Old Testament Research Articles

Det er Herren, der styrer en mands gang

This article discusses the question of agency in the Old Testament (OT) and challenges the view held by some scholars that the OT as a whole depicts human beings as having free will in the sense of being able to choose and having control over the choices they make. Many passages do seem to presuppose human choice and control, but the article presents numerous other passages that highlight God’s control of everything – including, in some cases, what human beings want and choose. Furthermore, several books of the OT describe the human ability to follow God’s commandments as deeply flawed and envisage a future divine intervention that will fundamentally change the way humans behave. Human free will must be understood in the light of this underlying notion of divine control that permeates the OT. However, this is not a fatalistic type of determinism. The tension between the notions of divine and human agency is real and both notions ought to inform our understanding of the theology of the texts.

Material culture in the Old Testament: Conflict and propaganda with Missionary Christianity

Cultural materiality as evident in the Old Testament (OT) was borne out of personal and corporate experiences of ancient Israelites with YHWH (Ex 16:32–34; 25–36; Nm 16–17, Jos 3–4). At the dawn of Christian Missions, certain indigenous religious objects became ‘idolatrous’, but across the Atlantic Ocean, they were works of art kept in museums and art galleries. This negatively impacted biblical reception by the locals. This work investigates select OT icons and wades into their ontological and existential significance in relation to the conflict and propaganda of Missionary Christianity towards indigenous icons. The narrative criticism and the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) including Focus Group Discussion (FGD) were engaged in the study while the Symbolic Interactionism was the theoretical framework. The objects preserved by ancient Israel were to serve as relics for future generations who were to have an existential knowledge of YHWH’s dealings with their forebears. Western missionaries claimed to have transmitted biblical messages to Africa, yet their approach led to conflicts in biblical reception by the indigenous people who struggled between being detached from their existential realities, and accepting the gospel with its Eurocentric biases. The Western missionaries’ inability to transmit the biblical understanding of cultural materiality in their dealings with Africans invites suspicion in the missionaries’ efforts with a pretentious display of ignorance of the ontological significance of indigenous materiality.Contribution: This article offers insight into the conflict and propaganda inherent in the Western missionaries’ approach in transmitting biblical messages of cultural materiality, and challenges of biblical reception among indigenous people in Nigeria.

Exodus 20:5 in light of the teaching on retribution in the neo-Pentecostal churches in Nigeria

The idea of God punishing children for the sins of their parents in Exodus 20:5 sounds contrary to divine justice as represented in the Old Testament (OT). However, despite the apparent contradiction, strands of Christianity have continued to hold the view of retribution in Exodus. In Nigeria, it is reflected in the teaching on breaking generational curses in the neo-Pentecostal churches. This article has critically examined Exodus 20:5 as a basis for this doctrine, employing the historical-critical and descriptive methods. Contrary to the claim by some scholars that the doctrine of collective responsibility in Exodus 20:5 contradicts individual retribution that is found in Ezekiel and Jeremiah, this article found that these prophets express collective responsibility when they attribute the exile to the sins of the ancestors. Moreover, the belief in corporate responsibility continued to be held among the Jews after the exile. The teaching on generational curses in Nigeria is partly a reflection of the continuing influence of Exodus 20:5. This article concluded, however, that deducing the doctrine of generational curses from the Exodus text fails to take cognisance of the folkloristic character of Exodus. Given this character, the words visiting the iniquity of parents upon the children are those of the narrator, and not of God.Contribution: Contributing to the scholarly discourse on the notion of inherited punishment in Exodus 20:5, this article postulates that it is hermeneutically incorrect to base the belief in generational curses on this text.

30 OLD TESTAMENT PASSAGES WITH DEEPER MEANING: The Surprising Significance of Seemingly Ordinary Verses

Review

Loyalitas Dan Mentalitas Abraham Dalam Mengikuti Panggilan Allah

The presence of a chosen nation that began with God's covenant with Abraham, also began with God's promise to Abraham about descendants who would become Abraham's heirs in the future. Of course this begins with God's promise to the descendants of Eve who will be the savior (Genesis 3:15). So that there is a development of God's statement in a specific and representative manner with the presence of Abraham's descendants. When God appeared to Abraham after arriving in Shechem, the promise of descendants was repeated (Genesis 12:7). This means that the presence of heirs will determine the blessing of the nations. In the development of the theological world, there is a common misconception that the Old Testament (OT) does not have a mission mandate and that the OT is a book dedicated only to the Jewish people and Jewish history. However, this view does not match the claims made by the Old Testament itself. If you pay close attention to the beginnings of the Old Testament then it would be a mistake to judge that the Old Testament lacked a mission challenge. The message in the earliest chapters of Genesis is that there is a universal and global audience. Didn't God deal with "all the peoples of the earth" when God acted in saving at the three incident points, namely the fall of mankind, the flood event and the tower of Babel in Genesis 1-11? God directs the great message of salvation to all mankind (Genesis 3:15; 9:17; 12:1-3).
 The presence of a chosen nation that began with God's covenant with Abraham, also began with God's promise to Abraham about descendants who would become Abraham's heirs in the future. Of course this begins with God's promise to the descendants of Eve who will be the savior (Genesis 3:15). So that there is a development of God's statement in a specific and representative manner with the presence of Abraham's descendants. When God appeared to Abraham after arriving in Shechem, the promise of descendants was repeated (Genesis 12:7). This means that the presence of heirs will determine the blessing of the nations. In the development of the theological world, there is a common misconception that the Old Testament (OT) does not have a mission mandate and that the OT is a book dedicated only to the Jewish people and Jewish history. However, this view does not match the claims made by the Old Testament itself. If you pay close attention to the beginnings of the Old Testament then it would be a mistake to judge that the Old Testament lacked a mission challenge. The message in the earliest chapters of Genesis is that there is a universal and global audience. Didn't God deal with "all the peoples of the earth" when God acted in saving at the three incident points, namely the fall of mankind, the flood event and the tower of Babel in Genesis 1-11? God directs the great message of salvation to all mankind (Genesis 3:15; 9:17; 12:1-3).

Old Testament Scholarship and the Religious-Philosophical Sense of "Life" in Ordinary Languagel

The word "life" appears in a variety of contexts in Old Testament (OT) scholarship. Included are the use of non-technical senses from ordinary language and the associated folk-philosophical assumptions implicit therein. This article investigates whether and to what extent the recent history of interpretation reflects what the philosopher of religion Don Cupitt refers to as the "turn to life " in everyday speech. To test the hypothesis, samples of the relevant data are selected from the related second-order discourses of popular Bible translations and prominent theologies of the OT. The analysis shows strong correlations in terms of quantitative and qualitative conceptual-historical diachronic variability. Thus, it is concluded that the emergent quasi-religious sense of "life" in ordinary language is also a supervening folk-philosophical concept, concern and category in contemporary OT scholarship.

Internal Focalization in 1 Samuel – a new perspective on Jonathan’s love for David

The narratological instrument of internal focalization offers a hitherto unexplored perspective on the narratives in 1 Samuel, in general, and on the Jonathan narratives, in particular. Internal focalization means that, in the narrative, the viewpoint of a character in the story is chosen, though not necessarily that of the main character. It appears that in contrast to most of the Old Testament (OT) prose, the book of 1 Samuel is abundant in the varying use of internal focalization. Applied to the David-Jonathan narratives, it is Jonathan who is the internal focalizer. This means we read about Jonathan’s thoughts, emotions, and perceptions instead of David’s. David, however, acts as focalized object, which means the focus of attention of the internal focalizer (Jonathan) is on David. This new perspective on the David-Jonathan narratives leads to fresh insights into the issue of the seemingly one-sided love of Jonathan for David. This may very well be explained by the fact that Jonathan is the internal focalizer. Hence, we read about his feelings for David. It does not necessarily mean that David has no similar feelings for Jonathan, but the narrator simply does not highlight these.

JOHN THROUGH OLD TESTAMENT EYES: A Background and Application Commentary

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THE LAW'S UNIVERSAL CONDEMNING AND ENSLAVING POWER: READING PAUL, THE OLD TESTAMENT, AND SECOND TEMPLE JEWISH LITERATURE. By BryanBlazosky. Bulletin for Biblical Research Supplement, 24. University Park, PA: Eisenbrauns, 2019. Pp. xiv + 227. Hardback, $80.95.

Religious Studies ReviewVolume 48, Issue 4 p. 574-575 Short Reviews of Recent Publications: Christian Origins THE LAW'S UNIVERSAL CONDEMNING AND ENSLAVING POWER: READING PAUL, THE OLD TESTAMENT, AND SECOND TEMPLE JEWISH LITERATURE. By Bryan Blazosky. Bulletin for Biblical Research Supplement, 24. University Park, PA: Eisenbrauns, 2019. Pp. xiv + 227. Hardback, $80.95. First published: 30 January 2023 https://doi.org/10.1111/rsr.16230Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume48, Issue4December 2022Pages 574-575 RelatedInformation

Conceptual blending and the fulfilment quotation in Matthew 12:17–19

This article revisits the age-old question of the sources of Matthew’s fulfilment quotations (FQs), specifically Matthew 12:17–19. Despite the presence of numerous studies on this topic, this study was necessitated by the need to incorporate insights from conceptual blending in order to explore how the source(s) of the quote was used. In addition, this study was also done with a possible view to complementing the textual criticism of Old Testament (OT) texts which happen to be quoted or referred to in the New Testament (NT). The study dwells on intertestamental and cognitive linguistics studies. It was found that Matthew may have composed the Matthew 12:17–19 FQ, and possibly the other FQs as well, aided by conceptual integration mechanisms.Contribution: The source of Matthew’s quotation need not wholly be found in a specific historical text but should also include the cognitive operations in the author’s mind and intentions, thus resulting in a text that might not have existed in the form represented in the quotation.

The Church as the “People of God”

The Church as “People of God” is a term that has gained prominence since the Vatican II Council although the term has been in use since the times of the Old Testament (OT). In the OT the Israelites were referred to as People of Yahweh, In Exodus Moses conducts a covenant between the “People of God” and God himself; “You shall be my people and I will be your God” (Deut 32:9). Today we have some theologians who argue that all humankind is indeed the “People of God” (Osei-Bonsu) since they were created by the same God who is our Father. Others think that the term “People of God” refers to all Christians in the NT context where it involves the community of believers (1 Peter 2:9) “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a people set apart to sing God’s Praises.” The limitations of the image “Populi Dei” (or People of God) arises in two ways; first, that of understanding the unity that is demanded by core concepts such as ‘Body of Christ,” and secondly, the more sociological meaning that risks the mystery aspect of Christ’s mission in the world. In comparing the Catholic and evangelical conceptualization about the image of the Church, the evangelicals often tend to focus more on the virtual or spiritual unity, while the Catholic understanding refers to both physical and spiritual unity of the Church. Therefore, the term “People of God” is greatly accepted among evangelicals than Corpus Christ that is often more popular in the Catholic circles. Lumen Gentium (Vat. II) used the term “People of God” in direct reference to the Church as an image hence giving it a deeper meaning. The second chapter of Lumen Gentium bears the title ““People of God”.” This title does not refer to the laity in contra-distinction to the “hierarchy,” but rather it applies to all members of the Church. First it was used to refer to the Church as a body of the New covenant in Christ’s blood and in the sense of Koinonia or communion of the Christ’s faithful. Therefore the “People of God” refers to the Corpus Christi (i.e., Body of Christ) that is united in one faith and one love and moving towards the soteriological calling by Christ their head. The aim of this paper is to shed light on the Populi Dei concept that underscores the practical implications of the term Populi Dei in continuous self-awareness of the Church in the increasing roles to be taken up by the lay faithful. Keywords: Church, People of God, Lumen Gentium, Body of Christ

‘[T]he prince and the judge ask for a bribe’ (Mi 7:3): Interpreting the Old Testament prophets on bribery in light of the encounter between motorists and law enforcement agents on Nigerian highways

Transparency International has consistently reported a high level of corruption in sub-Saharan Africa, of which bribery is the commonest aspect. In Nigeria, bribery has been found to be an integral part of the public life of most public officials. This article related the message of the 8th-century prophets of Israel to the Nigerian context in which motorists are forced to pay bribes to law enforcement agents on the highways, and attempted to exonerate the motorists from bribery. The work employed the historical exegesis for the study of the relevant texts, and the descriptive approach for the analysis of bribery on Nigerian highways. The work found that the central context of the 8th-century prophets’ criticism of bribery was in the judicial process in which the court officials took bribes from the rich and denied justice to the poor. The message of the prophets is thus relevant to the current situation of the poor Nigerian motorists. It concluded that given the fact that the police, in particular, forcefully take money from the motorists, it is better described as extortion rather than bribery. In view of the helpless circumstances faced by the motorists, it is unlikely that the prophets would have accused them of bribery, but they certainly would have condemned the law enforcement agents for extortion. Therefore, given their situation, Nigerian motorists being extorted on the highways are not guilty of bribery.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This research involves the disciplines of the Old Testament (OT) and Christian ethics. It relates the message of the OT prophets to the Nigerian context in which motorists are forced to give bribes to the law enforcement agents. The article postulates that the motorists are absolved of bribery, given the manner by which money is extorted from them.

Representations of Disability in the Old Testament and Their Implication for the Nexus between Poverty and Disability: Lessons for the Church in Contemporary Zimbabwe

Historically, disability has been part of the human condition such that persons with disabilities have existed in virtually all societies from ancient to modern times. At the core of the experiences of persons with disabilities are contradictory perspectives which have essentially served as inclusion and exclusion mechanisms in the context of disability. The Old Testament (OT) presents such contradictory perspectives on disability in texts that discriminate against persons with disabilities (Lev 21:16-24; 22:17-22; Deut 28:28) as well as texts that call for nondiscrimination (Lev 19:14; Deuteronomy 27:18). Accordingly, the negative and discriminatory perspectives on disability that provide the foundation for the systematic exclusion stigmatisation of and discrimination against persons with disabilities in African societies are partly rooted in the Church's engagement with biblical texts on disability. Such exclusion is the primary mechanism that nurtures and perpetuates the connection between disability and poverty. Drawing insights from the Social Model of Disability, the chapter argues that there has to be a paradigm shift in the way that society has addressed the issue of disability. The Church should take appropriate action to guard against the systematic exclusion of persons with disabilities through a liberative reading of biblical texts that cultivate a social ideology of inclusion in the context of disability.

Review of An African Background to the Old Testament By Isaac Boaheng

This paper presents a critical review of the book titled An African Background to the Old Testament written by Rev. Dr. Isaac Boaheng. The purpose of this review is to assess how this book has achieved its objective of enhancing African readers’ contextual reading of the Old Testament(OT). From my perspective as a graduate student in Practical Theology, I am of the opinion that the book has achieved this purpose. Therefore, this review serves to sustain this assertion. The review starts by presenting the book’s overview commencing from the Foreword and ending with Chapter 7. I then conclude the review with a brief evaluation of the extent to which the book has achieved its stated and implied goal(s) followed by some recommendations.

Professor David Tuesday Adamo's Biblical Scholarship on Women: Reflections from an African-South African Mosadi

One of the prolific writers in the discipline of African Biblical Hermeneutics is the Nigerian Old Testament (OT) scholar, Professor Tuesday David Adamo. In his tireless efforts to unlock the OT reality for African contexts, persuaded by his commitment to decolonise the subject of Biblical Studies, Adamo has made successful efforts to reflect on the African presence in the Old Testament. The present study seeks to engage Adamo's concept of African Biblical hermeneutics in order to investigate whether the author sufficiently discussed the theme of gender in his discourses. This research attempts to respond to the following two main questions in view of Adamo's discourses: (1) In Adamo's concerted effort of confirming the presence of Africa and Africans in the Hebrew Bible, does the woman question feature? (2) If so, how does Adamo navigate the question?

Blame-game politics: Re-evaluating incongruent leprosy and COVID-19 policies in the Old Testament and Nigerian societies

History is rife with political actors framing policies to absolve themselves from blame. Such policies seem integral to governance. Studies have shown how the outbreak of diseases triggers policy changes from different governments, especially during the present day coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The ‘Old Testament (OT) leprosy’, particularly as found in Leviticus 13 and 14, prompted incongruent policies that occasioned the victimisation and destruction of suspected lepers’ houses. Similarly, some who breached the COVID-19 lockdown protocols in Nigeria were tortured, victimised or killed. Investigations on these overbearing regulations are linked to ignorance and autocracy on the part of policy formulators and implementers. There has likely not yet been any study examining this phenomenon from the purview of blame-game politics resulting from poor leadership decisions. This work, therefore, reviewed the government’s policy response to leprosy in the OT and the Nigerian government’s response to COVID-19 lockdown regulations with the view to assess their suitability in their specific contexts. The texts of Leviticus 13 and 14 were examined through the analytical principles of hermeneutics. Documentary method of research was also used to interpret other secondary data to draw relations between the two governments’ shifting of responsibilities and victimisation of citizens, both in the OT and Nigerian societies.Intradisciplinary and or interdisciplinary implications: This research drew on the theories in philosophy, ethics, political science, psychology and sociology. The findings indicated that policy formulators and or implementers employed blame-game constructs as response to leprosy and COVID-19 both in OT and contemporary Nigerian society, respectively.

Reading a few exemplary books or texts in the Pentateuch and comparing how these books or texts portray the theme of violence and disempowerment

This research article focuses on selected Old Testament (OT) texts that deal with the theme of violence and disempowerment. The selected texts are studied and viewed from a feminist interpretation perspective, and laid bare the violent and mistreatment of women in these texts. This research study builds on the work of Phyllis Trible (1978), and she uses the term ‘texts of terror’ to refer to passages where women suffer especially at the hands of men. She believes that passages, such as Deuteronomy 22:5, are regrettable and should be a cause of repentance in order to avoid them being repeated again. The way this article deals with the aforementioned exemplary books or texts in the OT is to explore a gendered feminist lens to understand the theme of disempowerment or violence against women. This approach, with the data, lays bare to the reader the nature of the problem of disempowerment and violence against women.Contribution: This article brings a feminist understanding of the OT Bible (including its social-historical context) in order to gain a clearer insight into the problematic narratives of the disempowerment of and violence against women in a patriarchal society.

The Deuteronomic roots of postexilic prophetic eschatology in Malachi

In this article, the promises of judgement and restoration in Deuteronomy 4:25–31; 28:15–68; 30:1–10 are compared with the eschatological prophecies in Malachi 2:17–3:24 about the Day of the Lord. The conclusion is that Malachi’s eschatology can be understood against the background of the history of fulfilment of these promises as envisioned in the Torath Mosheh in Deuteronomy. The rhetorical nature of Moses’ speeches is taken into consideration, indicating their communicative intent to persuade the people to take the promise of judgement seriously and to return to God in compliance with Mosaic teachings in order to avert it. But even beyond judgement, restoration is promised as well, indicating the positive intent of judgement preaching. The purpose of the announcement of judgement is to delay its fulfilment; its irrevocability only shows when the response to the teachings of Moses is persistently negative. The promises of judgement are not meant to be understood as prognostications to be fulfilled within a predetermined time frame. They are delay-intended, and hence avertible. These features of Mosaic teaching in Deuteronomy can be identified in Malachi’s eschatology which is shaped by divine judgement but is delay-intended and in compliance with the Mosaic teachings in Deuteronomy, theocentric and temple-based. Contribution: The purpose of this article is to contribute towards a theological reading of Malachi in the context of the metanarrative of the Old Testament (OT) Scriptures.

God and His Animals. Some Thoughts on God’s Care about Animals in the Old Testament

This article explores the attitude God shows towards the animals as presented in Old Testament (OT) texts outside of the law texts. While these law texts present God’s imperative for his people, the other OT texts display his attitude towards nature more directly. We will interpret the findings as part of a “cosmic covenant” (Robert Murray) between God and his animals on the one hand and God and humans as his viceroys on earth on the other hand. The article is written from a canonical viewpoint. This means that it does not try to distinguish divergent aspects or developments of ideas but rather looks at their similarities. The aim is not just to do an exegesis on certain Old Testament tests but to explore the relationship between God and his creation as displayed in these verses. The canonical viewpoint in connection with the idea of a “cosmic covenant” presents a new angle on this topic. The article intends to show that God, being the creator of everything, cares for his whole creation. As his people, we should therefore also treat his creation with respect and care.

Corrigendum

Religious Studies ReviewVolume 47, Issue 2 p. 293-293 CorrigendumFree Access Corrigendum This article corrects the following: OLD TESTAMENT ABSTRACTS ONLINE Stephen Germany, Brandon C. Wason, Joshua Strickler, Volume 47Issue 1Religious Studies Review pages: 47-51 First Published online: April 23, 2021 First published: 08 August 2021 https://doi.org/10.1111/rsr.15208AboutSectionsPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL In the published work titled “Serialization: Research Databases for Religious Studies,” the reviewer name of ProQuest Dissertations was inadvertently omitted. The name is Christa Strickler. Reference 2021 Serialization research databases for religious studies. New Testaments Online. Religious Studies Review 47: 47- 52. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/rsr.15038 Volume47, Issue2June 2021Pages 293-293 ReferencesRelatedInformation