A Dictionary of Biblical Interpretation

770 Pages·1990·29.548 MB·English

by  R.J. Coggins, J.L. Houlden (eds.)

This dictionary is not so much about the
contents of the Bible as it is about the way in
which the Bible has been interpreted in the past
and how it is interpreted today. The articles,
written by a distinguished team of biblical
scholars, cover a wide range of related topics.
Articles are devoted to each book of the Bible,
showing the history of its interpretation and the
part that it has played in the interpretation of the
Bible generally.
Also included are discussions of the various
techniques and methods employed in
interpreting the Bible, from textual criticism to
literary criticism and structuralism.
Each of the main phases of biblical
interpretation - patristic, mediaeval, modern -
receives appropriate attentibn, as do the major
schools of biblical interpretation.
Technical terms are discussed in detail, and
there are articles on the major individual
interpreters of the Bible, ancient and modern.
Other entries include: the interpretation of
the Bible in art, the Bible and other faiths, the
Bible in poetry~ Black Christian interpretation,
cultural relativism, feminist interpretation of the
Bible, Jewish exegesis, miraculous
interpretation of the Bible, Muslim biblical
interpretation and the use of the Bible in new
religious movements.
A Dictionary ofB iblical Interpretation will be
an essential handbook and reference work for all
who are interested_ in serious study of the Bible.
R. J. Coggins and J. L. Houlden both teach at
King's College, London.
A
D IT CC1fll 0 NARY
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EDITED BY
R. J. COGGINS
AND
J. L. HOULDEN
SCM PRESS
London
TRINITY PRESS INTERNATIONAL
Philadelphia
First published 1990
SCM Press Trinity Press International
26-30 Tottenham Road 3725 Chestnut Street
London NI 4BZ Philadelphia, Pa. 19104
All rights reserved. No part ofthis publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted,
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior
permission of the publishers, SCM Press and Trinity
Press International
© SCM Press & Trinity Press International 1990
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A dictionary ofbiblical interpretation.
1. Bible. Interpretation
1. Coggin, R. J. (Richard James), 1929-
11. Houlden, J. L. (James Leslie), 1929-
220.6
ISBN 0-334--00294-X
Library o/Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A Dictionary of Biblical interpretation/edited by R. J. Coggins and
J. L. Houlden.
p. cm.
ISBN 0-334--00294-X
1. Bible-Dictionaries. 2. Bible-Hermeneutics-Dictionaries.
3. Bible-Criticism, interpretation, etc.-History-Dictionaries,
1. Coggins, R. J., 1929- . II. Houlden, J. L. (James Leslie)
BS440.D494 1990
220.3-dc20 89-28178
Printed in Great Britain by
Richard Clay Ltd, Bungay, Suffolk
PREFACE
Why A Dictionary of Biblical Interpretation, when so many 'Bible dictionaries' are
available? Though some information of the kind to be found in those useful works
also appears here, our concern has been different, dealing more with the wide
range of matters relating to the interpretation of the Bible than its content or the
history and cultures surrounding its writings.
The fact that a need has come to be felt for such a dictionary reflects a
movement of thought that is partly a shift of interest towards matters of interpreta
tion, but also, and perhaps more significantly, a certain loss of confidence. Where
once it was widely assumed that the meaning of the Bible as a whole and in its
constituent parts was self-evident to the careful reader, there is now a wider
awareness that 'interpretation' is not a task simply additional to the mere 'reading'
or 'use' of the Bible, seen as pure and simple in themselves; nor is it something
reserved for the few who specialize in it, or perhaps church authorities who
pronounce on it; nor yet is it something sinister, the attempt to 'put something
over' on readers who would do better without it. No, interpretation is inescapable,
inherent in the very act of. reading a text, an act which sets up a 'conversation'
between text and reader, and perhaps, where a tradition is involved, a multiplicity
of conversations stretching back maybe for centuries. This wider awareness has
led, among other things, to an explosion of technical terms in this area, and an
ever-widening range of methods and techniques. This dictionary sets out to act as
an aid to those who wish to enter a territory which may appear something of a
maze.
'lt· is surprising in a dictionary that attempts to be comprehensive to find no
article on .. .' If it would be of help to reviewers who feel tempted to lament along
these lines, we can say at once that we fully share the regret. Indeed, we could
readily supply a list of individuals and themes that we would have wished to
include. And our list of regretted exclusions has grown steadily langer as we have
reflected upon the material received. We knew before we started that many aspects
of interpretation would be involved; neither of us had really appreciated the full
extent of the ways in which the Bible has been perceived, or the importance it has
had in different areas of religious and cultural life. To have edited this volume has
been an education in itself.
That said, some further clarification is called for as to the basis of selection. In a
very small number of instances omission is due to the fact that some scholars from
whom we were hoping for contributions were unable to provide them, and there is
a limit to the time that a whole project can be held up while awaiting a small
number of articles. (But we should hasten to add that the overwhelming majority
of those whom we approached were most eo-operative and prompt in their
response, even if only one scholar signified his agreement to take part by actually
sending the article he was asked for, virtually by return ofpost!)
The subjects that have been covered fall into a number of categories: the biblical
books; schools, movements and periods in the history of interpretation; technical
vi Preface
terms, approaches and methods used in interpretation. All these are topics which
are the concerns of the professional biblical scholar, and we hope that there is
material here for those whose interests are of that kind. But we hope that the
readership of this book will refiect the fact that the interpretation of the Bible has
ranged more widely; it soon became clear that we must touch on the fields of
literature and painting and music, even if the articles on these topics can only give
a glimpse of the riches that are available. We should have liked to go further and
have a range of articles on 'the Bible and .. .': politics, and education, and ... and
a whole host of different themes. Space limitations ruled out that kind of ambition.
In all cases where it was appropriate, we have asked contributors to keep in
mind the role their topic has played in the history of interpretation, and the way it
has itself been interpreted over the years. There are many fascinating and often
surprising by-ways in biblical interpretation - old fashions long forgotten and
corners of life and culture which the Bible has touched but which rarely figure in
the normal view of biblical studies. We have sought to make it possible for readers
to be directed to such matters, even if only by brief allusion. Our hope is that, like
all the best dictionaries, this work will suck its readers into itself, sending them
scurrying to other pages and other works, drawing them into whole new and
worthwhile fields of exploration. A dictionary is a point of entry into a world, in
this case one that is füll of riches, some wildly exotic, others more workaday, but
all of significance in relation to our culture in its past or its present.
By and large we have kept articles on individuals to a minimum. Those who
have been included are not necessarily the most important, but are often those
who fitted into no tidy category, or who were feit to have exercised an infiuence
which was not as widely perceived as it should be. For others, we hope that the
admittedly selective index will provide adequate guidance as to where their import
ance lay. The index of biblical references, similarly, makes no claim to be ex
haustive, but should guide its user to those contexts in which a passage of interest
has received detailed or significant attention.
Another important way of obtaining additional information, or a different angle
on a related topic, is by the asterisks (*) found in virtually every article in the
dictionary. These refer to other articles, usually by their specific title; at times we
have trusted the reader to exercise judgment, and to work out that, say, 'structure' *
invites reference to the article 'Structuralism'. The only exception to this general
rule relates to the actual names of biblical books, which have not been
asterisked; each of them is the subject of an article, occasionally combined with
another related book (e.g. Ezra-Nehemiah; II Peter and Jude). Normally only the
first such cross-reference in an article has been asterisked.
There are yet other in-built means of acquiring additional information. Most
articles have a short list of further reading bearing on the topic discussed, either
appended or embodied in their text. This should serve to amplify points discussed
in the article or call attention to other aspects which could not be considered in the
available space. Additional reading is of works in English, save in those cases
where the only really satisfactory discussion of a topic was judged to be in German
or French.
Besides the suggestions for further reading, articles have proposals to 'See also'
other articles in the dictionary as a means of acquiring additional or related
insights. Not all our contributors agree with one another; and these cross-references
will often provide the reader with a different angle on the same subject, or
information about a related theme which should be of interest.
Preface vii
One problem area for the editors related to modes of reference. In the Christian
tradition the larger part of the Bible has for many centuries been referred to as the
'Old Testament', but this represents a specifically Christian manner of interpreta
tion, and one of our concerns has been to avoid Christian triumphalism and give
due weight to Jewish interpretation. In the end we have retained OT and NT, as
being the most familiar form of reference, not least because alternatives such as
'Hebrew Bible' are not yet generally established; but we are aware that in years to
come this may look like an old-fashioned and perhaps rather patronizing decision.
The same is true with dates; we have stuck with BC/AD rather than BCE/CE, for the
same reason and with the same qualms as those just described.
lt remains only to express our thanks: to those scholars with whom we discussed
the initial plan of the book, and who made many constructive suggestions which
we were happy to incorporate; to the contributors, of course, for their co-operation,
and readiness to explain patiently to obtuse editors the reasons why they felt their
theme had to be dealt with in just that way, and why proposals for reducing the
length of an article had to be resisted; to Sonia Copeland and others at King's
College, London, for administrative and secretarial help; to Margaret Lydamore
at the Press, who bore the brunt of our complaints and kept our editorial feet from
straying too far out of the prescribed path; and to John Bowden, whose idea the
book originally was, and whose enthusiasm and drive have kept us at it. Now it is
over to you, the reader.
R. J. COGGINS
J. L. HOULDEN

CONTRIBUTORS
Kenneth T. Aitken, Lecturer in Hebrew and Semitic Studies, University of Aberdeen.
Proverbs
Loveday Alexander, Lecturer in New Testament, Department of Biblical Studies,
University of Sheffield. Aretalogy
Philip S. Alexander, Senior Lecturer in Jewish Studies, University of Manchester.
Aqedah; Midrash; Rabbi, Rabbinism; Shekinah
G. W. Anderson, Professor Emeritus of Hebrew and Old Testament Studies,
University of Edinburgh. Scandinavian Old Testament Scholarship
Graeme Auld, Senior Lecturer in Old Testament Studies, University of Edinburgh.
WordofGod
John Baggley, Team Rector, Bicester Area Team Ministry. Icons
Edward Ball, Lecturer in Theology, University of Nottingham.
Covenant; Eye-Witness; Nahum; Smith, W. Robertson; Zephaniah
Margaret Barker, Pseudonymity
John Barton, University Lecturer in Theology, and Fellow of St Cross College,
Oxford. Authority of Scripture; Canon; Eisegesis; Oracle; Prophets and Prophecy;
Verbal Inspiration
Stephen C. Barton, Lecturer in New Testament, Department of Theology, University
of Durham. Community; Ethos; Mystery Colts
Christina A. Baxter, Dean, St John's College, Nottingham. Barth, K.
J. Neville Birdsall, Emeritus Professor of New Testament Studies and Textual
Criticism, University of Birmingham. Harmony; Manuscripts; Palaeography; Text
of the Bible; Textual Criticism (New Testament)
t
Anders J0rgen Bj0rndalen, late Professor, Free Faculty of Theology, University of
Norway. Allegory
M. G. Brett, Lecturer in Old Testament, Lincoln Theological College. Intratextuality
S. P. Brock, University Lecturer in Aramaic and Syriac and Fellow of Wolfson
College, Oxford. Syriac Tradition
George J. Brooke, Lecturer in Intertestamental Literature, University of Manchester.
Dead Sea Scrolls; Florilegia; Pesher
Raymond E. Brown, SS, Auburn Distinguished Professor of Biblical Studies, Union
Theological Seminary. Infancy Narratives
Richard A. Burridge, The Lazenby Chaplain, University of Exeter. Gospel
Averil Cameron, Professor of Late Antique and Byzantine Studies, King's College,
London. Women in Early Christian Interpretation
Robert P. Carroll, Reader in Biblical Studies, University of Glasgow. Arnos;
Authorship; Cognitive Dissonance; Commentary (Old Testament); Duhm, B.;
Eschatology; Habakkuk; Ideology; Irony; Jeremiah; Joel; Micah; Obadiah;
Torrey, C. C.
David Catchpole, St Luke's Foundation Professor of Theological Studies, University
of Exeter. Beatitudes
Henry Chadwick, Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge. Augustine
Ruth Chavasse, Lecturer in Ecclesiastical History, King's College, London.
Erasmus
Peter Clarke, Lecturer in the History and Sociology of Religion, King's College,
London. New Religious Movements
Contributors X
R. E. Clements, Samuel Davidson Professor of Old Testament Studies, King's
College, London. Abraham; Isaiah; Messiah; Pentateuch, Pentateuchal Criticism
David J. A. Clines, Professor of Biblical Studies, University of Sheffield.
Holistic Interpretation
R. J. Coggins, Senior Lecturer in Old Testament Studies, King's College, Lon
don. American Interpretation (Old Testament); Babylon; Chronicles; David;
Euphemism; Ezra-Nehemiah; Holy Book; Israel, History of; Samaritans; Scribes;
Word of God; Writings
Dan Cohn-Sherbok, Director, Centrefor the Study of Religion and Society, Univer
sity of Kent. Liberation Theology
Mark Corner, former Lecturer in Religious Studies, University of Newcastle, and
freelance writer. Fundamentalism
John M. Court, Senior Lecturer in Theology and Religious Studies, University of
Kent. Millenarianism; Revelation of John
A. H. W. Curtis, Lecturer in Old Testament Studies, University of Manchester.
Aetiology; Genesis; Psalms; Theological Geography; Theophany
Margaret Davies, Lecturer in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies,
University of Bristol. Exegesis; Genre; Literary Criticism; Reader-Response
Criticism
Philip R. Davies, Senior Lecturer in Old Testament, University of Sheffield.
Apocrypha; Daniel
John Day, University Lecturer in Old Testament, and Fellow and Tutor of Lady
Margaret Hall, Oxford. Creation Narratives
T. J. Deidun, Lecturer in New Testament Studies, Heythrop College, University of
London. Galatians; Romans
John A. H. Dempster, Resource Librarian, Strathclyde Regional Council. Hastings, J.
Jennifer Dines, CSA, Lecturer in Old Testament, Heythrop College, University of
London. Septuagint
F. Gerald Downing, Vice-Principal, The Northern Ordination Course, Manchester.
Analogy; Apology, Apologetic; Background and Content; Criteria; Cynics; Fact;
Hellenism; Hellenistic Writers; Historical-Critical Method; Revelation
John Drury, Dean, King's College, Cambridge. Luke, Gospel of; Parable; Symbol
James D. G. Dunn, Professor of Divinity, University of Durham.
Christology, New Testament; Diversity; Judaizers
Alan Dunstan, Canon Residentiary and Precentor of Gloucester Cathedral.
Hymnody
John Eaton, Reader in Old Testament Studies, University of Birmingham. Kingship
Paul Ellingworth, Translation Consultant, United Bible Societies, and Honorary
Lecturer, University of Aberdeen. Translations (Modern)
Ieuan Ellis, Fellow, University of Hull.
English Interpretation; Essays and Reviews; Homily; Lux Mundi
Grace 1. Emmerson, Visiting Lecturer, Department of Theology, University of
Birmingham.
Esther; Hosea; Jonah; Paronomasia; Syntax; Translation, Problems of
Philip F. Esler, Barrister of the New South Wales Supreme Court, and part-time
Lecturer in Religious Studies and Divinity, University of Sydney.
Acts of the Apostles
C. F. Evans, Professor Emeritus of New Testament Studies, University of London.
Resurrection
G. R. Evans, University Lecturer in History, and Fellow of Fitzwillian College,
Cambridge. Mediaeval Interpretation
Owen E. Evans, formerly Senior Lecturer in Biblical Studies, University College of
North Wales, Bangor. Dodd, C. H.; Jeremias, J.
J. C. Fenton, Canon of Christ Church, Oxford. Resurrection Narratives