulfillment in Lukan Christology

Abstract: The nature of Lukan christology has been much debated in recent years, with scholars claiming the pre-eminence of such categories as Lord, Prophet, Christ, or Isaianic Servant. In the present work the author examines one major theme within Luke's christology, that of the coming king from the line of David. A study of the Lukan birth narrative and the speeches in Acts reveals that Luke shows a strong interest in this royal-messianic theme, introducing it into passages which are introductory and programmatic for his christology as a sermon, portraying Jesus in strongly prophetic terms. The author seeks a synthesis of these seemingly conflicting royal and prophetic portraits in Luke's interpretation of the Old Testament book of Isaiah. When Isaiah is read as a unity, the eschatological deliverer is at the same time Davidic king (Isa. 9.11), suffering servant of Yahweh (Isa. 42-53), and prophet herald of salvation (Isa. 61), leading God's people on an eschatological new exodus. On the basis of this synthesis the christology of Luke-Acts is seen to be both consistent and unified, forming an integral part of Luke's wider purpose in his two-volume work.

They Cried to the Lord: The Form and Theology of Biblical Prayer

Abstract: They Cried to the Lord: The Form and Theology of Biblical Prayer, by Patrick D Miller Minneapolis: Fortress, 1995 Pp xvi + 464 $4000/$2400 Patrick D Miller's previous works have contributed to our understanding of the Psalms and the theology of the Hebrew Scriptures In this volume, he makes a significant contribution to our understanding of the biblical tradition of prayer, a subject that has sparked renewed interest among biblical scholars in recent years The introduction to Miller's volume begins with the assertion, "No single practice more clearly defines a religion than the act of praying" Miller also believes that prayer and theology are intimately related In this volume, Professor Miller presents not so much a constructive theology of prayer as a treatment of the form and theology of biblical texts related to prayer He tells his readers that most of the volume relates to the Old Testament, though he does attend to New Testament texts He writes for a broad audience in both the academic world and the church The first chapter presents the broad setting of biblical prayer by exploring the various types of prayers from the nations neighboring ancient Israel The chapter is organized (as is the remainder of the volume) so that the reader may make connections Miller's approach to the relationship between the Hebrew Bible and related Near Eastern materials is a balanced one He notes the differences in polytheistic and monotheistic faiths but also presents the continuity between prayer in ancient Israel and among other ancient Near Eastern peoples The second chapter considers the terminology for prayer in the Hebrew Scriptures Miller's treatment is quite helpful in organizing the usage of the terms The chapter concludes with a discussion of the time and place of prayer and gestures associated with the act The central section of the book is chapters 3-5, in which Miller follows the biblical path through the prayer for help to divine response to thanksgiving He is here indebted to studies on the Psalms, especially the work of Claus Westermann In the chapter's discussion of the basic form of the prayer for help, three items are noteworthy One is the presence of praise in the address to God Miller shows that the sharp distinction some have drawn between Mesopotamian and Hebrew prayers at this point is not satisfactory A second helpful insight is the distinctions Miller draws between complaint and lament A third especially insightful dimension of the chapter is the attention to the language of the psalmic petitions (pp 97ff) In the chapter on the response of God, Miller rehearses the biblical evidence that there is divine response to prayer He then provides a full and balanced treatment of the oracle of salvation as a significant form of response The chapter concludes with theological implications The fifth chapter, "Doxology and Trust," considers the connections of praise and thanksgiving and various themes in the biblical prayers of thanksgiving …

Die Kriterienfrage in der Jesusforschung : vom Differenzkriterium zum Plausibilitätskriterium

Abstract: Die Kriterienfrage in der Jesusforschung: Vom Differenzkriterium zum Plausibilitatskriterium, by Gerd Theissen and Dagmar Winter. NTOA 34. Freiburg: Universitatsverlag/Gottingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1997. Pp. xii + 348. S.Fr. 98.00. Years ago Rudolf Bultmann averred that we "can only count on possessing a genuine similitude of Jesus where, on the one hand, expression is given to the contrast between Jewish morality and piety and the distinctive eschatological temper which characterized the preaching of Jesus; and where on the other hand we find no specifically Christian features" (The History of the Synoptic Tradition [New York: Harper & Row, 1963] 205). Bultmann's student, Ernst Kasemann, broadened the application and formalized the criterion that came to be known as the criterion of dissimilarity, or distinctiveness: "[Material is authentic] when there are no grounds either for deriving [it] from Judaism or for ascribing it to primitive Christianity" (Essays on New Testament Themes [SBT 41; London: SCM Press, 1964] 37). The logic assumed by this criterion is akin to that of the process of elimination: if the saying did not come from Judaism, and it did not come from early Christianity, then it must have come from Jesus. Scholars of the New Quest and their heirs have applied this double-dissimilarity criterion to the Jesus tradition, despite important criticisms that have been raised against it, especially when it is applied negatively (e.g., M. D. Hooker, Theology 75 [1972] 570-81; D. L. Mealand, SJT 31 [1978] 41-50). Theissen and Winter recommend a major revision of the criterion of dissimilarity (Differenzkriterium), transforming it into what they propose calling the Plausibilitatskriterium (see also Theissen and Merz, The Historical Jesus: A Comprehensive Guide [Minneapolis: Fortress, 1998] 116-18). They criticize the "criterion of difference" as dogmatic theology in disguise, for this criterion assumes that Jesus' teaching was unique. Such an assumption leads to a serious distortion of the portrait of Jesus and tends to underscore the unusual, as well as that which is often interpreted as criticism of Judaism. The first two chapters provide the necessary background to the investigation. In the first chapter (pp. 1-27) Theissen and Winter review the place of the criterion of dissimilarity in connection to the other criteria and the factors that led to their articulation. No other treatment as comprehensive is available. The second, much longer chapter (pp. 28-174) reviews the role that the criterion of dissimilarity has played in biblical scholarship in general and eventually in the quest of the historical Jesus in particular. This chapter is uneven and only partially successful. As one would expect, Theissen and Winter discuss the work of Bultmann, Kasemann, and G. Bornkamm. But the final part of the chapter, which is devoted to the Third Quest, is in places uneven, especially with regard to English-language literature (e.g., note the inordinate amount of attention given to a semi-popular work by James Charlesworth). Theissen and Winter review criteria that in recent work have played prominent roles: e.g., multiple attestation (J. D. Crossan), coherence (T. …

First and Second Thessalonians

Abstract: First and Second Thessalonians, by Earl J. Richard. Sacra Pagina 11. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1995. Pp. xvi + 409. $29.95. Despite the plethora of biblical commentaries that have appeared in the past couple of decades, there has been a relative dearth of modern treatments of the Thessalonian letters. Thus there is a need for the up-to-date, scholarly analysis of First and Second Thessalonians now provided by Earl J. Richard in the Sacra Pagina series. The format of the commentary is rather traditional, resembling somewhat that found in the Anchor Bible commentaries. After the requisite introductory issues are discussed, each passage is examined according to the following steps: first, Richard provides his own translation of the text; second, he engages in a detailed textual and linguistic analysis of the text under the heading "Notes"; third, he discusses the more significant terms, themes, and issues of the passage under the heading "Interpretation"; and, finally, he provides a brief bibliography for further reference and study. Not only is the format of the commentary rather traditional, so is its methodology. For although frequently using the term "rhetorical," Richard explicitly rejects the current popular practice of using ancient rhetorical theory to interpret Paul's letters and engages primarily in an extended philological analysis. But while the format and methodology of this commentary are quite conventional, many of its conclusions are not. Richard rejects the traditional dating and provenance of 1 Thessalonians, arguing instead that the letter was written earlier in the mid-40s from Athens. Also, on a number of specific exegetical issues, he often advocates rather novel positions. The most distinctive aspect of Richard's commentary, however, is his confident assertion about the composite character of 1 Thessalonians. A number of claimed anomalies in the letter lead him to conclude that a short earlier missive (2:13-4:2) was inserted into a later Thessalonian letter (1:1-2:12 + 4:3:28). The earlier missive is an exuberant letter of joy in response to Timothy's visit, while the later letter is a response to specific concerns and questions raised by the community. And this is not the only redactional activity that has taken place in the letter. Richard also argues that 2:14-16 "constitutes an interpolation, originally composed as a scribal, marginal comment and later admitted into the body of the composite letter" (p. 18). Still further redactional activity is seen in the opening words of 2:13, where the editor joined the two letters (p. 112), and the first part of the prayer of 3:11, where a later scribe "clumsily" extended the eschatological work of God the Father to include also the Lord Jesus (p. 168). With respect to 2 Thessalonians, Richard believes that the literary, theological, and sociological problems of this letter can be solved only by subscribing to a theory of pseudonymity. The occasion of the letter is one where some in the community are interpreting their persecution as a sign of the impending arrival of the end-time. This in turn has caused confusion and fear in the church, as certain members have abandoned the venerable traditions of the apostles (2:14) and embraced a full-blown apocalypticism that has resulted in inappropriate conduct. Thus, a later writer appropriated Pauline vocabulary and tradition to counter the claims, made in the apostle's name, of apocalyptic preachers who were causing alarm in the community and social unrest in its ranks. The strength of this commentary lies in its careful philological analysis of the text that helpfully illumines the key issues and central claims of the letters. Richard is clearly familiar with all the problems that the text presents and the various solutions that have been forwarded. Thus, although the format of the commentary is such that no specific references are made to the secondary literature (other than in the very brief bibliographies for further study), thereby making it impossible to track down readily the proponents of the diverse views that are presented, the reader is nevertheless presented with a good overview and evaluation of the various positions taken on any given passage. …

The book called Isaiah : Deutero-Isaiah's role in composition and redaction

Abstract: 1. Recent Study of the Book Called Isaiah 2. Limitations, Presuppositions, and Method 3. Isaiah Chapter 6 4. Further Examples of Isianic Influence 5. On Writing and Witnesses 6. Deutero-Isaiah and Isaiah 2-12 7. Deutero-Isaiah and Isaiah 13-27 8. Deutero-Isaiah and Isaiah 28-39 9. Conclusions

Rain on a land where no one lives: the Hebrew Bible on the environment

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The Book within the Book: Writing in Deuteronomy

Abstract: The Book Within the Book: Writing in Deuteronomy, by Jean-Pierre Sonnet. Biblical Interpretation Series 14. Leiden/New York/Cologne: Brill, 1997. Pp. xvi + 299. $93.75. As questions of the history of composition continue to generate heated discussion within Pentateuchal studies, slowly and more quietly scholars have turned their attention to literary questions. Jean-Pierre Sonnet's study of the book of Deuteronomy, a revised dissertation completed at Indiana University under the direction of James Ackerman, and revised under the guidance of Meir Sternberg, contributes to these burgeoning literary discussions. Interacting consistently with the work of Robert Polzin and Norbert Lohfink, Sonnet attempts to define the process of written communication as depicted in the narrative world of Deuteronomy, as well as the book's communication to the reader. He does this by unfolding the relationship between speech and writing that occurs within Deuteronomy. The book's seven chapters unfold in three movements. Following a preface and an introduction, chapter 1 examines the depiction of oral communication in the represented world of Deuteronomy. According to Sonnet, this oral setting grants Moses prophetic authority and establishes a "subtle dialectic" between Moses' voice on the plain of Moab and YHWH's voice at Horeb. Moses' oral communication at Moab therefore becomes closely related to the written Torah given to the reader of Deuteronomy. Yet the written communication of "this Torah" also occurs within the represented world of Deuteronomy. Chapters 2 through 6 examine the development of this written communication through a narratological reading of Deuteronomy, especially focused on chapters 27-34. First, though, Sonnet briefly surveys references to writing in Deuteronomy 5-26. Here Moses himself does not actively participate in written communication. References to writing either point to the past at Horeb or into the future in the land. In Deuteronomy 27-28, writing "this Torah" on large stellae on the other side of the Jordan accompanies the transition into the land; chapter 28, Sonnet argues, refers to this written, inscriptional Torah with the term "seper." Indeed, Sonnet states that "it is my contention that Deuteronomy 27-28 is built upon such a continuity" (p. 101). When seper appears four times in Deuteronomy 29-30, it raises the reader's curiosity concerning its identity in relationship to this inscription as the reader turns to Deuteronomy 31. Chapter 4 examines Deut 31:1-32:47 and represents the crux of Sonnet's reading. In chapter 31, Moses writes "this Torah" for the first time. According to Sonnet, Deuteronomy 31 tells "the story of a process of completion-a process turned dramatic by the unexpected theophany and by the ensuing interpolation of the Song in the already written Torah" (pp. 159-60). Contrary to much previous scholarship, the author finds a continuous narrative plot throughout chapters 31-32. The written Torah receives a written addendum in the Song of Moses, which announces Israel's coming rebellion against God once Israel enters the land. Both placed in the ark, the Song "will confront the sons of Israel in their unfaithfulness wherever they are" (p. …

Sinners and the Righteous. A Comparative Study of the Psalms of Solomon and Paul’s Letters

Abstract: I avhandlingen jamfors hur "syndare" och "rattfardiga" klassificeras och beskrivs i Salomos psalmer respektive Paulus brev, for att utrona nar och hur Paulus anvandning av beteckningarna avviker fr ...

Deuteronomium 28 und die ade zur Thronfolgeregelung Asarhaddons: Segen und Fluch im Alten Orient und in Israel

Abstract: Die Ahnlichkeiten zwischen einigen Fluchen der ade-Vereidung anlasslich der Thronfolgeregelung Asarhaddons (VTE) und in Deuteronomium 28 bezeugen nicht den Einfluss einer im ganzen Alten Orient verbreiteten Tradition, sondern resultieren aus literarischer Abhangigkeit des Bibeltextes von den VTE. Die vorliegende Studie kommt zu diesem Ergebnis, nachdem die Fluche der VTE mit den publizierten mesopotamischen Fluchpassagen, angefangen beim Kodex Hammurapi, verglichen wurden und anhand mehrsprachiger Inschriften die Ubersetzungstreue des Alten Orients uberpruft wurde. Die Differenzen zwischen den VTE und Dtn 28 bewegen sich in dem Rahmen, den man im Alten Orient bei Ubersetzungen tolerierte. Die Gemeinsamkeiten umfassen eine fast identische Reihenfolge der Inhalte von VTE §§ 39, 40, 42 und Dtn 28,27-30 (Hautkrankheit, Finsternis und Schandung der Ehefrau), gleichartige Motive in § 63f und Dtn 28,23f (bronzener Himmel und eiserne Erde, Regen verwandelt in Kohle oder Asche; Lev 26,19 durfte von Dtn 28,23f abhangen) und eine Themenabfolge in VTE § 56, die der von Dtn 28,20-44 weitgehend entspricht. Der palindromisch gestaltete § 56 ruft die grossen Gotter des Himmels und der Erde an und stellt Motive des Sonnengottes in die Mitte. Der Sonnengott trug in Mesopotamien Zuge, die in Jerusalem JHWH zugeschrieben wurden. Der hebraische Verfasser ubernahm VTE § 56 und fugte an thematisch geeigneter Stelle weitere mit dem Sonnengott oder dem Himmel verbundene Abschnitte aus den VTE ein. Innerhalb von §§ 39-42 steht der Fluch des Sonnengotts in § 40. Auch die §§ 63f, wo es um Himmel und Erde geht, zeigen deutliche Lexembezuge zu Sonnengottfluchen (§§ 40, 68, 101). Der mesopotamische Hintergrund von Dtn 28,20-44 ermoglicht es, die Funktion des Kapitels 28 in der \"Fabel\" des Deuteronomiums neu zu beleuchten. Die Abhangigkeit von den VTE lasst Schlussfolgerungen fur die Redaktionsgeschichte zu: Dtn 28,20-44 (ohne V. 20b,25b,26f) durfte zum altesten Kern des Kapitels gehoren. Bei der Einfugung des Urdeuteronomiums in die deuteronomistische Landeroberungserzahlung kamen der Segen (28,7-13) und wohl auch 28,21b.69 hinzu. Spatestens in dieser Redaktionsphase wurden 28,1.2a.3-6.15.16-19 geschaffen. Deuteronomistischer Redaktion der Exilszeit sind 28,2b.14.20b.25b.36f.45-57.62-68 zuzuordnen. Den letzten Zusatz bildet wohl die poetische Passage in 28,58-61.

Jesus' entry into Jerusalem : in the context of Lukan theology and the politics of his day

Abstract: Taking into account the backgrounds of Graeco-Roman and Jewish 'triumphal entries', this volume deals with the Lukan version of Jesus' entry to Jerusalem and his subsequent 'cleaning' of its Temple. It is argued that Luke's account has been shaped by identifiable political and theological considerations, including the phenomenon of parousia and the place of Israel in the plan of God. Early chapters explore Luke's political milieu together with various entry phenomena from the ancient world, including the advent of governors, emperors and Jewish kings; a close examination of the Lukan text and context follow. This study breaks new ground in contributing to our understanding of how specific contemporary political issues and theological concerns led to the shaping of Luke 19:28-48 and context.