Testament Scholarship Research Articles

Review Article

Review Article

Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, Jesus Messiah

The consensus of New Testament scholars that the appellation Χριστός in Paul’s letters is a personal name and devoid of messianic convictions is increasingly questioned. Moving beyond philological, tradition-historical, exegetical, and common-sense arguments, the following can be demonstrated. When we treat Paul as a real person who read and studied the Hebrew Scriptures, who proclaimed the gospel in both Greek and Aramaic, using some Hebrew in the synagogues, who taught in local congregations in both Greek and Aramaic, who maintained contact with the Aramaic-speaking Jesus followers in Jerusalem throughout his ministry, and who sang and prayed in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the assumption that, for Paul, Χριστός always stood for מְשִׁיחָא/הַמָּשִׁיחַ, the Messiah of God and the Messiah of God’s people, is highly plausible.

In Memoriam, In Whan Kim (1946–2021)

It Is With Sadness, Yet In The Hope Of Christ’s Resurrection, That We Announce The Death Of One Of Unio Cum Christo’s Editorial Board Members, Dr. In Whan Kim (1946–2021).We Extend Our Sympathies To His Family, Colleagues, And Friends. Dr. Kim Served At Chongshin Universi- Ty And Seminary And More Recently As President Of Daeshin University And Seminary, Gyeongsan, South Korea. Ordained In The Presbyterian Church In America In 1981, He Served As A Pastor In The United States And Korea. A Trained Old Testament Scholar, He Wrote Many Books And Articles In Korean And English. He Completed His PhD Dissertation, “An Analysis And Evaluation Of The Tithe Practice Of The Korean Protestant Church From The Perspective Of The Biblical Tithe Law,” At The University Of Wales In 2000. A Philanthropist, He Was Awarded The Recognition Of Education By The President Of The Republic Of Korea (2011). He Was Active In Several International Societies, In Particular The World Reformed Fellowship. (For More Information, See “Dr. In Whan Kim (In Memoriam),” Https://wrf.global/about/board-of-directors.) KEYWORDS:

A Response from the LAB

A Response from the LAB Monique Moultrie (bio) and Sarah Emanuel (bio) The CoLaboratory (LAB) branch of Feminist Studies in Religion (FSR) was established in June 2020 to create space for exploratory projects within the FSR organization. As shared on the FSR website, the LAB facilitates in-person and online public engagement to help share and develop ideas, resources, and tools that advance inclusiveness and feminist imagination. Through these initiatives, the LAB links feminist scholarship and activism to strengthen the collaborative opportunities among academics, activists, religious leaders, and grassroots organizers.1 The broader FSR organization created a list of action items to combat anti-Black racism at the same time the LAB was announced as FSR’s fourth unit, which now exists alongside the journal, blog, and books. This timeline, although a coincidence, is interesting. While the FSR action items (see below) were created in response to the George Floyd protests, members of the LAB—formerly known as the Forum2—had been raising concerns within subcommittee meetings about the racialized structures of FSR. By the time the action items were crafted, many LAB members were already of the perspective that organizational change and truth-telling needed to occur. Projects within the LAB are continually rotating, but current works include the Feminists Talk Religion podcast, a self-reflective survey on FSR’s history, and a syllabus project where teaching resources will be housed on the LAB’s website. Needless to say, each project brings with it the following helpful organizational commitments: • Recognize the work of Black feminist and womanist scholars • Invite more women of color to FSR’s boards and leadership [End Page 75] • Facilitate intentional conversations of anti-Black racism and white supremacy • Expand our community • Self-reflect on FSR’s history and current practices • Host combined AAR/SBL panel(s) on anti-Black racism, white supremacy, and feminist religious studies • Gather resources • Foster syllabi collaboration3 Below are snapshots of the LAB’s current projects and how they engage FSR’s commitments to combat white supremacy and anti-Black racism. Podcast The Feminists Talk Religion (FTR) podcast launched in February 2020. Episodes range from fifteen-minute minisodes to hour-long conversations and include feminist discussions about religion-related topics. The podcast subcommittee has included within its bylaws the intent to always have at least one woman of color showcased on each episode. Episodes do not shy away from the hard conversations. As cofounder and cohost, Oluwatomisin Oredein states in the introductory episode, “We’re taking seriously diversity. . . . If [this podcast] feels too perfect, if it feels too clean, if it feels too white, too Christian, too something, that’s a fear.” That means we’re not doing it right.4 Some recent episode titles and descriptions include: “Racing the Pandemic: Anti-Asian Sentiment in the COVID-19 ERA,” April 2020, with Peace Lee and Lisa Beyeler-Yvarra, hosted by Oluwatomisin Oredein This week’s bonus episode interrogates the social effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially toward the Asian and Asian American population in the United States. Within the United States, the coronavirus disease has not only uncovered how human systems and treatment of the world have historically caused earthly harm but also how social strain exposes cultural brokenness, agitates interpersonal animosity, and incites racist violence. ________ “White Institutional Fragility: A Raw Protest!,” June 2020, with Sharon Jacob, Angela N, Parker, and Karri L. Whipple Three New Testament scholars, a womanist, a white feminist, and an Indian postcolonial feminist discuss the issues of our time and what it means to build [End Page 76] a multiracial coalition within the academy to begin to dismantle the whiteness within our institutions, our scholarship, and the world. ________ “Immigration, Work, and Faith in the Midwest,” November 2020, with Kristy Nabhan-Warren, hosted by Naira Leão Working at a meatpacking plant can be dangerous and exhausting. That is the reality of Latino and refugee workers in this industry, who turn to their faith to cope with the difficulties of the workplace. In this episode, Kristy Nabhan-Warren discusses her research with a community of mostly immigrant workers in the Midwest. We also talk about the surprises, messiness, and nuances that emerge...

Paul and the Jesus Tradition: Reconsidering the Relationship Between Paul and the Synoptics

The relationship between Paul and the Jesus tradition is a central issue in New Testament scholarship. Although it is customary to look for Gospel traditions in the Pauline epistles, an opposite approach would better fit the chronology of the sources. It is more probable that the evangelists were influenced by Paul than the other way around. For this reason, a re-evaluation of the development of the Jesus tradition from Jesus, via Paul, and to the Gospels, is necessary. This essay examines the possibility of viewing Paul as a source of the Gospels.

Je Markova priorita vážně tak zřejmá? Příspěvek k problému dokazování priority jakéhokoliv evangelia

New Testament scholars do not agree on many things, but one of the topics they usually agree on is the priority of Mark’s gospel. Given the amount of work built upon this argument in the last one hundred years, one would expect scholars to continually review its foundations and assumptions to prevent any “collapse” of the conclusions built upon it. This has not been the case, however, and most scholars take the Markan priority (MP) for granted. The present text argues that the most common arguments for MP are merely interpretations based upon the already existing assumption, are inconclusive or based upon modern Vorverständnis. Such a consensus, however, represents a potentially ideological component of the study of the New Testament study. This study therefore aims to demonstrate the inherent methodological and logical problems associated with proving the priority of any gospel.

Dating Obadiah to 801 BC

Currently, Old Testament scholars have accepted that it is virtually impossible to ascertain the provenance and date of the biblical book of Obadiah confidently. The majority views the date as soon after the fall of Jerusalem in 587 BC, but this is acknowledged to be tentative. Post-exilic and pre-exilic dates are also advocated. This article re-examines the evidence and introduces some more considerations, concluding that an early pre-exilic date for Obadiah is most likely. Elsewhere, the author has redated Joel to 773 BC. Since Joel quotes Obadiah, the book of Obadiah should be dated earlier than that. This article then examines all nine attacks on Jerusalem recorded in the Old Testament to see if what Obadiah describes can be matched to any of them. This leads to the conclusion that Obadiah should be dated to 801 bce, in conjunction with the raid on Jerusalem by a small band of Syrian soldiers as described in 2 Chronicles 24:23–25:24. I propose that some Edomites aided and abetted them in this attack. Obadiah prophesied in between the events recorded in 2 Chronicles 25:16 and 17. If this is so, it sheds light on Amaziah’s attacking Edom, not Syria, for justice and/or revenge (2 Chr 25:11–14). It also offers an explanation for Amaziah’s apostasy to Edomite, not Syrian gods (2 Chr 25:14), and his challenge to Jehoahaz, king of Israel (2 Chr 25:17–24). Other confirming data are presented, and some corollaries are then deduced.

Distinctive African Readings of the Old Testament: A Review of D.T. Adamo's Publications in Old Testament Essays 2003-2020

Professor David Tuesday Adamo has published widely in various journals, and his contribution to Old Testament scholarship in Africa cannot be underestimated. This article focuses on his publications in Old Testament Essays since 2003. Adamo has been one of the loyal African contributors to our journal and is the first black African Old Testament scholar in Africa to be honoured in this way in this journal. Therefore, this article reviews Adamo's contributions over the years, particularly focusing on the distinctive readings of the Old Testament that he brought to Old Testament Essays through his publications.

Iho Ayo/ Mekgolokwane/Ululations/Festschrift: Dedicated to Prof David Tuesday Adamo, the Decoloniser of Old Testament Studies in Africa

A powerful voice from the Western part of the continent of Africa! A voice that could be heard not only through the presence of its owner at our annual Old Testament Society of South Africa (OTSSA) meetings but also more importantly, for the purpose of this introduction, in several issues of Old Testament Essays (OTE), one of our prestigious journals locally and continentally. It is the journal that now contains the ululations (read: Festschrift) to honour this voice. This is the voice of none other than one of our very own Nigerian African Old Testament scholar, Professor David Tuesday Adamo. He is one of the key scholars who have made important contributions to the field of African Biblical Hermeneutics. Adamo's refreshing voice, given the American and Eurocentric training and orientation which have shaped and continue to shape biblical scholarship on the African continent, has been loud and clear. Adamo's persuasion that there is African presence in the Christian Scriptures, that is, both in the Hebrew Bible and in the Second Testament, has been felt, as will also become evident from the essays contained in this special issue and his curriculum vitae as well as in his numerous research publications including his books and journal articles.

사무엘상 13:1의 번역 제안 - 사울의 즉위 나이와 ‘2년’의 역사적 의미 -

1 Samuel 13:1 contains important information about the age of Saul’s accession and reign of Saul, the first king of Israel. However, many Old Testament scholars doubted the historical reliability of this information. The Hebrew text of this verse does not mention a detailed number regarding the age of Saul’s accession, but suggests a relatively short, two-year reign of Saul.<BR> Why is the detailed age of Saul’s accession not mentioned in 1 Samuel 13:1a? The reason is that it was not possible to know exactly when Saul, who started as a military leader of the chiefdom centered on the tribe of Benjamin became the king of Israel. For this reason, the age of Saul’s accession had to be left blank.<BR> Given the historical context where the age of Saul’s accession is unknown, the total duration of Saul’s reign would neither have been known because information on the age of a king’s accession is essential to mention the entire reign of a king. After all, the ‘two years’ mentioned in 1 Samuel 13:1b does not mean Saul’s entire reign lasted two years, but can be seen as referring to a specific two-year period during Saul’s reign because the entire content of 1 Samuel 13-14 is far from the situation in the first two years of Saul’s reign. For example, a significant number of standing armies were organized (1 Sam 13:2, 15) and the existence of the Philistines cannot be confirmed in Gibeah, the capital of Saul’s kingdom, where the Philistine garrison previously stayed (1 Sam 13:2; 14:2). Above all, Saul and Jonathan attacked the Philistine garrison at Geba (1 Sam 13:3, 16) and Michmash (1 Sam 13:23; 14:11, 31), and expelled them from Israeli territory (1 Sam 14:46).<BR> This fact indicates that Saul’s reign had passed considerably, and that his system of governance was relatively stable. In other words, it means the last two years after Saul’s first victory in the battle against the Philistines (1 Sam 13-14), that is, from the moment he escaped from the political influence of the Philistines until his death at the Battle of Gilboa (1 Sam 31). Through such acts of Saul in the last two years, Saul is regarded as the first king of Israel who changed the former political dynamics of subordination to the Philistines.

Kritiker und Exegeten: Porträtskizzen zu vier Jahrhunderten alttestamentlicher Wissenschaft.

Kritiker und Exegeten: Porträtskizzen zu vier Jahrhunderten alttestamentlicher Wissenschaft.

Old Testament Imaginaries of the Nation in German, Dutch, and Anglo-American Protestant Political Thought

Abstract This issue draws attention to the importance of Old Testament scholarship to conceptions of nationhood in Protestant political thought. Inclusive of biblical studies, history, theology, and political thought, this issue discusses hermeneutical as well as political tensions that are inherent to the reception of the Old Testament within political theology. These tensions primarily concerned the role of covenant, reason and the natural order, spilling into what would be recognized today as supersessionism, antisemitism and in some cases, even racism. Within that, it remains important to distinguish political contexts as the historical role of Protestant traditions and their current significance to right-wing uses of biblical imaginaries of the nation differs between Germany, the Netherlands as well as Anglo-American countries.

Baptists, Scripture, and the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification

The approach taken in this paper is based on two key considerations: (1) the emphasis that the Baptist theological tradition places on the role played by Scripture and its interpretation in the formulation, judgment, and renewal of our confessional statements; and (2) the testimony of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification ( JDDJ) that the common understanding it articulates is grounded in a “common way of listening to the word of God in Scripture” ( JDDJ §8) and was derived, at least in part, by “appropriating insights of recent biblical studies” ( JDDJ §13). Its primary content is a brief summary of relevant discussions on justification and related themes in recent New Testament scholarship, some reflections on those discussions, and some suggestions for how those understandings might inform a collective Baptist response to the Joint Declaration. It concludes that the JDDJ should be taken by Baptists as a sign of hope and an encouragement to further conversation, including a distinctively Baptist explication of the common understanding stated in JDDJ §§15–17.

Currents in Biblical Research Slavery and the Enslaved in the Roman World, the Jewish World, and the Synoptic Gospels

Scholars have recently noted a reluctance in New Testament scholarship to accept and apply the most recent historical scholarship on ancient enslavement to our readings of the biblical texts. The last century has seen developments in historical and classical scholarship that have moved those disciplines away from an understanding of ancient slavery as benevolent and toward a recognition of the institution's violent and coercive nature. A similar movement can be seen in the study of enslavement among first-century Jewish communities, with recent scholars arguing that Jewish enslavement practices were not as uniquely benign as was once thought. In spite of these developments, scholars of the Synoptic Gospels continue to utilize outdated models for understanding slavery in the biblical texts as a benevolent institution. A handful of New Testament scholars are charting a new course, challenging the rest of us to adopt the new historical consensus and to see biblical enslavement for what it was. Allowing these new critical works to lay the foundation for our understanding of slavery as it appears in the Synoptic Gospels will move us away from tired clichés and toward a more accurate picture of the worlds in and behind these texts.

“To Come of Age in Dealing with Holy Scripture”: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the End of Theological Education

Abstract This essay is offered in honor of my former colleague and dear friend, Joel B. Green. It calls attention to his long-time commitment, as a seminary professor and administrator, to serving the church and its ministry of the Word. Although he is rightly recognized internationally for the excellence of his work as a New Testament scholar, what is often overlooked is that Joel was first called to ordained ministry in the United Methodist Church. The vocation of preaching and teaching the Word of God has been a primary factor in his cultivation of an integrative approach to the task of educating and forming seminarians for ministry. What follows is a brief account of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s work as a theologically oriented preacher and teacher of preachers who was director of Finkenwalde, an underground seminary of the Confessing Church in Germany during the Hitler years (1935–1937). My aim in calling attention to Bonhoeffer is to highlight the kind of exemplary theological wisdom and integrative habit that have characterized Joel Green in his teaching and mentoring of seminarians “to come of age in dealing with Holy Scripture.”

Erasmus on the New Testament: Selections from the Paraphrases, the Annotations, and the Writings on Biblical Interpretation, edited by Robert D. Sider The New Testament Scholarship of Erasmus: An Introduction with Erasmus’ Prefaces and Ancillary Writings, edited by Robert D. Sider

Erasmus on the New Testament: Selections from the Paraphrases, the Annotations, and the Writings on Biblical Interpretation, edited by Robert D. Sider The New Testament Scholarship of Erasmus: An Introduction with Erasmus’ Prefaces and Ancillary Writings, edited by Robert D. Sider

The body fables in Babrius, Fab. 134 and 1 Corinthians 12: Hierarchic or democratic leadership in crisis management?

Body metaphors and body fables were frequently used in ancient discourse for social communities and politics. This article will examine a body fable by the Greek fabulist Babrius (Babrius, Fab . 134) that has been overlooked in research so far. It shows a remarkable similarity to 1 Corinthians 12 through the use of central terms such as σῶμα and μέλος or personified speaking body parts such as an eye and head. Even if no literary direct dependence is claimed, the text, which was written at about the same time as 1 Corinthians, sheds light on Paul’s understanding of the body fable. It becomes apparent, however, that the rhetorical function is fundamentally different in the two texts. Whilst the body fable in Babrius reinforces hierarchical structures, Paul emphasises the equality of the various body parts. The discussion about the ‘implicit ethics’ of these two texts is hermeneutically embedded in the current Corona crisis and the management of the crisis in different forms of organisation and state. Contribution: The contribution makes the overlooked Babrius Fable 134, a body fable in political context, known in New Testament scholarship. A comparison with 1 Corinthians 12 points out that despite close analogies in plot and vocabulary, the message regarding the social structure diverges radically: While Babrius propagates a reinforcement of hierarchical leadership, 1 Corinthians 12 pleads for a community based on equivalence.

“To Those Who Have Ears to Hear:” Clement of Alexandria on the Parables of Jesus

AbstractThis article addresses the topic of parables in theStromateisof Clement of Alexandria. The broad thesis is that New Testament scholarship can help clarify early Christian interpretation of the New Testament. Clement of Alexandria has a very precise definition of the genre of parable. This definition is compared with various literary definitions found in the work of the grammarian Trypho of Alexandria and with one modern definition. Both of these comparisons bring out the precision, clarity, and usefulness of Clement’s definition for understanding the function of parables. The discussion then turns to the grounding of Clement’s definition in the saving mission of the Son. Since Clement closely links parables with prophecy and redemptive suffering, John Meier’s exposition of the Parable of the Wicked Tenants is introduced to show how parables can concretely express the redemptive suffering of the Son. Meier also demonstrates how the disciples were themselves involved in writing and completing this parable, so the article closes with an analysis of one of Clement’s interpretations of a parable, his own contribution to the tradition of parabolic speech.

Social-scientific criticism in Nigerian New Testament scholarship

The use of the social sciences in the interpretation of the New Testament emerged from the 1970s and has become a standard methodology for interpreting the New Testament. However, it has not been significantly used in the interpretation of the New Testament in Nigeria by biblical scholars. This article discusses what social-scientific criticism is and the need for its application in the interpretation of the New Testament by Nigerian New Testament scholars for a better understanding of the New Testament and the people, beliefs and teachings it presents and contextualisation in the face of changing contexts of Christianity in Nigeria.Contribution: As far as we know, this article is the first one written on using social-scientific criticism to interpret the New Testament in the Nigerian context. It therefore contributes to the need for a multidisciplinary approach to interpreting the New Testament in Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. It therefore contributes also on methodological considerations with regard to interpreting the New Testament.

The Possibilities of a Gospel Codex: GA 2064 (Dublin, CBL W 139), Digital Editing, and Reading in a Manuscript Culture

Recent changes to the technology used to produce critical editions and the mass digitization of Greek New Testament manuscripts are beginning to fundamentally alter the place of later manuscripts in critical practice, reinvigorating research into minuscules and particular subtraditions of manuscripts that have often stood outside the interest of most New Testament scholars. This situation necessitates a reexamination of often-overlooked manuscripts, going beyond traditional text-critical concerns to better understand the ways that manuscripts function as arbiters of knowledge for the texts they carry, especially when their paratextuality and design differ from modern Bibles and critical editions. Changes in editorial technology have created a situation where editions can also be informed by the conceptual networks of literary interrelationships and interpretive pathways reflected in the layout and design of manuscripts. Moreover, the expanded availability of digital manuscript images creates new avenues for interdisciplinary exploration of the significance of paratextual systems. This article begins to explore these issues by analyzing the unpublished GA 2604 (Dublin, CBL W 139), a deluxe twelfth-century gospel codex.