hebrews: contemporary methods—new insights – edited by gabriella gelardini

8
258 / Religious Studies Review Volume 32 Number 4 / October 2006 extensive critical apparatus, while the French translation has two sets of notes, brief notes at the bottom of the page and longer notes (num- bered consecutively with the brief notes) gath- ered in “Notes complémentaires.” These notes are almost a commentary on the text, crammed with useful information. A Greek Index Nomi- num, an Index Verborum, an Index of French proper names, and a list of citations complete the volume. Everyone working with classical rhetoric will want this edition at hand, whether in university or seminary library, or on one’s own shelves. It is a major editorial achievement and deserves wide use. Edgar Krentz Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago THE ENEMIES OF ROME: FROM HAN- NIBAL TO ATILLA THE HUN. By Philip Matyszak. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd, 2004. Pp. 296; illustrations. $31.95, ISBN 0-500-25124-X. Judgments on the Roman Empire generally invoke Vergil’s famous lines about Rome’s mis- sion (Aen. 6.851-53), as well as, occasionally, Rutilius Namatianus’ seemingly anachronistic claim, in 417 CE, that Rome had made a city of what was once the world. Yet, as we all realize, where there is a winner, there will also be a loser; conquest produces conquered. Matyszak takes the side of the underdog. He offers brief sketches of seventeen individuals, from the third century BCE to the fifth CE. It is a somewhat amorphous group: representa- tives of great states, monarchs, tribal chieftains, a slave, and others, are paraded before the reader. Spartacus, Orodes II, Decebalus, Arminius, Zenobia, and Boudicca [sic] appear; the oddest choice is Josephus, representing Jewish resistance. Of course we have his writ- ings, but compared with someone like Bar- Kokhba, he is quite unimportant. Matyszak writes with vigor and enthusiasm. His thesis is summed up at the end of his preface: “Few withstood conquest, and fewer still died in their beds. And as each one fell, the civilization of the Mediterranean became that much poorer.” There are too many errors, however, to recom- mend the book wholeheartedly. Caution will be required in its use. There are misspellings, wrong dates, odd blunders (as with Vercinge- torix; his year of birth is given as “around 78 BC,” his childhood is placed “during the 80s BC”), and unexpected omissions. Had the summa manus been applied, this would have been a substantially stronger book. Herbert W. Benario Emory University THE LANGUAGE OF IMAGES IN ROMAN ART. By Tonio Hölscher. Translated by Anthony Snodgrass and Anne-Marie Künzl- Snodgrass. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge Uni- versity Press, 2004. Pp. xxxv + 151; plates, glossary. $28.99, ISBN 0-521-66569-8. Originally published in 1987 and now avail- able in an English translation, Hölscher’s book presents a new theory for the understanding of Roman art useful for any scholar of antiquity. More art historian than archaeologist, the Ger- man author is deeply rooted in the philosophy of the discipline; threads of Hegel, Wölfflin, Panofsky, and others permeate the entire text. Focusing on the commonly neglected issues of iconography and iconology, and concentrating on specific works of art, Hölscher develops a semantic system of viewing Roman art. That is, he claims that different stylistic forms were used for different themes and messages. In par- ticular, Hölscher proposes that Roman art chose its visual paradigms not predominantly on con- siderations of style and taste, but rather in terms of content and subject. In the end, Hölscher is trying to understand more fully the society and culture of Rome through the study and analysis of works of ancient art, for these objects hold many clues to the nature of life in antiquity. Overall, Hölscher’s book is easy to read and his argument is clear. While it is difficult to prove the validity of the author’s semantic system (and he even admits as much himself, stating it is far from set in stone), the book is useful nonetheless, for making the reader think of Roman art in a new and different way. Julia C. Menes Ohio State University Christian Origins THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW. By John Nolland. New International Greek Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2005. Pp. xcviii + 1481. $80.00, ISBN 0-8028-2389-0. Like the other commentaries in the series, this commentary is enormously learned, exhaustive in its detailed textual, literary, redac- tion- and source-critical comments and biblio- graphical material, and interesting, useful, and accessible to a wide range of readers. Nolland pays special attention to Matthew’s “Jewish- ness,” his use of sources, particularly Mark, Q, and the HB, and to the literary structure and narrative techniques (e.g., repetition, framing, chiasm) Matthew uses to achieve his theologi- cal goals. A few items of interest: Nolland dates Matthew before the build up toward the Jewish war (not post-70, as is more common), which places Mark and Q even earlier, which in turn allows him to argue in favor of general histori- cal reliability. In breaking down Matthew into sections, Nolland follows the five-part dis- course/narrative divisions in Matthew, though often he further subdivides those sections. I feel that Nolland underemphasizes the extent of Matthew’s creativity, especially in terms of his fulfillment formulas and the citation of scrip- ture. Finally, there is a puzzling use of the phrase “final solution” that is troubling and distasteful, especially given Matthew’s (27:25) place in a history of Christian antisemitism. Zeba A. Crook Carleton University MATTHEW 21-28. By Ulrich Luz. Herme- neia. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress, 2005. Pp. xliv + 680. $90.00, ISBN 0-8006- 3770-4. This is the final volume in Luz’s commen- tary on Matthew. The format is the same as the previous two volumes. For each section of Mat- thew there is an introduction, Luz’s translation, comments on the structure of the textual unit, a history of interpretation, commentary (with appropriate excurses), and somewhat new sec- tions on the text’s “meaning for today.” There are also very helpful cross-references to volume two (Hermeneia 2001), but the cross-references to volume one refer to the German edition. There is a planned revision of the English trans- lation of volume one (1989) for the Hermeneia series. Luz’s focus throughout all volumes of the commentary is on the “history of the way the text has influenced subsequent generations” (Wirkungsgeschichte), and for volume three, Luz comments on many works of art. Since Matt 21-28 deal with Jesus’ entry into Jerusa- lem, and his death and resurrection, the trajec- tory of this volume, is drawn inescapably toward Matthew’s negative portrayal of the Jewish leaders. Although Luz finds Matthew’s portrayal of the Jewish leaders and their follow- ers troubling, he subsumes this under the usual view of “sibling rivalry” and the post-70 sepa- ration of Matthew’s group from other forms of Judaism. This is a landmark commentary. Fred W. Burnett Anderson University MATTHEW: A SHORTER COMMEN- TARY BASED ON THE THREE-VOLUME INTERNATIONAL CRITICAL COM- MENTARY. By W. D. Davies and Dale C. Allison. New York: T & T Clark, 2004. Pp. xxix + 549. $35.00, ISBN 0-567-08249-0. As the title indicates, this work is a shorter version of the three-volume International Crit- ical Commentary (ICC) that has taken its place in Matthean scholarship as perhaps the fore- most historical-critical commentary. The shorter version is done by Allison, and its target audience is “readers who find the larger com- mentary too involved or too difficult.” In that light, this work, Allison says, “comments not on the Greek text but on my own English trans- lation.” There are no major revisions of the three-volume work, and any subsequent publi- cations of the shorter version will follow revi- sions in the three-volume commentary, not vice versa. Bibliographies in the shorter version cover basic works only through approximately 2003 but are helpful nonetheless for the novice. The shorter commentary is an excellent tool for students, busy pastors and priests, and laypeo- ple, and it is an excellent entrée into the larger

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258 / Religious Studies Review Volume 32 Number 4 / October 2006

extensive critical apparatus, while the Frenchtranslation has two sets of notes, brief notes atthe bottom of the page and longer notes (num-bered consecutively with the brief notes) gath-ered in “Notes complémentaires.” These notesare almost a commentary on the text, crammedwith useful information. A Greek Index Nomi-num, an Index Verborum, an Index of Frenchproper names, and a list of citations completethe volume. Everyone working with classicalrhetoric will want this edition at hand, whetherin university or seminary library, or on one’sown shelves. It is a major editorial achievementand deserves wide use.

Edgar KrentzLutheran School of Theology at Chicago

THE ENEMIES OF ROME: FROM HAN-NIBAL TO ATILLA THE HUN. By PhilipMatyszak. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd,2004. Pp. 296; illustrations. $31.95, ISBN0-500-25124-X.

Judgments on the Roman Empire generallyinvoke Vergil’s famous lines about Rome’s mis-sion (Aen. 6.851-53), as well as, occasionally,Rutilius Namatianus’ seemingly anachronisticclaim, in 417 CE, that Rome had made a cityof what was once the world. Yet, as we allrealize, where there is a winner, there will alsobe a loser; conquest produces conquered.Matyszak takes the side of the underdog. Heoffers brief sketches of seventeen individuals,from the third century BCE to the fifth CE. Itis a somewhat amorphous group: representa-tives of great states, monarchs, tribal chieftains,a slave, and others, are paraded before thereader. Spartacus, Orodes II, Decebalus,Arminius, Zenobia, and Boudicca [sic] appear;the oddest choice is Josephus, representingJewish resistance. Of course we have his writ-ings, but compared with someone like Bar-Kokhba, he is quite unimportant. Matyszakwrites with vigor and enthusiasm. His thesis issummed up at the end of his preface: “Fewwithstood conquest, and fewer still died in theirbeds. And as each one fell, the civilization ofthe Mediterranean became that much poorer.”There are too many errors, however, to recom-mend the book wholeheartedly. Caution will berequired in its use. There are misspellings,wrong dates, odd blunders (as with Vercinge-torix; his year of birth is given as “around78 BC,” his childhood is placed “during the80s BC”), and unexpected omissions. Had thesumma manus been applied, this would havebeen a substantially stronger book.

Herbert W. BenarioEmory University

THE LANGUAGE OF IMAGES INROMAN ART. By Tonio Hölscher. Translatedby Anthony Snodgrass and Anne-Marie Künzl-Snodgrass. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge Uni-versity Press, 2004. Pp. xxxv + 151; plates,glossary. $28.99, ISBN 0-521-66569-8.

Originally published in 1987 and now avail-able in an English translation, Hölscher’s bookpresents a new theory for the understanding ofRoman art useful for any scholar of antiquity.More art historian than archaeologist, the Ger-man author is deeply rooted in the philosophyof the discipline; threads of Hegel, Wölfflin,Panofsky, and others permeate the entire text.Focusing on the commonly neglected issues oficonography and iconology, and concentratingon specific works of art, Hölscher develops asemantic system of viewing Roman art. That is,he claims that different stylistic forms wereused for different themes and messages. In par-ticular, Hölscher proposes that Roman art choseits visual paradigms not predominantly on con-siderations of style and taste, but rather in termsof content and subject. In the end, Hölscher istrying to understand more fully the society andculture of Rome through the study and analysisof works of ancient art, for these objects holdmany clues to the nature of life in antiquity.Overall, Hölscher’s book is easy to read and hisargument is clear. While it is difficult to provethe validity of the author’s semantic system(and he even admits as much himself, stating itis far from set in stone), the book is usefulnonetheless, for making the reader think ofRoman art in a new and different way.

Julia C. MenesOhio State University

Christian OriginsTHE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW. By JohnNolland. New International Greek TestamentCommentary. Grand Rapids, MI: William B.Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2005. Pp.xcviii + 1481. $80.00, ISBN 0-8028-2389-0.

Like the other commentaries in the series,this commentary is enormously learned,exhaustive in its detailed textual, literary, redac-tion- and source-critical comments and biblio-graphical material, and interesting, useful, andaccessible to a wide range of readers. Nollandpays special attention to Matthew’s “Jewish-ness,” his use of sources, particularly Mark, Q,and the HB, and to the literary structure andnarrative techniques (e.g., repetition, framing,chiasm) Matthew uses to achieve his theologi-cal goals. A few items of interest: Nolland datesMatthew before the build up toward the Jewishwar (not post-70, as is more common), whichplaces Mark and Q even earlier, which in turnallows him to argue in favor of general histori-cal reliability. In breaking down Matthew intosections, Nolland follows the five-part dis-course/narrative divisions in Matthew, thoughoften he further subdivides those sections. I feelthat Nolland underemphasizes the extent ofMatthew’s creativity, especially in terms of hisfulfillment formulas and the citation of scrip-ture. Finally, there is a puzzling use of thephrase “final solution” that is troubling and

distasteful, especially given Matthew’s (27:25)place in a history of Christian antisemitism.

Zeba A. CrookCarleton University

MATTHEW 21-28. By Ulrich Luz. Herme-neia. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress,2005. Pp. xliv + 680. $90.00, ISBN 0-8006-3770-4.

This is the final volume in Luz’s commen-tary on Matthew. The format is the same as theprevious two volumes. For each section of Mat-thew there is an introduction, Luz’s translation,comments on the structure of the textual unit, ahistory of interpretation, commentary (withappropriate excurses), and somewhat new sec-tions on the text’s “meaning for today.” Thereare also very helpful cross-references to volumetwo (Hermeneia 2001), but the cross-referencesto volume one refer to the German edition.There is a planned revision of the English trans-lation of volume one (1989) for the Hermeneiaseries. Luz’s focus throughout all volumes ofthe commentary is on the “history of the waythe text has influenced subsequent generations”(Wirkungsgeschichte), and for volume three,Luz comments on many works of art. SinceMatt 21-28 deal with Jesus’ entry into Jerusa-lem, and his death and resurrection, the trajec-tory of this volume, is drawn inescapablytoward Matthew’s negative portrayal of theJewish leaders. Although Luz finds Matthew’sportrayal of the Jewish leaders and their follow-ers troubling, he subsumes this under the usualview of “sibling rivalry” and the post-70 sepa-ration of Matthew’s group from other forms ofJudaism. This is a landmark commentary.

Fred W. BurnettAnderson University

MATTHEW: A SHORTER COMMEN-TARY BASED ON THE THREE-VOLUMEINTERNATIONAL CRITICAL COM-MENTARY. By W. D. Davies and Dale C.Allison. New York: T & T Clark, 2004. Pp. xxix+ 549. $35.00, ISBN 0-567-08249-0.

As the title indicates, this work is a shorterversion of the three-volume International Crit-ical Commentary (ICC) that has taken its placein Matthean scholarship as perhaps the fore-most historical-critical commentary. Theshorter version is done by Allison, and its targetaudience is “readers who find the larger com-mentary too involved or too difficult.” In thatlight, this work, Allison says, “comments noton the Greek text but on my own English trans-lation.” There are no major revisions of thethree-volume work, and any subsequent publi-cations of the shorter version will follow revi-sions in the three-volume commentary, not viceversa. Bibliographies in the shorter versioncover basic works only through approximately2003 but are helpful nonetheless for the novice.The shorter commentary is an excellent tool forstudents, busy pastors and priests, and laypeo-ple, and it is an excellent entrée into the larger

Volume 32 Number 4 / October 2006 Religious Studies Review / 259

commentary if one wants to pursue a point inmore depth. One wishes for at least a subjectindex, but given the reasonable price, this is ahighly recommended book for its intendedaudience.

Fred W. BurnettAnderson University

MATTHEW AND THE DIDACHE: TWODOCUMENTS FROM THE SAMEJEWISH-CHRISTIAN MILIEU? Edited byHuub van de Sandt. Minneapolis, MN.: For-tress, 2005. Pp. vi + 310. $49.00, ISBN 0-8006-3722-4.

To the debate about the relationshipbetween Matthew and Didache (Didachedependent upon Matthew, or vice versa? Bothdependent on common traditions? Didachecompletely independent of Matthew?) may beadded the question posed in the subtitle of thisvolume, whose contents include: 1) “Hypothe-ses on the Development of Judaism and Chris-tianity in Syria in the Period after 70 C.E.” (B.ter Haar Romeny); 2) “The Milieu of Matthew,the Didache, and Ignatius of Antioch: Agree-ments and Differences” (C. Jefford); 3) “TheHistory and Social Setting of the MattheanCommunity” (W. Weren); 4) “When, Why, andfor Whom Was the Didache Created? Insightsinto the Social and Historical Setting of theDidache Communities” (A. Milavec); 5) “TheSermon on the Mount and the Two Ways Teach-ing of the Didache” (K. Syreeni); 6) “The Useof the Synoptics or Q in Did. 1:3b-2:1” (J.Kloppenborg); 7) “The Halakhic Evidence ofDidache 8 and Matthew 6 and the DidacheCommunity’s Relationship to Judaism” (P.Tomson); 8) “Didache 9-10: A Litmus Test forthe Research on Early Christian Liturgy Eucha-rist” (G. Rouwhorst); 9) “Les charismatiquesitinérants dans la Didachè et dans l’Évangile deMatthieu” (A. Tuilier); 10) “Two Windows ona Developing Jewish-Christian Reproof Prac-tice: Matt 18:15-17 and Did. 15:3” (H. van deSandt); 11) “Eschatology in the Didache andthe Gospel of Matthew” (J. Verheyden); and 12)“Do the Didache and Matthew Reflect an ‘Irre-vocable Parting of the Ways’ with Judaism?”(J. Draper). The essays by Haar Romeny, Jef-ford, Kloppenborg, and Draper are of particularnote because of their wide interest to all stu-dents of early Christianity.

Michael W. HolmesBethel University

THE LAST WEEK: A DAY-BY-DAYACCOUNT OF JESUS’ FINAL WEEK INJERUSALEM. By Marcus J. Borg and JohnDominic Crossan. New York: HarperSanFran-cisco, 2006. Pp. xii + 220. $21.95, ISBN978-0-06-084539-1.

The Last Week is clearly written and easilyaccessible. It offers but three pages of notes andis not a “scholarly work” even though the schol-arship is evident in the presentation. Borg andCrossan present a more popularized application

of a sociopolitical lens to the last week of thelife of Jesus in Mark 11-16. Jesus is presentedas having a political and theological agenda thatis strictly anti-imperial (anti-Roman). This isthe underlying paradigm of the work. The pre-sentation of Jesus as a political revolutionaryshould come as no surprise to those familiarwith Borg and Crossan’s other works (muchless those of R. Horsley, S. G. F. Brandon, J. J.Tabor, and even G. Stemberger). Borg andCrossan present a genuine rereading of HolyWeek imbued with often overlooked meaningsand possibilities. The Last Week is significant inthat even if one does not choose to accept theparadigm completely, one could still gain aninsight into the times and teachings of Jesus.

Charles EnsmingerNiota, TN

FROM Q TO “SECRET” MARK: A COM-POSITION HISTORY OF THE EARLIESTNARRATIVE THEOLOGY. By Hugh M.Humphrey. New York: T & T Clark, 2006.Pp. v + 170. $29.95. , ISBN 0-567-02512-8.

Humphrey says Mark first compiled Peter’spreaching of the Q material, expanding it intoa narrative (chapters one to thirteen) portrayingJesus as the Son of God inspired by Wisdom,the eschatological Teacher. This he did whilePeter was preaching in Rome. Later he narratedPeter’s preaching of the cross, creating the Pas-sion Narrative. It was “Pauline” in its Christol-ogy of a self-emptying Son of Man/Adam. Thiswas on the eve of Claudius’s expulsion of Jewsfrom Rome. Taking both texts to Alexandria,Mark decided to unite the two texts, seedingeach half with new materials recalling or fore-shadowing the other, adding the theme of dis-cipleship in a world not likely to end as soonas he had first expected. Humphrey takes tooseriously the various patristic notes aboutMark’s authorship (which his theory seeks toharmonize, making them refer to different Mar-kan drafts) as well as Suetonius’s equivocalnote on Claudius expelling Jews. An interestingthough not a crucial book, Markan specialistsshould be sure to read it.

Robert M. PriceJohnnie Colemon Theological Seminary

LORD OF THE COSMOS: MITHRAS,PAUL, AND THE GOSPEL OF MARK. ByMichael Patella. New York: T & T Clark, 2006.Pp. x + 134. $29.95, ISBN 0-567-02532-2.

The title promises much, but the book deliv-ers nothing. Patella in no way documents hisguess that Paul learned Mithraism in Tarsus andused its cosmic cross of intersecting eclipticplanes to communicate his own Gospel. Hecontradicts himself as to whether or not Mith-raism provided participation in the deity; soPaul either offered a better product with baptis-mal sharing in Christ or, alternatively, somehowused the notion of Mithraic salvific participa-tion to communicate his own Christian version.Patella uncritically assumes that the Evangelist

Mark was a friend of Paul in Rome, and thatMark’s Gospel thus embodies Pauline soteriol-ogy as well as the imagined Mithraic interest.Mark presents Jesus as, like Mithras, a cosmicsavior battling against evil, but also as the utterantithesis to the Platonic cosmology (in theTimaeus) that Patella identifies with Mithraism.Bartimaeus denotes Christian conversion fromthe Platonic worldview. The book is rambling,repetitive, and mostly irrelevant to the statedtopic, if we can even be sure what that is. Givethis one a miss.

Robert M. PriceJohnnie Colemon Theological Seminary

PREACHING MARK’S UNSETTLINGMESSIAH. Edited by David Fleer and DaveBland. St. Louis, MO: Chalice, 2006. Pp. xi +188. $19.99, ISBN 0-8272-2986-0.

This collection, which grew out of the May2005 Rochester College Sermon Seminar, willbe helpful to preachers. Part one offers a seriesof essays considering the preaching. Mark. F.Craddock’s essay and sermon, both presentedat the seminar, establish the volume’s agenda ofusing Mark’s preaching of his own Gospel asthe model and substance of contemporarysermons, eschewing the-text-as-pretext-for-three-points-with-interesting-contemporary-illustrations method. The approach seeks toembroil the listeners in the Markan text and toconfront them with Mark’s demand for disci-pleship. M. Hooker provides exegetical essayson Mark’s introduction and conclusion, stress-ing the links of both to the full Gospel. F.Aquino offers a theological assessment of Markas a call to becoming fully human. J. Bartonprovides a cultural relevance by imagining adialogue between Mark and Gibson’s The Pas-sion of the Christ. Arguing that only a commu-nity life of discipleship fully performs Markmakes R. Ward’s essay on performance criti-cism a final epitome of the volume’s participa-tory agenda. Part two includes eleven sermons,most of which were crafted after the seminar,on Markan texts. An introduction to eachsermon provides compositional comments,emphasizing connections with the essays inpart one and providing a model by which othersmight use part one of the volume to create theirown sermons.

Richard WalshMethodist College

THE EXORCISM STORIES IN LUKE-ACTS: A SOCIOSTYLISTIC READING.By Todd Klutz. Society for New TestamentStudies Monograph Series, 129. New York:Cambridge University Press, 2004. Pp. xii +299. $80.00, ISBN 0-521-83804-5.

This monograph, a reworking of Klutz’s1996 dissertation from the University of Shef-field, examines the exorcism stories in Luke-Acts alongside ancient sources on demonology,treating, in particular, Luke 4:33-37; 8:26-39;9:37-43a and Acts 16:16-18. Klutz defines

260 / Religious Studies Review Volume 32 Number 4 / October 2006

“sociostylistic reading” as an “analysis of lin-guistic style” that includes “attention not onlyto the linguistic structures of the text itself butalso to the various kinds of extratextual forcesthat constrained and shaped the text’s produc-tion in the first place.” Although his workresembles the form-criticism of the Synoptics,Klutz is more interested in placing his perico-pae within the larger discourse of Luke-Actsthan in the original communities that devel-oped these sources. Klutz enjoys the benefits ofsuch a wide-ranging methodology (multipletools to reveal complex interrelationships andmeanings of a given text) as well as its demer-its (lack of focus and occasional momentswhere more is evoked than what is actuallyargued or developed). His work will be ofinterest to scholars of Luke-Acts, of possessionand magic in the early Roman world, and ofcritical methodology.

Robert Paul SeesengoodUniversity of North Carolina at Pembroke

THE ORIGINAL LANGAUAGE OF THELUKAN INFANCY NARRATIVE. ByChang-Wook Jung. Journal for the Study of theNew Testament, Supplement Series, 267. NewYork: T & T Clark, 2004. Pp. xi + 249. $140.00,ISBN 0-567-08205-9.

Most NT scholarship assume that Luke 1-2were composed in imitation of Septuagintalstyle and were not originally composed inHebrew. Jung’s study analyzes the Greek ofLuke’s infancy narrative to settle the questionwith linguistics, finding no basis for a Semiticoriginal. Further, he suggests that Luke 1-2 wasnot composed but co-opted by the Evangelist.Jung’s work is filled with charts, diagrams, andsystematic tables of exegetical options; further,the book is permeated with cross-references toLXX and NT Greek, making it often a slowand laborious reading. Substantial skill withHellenistic Greek and more than generalacquaintance with Greek syntax and formalist/structuralist modes of NT exegesis areassumed. Further, knowledge of biblicalHebrew is needed to evaluate Jung’s analysis ofwhether biblical quotations in Luke derive fromthe Greek or Hebrew text. It is not a good workfor introductory students and is more suited toadvanced scholars.

Robert Paul SeesengoodUniversity of North Carolina at Pembroke

ECHOES OF SCRIPTURE IN LUKE-ACTS: TELLING THE HISTORY OFGOD’S PEOPLE INTERTEXTUALLY. ByKenneth Duncan Litwak. Journal for the Studyof the New Testament, Supplement Series, 282.New York: T & T Clark, 2005. Pp. x + 233.$130.00, ISBN 0-567-03025-3.

Litwak’s work explores the influence of the“OT” on Luke-Acts. The author of Luke-Actsmakes few overt references to Jewish Scripture(ca. 25), which has led many scholars to con-clude that Luke-Acts, unlike Matthew, was not

written to a Jewish audience. Litwak argues thatthere are pervasive allusions to Jewish sacredtexts in Luke-Acts; these allusions are deliber-ate intertextual moments and are intended to bemore than stylistic imitation; they are criticalhermeneutical signatures, vital for an accurateunderstanding of Luke-Acts. Litwak insists thatLuke-Acts must be read as a complete narra-tive. He argues that Luke’s overarching themeis the nature and development of God’s chosencommunity and people. “Luke’s” narrativefocuses on the continuity of God’s fellowship.With such at its center, Luke-Acts argues itsmessage both overtly (by an explicit statementand citation) and by analogy (through an allu-sion to the Jewish Scriptures). Technical inplaces, Litwak’s study is appropriate for inter-mediate students. It will be of most value toscholars interested in narrative criticism and inthe purpose and genre of Luke-Acts.

Robert Paul SeesengoodUniversity of North Carolina at Pembroke

JESUS AND THE IMPURITY OF SPIRITSIN THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS. By ClintonWahlen. Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungenzum Neuen Testament, 2. Reihe 185. Tübingen,Germany: Mohr Siebeck, 2004. Pp. xiv + 280.$107.50, ISBN 3-16-148387-1.

What do the Synoptic Evangelists meanwhen they occasionally call demons “unclean”or “impure spirits?” The author takes the longway round to answer this straightforward ques-tion. After the standard survey of Jewish andearly Christian usage, he approaches Mark,Matthew, and Luke-Acts from a redaction-critical point of view, evidencing a sure grasp ofscholarship on each verse and theme he treats.But Wahlen seems short on answers, in eachcase making “unclean spirits” a minor functionof major themes in each writer, and this onlywith the aid of overinterpretation. Oddly, at thestart he provides two perfectly good explana-tions. First, many Jews believed that thedemons were the ghosts of the Nephilim giants,products of miscegenation between mortals andangels, hence “impure” like all boundary-violating creatures in Leviticus. Second, othersconsidered demons to be ghosts of the dead,hence unclean just like corpses and cemeteries.The rest of the book is unnecessary and notworth the exorbitant price, except for libraries.

Robert M. PriceJohnnie Colemon Theological Seminary

TESTIMONY AND INTERPRETATION:EARLY CHRISTOLOGY IN ITS JUDEO-HELLENISTIC MILIEU. STUDIES INHONOUR OF PETR POKORNYYYY. Edited byJi í Mrázek and Jan Roskovec. Journal for theStudy of the New Testament SupplementSeries, 272. New York: T & T Clark, 2005.Pp. ix + 328. $150.00, ISBN 0-567-08298-9.

Pokorny’s interests in early Christianitywere wide ranging, and this collection of essaysaptly reflects that. The first collection of essays

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deals with Paul—what kind of Jew Paul was(K. P. Donfried), the controversy at Corinth(R. Hoppe), Paul’s Christology (L. Tichy; J.Schröter), the Dionysian background of Ephe-sians (S. E. Porter), and the earthquake imageryin Paul’s writings (L. J. Kreitzer). Six essays arecollected under “Jesus in the SynopticTraditions” and deal with orality in Mark (M.Myllykoski), Jesus and Gehenna (D. C. Allison,Jr.), apotheosis in Luke 24 and Acts 1 (D. Dorm-eyer), the Christology of Matt 1:8-25 (H. Klein)and the Sermon on the Mount (W. Schrage), andstrangely, an article on Jesus outside of the Syn-optics (M. Hengel). Articles on the Fourth Gos-pel include its Christology (J. Bolyki), the vineimagery (S. Pisarek), John and the Enoch tradi-tion (J. H. Charlesworth), Christology and com-munity in the Farewell Discourse (K. Syreeni),and, using Heidegger, John’s notion of “truth”(H. Hübner). “Later Developments” include es-says on later understandings of the beginningsof Christology (C. Demke), the seer of Patmos(J. M. Court), and Christology in the Apostles’Creed (Z. Sázava) and at Chalcedon (P. Elling-worth). For research libraries.

Fred W. BurnettAnderson University

FOUR GOSPELS, ONE JESUS? A SYM-BOLIC READING. By Richard A. Burridge.2nd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2005.Pp. xviii + 198. $16.00, ISBN 0-8028-2980-5.

In this second edition of his well-receivedintroductory treatise, Burridge wanders aboutfreely within the brief compass of six chapters,ruminating on the four portraits of Jesus foundin the canonical Gospels, the nature of a Gos-pel, and their authors and methods of writing;in short, on all manners of information likely tobe of value to a beginner in NT studies. Therefollow sections on the individual Gospels, eachone bearing a distinctive, traditional imageryand nomenclature taken from Ezekiel’s four liv-ing creatures: 1) the roar of the lion (Mark); 2)the teacher of Israel (Matthew); 3) the bearersof burdens (Luke); and 4) the high-flying eagle(John). A concluding chapter asks the question“four portraits or four Jesuses?” These four por-traits justify the diverse interpretations of Jesusthat have occurred throughout succeedingChristian history. In short, Burridge’s Christol-ogy symbolized by four living creatures makesan excellent introduction filled with well-phrased insights. He explains a literary, criticalapproach to the Gospels that should removemuch of the perplexed anxiety that may afflictill-prepared readers who fear that biblical sci-ence is inimical to traditional religious values.

Casimir BernasHoly Trinity Abbey

TWO GOSPELS FROM ONE: A COM-PREHENSIVE TEXT-CRITICAL ANALY-SIS OF THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS. ByMatthew C. Williams. Grand Rapids, MI:

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Kregel, 2006. Pp. 256. $21.99, ISBN 0-8254-3940-X.

Of Streeter’s five arguments for Marcan pri-ority, the linguistic argument—that Matthewand Luke improve Mark’s less-elegant Greek—has been the most enduring and persuasive. Yetneo-Griesbachians have highlighted the inher-ent subjectivity of many of the criteria used toreach that conclusion. Seeking less-subjectivecriteria by which to evaluate the phenomena,this interesting study (in a manner similar tothat of H. Shinn, Textual Criticism and the Syn-optic Problem in Historical Jesus Research:The Search for Valid Criteria) proposes to uti-lize text-critical criteria—developed to deter-mine which of several variants is primary andwhich is secondary—as a means of determiningwhether Mark or Matthew is the primary sourceof the other. The study is well conceived, butfalters in execution because of: 1) the inherent(but in this study largely downplayed) subjec-tivity of text-critical criteria, and 2) self-imposed limitations that undercut his method(e.g., he restricts himself to the selective NA27apparatus as a source for variants in Mark, andadopts the NA27 text of Matthew as printed inthe Aland synopsis, ignoring virtually all tex-tual variations in Matthew). Finally, it is a clas-sic example of a purely literary approach to theSynoptic Problem; the author, not unaware ofpossible influences of oral tradition, brings it inonly as a possible explanation of evidence (e.g.,instances where Matthew rather than Mark hasthe primary reading) that works against his the-sis rather than as a serious factor in Gospeltransmission. In short, thought-provoking yetunpersuasive.

Michael W. HolmesBethel University

SERVANT LEADERSHIP: JESUS ANDPAUL. By Efrain Agosto. St. Louis, MO: Chal-ice Press, 2005. Pp. vii + 248. $23.99,ISBN 0-827234-63-5.

Agosto provides a thorough exegesis of therecurrent themes in the leadership displayed byJesus and Paul. Using NT sources, the authoridentifies five consistent elements in their lead-ership: 1) free acceptance of sacrifice and thechallenges of leadership; 2) concern with socialjustice and marginal members of society; 3) awillingness to confront elites and dominationsystems; 4) inclusive, egalitarian relationshipwith followers; and 5) personal humility. Theauthor argues that these are the hallmarks of abiblically based “servant leadership” that hasrelevance for religious leaders in a post-911environment. This book’s solid exegesis willinterest biblical scholars interested in leader-ship and will stimulate reflection and dialogueamong church leaders seeking to understandand align themselves with NT leadership prin-ciples. While not a practical book, it would alsobe a valuable resource in seminary leadershipprograms, providing an insight into how Jesus

and Paul acted in their contexts. Its usefulnesswould have been significantly enhanced had theauthor included a more rigorous examination ofthe extensive literature and research findings(Christian and otherwise) on the concept of“Servant Leadership.”

Charles CottonQueen’s University, Canada

HEBREWS: CONTEMPORARY METH-ODS—NEW INSIGHTS. Edited by GabriellaGelardini. Biblical Interpretation Series, 75.Leiden: Brill, 2005. Pp. viii + 304. $129.00,ISBN 90-04-14490-0.

This volume, comprising selected papers ofthe Hebrews Seminar of the SBL InternationalMeeting from 2001-04, is aptly entitled. Four-teen of the twenty-four papers presented inthose sessions offer a representative sample ofthe excellence of contemporary scholarship onHebrews. The essays are arranged in three partscovering major areas of Hebrews’ research: 1)Cultic Language, Concepts, and Practice; 2)Sociology, Ethics, and Rhetoric; and 3) Tex-tual-Historical, Comparative, and IntertextualApproaches. This collection of essays is a“must read” for every serious student ofHebrews.

Alan C. MitchellGeorgetown University

PNEUMATOLOGICAL CONCEPTS INTHE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS:AMTSCHARISMA, PROPHET, ANDGUIDE OF THE ESCHATOLOGICALEXODUS. By Martin Emmrich. Lanham, MD:University Press of America, 2003. Pp. xvi +104. $27.00, ISBN 0-7618-2679-3.

This revised and abbreviated Ph.D. disserta-tion examines the pneumatology of Hebrewsand concludes that the Spirit plays an integralrole in three areas of the sermon: 1) priesthood,2) prophecy, and 3) pilgrimage. Drawing onJewish pneumatology evident in the Pseude-pigrapha, Qumran Scrolls, Josephus, Philo, andRabbinic Literature, Emmrich finds supportsfor the view that the Spirit is linked both to thepriesthood of Christ and to that of the believers.Citation formulae in Heb 3:7 and 10:15 give theSpirit a prophetic function in the sermon, andHeb 9:8 shows that the Spirit plays a revelatoryrole as well. Finally, three warnings in Heb2:1-4, 3:7-11, and 6:4-6 are evidence of a“retributive pneumatology” designed to keepthe recipients of Hebrews on track toward theireschatological goal.

Alan C. MitchellGeorgetown University

POETICS OF THE GNOSTIC UNIVERSE:NARRATIVE AND COSMOLOGY IN THEAPOCRYPHON OF JOHN. By Zlatko Plete.Nag Hammadi and Manichaean Studies, 52.Leiden: Brill, 2006. Pp. x + 329. $129.00, ISBN90-04-11674-5.

This book is a revised version of the author’sYale dissertation, written under the direction ofB. Layton. Plete rejects all attempts at source-criticism and refers to his work as “an essay in“Gnostic” poetics,” thus taking what I wouldcall a “comp-lit” approach to the text. He seesPlato’s Timaeus as the key to understanding the“poetics” of the “Gnostic” universe. He dividesthe revelation in the Apocryphon accordingto the Platonic categories of “Being” (theunknown God and the spiritual realm) and“Becoming” (cosmogony, and the process ofsalvation). The Savior in the text presents aPlatonist revision of the Gospel of John, usingPlato’s Timaeus and “Moses” (i.e., Genesis) asthe principal sources, with the biblical Wisdomliterature as intermediary. Plete’s close readingof the Apocryphon is informed by an impres-sive knowledge of Graeco-Roman philosophyand literature, as well as Alexandrian Jewishtraditions as reflected particularly in Philo. Hisbook is an impressive contribution to scholar-ship on the Apocryphon of John and on Gnos-ticism in general.

Birger A. PearsonUniversity of California, Santa Barbara

“DAS VOLLKOMMENE PASCHA”:GNOSTISCHE BIBELEXEGESE UNDETHIK. By Emmanouela Grypeou. OrientaliaBiblica et Christiana, 15. Wiesbaden: OttoHarrassowitz, 2005. Pp. 332. €58.00, ISBN3-447-05064-0.

In the introduction to this book, a Tübingendissertation written under the direction ofS. Gero, the author adopts the definition ofGnosticism (German Gnosis) put forward by H.Jonas in his book The Gnostic Religion. Thefirst part of the book is devoted to a detailedsurvey of Gnostic biblical interpretation, first asdepicted in the writings of the Church Fathersand then as reflected in the primary sourcespreserved in Coptic. In the second part, Gry-peou discusses Gnostic ethics, first as depictedin the heresiological accounts, and then asreflected in the Coptic sources. She sees Gnos-tic ethics as based upon Gnostic “antinomian”biblical interpretation. Especially interesting isher treatment of “libertinism,” particularly thatof the Gnostics described by Epiphanius. (Thetitle of her book, The Perfect Passover, is aphrase taken from Epiphanius’s discussion ofone of the “libertine” Gnostic rituals, Panarion26.4.8). She argues, plausibly enough, that theabsence of “libertine” ethics in the Copticsources does not mean that the Church Fatherscannot be trusted in their accounts of that vari-ety of Gnosticism. It simply reflects the asceticorientation of the monastic groups in which thetexts were copied and circulated. She concludesthat Gnosticism first arose among extreme“allegorists” among Hellenized Jews. Her bookis a solid contribution to scholarship on theancient Gnostic religion.

Birger A. PearsonUniversity of California, Santa Barbara

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THE LOST GOSPEL: THE QUEST FORTHE GOSPEL OF JUDAS ISCARIOT. ByHerbert Krosney. Washington, DC: NationalGeographic Society, 2006. Pp. xxv + 309;plates. $27.00, ISBN 978-1-4262-0041-0.THE SECRETS OF JUDAS: THE STORYOF THE MISUNDERSTOOD DISCIPLEAND HIS LOST GOSPEL. By James M.Robinson. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco,2006. Pp. ix + 192. $19.95, ISBN 978-0-06-117063-8.

Sometime around 1978, some Fellahin dis-covered in a tomb at the Jabal Qarara in MiddleEgypt, across the river from the town of Magh-agha, four manuscripts, two Greek and twoCoptic. One of the Coptic manuscripts, nowknown as the Codex Tchacos, contained theGospel of Judas. In his book, Krosney, an inves-tigative journalist specializing in historicalprojects, traces the story of the codex: its salein 1978 to a Cairo antiquities dealer, H. Asabil,its theft in a burglary in Hanna’s home in 1980,its recovery in Switzerland in 1982, its offeringfor sale for $3 million to scholars examining itin Geneva in 1983, its deposit in a New Yorkbank vault in 1984 after unsuccessful attemptsto sell it, its purchase by F. T. Nussberger in2000, its failed sale to the dealer B. Ferrini inthe same year, its retrieval and removal to Swit-zerland in 2001 where work commenced on itsrestoration and translation under the auspicesof the Maecenas Foundation in Basel and theNational Geographic Society. During its pere-grinations and storage in unsuitable environ-ments, the papyrus manuscript suffered anenormous damage.

In his book, Robinson treats the Judas of theNT, “the historical Judas,” “the Gnostic Judas,”and the story of what happened to the codexcontaining the Gospel from the time of theGeneva meeting in 1983, where Robinson wasrepresented by S. Emmel, up until the time ofthe preservation work being carried out by Cop-tologist R. Kasser and others. I treat these twobooks together for they overlap and providestrikingly different pictures of the same story.Thanks to his association with the NationalGeographic Society, Krosney was familiar withthe content of the Gospel of Judas and gives asummary of it in his concluding chapter. Nosuch advantage was enjoyed by Robinson. Iron-ically, his book was out of date by the time itwas published, for a tentative translation of theGospel of Judas had already appeared by thattime. These two books, taken together, make fora fascinating reading.

Birger A. PearsonUniversity of California, Santa Barbara

EARLY CHRISTIAN LIFE ANDTHOUGHT IN SOCIAL CONTEXT: AREADER. By Mark Harding. London: T & TClark, 2003. Pp. xxii + 370. $29.95, ISBN 0-8264-5604-9.

This book offers in a single collectionsources that are well-known and readily avail-

able in other similar anthologies. It is directedat the undergraduate student, and would bequite useful as a supplementary material formost courses in Christian Origins. AlthoughHarding is interested in the “cultural environ-ment” and the “social context,” there is not verymuch here that would give students any suchunderstanding. There are eight sections in thisbook: part one offers sources on the rise andrules of the Persian, Greek, and Romanempires; part two offers sources on the Jewishexperience of these empires (539 BCE-135 CE), such as the Maccabean revolt, Herod,and the various Jewish revolts; part three con-siders Greco-Roman literature (e.g., History,Biography, Letters, Poetry), and part four con-siders Jewish and Christian literature (e.g.,Apocalypses, Wisdom Literature, Gospels);part five covers Greco-Roman religion (e.g.,sacrifice, cult of the dead, Imperial cult, mys-tery religions), and part six covers Philosophy(e.g., Epicureanism, Stoicism, Cynic, and otheritinerants); part seven provides sources for theGreco-Roman society (e.g., Household, Sexu-ality, Slavery, Economy, Government, andSickness and Death); part eight, oddly entitled“Early Judaism and Christianity,” closes thebook with sources on Sabbath, the Temple, thevarious Jewish sects, Qumran, resistance move-ments, resurrection, and Messianism. With theexception of a few entries in part seven, whichare excellent, this is a standard collection ofreligious, philosophical, and historical primarysources.

Zeba A. CrookCarleton University

ANTHROPOLOGY AND BIBLICALSTUDIES: AVENUES OF APPROACH.Edited by Louise J. Lawrence and Mario I.Aguilar. Lieden: Deo Publishing, 2004. Pp.324. $44.95, ISBN 90-5854-026-X.

The essays are as follows (some titles abbre-viated): 1) D. Chalcraft, “Nineteenth-CenturyComparative Sociology on Israel”; 2) P. F.Esler, “The Context Group Project”; 3) D. J.Clark, “The Influence of Receptor Cultures onthe Translation of the Bible”; 4) N. MacDonald,“Genesis 23 and the Models of EconomicExchange”; 5) J. Schaper, “The Oral and theWritten, God as Scribe, and the Book of Deu-teronomy”; 6) S. L. Sanders, “Parallel LiteraryEditions of Joshua and the Israelite Mythologi-zation of Ritual”; 7) B. Lang, “An Anthropo-logical Essay on Proverbs 31:10-31”; 8) J. R.Davila, “Ritual and the Jewish Pseude-pigrapha”; 9) J. A. Loubser, “Possession andSacrifice in the NT and African TraditionalReligion”; 10) K. Wenell, “Reflections on theEarly Jesus Movement and the Huahua Reli-gion”; 11) T. J. Ling, “Virtuoso Religion andthe Judean Social Order”; 12) D. J. Davies,“Purity, Spirit and Reciprocity in the Acts of theApostles”; 13) A. L. A. Hogeterp, “Anthropol-ogy and the Community as Temple in Paul’sLetters”; and 14) M. I. Aguilar, “Changing

Models and the Death of Culture.” Unfortu-nately, this collection of essays is not anexplication of the different ways thatanthropological methods can be used in thestudy of the biblical world, as the title suggests.Moreover, the papers are of an inconsistentquality: some are interesting and thoughtful(MacDonald, Davies, Aguilar); some are inter-esting but threaten to set back social-scientificcriticism twenty years by their questionable useof cross-cultural parallels (Lang, Wenell, Loub-ser); some are of a surprisingly low qualitygiven the qualifications of the editors (Schaper,Loubser, Ling); and some are simply out ofplace in a volume such as this, even if they arethemselves interesting papers (Esler, Clark).

Zeba A. CrookCarleton University

THE CITY IN THE VALLEY: BIBLICALINTERPRETATION AND URBAN THE-OLOGY. By Dieter Georgi. Studies in BiblicalLiterature, 7. Atlanta, GA: Society of BiblicalLiterature, 2005. Pp. xxviii + 370. $34.95,ISBN 1-58983-099-7.

The late Professor Georgi was a meticulousNT scholar and historian, and it might come asa surprise for some to see how deeply he wasinterested in applying the NT to urban con-cerns. He summarizes his interests in “PersonalReflections on an American Theological Per-spective,” and, although he does not explicitlysay so, his interest in urban theology seems tobe a natural outgrowth of his interest in thesociohistorical situation of early Christianity inurban and Pagan centers. Georgi was convincedthat the challenges and problems faced by earlyurban Christians still have a relevance for theministry of churches in urban settings today.Topics are diverse—they range over “divinemen” to the urban meaning of ekklÇsia—but allof the essays finally drive toward an “urbantheology,” that is, the concrete application ofsociopolitical actions to urban and Christianliving. It is best to read his last two essays firstin order to frame the collection (“En Route toan Urban Theology: Can Theology Help UsUnderstand Urban Society?” and “On Sojourn-ing”). H. Koester gives helpful and moving per-sonal reflections in the “Foreword.”

Fred W. BurnettAnderson University

IN THE SHADOW OF THE TEMPLE:JEWISH INFLUENCES ON EARLYCHRISTIANITY. By Oskar Skarsaune.Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2002.Pp. 455. $34.00, ISBN 0-8308-2670-X.

This work is a comprehensive study of Jew-ish influences on early Christianity, from thefirst century through the pre-Constantinianperiod. This book is divided into four sections.The first chronicles the history of Judaism fromthe Hasmonean revolt through the emergenceof the rabbis. Special emphasis is placed onJewish ideas and institutions that provide a

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useful context for Christian origins. Part twotracks down the origins and development ofChristianity in the first two centuries. Skar-saune pays careful attention both to larger ves-tiges of Judaism and the way that Christianpractice and theology was forged in dialogueand in contrast with contemporaneous Judaism.The third section adopts a thematic analysis ofthe Jewish background for various Christianconcepts and practices. The final section con-tains an epilogue that addresses the momentouschanges that Christianity underwent in thefourth century, and the significance of thesedevelopments for Jewish–Christian relations,both in antiquity and today. This work iswritten specifically for a general audience,although it is equally suited for the advancedstudent and scholar. Readers will benefitgreatly from the annotated bibliographies thataccompany each chapter. The one significantdrawback is the lack of a comprehensive sub-ject index, which would have made the bookmore accessible as a reference work.

Alex JassenUniversity of Minnesota

GEOGRAPHY IN EARLY JUDAISM ANDCHRISTIANITY: THE BOOK OF JUBI-LEES. By James M. Scott. Society for NewTestament Studies Monograph Series, 113.New York: Cambridge University Press, 2002.Pp. viii + 337. $65.00, ISBN 0-521-80812-X.

This work focuses on early Jewish andChristian conceptualizations of the geographi-cal division of the world and its inhabitants.This discussion is framed around an analysis ofthe second-century BCE Jewish pseudepi-graphic book of Jubilees and its reception inearly Christian literature. Jubilees 8-9 containsa systematic rewriting of the Table of Nationsin Gen 10, which represents the biblical modelof world genealogy. In chapter two, Scottexamines how Jubilees 8-9 rewrites its biblicalbase and how this process illuminates ancientJewish geographical conceptions. The remain-der of the book contains Scott’s detailed argu-ments for the pervasiveness of Jubilees 8-9 inChristian literature, including Luke-Acts,Pseudo-Clementine Recognitions, Theophilusof Antioch, Hippolytus of Rome, and medievalmaps of the world. Scott, basing himself on aclose analysis of presumed literary dependence,argues that the geographic traditions of Jubilees8-9 directly or indirectly influenced each ofthese bodies of literature and ultimately standsbehind each of their geographical aspects.Scott’s thoroughly researched and carefullydocumented study successfully demonstratesthe need to consider the world as the ancientsunderstood it when we read their writings. Inaddition, Scott has provided a fruitful area ofresearch in the study of the afterlife of Jewishpseudepigrapha in Christian literature.

Alex JassenUniversity of Minnesota

JUDAISM BEFORE JESUS: THE EVENTSAND IDEAS THAT SHAPED THE NEWTESTAMENT WORLD. By Anthony J.Tomasino. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsityPress, 2003. Pp. 345. $24.00, ISBN 0-830-82730-7.

This work presents a fine addition to thegrowing library of surveys of Judaism in theSecond Temple period. It is written specificallyfor a Christian audience with no prior knowl-edge of the subject, who desire to understandthe development of Judaism from the end of theHB through the first century CE and its impor-tance for the NT and for early Christianity.Charts, maps, a glossary, and explanatory textboxes enhance the accessibility of the book.Tomasino carefully balances the need to presenta full portrait of Second Temple Judaism andthe desire to identify elements in Second Tem-ple Judaism that help to frame better the emer-gence of Christianity. The book opens with achapter on the various sources employed toreconstruct Second Temple Judaism and thenproceeds to examine Judaism in the Persian,Hellenistic, and Roman periods. Tomasinoplaces a heavy emphasis on the theologicalsystems of Judaism and their relationship to thePersian and Hellenistic contexts in which theywere formed. There is also a significant discus-sion of the Jewish context for issues pertinentto the study of the NT and of early Christianity(i.e., messianism).

Alex JassenUniversity of Minnesota

DERRIDA’S BIBLE (READING A PAGEOF SCRIPTURE WITH A LITTLE HELPFROM DERRIDA). Edited by Yvonne Sher-wood. Religion/Culture/Critique Series. NewYork: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004. Pp. xv + 323.Cloth, $79.95, ISBN 1-4039-6628-1; paper,$26.95, ISBN 1-4039-6663-X.

Eschewing “Derrida” as a trademark and/oras a license for transgressive play, this impres-sive collection follows Derrida’s method ofreading texts closely and in unexpected collo-cations. Specifically, the essayists conjoin small“pages” of scripture (Gen 22 appears mostoften) and some of Derrida’s recent writings(The Gift of Death appears most often). Theeditor, thinking of the firm but tumultuous rela-tionship between text/tradition and Derrida/criticism, tentatively posits the collection’stheme as “faithfulness-rupture.” For those unfa-miliar with Derrida, it is the critics’ “faithful-ness” to scripture/text that will surprise. But theessayists also rupture texts (or their dominantreadings) by pointing to impossibilities (likethe gift) within our thought, the performativenature of reading and culture, the promissorynature of justice/messiah, or the deadly effectsof death upon meaning. Their most commonstrategy simply tries “to think” together mattersnot seemingly easily conjoined but which thetexts under review combine (e.g., genealogyand virgin birth, memory and forgetting). Sher-

wood’s reflections on the ambiguous waw arecrucial here. Working with the later Derrida,who in their hands resembles Kierkegaard and/or Levinas (here Eisenstadt’s essay is crucial),they all produce engaged readings, and some ahaunting relevance (e.g., Jobling, Heard). Thevolume boldly includes two responses by thealmost convinced.

Richard WalshMethodist College

CONTAGIOUS HOLINESS: JESUS’MEALS WITH SINNERS. By Craig L.Blomberg. New Studies in Biblical Theology,19. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press,2005. Pp. 216. $20.00, ISBN 0-8308-2620-3.

Blomberg’s goal is to refute E. P. Sander’sthesis that Jesus welcomed sinners withoutrequiring repentance, and Dennis C. Smith’sclaim that Jesus’ meals must be understood asGreek-style symposia. Surprisingly, little spaceis devoted to Crossan who makes “commensal-ity” the essence of Jesus’ message and ministry.Most of the book surveys every conceivablereference to meals in the OT, Dead Sea Scrolls,Apocrypha, and Pseudepigrapha. Little provesrelevant to the unsurprising thesis that Jesusseems not to have superstitiously avoided theritually impure. For Gospel materials to qualifyas data for Jesus’ attitudes and practice, theymust go back to the historical Jesus, and soBlomberg spends the rest of the book in the taskof apologetics. He deems blatant harmonizationas a “critical” axiom and employs it every-where. He even swallows the camels of theCana miracle, the miraculous catch of fish, andthe Emmaus story as sober historical data. Thebook is really a mass of apologetics that willappeal only to inerrantists.

Robert M. PriceJohnnie Colemon Theological Seminary

TEACHING THE BIBLE: PRACTICALSTRATEGIES FOR CLASSROOMINSTRUCTION. Edited by Mark Roncaceand Patrick Gray. Resources for Biblical Study,49. Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature,2005. Pp. xxiii + 440. $39.95, ISBN 1-58983-171-3.

Designed specifically for instructors whowish to improve student knowledge, interest,and excitement in learning about the Bible, thissuperior text takes into consideration all rangesof student knowledge and addresses instruc-tors’ need to engage individuals from the mostelementary to the highly specialized. Twohundred seventy-three entries written byninety-three professors of widely differingbackgrounds offer readers a diversity of theo-logical, ideological, methodological, and philo-sophical perspectives. The book is organizedinto three distinct sections: part one, strategiesfor introducing the general skills and conceptsin biblical studies; part two, methods for teach-ing the HB; and part three, methods for teach-ing the NT. The inclusion of Internet sources

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with models for “traditional” classroom activi-ties provides a comprehensive compendium forinstructors in the university, seminary, or laychurch group. Roncace and Gray succeed inoffering a text that goes beyond pedagogicaltheory, having compiled a useful collection ofeffective, imaginative, and enjoyable strategiesthat represent a dialogue between the wide vari-ety of critical approaches to studying the Bible.

Aaron SaariXavier University

WONDERS NEVER CEASE: THE PUR-POSE OF NARRATING MIRACLE STO-RIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT ANDITS RELIGIOUS ENVIRONMENT. Editedby Michael Labahn and Bert Jan Lietaert Peer-bolte. European Studies on Christian Origins,Library of New Testament Studies, 288. NewYork: T & T Clark, 2006. Pp. xviii + 286.$140.00, ISBN 0-567-08077-3.

This book treats an English-speaking audi-ence to a collection of papers from the 2002 and2003 meetings of the Early Christianity Semi-nar of the European Association for BiblicalStudies. The scholars represent Germany,Spain, the Netherlands, and Finland. The firstsection, treating of the miracle stories ofJubilees, Apollonius of Tyana, Asclepius, theMishna and Tosefta, and the Emperor cult, arebest, demonstrating that one best finds the NTrelevance of adjacent literatures when studyingthem for their own sake. The next sections onthe Gospels, Acts, Paul, Revelation, ancient ill-ness taxonomies, and John 21 are learned butseem to offer little new to be learned, oftenclassifying the obvious. An essay on the rela-tion between the Acts of Andrew and Matthiasand cognate texts will be the highlight for theelect who study those texts. Libraries ought tohave it.

Robert M. PriceJohnnie Colemon Theological Seminary

THE WORD IN THIS WORLD: ESSAYSIN NEW TESTAMENT EXEGESIS ANDTHEOLOGY. By Paul W. Meyer. Edited byJohn T. Carroll. The New Testament Library.Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 2004.Pp. xxx + 338. $39.95, ISBN 0-664-22701-5.

The essays and sermons in this collection(of which four items appear in print for the firsttime) bear an eloquent testimony to the intel-lectual and pedagogical abilities of their author,whose character and contributions are sketchedin a warmly personal yet substantive forewordby J. L. Martyn. Five headings indicate thescope of topics covered: 1) theological and his-torical interpretation (covering “The This-Worldliness of the New Testament,” faith andhistory, the messianic self-consciousness ofJesus, and the role of exegesis in ethical reflec-tion); 2) Pauline exegesis and theology (touch-ing on Rom 7, Rom 10:4, “Pauline Theology:A Proposal for a Pause in Its Pursuit” [with itsfamous footnote on pistis Christou], the Holy

Spirit in Paul, and Augustine’s reading ofRomans); 3) his commentary on Romans(excerpted from the HarperCollins Bible Com-mentary); 4) Johannine exegesis and theology(including the presentation of God in the fourthGospel, “Seeing, Signs, and Sources in theFourth Gospel,” polarity of faith as a Johannineparadigm, and exegetical notes); and 5) shorterstudies and sermons (four on Matthean textsand one each on Mark and Luke). In all, astriking collection, whose remarkable breadthis not as impressive as the author’s combinationof intellectual erudition and pastoral insight.Highly recommended, especially for seminarylibraries and students.

Michael W. HolmesBethel University

SLAVES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT: LIT-ERARY, SOCIAL, AND MORAL DIMEN-SIONS. By J. Albert Harrill. Minneapolis, MN:Fortress Press, 2006. Pp. xiv + 322. $25.00,ISBN 0-8006-3781-X.

This is a book not so much about slavery inthe ancient world, of which there are many, butabout how slaves function as a literary trope inthe imaginations of Greek, Roman, and Chris-tian writers. Harrill considers the use of stockmotifs of slavery in Christian writing, such asthe powerlessness of slaves’ bodies (chaptertwo), slavery as comedy (chapter three), theelite slave in households (chapter four), theslave trader (chapter five), and the faithful slaveand Christian martyrdom (chapter six). Thefinal chapter also sets this book apart from otherbooks on slavery and is perhaps the mostimportant for our own time: it traces the ab/useof the NT in the American slavery debate (chap-ter seven). This book promises to make a lastingcontribution not only by extending our under-standing of slavery in antiquity but in illustrat-ing the importance of socio-historical contextwhen using the Bible to support or oppose othermoral issues such as, I can imagine, same-sexdesire and marriage. This current debate, afterall, reflects many of the same hermeneuticalapproaches.

Zeba A. CrookCarleton University

A STUDENT’S GUIDE TO TEXTUALCRITICISM OF THE BIBLE: ITS HIS-TORY, METHODS, AND RESULTS. ByPaul D. Wegner. Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 2006. Pp. 334. $17.00, ISBN0-8308-2731-5.

On the one hand, this volume is brilliant interms of concept, organization, and especiallyvisual appeal: numerous charts, maps, dia-grams, lists, drawings, and especially picturesillustrate or explain the subject, providing a richfeast for the eyes and the mind. On the otherhand, the text accompanying these visual treatsis unreliable—a fatal flaw in a guide aimed atstudents. Far too often in this volume, oneencounters mistakes, misattributions, use of

out-of-date editions or dated discussions, ormisleading summaries. An example: the sec-tional bibliographies list the first edition ofTov’s Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible(except p. 142, a reference to the second edi-tion, but with the first edition’s date) while thenotes reference the second edition (exceptp. 125, which cites a “3rd” edition), and the textitself sometimes draws upon the content of one,and sometimes the other. At other places, viewsattributed to scholars stand in substantial ten-sion (if not in direct contradiction) with theviews they actually hold. The rich visual ele-ments of this volume make it attractive to teach-ers and students alike; it is deeply to beregretted that the unreliability of its contentmakes its intended use extremely problematic.

Michael W. HolmesBethel University

STUDIEN ZUR BIBLISCHEN GRUNDLE-GUNG DES CHRISTLICH-JÜDISCHENVERHÄLTNISSES. By Peter Fiedler. Stut-tgarter Biblische Aufsatzbände, NT 35. Stut-tgart, Germany: Katholisches Bibelwerk, 2005.Pp. x + 291. €49.40, ISBN 3-460-06351-3.

In this collection of mostly previously pub-lished essays, Fiedler’s main concern is to showthe constant reorientation that Judaism andChristianity had to make toward each otherin developing their own self-identities. Self-identities were developed, defended, andmaintained often in polemical contexts overfoundational concepts such as Torah (and sin),the relationship of both Jesus and the Churchto the concept of Israel, the significance of thedeath of Jesus and of the Temple, the relationof Jesus to God, the meaning of and participa-tion in the Eucharist, and the relationship ofChristianity to developing rabbinical traditionand Christianity’s presentation of the Pharisees.Fiedler studies these concepts in key passagesprimarily from Matthew (2:20; 12:18-21),including Matthew’s presentation of the Phari-sees and Paul (Rom 9-11). Fiedler’s overalltheological point is that what is “uniquely”Christian can only be recovered when polemi-cal passages in the NT against Jews are properlyunderstood and when adjustments are made forthe history of their negative impact. This rele-gates any NT polemic against Judaism to therhetorical husk that needs to be removed inorder to see the core of Christianity. This is aweak (but commonly held) theoretical point inwhat are otherwise excellent exegetical essays.

Fred W. BurnettAnderson University

JESUS, JUDAISM, & CHRISTIAN ANTI-JUDAISM: READING THE NEW TESTA-MENT AFTER THE HOLOCAUST. Editedby Paula Fredriksen and Adele Reinhartz.Louisville, KY: Westminster John KnoxPress, 2002. Pp. xi + 129. $19.95, ISBN 0-664-22328-1.

Volume 32 Number 4 / October 2006 Religious Studies Review / 265

In this short collection, five prominent NTscholars dedicate essays to Krister Stendahl: 1)P. Fredriksen, “The Birth of Christianity andthe Origins of Christian Anti-Judaism”; 2) E. P.Sanders, “Jesus, Ancient Judaism, and ModernChristianity: The Quest Continues”; 3) J. G.Gager, “Paul, the Apostle of Judaism”; 4) A.Levine, “Matthew, Mark, and Luke: GoodNews or Bad?”; and 5) A. Reinhartz, “The Gos-pel of John: How the ‘Jews’ Became Part of thePlot.” Each essay introduces the nonacademicreader to the issue of Christian anti-Judaism inthe main areas of earliest Christianity. Theoverall goal of this collection is to illustrate thatearliest Christianity (particularly Jesus andPaul) did not operate outside of or in oppositionto Judaism. Rather, Christian anti-Judaism wasimported into Christianity later and for the pur-poses of identity and boundary formation (aprocess that begins, however, within a coupleof generations of Jesus). The brevity, scope, andaccessibility of this book make it valuable inundergraduate classrooms and interfaith groupsdiscussing Christianity’s role in the rise ofmodern anti-Semitism.

Zeba A. CrookCarleton University

THE HISTORICAL JESUS IN RECENTRESEARCH. Edited by James D. G. Dunn andScot McKnight. Sources for Biblical andTheological Study, 10. Winona Lake, IN:Eisenbrauns, 2005. Pp. xvi + 618. $44.60,ISBN 1-57506-100-7.

It is by now a truism that one’s picture ofthe “historical Jesus” is very likely to be a self-portrait. The same seems to be true of one’simage of the shape and history of the scholarlyquest for the historical Jesus. And thus, thismassive collection of essays and excerptsreflect the “maximal conservatism” we havecome to expect from Dunn. The pieces byscholars not generally deemed conservativenonetheless make a case for a conservativereading of this or that element of the Gospels.Reading the contents of the book, seminarianswould never guess that there has been a con-stant and growing stream of radical Jesus schol-arship. The Jesus Seminar appears here severaltimes as a foil for a “sound” conservatism. Theresult is a syllabus of sectarian exegesis, ame-nable to the almost denominational perspectiveof conservative evangelicals who engage inapologetics when they believe themselves to bedoing critical scholarship. But the essays arenone of them without value, and any theologi-cal library should buy it.

Robert M. PriceJohnnie Colemon Theological Seminary

JESUS IN CONTEXT: BACKGROUNDREADINGS FOR GOSPEL STUDY. Editedby Darrell L. Bock and Gregory J. Herrick.Grand Rapids, MN: Baker Academic, 2005.Pp. 286. $22.99, ISBN 0-8010-2719-5.

Though this collection of passages illumi-nating the Gospels is designed as a companion

to Bock’s Jesus According to Scripture, it iseasily usable on its own. Rather than an anthol-ogy of relevant, complete texts, Bock andHerrick synchronize important excerpts withsuccessive Gospel passages in the order onefinds them, so it is easy to look up the relevanttexts at the appropriate point. Material comesfrom the Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha, DeadSea Scrolls, Philo, Josephus, and Rabbinicalwritings. The omission of Hellenistic Pagansources reflects the apologetical stance of theeditors and intended readers, but one cannotinclude everything, and the editors kindly directone to Boring, Berger, and Colpe’s HellenisticCommentary on the New Testament for the rest.There is no student of the Gospels who will notfind this collection most helpful. Individualsand libraries alike should invest in a copy.

Robert M. PriceJohnnie Colemon Theological Seminary

THE JESUS DYNASTY: THE HIDDENHISTORY OF JESUS, HIS ROYAL FAM-ILY, AND THE BIRTH OF CHRISTIAN-ITY. By James D. Tabor. New York: Simon &Schuster, 2006. Pp. x + 363. $27.00, ISBN 978-0-7432-8723-4.

Tabor is basically rehashing the venerabletheory of A. Harnack and E. Stauffer (nevermentioned in this book) that Jesus was a mes-sianic king, and that in his absence, James, thenSimeon his brother, took over as “caliphs” inhis place. There is nothing new here. The bookis but a pale ghost of Eisenman’s magisterialJames the Brother of Jesus. It is dedicated toA. Schweitzer, which is no accident, since itbasically recapitulates his theory that Jesusexpected that he would usher in the apocalypseby his ministry of healing, preaching, and exor-cism, but that John the Baptist’s shocking deathmade him reconsider, making him realize forthe first time that he might have to die too. Tothis, add H. J. Schonfield’s The Passover Plot,which Tabor’s book greatly resembles in itsimaginative mind reading of Jesus and how hemight have-cum-must have applied variousscriptural prophecies to himself, then endeav-ored to fulfill them.

Robert M. PriceJohnnie Colemon Theological Seminary

THE BIRTHING OF THE NEW TESTA-MENT: THE INTERTEXTUAL DEVEL-OPMENT OF THE NEW TESTAMENTWRITINGS. By Thomas L. Brodie. NewTestament Monographs, 1. Sheffield, UK:Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2004. Pp. vii + 653.$49.50, ISBN 1-905048-03-3.

Brodie’s weighty tome connects much of hisprevious work on the intertextuality and theliterary development of the Gospels. Specifi-cally, he argues that Proto-Luke reflects adependence upon the Septuagint (especially theElijah-Elisha narrative) as well as 1 Cor andlogia from Matt 5 and 11. Moreover, he main-tains that this text becomes the core of the Gos-

pel tradition that the Evangelists creativelyengaged. The argument proceeds in four parts:1) an introduction to ancient writing practices;2) an articulation of the thesis; 3) a detailedexamination of the relationship between Proto-Luke and the Septuagint; and 4) eight appendi-ces on Proto-Luke and NT intertextuality. In theprocess, Brodie dismisses the nebulous cate-gory “oral tradition” in favor of literary depen-dence, and his Proto-Luke hypothesis rendersQ unnecessary. These are bold strokes, andalthough Brodie perceives the wide-rangingimplications that his proposal would have forearly Christian history and theology, he restrictshimself to a narrow problem. Indeed, despite itstitle, the book focuses primarily on the Gospels,and its Proto-Luke thesis accounts for just onethread in the formation of the Gospel tapestries.Nevertheless, calling attention to the intertex-tual connections within the Gospels representsan innovative direction in NT studies and meritsfurther examination. It is perhaps unavoidable,however, that the volume’s highly technicalargumentation will restrict readership to spe-cialists and advanced graduate students.

David M. ReisUniversity of Oregon

History of Christianity (Early)THE NEW WESTMINSTER DICTIO-NARY OF CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALITY.Edited by Philip Sheldrake. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2005.Pp. xx + 680. $49.95, ISBN 0-664-23003-2.

A helpful reference work replacing its 1983predecessor edited by G. S. Wakefield. Morethan an updating, it is in several ways a com-pletely new book, produced largely by Euro-pean and North American scholars under theeditorship of Sheldrake at the University ofDurham. Preceding the alphabetically arrangedlist of topics, which has been expanded by over200 new entries, there are extended essays onfoundational issues such as the definition,types, and methods of Christian spirituality,contemporary spirituality, and mysticism andon issues of recent concern, e.g., the relation-ship between spirituality and psychotherapy,culture, science, and the dialogue of religions.Useful bibliographies are appended to eachessay and entry. While the focus of the Dictio-nary is Christian spirituality, it forsakes exclu-sivity for a welcome ecumenicity reflecting thepluralistic and global character of Christianity.There are entries on Catholic, Lutheran, Cal-vinist, Anglican, Methodist, and Baptistspiritualities; on Augustinian, Benedictine,Carmelite, Franciscan, Dominican, and Jesuitspiritualities; and on Christian spirituality inrelation to Hindu, Buddhist, Zen, Jewish, andIslamic spiritualities. Also worthy of note, the