The Shema in John's Gospel Against its Backgrounds in Second Temple Judaism by Lori Ann ...

482 Pages·2015·2.07 MB·English

The Shema in John’s Gospel Against its Backgrounds in Second Temple Judaism
by
Lori Ann Robinson Baron
Graduate Program in Religion
Duke University

Date:
Approved:

___________________________
Joel Marcus, Supervisor

___________________________
Mark Goodacre

___________________________
Richard B. Hays

___________________________
Laura S. Lieber

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the degree of Doctor
of Philosophy in the Graduate Program in
Religion in the Graduate School
of Duke University

2015
ABSTRACT
The Shema in John’s Gospel Against its Backgrounds in Second Temple Judaism
by
Lori Ann Robinson Baron
Graduate Program in Religion
Duke University

Date:
Approved:

___________________________
Joel Marcus, Supervisor

___________________________
Mark Goodacre

___________________________
Richard B. Hays

___________________________
Laura S. Lieber

An abstract of a dissertation submitted in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree
of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate Program in
Religion in the Graduate School of
Duke University

2015
Copyright by
Lori Ann Robinson Baron
2015
Abstract
In John’s Gospel, Jesus does not cite the Shema as the greatest
commandment in the Law as he does in the Synoptic Gospels (“Hear O Israel,
the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all
your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might” [Deut 6:4-5]; only
Deut 6:5 appears in Matthew and Luke). This dissertation, however, argues that,
rather than quoting the Shema, John incorporates it into his Christological portrait
of Jesus’ unity with the Father and of the disciples’ unity with the Father, the
Son, and one another.
This study employs historical-critical methodology and literary analysis to
provide an exegetical interpretation of the key passages relevant to the Shema in
John (John 5:1-47; 8:31-59; 10:1-42; 13:34; 14, 15, 17). After examining the Shema in
its Deuteronomic context and throughout the Hebrew Bible and Second Temple
Jewish literature, the study considers how John’s understanding of the divine
unity has been shaped by some of these writings. Just as some of the OT
prophets and authors such as Philo and Josephus interpret the Shema within their
historical settings, John, in turn, interprets the divine unity within the socio-
historical realities of his community.

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According to John, Jesus does not violate the unity of God as it is
proclaimed in the Shema. Rather, Jesus resides within that unity (10:30); he is
therefore uniquely able to speak the words of God and perform the works of
God. John depicts the unity of the Father, Jesus, and the disciples as the
fulfillment of OT prophecies of restoration. Zechariah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel
envision Israel as one people regathered in the Land, worshiping the one God of
Israel (11:52; 17:11, 21-23). John filters this eschatological understanding of the
Shema through a Christological lens: disciples of Jesus are the one flock gathered
to the one Shepherd and testifying to Jesus’ unity with the Father (10:16). The
Farewell Discourse material confirms this thesis; Jesus models obedience to the
Shema and also commands that he receive the love normally reserved for YHWH
(14:15, 21, 23, 24). He issues his own commandment of love (13:34; 15:12), which
has far-ranging implications for John’s view of the Mosaic Law.
This reading of the Shema coheres with the Martyn-Brown hypothesis that
some Jewish leaders during the late first century excluded believers in Jesus from
the synagogue. The author of the Fourth Gospel reverses the situation,
composing a narrative of empowerment for his embattled community. His
rendering of the Shema provides legitimation for the Christological claims of the

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Johannine community, while at the same time excluding unbelieving Jews from
God’s eschatological people. John’s high Christology, intertwined with his
expulsion of unbelieving Jews from Israel’s covenantal life and eschatological
hopes, constitutes a form of theological anti-Judaism which defies mitigation.
The Johannine crucifixion and Prologue bear this out: “the Jews” reject Jesus’
unity with the Father and thereby cut themselves off from the people of God
(19:15; 1:11).
John’s language has all-too-often been used in a pernicious manner
against Jewish people in the post-biblical era. One of the aims of this study is to
properly situate John’s reinterpretation of the Shema in its social and historical
setting and thereby to apprehend fully its anti-Jewish potential. In so doing, it
sheds fresh light on the parting of the ways between Judaism and Christianity
and creates new opportunities for dialogue and reconciliation.

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Contents
Abstract ......................................................................................... iv
List of Tables ............................................................................. xiv
Chapter One: Introduction ......................................................... 1
Chapter Two: The Shema in Deuteronomy ............................. 8
Introduction ................................................................................................................ 8
Moses’ First Speech (Deut 1-4:43) .......................................................................... 12
Hearing or obedience .............................................................................................. 14
The Uniqueness of YHWH ..................................................................................... 14
Love ............................................................................................................................ 16
Life .............................................................................................................................. 17
Moses’ Second Speech (Deut 4:44-28:68) .............................................................. 18
The Four Themes in the Decalogue (Deut 5:1-21) ............................................... 19
Hearing ................................................................................................................ 19
The Uniqueness of YHWH ............................................................................... 21
Love ...................................................................................................................... 23
Life ........................................................................................................................ 24
The Shema: Deut 6:4-9 in its Biblical Context ....................................................... 24

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Hearing: לארשׂי עמשׁ .............................................................................................. 26
The Uniqueness of God ..................................................................................... 29
Love ...................................................................................................................... 40
Life ........................................................................................................................ 45
Deut 13: Warning against Hearing the False Prophet ........................................ 47
Deut 26-28: Blessings and Curses .......................................................................... 49
Moses’ Third Speech (Deut 29-30) ......................................................................... 50
Summary and Conclusions ..................................................................................... 53
Chapter Three: The Shema in the Hebrew Bible beyond
Deuteronomy ............................................................................... 54
Introduction .............................................................................................................. 54
Methodology ............................................................................................................. 55
Joshua ......................................................................................................................... 60
1 and 2 Kings/2 Chronicles ..................................................................................... 62
Nehemiah .................................................................................................................. 65
Psalms ........................................................................................................................ 66
Proverbs ..................................................................................................................... 68
Jeremiah ..................................................................................................................... 75
Zechariah ................................................................................................................... 77
Malachi ...................................................................................................................... 82

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Summary and Conclusions ..................................................................................... 87
Chapter Four: The Shema in Second Temple Literature .... 90
Introduction .............................................................................................................. 90
The Shema in the Apocrypha .................................................................................. 91
Tobit ........................................................................................................................... 91
Judith.......................................................................................................................... 98
Sirach .......................................................................................................................... 99
Baruch ...................................................................................................................... 108
Prayer of Azariah ................................................................................................... 110
Bel and the Dragon ................................................................................................ 111
1 Maccabees ............................................................................................................ 112
4 Ezra ....................................................................................................................... 113
4 Maccabees ............................................................................................................ 116
Summary: The Shema in the Apocrypha ............................................................. 118
The Shema in the Old Testament Pseudepigrapha ............................................ 120
Introduction ............................................................................................................ 120
Sibylline Oracles ..................................................................................................... 127
Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs .................................................................. 129
Aristeas .................................................................................................................... 131
Jubilees ..................................................................................................................... 136

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Pseudo-Philo ........................................................................................................... 140
Psalms of Solomon ................................................................................................. 141
Orphica .................................................................................................................... 144
Fragments of Pseudo-Greek Poets ....................................................................... 145
Summary: The Shema in the OT Pseudepigrapha ............................................. 147
The Shema in the Dead Sea Scrolls ....................................................................... 148
The Shema in Philo ................................................................................................. 159
The Shema in Josephus ........................................................................................... 180
The Shema in Second Temple Judaism: Conclusions ........................................ 193
Chapter Five: The Shema in the New Testament ............... 197
Introduction ............................................................................................................ 197
The Shema According to Mark.............................................................................. 199
The Shema According to Matthew ....................................................................... 214
The Shema according to Luke ............................................................................... 226
The Shema in Paul ................................................................................................... 233
1 Corinthians ........................................................................................................... 234
Galatians .................................................................................................................. 246
Romans .................................................................................................................... 252
Ephesians ................................................................................................................. 259
1 Timothy ................................................................................................................ 262

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