New Issue of Scottish Journal of Theology (Aug 2009)

I don’t quite understand when a journal is posted a month in advance, but SJT is not alone.  Anyway, HERE it is.

Enjoy (for those with access online)!

Off to the Tyndale House for the Fellowship Conference

This is my second Tyndale Conference and I had a wonderful time last year.  This year boasts a longer conference and several well-known scholars giving papers including Howard Marshall, Richard Burridge, John Drane, John Nolland, John  Webster, and others.  I go on the last day (Thursday).  I am excited because, since it is such a small conference, the delegates don’t tend to skip sessions – you can bank on about a dozen or more people and hopefully get some decent feedback.

Having said that, I am a bit nervous.  My specialty is Paul and his Jewish background and context.  In the next phase of my career and research, I am shifting quite drastically towards Greco-Roman backgrounds as I am undertaking a project studying Paul’s use of military metaphors – undoubtedly there are Jewish elements (Isaianic imagery; apocalyptic characteristics).  But the overlap with especially Roman weapons, arts, and forms is almost undisputable.  So, I fear a bit that I am out of my league among the Tyndale scholars.

In the past, the Tyndale Fellowship has considered publishing the papers (I know of two or three times in recent years they did this).  I doubt they will do it this time as they have so few NT scholars giving papers versus us lowly students.  Oh well.

I am particularly excited to stop at my favorite discount bookstore for theology – Galloway and Porter.  I have some Loeb volumes I want to get my hands on (Xenophon, Tacitus, Plutarch, Valerius Maximus).

I will try and give a report when I return.

See some of you there!

Five Important Ancient Texts

Kevin Scull asks the question: What are 5 personally significant ancient/primary texts? His ‘rules’ are these:

1.) List the 5 primary sources that have most affected your scholarship, thoughts about antiquity, and/or understanding of the NT/OT.

2.) Books from the Bible are off limits unless you really want to list one, I certainly will not chastise you for it.

3.) Finally, choose individual works if you can.  This will be more interesting than listing the entire corpus of Cicero as one of your choices.

The following list is mine alone and has been formative in my own thought.

1. Philo – I love how Philo thinks and his passion for Scripture and for the moral growth of his readers.  Both Henry Chadwick and G. Sterling have made pleas for a renewed interest in Philo in the study of Christian origins.  A special development has been the popularity of the periodical Studia Philonica.  As for particular texts, Special Laws and On the Sacrifices of Cain and Abel worth reading.

2. Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs – we have, in the T12, a rich testament-text that places hortatory teachings into the mouths of the great twelve sons of Jacob.  Of these 12, I like the Testament of Levi for its apocalyptic tone and because I am interested in cultic material (i.e. the priesthood of Levi).

3. Anabasis – Xenophon’s great work about a mercenary army’s struggle to survive is legendary.  I remember translating parts of Anabasis in my freshman year of college, though I was so busy trying to parse and offer a wooden translation that I was not thinking about the art of the text.  Now that I am embarking on a new project studying the ethos of ancient warfare, I have a chance to give Xenophon the attention he deserves.  His historical work and discussion of the details of army life (the day-to-day snapshots) are priceless; it is all the more helpful that he is such an articulate writer.

4. The Community Rule aka 1QS (the Dead Sea Scrolls).  This is a fascinating look at how a group of devout Jews formed a separated community which attempted to preserve the sanctity of God’s people.  That they saw themselves as a special eschatological new-temple community (see McKelvey) is confirmed by 1QS 8.4, ‘It shall be an Everlasting Plantation, a House of Holiness for Israel, an Assembly of Supreme Holiness for Aaron’.  There is some very interesting stuff here.

5. Plutarch: Parallel Lives – this very interesting work tries to compare Greek and Roman magnates in pairs.  Plutarch is accused of stretching the truth to make the comparisons fit, but it still makes for a good read.

Incidentally, when  I was working for Hendrickson Publishers, Craig Evans came out with his Ancient Texts for New Testament Studies – a guide to the primary ancient texts that illuminate the context and background of the NT.  This is a must-have for all students of the New Testament.  What I find to be priceless is the indices supplied by Evans which include his own personal list of every allusion or parallel he found between a NT text and an ancient (usually Jewish) text.  This includes NT allusion to the OT, but also much more.  I refer to this book very regularly.

Five Most Influential Books for My Thesis

I was not tagged for the five-books meme (as far as I know), but since my thesis viva (defense) is only a couple of weeks away, I thought it might be a good time to reflect on the five most influential books for my thesis (or in my thinking during the writing of my thesis).  This list is in no particular order.

1. Conversion of the Imagination (Richard Hays, Eerdmans, 2005).  Hays is most well-known for his Echoes book (1989), but I read this one first and in its entirety (for a book review).  In a word – transforming.  His collection of essays in Conversion covers important issues in intertextuality, hermeneutics, epistemology, eschatological, the law, and much more.

2. Theological Issues in the Letters of Paul (J.L. Martyn).  I sort of stumbled upon his essay ‘Epistemology at the Turn of the Ages’ and I was blown away.  Once you see this entire list, it will come as no surprise that I found a home in the ‘Paul and apocalyptic’ camp and Martyn is one of the patrons of the house.  FYI – I consider the ‘apocalyptic’ godfathers to be Kasemann, Martyn, and Beker.

3. Paul, Judaism, and Gentiles (Francis Watson, Eerdmans).  I did not read the original version (Cambridge monograph), but the revised and expanded 2007 version.  The sophisticated sociological and theological approach that Watson takes largely inspired the methodology of my own thesis.  I probably would not have bothered to read this book if Watson had not moved down to Durham (and I said to myself, ‘I know he’s admired in Pauline scholarship; I want to know why.).  He convinced me that the objective genitive of pistis Christou is right.  His work on human and divine agency is excellent.  It is my great pleasure, then, that he is my internal thesis examiner.

4. Theology and Ethics in Paul (V.P. Furnish, Abingdon).  Though now over 40 years old, it is a refreshing read.  He intertwines Paul’s theology and ethics so nicely that it is a wonder to me that it is still treated as two separate disciplines.  Furnish is an honest, but passionate intepreter of Paul.  He focuses greatly on the theme of belonging to God and coming under his Lordship.  This, perhaps, was by influence of Kasemann.  I don’t know.  But Furnish’s focus on the lordship of Christ encouraged me to understand Paul’s temple, worship, holiness, and sacrificial language in terms of being slaves to God (see 1 Cor. 6.19-20).

5. Theology of Paul the Apostle (James Dunn, 1998, Eerdmans).  There is not one thing that led me time and time again to this magnus opus.  It is Dunn’s patient and careful research on Paul, his interpreters and his setting that made this a reference work of which I have worn the pages.  I have the pleasure of knowing Dunn personally and he is a fun-loving, gracious person.  That makes all the difference for me in a scholar.  There are a few scholars, quite brilliant, whom I have encountered in person and I found each of them brash, arrogant, and unwilling to listen to and respect others.  I have a hard time reading their work with appreciation.  Not so with Dunn.  I certainly like his interest in both history and theology.  He reads all the relevant sources, especially the German ones.  He isn’t afraid to talk about the Holy Spirit!  He blends salvation-historical, apocalyptic, forensic, participationistic, and other theological paradigms masterfully.

Well, that makes five.  If space permitted, I would have liked to have added Kasemann and Barth.  Stephen Fowl’s excellent Philippians commentary and Joel Green’s very stimulating 1 Peter (both in the new Two Horizons series) come to mind as formative for me.  Beverly Gaventa’s Our Mother Saint Paul helped some things to click for me in terms of Paul’s use of metaphors.  I spent a lot of time in David Horrell’s works, especially Solidarity and Difference and his many journal articles.  John Barclay’s work on Galatians (Obeying the Truth) set the standard for me of what a really good thesis-turned-monograph looks like.  His articles on Paul have been precious resources.  He is one of those kinds of scholars where he does not try to publish much because he wants what is there to be weighty.  He has succeeded.  I would also like to make brief mention of NT Wright’s Romans commentary and also Cranfield’s.  On 2 Corinthians, Hafemann and M. Harris were very significant for my own perspective (as well as L. Ann Jervis’ brief-but-insightful At the Heart of the Gospel).  Ok, I went well over five, but it goes to show you how indebted we all are to those who have gone before us and those who walk alongside of us.  Who said doing a Phd is lonely?  Well, not at Durham (come one, come all!).

Soon-coming books from WJK

I saw that Westminster John Knox has posted their new 2009 catalogue.  It is not just academic books, but it includes many of them.  Here are some highlights.

The Interpretation series is starting a new collection of books called ‘Resources for the Use of Scripture in the Church’, edited by Patrick D. Miller, Richard Hays, Ellen Davis, and James Mays.  Topics will include Sermon on the Mount, the Lord’s Prayer, Sacraments, Miracles, the Apostle’s Creed, Violence in the Bible, Women in the Bible, Money and Possessions, Eschatology, and Introduction to Christian Scripture.  The inaugural volume is entitled ‘The Ten Commandments’, and is by Patrick Miller.

I am also excited about Bonhoeffer for Armchair Theologians by Stephen Haynes and Lori Hale.  I have read the John Wesley title and it is so well-written and, obviously, accessible to the non-expert.  This Bonhoeffer one tops my list of new books to get – already published titles in this series includes Augustine, Luther, Calvin, and Barth.

Seeing Things John’s Way: The Rhetoric of Revelation is by David deSilva – one of my favorite scholars academically and he is also a friendly and warm person.  His work on Hebrews is well-known.  His intro to the NT is among the best.  He is going to be written prolifically for the Rhetoric in  Religious Antiquity series (DEO).  He knows ancient rhetoric, and he will have many, many insights into Revelation.  NB: A large portion of this book was written during a prestigious Von Humboldt research fellowship in Germany (hosted by Tuebingin).

Victor Furnish’s Theology and Ethics in Paul was first published in 1968 – I think by Abingdon Press.  It is now being re-published in WJK’s ‘New Testament Library’ series with a new foreward by Richard Hays.  Richard let me peek at the foreward and it helps to situate Furnish’s work, both within its own context theologically, and also shows where the study of Paul’s ethics has grown and developed since Furnish’s 1968 contribution and especially because of it.  I don’t actually own an old copy of TEP, so I am eager to get my hands on this.  It may be of interest for you to know that I plan on assigning this book as required reading in virtually any course on Paul I teach.

British NT Conference- some paper titles posted

The British NT Conference will meet this year in Aberdeen (3-5 Sept).  They have a nice new website (www.bnts.org.uk).  There are 10 seminar groups and the website archives paper titles and abstracts from previous years.

For 2009, several groups have posted paper titles/abstracts.  See here and here (the second page, ’short papers’, is like a wild-card group).

In the Paul group there is one joint session with the Hermeneutics group where Philip Esler, Francis Watson, and Peter Oakes will all discuss the question: Does Romans Need Addressees?  Angus Paddison will be a respondent.

The Plenary speakers’ paper titles have been confirmed:

Dr Helen Bond

University of Edinburgh

‘Josephus on Herod the Great, Domestic Intrigue, and the Politics of First Century Judaea’

Prof David Parker

University of Birmingham

‘Variants and variance’

Dr Todd Klutz

University of Manchester

‘Jesus, Morton Smith, and the Eighth Book of Moses (PGM XIII.1-734)’

NB: I will be giving two papers this year; one in the hermeneutics seminar on mirror-reading moral discourses in NT epistles.  Also, I will be giving a paper in the ‘Simultaneous Short Papers’ group on Paul’s use of oiktirmos in Romans 12.1 and the ‘mercy’ literary tradition in the LXX and Hellenistic Judaism.

New Greek textbook by Stanley Porter

For many years Mounce’s Greek textbook has virtually dominated NT Greek instruction in most seminaries (or perhaps in most evangelical seminaries).

Despite its popularity, there have been many who have wondered ift does not represent the insights of recent linguistic scholarship.  Who better to write a new textbook?  Stanley Porter, of course.  And he did.

I mentioned this in a previous post (on Eerdmans forthcoming books): the book is called Fundamentals of New Testament Greek – due out in late July/early August.  Porter will offer a highly competent guide to the Greek language and put the learner in a position to interpret the NT (in Greek) without making common exegetical mistakes.

Eerdmans has not released much information about this book, which is unfortunate and makes it very risky for profs to adopt the book for this fall.  I am in such a position, as I am highly tempted to give it a go for teaching Greek this next year.  As far as I know, this is the breakdown of chapters for the first part of the book:

ch1: Alphabet, accents, pronunciationm noun jobs, parts of speech

ch2: 2nd decl. nouns, 1st and 2nd decl. adjectives

ch3: the article, verbless clauses

ch4: Intro to verbs, first aor. indic and infinitive

ch5: 1st decl. nouns; relative pronouns

ch6: second aorist and imperfect

ch7: 3rd declen nouns and adjectives; “to be”

ch8: Present and future active indicative and infinitive, contract verbs in -epsilon omega

ch9: Pronouns

ch10: Aorist, pres., fut active participles

ch11: middle voice: aor. and fut. indicative and infinitive

ch12: prepositions with one case. Demonstratives

ch13: Passive voice

ch14: Subjunctive

Ch15: More prepositions: more on pronouns

Ch16: Contract verbs, conjunctions, adverbs

[there are certainly more chapters, but I do not have information on them].

In the end, if the book is released soon, I will use it as I admire Porter (et al.) and his linguistic work.  In particular, I have used Mounce and Duff and I find their discussion of verbal aspect to be very weak and outdated (esp. Duff).  Porter will certainly offer a more nuanced discussion.

Please – if anyone has any more information about this textbook, please share your notes/thoughts in the comments.  Thanks!

Eerdmans Summer and Fall Books

Eerdmans has recently updated their ‘coming soon‘ section of their website.  They have their book releases now from July to October (in the run up to SBL, no doubt!).

Here are some interesting items

Deliverance of God: An Apocalyptic Rereading of Justification in Paul (July) – Douglas Campbell

In this scholarly book Douglas Campbell pushes beyond both “Lutheran” and “New” perspectives on Paul to a noncontractual, “apocalyptic” reading of many of the apostle’s most famous—and most troublesome—texts.

Campbell holds that the intrusion of an alien, essentially modern, and theologically unhealthy theoretical construct into the interpretation of Paul has produced an individualistic and contractual construct that shares more with modern political traditions than with either orthodox theology or Paul’s first-century world. In order to counteract that influence, Campbell argues that it needs to be isolated and brought to the foreground before the interpretation of Paul’s texts begins. When that is done, readings free from this intrusive paradigm become possible and surprising new interpretations unfold.

Jesus Research: An International Perspective (July)-  eds. J. Charlesworth and Petr Pokorny

In this collection twelve international scholars focus on current issues in historical Jesus research by seeking to understand Jesus in his world. Each writer examines different aspects of Jesus’ life and thought both in their historical and geographical setting and also within a religious and cultural context, bringing insight and understanding into Jesus and his world.

Contributors:

• James H. Charlesworth
• Carsten Claussen
• Craig A. Evans
• Klaus Haacker
• Tom Holmén
• Rudolf Hoppe
• Ulrich Luz
• Petr Pokorný
• Stanley Porter
• Brian Rhea
• Jan Roskovec
• Jens Schröter
• Jonathan Soyars
• Gerd Thiessen

Michael Wolter

The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (July)- Craig Keener.

Fundamentals of New Testament Greek (July) Stanley Porter, Jeffrey Reed, and Matthew O’Donnell

This first-year Greek textbook provides a comprehensive introduction to the grammar and vocabulary of the Greek New Testament. It discusses all the forms and basic syntax of Koine Greek, complete with extensive paradigms, examples, and explanations. Porter, Reed, and O’Donnell’s Fundamentals of New Testament Greek features pedagogically sound and linguistically informed techniques of language instruction. The volume introduces the individual words and grammatical details of Greek, sensitive to their frequency of use in the New Testament, reinforcing for students the elements that they will most often encounter. Grammatical forms, including the less common ones, are analyzed and explained in detail, often with illustrative examples from the Greek New Testament. The authors include complete paradigms and give numerous examples; the vocabulary list includes nearly one thousand words, which are introduced throughout the book’s thirty chapters.

Students who complete this text will be able to move directly into Greek exegesis courses and more advanced Greek-language courses. Fundamentals of New Testament Greek will prove invaluable for gaining a thorough foundational understanding of New Testament Greek, including full exposure to the formation, accenting, and semantics of its complex verbal system.

The First and Second Letter to the Thessalonians (NICNT; July) Gordon Fee

In this commentary Gordon Fee aims first and foremost to offer a fresh exposition of the text of 1 and 2 Thessalonians. He shows the reader what is in the biblical text, what the text meant in the first century, and what it means now. Fee reveals the logic of each argument or narrative before moving on to the details of each verse, and he concludes each section with a theological-practical reflection on the meaning of the text today. Among other things, Fee explores the occasion for writing for each epistle, restoring 2 Thessalonians to the place it deserves as a full companion to the first letter, rather than merely a tagalong to 1 Thessalonians.

The Letter to the Philippians (Pillar; Sept.) G. Walter Hansen

In this clear, concise exegetical commentary, G. Walter Hansen offers rich exposition of the text of Philippians as well as wisdom and maturity in its application. In so doing he emphasizes partnership — the social and corporate dimensions of community — in the progress of the gospel.

“With themes and emotions so varied, the letter to the Philippians needs a commentator with a sure grasp and a warm heart. . . . Hansen writes with admirable clarity and simplicity, even when he is unpacking notoriously complex matters.”
— D. A. Carson (from the preface)

The Historical Jesus of the Gospels (October/Nov.) Craig Keener

The earliest substantive sources available for historical Jesus research are in the Gospels themselves; when interpreted in their early Jewish setting, their picture of Jesus is more coherent and plausible than are the competing theories offered by many modern scholars. So argues Craig Keener in The Historical Jesus of the Gospels.

In exploring the depth and riches of the material found in the Synoptic Gospels, Keener shows how many works on the historical Jesus emphasize just one aspect of the Jesus tradition against others, but a much wider range of material in the Jesus tradition makes sense in an ancient Jewish setting. Keener masterfully uses a broad range of evidence from the early Jesus traditions and early Judaism to reconstruct a fuller portrait of the Jesus who lived in history.

Engaging Economics: New Testament Scenarios and Early Christian Responses (Oct/Nov.) eds. Bruce Longenecker and Kelly Liebengood

Engaging Economics exposes economic dimensions of the theology of the early Jesus movement, as reflected both in the texts of the New Testament and in the reception of those texts within the patristic era. Under these two considerations, the contributions demonstrate that an economic dimension was an integral component of this early movement and indicate how, in later centuries, that economic dimension was either further developed or ignored altogether.

Notes on Ephesians commentaries

In the last couple of months I have been doing some research in Ephesians.  This is an exciting letter to study, not only for its robust theology, but also because of its history of scholarship.  There are still so many mysteries (!) in this letter – its purpose, setting, authorship, thesis statement, etc…  I am still awaiting a convincing argument for what this letter is really all about!

Nevertheless, there are many good resources and I will briefly share my thoughts on them.  Rather than ‘rank’ them, I will discuss the strengths (and weaknessess sometimes) of each.  When a commentary is consulted, usually it has a particular hermeneutical or methodological angle (social, historical, literary, reader-response, rhetorical, theological, etc…).

Markus Barth (Anchor): This is one of the best commentaries on Ephesians out there, first for its detail and theological depth; also, Barth is engaged in the discussion of politics and how the message of Ephesians relates to modern social issues.  Also, because he endorses Pauline authorship, there is a kind of coherence in his commentary that is not often found among those who argue of pseudonymity.

Peter O’Brien (Pillar): I would say that this commentary is excellent for its overall approach to Ephesians and the cogency of his argumentation in his exegetical analysis.  I would say this commentary is marked by a deep grammatical/discourse interest and literary issues.  There is attention to parallel ancient sources.  Also, this series is marked by theological interest and pastoral insights.  This is a commentary I always turn to for sound advice, but I don’t always agree with him.

Lincoln, A. (WBC): If there is a kind-of trinity of Ephesians commentaries, Lincoln completes the set (along with O’Brien and Barth).  Again, he argues that Ephesians is pseudonymous, but his knowledge of ancient cosmology (also protology, eschatology) brings to the discussion a better understanding of the theological worldview of the author.  Also, for as much as people complain about the format of the WBC, the section-by-section bibliographies are priceless.

MacDonald, M. (Sacra Pagina): This commentary is often overlooked, but M.M. offers an impressive sociological reading of Ephesians.  Though I disagree with her on authorship (she is pro pseudonymity), she argues that Ephesians seems like it promotes an introversionist (sectarian) worldview (similar to the DSS), but practically urges believers to maintain their life in the world (as in the household codes).  Here I think she is spot on.  Her socio-rhetorical kind of engagement with the text often answers the kinds of questions I am asking, but, again, I don’t always agree with her answers.  I am happy to see her questions being asked!

Ben Witherington (Eerdmans): Again, a socio-rhetorical approach.  He is more conservative than MacDonald, and also is more interested in theology and application.  In recent years he has become more and more convinced that rhetorical criticism should play a central role in interpreting Paul’s letters.  Thus, he focuses on Ephesians as epideictic rhetoric.  This, in some ways, sets aside the life-setting of the epistle and focuses on the theology.  I am not entirely satisfied with this, but I recognize my own tendency to read too much behind Paul’s words (opponents, reactions to problems, etc…).

I happily consult Schnackenburg, Snodgrass, and the excellent work of Thorsten Mortiz on Ephesians.

Concerns: I think the ‘identity formation’ view of Ephesians, where it is addressing no problems and is simply generalizing the message of Colossians for a wider audience does not account for some serious aspects of the letter such as the strong militaristic/combatitive language in chapter 6.  If Ephesians bears significant resemblences to the DSS and apocalyptic literature, it is worth keeping in mind that many of these texts (but not all) are crisis-driven (here I am agreeing with David Hellholm).  That is not to say that the level of persecution is as serious as in Revelation, but there is enough reason, I think, to press further than ‘identity formation’ as the purpose, unless we can recognize that this objective meets the need of a confused, frustrated, new people of God trying to live in the world and not be of the world.  Here, again, I think MacDonald is closer than most.  Incidentally, she draws from John Elliott’s approach to 1 Peter (contra Balch).  I think this comparative analysis is very useful and we do not need to reinvent the wheel by going through the issues in Ephesians that overlap with 1 Peter.

For my further thoughts…well, I may post more on Ephesians.

Greg Beale leaving Wheaton? Biblical Studies chair vacancy…

UPDATE: Beale is leaving for Westminster Theological Seminary.  In an interview, he talks about ‘coming home’ theologically when he thinks about his move to WTS.  He also feels this is a good time to go to WTS in light of recent events there (which seems to be in relation to Peter Enns).  There will, no doubt, be discussions about how this move will affect the direction that WTS is going in (as in securing its convervative positions).  I am interested also, though, in the direction that Wheaton will go.  Whomever they hire will probably be an important leader in their graduate school and will be supervising phd students.  We will see…

Wheaton College
Department of Biblical and Theological Studies

WHEATON COLLEGE seeks candidates for the Wessner Chair of Biblical Studies.

This endowed position is a full time, tenure-track appointment to begin in August 2010.

The successful candidate will have a Ph.D., evidence of outstanding teaching, and a distinguished record of research and scholarship in New Testament studies.

The position involves mentoring doctoral students, teaching doctoral seminars and playing a leading role in the master�s program in biblical exegesis. Teaching load involves 12 semester hours per year.

Application forms will be sent to promising candidates.

Wheaton College is an evangelical Christian liberal arts college whose faculty affirm a Statement of Faith and adhere to lifestyle expectations. The College complies with federal and state guidelines for non-discrimination in employment.

Women and racial ethnic minorities are especially encouraged to apply.

Send letter of interest and curriculum vita to:
Ann Gerber,
Wessner Chair Search Committee,
Wheaton College,
Wheaton,
IL  60187-5593,

or via email to:
Wessnersearch@wheaton.edu.

Application deadline: September 30, 2009.