History of Biblical Interpretation, Vol. 1: From the Old Testament to Origen

255 Pages·2009·1.43 MB·English

by  Henning Graf Reventlow

History of BiBlical interpretation
Volume 1: from tHe old testament to origen
resources for Biblical study
susan ackerman, old testament/Hebrew Bible editor
tom Thatcher, new testament editor
number 50
History of Biblical interpretation
Volume 1: from the old testament to origen
History of BiBlical interpretation

Volume 1: from tHe old testament
to origen
By
Henning graf reventlow
Translated by
leo g. perdue
society of Biblical literature
atlanta
History of BiBlical interpretation
Volume 1: from tHe old testament to origen
copyright © 2009 by the society of Biblical literature
original title: Epochen der Bibelauslegung Band I: Vom Alten Testament bis Ori-
genes, by Henning graf reventlow, copyright © Verlag c.H. Beck oHg, munich
1990. english translation produced under license from the publisher.
all rights reserved. no part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by
means of any information storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permit-
ted by the 1976 copyright act or in writing from the publisher. requests for permission
should be addressed in writing to the rights and permissions office, society of Biblical
literature, 825 Houston mill road, atlanta, ga 30329 usa.
library of congress cataloging-in-publication data
reventlow, Henning graf.
[epochen der Bibelauslegung. english]
History of biblical interpretation / by Henning graf reventlow
p. cm. — (society of Biblical literature resources for biblical study ; no. 50,
61–63)
includes bibliographical references and indexes.
isBn-13: 978-1-58983-202-2 (paper binding, vol. 1 : alk. paper) — isBn 978-1-58983-
455-2 (paper binding, vol. 2 : alk. paper) — isBn 978-1-58983-459-0 (paper binding,
vol. 3 : alk. paper) — isBn 978-1-58983-460-6 (paper binding, vol. 4 : alk. paper)
1. Bible—criticism, interpretation, etc.—History. i. title.
Bs500.r4813 2009b
220.609—dc22 2009045014
17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 5 4 3 2 1
printed in the united states of america on acid-free, recycled paper
conforming to ansi/niso Z39.48-1992 (r1997) and iso 9706:1994
standards for paper permanence.
contents
abbreviations ...................................................................................................vii
introduction .......................................................................................................1
1. Biblical interpretation within the Bible.......................................5
1.1. the Work of redactors ........................................................................5
1.2. threats as Words of salvation ............................................................6
1.3. the torah as a norm for redaction and interpretation ................9
1.4. Historicizing and idealizing interpretation ...................................12
1.5. redaction as interpretation .............................................................15
2. Between the testaments .....................................................................19
2.1. translation as interpretation: the septuagint ................................19
2.2. early Jewish interpretation: the Qumran scrolls ..........................27
2.3. the philosophers’ interpretation of Homer and Hesiod ..............33
2.4. allegorical interpretation of scripture:
philo of alexandria ............................................................................40
3. the old testament in the new .........................................................47
3.1. the Kingdom of god Has drawn near: Jesus christ ...................49
3.2. primitive christian explanations of the christ-event ..................57
3.3. the scripture is Written “for our sake”: paul ................................61
3.4. the promise is fulfilled: matthew ...................................................67
3.5. the old testament is prophecy about christ:
the sermons of the Book of acts.....................................................71
3.6. christ surpasses the old testament institutions:
the epistle to the Hebrews ...............................................................79
3.7. a christian Visionary in the succession of the
prophets: the apocalypse of John ...................................................89
3.8. a refutation in the new testament: the letter of
2 thessalonians ..................................................................................99
vi from tHe old testament to origen
4. the early centuries of the common era ...................................105
4.1. further development of the torah: early rabbinic
interpretation of the Bible ...............................................................105
4.2. the apostolic fathers ......................................................................118
4.2.1. the old testament is only for christians:
the letter of Barnabas .............................................................119
4.2.2. a letter of exhortation Based on the old testament:
the letter of 1 clement ...........................................................127
4.3. early apologetics: Justin martyr ....................................................135
4.4. the abrogation of the old testament? marcion and
His program ......................................................................................147
4.5. Harmony of the testaments: irenaeus of lyon .............................153
4.6. the Way of the soul toward perfection: origen ..........................174
summary ........................................................................................................201
selected resources and readings ................................................................211
index of names and places...........................................................................XX
subject index ..................................................................................................XX
index of Biblical passages .............................................................................XX
abbreviations
primary sources
Ant. Josephus, Antiquitates Judaicae (Jewish Antiquities)
cd cairo genizah copy of the damascus document
Cher. philo, De cherubim (On the Cherubim)
Comm. Cant. origen, Commentarius in Canticum (Commentary on Can-
ticles)
Comm. Jo. origen, Commentarii in evangelium Joannis (Commentary
on the Gospel of John)
Comm. Matt. origen, Commentarium in evangelium Matthaei (Commen-
tary on the Gospel of Matthew)
Det. philo, Quod deterius potiori insidari soleat (That the Worse
Attacks the Better)
Dial. Justin martyr, Dialogus cum Tryphone (Dialoge with Try-
pho)
Epid. irenaeus, Epideixis tou apostolikou kērygmatos (Demon-
stration of the Apostolic Preaching)
Haer. irenaeus, Adversus haereses (Against Heresies)
Hist. eccl. eusebius, Historia ecclesiastica (Church History)
Hom. Jer. origen, Homiliae in Jeremiam (Homilies on Jeremiah)
Hom. Luc. origen, Homiliae in Lucam (Homilies on Luke)
Hom. Num. origen, Homiliae in Numeros (Homilies on Numbers)
Il. Homer, Iliad
Leg. philo, Legum allegoriae (Allegorical Interpretation)
Marc. tertullian, Adversus Marcionem (Against Marcion)
Metam. ovid, Metamorphoses
Mos. philo, De vita Mosis (Life of Moses)
Mot. an. aristotle, De motu animalium (Movement of Animals)
Mut. philo, De mutatione nominum (On the Change of Names)
Od. Homer, Odyssey
Opif. philo, De opificio mundi (On the Creation of the World)
-vii-
viii from tHe old testament to origen
Pol. aristotle, Politica (Politics)
Princ. origen, Peri archōn = De principiis (First Principles)
Quaest. hom. Heraclitus, Quaestiones homericae (Homeric Problems)
Somn. philo, De somnis (On Dreams)
Spec. philo, De specialibus legibus (On the Special Laws)
Theog. Hesiod, Theogony
secondary sources
aKg arbeiten zur Kirchengeschichte
algHJ arbeiten zur literatur und geschichte des hellenistischen
Judentums
Bfct Beiträge zur förderung christlicher Theologie
BHt Beiträge zur historischen Theologie
Bu Biblische untersuchungen
BWant Beiträge zur Wissenschaft vom alten (und neuen) testa-
ment
BZaW Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissen-
schaft
BZnW Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wissen-
schaft
crint compendia rerum iudaicarum ad novum testamentum
cThm calwer theologische monographien
fc fathers of the church
frlant forschungen zur religion und literatur des alten und
neuen testaments
fthst freiburger theologische studien
gcs die griechische christliche schriftsteller der ersten drei
Jahrhunderte
lcl loeb classical library
novtsup supplements to novum testamentum
ntl new testament library
oBo orbis biblicus et orientalis
Qd Quaestiones disputatae
sBB stuttgarter biblische Beiträge
sBlds society of Biblical literature dissertation series
sBs stuttgarter Bibelstudien
sc sources chrétiennes
sntsms society for new testament studies monograph series
sntu studien zum neuen testament und seiner umwelt
aBBreViations ix
suc schriften des urchristentums
tugal texte und untersuchungen zur geschichte der altchristli-
chen literatur
Vtsup supplements to Vetus testamentum
Wdf Wege der forschung
Wmant Wissenschaftliche monographien zum alten und neuen
testament
Wunt Wissenschaftliche untersuchungen zum neuen testament
ZNW Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft und die
Kunde der älteren Kirche
ZTK Zeitschrift für Theologie und Kirche