Friday, November 22
P22-302
Institute for Biblical Research
11/22/2013
4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Room: Peale C - Hilton Baltimore
Theme: Emerging Scholarship on the New Testament
This
session showcases emerging New Testament scholars sponsored by Fellows
of the Institute of Biblical Research. All are welcome to attend the
session. Summaries of the papers will be read at the session leaving
opportunity for discussion. Full papers will be available at the
Institute of Biblical Research website: http://www.ibr-bbr.org/ (click
on Emerging Scholarship on the New Testament Group) no later than
October 1, 2013. For information on this session please contact Ruth
Anne Reese (ruthanne.reese@asburyseminary.edu) and Mark Boda
(mjboda@mcmaster.ca).
Liz Myers, Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary (Mill Valley)
Literary Dependence between 1 Peter and Hebrews: A Probability Analysis of Intertextual Parallels (10 min)
Saturday, November 23
S23-320
Hebrews
Joint Session With: Hebrews, Intertextuality in the New Testament
11/23/2013
4:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Room: Holiday 1 - Hilton Baltimore
Theme: Space Theory and Emerging Studies
James Thompson, Abilene Christian University, Presiding
Gabriella Gelardini, Universität Basel
The Book of Hebrews and Critical Spacial Theory Revisited (25 min)
"Building on the discussions initiated in 2011
in this paper I shall revisit critical special theory in an attempt to
suggest additional gains for interpreting the Book of Hebrews."
Ellen Aitken, McGill University, Respondent (10 min)
Discussion (5 min)
Radu Gheorghita, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Hebrews by Heart: Benefits from an Ancient Discipline (20 min)
"The paper explores the value of Scripture
memorization as a distinct approach to biblical and theological studies.
While all forms of Scripture memorization are worthwhile, the
particular manner advocated in this paper is memorization of entire
books. Brief consideration is given to the ancient art of Scripture
memorization as practiced in both Jewish and Christian circles, with
further reflections on its declining usage today, not least among the
guild of theologians.
The main part of the paper will be devoted to examining the results of
this type of activity as applied to the memorization of the epistle to
the Hebrews. Attention will be given to several exegetical and
theological highlights gleaned from this exercise. At various levels of
analysis, be they simple (morphological, syntactical, or lexical), or
more complex (motif, discourse analysis, structural, or theological),
memorizing the epistle to the Hebrews enhances one’s capacity to
understand and relate to the truths of this special canonical writing."
Richard K. Min, University of Texas at Dallas
A New Interpretive Paradigm for Melchizedek in Heb 7:1-3 (20 min)
"The study of paradox has been one of the most
neglected areas in contemporary biblical scholarship for the latter half
of the 20th century. However, there has been a renewed interest due to
the innovative approach and breakthrough pioneered by Kripke in the
study of paradox of circularity, and its application to biblical paradox
by Min. This paper presents and extends this new perspective and
paradigm of circular reasoning and its interpretive validity for the
case of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:1-3). Some well-known examples of
biblical paradox of circularity are surveyed and analyzed. Two proof
methods in John 8:12-20 are analyzed and discussed for the validity of
circular reasoning and interpretation. A few noteworthy features in
biblical paradox including circularity, nonmonotonicity, and modality
are noted and discussed. One landmark example on biblical paradox in the
contemporary New Testament scholarship is found in the work of Cullmann
on the two-stage coming of the Kingdom of God, expressed in
temporal-modal logic of “already” and “not yet” in tension (Luke
17:20–30), in the framework of the salvation history. The current study
provides a promising new prospective and paradigm, with many
groundbreaking results toward the study of biblical paradox. This is the
author’s hope to bring a renewed interest, understanding, and
excitement toward the study of biblical paradox in the dawn of the 21st
century."
Kenneth Schenck, Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University, Respondent (10 min)
Discussion (5 min)
Eugenia Constantinou, University of San Diego
Hebrews in the Greek Orthodox Lenten Lectionary as Theological Explanation of Christ’s Atonement and Role as Great High Priest (20 min)
"The iconography and liturgy of the Greek
Orthodox Church frequently embraces the imagery of Christ as the Great
High Priest, but its theology traditionally minimizes the death of
Christ as atoning sacrifice in favor of a strongly Resurrection-oriented
theology. During the season of Great Lent, however, the Sunday
lectionary readings highlight the sacrificial aspect of Christ’s death,
both affirming it as atonement and calling that fact to remembrance on
the part of the faithful through the use of the Book of Hebrews in the
Sunday epistle readings. These carefully excerpted lectionary selections
from Hebrews create a chain of theological interpretation which looks
back on Old Testament history as incomplete and unfulfilled, and
contrasts it with the death of Christ as the perfect sacrifice, bringing
all sacrifice to a culminating completion. The lectionary selections
from Hebrews create both a historical and a theological context for the
events which are later “scripturally remembered” and “liturgically
lived” during Holy Week."
Kevin B. McCruden, Gonzaga University
Our
High Priest Is Cuter Than Your High Priest: The High Priesthood of
Jesus in Hebrews in light of the Greco-Roman Category of Priesthood (20 min)
"The Epistle to the Hebrews clearly links the
theme of the priesthood of Jesus to biblical antecedents. However, the
implications of the letter’s priestly Christology likely would have
given encouragement to persons living in a Greco-Roman context, where
there were competing understandings of priesthood and sacrifice. Guided
by this assumption, this paper seeks to examine the complex civic and
religious dimensions underlying the category of priesthood in the
imperial period and explore how these dimensions illuminate key aspects
of Hebrews’ christological presentation of Jesus as an eternal high
priest. While substantive attention will be given in this paper to the
role of the Roman emperor in connection with the category of priesthood
both in imperial Rome and the provinces, I will not argue that the
author of Hebrews is engaging in any kind of veiled or even overt
criticism of the Roman imperial order. I seek instead to demonstrate
how the qualities of power, privilege, and elite social status
characteristic of the category of priesthood in the milieu of the
Greco-Roman world are appropriated creatively by the author of Hebrews
in an attempt to present Jesus as the most noble of priests. This
motivation is guided less by any political agenda than it is by the
marginalized situation of the first auditors of Hebrews. Cognizant of
the various personal and communal crises attendant upon conversion, the
author of Hebrews sketches a portrait of Jesus as high priest that
functions largely to celebrate the honorable status of Jesus. In this
way, the author employs theological reflection in the service of what I
see as a principal social task of this letter, namely: the shaping of
the identity of the original auditors of Hebrews."
Amy Peeler, Wheaton College (Illinois), Respondent (10 min)
Discussion (5 min)
S23-337
Religious Experience in Early Judaism and Early Christianity
Joint Session With: Religious Experience in Early Judaism and Early Christianity, Senses and Culture in the Biblical World
11/23/2013
4:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Room: Key 12 - Hilton BaltimoreTheme: Sensory Perception and Religious Experience
Frances Flannery, James Madison University, Presiding
Scott D. Mackie, Independent Scholar
Visionary Experience in the Epistle to the Hebrews (30 min)
"The role of visionary experience in the
development of New Testament Christology is increasingly attracting
critical attention. Somewhat less attention, however, has been paid to
the role and function of visions in the worshipping life of early
Christian communities. This essay contends that visionary experience
shapes and defines the Epistle to the Hebrews in both of these respects.
The author’s personal visionary experience appears to be reflected in
both the unique content and dramatized format of his portrayal of Jesus.
His intent to inspire and evoke in the addressed community a vision of
Jesus as the efficacious high priest and exalted Son of God is apparent
in a number of rhetorical practices and hortatory strategies that appear
throughout this self-professed “word of exhortation.” These visually
oriented practices and strategies are expressed in three ways: (1) The
author dramatizes his narrative, with speaking actors and carefully
drawn characters, settings, and circumstances all serving to increase
the production of visual imagery in the community’s imagination, and so
encourage their substantive entry into the dramatic narrative. (2)
Community is reinforced visually, as cues and commands to “behold” and
“look closely at one another” are issued, solidifying their sense of
family mutuality and belonging. (3) The vivid descriptions ultimately
serve a mystical purpose, as the mental imagery they evoke functions as a
springboard for an actual visual encounter, “setting the stage” for the
community’s visual apprehension of the enthroned Son and his high
priestly ministry in the heavenly sanctuary. The visual encounter is
either elicited by an exhortation to “look at” or “gaze upon” Jesus, or
signaled by the observation that he is “now” visible. A hortatory
purpose is preeminent: conditions of suffering and marginalization have
challenged the community’s commitment. The author wants them to see into
the future, past their present, nearly engulfing experience of
suffering, thus substantiating by sight the “now, but not yet”
eschatological tension which constitutes a significant portion of his
“doctrinal” presentation. Most significantly, a vision of Jesus “crowned
with glory and honor because of the suffering of death” (2:9) will
assure the community that their endurance of sufferings will issue also
in divine vindication. Like Moses, they will “persevere by seeing him
who is invisible” (11:27)."
Sunday, November 24
S24-129
Mark
11/24/2013
9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Room: 346 - Convention CenterTheme: Putting Mark in Its Place — Mark and Others
Papers are distributed to Seminar members in advance.
Rikk Watts, Regent College, Presiding
Daniel Lynwood Smith, Saint Louis University
From Water to Wilderness: Situating Mark’s Baptismal Theology in First-Century Christianity (10 min)
"Scholars with an interest in the earliest
Christian baptismal theology tend to look to Paul, who offers a rich
variety of symbols to describe this ritual. The Gospels of Matthew and
John comment further on baptism: Matthew deals with the problem of
Jesus’ baptism by John, and John admits that Jesus and his disciples
were involved in baptizing. Mark is often overlooked. Yet Mark’s
description of Jesus’ temptation, frequently interpreted in terms of a
New Adam typology, is more suggestive of a New Israel typology. In Mark
1:9-13, I suggest that the evangelist links Jesus’ baptism and
temptation in the desert, with the Israelite exodus and wilderness
wanderings. This link between Christian baptism and Israelite exodus is
made explicit earlier by Paul (in 1 Cor 10). Yet, Mark’s own connection
is embellished and explained more fully by his interpreter Matthew, in
Matt 2-4. This connection between the story of Israel and the story of
Jesus and the early Christian community is further explored in the
Letter to the Hebrews, where the emphasis moves from the entrance rite
of baptism to the living out of the Christian life - or from the water
to the wilderness."
S24-223
Greco-Roman Religions
11/24/2013
1:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Room: Latrobe - Hilton BaltimoreTheme: Attitudinal Practices: Relating to Authorizing Agencies and Redescribing Faith, Belief, and Piety
James Hanges, Miami University, Presiding (5 min)
Faith as Attitudinal Practice in the Writings of John Chrysostom (25 min)
"In most instances the study of ‘faith’ in
early Christianity has been related to theological issues, particularly
to its meaning in the daily devotion of Christian life. The aim of this
paper is to revisit the concept of faith as an attitudinal practice,
with the writings of John Chrysostom serving as a case study. If one
reads Chrysostom’s homily 23 On Hebrews, it becomes clear that faith has
social, cultural and political dimensions alongside its conventional
religious dimension. Chrysostom especially relates faith to the
communication, transmission and regulation of knowledge (especially, but
not exclusively, by means of prophecy). Once knowledge is concerned,
the dynamics of power are active. This would have very practical
implications for the formation of virtue and identities in late ancient
Christian communities. Through this lens, the paper will especially
focus on Chrysostom’s discussions of faith in connection with reason
(and knowledge), virtue (and discipline) and identity (and alterity)."
S24-230
Intertextuality in the New Testament
11/24/2013
1:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Room: 347 - Convention CenterTheme: The Intertextuality of the Letter to the Hebrews: The Use of Scripture Guided by Contemporary Literary Traditions
B. J. Oropeza, Azusa Pacific University, Presiding
Kevin Joseph Haley, Saint John's Seminary (Camarillo, CA)
They Shall Not Enter into My Rest: The Nature and Function of Psalm 95 in Hebrews 3–4 (25 min)
"Hebrews 3-4 consists mostly of the text and
interpretation of the latter part of Ps 95. The call for a decision
“today” is an important part of the Deuteronomic theology that pervades
the latter part of this psalm and thus makes it applicable to the
original audience of Hebrews. “Today” is the hinge between the first
part of the Psalm with the call to praise and its intertwined themes of
creation and election and the last part of the Psalm that concludes with
a warning and an ominous oath. The “today” stands in relief against
what precedes and what follows and puts in stark relief the emphasis on
God’s activity in Ps 95:1-7a with the sinful ways of “our ancestors” in
vv 8-11. As W. Dennis Tucker says, “with this opening word, the
psalmist sets the tenor—a deuteronomic tenor—for the remainder of the
Psalm.” The generation who hears this Psalm, in whatever period, is
faced with this existential decision, the same one that Moses and Joshua
offered to Israel in their respective times. It is this urgency which
the author of Hebrews uses to confront his own audience. The original
context of Ps 95 is elusive because of its perennial message. Its power
is that it looks simultaneously at God’s actions in the past and the
prospect of future rest, both of which meet in the existential decision
of the present moment."
Discussion (5 min)
Ken Schenck, Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University
Contact: How Hebrews and Philo Connected Scriptures Together (25 min)
"Although scholarship ebbs and flows in its
sense of how likely it is that the author of Hebrews knew of Philo, both
of these authors attest to certain common mechanisms by which they
connected Jewish Scriptural texts to each other. This paper explores
techniques Hebrews and Philo held in common and analyzes their
similarities and differences.
First, the paper shows that Hebrews and Philo seemed to have used a
similar text of the LXX at a number of idiosyncratic points. Second, it
shows that they both often used a secondary text to reinforce or develop
the putative meaning of a primary text.
The remainder of the paper analyzes three similar exegetical techniques
they both arguably used to connect Scriptures together. Both use exempla
from the Jewish Scriptures with commonly perceived characteristics to
reinforce a point. Hebrews 11 is an obvious example for Hebrews. Philo's
lengthy discussion of Genesis 3:14-15 in his Allegorical Interpretation
also provides several examples of such exempla.
Both Hebrews and Philo connect texts to each other on the basis of
catchwords (gezera shawa). Hebrews 4:1-11 is an obvious example of
connecting Psalm 95 to Genesis 2:2 based on the word "rest." The same
section of Philo's Allegorical Interpretation has an example of such a
connection made on the basis of being cursed (Leg. All. 3:107).
Most of Philo's connections, however, are made on the basis of some
deeper, more allegorical connection between what he perceives to be the
deeper meaning of one passage and that of another. He uses the
etymologies of names, for example, to discover deep meanings he can
connect to the deep meanings of other passages. He does this with the
name of Noah and Melchizedek and Bezalel in the same section of the
Allegorical Commentary mentioned above. Interestingly, many of the
passages Philo links together in this section are also passages that
appear throughout Hebrews.
Hebrews is not averse to such interpretive techniques (e.g., 7:1-3),
although it uses them more to interpret individual passages than to
connect passages in the Jewish Scripture to each other. Hebrews thus
sticks a little closer to the surface of texts when making connections
than Philo, whose connections more often are allegorical. Hebrews uses
allegorical interpretation, just not so much in the connection of
scriptural texts.
The paper concludes by noting again the striking amount of similarity
between Hebrews and Philo just on this one topic alone just in one
section in Philo. It corroborates again the sense that, whether the
author of Hebrews knew Philo's works or not, the two individuals surely
swam in very similar Diaspora waters."
Discussion (5 min)
Michael Kibbe, Wheaton College Graduate School
Which Mountain? Which Mediator? The Sinai Narratives in Heb 12:18–29 (25 min)
"Hebrews’ description of Sinai—the place to
which his audience has not come—draws from Israel’s experience there as
described in both Exodus 19–20 and Deuteronomy 4–5. This paper explores
the function of the various allusions and citations from these texts in
Hebrews 12:18–29 in order to discern their function in Hebrews’ contrast
between Israel at Sinai and his listeners at Zion.
I first discuss points of continuity and discontinuity between the Sinai
narratives and Hebrews’ interpretation of them. Then, I engage
particular points of discontinuity by examining the three-way
intersection of Hebrews as reader of OT texts, Hebrews as Second Temple
Jewish reader of OT texts, and Hebrews as Christian reader of OT texts.
In other words, the cultural encyclopedia from which Hebrews 12:18–29
arises includes not only the Sinai narratives themselves, but also
Second Temple eschatological traditions about Sinai, Moses, and Zion,
and especially his belief that the coming of Jesus represented a
fundamental shift in Israel’s covenant narrative.
These three dynamics are necessarily linked at every point; we cannot
isolate them so as to say “here Hebrews is simply parroting common ideas
about a Sinai-like eschatological shaking of creation,” or “here
Hebrews is arbitrarily downplaying Moses so as to exalt Christ,” or
“here Hebrews is merely expounding upon his OT irrespective of Jewish
and Christian assumptions.” And of course a fourth dynamic, the
hoped-for rhetorical effect of the Sinai-Zion comparison on Hebrews’
recipients, stands at the crossroads of the other three. In order to
accomplish that effect, Hebrews takes up Exodus and Deuteronomy in ways
that are faithful to those texts themselves, comprehensible (though
perhaps controversial) within his Second Temple milieu, and ultimately
governed by his belief that Jesus, the one like-yet-unlike Moses, has
led Israel once more to the mountain of God."
Discussion (5 min)
Liz Myers, Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary (Mill Valley)
The Probability of Literary Dependence between 1 Peter and Hebrews (25 min)
"The presence of numerous conceptual and verbal
parallels between 1 Peter and Hebrews is one of the most curious
phenomena occurring in NT literature. Such parallels raise the question
of a possible relationship between these books. Might this be a case of
literary dependence? The question begs an answer since conclusive
evidence of a direct literary relationship could have potential
implications, not only for exegetical study of both books, but also for
textual criticism and relative dating of the documents. While scholars
have explored the possibility of an interdependent literary
relationship, most published studies attribute the similarities to
several different factors that might have been common to both authors.
The analysis methods, however, have proved neither comprehensive nor
systematic, and results have been inconclusive. This paper presents the
first phase of a two-phase research project that seeks to address
methodological shortfalls of previous studies and discern what kind of
relationship, if any, might be indicated by the intertextual parallels.
The first phase asks “what is the likelihood of a direct literary
connection between these documents?” The question of literary dependence
is approached as a probability analysis. Specifically, this paper shows
how the likelihood of literary dependence can be assessed by examining
intertextual parallels for evidence of appropriate indicators and
applying probability theory to the data in a controlled manner that
ensures a meaningful result. Application of the methodology to the
parallels between 1 Peter and Hebrews demonstrates the thesis that these
documents are more likely than not to be related through direct
literary dependence. Such an outcome establishes a literary basis from
which to proceed to the second phase of the research project, which
investigates the question of who used whom. This paper presents a
summary of the probability analysis and highlights potential
implications for multiple facets of NT studies."
Discussion (5 min)
Matthew W. Bates, Quincy University
When Jesus Speaks in the Old Testament: A Theodramatic Proposal (25 min)
"The author of Hebrews has determined that
Jesus Christ is the speaker of the Old Testament passages cited in the
catena in Hebrews 2:11-13 (Ps 21:23 LXX and Isaiah 8:17-18 LXX) and in
Hebrews 10:5-9 (Ps 39:7-9 LXX). But how and why? I shall offer a new
proposal, arguing that the author of Hebrews participates in what is
best termed theodramatic or prosopological exegesis, a reading strategy
known from the early church Fathers and Greco-Roman antiquity. In
short, the earliest Christians believed that the Old Testament prophets,
such as David or Isaiah, could slip into a role (prosopon) as an actor
and perform a speech or dialogue in an adopted persona. This paper will
develop the theodramatic model used in the earliest church in detail by
looking at theoretical descriptions of the method in early patristic
exegesis. Then it will show the theological payoff that results from
understanding this ancient theodramatic model by concretely
demonstrating how shifts in speaker and tense in the Septuagint texts
helped the author of Hebrews identify Jesus as the speaker of these
passages."
Discussion (5 min)
S24-307a
Christian Apocrypha
11/24/2013
4:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Room: 349 - Convention CenterTheme: New Perspectives on Christian Apocryphal Literature
Tony Burke, York University, Presiding
Eric Vanden Eykel, Marquette University
A Virgin Shall Spin and Bear a Son: Reconsidering the Significance of Mary’s Work in the Protevangelium Jacobi (20 min)
"In the so-called Protevangelium Jacobi, Mary
spins thread for the temple veil while receiving news of her impending
pregnancy. Some have argued that her work is apologetic, countering the
unflattering claim (of Celsus) that she spun in order to make ends meet,
others that it is indicative of her virtue, intended to portray her as
laudable. Without questioning the validity of these observations, I
argue on literary grounds that Mary’s spinning establishes a threefold
relationship between Jesus, the young Virgin, and the Jerusalem temple,
and that it indicates a correspondence between the temple veil and
Jesus’ flesh.
Three sources of intertextual resonance layer the significance of
Mary's spinning. First, the Moirae of Greco-Roman mythology allow the
reader to interpret her work metaphorically, as a participation in the
forces that govern divine as well as human destiny. Second, in light of
the association between Mary and the Moirae, the Synoptic rending of the
temple veil (velum scissum) demonstrates that the thread spun by Mary,
symbolizing Jesus own life span, is cut by God at the crucifixion.
Finally, the Epistle to the Hebrews (specifically 10:20) provides a
sounding board for the aforementioned connections, namely, that the
destruction of the veil, itself emblematic of Jesus’ flesh, represents a
literal opening of the entryway into the holy of holies.
The virgin spinner emerges as one with considerable authority, if
qualified. As the willing vehicle of the incarnation, her role in the
process of redemption—and thus human destiny—is undeniable. On the other
hand, the correlation between the work of her hands and the child in
her womb, understood as none other than the God of whom she declares
herself a servant, locates the Virgin squarely within the divine plan,
subordinate to the very thread she spins."
Monday, November 25
S25-104
African Biblical Hermeneutics
11/25/2013
9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Room: Holiday 3 - Hilton BaltimoreTheme: Biblical Interpretation Incorporating African Cultural Elements
Papers
in this session engage the Biblical text from the vantage point of
African cultural, philosophical, and religious standpoints.
Tim Hartman, University of Virginia
The
Power of the Dead among the Living: Reckoning with Jesus as Ancestor in
Kwame Bediako’s Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews (25 min)
"In many African cultures, significant clan
rulers and ancestors who have died are commonly referred to as “the
living dead”—active members of the community who dispense advice and
play a decisive role in the affairs of society in spite of their
physical absence who are regularly offered food and drink in ritual
libation ceremonies. Ghanaian Kwame Bediako sees continuity between the
pre-Christian African past and the Christian present based on Jesus
Christ’s universality and translatability. He claims that the Epistle to
the Hebrews is “OUR Epistle!” and uses the Epistle to connect the
gospel of Christ to African culture. Drawing on published sources as
well as unpublished sermon manuscripts, this paper presents Bediako’s
exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews and its relevance to
contemporary political theology, the relationship of African Christians
to Jews, Western assumptions about the living and the dead, and
hermeneutical strategies for reading Hebrews today."
Discussion (5 min)
S25-117
Early Jewish Christian Relations
11/25/2013
9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Room: Calloway - Hilton BaltimoreTheme: Holy Days, Holy Places: Ritual Practices at the Boundaries
Christine Shepardson, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Presiding
Daniel R. Streett, Durham University
Heavenly Holidays: Angelic Festival Observance in Early Judaism and the Letter to the Hebrews (30 min)
"It is widely recognized that Israel’s
festivals figure prominently in the NT work known as the Letter to the
Hebrews. Most scholars, naturally, have focused on Yom Kippur, although
G. Gelardini has recently proposed Tisha Be-Av as the key festal
backdrop for the letter. In this paper, I discuss Heb 12:22, which
contrasts Israel’s assembly at Mt. Sinai with early Christians’
figurative approach to Mt. Zion. The passage depicts Mt. Zion as the
“heavenly Jerusalem” where “myriads of angels” are gathered in a
festival celebration (panegyris). Surprisingly, scholars have almost
uniformly failed to read this passage in relation to the letter’s
overall reception of Israel’s Jewish festivals and priestly cultus.
I propose to read this passage, and the letter as whole, in the
context of Jewish traditions that understood Israel’s festivals to have
an angelic, heavenly, counterpart. Important evidence for this can be
found, inter alia, in a) Jub. 6:17–18, which states that the Feast of
Weeks had been celebrated in heaven from creation until the deluge; b)
Pseudo-Philo, L.A.B. XIII.6, who discusses a heavenly Rosh Hashanah; and
c) 4QSongs of the Sabbath Sacrifice, which narrates an angelic liturgy.
When read in this context, Heb 12:22–23 is understood as belonging to a
tradition of Judaism which interpreted Israel’s festivals
apocalyptically and eschatologically. Hebrews 12, then, should be
treated as important evidence for the way some early Christian
communities negotiated their relationship with Jewish festal ideology
and praxis."
S25-126
John's Apocalypse and Cultural Contexts Ancient and Modern
Joint Session With: John's Apocalypse and Cultural Contexts Ancient and Modern, Ethiopic Bible and Literature
11/25/2013
9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Room: 312 - Convention CenterTheme: Book of Revelation in Ethiopic Contexts and Traditions
Lynn Huber, Elon University, Presiding
Mark C. Kiley, Saint John's University
Taking the Measure of Revelation's Catholicity (30 min)
"This presentation focuses on the degree to
which the Apocalypse reflects dialogue with later works of the NT canon
as well as with 1 Enoch. The analysis begins with statistical
comparison of themes shared among Revelation, the co-called catholic
epistles, and Hebrews.
Relatively unique thematic clusters are present in these late canonical
texts. In addition to the juxtaposition of letter –like and other
genres, Revelation also shares with Hebrews an interest in the
tabernacling presence of God, an appreciation of Jesus’ role in
cleansing by his blood, and a Sabbath/rest for the people of God. Both
James and Revelation explicitly address the Diaspora, discuss wisdom
“from above”, display an appreciation of prophetic activity and the
twelve tribes, as well as calls for justice. With 1 Peter, Revelation
depicts the priestly identity and persecution of the elect, and some
version of lion and lamb imagery. Both Revelation and 2 Peter insist on
the future consummation of what has begun in Christ and enlist the
topos of 1000 years in the articulation of that agenda.
Most interestingly, Jude and Revelation show a heavy indebtedness to
themes that recur in 1 Enoch. Under that umbrella, I pay special
attention to those sections of 1 Enoch that discuss measurement, and
attempt to discern the degree to which Enoch’s version of this theme
also shapes Revelation. On the way, I will try to discern whether the
Seer has independent access to 1 Enoch as such. This study of
measurement texts will attend to the full range of Enochic manuscripts
that have come to light in the last century, with particular focus on
the Ethiopic.
In light of these findings, a coda will suggest the coherence of the
reference in John 3 to the Spirit given without measure."
S25-314
Hebrews
Joint Session With: Hebrews, Intertextuality in the New Testament
11/25/2013
4:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Room: 321 - Convention CenterTheme: Reception History
Gabriella Gelardini, Universität Basel, Presiding
Harold W. Attridge, Yale University
Jesus as High Priest Outside Hebrews: Patristic "Canonical" Readings of Hebrews (25 min)
"Reading Hebrews within the canon of the New
Testament encouraged interpretation of the Epistle through the lens of
other NT authors. The paper explores the phenomenon with special
attention to the ways in which the Gospel of John and Hebrews mutually
influenced the reading of the other text."
Jon Laansma, Wheaton College (Illinois), Respondent (10 min)
Discussion (10 min)
Michael Allen, Knox Theological Seminary
Witnesses on the Journey to Perfection: The Nature and Ethics of Theological Retrieval according to the Epistle to the Hebrews (25 min)
"The Epistle to the Hebrews opens space for
reflection upon the nature of theological renewal by means of exegetical
and dogmatic retrieval. This paper reflects upon the eschatology,
anthropology, and soteriology of the Epistle, noting that it portrays a
“great cloud of witnesses” with whom we journey spiritually and
intellectually. The Epistle affirms the role of earlier witnesses
(evidenced not only by the litany in Hebrews 11-12:2 but also by its
arguments via scriptural exegesis) while also noting that these
witnesses were not perfected (Heb. 11:40). Therefore, the paper offers
an account of the nature and ethics of theological retrieval in a key
provided by the Epistle to the Hebrews by focusing on its use of the
metaphor of the journey."
Jesper Svartvik, Lunds Universitet, Respondent (10 min)
Discussion (10 min)
Craig R. Koester, Luther Seminary
“In Many and Various Ways”: Theological Interpretation of Hebrews in the Modern Period (25 min)
"Historical study of Hebrews investigates the
theological traditions and social context that shaped the composition of
the book. Reception history brings these questions full circle by
asking about the theological traditions and historical situations that
have shaped major interpretations of Hebrews. This paper focuses on
three lines of modern interpretation: First, Alexander Bruce and James
Moffatt came from the wing of the Scottish Reformed tradition that
acknowledged the role of historical development on early Christianity.
Although their work was historical, they kept modern secular readers in
mind, emphasizing that Hebrews is about freedom of access to a God who
might seem distant. Christ’s self-sacrifice did not placate divine wrath
but conveyed the love creates fellowship with God. Second, Otto Michel
and Ernst Käsemann came from the German Lutheran tradition and stressed
the importance of God’s Word and the church’s confession in Hebrews.
Their work reflects the struggle of the Confessing Church against
National Socialism in the 1930s. For them, Hebrews is an exhortation to
persevere in faith in a time of suffering. Third, Albert Vanhoye
reflects Roman Catholic tradition and emphasizes Christ’s high priestly
mediation. He discerned a symmetrical architecture in Hebrews, with the
liturgical portrayal of Christ’s high-priestly sacrifice at the center
(Heb 9:11-12). In the wake of controversies concerning priesthood after
Vatican II, he proposed that Christ’s priestly mediation is made
tangible through the sacramental ministry of the church and its leaders.
As we explore the theological paradigms and social contexts that shaped
interpreters in the past, we see how these factors continue to
influence the interpretation of Hebrews. Such investigation into
reception history also encourages reflection on the close relationship
of historical and literary studies to issues of theology, as well as the
ongoing relevance of Hebrews."
Ekkehard Stegemann, Universität Basel, Respondent (10 min)
Discussion (10 min)
Discussion (15 min)
S25-321
Matthew
11/25/2013
4:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Room: Peale B - Hilton BaltimoreTheme: Themes and Studies in Matthew's Gospel
Daniel Gurtner, Bethel University (Minnesota), Presiding
Jeffrey S. Siker, Loyola Marymount University
Prison & Interpretation in Matt 25:31-46 (20 min)
"In this paper I explore the interpretation of
Matthew’s eschatological judgment in 25:31-46 with a focus on visiting
those in prison. This important story about the future judgment of the
sheep and the goats includes the statement by the Son of Man to the
righteous sheep that “I was in prison and you visited me” (25:36), and
conversely to the accursed goats that “[I was] in prison and you did not
visit me” (25:43). The reference to visiting those in prison has
received surprisingly little attention in the commentary literature
(e.g., Davies & Allison, Luz, Bruner). What would it have meant in
the Matthean context to visit those in prison? What was Matthew
referring to? Does Matthew’s reference to the imprisonment of John the
Baptist (11:2; 14:3, 10) or the story of the indebted slave in prison
(18:30) shed any light on the meaning of visiting those in prison for
Matthew, and how such visiting relates to the other charitable acts that
are affirmed in Matthew 25:31-46? Do Paul’s imprisonments (Rom 16:7; 2
Cor 6:5; 11:23; Phlm 10, 13; Phil 1:7-13) or references to prison in
Hebrews (10:34; 11:36; 13:3) help us to comprehend better Matthew’s
understanding of attending to those in prison? What happens, in the
long history of Matthean interpretation, when those who are imprisoned
are not jailed as a result of being persecuted for righteousness’ sake
(Mt 5:10-11), but because they have committed truly criminal acts?
Thus, in this paper I address: 1) the first century contexts for
understanding Matthew’s reference to prison in the Roman context (from
Paul’s custodia libera – liberal detention—, to prison as a brief
holding pen before execution or exile, to prison as a place of torture);
and 2) how Matthew’s reference to visiting those in prison has been
interpreted in ancient (e.g., Chrysostom, Augustine) and modern
theological contexts (e.g., Tolstoy, Gutiérrez, Moltmann)."
S25-332
Social History of Formative Christianity and Judaism
11/25/2013
4:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Room: Key 8 - Hilton BaltimoreTheme: Religion and the Market
Philippa Townsend, Ursinus College, Presiding (5 min)
Chris L. de Wet, University of South Africa
Asceticizing
the Spectacles of Distinction in the Marketplace: John Chrysostom on
the Public Appearance of Female Roman Aristocrats (25 min)
"Like many of the malls in affluent urban areas
today, the late ancient Roman marketplace was not merely a space where
one goes to purchase goods and/or services. It was a type of informal
‘theatre’ itself, where many individuals were expected to embody various
roles. The homilies of John Chrysostom exhibit numerous condemnations
of wealthy female Roman aristocrats flaunting their wealth, and thus
their status, in the public space of the market. One of the most
vehement of these accusations is found in his homily 28.9-10 On Hebrews,
where he lashes out against the luxurious marketplace processions of
aristocratic Constantinopolitan women. But such displays should not
merely be reduced to instances of vainglorious ego boosting, as
Chrysostom recounts them. Rather, these spectacles of social distinction
represent very important social negotiations and reproductions that
have been conditioned into the Roman aristocratic classes, especially
women – a strategic politic of managing and regulating appearances
demanded by a particular social space, namely the market. Utilizing the
social theory of Pierre Bourdieu, this paper will look at the social
function of these strategies of pretension and aesthetic representation,
particularly those expected of women, and account for their role in the
marketplace. Thereafter, the implications of Chrysostom’s new politics
of appearance will be investigated. It is argued that Chrysostom applies
various technologies for ‘asceticizing’ such appearances, not to
dismantle to frameworks of upper class Roman distinction, but to create a
new form of social distinction with a new politic of representation
and, in essence, redefine the character of the marketplace itself."
Tuesday, November 26
S26-126
Space, Place, and Lived Experience in Antiquity
Joint Session With: Space, Place, and Lived Experience in Antiquity, Archaeology of Religion in the Roman World
11/26/2013
9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Room: 343 - Convention CenterTheme: Borders and Borderlands
Christine Thomas, University of California-Santa Barbara, Presiding
Jennifer T. Kaalund, Drew University
Inside Out: Place and the Making of Christian Identity in Epistle to the Hebrews (30 min)
"Scholars of early Christianity have examined
Christian identity as a place of malleability and negotiation. One way
Christians identified themselves was as “other.” In his book, Sojourners
and Aliens: Self as Other in Early Christianity, Ben Dunning writes:
“alien status becomes itself a site of a compelling doubleness: it
retains its negative connotations of social estrangement and
marginality, while also, and at the same time being refigured as a ‘mark
of excellence, a source of power’ – thus a double useful resource
around which to figure the complexities of identity” (Dunning, 7). This
kind of “rhetorical maneuvering” is found in Hebrews where dis/placed
and strange bodies are employed in the imaginative construction of
Christian identity.
Indeed, Hebrews calls its audience to embrace an identity of liminality,
describing the faithful ancestors as “strangers and foreigners” (11:13)
for whom God prepared a “better country” (11:16), and promised a
heavenly city (11:16). These exemplars of the faith go about “in sheep-
and goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented…wandering in
deserts, and mountains, and in caves and holes in the earth” (11:37-38).
The audience is encouraged to imitate their forebearers and accept this
liminal, spatially constructed identity. The author creates a Christian
geography, ultimately exhorting the audience to go “outside the camp”
(13:13) because they have “no lasting city.” As such, the question of
place and placelessness is a significant feature of Christian identity
in this text. “Placing” Christians outside of time and occupying strange
spaces results in an identity that is not only mobile, but one that is
also fragile.
Drawing on social and literary theory concerning spatiality, empire
studies, and scholarship on early Christian identity formation, I will
examine how exploring space and place in Hebrews can further elucidate
both the alien motif in early Christianity and how embracing alterity,
blurring the boundaries between inside and out, remains a dangerous
although at times necessary means of survival, particularly in an
urbanized imperial context."
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