Review a Theological Introduction to the Old Testament 2nd Edition

A review of "A Theological Introduction to the Old Testament" past Richard Hess.

Birch, Bruce C., Walter Brueggemann, Terence East. Fretheim, and David L. Petersen. A Theological Introduction to the Old Testament. 2d edition. Nashville: Abingdon, 2005.  eighteen + 485 pages.  Paperback.  ISBN 068706676X.

From the first, these authors emphasize the diversity of the One-time Testament.  They stress their connection with the Christian faith and the desire to find hither a continuity with Jesus and the Church.  Nevertheless, they write every bit heirs of historical criticism and within the postmodern context of gender studies, socioeconomic class research, ethnicity and culture, and sensitivities toward political contexts.  In this light it seems, the authors refuse to connect any specific Old Testament texts to the church's Christology (p. 15).  Thus a canonical unity does not presume whatsoever clearly prophetic texts that could directly anticipate what is known equally the New Testament.  Such analysis anticipates larger assumptions that go clear every bit the book progresses.  More stress lies on the concern to find a continuity between the testaments of God, God'southward people, and creation.

The work moves chronologically through State of israel'southward history with special attention paid to the Pentateuch in the kickoff 171 pages.  The multiplicity of themes found in the opening capacity of the Bible are highlighted in regard to creation and fall.  God's involvement in all of creation is given special accent.  While some annotation of the loss of harmony is made (p. 38), it is brief and non cogitating of the caste to which this motif characterizes these accounts.  Of special interest with the Flood are the notes that God's promises to not again destroy the world in this manner plant a measure out of self-limitation.  Furthermore, the authors find a note of God's suffering in Genesis 6:5-vii, signaled past divine willingness to endure the wicked world and open the divine middle to it (p. 55).  In this mode it can be said that God changes in this story, while humanity does not.  The differences in the stories of Genesis 12-50 accept long been noted and are hither deftly handled with the emphasis on how God works through the family.  There is much in the way of overt encounters, of belief equally a new part of righteousness, of dreams, of straight divine encounters, and of God behind the scenes in the story of Joseph.  The function of the family unit is paramount.  Mayhap this is why so niggling is devoted to Genesis 14 and almost cypher to Melchizedek.  The critical study of this material receives extensive review with apartment generalized assumptions most the lack of any historical context.  Information technology is possibly the ignoring of the ane "international" chapter, i.e., 14, that leads the writers to ignore the prove that only in the early 2nd millennium B.C. did Elam politically accomplish into the West Semitic globe and just in the 2nd millennium were at that place kings named anything like Tidal (i.eastward., Tudhaliyas of the Hittites).  This is not to argue that the prove requires historicity; only to limited disappointment that the newcomer to the Old Testament volition find only one option here.

The authors emphasize the exodus as an effect of "kerygma" rather than history.  They exercise not ascertain how these are mutually sectional (if indeed they are), but they do concern themselves with the exodus where salvation takes place through liberation.  The pharaoh and even the people of Egypt are caught up in the God's acts so that even the innocent may exist "placed in danger by the reckless condone for God'due south purposes on the function of the oppressor" (p. 113).  The effect is a powerful give-and-take of God'south business concern for the marginalized and oppressed with a potent act of conservancy that results in the formation of a customs that follows God and praises the divine works of salvation.

The discussion of the laws is marked by the twin concerns that God will continue to concord Israel to a high standard and that "Judgment will non be God's last word for either the world or Israel.  The promises are made" (p. 169).  Throughout this give-and-take at that place is a commendable accent on the integration of the physical and spiritual then that there is a full integration of all of life before God.  The gild and construction of the law emphasizes concern for the poor and vulnerable of society, for treat the animals and the state, and for the other nations of the world.  These latter wait upon Israel and evaluate it.  Whether Deuteronomy 29:26 and 32:8-9 tin exist taken as evidence that God has legitimated the worship of other gods for the nations past having built it "into the created club of things" (p. 161) is not and then clear.  The old verse describes how Israel may worship the gods of other nations and thus be led off-target.  It does not condone any worship of other deities.  The latter text is controversial and has several central variants in the aboriginal versions so that any conclusion based on this text cannot be considered established.

The writer'due south written report of Joshua and Judges is oddly distributed amongst the 33 pages of that chapter.  The first xiii pages only mention the books incidentally and go along to describe various preferences by the authors of their ideology.  Judges is express to half-dozen and a half pages.  A great deal of the chapter assumes Norman Gottwald'south theory of the Israelites equally peasants in revolt against their Canaanites oppressors.  Thus their wars are acts of throwing off tyranny.  However, equally has been noted, this theory is non supported by the archaeological or textual testify.  There is no basis in the archaeological tape for seeing the appearance of State of israel in the hill land, with its distinctive archaeological assemblage, as related to the culture of the lowlands and urban center states of Palestine.  Farther the major battles of chapters ten and xi are written in the fashion of the very same Hittite, Egyptian, Assyrian, and Babylonian boxing conquest accounts that these people are supposedly revolting against.  Further, the biblical text emphasizes the defensive nature of these battles, the absence of occupation of the "conquered" areas, and the absenteeism of whatsoever specific casualties other than the armies and their leaders.  Rather than trying to strength these narratives into politically correct categories of the 21st century postmodern theologians, information technology may be meliorate to read them for what they are; the people of Israel trying to survive in a hostile land and fighting defensive wars directed against those who seek to exterminate them; with faith in their God'due south good gift of the land and without mention of any genocide of not-combatants.

Inasmuch as the chapter on Joshua and Judges is weak, that on the Ascent of the Monarchy is strong, especially in the first role.  Conspicuously Hannah anticipates the future in her uncertain fate.  And Samuel does the same as one who is inexperienced and naïve, but like State of israel.  Truly ane Samuel 8:eleven-18 does emphasize the "taking" past the king in all of his oppression of State of israel.  David is an platonic rex who follows the decision of Saul to turn confronting and ignore the prophet's warnings.  On the other paw, information technology is likely that the completely negative portrayal of Solomon was not what the citizens of Israel felt during their period of enormous prosperity and success.  Yet, the decision to compromise his religion at the altars of his wives should have been emphasized as the major cause of the downfall of this generation.

The problem with Jeroboam was that, despite God's promise to him for an eternal dynasty similar that of David, he served other gods.  The authors appreciate the positive and negative contributions of the various kings.  All the same, they practise not accept an agreed upon chronology, ignoring the work of Thiele.  It is indeed true that the role of the prophet emerges equally the royal counsel and conscience, merely it is not then certain that prophecy simply begins in the period of the Judges.  Not only is an earlier prophetic motion attested in the Pentateuch (e.g., Balaam and even earlier placed in Jacob's mouth in Genesis 49), only the Mari show conspicuously asserts prophecy in the Due west Semitic cultural world as early as seven hundred years earlier the judges.  Elijah and Elisha shift the emphasis from the rulers to include the people as well.  Life and decease for all people are God's concern (and not Baal's).  The analysis is consistently careful and useful.

The latter part of the monarchy is summarized with emphasis on the writing prophets who begin in the eighth century B.C.  Amos begins with judgment upon all the nations for the violation of universal moral norms.  Amos indicts State of israel for its failures toward God and toward i another.  The full general tenor of judgment is tempered at the end by a vision of the Davidic house as a restored building.  Hosea and his wife Gomer symbolize God's relationship with Israel.  However, the authors do non notice Gomer in chapter iii.  Rather this is a different adult female who symbolizes the return from the exile.  The focus of judgment is on the fertility of the land.  God exposes his own emotion of hurt and dearest in eleven:8-9.  Micah is a third eighth century book only it contains a bulletin derived from Hosea and Amos, and redacted by later authors and editors.  The prophet applies the warnings confronting State of israel to the Southern Kingdom of Judah.  There is also a greater accent upon a future promise and the thought of a remnant who volition survive (5:seven-8).  Isaiah'southward dual focus on Zion and Davidic kingship culminates in the Zion tradition that guarantees that the ii will survive the Assyrian armed forces threat.  The piece of work is largely a composite of later writers.  However, enough apparently remains from the eighth century for the authors to feel confident that Isaiah did prophecy a future time of peace and prosperity but that this remained unfulfilled.  Zephaniah is the terminal prophet that the authors date to the 8th century.  They fence that his volume follows much of the structure of Amos, although this assumes that 1 ignores the initial chapter of judgment against God's people and leaders.

As the authors look at the prophets of the tardily 7th and early 6th centuries, they brainstorm with the short work of Nahum which they see every bit a work of "celebrative hate" confronting Assyria.  Although the anti-Assyrian position is dominant they also point to the dominion of Yahweh as expressed over all nations.  Nevertheless, ane always wonders about some of the modern political applications.  Alongside Nahum, the larger (and more than influential?) works of Jeremiah and Ezekiel are considered; the former addressed to those in Judah and the latter to the diaspora in Babylon.  Once again, the modern authors detect many editors and redactors in these books so that the choice of the original message begins to appear arbitrary to one outside the critical guild.  These books, as well every bit Habakkuk and Lamentations, reflect the despair of the exile and the subsequent hope.  They demonstrate the disappearance of Babylon from history and the subsequent ascension of Cyrus equally God'due south messiah.  Thereby they illustrate God's control of history, not that of i war machine ability or another.  Finally, Isaiah twoscore-55 render to the theme of hope, once more illustrated past Cyrus.  Although the authors can detect no directly connection to Jesus in the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, they do testify to how the road to newness in history comes via vicarious suffering.

The section on wisdom theology denies the presence of covenant as part of its approach.  Indeed, there seems to be a fundamentally materialistic understanding of the earth in which God is found only in the historical processes of the earth.  Perhaps for this reason the upshot of the presence of God in Job is downplayed and focus instead falls on the Satan and the redeemer whom Job hopes for as one who will fight God and so vindicate Chore.  Nevertheless, the pragmatism of Proverbs and that of the Wisdom psalms does atomic number 82 to the praise of God.  Still, this is a praise that is defined by the cry of the innocent in their suffering.  Ultimately, Ecclesiastes leads the reader to appreciate only blind fate and to find a balanced enjoyment in the life that one has.  In this understanding, the ending of this book, "fear God," is added on past someone who wished to brand the work adequate in orthodox circles.

The last section looks at the remaining Sometime Testament books and parts of books equally bearing witness to a diversity of opinions in the postexilic period.  The historical books such as Chronicles emphasize the possibilities for postexilic State of israel that will come up with repentance, where Manasseh is the principal example.  The postexilic chronicles, such equally Ezra and Nehemiah, witness to the move from Yahwism to Judaism.  The structure of the Psalms gives them a significance that begins in Torah and moves to the praise of God.  There are texts such as Ruth and Esther that emphasize the importance of the voice of women in this menstruation.  Overall the prophecies take on new levels of hope and expectation, culminating in the apocalyptic overthrow of the existing political order.

In full general the book provides a fine and electric current introduction to the written report of the Hebrew Bible.  The educatee reading this work will learn much.  If not all interpretations and applications are without objection, the authors retain an impressive skill at identifying fundamental elements of educational activity inside the literature.  Despite these values, 1 is left with the sense that the authors come across the One-time Attestation as a fundamentally human being book reflecting on the imagined deeds and words of God; rather than equally a fundamentally divine book elucidating the significance of these deeds and words for each and every generation of the people of God.

Richard S. Hess, Ph.D.
Earl Southward. Kalland Professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages
Denver Seminary
February 2010

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Source: https://denverseminary.edu/the-denver-journal-article/a-theological-introduction-to-the-old-testament/

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