A Contemporary Introduction to the Bible de Colleen M. Conway

A Contemporary Introduction to the Bible: Sacred Texts and Imperial Contexts

Colleen M. Conway

David M. Carr

en Limba Engleză Paperback – 15 sep 2021

Explore a timely introduction to the formation of the Bible in its historical and modern contexts

In the newly revised Second Edition of A Contemporary Introduction to the Bible: Sacred Texts and Imperial Contexts, accomplished scholars and authors Colleen M. Conway and David M. Carr deliver a rigorous, accessible, and up-to-date introduction to the Bible. The textbook places the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament and New Testament in the broader context of world history, with a special focus on the empires that influenced the Bible’s formation. Readers are introduced to the academic study of the Bible through a range of scholarly approaches.

Readers benefit from the inclusion of:

A thorough introduction to the Bible in its ancient contexts, from the emergence of Israel’s earliest traditions to the writing and reshaping of the Bible amidst Assyrian Babylonian, Persian, Hellenistic and Roman empires.
The most up-to-date work in the field, seamlessly integrated into every chapter
A wealth of pedagogical features including study questions, bibliographies, timelines, and illustrations
An unparalleled coverage of both fundamental topics and cutting-edge issues, resulting in a truly outstanding textbook.

Perfect for undergraduate and graduate students studying religion, history, sociology, and philosophy, A Contemporary Introduction to the Bible: Sacred Texts and Imperial Contexts, Second Edition will also earn a place in the libraries of religious scholars and researchers seeking a one-stop reference to the Bible in its ancient and modern context.

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List of Figures xi List of Maps xv List of Boxes xix Preface xxi Acknowledgments xxiii List of Abbreviations xxv Overview of the Historical Period xxvii Timeline xxix Prologue: Orientation to Multiple Bibles and Multiple Translations 1 1 Studying the Bible in Its Ancient Context(s) 19 Chapter Overview 19 Why History Is Important in Studying the Bible 20 The Geography and Major Characters of the Biblical Drama 24 Major Periods in the Biblical Drama 28 Multiple Contexts, Multiple Methods 30 Looking Forward to the Big Picture 32 Chapter One Review 33 Resources For Further Study 33 Appendix: Israel's History and Empires 34 2 The Emergence of Ancient Israel and Its First Oral Traditions 35 Chapter Overview 35 Imagining Early Israel 36 Problems in Reconstructing Early Israel 42 Traces of the Most Ancient Israelite Oral Traditions in the Bible 47 The Oral Background of Genesis 48 Focus Text: The Song of Deborah 54 The Creation of "Israel" Through Cultural Memory of Resistance to Domination 56 Chapter Two Review 57 Resources for Further Study 58 3 The Rise of Writing and Echoes of Past Empires in Monarchal Israel 59 Chapter Overview 59 Imagining Early Monarchal Israel 60 The Rise of the Israelite Monarchy and Resistance to It 62 Influence of Ancient Empires on Early Israel's Monarchy and Writings 66 Echoes of Near Eastern Royal Theology in the Royal and Zion Psalms 69 Echoes of Texts from Earlier Empires in Writings Attributed to Solomon 75 Focus Text: The Speech of Lady Wisdom in Proverbs 8 81 Echoes of Texts from Past Empires Elsewhere in the Bible 82 Focus Text: The Garden of Eden Story (Gen 2:4-3:24) 87 Conclusion 92 Chapter Three Review 93 Resources for Further Study 93 4 Narrative and Prophecy Amidst the Rise and Fall of the Northern Kingdom 95 Chapter Overview 95 Setting the Stage: The Rise of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and Its Texts 96 Ancient Near Eastern Prophecy 105 Amos, a Southern Prophet Preaching Justice and Doom to the North 106 Hosea, the Northern Prophet, Calling for Israel's Devotion to Yahweh Alone 108 Micah, a Southern Prophet, Predicting Judgment for Judah and Jerusalem 115 Isaiah's Vision of Hope for Jerusalem/Zion Embedded in the Book of Isaiah 118 The Use and Reuse of Biblical Traditions 123 Focus Text: Contrasting Prophetic Visions of Zion's Future 124 Chapter Four Review 125 Resources for Further Study 126 5 Torah and Other Texts Written in the Wake of the Assyrian Empire 127 Chapter Overview 127 Religious and Textual Reform Amidst the Downfall of Assyria 128 The Deuteronomic Torah of Moses and the Phenomenon of Hybridity 135 Historical Texts Infused with the Theology and Values of Deuteronomy 139 Jeremiah's Prophecy of Judgment on Zion 145 Focus Text: Deuteronomy 6:4-9 149 New Scriptures in the Twilight of Judean Monarchy 152 Chapter Five Review 153 Resources for Further Study 154 6 Bible for Exiles: Promise and Story in the Neo-Babylonian Empire 155 Chapter Overview 155 The Neo-Babylonian Destruction of Jerusalem and Exile 156 Forced Labor for Exiles Under Nebuchadnezzar 160 The Exilic Editions of Biblical Books 163 Ezekiel's Move from Judgment to Promise with the Fall of Jerusalem 164 Hope for Exiles in Second Isaiah (also called "Deutero-Isaiah") 167 From Promise in the Prophets to Promise in Two Pentateuchal Sources: L and P 171 History and Fiction 185 Focus Text: Gen 12:1-3 186 Conclusions on (Exilic) Trauma and the Bible 188 Chapter Six Review 189 Resources for Further Study 190 7 Persian Empire and the Emergence of a Temple-Centered Jewish Community 191 Chapter Overview 191 History: The Persian-Sponsored Building of a Temple- and Torah-Centered Judaism 192 The Final Formation of the Torah 201 The Book of Psalms as a Torah-Centered Collection of More Ancient Psalms 206 Focus Text: Isa 56:1-8 209 Concluding Reflections on Scriptures in and After the Exile 211 Chapter Seven Review 212 Resources for Further Study 212 8 Hellenistic Empires and the Formation of the Hebrew Bible 215 Chapter Overview 215 Judaism and Hellenism Before the Hellenizing Crisis 216 The Crisis Over Hellenizing Jerusalem and the Book of Daniel 220 A Hellenistic Period Kingdom of Israel: The Hasmonean Revolt and Monarchy 222 The Hellenistic Period as the Setting for Other Hebrew Bible Texts 224 Focus Text: Daniel 10-12 227 The Formation of the Jewish Tanakh and Christian Old Testament(s) 229 Conclusion 230 Chapter Eight Review 231 Resources for Further Study 231 Prologue to the Study of the New Testament 233 9 The Jesus Movement in the Context of the Roman Empire 237 Chapter Overview 237 Imagining the Jerusalem That Jesus Knew 238 Rome Comes to Jerusalem 240 The Earliest Jesus Traditions 242 Searching for the Historical Jesus: Problems and Proposals 245 Chapter Nine Review 250 Resources for Further Study 250 10 Paul and His Letters in the Roman Colonial Chapter Outline 251 Chapter Overview 251 Paul's Travels and Letter Collection 252 Who Was Paul? 256 Three Undisputed Letters of Paul: Galatians, 1 Corinthians, and Romans 262 Focus Text: The Problem of Israel and the Place of the Gentiles (Romans 9-11) 271 The Disputed Letters 274 Conclusion: From Letters to Scripture 276 Chapter Ten Review 276 Resources for Further Study 277 11 The Gospel of Mark: Suffering and Trauma under Imperial Rule 279 Chapter Overview 279 The Jewish War (66-70 ce) 280 Pointers to the Dating and Context of the Gospel of Mark 282 Rising Popularity of Jesus and Rising Conflict with the Authorities (Mark 1:1-8:21) 284 Teaching and More Misunderstanding on the Way (Mark 8:22-10:52) 288 The Suffering Messiah (Mark 11:1-16:8) 292 Mark's Enigmatic Ending 296 Focus Text: Mark 12:1-12 296 Chapter Eleven Review 298 Resources for Further Study 299 12 The Gospel of Matthew: Defining Community in the Wake of Destruction 301 Chapter Overview 301 The Synoptic Problem 302 The Structure of the Gospel of Matthew 305 The Matthean Jesus and Moses 307 The Matthean Jesus, Righteousness, and Torah Obedience 309 The Matthean Jesus, Wisdom, and Torah 311 Matthew's Apocalyptic Vision and the Kingdom of Heaven 312 The Matthean Polemic Against the Pharisees 315 Focus Text: Matt 25:31-46 317 Chapter Twelve Review 320 Resources for Further Study 321 13 Luke-Acts: Legitimizing the Jesus Movement in the Midst of Empire 323 Chapter Overview 323 The Lukan Prologues 324 The Lukan Jesus in Continuity with Israel's Past 327 The Jesus Movement in Continuity with Israel's Past 328 Salvation to the Gentiles in Luke-Acts 330 Situating the Jesus Movement in the Roman Empire 332 The Holy Spirit in Luke-Acts 337 Focus Text: Jesus's Sermon in Nazareth (Luke 4:14-30) 339 Chapter Thirteen Review 341 Resources for Further Study 342 14 The Gospel of John and the Johannine Letters: Turning Inward as a Strategy for Life in the Empire 343 Chapter Overview 343 Who Is the Johannine Jesus? 344 Knowing and Believing in the Johannine Jesus 350 Opposition from the World 3.52 The Problem of "the Jews" in the Gospel of John 354 Focus Text: John 17 358 The Johannine Letters 360 Chapter Fourteen Review 362 Resources for Further Study 362 15 Following Christ in the Empire: Diverse Approaches in the New Testament 363 Chapter Overview 363 The Revelation to John: Visions of "Conquering" Roman Power 364 Focus Text: Revelation 17-18 370 Hebrews: Platonic Perspectives on Christ 373 1 Peter: Living as Aliens and Accommodating to the Empire 376 Conclusion: Three Different Relationships to the Roman Empire 378 Chapter Fifteen Review 379 Resources for Further Study 379 Epilogue: The Final Formation of the Jewish and Christian Bibles 381 Glossary 387 Index 401