ogy and philosophy that often shade our interpretations and intuitions related to historical investigations. The second reason is due to the information overload, hyper-pluralism, and fragmented nature of contemporary biblical studies as it relates to the historical quests for Jesus. A. is thoroughly immersed in this world, and he emphasizes the difficulty of arriving at certain conclusions in the attempt to decide whether the evidence points decidedly in favor of Jesus’s physical resurrection. Because I found myself agreeing with most of A.’s newest book, I can no longer accept many of the arguments and conclusions that I made in previous publications on this subject (most of my works were aligned with the apologetic viewpoint). I also do not see how a book review or full-length response article to A’s exceptional book can do complete justice to all the nuances and intricately laced arguments that are scattered in this text from beginning to end. Though my contributions to the historical approach to the resurrection have been modest, I see A.’s newest book as the scholarly standard that future studies must consult in the attempt to argue for or against the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus.
{"title":"Vision and Voice: Revelatory Experience in the Formation of Christian Identity by Mark D. Batluck (review)","authors":"Olegs Andrejevs","doi":"10.1353/cbq.2023.0055","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/cbq.2023.0055","url":null,"abstract":"ogy and philosophy that often shade our interpretations and intuitions related to historical investigations. The second reason is due to the information overload, hyper-pluralism, and fragmented nature of contemporary biblical studies as it relates to the historical quests for Jesus. A. is thoroughly immersed in this world, and he emphasizes the difficulty of arriving at certain conclusions in the attempt to decide whether the evidence points decidedly in favor of Jesus’s physical resurrection. Because I found myself agreeing with most of A.’s newest book, I can no longer accept many of the arguments and conclusions that I made in previous publications on this subject (most of my works were aligned with the apologetic viewpoint). I also do not see how a book review or full-length response article to A’s exceptional book can do complete justice to all the nuances and intricately laced arguments that are scattered in this text from beginning to end. Though my contributions to the historical approach to the resurrection have been modest, I see A.’s newest book as the scholarly standard that future studies must consult in the attempt to argue for or against the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus.","PeriodicalId":45718,"journal":{"name":"CATHOLIC BIBLICAL QUARTERLY","volume":"85 1","pages":"350 - 351"},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2023-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41852411","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
opments in the different versions. Q. also addresses the complex relationship between the demotic version of Ahiqar and the Greek Life of Aesop, concluding that the Demotic text is the earliest witness to the “Egyptian Episode.” Kratz examines the Elephantine Ahiqar narrative and the Bisitun inscription to ascertain if they “are significant examples of the literature known to the Jewish (or, rather, Judean) colony and, if they were, how they fit into the historical and cultural context of the colony” (p. 302). He draws out the similarities between these two texts and the Hebrew Bible, especially the Book of Tobit. The final two articles consider the unprovenanced Papyrus Amherst 63. Together they offer a thorough presentation of this document and seek to relate it to the other Elephantine documents and the Judean community there. This excellent volume will draw the reader into the fascinating obscurities of the multicultural Elephantine society in the fifth and fourth centuries b.c.e. as it seeks to unravel those obscurities.
{"title":"The Spirit Says: Inspiration and Interpretation in Israelite, Jewish, and Early Christian Texts by Ronald Herms, John R. Levison, and Archie T. Wright (review)","authors":"Timothy Wiarda","doi":"10.1353/cbq.2023.0066","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/cbq.2023.0066","url":null,"abstract":"opments in the different versions. Q. also addresses the complex relationship between the demotic version of Ahiqar and the Greek Life of Aesop, concluding that the Demotic text is the earliest witness to the “Egyptian Episode.” Kratz examines the Elephantine Ahiqar narrative and the Bisitun inscription to ascertain if they “are significant examples of the literature known to the Jewish (or, rather, Judean) colony and, if they were, how they fit into the historical and cultural context of the colony” (p. 302). He draws out the similarities between these two texts and the Hebrew Bible, especially the Book of Tobit. The final two articles consider the unprovenanced Papyrus Amherst 63. Together they offer a thorough presentation of this document and seek to relate it to the other Elephantine documents and the Judean community there. This excellent volume will draw the reader into the fascinating obscurities of the multicultural Elephantine society in the fifth and fourth centuries b.c.e. as it seeks to unravel those obscurities.","PeriodicalId":45718,"journal":{"name":"CATHOLIC BIBLICAL QUARTERLY","volume":"85 1","pages":"369 - 371"},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2023-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41349896","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
political economy ruled by the demands and coercion of the empire. Likewise, prior sociological research—influenced by anti-Marxist sociological models in the 1970s—presented Roman society as a coherent system in which different socioeconomic roles and occupations all fit into a cohesive whole. The reality, however, was far more governed by inequality, poverty, and the exploitation of the many by an extremely wealthy few. Building on this foundation, H.’s next chapters present the early Christ movement as an alternative to the domination and exploitation of the Roman imperial order, turning first to Acts (chap, 7) and then to economic solidarity in the letters of Paul (chap, 8). Horsley’s final section addresses contemporary implications. This section frames global capitalism as a new form of empire, the Bible as a tool of empire, and the field of biblical studies as complicit in empire (chap. 9). H. contrasts this with the biblical texts themselves. He traces the critique of empire and the call to political-economic-religious solidarity through the Hebrew Bible (chap. 10) and NT (chap. 11) and concludes in the latter half of chap. 11 with a call to create alternative communities in resistance to the empire of global capitalism. Not all will agree with the interpretive decisions that H. makes. One example is the use of Acts, where H. takes the lack of apocalyptic expectation in the apostles’ speeches as reflecting historical reality rather than indicating a late date for Acts itself. H.’s portrait of Jesus follows similar lines: Jesus eschews apocalyptic speculation and mocks the search for eternal life, preaching economic solidarity and support for families instead. Finally, H.’s sweeping critique of the field of biblical studies at times treads on shaky ground—namely, his claim that racial, ethnic, gender, and postcolonial readings of Scripture are an extension of bourgeois interests and neglect the political-economic concerns of the biblical text. What H. has truly offered here, however, is a distillation of a robust career of fifty years of scholarship, which builds on his prior works, constructs a compelling and provocative narrative of both Jesus and Paul, and calls the reader to resist the domination of global capitalism just as their early followers resisted Rome.
{"title":"Goat for Yahweh, Goat for Azazel: The Impact of Yom Kippur on the Gospels by Hans M. Moscicke (review)","authors":"L. Frizzell","doi":"10.1353/cbq.2023.0061","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/cbq.2023.0061","url":null,"abstract":"political economy ruled by the demands and coercion of the empire. Likewise, prior sociological research—influenced by anti-Marxist sociological models in the 1970s—presented Roman society as a coherent system in which different socioeconomic roles and occupations all fit into a cohesive whole. The reality, however, was far more governed by inequality, poverty, and the exploitation of the many by an extremely wealthy few. Building on this foundation, H.’s next chapters present the early Christ movement as an alternative to the domination and exploitation of the Roman imperial order, turning first to Acts (chap, 7) and then to economic solidarity in the letters of Paul (chap, 8). Horsley’s final section addresses contemporary implications. This section frames global capitalism as a new form of empire, the Bible as a tool of empire, and the field of biblical studies as complicit in empire (chap. 9). H. contrasts this with the biblical texts themselves. He traces the critique of empire and the call to political-economic-religious solidarity through the Hebrew Bible (chap. 10) and NT (chap. 11) and concludes in the latter half of chap. 11 with a call to create alternative communities in resistance to the empire of global capitalism. Not all will agree with the interpretive decisions that H. makes. One example is the use of Acts, where H. takes the lack of apocalyptic expectation in the apostles’ speeches as reflecting historical reality rather than indicating a late date for Acts itself. H.’s portrait of Jesus follows similar lines: Jesus eschews apocalyptic speculation and mocks the search for eternal life, preaching economic solidarity and support for families instead. Finally, H.’s sweeping critique of the field of biblical studies at times treads on shaky ground—namely, his claim that racial, ethnic, gender, and postcolonial readings of Scripture are an extension of bourgeois interests and neglect the political-economic concerns of the biblical text. What H. has truly offered here, however, is a distillation of a robust career of fifty years of scholarship, which builds on his prior works, constructs a compelling and provocative narrative of both Jesus and Paul, and calls the reader to resist the domination of global capitalism just as their early followers resisted Rome.","PeriodicalId":45718,"journal":{"name":"CATHOLIC BIBLICAL QUARTERLY","volume":"85 1","pages":"359 - 361"},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2023-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44768823","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
(John 20:11-23),” M. notes that the two angels in John 20:12 may evoke the cherubim at either end of the mercy seat at the top of the holy of holies. John 2:18–22 develops the theme that Jesus is the eschatological temple, showing that through him comes the forgiveness of sin. In a brief “Conclusion,” M. reviews the themes that he has studied and presents the impact of Yom Kippur on the Gospels. The strongest influence is on Matthew, while M. argues that Luke and John do not “possess a clear Day of Atonement typology” (p. 128), though there may be some influence on John. Throughout his study, M. presents the secondary literature with a critique of contributions before offering his own judicious approach to the Day of Atonement themes, linking these essays to his earlier book, mentioned above. Endnotes come at the end of each chapter, which is but a minor inconvenience.
{"title":"Luke 10–24 by Barbara E. Reid, OP and Shelly Matthews (review)","authors":"Sheila Klassen-Wiebe","doi":"10.1353/cbq.2023.0062","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/cbq.2023.0062","url":null,"abstract":"(John 20:11-23),” M. notes that the two angels in John 20:12 may evoke the cherubim at either end of the mercy seat at the top of the holy of holies. John 2:18–22 develops the theme that Jesus is the eschatological temple, showing that through him comes the forgiveness of sin. In a brief “Conclusion,” M. reviews the themes that he has studied and presents the impact of Yom Kippur on the Gospels. The strongest influence is on Matthew, while M. argues that Luke and John do not “possess a clear Day of Atonement typology” (p. 128), though there may be some influence on John. Throughout his study, M. presents the secondary literature with a critique of contributions before offering his own judicious approach to the Day of Atonement themes, linking these essays to his earlier book, mentioned above. Endnotes come at the end of each chapter, which is but a minor inconvenience.","PeriodicalId":45718,"journal":{"name":"CATHOLIC BIBLICAL QUARTERLY","volume":"85 1","pages":"361 - 362"},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2023-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46607774","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mark, Luke); transfiguration (Matthew, Mark, Luke); crucifixion and resurrection (Matthew, Mark, Luke). The chapter on John’s Gospel then discusses the Baptist’s report of the Spirit’s descent (John 1:32–34); the voice from heaven that confuses witnesses (John 12:27–40); and the Spirit of peace commissioning the disciples at the resurrection (John 20:1–21:25). Each of these events forms a subsection in its chapter. Each chapter receives its own separate conclusion. Because of the focus on the aforementioned Gospel accounts, this book will be of interest to anyone doing research on these pericopes. B. does not hesitate to state his opinion on a number of perennial topics and to engage the existing views. One may especially mention here the engagement with L. A. Huizenga’s hypothesis of an Isaac typology in Matthew (The New Isaac: Tradition and Intertextuality in the Gospel of Matthew [NovTSup 131; Leiden: Brill, 2012]) (pp. 40–45) and the discussion of the various elements of the Marcan crucifixion scene (pp. 74–80). In chap. 7, B. seeks to synthesize the separate Gospel accounts, summarizing the divergence and convergence among the four Gospels. He highlights nine ways in which he finds the Synoptic Gospels and John converging in their depiction of revelatory events (pp. 133–36). Finally, in chap. 8 (Conclusion), B. offers several sets of implications of his work: (1) for research on social identity and worship in early Christianity; (2) for research on orality and textuality; (3) for narrative interpretations of devotion to Jesus in the Gospels; and (4) for the relationship between early Christian revelatory experience and the crucifixion and resurrection. I list here some of the notable implications. According to B., the revelatory experiences analyzed here in written form “become paradigmatic for the way first century Christian readers understand Jesus” (p. 138). “From a literary-critical standpoint,” the Gospels “do not appear to be unfinished ‘notes’” (p. 140, in disagreement with Matthew Larsen—especially with regard to Mark’s Gospel). “[T]he Gospel stories reflect an early Christian self-understanding . . . that is critical of responses to revelatory phenomena that view Jesus with analogy to other figures” (p. 141). Finally, “[t]he crucifixion and resurrection events are narrated with revelatory phenomena at the very center of the stories and central to what it means to truly understand them” (p. 142, developing the work of N. T. Wright on resurrection in the NT). The primary and secondary supervisors of the dissertation that lies behind this book (revised since the author’s defense [p. viii]) are Paul Foster and Larry Hurtado, with Helen Bond and Simon Gathercole as the internal and external examiners (p. vii). The author thanks a number of other readers, including Chris Keith. These names suggest a rigorous, innovative, and carefully organized research work—expectations that are certainly met here. The book is thoroughly footnoted, conta
{"title":"The First Christian Slave: Onesimus in Context by Mary Ann Beavis (review)","authors":"S. Lim","doi":"10.1353/cbq.2023.0056","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/cbq.2023.0056","url":null,"abstract":"Mark, Luke); transfiguration (Matthew, Mark, Luke); crucifixion and resurrection (Matthew, Mark, Luke). The chapter on John’s Gospel then discusses the Baptist’s report of the Spirit’s descent (John 1:32–34); the voice from heaven that confuses witnesses (John 12:27–40); and the Spirit of peace commissioning the disciples at the resurrection (John 20:1–21:25). Each of these events forms a subsection in its chapter. Each chapter receives its own separate conclusion. Because of the focus on the aforementioned Gospel accounts, this book will be of interest to anyone doing research on these pericopes. B. does not hesitate to state his opinion on a number of perennial topics and to engage the existing views. One may especially mention here the engagement with L. A. Huizenga’s hypothesis of an Isaac typology in Matthew (The New Isaac: Tradition and Intertextuality in the Gospel of Matthew [NovTSup 131; Leiden: Brill, 2012]) (pp. 40–45) and the discussion of the various elements of the Marcan crucifixion scene (pp. 74–80). In chap. 7, B. seeks to synthesize the separate Gospel accounts, summarizing the divergence and convergence among the four Gospels. He highlights nine ways in which he finds the Synoptic Gospels and John converging in their depiction of revelatory events (pp. 133–36). Finally, in chap. 8 (Conclusion), B. offers several sets of implications of his work: (1) for research on social identity and worship in early Christianity; (2) for research on orality and textuality; (3) for narrative interpretations of devotion to Jesus in the Gospels; and (4) for the relationship between early Christian revelatory experience and the crucifixion and resurrection. I list here some of the notable implications. According to B., the revelatory experiences analyzed here in written form “become paradigmatic for the way first century Christian readers understand Jesus” (p. 138). “From a literary-critical standpoint,” the Gospels “do not appear to be unfinished ‘notes’” (p. 140, in disagreement with Matthew Larsen—especially with regard to Mark’s Gospel). “[T]he Gospel stories reflect an early Christian self-understanding . . . that is critical of responses to revelatory phenomena that view Jesus with analogy to other figures” (p. 141). Finally, “[t]he crucifixion and resurrection events are narrated with revelatory phenomena at the very center of the stories and central to what it means to truly understand them” (p. 142, developing the work of N. T. Wright on resurrection in the NT). The primary and secondary supervisors of the dissertation that lies behind this book (revised since the author’s defense [p. viii]) are Paul Foster and Larry Hurtado, with Helen Bond and Simon Gathercole as the internal and external examiners (p. vii). The author thanks a number of other readers, including Chris Keith. These names suggest a rigorous, innovative, and carefully organized research work—expectations that are certainly met here. The book is thoroughly footnoted, conta","PeriodicalId":45718,"journal":{"name":"CATHOLIC BIBLICAL QUARTERLY","volume":"85 1","pages":"351 - 353"},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2023-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46960246","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
of the NT. In each of these chapters, H. identifies the key issue or issues that need attention, provides copious quotations of the prophetic texts to illustrate how such issues are raised and addressed by the language of the book itself, illustrates the organization of the book and its movement of thought, all the while addressing the various types of historical, cultural, and geographical background that sharpen understanding of the messaging. Each chapter includes sidebars that offer insight on topics like the use of the bow and arrow as symbol, NT citations from Isaiah, Jeremiah’s travels to Egypt, and apocalyptic literature. Finally, each chapter closes with a set of discussion questions that invite the reader to recall key elements of the chapter’s presentation and solicits thought beyond the bounds of what the author said. This publication stands apart from others in a variety of ways. Given H.’s scholarly credentials, this book could have been written with a depth that made it inaccessible to the nonspecialist. That is not the case. The book has a narrative-like quality, written in clear prose that flows logically throughout. Page-spreads are beautifully composed with photographs, maps, and illustrations that further illustrate the insights the author is delivering. In short, this is a highly accessible book. I can see it at work in a college or graduate school classroom as well as occupying the desk of a pastor or Bible study leader. The one audience likely to be disappointed is the one seeking critical review of authorship or a discussion of text integrity. There is little of that here. While the author is capable of such a conversation, the presumed audience is not seeking it. This introduction to the prophets is meant for readers who have a high view of Scripture and generally fall into the evangelical world. Those interested in a tool for decoding the prophetic messages with the help of context will be most rewarded by what is within. In addition to reader accessibility, this publication is commended for its treatment of the nonwriting prophets whose stories are vital to understanding the evolving narrative of the Hebrew Bible. We also celebrate the correlation of context with the study of the prophetic language. Communication is highly influenced by matters of historical, cultural, and geographical context. This publication champions this notion and delivers fresh insights throughout by bringing together text and context. Finally, this treatment of the OT prophets stands out by linking their message with that of the NT, treating the Bible as an organic whole and illustrating that prophecy did not end with Malachi but continued into the NT era. Readers for whom this book is intended will relish the treatment of John the Baptist, Simeon, Anna, Jesus, and John as they are depicted in the stream of OT prophetic thought. For pastors, professors, and Bible teachers who have been looking for a scholarly yet accessible treatment of the OT p
{"title":"The Archaeology of Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls by Jodi Magness (review)","authors":"Dennis J. Mizzi","doi":"10.1353/cbq.2023.0050","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/cbq.2023.0050","url":null,"abstract":"of the NT. In each of these chapters, H. identifies the key issue or issues that need attention, provides copious quotations of the prophetic texts to illustrate how such issues are raised and addressed by the language of the book itself, illustrates the organization of the book and its movement of thought, all the while addressing the various types of historical, cultural, and geographical background that sharpen understanding of the messaging. Each chapter includes sidebars that offer insight on topics like the use of the bow and arrow as symbol, NT citations from Isaiah, Jeremiah’s travels to Egypt, and apocalyptic literature. Finally, each chapter closes with a set of discussion questions that invite the reader to recall key elements of the chapter’s presentation and solicits thought beyond the bounds of what the author said. This publication stands apart from others in a variety of ways. Given H.’s scholarly credentials, this book could have been written with a depth that made it inaccessible to the nonspecialist. That is not the case. The book has a narrative-like quality, written in clear prose that flows logically throughout. Page-spreads are beautifully composed with photographs, maps, and illustrations that further illustrate the insights the author is delivering. In short, this is a highly accessible book. I can see it at work in a college or graduate school classroom as well as occupying the desk of a pastor or Bible study leader. The one audience likely to be disappointed is the one seeking critical review of authorship or a discussion of text integrity. There is little of that here. While the author is capable of such a conversation, the presumed audience is not seeking it. This introduction to the prophets is meant for readers who have a high view of Scripture and generally fall into the evangelical world. Those interested in a tool for decoding the prophetic messages with the help of context will be most rewarded by what is within. In addition to reader accessibility, this publication is commended for its treatment of the nonwriting prophets whose stories are vital to understanding the evolving narrative of the Hebrew Bible. We also celebrate the correlation of context with the study of the prophetic language. Communication is highly influenced by matters of historical, cultural, and geographical context. This publication champions this notion and delivers fresh insights throughout by bringing together text and context. Finally, this treatment of the OT prophets stands out by linking their message with that of the NT, treating the Bible as an organic whole and illustrating that prophecy did not end with Malachi but continued into the NT era. Readers for whom this book is intended will relish the treatment of John the Baptist, Simeon, Anna, Jesus, and John as they are depicted in the stream of OT prophetic thought. For pastors, professors, and Bible teachers who have been looking for a scholarly yet accessible treatment of the OT p","PeriodicalId":45718,"journal":{"name":"CATHOLIC BIBLICAL QUARTERLY","volume":"85 1","pages":"340 - 342"},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2023-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49337652","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract:This article will focus on Ezekiel 17 to show the metamorphosis in Israel's leadership and statehood evident in Ezekiel's prophecy. In the first part I will discuss Judah's vassal status in the preexilic period as presented in the parable and its interpretation (17:1–21). Next I will examine the messianic figure presented in the prophecy's conclusion (17:22–24) and discuss Ezekiel's depictions of Israel's future leadership and statehood. Both parts will show how the comparative study of ancient Near Eastern writings and iconography, especially the Neo-Babylonian imperial propaganda, may lead to a better understanding of Ezekiel's message. Ezekiel, I will claim, depicts restored Israel as a Babylonia-like empire and its future leader as a great Neo-Babylonian king.
{"title":"From Vassal to Empire: The Metamorphosis of Israel's Leadership and Statehood in Ezekiel 17","authors":"Ariel Kopilovitz","doi":"10.1353/cbq.2023.0041","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/cbq.2023.0041","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract:This article will focus on Ezekiel 17 to show the metamorphosis in Israel's leadership and statehood evident in Ezekiel's prophecy. In the first part I will discuss Judah's vassal status in the preexilic period as presented in the parable and its interpretation (17:1–21). Next I will examine the messianic figure presented in the prophecy's conclusion (17:22–24) and discuss Ezekiel's depictions of Israel's future leadership and statehood. Both parts will show how the comparative study of ancient Near Eastern writings and iconography, especially the Neo-Babylonian imperial propaganda, may lead to a better understanding of Ezekiel's message. Ezekiel, I will claim, depicts restored Israel as a Babylonia-like empire and its future leader as a great Neo-Babylonian king.","PeriodicalId":45718,"journal":{"name":"CATHOLIC BIBLICAL QUARTERLY","volume":"85 1","pages":"237 - 255"},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2023-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47212727","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Cambridge Companion to Genesis ed. by Bill T. Arnold (review)","authors":"Bradley C. Gregory","doi":"10.1353/cbq.2023.0063","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/cbq.2023.0063","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":45718,"journal":{"name":"CATHOLIC BIBLICAL QUARTERLY","volume":"85 1","pages":"363 - 365"},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2023-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46088847","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
c.e.; and pp. 140–41, on a recent interpretation of Locus 4 as a possible dining room), the two major revisions pertain to the site’s chronology and one of its most enigmatic phenomena—the animal bone deposits. Regarding the former, M. revises her earlier suggestion that Qumran was abandoned briefly between 9 and 4 b.c.e. (which served as a demarcation point between Periods Ib and II), and now holds that the site experienced a continuous, uninterrupted occupation starting from the early first century b.c.e. till 68 c.e., with the building(s) undergoing various modifications along the way (pp. 69–72; this is based on and summarizes the arguments in Dennis Mizzi and Jodi Magness, “Was Qumran Abandoned at the End of the First Century BCE?” JBL 135 [2016] 301–20). Perhaps more significantly, M. departs from her previously held view that the animal bone deposits are the remains of communal meals—a view that retains a wide scholarly following—and argues that they represent the remains of animal sacrifices carried out at Qumran. She bases her argument on comparative material from other cultic sites across the Mediterranean, where charred animal bones and pottery are often found in layers of ash, a scenario similar to the one we have at Qumran. Therefore, M. sees the site as conceived along the lines of the biblical wilderness camp, with a sacrificial altar in its midst. In other words, the Qumran sectarians did not just withdraw from the temple in Jerusalem, as the majority of scholars maintain, but also created an alternative sacrificial cult of their own (pp. 142–60). A glaring omission in this otherwise excellent work is the absence of a final chapter that synthesizes M.’s key arguments and conclusions, especially given the book’s thematic structure. As it is, the book ends abruptly with the discussion of Qumran’s relationship to the nearby sites of ʿEin Feshkha and ʿEin el-Ghuweir and lacks any final reflections that attempt to tie everything together. This is a feature carried over from the first edition, even though disrupting the original format by adding a concluding chapter would have gone a long way in giving the book a more cohesive structure. Furthermore, M. includes more updates on the archaeology of Qumran than of the Dead Sea Scrolls, despite the many recent advances in the scientific study of the Scrolls as archaeological artifacts and the renewed focus on the caves in which they were found. Finally, one may take issue with the way M. sometimes uses the Scrolls to elucidate aspects of the site. The Scrolls were found at Qumran, true, and they are related to the site and its inhabitants, but what they say may not be about Qumran. These are minor squabbles, however, that pale in comparison to the book’s many strengths. No doubt, like the first edition, this revised version will remain a standard introduction for many years to come and will serve, once more, as a useful tool to help readers navigate the dynamic scholarly discussions on the
{"title":"Divine Violence and the Character of God by Claude F. Mariottini (review)","authors":"David Penchansky","doi":"10.1353/cbq.2023.0051","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/cbq.2023.0051","url":null,"abstract":"c.e.; and pp. 140–41, on a recent interpretation of Locus 4 as a possible dining room), the two major revisions pertain to the site’s chronology and one of its most enigmatic phenomena—the animal bone deposits. Regarding the former, M. revises her earlier suggestion that Qumran was abandoned briefly between 9 and 4 b.c.e. (which served as a demarcation point between Periods Ib and II), and now holds that the site experienced a continuous, uninterrupted occupation starting from the early first century b.c.e. till 68 c.e., with the building(s) undergoing various modifications along the way (pp. 69–72; this is based on and summarizes the arguments in Dennis Mizzi and Jodi Magness, “Was Qumran Abandoned at the End of the First Century BCE?” JBL 135 [2016] 301–20). Perhaps more significantly, M. departs from her previously held view that the animal bone deposits are the remains of communal meals—a view that retains a wide scholarly following—and argues that they represent the remains of animal sacrifices carried out at Qumran. She bases her argument on comparative material from other cultic sites across the Mediterranean, where charred animal bones and pottery are often found in layers of ash, a scenario similar to the one we have at Qumran. Therefore, M. sees the site as conceived along the lines of the biblical wilderness camp, with a sacrificial altar in its midst. In other words, the Qumran sectarians did not just withdraw from the temple in Jerusalem, as the majority of scholars maintain, but also created an alternative sacrificial cult of their own (pp. 142–60). A glaring omission in this otherwise excellent work is the absence of a final chapter that synthesizes M.’s key arguments and conclusions, especially given the book’s thematic structure. As it is, the book ends abruptly with the discussion of Qumran’s relationship to the nearby sites of ʿEin Feshkha and ʿEin el-Ghuweir and lacks any final reflections that attempt to tie everything together. This is a feature carried over from the first edition, even though disrupting the original format by adding a concluding chapter would have gone a long way in giving the book a more cohesive structure. Furthermore, M. includes more updates on the archaeology of Qumran than of the Dead Sea Scrolls, despite the many recent advances in the scientific study of the Scrolls as archaeological artifacts and the renewed focus on the caves in which they were found. Finally, one may take issue with the way M. sometimes uses the Scrolls to elucidate aspects of the site. The Scrolls were found at Qumran, true, and they are related to the site and its inhabitants, but what they say may not be about Qumran. These are minor squabbles, however, that pale in comparison to the book’s many strengths. No doubt, like the first edition, this revised version will remain a standard introduction for many years to come and will serve, once more, as a useful tool to help readers navigate the dynamic scholarly discussions on the ","PeriodicalId":45718,"journal":{"name":"CATHOLIC BIBLICAL QUARTERLY","volume":"85 1","pages":"342 - 344"},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2023-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44382967","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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