Faithful Feelings: Rethinking Emotion in the New Testament – By Matthew A. Elliot

the allusions he himself identifies seem less than solid.Luther hardly needed to have read the Metamorphoses to callhis critics “donkeys,” while the alleged Apuleian echoes inSidney’s Arcadia seem pretty doubtful. I noted a few factualslips and some errors in translation. But these are minorflaws in a wide-ranging and important book.

Gregory HaysUniversity of Virginia

VERGIL’S ECLOGUES. Edited by Katharina Volk. OxfordReadings in Classical Studies. Oxford and New York: OxfordUniversity Press, 2008. Pp. vi + 293. Paper, $49.95.

This volume, a complement to “Oxford Readings in”Vergil’s Georgics (2007) and Aeneid (1990), is intended as anintroduction to recent scholarship on the same poet’sEclogues. It contains a survey by Volk, a full bibliography,and ten studies, in or translated into English, by nine dis-tinguished commentators. Some of the studies have beenrevised slightly and equipped, where lacking, with transla-tions of Latin quoted in the text (but not in the notes), but allwere originally published in the last quarter of the twentiethcentury, when the Eclogues generated a remarkable amountof scholarship. As Volk observes, much of this was, to useher terms, either “ideological,” interpreting the Eclogues as aresponse to their historical, political, and religious context,or “literary,” exploring them chiefly as “poems aboutpoetry,” but her selections include only two “ideological”studies, both concerned more with antecedents and influ-ence than with the Eclogues themselves. On the “literary”side are valuable discussions of individual poems, groups ofpoems, and thematic elements, but also two accounts of styleand language that seem out of place in a collection requiringtranslation of Latin texts and could have been omitted infavor of more “ideology.” Nevertheless, even as it is, the bookshould serve both classicists and general readers as a useful,if somewhat one-sided, introduction to these remarkablepoems.

David MankinCornell University

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Christian OriginsGREETINGS IN THE LORD: EARLY CHRISTIANSAND THE OXYRHYNCHUS PAPYRI. By AnneMarieLuijendijk. Harvard Theological Studies, 60. Cambridge, MA:Harvard University Press, 2008. Pp. xx + 294. $25.00.

This is a fine example of what may be termed “narrativepapyrology,” in which the author’s papyrological skillscombine with a disciplined imagination to bring to life snap-shots of the lives of the people behind the small details of lifein Oxyrhynchus randomly preserved among the papyri. Forexample, behind “two seemingly insignificant parchmentscraps” the author envisions “the contours of a Christianscriptorium.” In the first section, the image of a busy

marketplace frames a discussion of the public identity andidentification of Christians. In the second section, five lettersreferencing Sotas, a third-century bishop, reveal a livelynetwork linking Christian communities and their commonconcerns and activities (including bookmaking and fundrais-ing). The third section looks for Christians in “officialpapers” (certificates of sacrifice, summons, and propertyconfiscation orders) and finds evidence of “street level”forms of resistance to and subversion of government orders.The three sections (of two chapters each) are nicely framedby introductory and summative chapters. Overall Luijendijkdoes a fine job of teasing out details from the lives of realpeople and plausibly framing scenes from the lives thesedetails imply. Her work is simultaneously a fine study ofChristians in Oxyrhynchus and a very readable portal to thediscipline of papyrology.

Michael W. HolmesBethel University

FROM LITERAL TO LITERARY: THE ESSENTIALREFERENCE BOOK FOR BIBLICAL METAPHORS.SECOND EDITION. By James Rowe Adams. Cleveland,OH: The Pilgrim Press, 2008. Pp. 387. $25.00.

This resource is aimed at a lay audience unfamiliar withthe technical study of the Bible or the biblical languages. Theauthor states that his goal is to enrich the reader’s under-standing of biblical metaphors that have too often been inter-preted in an overly literal fashion. From the outset, there isa not-so-subtle subtext wherein the author reveals his prob-lems with institutionalized religion. This subtext permeatesthe book and raises questions about whether his treatmentof biblical metaphors is really all that balanced or fair.Though Adams writes in his acknowledgements that he hastried to be sensitive to those who come from more conserva-tive backgrounds, the book clearly reflects a politically andtheologically liberal stance within mainline Protestantism.Practically, this means that the author’s attempts at uncov-ering biblical metaphors are in some places illuminating andin other places reflective of his own presuppositions ratherthan those of the biblical authors. Entries that fall into thislatter category include, among others, “homosexual” (pp.144-46), and “virgin birth” (pp. 304-06), where Adams incor-rectly identifies Isaiah 7:14 (he writes 14:7) as the OT sourcefor Matthew’s understanding of the virginal conception.These entries seem to reflect an anticonservative polemic, orat the very least, an apologetic for understanding the biblicaltext from a liberal mainline Protestant perspective. Further,no rationale is provided for why the book includes somebiblical metaphors (which is presumably the book’s focus),some metaphors from Christian theological discussions, andsome terms that are not metaphorical in the slightest.Neither is there an explanation of why some metaphors areincluded while other equally important metaphors are leftout. This book suffers from a number of flaws in terms ofpresentation, methodology, and breadth of research. The aim

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behind this book is a noble one, but there are several otherhelpful resources to recommend before suggesting this oneto an interested layperson.

Christopher W. SkinnerMount Olive College

SETTLEMENT AND HISTORY IN HELLENISTIC,ROMAN, AND BYZANTINE GALILEE. By Uzi Leibner.Tübingen, Germany: Mohr Siebeck, 2009. Pp. 471. $199.00.

This technical monograph began as a doctoral disserta-tion at Bar Ilan University in Ramat Gan, Israel, and eventu-ally morphed into its final form after several years ofsubsequent research. The ambitious aim of the volume—toreconstruct the settlement history of Galilee during theGreek, Roman, and Byzantine eras—is pursued through amethodology that is both literary and archaeological. Leibnerbegins his introduction by tracing the history of archaeologi-cal research on Galilee and its surrounding regions. Thisstudy is concerned with Galilee, but more specifically “thenorthern part of the Eastern Lower Galilee, between longi-tude 185-200 and latitude 242-261, an area of some 285square kilometers.” According to Leibner, this area providesthe most reliable literary evidence for advanced archaeologi-cal research. Leibner has done a tremendous amount of workin collating and translating all the relevant documentarymaterials. The literary evidence examined in this volumecomes from Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic sources and hasbeen compared with rabbinic sources from the periods inquestion. As one might expect from a volume such as this,there are also extensive discussions of pottery types, agri-culture, climate, and other issues traditionally associatedwith biblical archaeology. In all, the study looks at fifty dif-ferent archaeological sites in Galilee. This book is clearly theresult of in-depth research and one must be well versed inthe language and nuances of biblical archaeology to use thebook with any real benefit. That being said, Leibner hasproduced a volume that will likely become the field manualfor archaeological research on the settlement history ofGalilee during the three eras covered by his research.


EXPERIENTIA, VOLUME 1: INQUIRY INTO RELI-GIOUS EXPERIENCE IN EARLY JUDAISM ANDEARLY CHRISTIANITY. Edited by Frances Flannery,Colleen Shantz, and Rodney A. Werline. Atlanta, GA: Societyof Biblical Literature, 2008. Pp. 261. $32.95.

Literary expressions of early Judaism and Christianitypresent readers with an array of religious experiences, fromdemonic possession and spiritual transformation to apoca-lyptic visions and heavenly ascents. This book is a compila-tion of papers that explore these and other religiousexperiences. The papers were originally presented overseveral years in the “Religious Experience in Early Judaismand Early Christianity Consultation” of the SBL. Although

the volume is concerned with both early Judaism and earlyChristianity, eight of the book’s thirteen chapters aredevoted to exploring religious experiences in the NT. Thereare two chapters on Mark (both related to the demonic), oneon the language of transformation in John, and an entiresection consisting of five chapters on Paul. The rationale fordevoting an entire section to religious experiences in Paul’swritings is that the “Pauline corpus seems to offer both themost tantalizing access to religious experience and somequite complex problems regarding our access to that expe-rience.” An essay by C. Fletcher-Louis entitled “ReligiousExperience and the Apocalypses” is among the most inter-esting chapters in this volume. Fletcher-Louis examinessimilarities between Daniel, 1 Enoch, and Joseph and Aseneth(three seemingly unrelated apocalypses), in light of a newperspective on dealing with apocalyptic texts. As an entréeto the substantive chapters of the book, the editors providean exposition of their suppositions and methodology, espe-cially as those concerns relate to the “History of Religions”approach embodied specifically by the Chicago School. Thisis a welcomed first volume in what will hopefully be anongoing series.


WOMEN IN THE WORLD OF THE EARLIESTCHRISTIANS: ILLUMINATING ANCIENT WAYS OFLIFE. By Lynn H. Cohick. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Aca-demic, 2009. Pp. 350. $26.99.

This book stands apart in the crowded field of scholarlyinvestigations into the status and roles of women within theRoman Empire and early Christianity. Cohick demonstratesboth a deep mastery of the primary texts and an enviablesophistication in her readings of those texts. Cohick inter-acts with secondary sources, but very little in this work isderivative. The author has mastered the primary sources,and readers will find none of the gross generalizations orsimplistic stereotypes that characterize some of the schol-arship within this field. Cohick is sensitive to different aimsof our ancient sources. She appropriately notes that pre-scriptive sources tend to stereotype women as silent andsubmissive, while descriptive sources exhibit significantlymore diversity. Cohick considers ancient women in all theirvariety, surveying everything from women’s roles as wivesand daughters to their vocations as wet nurses and artisans.This volume is as attentive to slaves and prostitutes as it isto female deacons and benefactors. The majority of herwork investigates the Greco-Roman context, but whenCohick examines biblical texts she brings a fresh and well-trained eye to many long familiar debates. Simply stated,this volume is the best work of its kind that is currentlyavailable. It is likely to serve as a standard work for decadesto come.

Thomas E. PhillipsPoint Loma Nazarene University


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IN THE SHADOW OF EMPIRE: RECLAIMING THEBIBLE AS A HISTORY OF FAITHFUL RESISTANCE.Edited by Richard A. Horsley. Louisville, KY: WestminsterJohn Knox, 2008. Pp. 199. $24.95.

The imperial policies instituted during the Bush–Cheney administration caused many American Christians topose difficult questions about the relationship between theBible, the role of government, and the American identity.Though the early days of American expansion were drivenby an ideology that saw America as the “new Israel,” Horsleybegins this volume by emphasizing that modern America ismuch more like a “new Rome,” wielding its power with thefierceness of an ancient empire. The goal of this book is toexplore the underlying narrative of oppression and resis-tance in the OT and NT with a view to answering contempo-rary questions. Six of the book’s nine chapters are focusedon the NT, the entirety of which was written under Romanrule. This lack of balance strikes the present reviewer assomewhat strange, since the OT is more diverse in its depic-tion of the struggle against the foreign domination of threeworld empires (Assyria, Babylonia, and Persia). Neverthe-less, this volume does an able job of advancing the thesisthat the Bible is a continued story of faithful resistance inthe face of imperial domination. The chapters are writtenby (in order) Gottwald, Brueggemann, J. Berquist, Crossan,Horsley, N. Elliott, W. Carter, B. Kahl, and G. Carey. Thislineup is impressive, as the contributors are establishedscholars, and a few (notably Crossan and Carter) are wellknown and regarded for their work on the Bible and empire.The chapter by Brueggemann (“Faith in the Empire”) is par-ticularly helpful for the biblical and ecclesial insights itadvances. Overall, this work is a good example of scholar-ship in service to the church.


ENGAGING ECONOMICS: NEW TESTAMENT SCE-NARIOS AND EARLY CHRISTIAN RECEPTION.Edited by Bruce W. Longenecker and Kelly D. Liebengood.Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2009. Pp. 336. Paper, $32.00.

This collection of thirteen original essays by both estab-lished and emerging scholars is composed of strong indi-vidual contributions. The opening essay on methodologicalissues (by P. Oakes) is exceptional. The next seven essaysexamine various economic themes and concerns in selectedNT writings (particularly the Synoptic Gospels, Acts, Paul,James, and 1 Peter). Some articles explore an entire NT bookor corpus (e.g., Luke–Acts or Paul), while others examine arecurring theme (e.g. reciprocity, benefaction, and the rela-tionship between money and identity). The coverage of theNT is selective, not comprehensive. Three of the followingessays examine the reception of Galatians 2:10, of the bookof Revelation, and of Paul’s instructions to widows (as foundin 1 Timothy!). The two closing essays explore the theme ofalmsgiving in a broad swath of early Christianity and theeconomics implications of the Syriac Book of Steps. Each

article in this volume stands well on its own merit, but thechapters have little clear connection to one another either interms of approach or content. The volume is fully indexedand the editors provide a brief introduction and afterword.Research libraries should secure a copy of this volume.


THE TRIAL NARRATIVES: CONFLICT, POWER,AND IDENTITY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. ByMatthew L. Skinner. Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox,2010. Pp. 210. Paper, $34.95.

Skinner examines the trial narratives in the four gospelsand Acts, devoting a chapter to Jesus’ trial narrative in eachof the gospels, to the trials in Jerusalem (Acts 4-8), to thetrials in Philippi and Thessalonica (Acts 16-17), and to Paul’sfinal trials in various settings (Acts 21-28). Although Skin-ner’s earlier work has demonstrated his mastery of Romanforensic rhetoric, his approach in this volume is largelynarrative-critical, with a keen eye for the theological signifi-cance of the trial scenes. Skinner enters into the politicallycharged arena of early Christianity’s interaction with theRoman Empire with a balanced and nuanced hand, avoidingthe one-sided readings so common among contemporaryscholarship. In Skinner’s reading, Rome is neither an unre-lenting foe nor an unambiguous ally of emerging Christian-ity. Skinner also recognizes that the trial narratives are notprimarily about Rome, but about the early Christians andtheir God. This volume is therefore particularly noteworthyfor its attention to questions of perceived and implied divineinvolvement in the NT’s trial narratives. This volume is rec-ommended both for readers interested in the political orien-tations of the NT narratives and for readers interested intheological questions about the nature of divine/humaninteractions in NT narratives more generally.


RELIGION IM RÖMISCHEN THESSALONIKI:SAKRALTOPOGRAPHIE, KULT UND GESELL-SCHAFT 168 V. CHR.—324 N. CHR. By ChristopherSteimle. Studien und Texte zu Antike und Christentum, 47.Tübingen, Germany: Mohr Siebeck, 2008. Pp. xi + 240.Paper, €59.00.

The modern city of Thessaloniki occupies its ancienturban center, making it difficult for archaeologists and his-torians to discover much about Roman Thessalonikê. In thepast few decades, however, some inroads have been made.Drawing upon this recent archaeological work and on liter-ary evidence, Steimle examines the complex religious land-scape of Thessalonikê. Following a brief exploration of thestatus questionis, he provides a panorama of the physicalspaces with which various religions were affiliated. This isfollowed by a detailed examination of three specific religiousphenomena at Thessalonikê: the Egyptian gods, Emperor


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worship, and cult associations (Vereinigungen). In the finalchapter, Steimle concludes that cultural, including religious,changes in Thessalonikê over a 500-year period of interac-tion with Rome reflect a pattern of mutual influence, not onlybetween Rome and Macedonia but also among the urbancenters within the province itself. The city inhabitantscrafted their own responses to the constantly shifting socio-political conditions around them. Convincing in its argu-ment and thorough in its detail, Steimle has providedscholars interested in early Christianity at Thessaloniki aninvaluable tool for understanding the complexity of the cul-tural environment in which the Jesus movement took root.

Richard S. AscoughQueen’s University at Kingston

PAULINISCHE THEOLOGIE UND RELIGIONSGE-SCHICHTE. GESAMMELTE AUFSÄTZE, V. By HansDieter Betz. Tübingen, Germany: Mohr Siebeck 2009.Pp. xii + 259. €89.00.

This volume contains twelve essays written between1995 and 2008 that focus on the sophisticated “conversa-tion” between theology and the history of religions. The firstseven essays have their point of origin in the Epistles of Paul.Among other things, Betz deals with 1 Cor 11:17-34 and the“Concept of the ‘Inner Human Being’ (ho eso anthropos) inthe Anthropology of Paul,” and with Rom 9:1-5. Further, Betzbroaches the issue of the “The Gospel and the Wisdom of theBarbarians: The Corinthians’ Question Behind Their Ques-tions,” and he considers the matter of self-deception by Paulaccording to 1 Cor 3:18-23. In the final five papers Betzfocuses on the works of ancient writers, namely Dio of Prusaand Plutarch of Chaironeia. An elaborate index rounds outthe collection. All in all, this fifth volume of Betz’s collectedpapers demonstrates what a profound and virtuosic inter-preter of ancient texts he is. This volume will spark theinterest of professors and students of theology alike, as wellas of pastors and religion teachers. It profoundly providesbroad insights into central theological topics and issues ofthe NT.

Thomas WitulskiWestfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster

THE CHILD IN THE BIBLE. Edited by Marcia J. Bunge.Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2008. Pp. xxvi + 467. $30.00.

Finding its point of entry at the crossroads of biblicalstudies and the burgeoning discipline of childhood studies,this volume arises as a part of “The Child in Religion andEthics Project” at Valparaiso University. The book consists ofeighteen substantive essays aimed at examining “the child”in the OT (six essays); in the NT (seven essays); and fromseveral thematic perspectives (five essays). Though notevery contributor has written extensively on the role of chil-dren in the Bible, each is a recognized authority in the areaof biblical study addressed by his or her essay. The contribu-tors are, for the most part, centrist scholars drawn from

institutions with a mainline Protestant, evangelical, orRoman Catholic affiliation. Given that the Bible is not par-ticularly centered on children, the question of method is ofcritical importance to this volume and its aims. The taskgiven to each contributor is to examine various biblical textsand themes through the lens of “the child.” In other words,they are to keep in mind “questions and concerns aboutchildren and childhood as they interpret biblical texts.” Thisincludes a consideration of the various terms for children,depictions of children (positive, negative, and indifferent),and adult–child relationships, along with their respectiveroles and responsibilities. Overall, this book represents anambitious undertaking that generates complex discussionsand yields a number of helpful insights. The coverage ofbiblical texts is generally balanced and comprehensive,though one wonders about the disproportionate attentiongiven to the much shorter and less diverse NT. That criticismnotwithstanding, this volume will likely find a home in theclassroom as a valuable resource, and its value for confes-sional and ecclesial contexts should not be overlooked. Ianticipate that this book will also be used with benefit byrabbis, pastors, and other religious leaders who have avested interest in the biblical presentations of children.


FAITHFUL FEELINGS: RETHINKING EMOTION INTHE NEW TESTAMENT. By Matthew A. Elliot. GrandRapids, MI: Kregel, 2006. Pp. 301. $21.99.

Few prior NT studies on emotion attempt a workingdefinition; Elliot’s makes a strong case for the “cognitive”nature of emotion. In chapter 1, he adopts the language ofmodern emotional theorists to emphasize the interdepen-dence of physiological responses and reason. Chapters 2-3establish precedent for a cognitive view in ancient Greco-Roman and Jewish thought. In the sequel, Elliot assessesscholarly treatment of seven emotions in the NT, concludingthat NT writers conceive of emotion more like OT writers. Towit, emotions are feelings that accurately reveal one’s beliefs(contra the Greek notion that they are irrational impulses tobe controlled). It is problematic, however, that Elliot uses“modern context and categories to analyze our shared expe-rience written about in the New Testament.” Some emotionson Elliot’s modern list (e.g., agapao and elpizo), for example,may not qualify as “emotions” for the Greeks (pathe lists gounmentioned by Elliot). Further, certain Hellenistic philoso-phers who assume Aristotelian cognition have advanced toother, overlooked concerns, such as the point in the cogni-tive process at which emotion begins. Unfortunately, Elliotoffers only eight pages on Hellenistic literature (compared tothirty pages on the OT) and relies almost exclusively onMartha Nussbaum’s analysis. Faithful Feelings is neverthe-less commendable for its originality and range; touchingupon most NT books, Elliot challenges the discipline to takea fresh look at the literary function of emotion. The work’s


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greatest contribution, overall, may be to foster interdiscipli-nary dialogue with counseling or psychology.

Richard HicksFuller Theological Seminary

ALTERNATIVE CHRISTS. Edited by Olav Hammer. Cam-bridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009. Pp. 305. $90.00.

Consisting of essays written by a cadre of internationalscholars from the USA, Britain, France, Holland, Denmark,Sweden, and Norway, this work is concerned with examin-ing different presentations of Jesus in both ancient andmodern forms of religious expression. Hammer begins hisintroduction by noting that even though there is an estab-lished understanding of Jesus within Christianity, there hasnever been unanimity among religious people about the sig-nificance of Jesus’ life and ministry. As the title suggests, thebook is devoted to looking closely at how different groups ofreligious people have incorporated and/or explained Jesus.Several chapters of this book explore Jesus’ place withinspecific religious systems such as Gnosticism (R. van denBroek), Manicheaism (J. DeBuhn), Islam (J. Hjarpe), Hindu-ism (B. Malkovsky), and Mormonism (D. J. Davies). Otherchapters explore different literary presentations of Jesus,including the NT apocrypha (E. Thomassen), and the writ-ings of Guillaume Postel (J.-P. Brach), and Swedenborg (W. J.Hanegraaff). Other chapters that are difficult to squeeze intoone category examine alternative approaches to Christologyfrom within quasi-Christian and non-Christian frameworks(see the essays by U. Szulakowska, J. A. Santucci, N.Goodrick-Clarke, J. R. Lewis, and M. Rothstein). The book’sfinal chapter explores modern Jesus legends and argues thatforgotten elements of previous presentations of Jesus con-tinue to find their way into the mainstream, often appearingas new ideas. Hammer concludes the book by commentingthat even though the NT narratives are thoroughly legend-ary, the “Gospel stories are nevertheless held up as theabsolute standards—aesthetic, literary, historical, andtheological—against which all other Jesus narratives aremeasured.”


PAUL, GRACE AND FREEDOM: ESSAYS INHONOUR OF JOHN K. RICHES. Edited by Paul Middle-ton, Angus Paddison, and Karen Wenell. T & T Clark BiblicalStudies. New York: T & T Clark, 2009. Pp. v + 215. $130.00.

This dedicated collection of twelve essays honors J.Riches by taking seriously that which he has valued, namely,the importance of reading the Bible critically within thecontext of community. Part One attends to the book’s themesas they occur in the NT, followed by Part Two’s engagementwith how these themes have been read, interpreted, andemployed in various settings. J. Barclay’s “conversation”between Paul’s and Philo’s understanding of God’s grace isthe strength of Part One. This essay brings into sharp focusthe radical nature of Paul’s understanding of grace within

his reading of the Jewish scriptures. Similarly, S. Chester’sevaluation of Badiou’s and Luther’s readings of Paul andpolitics sets the stage wonderfully for Part Two, showing thecontinual interplay between hermeneutics, context, andethics in one’s exegesis of Paul. G. West’s essay on I. Shem-be’s use of Paul is equally informative, as it demonstrates theimportance that contextual readings of sacred texts have onthe formation of new communities of faith, a process that isilluminating for understanding Paul’s hermeneutics as well.The quality of the essays is certainly consistent, making thiscollection of essays useful for both biblical scholars andtheologians alike.

Mark A. JenningsMarquette University

GELITTEN—GESTORBEN—AUFERSTANDEN:PASSIONS- UND OSTERTRADITIONEN IMANTIKEN CHRISTENUM. Edited by Tobias Nicklas,Andreas Merkt, and Joseph Verheyden. WissenschaftlicheUntersuchungen zum Neuen Testament, II/273. Tübingen,Germany: Mohr Siebeck, 2010. Pp. viii + 380. Paper,$147.50.

This important collection of essays (eleven in English,six in German, and one in French) largely originates from aseries of scholarly conferences in 2007. The articles examineearly Christian literature that discusses suffering, death,and resurrection. The authors mostly focus upon noncanoni-cal Christian literature (gospels, Acts, and patristic writings)to discern what can be learned about early Christian beliefsabout the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus and ofother early Christian figures. Some articles consider thereception of NT and noncanonical traditions in patristic,Gnostic, and Qur’anic writings through the seventh century.Particular attention is paid to the Acts of Pilate, the Gospel ofPeter, the Acts of John, Origen, Ignatius, and the SibyllineOracles. Few comparable volumes provide as good a meansof entering into the current discussion about the competingpassion and resurrection traditions within early Christiani-ties. Scholars working on suffering, martyrdom, passion,and resurrection themes within early Christian discoursewill find these articles indispensable both for their ability tosummarize the present state of scholarly discussion and fortheir contributions to that discussion.


THE DISCIPLES’ JESUS: CHRISTOLOGY AS RE-CONCILING PRACTICE. By Terrence W. Tilley. Mary-knoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2008. Pp. xiv + 302. $38.00.

The main thrust that runs throughout Tilley’s intriguingtreatise is that Christology is a practical rather than merelytheoretical exercise. Within this framework, Tilley asks inci-sive questions and provides possible, indeed often probable,answers to many: why we need another Christology; the


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politics of the Jesus movement; Jesus’ teachings on for-giveness and discipleship; the meaning of exorcisms andhealing; the purpose of common meals with his followers;Jesus as first among equals; and his role as Messiah. In anepilogue, Tilley treats many facets of the resurrection: thevalue of evidence; eyewitnesses; and acts being more funda-mental than texts. Tilley’s arguments require intensive con-centration on the reader’s part, but the payoff is well worththe effort. Especially striking is Tilley’s quote from G. B.Shaw’s Saint Joan, which can be paraphrased thus: Joanbelieves her voices come from God; her interlocutor claimsthey come from her imagination; Joan replies, “That is howthe messages of God come to us.” Therein we have amplefood for thought, applicable to exegetical and theologicalcircumstances never envisaged by the playwright. Joan,willy-nilly, was right.

Casimir BernasHoly Trinity Abbey

ATONEMENT: THE PERSON AND WORK OFCHRIST. By Thomas F. Torrance. Edited by Robert T.Walker. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2009.Pp. lxxxiv + 489. $35.00.

Admirers of the theological work of Torrance will rejoicethat his lectures on the Atonement have been commendablycollected and edited by his nephew Walker in a form thatdoes justice to the intent of Torrance before ill health anddeath prevented him from completing the work himself. Amassive Synopsis and lengthy editorial Introduction precedethe twelve chapters of the treatise proper, whose subjectmatter covers a vast range of atonement-related NT themes:priesthood of Christ; OT background; justification in Paul;reconciliation; resurrection; Parousia; Spirit; Church; andEschatology. An editor’s guide to further reading, glossary,and general index complete the treatise. How is one toapproach such a monumental undertaking, the consideredfruit of a lifetime of scholarship? Working one’s way fromcover to cover is hardly viable. Readers will surely profitmost by simply browsing through the copious editorial aidsand then fastening upon subjects of individual interestwhich will frequently coincide with Torrance’s own con-cerns with Barthian theology and the relation of theology ingeneral to the natural sciences.


CHRIST AND THE JUDGMENT OF GOD: THELIMITS OF DIVINE RETRIBUTION IN NEW TESTA-MENT THOUGHT. By Stephen H. Travis. Revised andupdated edition. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2009.Pp. xvi + 383. $24.95.

This revised and expanded edition is a welcome updateto Travis’s earlier 1986 version; he has here modified someof his previous conclusions and included three new

chapters. The Introduction furnishes an overall view of thestate of the question and describes divine retribution in theOT and later Jewish literature. There follows an explicationof the subject in Paul, the Gospel tradition, and the Book ofRevelation. For Travis, the dependability of God is the ulti-mate source of eternal salvation according to the SynopticJesus. In Paul, the word of God is neither random norimpulsive; God’s judgment is not retributive, but relational(it depends on how one is associated with Christ). Thoughit is often difficult to follow Travis’s train of thought,readers will become aware that the subject of divine retri-bution (reward and punishment) in the Bible opens a Pan-dora’s box whose highly controverted implications touchupon the very foundations of NT religion: grace, free will,works; predestination and human responsibility; virtue asits own reward; Luther or the Catholic tradition; and, sal-vation and damnation. Travis cannot be expected to recon-cile these perennial dichotomies (indeed, they cannot bereconciled), but by describing the vagaries of individual NTwriters (including their limits), his efforts are not therebywasted.


REDEFINING FIRST-CENTURY JEWISH ANDCHRISTIAN IDENTITIES: ESSAYS IN HONOROF ED PARISH SANDERS. Edited by Fabian E. Udoh,Susannah Heschel, Mark Chancy, and Gregory Tatum.Christianity and Judaism in Antiquity Series, 16. NotreDame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 2008. Pp. 418.$60.00.

No contemporary NT scholar’s work is more importantthan the work of Sanders. This celebration of Sanders’swork falls into four areas. First, Sanders and two of hisformer students review Sanders’s intellectual biographyand his publications. Second, seven scholars assess Sand-ers’s work on ancient Judaism, particularly his argumentfor a “common Judaism” in the first century. This commonJudaism was marked by worshiping Yahweh, keeping theSabbath, circumcising young males, practicing ritualpurity, and supporting the temple. Third, six chaptersaddress the continuing legacy of Sanders’s work on the his-torical Jesus, particularly in regard to Judaism and thetemple. Finally, the last five chapters discuss Sanders’swork on Paul and his role in establishing the “new per-spective” on Paul. No scholar of ancient Judaism or of earlyChristianity can afford to overlook this volume. Each of thecontributors is a distinguished scholar in his or her ownright and the contributions offer generally appreciative,but always stimulating, dialogue with Sanders’s seminalideas. Every theological library should have a copy of thiswork.



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THE WORD LEAPS THE GAP: ESSAYS ON SCRIP-TURE AND THEOLOGY IN HONOR OF RICHARD B.HAYS. Edited by J. Ross Wagner, C. Kavin Rowe, andA. Katherine Grieb. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2008.Pp. xxii + 710. $70.00; £38.99.

This Festschrift, offered to Hays on his sixtieth birthdayanniversary, contains thirty-two essays on a variety of bib-lical subjects that reflect Hays’s own widespread interests.Thus, for F. Watson (“Resurrection and the Limits of Paulin-ism”), the two collections of canonical genres (Gospels andEpistles) instigated an as-yet-unresolved tension betweenChristology and theologically based anthropology (broadly,between dogma and morals in the early church). J. Dunntakes friendly issue with the second edition of Hays’s TheFaith of Jesus Christ: The Narrative Substructure of Galatians3:1-4:11 (Eerdmans, 2001); for Dunn, pistis Christou is notChrist’s own faith (as Hays claims), but the believers’ faith inChrist. According to D. Smith (“The Historical Figure of Jesusin 1 John”), the author of the epistle would have known somesort of document resembling the Fourth Gospel, a documentthat provided memories that preserved Jesus from dissolv-ing into the Docetic figure that the epistle combats. Thesefew samples hardly do justice to the wealth of insight pro-vided by the remaining contributors, who include L. Keck, J.Marcus, D. Allison, Jr., J. Green, L. Johnson, E. Sanders, andN. Wright. All in all, an outstanding collection that NT schol-ars should not overlook.


NEW PERSPECTIVES ON THE NATIVITY. Edited byJeremy Corley. New York: T&T Clark, 2009. Pp. xi + 215.Paper, $34.95.

This volume seeks both to summarize what conversa-tion has taken place around the nativity narratives inMatthew and Luke since the second edition of RaymondBrown’s epoch-making The Birth of the Messiah (1993) andalso to move beyond that conversation. H. Wansbroughprovides an able summary of scholarly discourse sinceBrown’s second edition appeared. Wansbrough’s chapterlargely sets the tone for the remainder of the volume. Eachchapter offers a “new perspective” primarily in the sensethat the author is presenting a perspective that has eitheracquired attention—or gained increased attention—sinceBrown’s second edition appeared. Several chapters providebrief accounts of the arguments that the authors havemade in greater detail elsewhere (e.g., W. Carter’s chapteron Matthew’s birth narrative and Roman political orderand L. Maluf’s chapter on the use of Zechariah in Luke’sBenedictus). In fact, some chapters (e.g., N. King’s argu-ment in favor of translating Luke’s kat�luma as an “inn”)actually advocate for a return to older patterns of interpre-tation. Although well-read interpreters of the birth narra-tives will find few truly new ideas in this volume, thevolume does provide a welcome summary of recent

scholarship on the birth narratives (and sometimes upontheir reception).


THE HEBREW GOSPEL AND THE DEVELOPMENTOF THE SYNOPTIC TRADITION. By James R. Edwards.Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2009. Pp. 360. Paper, $36.00.

This ambitious volume offers a sustained argument fornew scholarly understanding of the origin of the SynopticGospels. Edwards argues that the Hebrew Gospel which waswidely discussed among ancient Christians was the Grund-text (base text) for Luke’s Gospel and that the uniquelyLukan traditions (including the birth narratives) representGreek translations of this Hebrew original. On the basis ofthis thesis about Luke’s use of a Hebrew source, Edwards isable to argue against the existence of Q. Edwards acceptsMarkan priority, but he argues against the prevailing theo-ries for the relationship between Matthew and Luke by sug-gesting that they shared only a very small common source(177 verses). Edwards is unwilling to commit on whetherthis shared source was written or not, but he is insistent thatit was nothing like the Q so commonly discussed in contem-porary scholarship. Scholars with a strong interest in thehistory of the synoptic traditions will find this volume impor-tant reading, even though Edwards’s arguments are unlikelyto seriously challenge the reigning paradigms. Recom-mended for research libraries.


REVISITING THE EMPTY TOMB: THE EARLYHISTORY OF EASTER. By Daniel A. Smith. Minneapolis,MN: Fortress, 2010. Pp. xi + 267. $29.00.

With an economy of language and a richness of content,this volume uses a history of traditions approach to examinethe two types of Easter traditions, traditions of the emptytomb (traditions of disappearance) and traditions of postres-urrection christophanies (traditions of appearance). Inkeeping with his earlier work on the same topic, Smithargues that the empty tomb traditions stem from Greco-Roman traditions about the postmortem vindication of a herofigure, while traditions about Jesus’ postresurrection appear-ances have a more Jewish origin. Smith disagrees with schol-ars who regard the empty tomb traditions as an early churchfabrication which were invented to explain how the chris-tophanies of the crucified and resurrected Christ are pos-sible. Instead, Smith argues that the empty tomb traditionsare equally ancient and that the empty tomb traditions gainmuch plausibility from the appearance traditions. In Smith’saccount the empty tomb traditions and the postreappearancetraditions both trace back to early layers of tradition andboth traditions persevere within the church’s ongoing dis-course. This volume is essential reading for those who seekto understand the history and origin of the Easter traditions


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and it is highly recommended for all scholars of the gospels,Paul, and earliest Christianity.


RETHINKING THE GOSPEL SOURCES, VOL. 2: THEUNITY AND PLURALITY OF Q. By Delbert Burkett.Early Christianity and Its Literature, 1. Atlanta, GA: Societyof Biblical Literature, 2009. Pp. 360. Paper, $35.95.

The last several years have seen two distinct chal-lenges to the theory of Q as a source that Matthew andLuke shared. On the one hand, some scholars have arguedfor an outright rejection of the existence of Q. On the otherhand, other scholars have argued that Matthew and Lukeused different versions of Q as sources for their respectivegospels. In light of these scholarly challenges, Burkettseeks to accomplish three goals: to demonstrate the “neces-sity” of Q, to establish the “unity” of Q, and to explain thediscrepancies between the Q traditions in Luke and inMatthew. As he pursues each goal, Burkett is travelingwell-worn paths. Burkett’s most important contributioncomes as he seeks to demonstrate how the differencebetween the Q traditions in Matthew and Luke can be bestexplained by the tendency of Matthew and Luke to mergethe Q traditions with traditions from their other sources.Therefore, according to Burkett, Matthew and Luke drewupon identical—or nearly identical—versions of Q, but eachauthor edited Q in light of the parallel traditions whichthey found in “M,” “L,” and occasionally Mark. The argu-ments in this volume are clear and plausible. Even thoughBurkett has provided a detailed defense of widely heldopinions, many readers will be disappointed by his some-times surprising lack of attention to previousscholarly work (e.g. none of H. Koester’s work is men-tioned and W. Farmer’s work is dismissed in a singleparagraph).


HEAVEN AND EARTH IN THE GOSPEL OFMATTHEW. By Jonathan T. Pennington. Grand Rapids, MI:Baker Academic, 2009. Pp. xv + 399. Paper, $42.99.

Students of the First Gospel have long assumed that theuniquely Matthean expression “kingdom of heaven” isnothing more than a circumlocution employed to help thefaithful avoid using the word for “God.” This well-writtenand thoroughly researched monograph turns that conven-tional wisdom on its head, arguing that Matthew’s use of“heaven” represents far more than an insignificant variant.Pennington begins deconstructing the circumlocutiontheory by demonstrating that nearly every moderncomment on the question cites the work of Gustav Dalman(Worte Jesu, later published in English as The Words ofJesus) and little more. Pennington then goes on to dismantleDalman’s conclusion and lay the foundation for his own

thesis, which is based upon four peculiarities in Matthew’suse of heavenly language: 1) Matthew’s intentional distinc-tion between the singular and plural uses of the Greekouranos/ouranoi and his preference for the latter; 2) fre-quent use of the heaven/earth pair; 3) use of “heavenlyfather” and “father in heaven”; and 4) regular use of thephrase “kingdom of heaven.” The book is divided into twomajor sections. The first section consists of four chaptersand explores heavenly language in the OT, in the secondtemple literature, in Matthew, and in contemporaryMatthean studies. The second section consists of eightchapters and focuses on Matthew’s “idiolectic” (or particu-lar linguistic construct) for heaven and the heaven/earthpair. In the end, Pennington shows that decades ofMatthean scholarship have failed to scratch the surface ofan important Matthean theme. With the exception of aglaring typographical error on every other page of ChapterThree (instead of “Survey” it reads “Survery”), it is difficultto find a weakness in this book. Even those who disagreewith the conclusions will find the research and argumenta-tion nearly unassailable. Those with interests in the FirstGospel, especially future commentators, need to pay atten-tion to this book.


MARK AND ITS SUBALTERNS: A HERMENEUTI-CAL PARADIGM FOR A POSTCOLONIALCONTEXT. By C. I. David Joy. London: Equinox, 2008.Pp. xvi + 223. Cloth, $95.00; paper, $29.95.

This updated version of a (Birmingham) PhD thesis letsMark’s subalterns speak by using them to set forth a post-colonial hermeneutic valorizing the postcolonial, subalterncontext. Joy works specifically toward a hermeneutic in andof the poverty, caste system, and religious pluralism of India(see Chapter 9). Part One finds resources in Dhvani read-ings, in some interpretations of Mark, and in a critical appro-priation of previous “political” hermeneutics (includingpostcolonial feminist and subaltern hermeneutics). Part tworeads Mark, and the Jesus solidarity movement the authorthinks it reflects, as the communal struggle of the lowestGalilean agrarian class (the Markan crowd) against imperialoppression in the form of an enslaving tax system and theJerusalem religious authorities. The Markan Christ sharesthe suffering of this degraded class. Three exegetical chap-ters (on Mark 10:17-31, 7:24-30, and 5:1-20, respectively)compellingly illustrate Joy’s concentration on social-economic issues, like unjust wealth and the oppressiveboundaries often set up by gender, race, and religion. Thisemphasis contrasts starkly with traditional interpreters’focus on salvation/theology. Like R. Horsley, Joy sees Markas anticolonial, and opposes interpreters like T. Benny Liew(who sees Mark itself as imperial) with his exegeses, ratherthan through sustained critique of the opposition. The dis-


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cussion of Indian hermeneutics and the exegesis chapterswill benefit advanced Markan students and postcolonialinterpreters.

Richard WalshMethodist University

SURPRISED BY GOD: PRAISE RESPONSES IN THENARRATIVE OF LUKE-ACTS. By Kindalee Pfremmer deLong. Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wis-senschaft und die Kunde der älteren Kirche, 166. New York:Walter de Gruyter, 2009. Pp. xii + 331. $116.00.

This revised dissertation, written at the University ofNotre Dame under G. Sterling, argues that the presence andsignificance of praise within Luke-Acts has been underap-preciated in Lukan scholarship. In order to address thisfailure within Lukan scholarship, de Long first examineshow language of praise for the divine functioned withinselected Greek and Hebrew texts generally (focusing par-ticularly upon the Dead Sea Scrolls, Josephus, Philo, a fewclassical Greek texts, and the Septuagint). Then she offers amore detailed consideration of how the language of praisefunctions in two ancient narratives (Tobit and Joseph andAseneth). When she turns to Luke-Acts, de Long argues thatpraise plays a prominent role at four points: in the birthnarrative (Luke 1-2); in the accounts of healing (Luke 5, 13,17, and 18; Acts 3-4); in accounts which emphasize Jesus’identity as Messiah, Son, king, and risen Lord (Luke 10, 19,and 22-24; Acts 2); and in accounts about the conversion ofthe gentiles (Acts 10-11, 13, 15, 21, and 27). De Long con-cludes that the emphasis upon praise in these four contextsserves to highlight the essential points in the plot of Luke-Acts (Jesus’ birth, his healing ministry, establishment ofJesus’ identity, and the inclusion of the gentiles). Althoughde Long’s choice of two romances for her primary compari-son is curious, scholars of Luke-Acts are nonethelessencouraged to carefully consider this strong and originalthesis.


BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION IN EARLY CHRIS-TIAN GOSPELS: VOL. 3: THE GOSPEL OF LUKE.Edited by Thomas R. Hatina. Library of NT Studies, 376. NewYork: T & T Clark, 2010. Pp. xii + 228. $130.00.

The eleven essays in this volume address a wide varietyof issues related to Luke’s use of the OT (particularly theLXX). The essays employ a variety of approaches, rangingfrom traditional historical-critical analysis of particular pas-sages to postmodern analysis of OT themes within Luke’sGospel. Several of the articles take up well-known issues inLukan studies (e.g., Luke’s use of Chronicles in the parableof the Good Samaritan and the use of Isaiah 40 in the Johnthe Baptist narratives). Whether by design or not, the specialLukan material is explored more intensively than Luke’sshared traditions. In spite of the diversity of approaches

(including some interesting explorations of orality and cul-tural memory), the volume makes no pretense of providing acomprehensive treatment of Luke’s use of the OT. The fullindex will ensure that scholars get the maximum possibleuse of this collection, though the volume’s appeal will largelybe limited to researchers with a focused interest in the topicor approach of a single article.


HEARING BETWEEN THE LINES: THE AUDIENCEAS FELLOW-WORKERS IN LUKE-ACTS AND ITSLITERARY MILIEU. By Kathy Reiko Maxwell. Library ofNT Studies, 425. New York: T & T Clark, 2010. Pp. xii + 205.$110.00.

Much of the reader-response and audience-orientedwork within Biblical scholarship has drawn upon contempo-rary literary theory. Maxwell seeks to supplement that theo-retical base by adding insights into how ancient literarytheorists conceived of the reader’s and audience’s participa-tion in a text. She develops W. Iser’s conception of literary“gaps” by suggesting six literary devices that would havecaused ancient readers to experience such gaps. Accordingto Maxwell, ancient writers could encourage a reader’s par-ticipation in texts by giving the reader access to privilegedinformation, by leaving omissions within the narrative, bymaking open-ended comparisons, by offering double orhidden meanings, by asking and answering questions, andby suggesting cultural allusions. After developing these cat-egories for discerning reader involvement, Maxwell illus-trates the use of these literary devices throughout Luke-Acts.The volume is a welcome addition to contemporary conver-sations about reader- and audience-oriented approaches toLuke-Acts. Positively, Maxwell contributes to those conver-sations by investigating ancient rhetorical texts more care-fully than have many comparable volumes. Less positively,Maxwell’s engagement with contemporary literary theory(and Lukan scholarship) is thinner than many of those samevolumes.


THE ROMAN EMPIRE IN LUKE’S NARRATIVE. ByKazuhiko Yamazaki-Ransom. Library of NT Studies, 404.New York: T & T Clark, 2010. Pp. xv + 240. $110.00.

This revised dissertation (completed at Trinity Evangeli-cal Divinity School under the direction of D. Pao) stands outamong contemporary investigations into early Christianity’sinteraction with the Roman Empire. Yamazaki-Ransom’scentral thesis is clear and compelling. Yamazaki-Ransomargues that the political and social question of Luke’s view ofthe Roman Empire and its officials must be asked andanswered as an overtly theological question. Yamazaki-Ransom suggests that Luke assumed a “triangular model” inwhich Christians would grant temporal submission to


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Roman authorities as long as those authorities acknowl-edged and respected the God revealed in Christ. Accord-ing to Yamazaki-Ransom’s reading, Luke adapted his viewfrom the prevailing Jewish approach to Gentile autho-rities, a view which presumed both that Roman authoritieswere under satanic influence and also that these officialscould be granted temporal submission because God wastruly sovereign over all human affairs. In Yamazaki-Ransom’s understanding, Luke did not significantly distin-guish between Gentile and Jewish authorities sinceboth sets of authorities were ultimately aligned with theemperor and therefore hostile to God’s people (Christianbelievers—and only Christian believers—in this reading).This well-argued volume should provide the new startingpoint for subsequent work on Luke’s view of the RomanEmpire.


PAUL: JEW, GREEK, AND ROMAN. Edited by StanleyE. Porter. Pauline Studies, 5. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill,2008. pp. xiii + 370. $184.00.

After Porter’s introduction, H. Williams discusses theinfluences of specific OT documents on Paul in 1 Cor. P.Coutsoumpos comments on Paul’s attitude toward the law;B. Van Os on Jewish recipients of Galatians; A. Potts ondiversity in Pauline eschatology; and T. Carter on the bodymetaphor in 1 Cor 12. C. Evans presents Paul and thepagans; J. Harrison, Paul and the gymnasiarchs; M. Nanos,the polytheist identity of the weak in 1 Cor 8-11; C. Keener,“fleshly” versus Spirit in Rom 8; J. Jipp, the divided soul inPaul and Plato; T. Burke, adopted as Sons; Porter, on whetherPaul spoke Latin; and S. Adams, Paul and the Roman citizen.Indices are of ancient sources and modern authors. The col-lection is indispensable for graduate students and othersconcerned with the status of Pauline studies. I found essaysby Coutsoumpas, Pitts, Carter, Harrison, Nanos, Burke,Porter, and Adams especially helpful in this regard. Thedownside of the volume is that the update on Pauline studiesis neither systematic nor comprehensive.

Thomas H. OlbrichtPepperdine University

THE ARROGANCE OF NATIONS: READINGROMANS IN THE SHADOW OF EMPIRE. By NeilElliot. Paul in Critical Contexts. Minneapolis, MN: FortressPress, 2008. Pp. xvi + 223. $29.00.

Elliot’s book is a key contribution to an important areafocused on the imperial context of the NT. Eliot viewsRomans as a Judean critique of Rome’s imperial ideologyand employs the methodology of J. Scott, which reveals“hidden transcripts” present in texts from contexts of politi-cal oppression. Elliot explicitly locates his book in thecontext of the “United States’ imperial ideology,” which heconnects to the Roman imperial ideology (a connection that

has much merit, but which is not as critical as is hisreading of Paul). He elucidates the Roman imperial ideologyby focusing on five concepts, each of which has a chapterdevoted to it: empire, justice, mercy, piety, and virtue. Inter-acting with Roman texts (Cicero, Virgil, Seneca, Augustuset al.) and Jewish texts (Daniel, the Habakkuk Pesher), Elliotargues that Paul’s messianic and apocalyptic viewpoint,while not immune from the ideological constraints ofempire, presents a Judean alternative to the “eschatologicalfantasy” that it was Rome’s destiny to rule the world. Elli-ot’s perspective is one that any serious interpreter ofRomans must be engaged with and the book will be animportant addition to university and divinity schoollibraries.

Thomas M. AndersonLondon School of Theology

I, II, & III JOHN: A COMMENTARY. By Judith Lieu. NTLibrary. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 2008.Pp. xx + 300. $49.95.

Lieu’s book affords a valuable resource for the study of1, 2, and 3 John in their ancient Christian context, the Johan-nine tradition (especially in connection to the Gospel ofJohn), and the Jewish religious milieu of the Second Templeperiod (mostly relying on the Dead Sea Scrolls). Drawing onher own extensive knowledge of the Johannine Epistles, Lieuoffers a thorough commentary on the Johannine Epistles.Lieu contends that two literary categories are employed inthe Johannine Epistles: letters and epistles. Though at timesit is possible to differentiate between the two, Lieu arguesthat it is not necessary because these two categories areinterwoven in the Johannine Epistles. Another remarkablefeature in the commentary is Lieu’s argument that the ano-nymity of authors is a rhetorical strategy. Lieu’s commen-tary is well argued, the interpretation of the biblical text isnuanced, and the study utilizes the latest research devotedto Johannine Epistles such as new perceptions of postbiblicalJudaism and the discovery of Dead Sea Scrolls. She allocatesa significant role to the Rule of the Community and The Tes-taments of the Twelve Patriarchs. A comparative analysis ofthese texts with the Johannine Epistles casts light on thethought of 1 John. But this volume is not without limitations.The book would have benefited greatly had the author tracedmore broadly the history of interpretation of the JohannineEpistles either in the introduction or during the course of thecommentary. The reception history casts light on differenttheological problems central to the biblical literature. In par-ticular, the exegetical works of the Protestant reformersreflect a great legacy of theological interpretation (such asLuther’s lectures on 1 John). Though one understands thatevery commentary has a particular scope and uniqueapproach to the biblical text, a wider audience of readerswould benefit from an inclusion of a brief history of inter-pretation of the Johannine Epistles. In sum, the commentaryis a highly technical work that deserves serious attention


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and diligent study. By all means, biblical scholars and gradu-ate students will appreciate the depth and readability of thepresent work.

Igal GermanWycliffe College, University of Toronto

WAS IST GNOSIS? STUDIEN ZUM FRÜHENCHRISTENTUM, ZU MARCION UND ZUR KAISER-ZEITLICHEN PHILOSOPHIE. By Barbara Aland.Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum NeuenTestament, 239. Tübingen, Germany: Mohr Siebeck, 2009.Pp. xv + 434.

In the introduction to this book Aland states clearly thather perspective in her studies of ancient Gnosticism is thatof a Christian, specifically an Evangelical Lutheran. Whileshe acknowledges her debt to H. Jonas, she rejects his phe-nomenological approach. She defines Gnosticism (“Gnosis”)as a version of the Christian experience of fall and redemp-tion presented as an otherwordly revelation couched inpicturesque mythic-narrative or philosophical forms. Thebook’s sixteen chapters span a period of some forty years ofwork, beginning with a summary of her Göttingen habilita-tion dissertation in which she presents (unpersuasively) aninterpretation of Bardanes of Edessa as a “Syrian Gnostic”(ch. 15, publ. 1970), up to a hitherto unpublished lecturegiven on the occasion of her honorary doctorate at Halle-Wittenberg in 2008 with a discussion of the important con-tribution made by the Gnostic heresy to the development ofChristian theology. The book is organized in four parts: PartI, on defining Gnosticism (“die Gnosis”), Chapters 1-9, inwhich she consistently argues that Gnosticism arose withinearly second-century Christianity; Part II, on literary formsof Gnostic discourse (Chapters 10-11); Part III, on Marcion(Chapters 12-14); and Part IV, on Syrian Gnosis, Bardesanes,and Mani (Chapters 15-16). For an answer to the questionposed in this book’s title, the interested reader is advised tolook elsewhere.

Birger A. PearsonUniversity of California, Santa Barbara

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History of Christianity: EarlyTHE APOCRYPHAL ACTS OF THE APOSTLES: ANINTRODUCTION. By Hans-Josef Klauck. Waco, TX: BaylorUniversity Press, 2008. Pp. ix + 288. Paper, $39.95.

Klauck’s book, a translation of his 2005 German edition,is the first comprehensive investigation of the ApocryphalActs since the late nineteenth century. The interveningyears have witnessed a proliferation of scholarship on thetextual, literary, and cultural aspects of these works. Klaucksynthesizes these developments by offering examinations ofthe five major Apocryphal Acts (John, Paul, Peter, Andrew,and Thomas) as well as chapters on the Acts of Peter and theTwelve Apostles, the Pseudo-Clementines, and various

minor acts from late antiquity. Except for these later acts,each chapter consists of subsections (each with their ownbibliography) that cover a discussion of historical context ofthe text, a summary of its contents, a discussion of its influ-ence on later literature, and a critical evaluation of itsthemes and characteristics. The final chapter offers reflec-tions on the major social and theological dimensions thathave occupied scholarly discussions (i.e., journeying, gnosis,marriage and celibacy, encounters with pagan culture,miracles, and women). The result is a much-needed resourcethat will become the standard reference work for Actsresearch. Not only will scholars value Klauck’s command ofboth the primary and secondary source material, but hisclear prose will also appeal to undergraduates embarkingon their own journeys into the world of early Christianapocrypha.

David M. ReisBridgewater College

HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 1-40. ByAugustine, Bishop of Hippo. Translated by Edmund Hill, O.P.Edited by Allan D. Fitzgerald, O.S.A. The Works of SaintAugustine: A Translation for the 21st Century, III/12. NewYork: New City Press, 2009. Pp. 604. Cloth, $59.00; paper,$39.95.

Hill’s translation of Augustine’s homilies on the Gospelof John, commonly called tractates (tractatus), is a welcomecontribution. Though there are at least three other Englishtranslations available, only Hill’s and J. Rettig’s (Fathers ofthe Church) follow the critical edition of the Latin in CorpusChristianorum, Series Latina (CCL) 36. Hill’s translationproves superior in its nuanced interpretation of the text andin its readability, although those accustomed to Hill’s trans-lations of Augustine will find some of the same curious andat times perplexing idiosyncrasies in this volume. Neverthe-less, Hill’s work remains edifying, and is poised to becomethe standard English translation. Other strengths of thisvolume include useful footnotes, which display Hill’s facilitywith the Augustinian corpus, as well as the introduction byA. Fitzgerald, a brief yet insightful look at the historical andtheological context of the homilies. The first sixteen are pre-occupied with the Donatist controversy, while the subse-quent have little to say in this regard, suggesting the earlierdating of the former, with the latter likely coming after theCouncil of Carthage in 411. If indeed preaching is the privi-leged place of exegesis, as Augustine seems to suggest in Dedoctrina Christiana, this is no more evident than in thesehomilies, which delve deeply into the mysteries of Christ,the Holy Spirit, the Church, and the sacraments, particularlythe Eucharist. These homilies contain and express the rich-ness of Augustine’s thought, and Hill’s translation will domuch to inspire renewed interest in these too oftenneglected works.

James K. LeeUniversity of Notre Dame


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Documents

Faithful Feelings: Rethinking Emotion in the New Testament – By Matthew A. Elliot