This volume covers the first half of Order Moed, including laws of Sabbath, Community Markers, Passover, the Half Shekel tax and the Day of Atonement. These provide many enlightening insights into NT background, including details of the Sabbath disputes of Jesus, the Passover in the Gospels, Jewish tax and payments to the Temple, the theology of Hebrews and first century Jewish soteriology.
Showing posts with label David Instone-Brewer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label David Instone-Brewer. Show all posts
Traditions of the Rabbis from the Era of the New Testament (TRENT), vol.2 Feasts and Sabbaths: Passover and Atonement
This volume covers the first half of Order Moed, including laws of Sabbath, Community Markers, Passover, the Half Shekel tax and the Day of Atonement. These provide many enlightening insights into NT background, including details of the Sabbath disputes of Jesus, the Passover in the Gospels, Jewish tax and payments to the Temple, the theology of Hebrews and first century Jewish soteriology.
"Jewish Associations in Roman Palestine: Evidence from the Mishnah"
Associations were a widespread social structure in the first century Roman world, of individuals who shared a common interest and bonded together by means of communal meals, often in temples which had dining facilities. Judaism used a comparable term (haburah) to describe similar gatherings especially at festival times. The Jewish associations included groups who met in public halls for a festival meal, reclining on triclinia and were waited on by servants. Separate associations met privately, even though they occupied the same public hall as others. Unlike Gentile associations, there is some evidence that Jewish associations rejected the custom of following the meal by a drinking party.
"Scandals from the New Testament"
"Balaam-Laban as the key to the Old Testament quotations in Matthew 2"
Matthew chapter 2 appears to pull proof texts out of the Hebrew Scriptures in an almost random way. However, when it is read in the light of the ancient additions to the story of Balaam, the texts form the structure of a sermon based on Balaam's star. Early Jewish sources allude to a story about Balaam who, in the identity of Laban, tried to kill Rachel's children which included a messianic baby. They were protected in Egypt but after the Exodus Balaam attacked again. Matthew's four quotations are each linked to this story, and a first century Jewish reader would have recognised the story behind these links. The underlying message is that Jesus is the Messiah, and that Herod was like Balaam-Laban, the super-enemy of the Jews who tried to destroy the Messiah.
"Rabbinic Reflections on Living Sacrifices at Romans 12:1"
Rabbinic traditions speak about Temple offerings which were kept alive and pastured till they were blemished. They could not be slaughtered for a variety of technical reasons, but while they lived, their profits (from wool or milk) went to the Temple, so long as they remained pure. This is the likely background to the 'Living Sacrifices' who are told to remain spotless.
"Links with Tabernacles and Hanukkah in the Gospel Accounts of Palm Sunday"
Waving palm branches and crying Hosanna were associated with the festivals of Tabernacles and Hanukkah, both of which celebrated a ruler riding in to free Jerusalem. When these familiar chants occurred before Passover at Jesus' entrance, the officials were understandably worried.
"Jesus` Sabbath Dispute with Pharisees in a Cornfield"
Why did Jesus quote the story of David eating the Bread of the Presence to show that disciples could eat plucked wheat on a Sabbath? Eating a handful of corn was allowed on a Sabbath, and what concerned the Pharisees was eating the one part in a hundred which was the priest's tithe within the handful of corn. So Jesus pointed out that David also ate food intended only for priests.
"What God has Joined"
This summary of Divorce and Remarriage in the Church caused a terrible controversy because it implied one could divorce for minor emotional neglect. John Piper blogged to say that this was a misunderstanding, but somehow this just fueled the fire.
(Time magazine interview): "An Evangelical Rethink on Divorce?"
A British academic does not often get embroiled in USA political debates about Democratic Presidential candidates, until most of them are divorcees. Time magazine was interested to find out the Biblical basis to the new Evangelical thinking on divorce. When Time magazine phoned, I was unavailable because it was tea time at Tyndale House, so they had to call back later. One has to get priorities right!
"Not lost in translation"
The NIV and tNIV translation committee sits every year to work on minor revisions. This view from the inside shows that a committee really can work well, and sometimes have fun too.
"Evangelical Separation Anxiety: What the Bible says about Divorce"
The Wall Street Journal is interested in theology when Evangelicals suddenly stop rejecting Presidential Candidates who are divorced.
"Rabbinic Writings in New Testament Research"
The value of rabbinic writings for interpreting the NT is limited by the difficulty of dating them. Halakhic traditions are the easiest to date, because even anonymous traditions can show historical development from case laws which led up to them and other which resulted from them. Agadic traditions can sometimes be dated - eg the charge sheet against Jesus which appears to have survived against all odds. Parables are common but only a couple can be dated before 70 CE - including one which gives an insight into true Jewish motives for obeying the Law. Targums are the most tantalising traditions and the hardest to date, but these too can sometimes be dated by relating them to other datable teaching.
"The Scandal of Equality in Jesus' Ethical Teaching"
If we asked anachronistically whether Jesus was egalitarian or complementarian, we could look at his teaching on polygamy, divorce and singleness. In each case he took what could be regarded as an egalitarian stance - he rejected polygamy as unequal, forbade the men-only no-fault divorce, and allowed both men and women to remain single. His own singleness was a scandal in a society where procreation was regarded as a divine command. He was probably unable to marry because he was an unofficial mamzer (illegitimate), so no decent girl would be allowed to marry him.
"What God has Joined Together"
A summary of Divorce and Remarriage in the Church.
"The historical Jesus among the rabbis : prayer, divorce and earthly rewards"
Some examples of how rabbinic traditions enlighten our understanding of Gospel traditions.
Traditions of the Rabbis from the Era of the New Testament (TRENT), vol.1 Prayer and Agriculture
A lengthy introduction shows the methods for dating early rabbinic traditions, as well as the potential inaccuracies involved. This volume covers the first Order of Mishnah which deals with regular prayers such as the Shema and Eighteen Benedictions and the various aspects of tithing and growing crops. All the traditions which can arguably originate before 70 CE are analysed, dated and related to the NT where appropriate.
"Comparing Neusner's and Guggenheimer's Translations of the Jerusalem Talmud"
Guggenheimer has started to publish a new translation of the Jerusalem Talmud which till now has only been translated into English by Jacob Neusner. A detailed comparison of a few portions shows that they have very different styles. Guggenheimer's translation uses more flowing English and assumes knowledge of Jewish background by the reader, while Neusner tends to translate literally and explains things which a non-expert may not understand.
"James as a Sermon on the Trials of Abraham"
The epistle of James appears unstructured with a confusing mixture of OT allusions, until it is viewed as a sermon on the theme of the Trials of Abraham. This theme, which was a commonplace in first century Judaism, was a catalogue of ten temptations which Abraham faced and triumphed over. These trials, which included a temptation by Satan similar to Job's, were to test Abraham's self-control and to see whether his faith was matched by his works.
"Theology of Hermeneutics"
The theology of hermeneutics in Judaism's foundational literature tells us the assumptions with which early Judaism regarded Scripture. The forerunners of the Tannaim (the Pharisees and various named individuals living before 70 CE) followed mainly Nomological assumptions, ie: Scripture is totally self-consistent; every detail in Scripture is significant; Scripture is understood according to its context; Scripture does not have any secondary meaning; there is only one valid text form of Scripture. Hellenistic Judaism (eg Philo and Josephus) and Sectarian Judaism (mainly Qumran) had an inspirational hermeneutic theology, viewing Scripture as though it contains hidden or spiritual meanings which are not obvious to the casual or uninspired reader. Rabbis after 70 CE introduced methods of the inspirational approach to find Scriptural foundations for new rulings.
"The Eighteen Benedictions and the Minim Before 70 CE"
The earliest wording of the 18 Benedictions says God's glory dwells in the Jerusalem Temple, which suggests that at least some of this wording originated before its destruction in 70CE. The curse against the "minim" was probably directed against the Sadducees, replacing the curse against Pharisees (which is referred to but is now lost). The anti-Christian curse against "Natzerines" is referred to by 2nd C Tertullian and Justin Martyr but it is unlikely to be as old as the mutual curses of Sadducees and Pharisees.
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