Major Prophets

Abstract

Major Prophets Christopher T. Begg, Thomas Hieke, Fred W. Guyette, William J. Urbrock, and Brian J. Meldrum Christopher T. Begg Catholic University of America Thomas Hieke Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz Fred W. Guyette Erskine College and Seminary William J. Urbrock University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Brian J. Meldrum Catholic University of America 596. [Prophetic Texts from the Hellenistic Period?] Hervé Gonzalez, "No Prophetic Texts from the Hellenistic Period: Philological and Historical Observations on the Writing of Prophecy in Early Hellenistic Judea," Times of Transition, 293-340 [see #787]. G. contends in this essay that certain textual units in the corpus of late prophets date from the Hellenistic period. In his opinion, the general view that the prophetic corpus had been completed already in Persian times assumes a clear-cut distinction between the time when a given book was composed and its subsequent transmission. G., for his part, adduces various methodological, philological, and historical arguments to challenge this assumption. In particular, the ancient manuscript witnesses (the DSS and the OG and OL translations) show that the prophetic figures remained fluid until late in the Hellenistic period—if not right up to the very end of the Second Temple period. Against this background, G. therefore claims that we cannot rule out the possibility that certain textual units were in fact composed in the late 4th or the 3rd cent. b.c.e. Admittedly, the prophetic books contain few—if any—explicit allusions to the Hellenistic period, but this may be the result of the compositional techniques used in accordance with which the prophetic books were revised and expanded in early Hellenistic times, via use of terms and motifs borrowed from other segments in those same texts, or other corpora, primarily the Pentateuch and the Psalms. This system of composition points in turn to the desire on the part of the late scribes in question to assert the continuity between the new sections and their textual context, thus maintaining the apparent antiquity of the prophetic traditions. Claims that prophets ceased to exist in Israel after Persian times, such those found in Zech 13:2-6 and Mal 3:22-24 arguably fulfilled a similar function. [Adapted from published abstract—C.T.B.] Google Scholar 597. [The Orality of Writing Prophecy; Joel 1–2] Helmut Utzschneider, "Die Mündlichkeit der biblischen Schriftprophetie: Versuch einer Bestandaufnahme," Scribes as Sages and Prophets, 33-64 [see #792]. In his essay, U. makes reference to an element of David Carr's presentation of the tradition of ancient Israel in which Carr, affirming the perspective of the "new orality school," holds that the difference between oral and written transmission has been overestimated by past scholars. The scribes learned most of their literary texts by heart and could write them from memory. This recognition opens up the possibility of understanding prophetic texts as dramatic texts. U. illustrates the benefits of such an approach with an exegesis of Joel 1 and 2. [Adapted from editor's introduction—C.T.B.] Google Scholar 598. [Prophecy and Formation] Micha Brumlik, "Prophetie und Bildung," JBTh 35 (2020) 65-74. The Hebrew Bible does not know a term equivalent to the German word "Bildung." Nevertheless, it is possible to describe the contours of such formation precisely with regard to the prophets. Isaiah and Amos can be cited as examples. In the background of all this is the insight that Judaism is grounded in a living culture of teaching and learning. The "Shema Israel" is of special importance in this context. The order in Israel's declaration "We will do it and then listen" (Exod 24:3) is of groundbreaking significance for Jewish learning practice. This can also be seen as a Leitmotif from the prophetic ethics of action, [End Page 203] from which a prophetic understanding of "Bildung" can be derived. The rabbinical understanding of "Bildung" as an insight into the inevitability of one's own positionality represents a further development of this prophetic approach. See also ##548, 688, 699. [Adapted from published abstract—T.H.] Google Scholar 599. [Nature in OT Prophecy] Konrad Schmid, "Die Natur und ihre Ordnungen in der Prophetie," JBTh 34 (2019) 49...