Biblica 78 (1997)

Fasc. 1

Commentationes

Aletti, J.N., «Romains 5,12-21. Logique, sens et fonction», Vol. 78(1,1997) 3-32.

       Rom 5,12-21 - especially the eph' ô clause of 5,12 - has been examined so many times that one might wonder whether there is anything new to say. But not all the components of the passage have been sufficiently taken into account by exegetes, especially its structure and dynamics, the expolitio of vv.13-14 and, last but not least, the synkrisis of vv.15-19. Besides, not enough attention has been paid to the Biblical and Jewish parallels. Only after the interrelationship of the rethorical and semantic elements of the passage has been adequately considered, can one see its relevance and function in the Letter to the Romans.

 

Lambrecht, J., «Paul's Coherent Admonition in Galatians 6,1-6: Mutual Help and Individual Attentiveness», Vol. 78(1,1997) 33-56.

       The three problems investigated in this study are: Is there a coherent argument in Galatians 6,1-6 ? Does v.4 admit rightful boasting ? To what extent is v.5 eschatological ? The coherence is confirmed by the global consideration of both context and text, as well as by the exegesis of the individual verses (against H.D. Betz and J.C. O'Neill). Between v.1 and v.2 there is no qualitative shift from sinful actions to radical sinfulness; in vv.3-4 Paul opposes wrong boasting to a possible rightful boasting that, however, does not allow comparison with others (against G. Klein). One's "own load" in v.5 points to everyday worries (against D.W Kuck). The unifying factor in this text is the interweaving of the two complementary injunctions, mutual help and individual attentiveness, which dominate Paul's exegesis in &,1-6.

 

Porter, S.E. -- Clarke, K.D.., «Canonical-Critical Perspective and the Relationship of Colossians and Ephesians», Vol. 78(1,1997) 57-86.

       Indicating that Colossians and Ephesians need a sustained study according to canonical-critical method, Porter-Clarke propose to define and apply to these two letters a workable model of what they have called a canonical-critical perspective. After study of canonical criticism today and of certain problems this criticism faces, Porter-Clarke explain their choice of the word "perspective" and describe on going difficulties the method must meet. The canonical-critical perspective then studies three problems: the authorship of the letters, the prescript of Ephesians and the literary relationship between the two letters. There follows a relating of canonical to historical criticism.

Animadversiones

Schmid, K., «Manasse und der Untergang Judas: "Golaorientierte" Theologie in den Königsbüchern ?», Vol. 78(1,1997) 87-99.

       The passages about Manasseh in 2 Kgs 21,*3-16; 23,26-27; 24,3-4 do not reflect deuteronomistic theology, even though they are couched in deuteronomistic language. They express a 'gola' theology. Statements about the guilt of the kings and people of the Northern Kingdom have been subtly changed. Manasseh alone is to blame for the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem. The events of 597 B.C., not 587 B.C., bear witness to this.

Fasc. 2

Commentationes

Na'aman, N., «Prophetic Stories as Sources for the Histories of Jehoshaphat and Omrides», Vol. 78(2,1997) 153-173.

       Tracing the sources available to the Dtr historian and the way he integrated them into his composition is the point of departure for this study. The detailed analysis of the value-judgments, and the concluding statements on Jehoshaphat, Ahab, Ahaziah and Joram, indicate that they were written on the basis of the prophetic stories and "battle reports" of 1 Kgs 17-19; 21-22; 2 Kgs 1; 3 and 9-10. These narratives were the main sources available to the Dtr for describing the histories of Jehoshaphat and the Omrides. The pre-Dtr story in 1 Kgs 22 included vv. 1-18.29-37, whereas vv.19-28 were written by the Dtr when he integrated the story of Ahab's death in battle into his historical composition. The lack of agreement between prophetic narratives and passages composed by the Dtr suggets that such contradictions were tolerated by the historian and his readers and that we must be careful not to attribute modern historical standards to biblical historians. A detailed analysis of the Dtr history shows that the historian exhausted all his sources and left very little that is not mentioned either explicitly or implicitly in his work.

 

Barbiero, G., «Die "Wagen meines edlen Volkes" (Hld 6,12): eine strukturelle Analyse», Vol. 78(2,1997) 174-189.

       Cant 6,12 (mark^ebôt ^cammî-nâdîb) is a famous crux interpretum. The writer of the article suggests a structural solution for the text by making it the conclusion to the passage in 6, 4-12. The metaphor of the "chariots of war" is in line with other metaphors in the passage that illustrate the "fearsome" aspect of love. The idea of the "people" also has its counterpart in the preceding verses. The expression refers to 2 Kgs 2,12; 13,14. The beloved arouses the sacred fear which, in the Old Testament, was tipical of the "horses of fire" which made up the heavenly arny of Israel.

 

Scoralick, R., «Psalm 111 -- Bauplan und Gedankengang», Vol. 78(2,1997) 190-205.

       In psalm 111 three different formal principles can be discerned, each employed with consummate artistry. The psalmist develops an acrostic and a concentric structure as well as displaying an interest in numbers. In this way he expresses a desire for completeness. The same purpose underlies his combining of salvation history with wisdom through the medium of the law.

 

Nigosian, S., «Linguistic Patterns of Deuteronomy 32», Vol. 78(2,1997) 206-224.

       The writer considers the philological characteristics of the poem in Deut 32 in order to determine if any of the linguistic data provide a clue for dating it. The examination of these characteristics involves the analysis of the following four elements: (1) syntax and morphology; (2) parallelism and assonance; (3) metrical structure and (4) terminology. This philological inquiry indicates a mixture of early and late linguistic features in Deut 32 and leads the author to place its composition during the transitional period in poetic Hebrew between the 10th and the 8th centuries BCE.

 

Kilgallen, J.J., «The Conception of Jesus (Luke 1,35)», Vol. 78(2,1997) 225-246.

       The Christological affirmation in Luke 1,35 is to be understood by integrating together three elements of the Lucan text: the paternity of God (especially considering the physiology of the day), the virginity of Mary, the physical birth of Jesus. This profound Christology is meant to illuminate both the description of Jesus given in vv.31-33 and the eventual person described in the rest of Luke-Acts.

Animadversiones

Anbar, M., «La critique biblique à la lumière des Archives royales de Mari II: 1 S 18,21b», Vol. 78(2,1997) 247-251.

Kselman, J.S., «Two Notes on Psalm 37», Vol. 78(2,1997) 252-254.

Res Bibliographicæ

Viviano, B.T., «The Sermon on the Mount in Recent Study», Vol. 78(2,1997) 255-265.

Fasc. 3

Commentationes

Fischer, G., «Zum Text des Jeremiabuches», Vol. 78(3,1997) 305-328.

       The last 25 years or so have seen many published writings expressing a preference for the Greek text of Jeremiah. The reasons usually adduced (I: the evidence of 4Q71; the shorter text; grater cohesion) cannot, however, demonstrate its priority. Instead a number of arguments (II: the evidence of the tradition; the ideal programme; a more challenging text) suggests that preference should rather be given to the longer and more complex Hebrew text. The MT of Jeremiah represents to a much higher degree than does the LXX the 'original' version of the book of Jeremiah.

 

Neudecker, R., «"Das ganze Volk sah die Stimmen...": Haggadische Auslegung und Pfingstbericht», Vol. 78(3,1997) 329-349.

       The Hebrew text of Exod 28,18a says, "All the people saw the voices". It does not say, "heard the voice". This paradox gave rise to a great number of rabbinic interpretations which can be considered parallels to the Pentecost account in the Acts of the Apostles. Probably all these rabbinic passages as well as the passage in Acts go back, at least in part, to earlier traditions that grew out of biblical texts dealing the giving of the Torah at Sinai. Paradoxical statements create a barrier to relational thinking and may, for this very reason, lead to profound experiences. It is in this sense that the article sees a close relationship between Exod 28,18a and Acts 2,3.

 

Plumer, E., «The Absence of Exorcisms in the Fourth Gospel», Vol. 78(3,1997) 350-368.

       In the profound theological synthesis by which the Fourth Gospel came into being, the traditions concerning Jesus' exorcisms were gradually pushed to the periphery as inadequate vehicles of Johannine kérygma, didaché, and proskùnesis. This process was hastened to its completion by the conflict between Johannine Christianity and Pharisaic Judaism. For our purposes, this conflict was decisive; for without it we cannot explain the omission of the most obvious sign of the casting out of the prince of this world. Nevertheless, the omission of exorcisms from the Fourth Gospel was not an illegitimate departure from the primitive tradition, attributable entirely to the particular historical circumstances of the Johannine community. It was, rather, a development of that tradition, enhancing what was already present in the teaching of Jesus, and clarifying his own interpretation of his work as paradigmatic of God's definitive defeat of Satan.

Animadversiones

Kilgallen, J.J., «Luke 15 and 16: A Connection», Vol. 78(3,1997) 369-376.

Smit, J.F.M., «The Function of First Corinthians 10,23-30: A Rethorical Anticipation», Vol. 78(3,1997) 377-388.

Schöpflin, K., «Notschrei, Dank und Disput: Betten im Jonabuch», Vol. 78(3,1997) 389-404.

Fasc. 4

Commentationes

von Gemünden, P., «La femme passionnelle et l'homme rationnel ?Un chapitre de psychologie historique», Vol. 78(4,1997) 457-480.

       This article studies the psychological subject of the relation between logos/nous and the passions which was considered of central importance in antiquity and was linked with a tradition that ascribed reason to men and passion to women. The analysis of these stereotypes is here made by a study of the three different ancient traditions. After an examination of an example coming from pagan tradition (Euripides' Medea) the author goes on to a Jewish one as found in 4 Mac and in other works up to and including those of Philo of Alexandria. Finally, St. Paul's attitude is presented as clearly distinct from the three earlier models.

 

Cuvillier, É., «Particuralisme et universalisme chez Matthieu: quelques hypothèses à l'épreuve du texte», Vol. 78(4,1997) 481-502.

       There has been much discussion about the tension between particularism and universalism in the exegesis of the first gospel. It is particularly noticeable when Matthew 10,5b-6 is compared with 28, 19b. An analysis of the narrative logic of Matthew's account shows that he wants his readers to make the transition from a remote and particularist understanding of mission to a real, universalist one. The episode of the canaanite woman (Mat 15,21-28) plays a central part in this matter. This change of scene goes hand in hand with a particular understanding of mission: being a missionary means, like the master, living in insecurity and presenting oneself before people as a 'little one' who lives only by the reception which he gets from them. On the historical level, Matthew's account illustrates the destiny of a Jewish-Christian community that has been led to take upon itself its own heritage and, at the same time, something new: the gospel.

 

van der Merwe, C.H.J., «"Reference Time" in Some Biblical Temporal Constructions», Vol. 78(4,1997) 503-524.

       This study sets out to explain why Biblical Hebrew distinguishes three sintactically different temporal constructions which apparently have, from a sentence semantic point of view, the same meaning. For these purposes it utilises, firstly, the concept (current) reference time as developped by English grammarians and, secondly, aspects of the results of a major study of BH word order by Walter Cross to determine the difference between topicalised, sentence final and temporal constructions separated by a wâw from the rest of the clause (they are supposed to be part of). It then establishes the following: (1) The difference between topicalised and sentence final temporal constituents is most probably due to a difference in the information structure of the sentences in which they are used. (2) The difference between, on the one hand, topicalised and sentence final temporal constituents and, on the other hand, temporal constructions separated by a wâw from the rest of the clause, is of a different nature. The latter are used exclusively to specify or update the temporal vantage point of an event, i.e. its (current) reference time. This is in contrast to topicalised and sentence final temporal constituents that specify the temporal profile of an event or state of affairs. It may be the time the event took place, its duration or frequency.

Animadversiones

Brandt, P.-Y. -- Lukinovich, A., «Oîkos et oikía chez Marc comparé à Matthieu et Luc», Vol. 78(4,1997) 525-533.

Mengelle, E., «La estructura de Hebreos 11,1», Vol. 78(4,1997) 534-542.

Holloway, S.W., «Antiochian Temporal Interpolatins in 2 Kgs 6,24 -- 7,20», Vol. 78(4,1997) 543-547.

Res Bibliographicæ

Nodet, É., «Sacchi et l'histoire du Second Temple», Vol. 78(4,1997) 548-564.