Biblical Theology

Abstract

Biblical Theology Gerald A. Klingbeil, Fred W. Guyette, John Thomas Willis, and David A. Bosworth 1635. [Pentateuch: P] Michael Emmendörffer, Gottesnähe: Zur Rede von der Präsenz JHWHs in der Priesterschrift und verwandten Texten (WMANT 155; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2019). Pp. x + 307. $75. ISBN 978-3-7887-3338-4. This is a revised version of E.'s Habilitationsschrift submitted in the summer of 2017 to the Augustana, the theological university of the Evangelical-Lutheran church in Bavaria. Its five chapters and three excursuses focus on God's nearness or presence in the P writings (Priesterschrift/Pg) as a response to the foundational human need of seeking to understand God's relationship to humanity in moments of crisis. Chaps. 1 and 2 focus on the discussion regarding the limits of the Priesterschrift, including also the questions of its textual unity, possible redactions, and theology. E. includes two excursuses here: excursus 1 reviews the idea of the near God from a comparative Mesopotamian and Egyptian [End Page 571] perspective, while excursus 2 discusses the question of whether Israel's religion was truly devoid of cult images. Based on some textual and archaeological data, E. is skeptical about the matter. Chap. 3 is the central part of the study; it discusses God's nearness in eight key texts considered as undoubtedly belonging to the Priesterschrift, i.e. Gen 1:1–2:3; 6:9–9:29; 17; Exod 6:2-8; 24:15–25:1; 29:43-46; 40:1, 2, 17, 33-38; and Lev 9:1-14. This chapter is followed by excursus 3, which reviews the role of high priest and priests in the Priestly writings in relation to the divine presence in Israel. Chap. 4 studies two prophetic conceptions of God's presence during the exile, i.e. Ezekiel and Isaiah 40–55. A concise summary and several indexes follow. E. concludes that for the Priestly authors, humanity, made in God's image, has the task of representing God as his cult image on earth. For these authors, the temple becomes an "image in the mind" as the tent sanctuary intersects with God's salvation history at Sinai, while Israel's relationship to the larger surrounding world should be understood in terms of the divine presence in that larger world (not just Israel) based on P's creation theology (see p. 238) 1636. [Gen 3:15; 3:21] Meik Gerhards, Protevangelium. Zur Frage der kanonischen Geltung des Alten Testaments und seiner christologischen Auslegung (SBS 237; Stuttgart: KBW, 2019). Pp. 208. Paper €28. ISBN 978-3-460-03374-0. G.'s study deals with the meaning and relevance of the "Old Testament" for the Church. He starts with fundamental reflections on the canonicity of the OT and its christo-logical interpretation, e.g., the relationship between the Church and Judaism and between the "Old Testament" and the "Hebrew Bible," as well as the difference between a Christian and a Jewish reading of the Hebrew Bible. Here, G. aims at a combination of modern, historical-critical scholarly exegesis with the "pre-critical" interpretation of the Bible in the early Church. Then G. focuses on Genesis 3 in search of a text that might function as a first biblical hint of Jesus Christ, the so-called "Protevangelium." Traditionally, Gen 3:15 is regarded as such a key text (Martin Luther and the Protestant Orthodoxy); however, G. questions this suggestion (following modern scholarship). Applying a typological interpretation, G. rather points to Gen 3:21 as a typos of the salvation in Jesus Christ. Belief in Christ brings the realization of the new way of life that Gen 3:21 hints at. In his conclusion, G. reflects on the unity of the Christian Bible as Holy Scripture with Jesus Christ at its center. 1637. [Canonical Reading] Mark S. Gignilliat, Reading Scripture Canonically: Theological Instincts for Old Testament Interpretation (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2019). Pp. xvi + 125. Paper $21.95. ISBN 978-0-80010-4911-8. Question: What is the difference between canon and Scripture? Answer: It is possible to approach a "canon" as just a list of the books that are in the...