Articles in TynBul 46.1 (May.1995)

THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE PSALTER
Pages 1-27
Roger T. Beckwith
Warden, Latimer House, Oxford

Summary
The Psalms are full of references to music, Jerusalem and the sanctuary. Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah say they were being performed there by the Levites, and the titles (which have a marked community of ideas and language with those books, though without dependence) endorse this. The division into five books pre-dates the LXX version, but there are many indications, in the text and titles, of a still earlier division into three. The meaning of the musical directions and other technical terms in the titles had been forgotten, in Semitic circles as well as Hellenistic, before the LXX version was made. Since, after the Exile, the Psalms were being performed continuously, this suggests that the titles are even pre-exilic. The final component of the titles has its own history. The eccentric Psalms MSS from Qumran are probably liturgical adaptations.

PAPYRUS MAGDALEN GREEK 17 (GREGORY-ALAND P64): A REAPPRAISAL
Pages 29-42
Carsten Peter Thiede
Director, Institut fur Wissenschaftstheoretische Grundlagenforschung, Paderborn

Summary
More than forty years after C.H. Roberts' first edition of P64, this new edition provides the first complete reconstruction of all six sides of the three fragments kept at Magdalen College, Oxford. It corrects a number of errors, adds an improved reading of several verses, in particular of Matthew 26:22, which contribute to a better understanding of early Christian scribal habits; it furthermore discusses the question of nomina sacra for which P64 provides the three earliest known examples, and it reopens the question of the dating. With the first-century date suggested as a result of a comparative analysis using newly available manuscripts, P64 and, along with it, P67 are the earliest known codex fragments of the New Testament.



EXPLORING THE COMMON IDENTIFICATION OF THREE NEW TESTAMENT MANUSCRIPTS: P4, P64 AND P67
Pages 43-54
Philip W. Comfort
Visiting Professor in New Testament, Wheaton College, Illinois

Summary
This article explores the common identity of three very early Gospel manuscripts. Some scholars have believed that P4, P64 and P67 all came from the same codex; others have doubted. The newly proposed dating of P64 to the late first century makes this exploration all the more vital. This article examines the provenance and paleography of all three papyri in an attempt to demonstrate a common scribe. Then the article presents an argument for dating P4 to the second century.



THE BOOK OF JOB AND THE FEAR OF GOD
Pages 59-79
Lindsay Wilson
Lecturer in Old Testament, Ridley College, Melbourne

Summary
This article studies the function of the 'fear of God' idea in the book of Job. It is argued that, despite the difference in terminology, the 'fear of God' is equivalent to the 'fear of the LORD' concept of Proverbs. The location of the motif in the final form of the book of Job suggests that the 'fear of God' is not being proposed as the answer to Job's dilemma. Rather, Job is one who maintains his 'fear of God' throughout the book, yet is left with his questions and suffering. The 'fear of God' is seen as the solution by Job's friends, the wisdom interlude of chapter 28, and by Elihu, yet all this is overridden by the Yahweh speeches and epilogue, where the 'fear of God' is not mentioned. While the 'fear of God' is central to the wisdom stream, the book of Job establishes that it is not the answer to every problem in life.



THE WORD, THE WORDS AND THE WITNESS: PROCLAMATION AS DIVINE AND HUMAN REALITY IN THE THEOLOGY OF KARL BARTH
Pages 81-102
Trevor Hart
Lecturer in Systematic Theology, University of Aberdeen

Summary
Karl Barth's entire theology is predicated upon the supposition that God has spoken to human beings. His exposition of the doctrine of the Word of God is informed both by trinitarian and incarnational analogies and insights. In each of the three forms of God's Word (Jesus of Nazareth, scripture, and Christian preaching) there is a paradox and scandal of identity between the divine and the human to be grasped. The relationships between these three, and the peculiar duality in unity which each manifests, are explored in this essay in relation to Barth's characteristic understanding of revelation as event.



WHY BARZILLAI OF GILEAD (1 KINGS 2:7)?: NARRATIVE ART AND THE HERMENEUTICS OF SUSPICION IN 1 KINGS 1-2
Pages 103-116
Iain W. Provan
Lecturer in Old Testament, University of Edinburgh

Summary
Even if one remains uneasy about the precise direction in which much recent scholarship on biblical narrative has been moving, it is the case that much can be learned from the kind of approaches which have been developed. This paper argues, for example, that the author of 1 Kings 1-2 invites the reader to employ a 'hermeneutic of suspicion' in relation to his story by the artful way in which he tells it; and that the employment of such a hermeneutic enables a deeper grasp of what the story is about than would otherwise be possible.



THE WAYYIQTOL AS 'PLUPERFECT': WHEN AND WHY
Pages 117-140
C. John Collins
Associate Professor in Old Testament, Covenant Theological Seminary, St. Louis

Summary
This article examines the possibility that the Hebrew wayyiqtol verb form itself, without a previous perfect, may denote what in Western languages would be expressed by a pluperfect tense, and attempts to articulate how we might discern it in a given passage, and the communicative effect of such a usage. The article concludes that there is an unmarked pluperfect usage of the wayyiqtol verb form; and that it may be detected when one of three conditions is met. Application of these results demonstrates that this usage is not present in 1 Samuel 14:24, while it is present in Genesis 2:19.



POST-MORTEM EVANGELISM: A RESPONSE TO R.R. COOK
Pages 141-150
Tony Gray
Wolfson College, Oxford

Summary
Robert Cook has recently presented an examination of the notion of post-mortem evangelism as found in the writings of Clark Pinnock, an examination which declared Pinnock's position to be internally consistent. This article questions both Pinnock's position and Cook's analysis, on the grounds that it appears impossible to make sense of what it means for a sinner to choose hell. It is also suggested that this is part of a larger failure on the part of theodicy to understand the radical nature of evil.



THE ACHAEAN FEDERAL IMPERIAL CULT I: PSEUDO-JULIAN, LETTERS
Pages 151-168
Antony J.S. Spawforth
Senior Lecturer in Classics, Newcastle-upon-Tyne University

Summary
This paper explores the evolution of emperor-worship at Corinth in the first century A.D. Specifically, it argues that a Greek 'letter' in the correspondence on the emperor Julian should be redated to c. A.D. 80-120 and identified as a petition from the city of Argos to the Roman governor of Achaia, in which the Argives sought exemption from payments towards the cost of celebrations of the imperial cult at the Roman colony of Corinth. Since these celebrations involved many of the province's cities, the paper goes on to argue that they can be identified with the collective cult-its place of celebration previously uncertain-known from inscriptions to have been founded by the member-cities of the Achaean league in the mid-first century A.D.



THE ACHAEAN FEDERAL IMPERIAL CULT II: THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH
Pages 169-178
Bruce W. Winter
Warden, Tyndale House, Cambridge

Summary
The petition from Argos discussed in the previous essay is a 'new' document for New Testament scholars which throws light on first-century issues in Roman Corinth. This paper seeks to examine the Argive evidence in order to see what information it might yield to help in our understanding of the early Christian community. In particular it will explore the problem of the imperial cult and 1 Corinthians 8 and comment briefly on Roman Corinth's cultural and legal mores.



HESED AS OBLIGATION: A RE-EXAMINATION
Pages 179-196
Robin Routledge
Pastor, Rotherham

Summary
While there is little dispute that hesed is a significant term, opinion is divided over its meaning. Glueck defines hesed in terms of loyalty and mutual obligation within the context of relationships, especially relationships involving a covenant. More recent studies, however, have minimised this aspect, linking hesed, instead, with ideas of benevolence and kindness. This article looks at the use of hesed in the OT in the setting of human relationships and the relationship between God and his people, and considers, too, the Hebrew terms with which hesed is most closely associated. It concludes in favour of the more traditional interpretation, and considers the significance of this understanding for the covenant people of God.

Articles in TynBul 45.2 (Nov.1994)

THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS AND CLASSICAL RHETORIC: Part 3
Pages 213-243
Janet Fairweather
Researcher, Faculty of Classics, University of Cambridge

Summary
It has been demonstrated in Parts 1 and 2 of this study (Tyndale Bulletin, May 1994) that rhetorical criticism was applied to Paul's Epistles in late Antiquity and that Paul himself certainly displays a knowledge of some sophisticated terms and concepts derived from the Greek theory of rhetoric, though it may still be doubted whether he obtained this knowledge direct from pagan schools or textbooks. What justification did he have, then, for representing his discourse as alien to the sofia of this world? It will emerge, first through a close reading of Galatians and then through more general consideration of Paul's handling of the 'five parts of rhetoric' that, although at the more superficial levels Paul makes use of many of the techniques favoured by classical orators, the conceptual framework in which he operated was different from that of pagan sophists and the bases of his argumentation were distinct and innovative.

THE STRUCTURE OF HEBREWS FROM THREE PERSPECTIVES
Pages 245-271
Steve Stanley
University of Sheffield

Summary
The literary genre, rhetorical character and content of Hebrews all provide clues to the structure of the book. In the final analysis none of these should be considered in isolation, but of the three, content is of primary importance. Among the most significant structural clues in Hebrews are the use of Scripture, particularly Psalm 110, the use of the 'word of exhortation' form, announcement of subject, the use of various genres within the larger framework of the homily and the fluctuations of theme and content. Hebrews can be divided into three main sections: the superiority of Christ (1-7), the superiority of Christ's ministry (8-10) and the resulting responsibilities of the people of God (11-13).



ENTERTAINING ANGELS: THEIR PLACE IN CONTEMPORARY THEOLOGY
Pages 273-296
Lawrence Osborn
Richmond, Surrey

Summary
Taking as its starting point a survey of Karl Barth's angelology, this essay explores the potential role of angelology in contemporary orthodox theology. It outlines a possible structure for angelology by presenting angels in terms of both their function (as ministering spirits) and being (as inhabitants of heaven understood as a dimension of creation). The essay indicates various roles for angelology: as a defence of the mystery of creation and its openness to God; as a possible element in dialogue with post-materialism (particularly in its New Age manifestations); and as an aspect of contemporary Christian spirituality.



AWAKENING A SLEEPING METAPHOR: A NEW INTERPRETATION OF MALACHI 1:11
Pages 297-319
Ake Viberg
Senior Lecuturer in Old Testament, Stockholm School of Theology

Summary
From the early history of the Christian church and onwards, interpreters have suggested that Malachi 1:11 presents a universalism, i.e, that the surrounding nations of post-exilic Judah actually worshipped YHWH as the one true God by their sacrifices. In this article I propose that neither this solution, nor any other previously proposed solution does sufficient justice to Malachi 1:11. Instead, I propose that we focus on how the author uses metaphorical language to strengthen his argument. In doing so, however, the author creates a new metaphor that continues to challenge the understanding of the reader.



ETERNAL CREATION
Pages 221-338
Paul Helm
Professor of the History and Philosophy of Religion, King's College, London

Summary
The lecture provides a partial defence of the idea of the timelessly eternal creation of the universe, once commonplace among Christian theologians, but now widely disputed. On such a view God has ontological but not temporal priority over his creation. It is better to stress the negative aspects of divine timelessness than to think of it on analogy with temporal duration. Recent objections to the idea of causation being necessarily temporal are considered and rebutted. Some objections to the idea of God being in time are proposed. Finally, it is argued that the timeless eternity of God fits better with the Nicene doctrine of the eternal generation of the Son.



FALLACIES IN THE STUDY OF EARLY ISRAEL: AN ONOMASTIC PERSPECTIVE
Pages 339-354
Richard S. Hess
Lecturer in Old Testament, Glasgow Bible College

Summary
This study considers the question of the origin of Israel and the interpretation of archaeological evidence for Palestinian hill country culture during the transition from the Late Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age. While new research has enhanced our understanding of the period, it is important to maintain methodological controls in certain areas. This includes the careful evaluation of archaeological and textual evidence without a preconceived bias which automatically assigns a priority to the material culture. There is also evidence for non-indigenous peoples in Palestine at this time. This balances assumptions that Israelites must have been 'Canaanites' with their origins entirely within Palestine. Evidence relating to these issues is discussed.



JUDAISM AND THE RISE OF CHRISTIANITY: A ROMAN PERSPECTIVE
Pages 355-368
E.A. Judge
Emeritus Professor of Ancient History, Macquarie University

Summary
Romans did not see Christianity as part of Judaism. They objected to Jewish proselytisation but did not link Christians with it. In Rome (under Nero) Christians presented an unrelated novelty. Their name is a Latin formation, implying public factionalism. The Jews at Antioch must have successfully kept their distance for it to be coined at all. Nerva's making the Jewish tax optional licensed the Jewish life-style. This latitude was never extended to Christians nor claimed by them. The clear dividing line in civil practice implies the tax was based on lists supplied by the synagogues.





WHAT WERE THE SADDUCEES READING? AN ENQUIRY INTO THE LITERARY BACKGROUND OF MARK 12:18-23
Pages 369-394
Peter G. Bolt
King's College, London

Summary
Where did the Sadducee's case study (Mk. 12:20-23) originate? After dismissing 2 Maccabees 7, this article suggests that the Book of Tobit most probably provides the Sadducees with their story. Both they and Tobit talk of the death of 7 husbands and Levirate marriage in the context of an interest in resurrection. The article ends by suggesting that this allusion to Tobit may bring further nuances to the reading of the Gospel of Mark.



IS UNIVERSALISM AN IMPLICATION OF THE NOTION OF POST-MORTEM EVANGELISM?
Pages 395-409
R.R. Cook
Lecturer, Redcliffe College, London

Summary
As an exercise in philosophical theology rather than biblical exegesis this article probes the rational consistency of the position held by C. Pinnock that both accepts the idea of a post-mortem evangelism which would provide maximum opportunity for each person to turn to God and thus find complete fulfilment and happiness, and yet also contends that nevertheless not everyone will choose to be saved. Through an analysis of why people reject Christ in this life it is concluded that Pinnock is in fact consistent although his arguments need strengthening.



FOREIGN GODS IDENTIFIED IN ACTS 17:18?
K.L. McKay
formerly Reader in Classics, The Australian National University, Canberra

First paragraph
The idea that the foreign gods referred to in Acts 17:18 included Anastasis has been widely recognised, at least from the time of Chrysostom (Aland-Nestle ad loc.), and has been incorporated into either the text or margin of some modern translations (e.g., NEB, JB). It appears to depend on the fact that the comment by some of the Athenians that Paul xevnwn daimonivwn dokei' kataggeleu;" ei\nai is followed by Luke's explanation o{ti to;n Ihsou'n kai; th;n ajnavstasin eujhggelivzeto (which, incidentally, is absent from the text of D). The plurality of the deities and the reference to a foreign name accompanied by an abstract noun that might in that setting have been treated as a deity appear to have made it a plausible idea.