Form-Critical Study Research Articles

The Writings

The Writings Andrew W. Dyck, Bradley C. Gregory, Christopher T. Begg, and Timothy M. Willis Andrew W. Dyck Wycliffe College Bradley C. Gregory Catholic University of America Christopher T. Begg Catholic University of America Timothy M. Willis Pepperdine University 2593. [Job; Lament; Penitence] Alexander W. Breitkopf, Job from Lament to Penitence (HBM 92; Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2020). Pp. x + 184. $37.50. ISBN 978-1-910928-81-3. Recent form-critical studies by Mark Boda and Rodney Werline among others have brought an increased interest in the penitential form and the recognition of that form's distinctiveness and derivation from the lament form. This development in scholarship has provided a basis for my study's new analysis of the penitential form in Job and its interaction with the lament form there. Using the methodological framework of form criticism and eco-anthropology—which studies how human identity is formed in relation to the natural world—I argue that the voice of the character Job undergoes a marked shift from lament to penitence as the book proceeds. This shift, in turn, goes together with a change in the character's worldview evinced in the book's language about the natural order. Negative language and imagery about nature is abundant in Job, e.g., when Job in chap. 3 curses existence (especially birth and life) and invokes Leviathan. In so doing, Job discloses his understanding of humanity as dominant over the natural world. But as the book nears its end, the divine speeches, where wild animals are described as thriving and free from human control, subvert Job's negative language about nature. In sum, B. argues, Job's language, such as used by him in chap. 3, is challenged by the divine speeches. Job's final words in response to those speeches, especially in 42:6, expressed as they are in penitential language, signal a reconsideration of his human identity as mere "dush and ash" within the framework of the natural world and represent a striking change from his original outlook. [Adapted from published abstract] B.'s monograph unfolds in a series of eight chapters titled respectively: (1) Form in the Context of Eco Anthropology; (2) Frameworks and Steps of Analysis; (3) Markers, Prologue and Job's Opening Lament; (4) The Wisdom Dialogue (The Friends); (5) The Wisdom Dialogue (Job); (6) The Wisdom Poem, Final Defense and Elihu; (7) The Divine Speeches and the Prose Epilogue; and (8) The End of the Matter: Summary and Concluding [End Page 964] Thoughts. The volume is rounded off with two appendixes (Use of Eco Anthropological Metaphor in the Wisdom Dialogue and Connection of the Creation Imagery/Language between the Divine and the Human Speeches), a bibliography, and indexes of references and authors.—C.T.B. Google Scholar 2594. [Psalms] Jerome F. D. Creach, Discovering the Psalms: Content, Interpretation, Reception (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2020). Pp. xiv + 217. $22. ISBN 978-0-8028-7806-9. C.'s volume introduces "the Psalms to those who are discovering them for the first time, and makes them more accessible to those who have already read and interpreted them" (p. 4). In three parts ([1] "Issues in Reading the Psalms and the Psalter Together"; [2] "Reading the Psalms Together"; and [3] "The Psalms as Prayers"), C. accomplishes four tasks: (1) he orients the reader to the content of the Psalms and its process of formation; (2) bridges the historical and cultural gaps between the texts' ancient contexts and that of the twenty-first century; (3) describes the historical tradition(s) of praying the Psalms; and (4) identifies the various ways Christians and Jews have read the Psalms as part of Scripture. These tasks focus on a history of interpretation and the use of the Psalter in differing religious traditions (Christian and Jewish). C. argues that while the Psalms are texts to study, they are also meant to nourish our worship.—A.W.D. Google Scholar 2595. [MT Psalms 35–41] Willem A. M. Beuken, From Servant of YHWH to Being Considerate of the Wretched: The Figure of David in the Reading Perspective of Psalms 35–41 MT (BETL 305; Leuven/Paris/Bristol, CT: Peeters, 2020...

On Recent Methods in Psalms Studies

On Recent Methods in Psalms Studies Joel M. LeMon and Eric D. McDonnell Jr. A Review Essay of Simon Chi-Chung Cheung, Wisdom Intoned: A Reappraisal of the Genre 'Wisdom Psalms.' LHBOTS 613. London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2015. Michael Snearly, The Return of the King: Messianic Expectation in Book V of the Psalter. LHBOTS 624. London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2016. Form criticism has provided the foundation for Psalms scholarship for a century. Yet in recent decades, and especially since the groundbreaking work of Gerald Wilson, canonical criticism has become increasingly important, though scholars have applied different names to the enterprise.1 Two recent monographs share the admirable goal of addressing persistent methodological problems within these two modes of inquiry. Simon Chi-Chung Cheung provides a fresh look at the genre of the wisdom psalms, and Michael Snearly seeks to advance canonical criticism through an analysis of Book V of the Psalter. Together, these projects illuminate the shape of Psalms scholarship today. They also underscore the continuing challenges inherent within its most prominent methods. I. Simon Chi-Chung Cheung's Wisdom Intoned Cheung's study is a revision of his dissertation at the University of Cambridge under the direction of Katherine Dell. The aim of the work, as the subtitle suggests, is to clarify what the category of "wisdom psalms" entails. Cheung takes up the task in an orderly and coherent way. He first identifies prior attempts to define "wisdom psalms," a notoriously amorphous form-critical category. An exceedingly helpful chart included as an appendix shows all the texts that have been classified as wisdom psalms from 1867 (Otto Zöckler) to [End Page 431] 2010 (pp. 188–189). Cheung identifies the problems of categorizing the wisdom psalms by highlighting how several scholars have presented varying lists of wisdom psalms at different points in their careers as their understanding of the genre changed (e.g., James Crenshaw, Otto Eissfeldt, Roland Murphy, Leo Purdue, R. Norman Whybray, pp. 4–9). Notably, Cheung's own list of wisdom psalms does not appear in this appendix. Nor does it appear anywhere in the book, since Cheung has framed his project in a way that makes it difficult, if not impossible, to assemble a definitive list. To reframe the study of wisdom psalms, Cheung identifies challenges that have persisted within scholarship since the category "wisdom psalms" was first introduced. One problem has been establishing the formal content of wisdom literature as a whole, with an associated challenge of determining which of those wisdom forms or "wisdom formulae," according to Cheung's terminology, appear within individual psalms (p. 19). Another problem Cheung identifies is the tendency of form-critical studies to focus on reconstructing the specific historical settings of wisdom psalms, including a specific scribal tradition from which these works emerged (pp. 19–20). Indeed, Cheung rejects "wisdom psalms" as a form-critical category altogether, arguing instead that the wisdom psalms should be understood as a "literary term….[that] refers to a group of psalms that bear varying degrees of resemblances to other sapiential works in the OT" (p. 21). At this point, Cheung employs a "family resemblance" understanding of genre, with the "family" of wisdom psalms including "graded degrees of membership" based on a constellation of features (p. 21). To identify these "salient wisdom features," Cheung turns to Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, having judged that these books alone present characteristics by which other wisdom literature can be determined. Cheung finds Job unhelpful for determining the features of wisdom literature because it is itself a "tapestry" of multiple genres and thus cannot be used to establish the contours of another genre. On this point, Cheung is following directly upon Katharine Dell's judgment that Job does not qualify as wisdom literature, and "can only be called 'wisdom' in a broad sense" (p. 27).2 Cheung bases his subsequent analysis of the wisdom psalms on what he considers to be three constituent features of wisdom literature, the (1) content, [End Page 432] (2) tone, and (3) intention of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Cheung characterizes the content of wisdom literature, somewhat infelicitously, as "a ruling wisdom thrust." Cheung dedicates only two paragraphs...

Hundert Jahre Formgeschichte: Ein Tribut an die Begründer

Abstract A hundred years ago, in 1919–1922, the groundbreaking works on form-criticism appeared, mainly independent of each other. This means that it is time for a retrospect and an evaluation. The article starts with the forerunners, especially Johann Gottlieb Herder and Hermann Gunkel, but also some others. Then main paragraphs are devoted to each of the five protagonists: Martin Dibelius, Karl Ludwig Schmidt, Rudolph Bultmann, Martin Albertz and Georg Bertram. Their foundational form-critical studies are discussed and contextualized within their lives and their literary output. In the case of Dibelius, more attention than usual is given to the important differences between the first (1919) and the second edition (1933) of his “Formgeschichte” that was decisive for creating the terminology. The little known political options that Bertram favored are criticized. The final section draws some lines from the early 20th century to the present days.

Contemporaneity: The Mystery of Liturgical Time

Contemporaneity:The Mystery of Liturgical Time Roch Kereszty O.Cist. In the period after the Second Vatican Council, the balance between relevance and tradition, adaptation and conservation, inner and active participation, and dynamic and literal translation all occupied a central place in liturgical discussions, and led at times to passionate confrontations. Essential indeed were these issues in promoting an authentic liturgical renewal but, as almost always happens in history, they eclipsed, to the point of near total oblivion, a fundamental issue that, when ignored, distorts the proper understanding of liturgical participation. Faithful Catholics in the pew know that Christ becomes present on the altar, that they receive him in holy communion, and that they remember his death and resurrection in the Mass. They also know that in the other sacraments they receive Christ's grace adapted to the purpose of the respective sacrament. But they are largely unaware that in the liturgical action they enter liturgical time, the intersection of our time with eternity. If the sacrifice of Christ in the Mass remains for them a mere object of their own "liturgical imagination," and heaven is the mere object of future hope, they remain locked up within the narrow walls of their secular life. Yet, when we enter a Romanesque or Gothic cathedral or the modern chapel of Le Corbusier, we cannot help feeling that we entered another world whose dimensions enlarge and elevate our mind and heart. Is this merely an illusion imagined by the visitor, or could this world perhaps be more real than what one leaves outside? In other words, if there is liturgical space, should there not be also liturgical time? In the present article, I intend to take up a subject which had been a hotly debated topic in the first half of the twentieth century. I do not intend to provide an overview of the various theological positions in that near past, but rather to articulate and develop what seem to me their positive results. [End Page 505] Twentieth Century Reflections on Liturgical Time While in the late Middle Ages and in the post-Tridentine period the focus of theological inquiry centered on the substantial presence of Christ under the species of bread and wine, in the first half of the twentieth century a number of dogmatic theologians and liturgists began to explore the presence of the "work of our redemption" in the liturgical actions of the Church. They referred to Christ's redemptive work by the traditional term "the mysteries of Christ" or the "saving history of Christ," which includes his conception, birth, earthly life, suffering, resurrection, and ascension. Odo Casel, a Benedictine of the Belgian Abbey of Maria-Lach, was the first to study the biblical and patristic evidence for what he called the Mysteriengegenwart, the presence of the redemptive mysteries in the liturgical actions of the Church.1 The subsequent lively theological discussion centered on the apparent contradiction: Casel and followers claimed that Christ's historical acts have an abiding presence in the liturgy, but others objected that a historical act necessarily becomes past or else it is not historical. Besides Casel, the most important theologians who tried to provide an intelligible explanation of the traditional data are Gottlieb Söhngen, Johannes Betz, Brian McNamara, and Edward J. Kilmartin.2 As metaphysical studies became unpopular by the last decades of the twentieth century, the issue of the Mysteriengegenwart also disappeared from among the relevant themes of theological inquiry. I first intend to survey the data of the Tradition on the presence of the redemptive work of Christ in the liturgy, and then offer an explanation of what constitutes "liturgical time." [End Page 506] Scripture In the first half of the twentieth century, form-critical studies by K. L. Schmidt, Martin Dibelius, and Rudolph Bultmann asserted that many of the pre-Gospel pericopes that later became the building blocks of the Gospels originated in a Eucharistic setting. Recently, Denis Farkasfalvy reformulated their theory and successfully argued for the Eucharistic provenance of most Gospel pericopes. The "words and deeds of Jesus" were remembered, told, retold and shaped in the Eucharistic gatherings not as mere subjective memories of what he did and said...

Differentiation of Form, Theme, and Changing Functions in Psalms and Prayers

ABSTRACTForm criticism has long been an indispensable part of psalm studies, and some of its main results are still widely accepted. Nevertheless, certain formal categories distinguished by some, such as the existence of genres of royal or wisdom psalms, have been firmly denied by others. Moreover, psalm and prayer material from the late Second Temple period has nearly from the beginning of form-critical studies been acknowledged to resist formal classification into firm categories. With only a small portion of the available material falling neatly into recognized categories, the limits of the current form-critical approach are obvious. This paper considers whether a differentiation between formal and thematic elements and their further distinction from issues related to the changing functions of psalmody could pave the way for methodologically more nuanced models that would be able to cope more flexibly and reliably with the diversity of the material and the changing social settings behind them.

Elijah and the Rabbis: Story and Theology (review)

Reviewed by: Elijah and the Rabbis: Story and Theology Jeffrey L. Rubenstein Elijah and the Rabbis: Story and Theology, by Kristen H. Lindbeck. New York: Columbia University Press, 2010. 241 pp. Kristen H. Lindbeck's Elijah and the Rabbis: Story and Theology is a study of the corpus of thirty-eight stories of the Babylonian Talmud that feature Elijah. Rabbinic traditions transform the biblical prophet Elijah into a semidivine angelic figure who plays various roles: rabbinic master, savior, ethical teacher, miracle worker, and divine messenger. Lindbeck collects, categorizes, and discusses these traditions and attempts to understand their function and meanings within rabbinic society and the culture of the Bavli. The book includes five chapters. Chapter 1, "The Study of Rabbinic Narrative," reviews prior studies of Elijah and then discusses methodological [End Page 154] issues. Lindbeck proposes to employ methods drawn from folklore studies, oral-formulaic studies, and form criticism, following in the paths of Dan Ben-Amos and Eli Yassif. By "folklore" Lindbeck, consistent with recent theory, does not mean oral literature of the folk as opposed to literate elites, but any and all oral literature circulated within a given social group. Linbeck also draws on the form-critical studies of Jacob Neusner and Catherine Heszer, and claims that the Elijah stories of the Bavli can be divided into six form-critical categories: two moral exempla, seven legal or moral precedent stories, eight pronouncement stories, three "extended pronouncement stories," and thirteen legends. In addition, one story is sui generis, and a few others share characteristics of pronouncements stories and legends. Chapter 2 continues the discussion of methodology, especially the role of orality in rabbinic culture and the implications of this phenomenon for analyzing the literary texts that have come down to us. Here, Lindbeck also attempts to articulate her own methodology with more precision. She invokes John Foley's theory of metonymy in oral-formulaic studies, in which "one thing potentially stands for a related one," and consequently "phrases and structures are supercharged with meaning" (34). This is important because it allows Lindbeck to expand the corpus of texts relevant to her project to include other sources that share phrases, motifs, or plot structures with the Elijah stories themselves, even if they do not mention Elijah specifically. It also provides a mechanism to relate Elijah stories to one another, which makes for a more unified corpus of tradition. But Lindbeck is certainly a methodological pluralist, drawing also on ethnopoetics and anthropological theory, on Daniel Boyarin's "new historicism" (though for some reason she does not mention that term), and on other scholars of folklore and morality. Chapters 3 and 4 are the heart of the book. In chapter 3 Lindbeck tries to understand how Elijah differs from angels, the angel of death, and the bat qol, which also are sent on divine errands or disclose the divine will. She argues that, despite some overlap, these figures or devices are not interchangeable but have discrete roles and functions. Elijah, for example, brings God's message to individuals whereas the bat qol relays God's words to groups of people; Elijah often appears in disguise to help people whereas angels generally do not (a useful table of similarities and differences is provided on pages 58-59). Elijah also shares more in common with the sages than do angels or the bat qols, as he seems to have more free will and is depicted as a holy man or ideal teacher himself. Indeed, that Elijah "often [End Page 155] interacts with the Sages as a senior sage" distinguishes him from other supernatural mediators and helps explain his religious function, namely, to provide "a greater connection to God without impairing God's authority." The chapter concludes with a longish section comparing stories of Elijah with traditions of the Greek god Hermes (74-94). Like Elijah, Hermes is portrayed as a divine messenger, traveler, and trickster and "master of clever stratagems of all kinds." The correspondences Lindbeck presents are impressive, but her claim that certain Elijah legends in the Bavli were "created under the influence of, or in competition with, attributes of the Greek god Hermes" fails to persuade me. Much more evidence is needed...

Traditions of the Rabbis from the Era of the New Testament. Volume I. Prayer and Agriculture. By David Instone‐Brewer

Traditions of the Rabbis from the Era of the New Testament. Volume I. Prayer and Agriculture. By David Instone‐Brewer

‘Many are Saying’: The Function of Direct Discourse in the Hebrew Psalter. By Rolf A. Jacobson. Pp. xi + 165. (JSOT Supplement Series, 397.) London and New York: T & T Clark International (a Continuum imprint), 2004. isbn 0 567 08193 1. n.p

This monograph, originally a dissertation at Princeton Theological Seminary, investigates the function of direct discourse—the direct citation of a person's speech—in the Hebrew Psalter. Given the many quotations by God, the psalmists, or others in the Psalms, it is surprising that ‘no serious discussion of the role of direct discourse in Hebrew poetry is available’ (p. 1). The study seeks to fill this void and it is to be welcomed. The method applied is described as a combination of ‘formal historical-critical interpretation and rhetorical interpretation’ (p. 2). The former approach, also simply referred to as the ‘historical-critical interpretation’ (p. 3), assumes the validity of the form-critical study of the Old Testament Psalms, in particular that they may be classified into formal categories, whereas the latter approach presumes that the theories of modern linguists who have studied the rhetorical function of quotations can be applied to direct discourse in the Psalms as well. Accordingly, these interpretative operations are applied to all the passages in the Psalms that contain direct discourse.

The Form and Function of the Song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32:1-43)

G. Ernest Wright has argued in Lawsuit of God: A Form-Critical Study of Deuteronomy 32 that the genre of the Song of Moses is that of a or rib.l This argument has been highly influential in subsequent research on the Song and is almost taken for granted by many now.2 But not all have followed Wright s analysis. A number of criticisms have been leveled, and it has instead been argued that the Song belongs the sphere of wisdom literature.3 In this article, I will examine Wright s analysis of the Song, which I find wanting in regard a number of features in the Song. I will show that the designation is only a partial description of the form and function of the Song, and I will argue that the Song evinces qualities of a number of different forms but that it broadly fits the category of a hymn. After demonstrating the hymnic elements that are found in the Song, I will conclude with some comments regarding the implications of these findings for the study of the Song. I. G. Ernest Wright s Analysis Wright first provides a structural analysis of the Song, dividing it into seven sections, acknowledging that his divisions are based on attempts to identify thought units.4 These sections are as follows: Section 1 Introduction (Deut 32:1-6) Section 2 Kerygma: Appeal mighty acts of God (vv. 7-14) Section 3 Indictment (vv. 15-18) Section 4 Sentence or penalty (vv. 19-29) Section 5 Poet's assurance of salvation (vv. 30-38) Section 6 The Word of YHWH confirming poet's hope (vv. 39-42) Section 7 Poet's final exhortation praise (v. 43) Based on this structure, Wright concludes that basic the Song is one distinguishable form which the psalmist has elaborated. This is the divine lawsuit, or rib.5 He argues that this pattern is central Deut 32:1-43 as shown by three things: the summons witnesses in v. 1, the indictment in vv. 15-18, and the judge's verdict in vv. 19-29.6 Wright then compares the Song Herbert B. Huffmon's outline of the form of the covenant rib, which is provided below. I. Description of the scene of judgment II. Speech of plaintiff A. Heaven and earth appointed judges B. Summons defendant (or judges) C. Address in second person the defendant 1. Accusation in question form defendant 2. Refutation of defendant's possible arguments 3. Specific indictment7 Wright makes two modifications of the analysis provided by Huffmon. First, he does not believe that heaven and earth function as judges in the lawsuit; rather, they are witnesses it.8 Second, he adds this outline one more section, in which God, or a prophet as his spokesperson, declares the sentence. Fitting the Song of Moses into this outline, we have the following: Most discussions of Wright's argument end at this point-which is unfortunate, since they miss one of the key steps in his argument: that within the Song of Moses there are a number of expansions the form of the covenant rib. These two expansions are found in v. 2 and in vv. 30-43. The first expansion is the wish of the poet in v. 2: my teaching fall as the rain; May my word distill as the dew, as rain upon grass, and as showers upon vegetation. Wright believes that by v. 2 the poet hints that the lawsuit form he uses is only an instructional device.9 This will be discussed further below. The second, lengthier expansion is the last thirteen verses of the Song. Wright views this as a hymnic section meant convey forgiveness the people after the lawsuit has been declared. These two expansions demonstrate Wright that, although the lawsuit form is the primary form of the Song, it is being used only as a didactic instrument through which the people confess their sin and receive absolution. II. Critique of Wright s Analysis One argument in particular of Wright's work has received criticism and should be reexamined here. …

Cyrus the Messiah? The Historical Background to Isaiah 45:1

According to Isaiah 45:1, Cyrus is YHWH's anointed, his Messiah: Thus says YHWH to his anointed, to Cyrus whom I took by his right hand. Scholars have long disputed this passage. Many agree with Charles Torrey and argue that all references to Cyrus should be removed as later additions; the prophet himself did not write them.Charles C. Torrey, The Second Isaiah (New York: Scribner's, 1928) 3–52; idem, “Isaiah 41,” HTR 44 (1951) 121–36; James D. Smart, History and Theology in Second Isaiah: A Commentary on Isaiah 35, 40–66 (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1964) 115–34; Jurgen van Oorschot, Von Babel zum Zion (New York: de Gruyter, 1993) 88. Other scholars assert that the name Cyrus is original, but admonish their readers not to interpret the title “anointed” as more than was intended. The act of anointing simply indicates a commission: Cyrus is to perform the office of king.Christopher R. North, The Second Isaiah (Oxford: Clarendon, 1964) 150; Roger N. Whybray, Isaiah 40–66 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1975) 104; Karl Elliger, Jesaja 40,1–45,7 (BKAT XI/1; Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag, 1978) 492; John D. W. Watts, Isaiah 34–66 (WBC 25; Waco, Tex.: Word Books, 1987) 156; Antti Laato, The Servant of YHWH and Cyrus: A Reinterpretation of the Exilic Messianic Programme in Isaiah 40–55 (Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell, 1992); idem, A Star is Rising: The Historical Development of the Old Testament Royal Theology and the Rise of the Jewish Messianic Expectations (Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1997) 173–85; Hugh G. M. Williamson, “The Messianic Texts in Isaiah 1-39,” in King and Messiah in Israel and the Ancient Near East (ed. J. Day; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1998) 238–70; Brevard S. Childs, Isaiah (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2000) 353–54. Still others take a third position and assert that references to Cyrus are central to the theory of history presented in the Book of Isaiah.Claus Westermann, Isaiah 40–66 (OTL; Philadelphia: Westminster, 1969) 10, 159; Gerhard von Rad, Old Testament Theology (trans. D. M. G. Stalker; 2 vols.; United Kingdom: Oliver and Boyd, 1965) 2:238–62; John L. McKenzie, Second Isaiah (AB; Garden City: Doubleday, 1968) lxvi; Antoon Schoors, I Am God Your Saviour: A Form-Critical Study of the Main Genres in Is. XL–LV (VTSup 24; Leiden: Brill, 1973) 270; Rheinhard G. Kratz, Kyros im Deuterojesaja-Buch (Tübingen: Mohr, 1991) 15–17; Peter D. Miscall, Isaiah (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1993) 110; Rainer Albertz, A History of Israelite Religion in the Old Testament Period (trans. J. Bowden; 2 vols.; OTL; Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1994) 2:414; John N. Oswalt, The Book of Isaiah 40–66 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998) 197. Cyrus is the promised redeemer of the Jews. Yet, even these scholars argue that Cyrus's anointing confers a temporary office, and does not evoke a permanent relationship; Cyrus has not converted to YHWHism, and the title should not be translated “Messiah.”Westermann, Deutero-Isaiah, 160–61; Joseph Blenkinsopp, Isaiah 40–55 (AB; New York: Doubleday, 2002) 248–49. Some do admit that the anointing does mean the end of the Davidic monarchy, however. What God once did through David, he now does through Cyrus.E.g., Westermann, Deutero-Isaiah, 160–61; Watts, Isaiah 34–66, 156.

No Ordinary Lament: Relecture and the Identity of the Distressed in Psalm 22

One of the most significant shifts in Psalms scholarship in recent years has been the emergence of a new interest in tracing how early religious communities interpreted this religious poetry within the context of an emerging scriptural canon. Whereas the form-critical studies that dominated much of the twentieth century concentrate on recovering the originalSitz im Leben(or “life setting”) of the liturgical compositions collected in the Psalter within Israel's religious cult, the recent scholarly turn emphasizes how these prayers and praises came to be reread in light of narratives and other material found elsewhere in the Bible. In point of fact, the earliest evidence for this practice of canonical relecture is preserved within the Book of Psalms itself, where historical superscriptions correlate a number of psalms with specific events in King David's life. Through the addition of superscriptions, the moving penitential prayer found in Psalm 51 becomes “A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba” (compare 2 Samuel 11-12), the lament of an individual surrounded by threatening enemies found in Psalm 3 becomes “A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son” (compare 2 Samuel 15-18), and so forth.

Isaiah 46, 47, and 48: A New Literary-Critical Reading (review)

160 SHOFAR Fall 1996 Vol. 15, No. 1 Jungian bias I would commend the venture this collection undertakes and wish it bon voyage. John P. Dourley Carleton University Ottawa Isaiah 46, 47, and 48: A New Uterary-Critical Reading, by Chris Franke. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1994. 293 pp. $32.50. Franke's Graduate Theological Union dissertation (Duane Christensen, David Noel Freedman, and Francis I. Andersen) applies literary- or rhetorical-critical methodology to the study of Isaiah 46, 47, and 48 in an effort to demonstrate that the poems found within these chapters constitute unified literary works. She is especially concerned to refute the work of earlier form-critical studies, such as those by Schoors, Westermann , Melugin, and Whybray, that divide the text into a series of originally independent, short, self-contained generic units. Noting that most scholars regard Isaiah 47 as a long, skillfully constructed, unified poem by DeuteroIsaiah , she argues that it is inconsistent to propose that the rest of Deutero-Isaiah consists ofsuch short, form-critically defined units. Because previous scholarship notes thematic parallels between Isaiah 47 and the surrounding material in Isaiah 46 and 48, she proposes a study of all three to see what rhetorical devices are employed to define the structure of each poem/chapter. She assumes that each poem is a unified work and conceives of her study as a means to test that assumption. Franke's method owes much to the work of James Muilenburg and Richard Clifford, who developed the rhetorical-critical approach by focusing especially on the literary coherence and interrelationship of textual sub-units within a larger textual structure. She gives special emphasis to their concern with the strophic structure of the text, which she establishes in large measure by the syllable and stress count approach developed by Freedman. Her analysis of each chapter includes the following elements: 1) a transliteration of the text, which indicates its strophic divisions and syllable or stress count; 2) her English translation of the text; 3) detailed notes which take up philological, text-critical, and other interpretive issues; 4) an analysis of the microstructure of the text based upon various rhetorical features; and 5) an analysis of the macrostructure of the text. Her analyses of Isaiah 46, 47, and 48 conclude that each is a unified poem. Book Reviews 161 Franke is certainly correct to challenge Gunkel's axiomatic principle that the short, self-contained, generic unit constitutes an originally independent text that must stand as the primary focus of biblical exegesis. She is likewise correct in her assertion that scholars need to consider larger literary contexts and textual structures in which the smaller units function. together as part of a large whole. But to a certain extent, she is shadow-boxing with the form-critical methodology ofthe past. More recent form-critical methodological literature, especially the work of Martin Buss, George Coats, RolfKnierim, Wolfgang Richter, and others, and the volumes of the "Forms of the Old Testament literature" commentary series demonstrate that the lessons taught by James Muilenburg and others have been heeded as form-critical scholarship is increasingly shifting its attention to the larger textual entities. Gunkel's focus on the short, self-contained generic unit is not inherent to the form-critical method; rather, concern with the typical elements of language, its generic character, and its function in shaping and defining a text are the essential elements of formcritical analysis. Franke's assertion that all texts are unique is correct, but typical generic elements function within the language of each unique text to define its textual character and message. In this regard, Franke's assessment of Muilenburg's methodological intention is to the point: "He does not seek to undermine previous scholarship; rather, he opens up additional perspectives on the biblical text" (p. 11). Many form critics understand Muilenburg as a contributor to the development of formcritical theory insofar as he points to the need to examine larger textual units and their unique features. Ideally, form criticism and rhetorical criticism work together to identifY the interaction of typically generic language and unique rhetorical structure which define the larger literary text. Franke's discussion of the structure of Isaiah 48, for...

Abraham's Journey to Mecca in Islamic Exegesis: A Form-Critical Study of a Tradition

Abraham's Journey to Mecca in Islamic Exegesis: A Form-Critical Study of a Tradition

Temple Ritual: a Paradigm for Moral Holiness in Haggai Ii 10-19

For the interpretation of the book of Haggai and for the place of the prophet in the history of the people of God, the pericope ii 10-19 is of the greatest importance. It begins with a request to the priests for a tora concerning holiness and uncleanness. Their response is then directed to people, ... this nation, whose identity has been the focus of much debate. J. W. Rothstein' takes them to be the Samaritans whose help Haggai is rejecting in the rebuilding of the temple, and shifts ii 15-19, which concerns the remnant, to follow i 15a (for reasons see below, p. 159). E. Sellin2 had already suspected there were verses missing after i 15a, and Rothstein's alteration of the order of the text provided an answer to Sellin. Rothstein's position has received wide acceptance,3 though recent commentaries have been less accepting, either in part or altogether.4 The most significant answer to Rothstein has come from Klaus Koch's form-critical study of Haggai's three longest speeches,5 showing ii 10-19 to be a unified whole directed to the

A Formcritical Study of Selected Odes of Solomon

A Formcritical Study of Selected Odes of Solomon

A Prophet Confronts His People: The Disputation Speech in the Prophets

“Disputation speech” has been a loosely used term in form critical study of the prophets. The prophets frequently quote the people’s words in order to refute them. This study proposes that this technique alone merits the designation “disputation speech”. A critical assessment is given of how “disputation speech” has been presented in genre study. A detailed analysis of all prophetic text whit the quotation-refutation structure follows. Also included methodological note, an overall view of the parts of the disputation speech structure, and a description of the setting in life.

Empty Tomb and Resurrection

In 1976, Fergus Kerr reviewed Hubert Richard’s The First Easter in New Blackfriars, and followed the review, in 1977, with two articles on the empty tomb and the appearance stories in recent Catholic writing. Hubert Richard’s book made available to the British public the method and results of form-critical study of these narratives. The method had been developed in Germany and taken up by English-speaking scholars like R. H. Fuller and C. F. Evans. The form-critical method still dominates study of the resurrection narratives, although, during the past twenty years, New Testament scholars have adopted different methods for interpreting the rest of the Gospels and the epistles. The books by Fuller and Evans have been reprinted, and as recently as June 1981, Professor Kenneth Grayston offered a spirited and compressed form-critical study of the empty tomb tradition (Expository Times, June 1981, pp 263-267). The form-critical method isolates the pericope from its context and examines its form with a view to discovering its purpose and giving it a place in a history of tradition. It is part of a quest to discover what happened in history, but it is often also very useful in elucidating the genre of the passage. It presupposes that fragments of tradition can be separated from the Gospels and the epistles and that such separation and analysis can lead to accurate relative dating e.g. Professor Grayston’s comments on I Cor. 15:3-5 (p 263f). The criteria for this kind of separation are sometimes doubtful and the results uncertain, but the method has a more serious limitation. It involves losing sight of the whole for the parts, and since any statement made in isolation becomes difficult to interpret with confidence, in losing sight of the whole, meaning is lost.

The Rhetoric of Encouragement in Isaiah 40 12-31: A Form-Critical Study

The Rhetoric of Encouragement in Isaiah 40 12-31: A Form-Critical Study

Matthew 19,3-12 and Celibacy. a Redactional and Form Critical Study

Matthew 19,3-12 and Celibacy. a Redactional and Form Critical Study

LITERAIR-STILISTISCHE ANALYSE VAN PSALM 6

SUMMARY The general aspects of Psalm 6 as an individual lament have so far been clarified by form-critical studies. Its individual character and poetry, however, were, to a great extent, disregarded in spite of the developments in the field of Hebrew stylistics. This article describes in an explorative way the style-phenomena found in Psalm 6 and evaluates their function in the given context. In part one the author sums up the well-known discussion about strophes because this leads to the important question of how to examine and to describe the structure of a text. Most scholars when speaking about strophes limit themselves to only one criterion, the metre, or the number of cola or the general content, however vague this may be. Syntax as a constituent element has consistently been disregarded. The structural analysis given here does not rely on criteria arrived at by deduction, but on the interrelation between the stylistic data (syntax, parallelism, rhyme, repetition). In this article the term ‘strophes...