Ridley Hall, Cambridge

Resources: Biblical Studies Bulletin 17

Vol 17: Sept 2000

Three of the Best

This issue the distinguished Old Testament scholar Dr Walter Moberly tells us about three books that have helped him in his reading and study of the Bible.

Much of my life as a biblical scholar has been a struggle to find models of academic study which would engage with, and be commensurate to, the use of scripture as the living word of God, while not getting bogged down in familiar, but unsatisfactory, 'conservative' vs 'liberal' debates. So the key books for me are probably those that have helped me rethink basic assumptions.

Brevard Childs made the initial difference in showing the extent of rethinking necessary. The first two parts of his The New Testament as Canon (London: SCM, 1984) was for me one of the most helpful formulations of his many statements of approach.

Wider reading in biblical hermeneutics is well represented by Sandra Schneiders' The Revelatory Text: Interpreting the New Testament as Sacred Scripture (HarperCollins: 1991; Collegeville MD: Liturgical Press, 1999 for the 2nd ed), which reintegrates questions of God and the life of faith into rigorous study.

Nicholas Lash has also helped me rethink the nature of theology. His The Beginning and End of 'Religion' (Cambridge: CUP, 1996) is the best proposal I know for faithful 'postmodern' theology. Although not a work of biblical interpretation, it suggests a richer agenda for biblical study.

Letters to the Editor

Like a 'Love Bug' virus, response to our last issue nearly brought down the Internet. Emails poured in from Neil Messer in Edgbaston, Alan Ramsay in Fort William, David Wilson in Birkenhead, Tony Leighton in Groby, Michael Duff in Southsea, Philip Seddon in Birmingham, Norman Sutcliffe in Leeds, Bob Robinson and Mike Crowl in New Zealand, plus Graham Cousins, Anna de Lange, Steve Smith and Jos Johnston somewhere out there on the Web.

We even received hand-written letters, one from Anderne Gillies in Spalding and another from David White of Haywards Heath who tells us:

At an Ecumenical breakfast to which all the local religious leaders had been invited, an intense discussion involving the Anglican Priest, the Roman Catholic Priest and a Rabbi was in full flight. The subject? When did life begin?

The Anglican insisted that life began at the moment of birth.

The Catholic insisted with equal ardour, that life began at the moment of conception.

The Rabbi listened for a while and then sought to cool the discussion.

'Fathers, Fathers,' he said, 'You both have it wrong. I can assure you that for me at least, life began when the children left home.'

Attempting a more biblical approach (unsuccessfully), Rev Steve Smith writes,

It struck me when listening to the gospel from John 11 that Lazarus finished just outside the medal positions as I heard the words 'Lazarus come forth'.

Happily returning to a more serious vein, John Backhouse from Loughborough writes in response to the 'Which Guide to Bible Study Notes',

A neat and useful article, but incomplete! In my view the series 'Light for our Path', published by the International Bible Reading Association, is worthy of a mention. It comes in the form of an annual book of dated daily readings and costs from £4.00 to £5.00. The writers are drawn from many countries and as many as 20 may be used in a single year. Some weeks' readings are consecutive passages from a particular book of the Bible, others are topical. Key verses are quoted in full in each day's comments. A brief prayer or thought for reflection follows.

I have used SU and BRF notes in the past with profit and might do so again, but currently this IBRA series helps me, and I am sure I quote them in preaching more often than I did the others!

Sue Groom also writes,

For daily readings, I've just discovered More Light on the Path: Daily Scripture Readings in Hebrew and Greek by David Baker & Elaine Heath (Baker Books, 1998, £14.99). It has a thought for the day in English which loosely follows the liturgical year, then a couple of related OT verses in Hebrew and a couple of NT in Greek with references (so that you can check the English if you're really stuck). There are also morphological analyses of the more difficult words. It's an ideal way to keep up those hard-learned biblical languages, before they get lost for good!

Books in Brief

The Revd John Dobson, that indefatigable teacher of Greek and author of the Bible Society's textbook Learn New Testament Greek, has now produced a corresponding work, Learn Biblical Hebrew (Summer Inst of Linguistics; ISBN: 1556710887). Unfortunately there is no UK publisher to date, so the book must be ordered from the States (www.Amazon.com list it for $33.50). John can be contacted via email at johnntg333@Dobson0.freeserve.co.uk [NB the 0 following Dobson in the address is a zero], or via snailmail at Karanga, Hardwick, Norwich NR15 2AB; telephone 01508-530611.

Margaret Killingray writes,

Relevancy, application to everyday life, is one of the attributes of good preaching that appears to wake up an audience more than many others. For full time preachers and teachers this can be quite a challenge. What is it like out there at the cutting edge? There are a number of popular books written by sociologists, psychologists and management specialists that can highlight current concerns and provide the currency for deeper responses to the cares of fellow Christians. Here are three.

Richard Sennett, The Corrosion of Character (London: W W Norton, 1998; ISBN: 0393319873) and Leon Kreitzman, The 24 Hour Society (London: Profile Books, 1999; ISBN: 1861971885) both highlight aspects of the ferocious changes coming in the wake of global capitalism and consumerist ethics. I have a feeling that both would have been excellent long articles which are rather stretched to be books, but they might change the way you illustrate Sabbath laws and the rhythm of life, for example! John Gray's very popular Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus (Thorsons, HarperCollins 1993; ISBN: 072252840X) highlights gender misunderstandings and includes many revealing and humorous examples. However, it tends to exaggerate the therapeutic power of self-understanding and to underplay the personality differences within, and common to, both genders. Any teaching on gender and human relationships would be enlived by extracts.

[Ed: Thanks, and do keep those inspirations coming.]

Comments on Commentaries

An assessment of commentaries and other works on books of the Bible to keep you up to date with what will help in preaching and teaching in the local church. This issue we offer two surveys of OT books; the NT will return in our next issue.

OT: Ruth

The Book of Ruth is a short story producing endless discussion. Phillis Trible's God and the Rhetoric of Sexuality (SCM, 1992), includes a chapter on Ruth which provides valuable insight from the perspective of rhetorical criticism. It is well worth reading. For further study from this perspective see M D Gow, The Book of Ruth: Its Structure, Theme and Purpose (Apollos, 1992), which argues that Ruth is an apology for King David written during his reign, possibly by Nathan.

An even more detailed analysis of the Hebrew text is found in J M Sasson, Ruth: A New Translation with a Philological Commentary and a Formalist-Folklorist Interpretation (Second Edition: The Biblical Seminar 10, SAP, 1995). This is essential reading for the serious scholar, as is F Bush (with Esther, WBC, 1996). This brings bliss to a linguist with its extremely detailed linguistic analysis of the Hebrew text which argues that Ruth is written in Late Biblical Hebrew and is therefore post-exilic. It is weaker on explanation and application.

R L Hubbard (NICOT, 1988) produces a comprehensive commentary with detailed discussion of both the text and the important theological themes it conveys. It is excellent. K Nielsen (OTL, 1997) emphasizes the place of Ruth within the OT canon and the book's close relation to other women's narratives. The concluding genealogy is again taken to be the justification for the book: it was through a foreign woman, the Moabite Ruth, that God chose David to sit on the throne of Israel. A F Campbell (AB, 1975) provides detailed textual notes and exegesis but is rather dry. K D Sakenfeld (Interpretation, 1999) is expensive and disappointing.

D Atkinson, The Message of Ruth: The Wings of Refuge (BST, 1983) emphasises the author's faith in the providence of God. It is very readable with lots of useful observations and reflections suitable for study groups and sermons; excellent! Equally praiseworthy is E J Hamlin's Ruth: Surely there is a Future (ITC, 1996) which provides comments on key phrases. This is readable and refreshing with illustrations from current cultures.

L Morris (with A E Cundall on Judges; TOTC, 1968) comments on the text and provides useful background information but leaves the reader to decide on contemporary application. A G Auld (with Joshua & Judges, DSB, 1984) is very short (24 pages), but provides some food for thought. J Gray (with Joshua & Judges, NCB, 1986) is an improvement on Morris and Auld. Both W J Fuerst (with Esther, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs & Lamentations, CBC, 1975) and G A F Knight (with Jonah, TB, 1966) give a basic overview but are out of print.

D Fewell & D Gunn, Compromising Redemption (WJK, 1990) provide an imaginative retelling of the tale based on literary criticism. Ellen van Wolde, Ruth and Naomi (SCM, 1997) helps the reader to get inside the story by bringing the characters alive in imaginative monologues. This postmodern perspective is based on a careful study of the Hebrew text. It makes for easy reading and covers the critical issues too.

As for purchases, at the very least go for Atkinson or Hamlin. If you really want to get to grips with all the intricacies of this fascinating tale (and can afford it) buy Hubbard too. Read the chapter in Trible and for further inspiration, if you have the time for reflection, digest Ellen van Wolde or Fewell & Gunn.

[Ed: Sue's MPhil thesis in Old Testament was recently accepted by Oxford University. In addition to serving as a parish curate, she tutors for LBC and is a member of the editorial board for the Grove Biblical Series]

OT: Ezra-Nehemiah

Many ministers have found that parts of the book of Nehemiah are eminently preachable, and this finds its reflection in a large number of devotional works, such as the older classic by A Redpath, Victorious Christian Service (1958), and the more recent J I Packer, A Passion for Faithfulness (1995). Those who prefer to stick closer to the Bible itself, however, and who need resources to help them understand it so that they can work out their own application will do better to rely on commentaries in the standard series which have this as their explicit purpose, such as J G McConville (Daily Study Bible, 1985) or R Brown (The Bible Speaks Today, 1998).

M A Throntveit (Interpretation, 1992) is slightly more demanding, but he has worked hard to serve the needs of preachers and teachers from a thoroughly committed, though not overtly evangelical, perspective. Finally at this level, F D Kidner's contribution to the Tyndale Old Testament Commentary series (1979) deserves high praise; I find some of his critical conclusions too easily conservative, but his verse-by-verse comments never fail to provide fruit for searching reflection.

Scholars and serious students are less well served for these books than for many others. I have found L W Batten (International Critical Commentary, 1913), J M Myers (Anchor Bible, 1965) and F C Fensham (New International Commentary on the Old Testament, 1982) to be uniformly disappointing, though H E Ryle (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges, 1897) is still worth picking up secondhand (usually for about 35p); schoolchildren must have been far better educated then than now! Additional mention should be made of E M Yamauchi in The Expositor's Bible Commentary (edited by F Gaebelein; Vol 4; 1988) and R W Klein in the New Interpreter's Bible (1999).

That really leaves only three commentaries in English for more advanced work. D J A Clines (New Century Bible, 1984) is an honest-to-goodness treatment in manageable compass. J Blenkinsopp (Old Testament Library, 1988) is a significant and critically sensible work from a senior scholar. His style of writing is not always easy, but the weight of learning is there. And finally there is my own in the Word series (1985). While it attempts to work primarily with the scholar in mind, I have been gratified to learn that preachers too have found it useful, perhaps especially in the 'explanation' sections, where I in fact wrote up my own sermon notes.

If these are all too predictable, then try L L Grabbe (1998) in Routledge's new 'Old Testament Readings' series for a radical shake-up. He says in his introduction that about ten years previously his views 'changed from a perspective fairly close to that found, for example, in Hugh Williamson's commentary'. On that, if on little else, I fully agree!

H G M Williamson, Regius Professor of Hebrew, Christ Church, Oxford University

[Ed: Those who know Hugh will also know immediately which commentary on Ezra-Nehemiah to buy first. He combines world class scholarship, humility and a love for communicating the Good News to people]

Computer Corner

• Mike Crowl points us to a useful site offering more surveys of commentaries. Have a look at http://www.disciples.org/biblea.htm
• Readers of old will remember that we printed edited fragments of a hilarious piece of humour in the style of Leviticus by Ian Frazier in BSB issues 10 and 11. At the time, we did not know that the material was copyright; we now know that the original, fuller version appeared in the Atlantic Monthly magazine. Without permission of the author we can't print the concluding paragraphs which are just as funny as the rest. But you can find it on the Web! Those wishing to read a fuller version of Laws Concerning Food and Drink; Household Principles; Lamentations of the Father should go to http://www.sbl-site.org/Newsletter/09_2000/Laws1.htm
  Once again, you read (most of) it here first, probably illegally.
• In response to our note in the last Computer Corner about new Accordance modules, Victor Perry observes that the same material is available in a Mac & PC readable format at a cheaper price from the Timperley Evangelical Trust. They will supply 'The Master Christian Library CD ROM', version 7 (Ages Software), for £35. Besides the Ante-Nicene, Post-Nicene Fathers and Schaff's History it contains commentaries by Adam Clarke, JFB, some Calvin, some Hodge, as well as the writings of Beet, Bunyan, Edwards, etc'over 400 resources on one CD-ROM'. Victor says that the texts are often inadequately edited, but here is treasure for at a knockdown price. For more information go to http://www.tetsystems.co.uk/
• Finally, we continue to get prophetic requests to put back issues of BSB online. This we hope to do in the next few months. When they appear, they will be found at the Ridley Hall website ( www.ridley.cam.ac.uk ), for no better reason than the fact that I have just become Vice Principal at Ridley.