God as Father in Paul: Kinship Language and Identity Formation in Early Christianity

258 Pages·2013·92.166 MB·

by  Abera M. Mengestu

Kinship Language
and Identity Formation in Early Christianity
A b e r a M. M e n g e s t u
Publications ·Eugene, Oregon
~PICKWICK
GOD AS FATHER IN PAUL
Kinship Language and Identity Formation in Early Christianity
Copyright© 2013 Abera M. Mengestu. All rights reserved. Except for brief quota
tions in critical publications or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in
any manner without prior written permission from the publisher. Write: Permis
sions, Wipf and Stock Publishers, 199 W 8th Ave., Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401.
Pickwick Publications
An Imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers
199 W 8th Ave., Suite 3
Eugene, OR 97401
www.wipfandstock.com
13:978-1-62032-193-5
ISBN
Cataloguing-in-Publication data:
Mengestu, Abera M.
God as father in Paul: kinship language and identity formation in early
Christianity I Abera M. Mengestu.
xx + 236 pp. ; 23 em. Includes bibliographical references.
13:978-1-62032-193-5
ISBN
Bible. Epistles of Paul Criticism, interpretation, etc. Bible. Epistles of
I. 2.
Paul Socio-rhetorical criticism. 3. God Fatherhood Biblical teaching. 4· Kin
ship in the Bible. I. Tide.
Manufactured in the U.S.A.
To Aster
and our daughters: Madu & Omega
C o n t e n t s
I
ix
Acknowledgments
I
xi
List ofA bbreviations
I
Introduction
XV
I
History of Research
1 1
I
Kinship-Identity Approach
2 24
3
God(s), Empire, and Emperors as Fathers in the Early Roman
I
Empire 51
I
4
God as Father in the Hebrew Bible 91
I
5
God as Father in Ancient Jewish Writings
128
6
God as Father in Paul: Kinship Narrative and Identity
I
Formation 159
I
7
Conclusion
204
I
Bibliography
209
I
Index ofA uthors 237
Acknowledgtnents
THIS STUDY IS revised version of my doctoral dissertation which I de
A
fended at Brite Divinity School, Texas Christian University in April
2011.
The task of writing a dissertation is both an arduous and fulfilling undertak
ing that builds on the contributions of others and flourishes through sup
port and encouragement from many sides. I am very grateful to Carolyn
Osiek, in whose class of Social Scientific Approach to the New Testament,
my interest to approach the self-understanding of early Christians through
the analytical category of kinship language took shape. I express my deep
gratitude to Dr. Osiek for graciously agreeing to supervise this study in her
retirement. Dr. Osiek's tranquil supervision of this work, with important
insights and direction from her rich knowledge in early Christianity, has
been invaluable for the completion of this research. I am thankful for my
readers, Warren Carter and Leo G. Perdue. Dr. Carter introduced me to the
importance of recognizing the Roman Empire as forming a foreground in
the study of early Christianity. He has also opened up for me the venture of
"mixing up" approaches to probe the issue at hand from several perspectives
in view of moving towards a fuller understanding. His incisive comments
have clarified my thoughts and always pushed me a step further in terms
of engaging the issue in depth. Dr. Perdue introduced me to postcolonial
biblical interpretation. It was in that class, through rigorous discussion of
the benefit of postcolonial theories to biblical interpretation, that, ironically,
I began to seek for approaches that go beyond oppositional categories. It is
a testimony for what kind of scholar he is in allowing his students to pursue
truth wherever it leads.
I owe many thanks to Brad and Betty Lapsley, Martha Johnston of
the Lamb Foundation, Sherrie Ross and Fred Sharpe, and Pastor Dr. Be
dilu Yirga and the Ethiopian Evangelical Church in Dallas for believing in
my ability to pursue doctoral study and for their continued support and
encouragement. I would like also to thank Pastor John Messemann of St.
Paul Lutheran Church of Fort Worth, and Rev. Ron Heimsoth of Trinity
•
IX
Acknowledgments
Lutheran Church of Fort Worth (who has gone to his eternal home in 2009)
for their generosity when the going was rough.
Words could not express my gratitude to my wife, Aster Temesgen Ge
bresilssie, who is my dearest friend and faithful companion, who graciously
made my multifaceted journey enjoyable for the past seventeen years. Her
unwavering support has been an anchor in the journey that at times has
been windy and turbulent. I also thank my daughters, Madu and Omega,
who have been always willing to rearrange their wants and needs to see
their daddy finish "his writing;' as they have come to call it. I owe also the
deepest gratitude to my mother, Abaynesh Demissie, and my father, Mitiku
Mengestu, who did not only initiate me to become the follower of Christ,
but also set me on the course of pursuing higher education early on. Finally,
I express the greatest of my gratitude to God, the originator and founder of
the community of Christ-followers, by whose grace I have become a con
tributing member of this community.
X
Abbreviations
AB Anchor Bible
ABD Anchor Bible Dictionary. Edited by D. N. Freedman. 6 vols.
New York, 1992.
AE American Ethnologist
AnBib Analecta Biblica
ANRW Aufstieg und Niedergang der romischen Welt: Geschichte und
Kultur Roms im Spiegel der neueren Forschung. Edited by H.
Temporini and W Hasse. Berline,
1972-
ANTC Abingdon New Testament Commentaries
ARS Annual Review of Sociology
BAS OR Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research
BEC Baker Exegetical Commentary
Bib!nt Biblical Interpretation
BRev Biblical Review
BNTC Black's New Testament Commentaries
BT The Bible Translator
BTB Biblical Theological Bulletin
CBR Currents in Biblical Research
CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly
CJPS Canadian Journal of Political Science
CQ Classical Quarterly
EDNT Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament. Edited by H. Balz,
G. Schneider. Grand Rapids, 1990-1993.
ExpTim Expository Times
•
XI