The Earliest Perceptions of Jesus in Context: Essays in Honour of John Nolland on His 70th Birthday

Abstract

This Festschrift of 18 essays is published in honor of NT scholar John Nolland. Scholarship has benefited from his meticulous and thoughtful research, particularly his research on Luke–Acts and Matthew. The book begins with a brief profile and appreciation of John Nolland, written by Craig A. Smith. Included in this profile is the recognition of the supervision he has provided to many doctoral students, and I count it a privilege to be one of those students indebted to him for his supervision. After this brief profile, a selected biography of Nolland’s works follows, a list of contributors, and a brief introduction to the volume by the editors.As with any review of a volume of collected essays, it is difficult to give a thorough review of each essay. The volume has essays on archaeology, methodology, synoptic parallels, reception of Jesus tradition in NT epistles, and issues of mission and pedagogy. Most of the essays intentionally draw on and engage in dialogue with Nolland’s previous research.The first two essays have an archaeological focus, with Rainer Riesner providing a very informative look at the archaeology of Nazareth, emphasizing that Jesus was not part of an impoverished underclass; Nazareth was likely trilingual, with an emphasis on Aramaic; the history and archaeology of Nazareth strengthens the argument for Davidic descent. Craig Evans argues that Jesus’s promise to Peter in Matt 16:18 may have been in response to the refounding and renaming of Bethsaida in honor of Livia Drusilla.In the lengthiest essay of the collection, Armin Baum provides an excellent overview of the Gospels’ genre, ultimately arguing that they are biographies written in OT and Rabbinic style with only slight Greco-Roman influence. Thomas Hatina looks at Jesus’s quotations of Scripture through the lens of social memory, arguing that the scriptural quotations arose during the time of scribal composition. N. T. Wright uses the method of metalepsis to argue for an allusion to Ps 2 in Matt 21 and John 2, ultimately indicating divine prerogatives and divine identity. Darrell Bock looks at Luke 11–13, arguing that this central portion of the travel unit focuses on authority and accountability to God. In an illuminating essay, Robert Brawley uses the lens of social identity theory to analyze the exchanges between Jesus and the Pharisees in Luke. Yongbom Lee examines the Adam typology in Luke–Acts.Steve Walton examines the ascension in Acts, taking issue with arguments that it is not a space-time event, and then moving to discuss the ascension through the lens of divine identity Christology. Christoph Stenschke walks through Acts and discusses the Jewish character of the early Christian proclamation. Daniel Gurtner discusses Matthew’s and Luke’s portrayal of Jerusalem and the temple, finding that both respect and honor the temple as a place of worship, and passages concerning judgment are tied specifically to the failings of the religious leadership. Douglas O’Donnell examines the vocative κύριε in Matthew, arguing that it is not simply an honorific title but Christologically significant. David Wenham looks at the structure of the beatitudes in Matthew, arguing for a symmetry that focuses on the kingdom of God, and strategically placed to preview and introduce the sermon proper. Roland Deines’s essay fills a notable gap, discussing the sparse references to the Holy Spirit in Matthew. Craig Smith traces the development of the concept of rest from Matt 11:25–30 to Heb 4:1–11, arguing that the hapax σαββατισμός in Heb 4:9 likely signifies a sabbath celebration.The final three essays move outside the Gospels, each in its own way. Peter Davids compares and contrasts the reception of the Jesus tradition in James and 1 Peter, noting how James’s focus in on Jesus as the exalted Son of Man and moral teacher, while 1 Peter emphasizes the passion and testimonia. Eeva John’s essay is on pedagogy, taking lessons from the portrait of Jesus in Luke as a transformational teacher under the headings of integrity, authority, discernment, attentiveness, and imagination. The final essay is a focused look at the phrase ἡ λογική λατρεία in Rom 12:1. Eckhard Schnabel looks at the usage of the words in ancient texts and argues convincingly at the inadequacy of most modern translations, suggesting “worship that speaks” as the best translation. The volume concludes with indexes for references and modern authors.