Testament Context Research Articles

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Usage of the Concepts of Children of God and imago Dei as a Theological Foundation of Equality, Human Dignity and Human Rights

Abstract Martin Luther King, Jr. employs different theological concepts to substantiate equality and dignity of all human beings. Among these, the metaphors “children of God” and “image of God” feature prominently. While the children of God-concept is used widely in the African American religious and theological tradition, the occurrences of imago Dei are rather scarce in the generation of King and his teachers. This article reconstructs the usage of the concept of children of God – which is used in the New Testament context and thus often in orthodox Protestantism exclusively – as an inclusive universal anthropological concept in the Black religious tradition and its reception as well as adaptation in King’s own work. With regard to the theologoumenon of image of God, we will see that King starts to apply it differently beginning in the early 1960s, now explicitly using it as a foundation of human dignity and worth, and respectively, human rights. In many interpretations of King’s writings, it is overlooked that the usage of the imago Dei-concept was not at all common at this time. Sometimes the metaphor is retrojected in parts of King’s work, where it is not employed as a foundation of dignity. It is also not totally clear why King alters his theological argument at this time, but it is very likely that it is related to his exchange with George Kelsey and Abraham Heschel, who both employ the term as the basis for equality and dignity during this period. This development in King’s theology is an important step forward since in mainstream Protestant theology this development does not take place until one or two decades later.

Pojam krvi u Starome zavjetu

The central notion explored in this article is the notion of blood and its role, meaning, and significance in the Old Testament. The author tries to answer how blood can be seen as the means of purification or consecration in some Old Testament contexts, but elsewhere as a polluting or defiling substance, and offers a two-level answer. On the first level of his thesis, he believes the context of the functioning of blood to be prescribed by God, while on the second level, attempting to explain the mentioned claim, he argues that regarding blood there exists a certain dichotomy of life and death. Namely, when blood ultimately represents life, it functions as a means of purification and consecration, and when it ultimately represents death, it becomes the substance that pollutes or defiles. To support his thesis, the author gives interpretations and conclusions about the theological implications of certain Old Testament texts and the accompanying examples which point to them. The article is divided into two basic parts. The first part presents the notion of blood in the Old Testament through themes of the blood–life relation, the prohibition of eating of blood, and the place of blood in the Old Testament sacrificial system. The second part is an analysis of specific Old Testament examples showing blood that purifies and consecrates or blood that defiles and pollutes.

EXEGESIS OF ACTS 20:33-35 ON PAUL’S FINANCIAL INTEGRITY IN HIS MISSION: A MODEL FOR THE CONTEMPORARY MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL

In recent times, news of financial misappropriations of some ministers of the gospel in some churches puts a question on the financial integrity of the ‘holy men and women of God.’ It is believed that the life of a minister is the life of his ministry. Integrity in the New Testament context means soundness, purity, honesty, and adherence to a pattern of good works. Integrity is a crucial matter especially, in these days when pastoral scandals seem to become rampant and some ministers of the gospel are abusing the true nature of the pulpit ministry through their lifestyle and messages. In the mission of Paul, he exhibited a good character of financial integrity which could be a good model for the contemporary ministers of the gospel. Therefore, the crux of this paper is to appraise the financial integrity of Paul in his mission as a model for contemporary gospel ministers. The paper makes use of exegetical and historical-critical methods in order to have a holistic understanding of Paul’s financial integrity in his mission. The paper concludes with useful lessons for contemporary gospel ministers.

The Literal Sense of Scripture in Albert and Aquinas’s Eucharistic Theology

Both Albert the Great and Thomas Aquinas place value on the literal sense of scripture. This paper compares their teaching and use of the literal sense in Eucharistic texts in regard to 1) their explicit teaching about the senses of Scripture, 2) their understanding of Old Testament Sacrifices, 3) selected passages of systematic Eucharistic theology where the familiarity of bread and wine imagery provides a temptation to overlook Old Testament context, and 4) the interpretation of the Eucharistic discourse in John 6. While their theology of the literal sense is similar, Albert is more influenced by the looser styles of earlier monastic theology, which results in a rich and imaginative but less precise reading than Aquinas.

Self-Defence and a Phronetic Use of Violence: A Christian Response to Muslim-mob Attacks in Northern Nigeria

Abstract The sermon on the mount has often been used to support a nonviolent response to any form of injustice and violent attacks against Christians. This article argues that the sermon, understood in its original Old and New Testament contexts, does not necessarily support a wholesale prohibition of the use of violence. It also argues that the implicit ethical theory of the sermon – and the New Testament in general – is a combination of a virtue ethics and a divine command theory. On this premise, one is able to show that a measured use of violence for self-defence is a theologically tenable Christian response to unauthorized attacks. This measured use of violence for self-defence is qualified by a Christian phronesis or practical wisdom, which takes into full account both the teaching of Jesus on love of the enemy and the contextual or existential realities of Christians facing violent attacks in northern Nigeria.

Translating Κύριος after 600 Years of “the Lord’s” Faithful Service

Much of Western Christianity continues to follow late medieval translation practices in translating yahweh and kurios. Since then, mainstream usage of “Lord” has slumped and evolved, with the little remaining usage often carrying a distinctly sinister connotation. The deep attachment to “Lord” within Christianity constitutes a second problem: although it creates methodological inconsistency, its historical super-sanctified status is likely the reason the terminology seems so impervious to change. Septuagint data highlight a further problem for sustaining “the LORD/Lord,” since doing so creates a grammatical mismatch with kurios (with regard to the definite article). These three problems call for reassessment of the ongoing suitability of “Lord” in English Bible translation and for a more context-driven methodology. This is defined and applied in a range of New Testament contexts for the purposes of demonstrating feasibility (rather than finality).

Reconsidering the Salvation of Israel in Luke–Acts

In the prevalent interpretations of Israel’s salvation or restoration in Luke–Acts, Israel is understood as referring to descendants of ancient Israel who live in the present or beyond. In light of the predominant usage of the term ‘Israel’ in the second temple period, the prevalent interpretation of Israel’s salvation in Luke–Acts is reconsidered. This is done by mainly revisiting the realized language around Israel’s salvation in the Lukan corpus as well as the Old Testament context behind the language used. This re-evaluation also involves the way in which Israel’s forgiveness is presented, the involvement of the patriarchs in salvation, as well as the connection between Israel’s hope and their resurrection.

Household and gender

In this paper, I will try to engage with African positions on gender and households and respond with a reading of New Testament texts from my position in a Nordic context within Europe. The terms “household” and “gender” refer to central issues in social and historical studies of societies. Household signifies a central social unit in a society whereas gender is an analytical category when discussing the social and ideological roles of men and women. The question of the forms of household and of the roles of men and women respectively, is part of the larger context of worldviews, political ideologies and ethics. The specific forms of household and gender play a large part in the societies that make up the contexts of New Testament texts, as well as in contemporary societies where these texts play important roles. In this essay, I seek a “dialogue” between the New Testament context and the church in Africa, focusing especially on the understanding of gender roles within Pentecostal churches.

The Liturgy of Creation: Understanding Calendars in Old Testament Context

The Liturgy of Creation: Understanding Calendars in Old Testament Context

Puzzling Apostolic Hermeneutics of the Old Testament as Theological Hermeneutics

In this article, I argue that puzzling apostolic interpretations of some Old Testament messages as fulfilled in specific New Testament contexts, to which the Old Testa-ment messages do not apparently refer, are actually applications of the Old Testament messages to apostolic times. These applications are informed by a view of God, distinctively manifest in prophecy, which understands him to speak in ways commensurate with his foreknowledge and purposes, with the result that what he has said has multiple references beyond the single initial one. This view of God is presupposed by the apostles’ use of the verb πληρωθῇ through its close association with prophecy, hence their use of the verb for “applies to”.

The Lord Delivers Us: An Examination of the Function of Psalm 34 in 1 Peter

First Peter, which contains one of the largest concentrations of citations and allusions to the Old Testament of any New Testament book other than Revelation, cites Psalm 34 twice, with the longest sustained reference in 1 Peter (3:10–12) from this song. This essay examines how the citation and allusion to this psalm serves to further the exhortation of Peter's epistle. In order to answer these questions, the author analyzes the citation of Ps 34:13–17 in 1 Pet 3:10–12. After a brief survey of the New Testament context of the quotation, he then considers the Old Testament context to see how it may inform the function of the citation and allusions to the psalm in 1 Peter. The examination of Peter's use of Psalm 34 suggests that he did so because it has the same theme as his letter, namely, suffering and deliverance. The citation suggests that Peter's exiled and righteous readers, like the exiled and righteous psalmist, may suffer affliction and tribulation but they can also rejoice that they will also experience the “good life” and taste the Lord's kindness in spite of suffering.

Paulus se gebruik van Psalm 68 in Efesiërs 4

Paul’s use of Psalm 68 in Ephesians 4 The use of the Old Testament in the New Testament is one of the key issues in the field of intertextuality. Intertextual studies can be fascinating, but sometimes pose difficulties. Solutions are often less obvious. One difficult crux interpretum is found in Ephesians 4:8. Here the New Testament author makes a significant Christological application of Psalm 68:19. In its own context this Old Testament passage relates to the acceptance of (congratulatory) gifts by a victorious Israelite king. Ephesians 4:8, however, relates this passage to the provision of gifts by the victorious and ascended Christ. A comparison between these two verses immediately reveals certain differences. The question underlying this article therefore is: why does the New Testament citation differ on important issues from Psalms 68:19 in its Old Testament context, and what is the significance of these differences?

Aristotle on Hope

1. Since the earliest of the Christian writers, hope has been considered one of the three major theological, and specifically Christian, virtues. But what history has the discussion of hope had among philosophers writing from a more secular perspective, and what sort of value can be placed on hope in a non-Christian context? As part of this inquiry, I intend in this paper to look at the place of hope in Aristotle.1 Aristotle mentions hope and hopefulness in several contexts, but perhaps most notably in his discussions of courage, and I will begin my investigation there. First, however, a remark on methodology: The Greek term typically translated as "hope" in the Christian New Testament is elpis. In the New Testament context, elpis by itself generally implies "good hope," or "hope for good things" (e.g., Rom 8:24), even if such hope is misdirected (1 Tm 6:17).2 In Aristotle, however, the term elpis (along with its verbal form elpizô) plays a more neutral role, being the rough equivalent of mere expectation. In On Memory, for example, Aristotle contrasts memory, which concerns the past, with elpis, the looking forward to the future, without any indication that this future will be good or evil (De Mem 449b25-27; see also 449b11-12). In an ethical context, we find both those who anticipate [elpizousi] evil for themselves (NE 9.4, 1166b15), and those whose, "hopes for the future are good [tôn [End Page 461] mellontôn hai elpides agathai]" (NE 9.4, 1166a25).3 In all of these contexts, elpis itself is used in a neutral sense, and one can "hope for"—or, better, "anticipate" or "expect"—either good or evil, destruction or salvation (elpis tôn sôtêriôn, Rhet. 2.5, 1383a18). When Aristotle wants to indicate specifically a hope for good things, he generally uses a modified phrase such as elpizein agathon, or the descriptive term euelpis,"hopeful."4 The latter term does not even appear in the New Testament writings, arguably because its positive aspect was already implied, either by the term elpis itself or by the assumptions of the religious context.5 Thus, when we are looking in Aristotle for the concept of hope—a hope for good things—we are to look not for mere elpis, as we find in the early Christian writings, but for the appropriate modification of elpis, or, as I will begin with here, for euelpis. 2. As indicated above, some of the most noteworthy occurrences of the term euelpis—Aristotle's term for being hopeful, as opposed to being merely [End Page 462] expectant—come in connection with Aristotle's discussions of courage. In particular, Aristotle sets up several contrasts between those who are euelpis and those who exhibit the virtue of courage, contrasts that may lead us to question the value of hope in an Aristotelian framework. At NE 3.6, Aristotle claims that [P1] a courageous man is also fearless at sea and in illness, though not in the same way as sailors are. Because of their experience, the sailors are optimistic6 [hoi de euelpides eisi para tên empeirian], while the courageous man has given up hope of saving his life [apegnôkasi tên sôtêrian—he has turned away from the judgment that he will be saved] . . . (NE 3.6, 1115a35 ff.) This passage should be paired with those passages in NE 3.8 where Aristotle discusses in more detail the pseudo-courage that arises from experience [empeiria]. This pseudo-courage is displayed not only by sailors at sea, but also by mercenaries [stratiôtai] in battle, soldiers who have professional experience and skill in warfare: [P2] For they have the best insight into the many false alarms which war seems to <bring with it>. They give the impression of being courageous, because the others do not know what is happening. Moreover, their experience [empeirias] enables...

Messiah and Justice: a Key To Matthew's Use of Isaiah 42.1-4?

This article builds upon the observation that a definition of κρíσiς as 'justice' rather than 'judgment' may offer a clue to the role of Isa. 42.1-4 in Mt. 12.18-21. It begins by exploring Old Testament contexts in which κρíσiς is linked to concepts of mercy, salvation, and the rule of the ideal Davidid. In Matthew, it appears that justice is central to the servant's ministry, Jesus' compassionate approach to people and the Law, and the anticipated messianic rule. The paper closes with an exploration of the ethical element of justice in Matthew's presentation of Jesus' message and ministry in Mt. 11.28-12.21 vis-à-vis Pharisaic leadership. As messiah, Jesus provides justice for the oppressed and down-trodden through miracles and teaching in a non-confrontational fashion, while the Pharisees promote injustice through their insistence upon strict halakic observance.

Conquest and Dispossession: Justice, Joshua, and Land Rights

This study compares four contemporary theories of justice (desert, contract, rights, and empowerment) with four motifs from the Book of Joshua (the land as entitlement, the dispossession of the Canaanites, the covenants with Israel, and the dilemma of empowerment). These comparisons raise questions about the justification of the conquest of indigenous peoples, like the Australian Aboriginals, and the ideology of Joshua in a post-New Testament context.

Psalm 2 In The Context Of Biblical Theology

AbstractPsalm 2 is an intersection in which a variety of issues in biblical theology meet. The psalm impacts upon our understanding of monotheism in ancient Israel, the religious nature of Judah's royal ideology, the origins of eschatology, and New Testament Christology. Theological reflection on Ps 2 should therefore not only consider the recent exegetical discussions of the text, but also the theological issues raised by the Old Testament context, the New Testament's use of the psalm, and the history of the psalm's interpretation. In what follows, a survey of all these aspects will lay the basis for a theological construal of this biblical text.

The Book of Exodus. A Critical, Theological Commentary

Taking a pioneering approach to commentary writing, Brevard Childs gives an entirely original treatment to the book of Exodus. Apart from the philological notes and translation, this commentary includes a form-critical section, looking at the growth of the tradition in its previous stages; a consideration of the meaning of the text in its present form; and a consideration of its meaning in its total Old Testament context. This volume is now available in a new casebound edition.The Old Testament Library provides fresh and authoritative treatments of important aspects of Old Testament study through commentaries and general surveys. The contributors are scholars of international standing.

Covenant and Creation by Piet Schoonenberg, S. J.

182 BOOK REVIEWS CoveMnt and Creation. By PIET ScHoONENBERG, S. J. Notre Dame, Ind.: University of Notre Dame Press, 1969. Pp. 213. $5.95. In 1955 the author published the first part of a dogmatic treatise on the Apostles' Creed designed for the laity and entitled Het geloof van ons doopsel (" The Faith of Our Baptism ") . This ambitious project was never finished, not only for lack of time but also because of the radical changes which theology itself was undergoing. However, the work contained many valuable insights, and the present volume represents selections taken from it. The rationale of this book is the author's desire to expound dogmatic truths within their biblical categories and at the same time to make them meaningful to modern readers. Trained in both Scripture and dogmatic theology, Fr. Schoonenberg comes to his task well-equipped. The first part of the book contains a resume of salvation history. The author gives us a biblical portrait of the God of the Covenant (and dates the emergence of monotheism with Abraham) . The " absolute " attributes of God are examined first: holiness, mercy, faithfulness, illustrated in their Old Testament context. Then follow his " relative " attributes: God as Creator, Father, Savior. The purpose of this historical survey is to underscore the personal dimension which the notion of covenant involves. In the next section the author elaborates the concept of creation in depth. He is at pains to show from his analysis that what theologians call God's " conservation " and " governance" represent a continuation of creation . The creative element involves newness: conservation represents newness in respect to duration; governance represents newness in respect to activity. In the case of man, God's creativity is apparent in the former's free decisions (which provide a unique element of newness). Fr. Schoonenberg sees law as governing only the fixed elements in created activity, not their newness. Thus, man's free actions-along with the freaks in nature-are not subsumed under the law. Now comes the author's principal interest: a consideration of "supernaturality ." In the Old Testament, he points out, the gratuity of God's "hesed " in connection with the Covenant foreshadowed this concept. In the New Testament, supernaturality lies beneath the gifts attributed to the Holy Spirit. A lengthy analysis of human versus divine covenants in the context of interpersonal relationships leads the author to conclude that the supernatural consists essentially in God's gratuitous, unpredictable exceeding of man's needs and expectations: an uninterrupted series of unmerited surprises. These reflections cause Fr. Schoonenberg to see that covenant is implied in the very act of creation. Perhaps that most intriguing portion of the book is that which deals with miracles. Reacting against the Scholastic tendency to place the sign value of a miracle in its going-beyond-the-laws-of-nature, the author insists that it is to the religious context that we are to look for the sign value. He BOOK REVIEWS 188 builds his case on the observation that modern science has tended to debunk the notion of God's immediate action in miracles: he seems always to use secondary causes. (Teilhard de Chardin's theory of " hominisation " is cited at this point). A survey of some of Christ's miracles tends to bear this out: they were never performed as stunts nor simply as proofs of his own authority; they normally presupposed a minimal faith and carried with them a symbolic message (exorcisms and healings not only taught the lesson of God's mercy, but also pointed to the dawn of the messianic era). Actually, miracles represent "no intervention from without, no removal of the forces of creation, but a heightened involvement (of God) ...." (p. ~07) Indeed, " The extraordinary is at all times to be expected from God." (p. ~08} The reader who is willing to study this book will be richly rewarded. Perhaps the best recommendation which this reviewer can offer is that he has just finished using it as a satisfactory text in a course entitled, " Man and Grace." University of DaUas Irving, Texa3 MARTIN K. HoPKINs, O.P. 'l'he One Bread. By MAX THURIAN. New York: Sheed & Ward, 1969. Pp. 159. $4.50. The American...