News...

Dom Henry Wansbrough has lots of materials available. Check out his Booklets for some great teaching materials, including a new Introduction to Mark (Word Document), 2006. [HT: Mark Goodacre]

Thanks to those who are sending in their reflections on James. Again, the invitation is open to anyone. I've had such a splendid response so far, so thanks to all. And keep them coming!

For more info, see: An Invitation to James.

πιστις in Matt & James

Jason Hood has an excellent post on πιστις in Matt's Gospel. I concur heartily with his conclusions, and think that one should almost never distinguish to sharply between faith as belief and fidelity. This almost always seems to obscure the text.

As I write on James, I note that: "James uses the word [πιστις] to denote a trusting of God that produces a life of obedience towards God." Fidelity and Belief are two sides to the same coin, and should not be arbitrarily seperated. Yes, one can be observing one side of the coin, or the other. But they remain as close to each other as ever. Faith that is not faithful is like water that is not wet...

Colossian Hymn

Larry Hurtado briefly discusses the Colossian hymn/poem in his massive study: Lord Jesus Christ. Drawing on the work of Christian Stettler, Der Kolosserhymnus: Untersuchungen zu Form, traditionsgeschichtlichem Hintergrund und Aussage von Kol 1,15-20 WUNT 2/31 (Tubingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2000) Hurtado comes to the following conclusions:

• On account of the self-contained nature of the passage, its compact phrasing, and its cadences (more evident in the Greek than in translation), 1:15-20 is widely thought to be a devotional poem or “hymn.”[1]
• Unity and coherence speak against adaptation of an existing hymn.
• Probably originated in the context of Christian worship.
• Conceptual categories most likely derived from Greek speaking Jewish circles [LXX].
• Stettler characterizes this as a “Christ-Psalm” lauding Jesus in the cadences of the Psalter.

What is most interesting to note is the lack of attention paid to προτοτοκος. Hurtado does not even entertain the thought that the mutation/explosion among early Christians as to the worship of Jesus, may have gone astray from monotheism to an adoptionistic Christology [a thought entertained by Dunn in Christology in the Making?]. Unless προτοτοκος is adequately dealt with, this conclusion remains a distinct possibility. Col 1:15-20 must be carefully exegeted to see if this conclusion is warranted. Failing that, an analysis of devotion to Jesus within a monotheistic framework remains incomplete.

I hope to address προτοτοκος in an upcoming blog...

Your thoughts?

[1] Hurdato, Lord Jesus Christ, pg. 505

Biblica Articles

Wim J.C. WEREN, «The Macrostructure of Matthew’s Gospel: A New Proposal» , Vol. 87(2006) 171-200. The weakness of the proposals concerning the macrostructure of Matthew’s Gospel made by Bacon and Kingsbury is that they depart from rigid caesuras, whilst a typical characteristic of the composition of this Gospel is the relatively smooth flow of the story. On the basis of the discovery that the various topographical data are clustered together by means of three refrains we can distinguish three patterns in the travels undertaken by Jesus. This rather coarse structure is further refined with the use of Matera’s and Carter’s distinction between kernels and satellites. Kernels are better labelled as “hinge texts”. The following pericopes belong to this category: 4,12-17; 11,2-30; 16,13-28; 21,1-17; 26,1-16. Each of them marks a turning point in the plot and has a double function: a hinge text is not only fleshed out in the subsequent pericopes but also refers to the preceding block. It is especially these “hinge texts” that underline the continuity of Matthew’s narrative and should prevent us from focussing too much on alleged caesuras.

Peter SPITALER, «Doubt or Dispute (Jude 9 and 22-23). Rereading a Special New Testament Meaning through the Lense of Internal Evidence» , Vol. 87(2006) 201-222. The middle/passive verb diakri/nomai occurs twice in Jude’s letter. It is usually rendered with the classical/Hellenistic meaning “dispute” in v. 9, and the special NT meaning “doubt” in v. 22. Beginning with a brief discussion of the methodological problems inherent in the special NT meaning approach to diakri/nomai, this article offers an interpretation of vv. 9 and 22 based on the letter’s internal evidence. The content of Jude’s letter permits diakri/nomai to be consistently translated with its classical/Hellenistic meaning, “dispute” or “contest”.

Robert L. MOWERY, «Paul and Caristanius at Pisidian Antioch» , Vol. 87(2006) 221-242. A recently-published Latin inscription from Pisidian Antioch refers to four benefactions that a prominent citizen named Caristanius had provided to fulfill a vow on behalf of the emperor Claudius. Since this inscription refers to the year 45/46 CE, it refers to benefactions that may have been provided near the time when Paul arrived in the city. After surveying the contents of this inscription and reviewing scholarly opinion concerning the date when Paul arrived, this paper reflects on the ethnic diversity of first century Pisidian Antioch, the religious beliefs reflected in Caristanius’ vow, the likely impact of his benefactions on the residents of the city, and the possibility that he may have been one of “the leading men of the city” mentioned in Acts 13,50.

Enjoy....

Invitation to James

Earlier this month I issued An Invitation to James. Thank you to those that have responded and this is a little reminder that studies are due within the next 9 days...

Richard Bauckham on James arrived, so I'll be plundering my way through that soon! For those who don't know what's going on, we finally decided that we [PRIMAL, the church I lead] would work through The Epistle of James this winter [July/August for those in the Southern Hemisphere]. So I issued an open invitation to one and all to write a 1pg reflection on either James' life, teaching, epistle or anything else relating to James and his mission.

The target audience is a group of uni students. No Greek or Hebrew, unless you explain it. The guiding principle is J.I. Packers "Theology is for Doxology: That is, the praise of God and the practice of Godliness." You may email your reflections to me: primalhcc AT gmail DOT com... No attachments please, unless you arrange it with me first... This gives you some time to offer a thought or meditation on this enigmatic letter. Recognition will be given to each contributor, put a little precis of yourself at the bottom of your piece.

If you're keen, get writing and I may even post a few of them that are really good...

NT Theology?

My nemesis, Eddie, asks this absurd question: Is NT theology really just a series of Christian and Ecclesial footnotes to the Hebrew scriptures? I should think not. But then again, I'm a NT Geek, so I have to say that! But seriously now.

Can we really relegate the incarnation to a footnote? Can we relegate the Coming of God in his Spirit, poured out on all flesh, to a footnote? Can we relegate the unveiled identity of God in the trinity to a footnote?

While the Hebrew scriptures provide the [sufficient?] necessary (?) background for adequately understanding the meaning and message of the NT, it is by no means the crown of revelation. That belongs strictly to the NT in describing the impact of Jesus and the Spirit. I think Goldingay is providing an unnecessary reaction to the stark neglect of studying the Hebrew scriptures by NT scholars. Although the study of intertextuality has become more popular, there is still a need for NT Scholars to know and understand the entire Hebrew worldview and story so as to better understand the NT.

That's why I think it's vital that NT Scholars read good books on the Hebrew scriptures. Not necessarily massive tomes, though I hope to one day soon attempt to read Brueggemann's Theology of the Old Testament, but good solid books that aid our reading of the NT.

OUCH !

Christian scholarship is the human race’s prodigious invention to defend itself against the New Testament, to ensure that one can continue to be a Christian without letting the New Testament come too close.

Kierkegaard Journals and Papers, Vol. 3 (Indiana University Press, 1975) pg. 270

There have always been scholars who lived by God’s word as they heard it in scripture just as earnestly as they studied the texts. But in all honesty it has to be acknowledged that biblical scholarship does pose a temptation, both for scholars and those who read their books: the temptation to substitute study for faith and action.

Bauckham, James (Routledge, 1999) pg. 5

Why I Love...

My guest-entry over at Faith & Theology is up.

Be sure to check it out.

fides quaerens intellectum

Shock of my life! Scot McKnight alerts us to the new quiz: Which theologian are you? To my utter surprise, I scored as most like Anselm! Not a bad outcome, just not what I was expecting. I'm glad Jurgen Moltmann was 2nd on my score with an awkward John Calvin 3rd but a delightful Karl Barth in 4th place. [Mental note to self, you still have traces of Calvinism within your theological DNA which must be swiftly eradicated or celebrated. Decide NOW!] Look at all those Calvinists? SHOCKING!!! :)

Anselm is the outstanding theologian of the medieval period.He sees man's primary problem as having failed to render unto God what we owe him, so God becomes man in Christ and gives God what he is due. You should read 'Cur Deus Homo?' Anselm 100%

J. Moltmann 80%

John Calvin 60%

Karl Barth 53%

Charles Finney 47%

Paul Tillich 47%

Friedrich Schleiermacher 33%

Augustine 33%

Jonathan Edwards 27%

Martin Luther 13%

So? What are you?

Pseudonomity/Pastoral Epistles & GUTS!

Derek Brown has an insightful post on The House that Pseudonymity Built. He notes that it is almost as if in the academic world there are three strata within the Pauline corpus:

1. "Authentic" Pauline works: Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, 1 Thessalonians, Galatians, Philippians, and Philemon ("the seven").
2. "Not really Pauline but they're pretty good anyways": Ephesians, Colossians, and 2 Thessalonians.
3. "Equivalent to illegitimate children" epistles: 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus (aka "the Pastorals").

Yet I wonder if Wright is onto something about the authorship of the "Deutero-Paulines" as noted by Mark Owens. I know my former teacher George Wieland was dismayed when his supervisor Howard Marshall stated that he was pretty convinced that the Pastorals are pseudonomous.

But what of Derek's point that these letters have been relegated to the margins of studies? I fear, unless the route taken by Wright has any merit, the field will probably stay as it is... And if Mark Goodacre is right, then scholarship will seek to specialize in the Pastorals as a subset of Pauline studies, and the chasm will widen... Unless of course we heed Mark's advice and become more couragous and publish in other areas too...

So shall Derek restore the balance to the force and research Christology in the P.E. arising out of a 2nd Temple Judaistic context? Or shall he research something completely different yet still have the guts to publish on the importance of the P.E.? Only time will tell...