Ancient Judaism and Christian Origins: Diversity, Continuity, and Transformation

287 Pages·2003·4.42 MB·English

by  George W. E. Nickelsburg

Ancient Juda ism and C h r i s t i a n Origins
"Based o n his lifelong s tudy o f t h e c o m p l e x w o r l d o f early
Chris t ian i ty and its Jewish c o n t e x t , Nickelsburg d e m o n s t r a t e s
t h e r e m a r k a b l e similarities b e t w e e n t h e e m e r g e n t faith and
o t h e r Jewish m o v e m e n t s , and also the ir decisive differences.
T h e b o o k is a l m o s t as significant for t h e quest ions it raises,
unse t t l ing m a n y long-s tanding stereotypes , as for t h e answers
it offers. A valuable r e s o u r c e for s tudents o f t h e N e w T e s t a m e n t
and for all c o n c e r n e d t o found Christian—Jewish dialogue
t o d a y o n a p r o p e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e original 'part ing o f t h e
ways.'"
— F r a n k l i n S h e r m a n
Associate for Interfai th Relat ions
Evangel ica l L u t h e r a n C h u r c h in A m e r i c a
A n c i e n t J u d a i s m
and Christian Origins
Diversity, Cont inu i ty , and Transformat ion
George W. E. Nickelsburg
Fortress Press
Minneapolis
ANCIENT JUDAISM AND CHRISTIAN ORIGINS
Diversity, Continuity, and Transformation
Copyright © 2003 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in
critical articles or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any manner with-
out prior written permission from the publisher. Write: Permissions, Augsburg Fortress,
Box 1209, Minneapolis, MN 55440.
Cover art: Menorah medallion in relief. Photo © Erich Lessing / Art Resource, N.Y.
Chi-Rho, early Christian relief, from the Museo Pio Cristiano, Vatican Museums, Vatican
State; and menorah medallion from the ruins of the synagogue of Aphek, Golan Heights;
Israel, from the Golan Museum, photo © Art Resource, N.Y. Used by permission.
Author photo: Jon Van Allen, University of Iowa Foundation
Cover and interior design: Beth Wright
Scripture quotations from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible are copyright ©
1946, 1952, 1971 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the USA, and are used by permission.
ISBN 0-8006-3612-0
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American
National Standard for Information Sciences — Permanence of Paper for Printed Library
Materials, ANSI Z329.48-1984.
Manufactured in the U.S.A.
07 06 05 04 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
For
Birger Pearson and Norman Petersen
and in memory of
Jacob, Salomon and Benjamin
Ephraim and Samuel David and Keile
Isaac and Elka, Esther and Salomon
SamuellJulius and Bertha
Alexander) Albert
C o n t e n t s
Preface xv
Abreviations xvi
Introduct ion 1
The Renewed Study of Early Judaism 1
Implications for the Study of Christian Origins 3
Historical / 4
Theological / 4
Methodological / 5
The Task and Scope of This Bok 6
1. Scripture and Tradition / 9
The Situation in Early Judaism 9
The Extent of the Authoritative Corpus / 9
Manuscripts from the Caves of the Judean Desert / 9
The Components of the Canon / 10
The Developing Text of the Hebrew Bible / 11
Scripture in Its Interpretive Context / 12
The "Rewritten Bible": The Rise of Haggadah / 12
Interpretation of the Prophetic Texts / 15
The Servant of the Lord: A Multivalent Symbol / 17
Summary / 20
Scripture in the Early Church 21
The Biblical Canon of the Early Church / 22
The Text of Scripture / 23
Biblical Interpretation in the Early Church 24
The Church Read Scripture within Its Traditional Interpretations / 24
The Use of Rabbinic Traditions in New Testament Exegesis / 25
— vii —
vi (Contents
Jewish Precedents for the Rise and Development
of the Jesus Tradition 26
T h e C r e a t i o n o f N a r r a t i v e Haggadah about Jesus / 26
T h e D e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e Synopt i c Tradi t ion / 27
Disagreements o v e r t h e Bible and Its In terpre ta t ion :
A C a u s e for "Unbelief" / 28
2 . Torah and the R igh teous L i f e / 29
A Theological Problem for the Church 29
Torah in the Hebrew Scriptures 31
T h e C o v e n a n t a l C o n t e x t o f T o r a h / 32
T o r a h as I n s t r u c t i o n R a t h e r T h a n Simply Law / 33
T h e Preva lence o f T o r a h and C o v e n a n t in t h e H e b r e w Scr iptures / 34
T h e W i s d o m Li tera ture : A Special Case / 34
Divine Justice and G r a c e / 3 5
Torah and the Righteous Life in Early Judaism 36
T h e R o l e o f T o r a h d u r i n g t h e A n t i o c h a n Persecut ion / 36
Faith and Obedient A c t i o n in t h e Jewish Texts / 38
T o r a h and t h e W i s d o m Tradi t ion / 39
W i s d o m apart f r o m t h e Mosa ic T o r a h / 41
W h o A r e "the Righteous" and "the Sinners"? / 42
S u m m a r y : W h a t t h e Text s Indicate and D o N o t Indicate / 44
The Development of Halakah and the Rise of Sectarianism 4
A N o t e o n Rabbinic Halakic Texts / 44
T h e Heri tage o f D e u t e r o n o m i c T h e o l o g y : T h e D y n a m i c s o f L a w m a k i n g
and Legal I n t e r p r e t a t i o n in t h e B o o k o f Jubilees / 45
E n o c h i c Law / 46
T h e Sectar ian T o r a h o f Q u m r a n / 47
Sect and Revealed T o r a h / 48
Halakah as t h e U p d a t i n g o f T o r a h / 49
S u m m a r y : T h e Responsibility t o A c t Righteous ly / 49
Torah and Grace in Judaism 50
Torah and the Righteous Life in Early Christianity 51
Divine J u d g m e n t o n t h e Basis o f H u m a n Deeds / 51
Justification and t h e R i g h t e o u s Life in Paul / 53
A S p e c t r u m o f Early Chr i s t ian At t i tudes about t h e T o r a h / 54
Paul's Chris t ian Predecessors and C o n t e m p o r a r i e s / 54
T o r a h and Halakah in t h e Synopt i c Jesus Tradi t ion / 55
(Contents ix
W i s d o m I n s t r u c t i o n and t h e R i g h t e o u s Life / 57
Hellenistic Mode l s for N e w T e s t a m e n t Eth ica l I n s t r u c t i o n / 57
T h e Synopt ics and Paul: Chr i s to log ica l Mode l s
and Eth ica l T e a c h i n g / 5 8
Sumary 58
3. God's Activity in Behalf o f Human i t y / 61
Models in Jewish Texts 61
Deliverance Is a Pervasive M o t i f / 61
Two Major Developments 62
T h e C o s m i c C h a r a c t e r o f Evil / 62
Locat ing Decisive Del iverance in t h e E s c h a t o n / 64
Salvation from Sin and Its Consequences 64
T h e Sacrificial S y s t e m / 6 5
Exilic Al ternat ives t o t h e Sacrificial S y s t e m / 6 5
C o n t i n u a t i o n s o f T h ese D e v e l o p m e n t s / 66
Suffering as Scourg ing , Discipline, o r C h a s t i s e m e n t / 66
M a r t y r d o m as Expiat ion and Propit iat ion / 66
R i g h t e o u s Deeds as a M e a n s o f A t o n e m e n t / 67
Prayers o f Confess ion / 6 8
Eschato log ica l Cleans ing and a Heaven ly High Priest / 69
Salvation from One's Enemies 69
Eschatolog ica l J u d g m e n t and Del iverance / 7 0
Salvat ion wi th in History / 70
A Tens ion b e t w e e n Ideologies and A m b i g u i t y a b o u t t h e E s c h a t o n / 71
Heal ing and R e s c u e f r o m D e a t h / 72
Salvat ion as Reve lat ion / 73
The Scope of Divine Blesing and Salvation 75
A S p e c t r u m o f Biblical At t i tudes / 7 5
Salvat ion for t h e Nat ions / 7 6
Israel versus t h e Nat ions / 77
Interpre ta t ions o f Idols and Ido la try / 7 8
Sec tar ian Judai sm / 78
God's Interaction with Humanity according to Early Christianity 79
Salvat ion f r o m Sin / 79
Jesus' D e a t h for O t h e r s / 79
Att i tudes about t h e T e m p l e / 8 0
Salvat ion t h r o u g h R e p e n t a n c e / 80