Scripture and Traditions: Essays on Early Judaism and Christianity in Honor of Carl R. Holladay. Edited by PATRICK GRAY and GAIL R. O'DAY.

Abstract

There has been a tendency in recent years, particularly driven by publishers concerned about focus and sales, for Festschriften to be governed by a clearly defined theme, sometimes even with designated complementary contributions. The present volume is a vigorous exception, perhaps in part reflecting the interests of its honorand. Although known to many for his work on Hellenistic Judaism, Carl Holladay's writing and research covers a much broader range, including his 2005 Critical Introduction to the New Testament (Nashville), a promised commentary on Acts (NTL), co-authorship of volumes for preachers of the lectionary, and service on the editorial board of Novum Testamentum. Even so, the twenty-two essays here span a remarkable breadth, and it would seem that the contributors were given a relatively free hand, with many making no explicit attempt to establish a link with Holladay's work, or even to mention him. Although there is a brief dedicatory preface, there is no editorial overview—nor could there be. The following offers an overview and approximate grouping: a full list of contents will be easily available through relevant databases. In fact, only four essays are placed under the heading ‘Hellenistic Judaism’, each of which deals with the literary, apologetic negotiation with contemporary society (N. Clayton Croy on 3 Maccabees’ ‘trumping’ of the god Dionysius, Lester L. Grabbe on the contribution of fragmentary Jewish writings in Greek to ideas of Jewish identity, Walter T. Wilson on Philo, De Humanitate in relationship to contemporary discourse about virtue, and William Adler on apologetic attempts to date Moses and demonstrate his antiquity). Of the twelve essays headed ‘The New Testament in Context’ a number continue the serious engagement with Hellenistic Jewish sources, in some cases alongside other Greek traditions, now used for comparative (‘context’) purposes: Gregory E. Sterling on the language and models of conversion, Abraham J. Malherbe on moral traditions about old age and 1 Tim. 5:17–19, John T. Fitzgerald on corporal punishment and Prov. 3:11–12 and Heb. 12:5–6, and John B. Weaver on ‘the noble and the good’ in Luke 8:15. A number of other essays cover Lukan themes, each drawing attention to themes of Old Testament patterning or fulfilment: Scott Shauf on the theme of divine retribution, Allen Black on male–female pairings as anticipated by Joel 2:28–9 and Isaianic passages, Gail R. O’Day on characterization in Acts and scriptural citation, and David P. Moessner on the theological function of the scriptural appeals, most notably to Ps. 15, in Acts 2. To these may be added Mark Black on the messianic use of Zechariah 9–14 in Matthew and Mark. The remaining essays in this section all have a ‘community’ interest: Michael Joseph Brown on the function of the label ‘hypocrite’ in Matt. 6:1–18, Sharyn Dowd on Matt. 18:15–17 read as addressed within the church, and Steven J. Kraftchick on the way Paul encourages the Philippians to an understanding of themselves as a community. The final section of six essays is headed ‘The History of Interpretation’, a somewhat catch-all title since it ranges from an analysis of reasons for scribal changes to the Apocalypse in Codex Alexandrinus (Juan Hernández, Jr.) to a post-colonial reading of, and challenge to fundamentalism through, 2 Cor. 3:12–18 (Brad R. Braxton). Luke–Acts re-emerges in a study of the presuppositions of certain nineteenth-century commentaries on Acts (Thomas H. Olbricht) and in an analysis of the NRSV with particular attention to its sensitivity towards literary or narrative signals (Luke Timothy Johnson). Patrick Gray traces the early reception of Heb. 6:4–6 (wrongly printed as 4:4–6 on p. 338), while Holladay's primary interest resurfaces in a new form in a post-colonial analysis and contextualization of constructions of ancient Judaism in scholarship over the last century (Todd Penner). As will be evident, readers inevitably will have different favourite pieces, although, as with any volume of this nature, there will be an element of happenchance as to whether they find them. The list of contributors, their various interests, and their current locations, bear witness to the high regard in which Carl Holladay is held among colleagues and former students, and there will undoubtedly be much here to give him pleasure.