Unzertrennliche Drillinge-Motivsemantische Untersuchungen Zum Literarischen Verhältnis Der...

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addressed to goddesses and facing page translations. While both commentaries cover the basics (language, diction, meter, date of composition, manuscript tradition, and rela- tion to other early Greek texts), Faulkner’s commentary is generally more cautious and traditional in its approach, while Olson emphasizes the hymn’s intertext with the Homeric epics and its use of narrative devices such as focalization. Most tellingly, Faulkner sees the theme of future offspring as central to the poem whereas Olson high- lights the centrality of Aphrodite and sexuality and the hymn’s theological implications in explaining how the era in which gods and mortals mated to produce the heroes came to an end, an interpretation that I have myself pro- moted. Scholars and students alike will now have the nec- essary tools and unsurpassed access to this delightful composition. Jenny Strauss Clay University of Virginia EUTHYDEMUS: ETHICS AND LANGUAGE. LECTURAE PLATONIS 8. By Samuel Scolnicov. Intro- duction by Harold Tarrant. Sankt Augustin, Germany: Academia Verlag, 2013. Pp. 179. 26.00. Scolnicov’s main argument is that the Euthydemus presents two approaches to language: the binary and triadic models. In the binary model, adopted by the soph- ists and the unnamed logographer, there is a direct link between name and referent; in the triadic model, adopted by Socrates, the speaker comes between name and refer- ent: rather than having a fixed meaning, words mean what the speaker thinks they do. Scolnicov then clarifies that what comes between the word and its meaning is specifi- cally the soul, as the locus of contradiction. Finally, he points out similarities between Socrates and the sophists, and argues that we can only distinguish between the two through a “moral intuition,” said to result from the emotion aroused by the death of Socrates. The book includes critical responses to Scolnicov by Maurizio Migliori, Lucia Palpacelli, and Dennys Garcia Xavier. Migliori addresses various points, but is often unhelpful. Palpacelli raises well-argued objections. Both she and Garcia Xavier oppose the idea of similarities between Socrates and the sophists. Scolnicov’s own responses to his critics offer additional remarks on the same general topic, but do not always explicitly address the specific objections raised. His focus on the often-neglected eristic scenes of the dialogue is useful. But the book’s main views are already familiar from Scolnicov’s earlier work on the Euthydemus, and the addi- tion of numerous secondary points obscures these views. Finally, the book would benefit from the elimination of a host of typographical errors, including serious mistakes in the Greek. Georgia Sermamoglou-Soulmaidi Foundation of the Hellenic World Christian Origins THE BLACKWELL COMPANION TO THE BIBLE AND CULTURE. Edited by John F. A. Sawyer. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. Pp. xv + 555. Paper, $44.95. The editor forthrightly concedes the almost arbitrary limits placed on the range of topics covered in a volume dedicated to something so vast as “the Bible and culture.” Even so, this collectionunchanged from the 2006 hard- cover originalstands as one of the most ambitious and inclusive handbooks of its kind to appear in print. Its aim is “to listen to some of the much louder and clearer voices of the millions of readers . . . who down the centuries have looked to it for guidance, authority and inspiration.” Given the space constraints, the topics are well chosen (with the possible exception of a chapter on a nineteenth-century circus). Issuing “a coherent challenge to assumptions that the Bible is a static and univocal phenomenon,” thirty essays are divided into four sections: 1) “Revealing the Past” traces the history of the Bible itself and its interpretation by histo- rians and theologians across time; 2) “The Nomadic Text” surveys global appropriations, ranging far afield from the usual focus on Europe and North America; 3) “The Bible and the Senses” considers the arts and popular culture; 4) “Reading in Practice” looks at newer methods that approach the text from avowedly ideological perspectives. As most of the contributors are not trained primarily as biblical schol- ars, the fresh perspective they bring will benefit specialists and non-specialists alike. Patrick Gray Rhodes College THE BIBLE AND THE BELIEVER: HOW TO READ THE BIBLE CRITICALLY AND RELIGIOUSLY. By Marc Zvi Brettler, Peter Enns, and Daniel J. Harrington. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012. Pp. x + 210. $27.95. At least since the Enlightenment, there has been a per- ceived tension between reading the Bible “critically” and “religiously” (see, e.g., M. Legaspi, The Death of Scripture and the Rise of Biblical Studies), evident in recent years, for example, in an online discussion about whether the Society of Biblical Literature is an “Enlightenment” organization (with all that entails) or one inclusive of a wider range of perspectives. Some voices argue that the “critical” and “reli- gious” options are mutually exclusive, and some contend that any sort of religious commitment to the Bible renders a critical reading impossible. Someincluding the authors of this booksuggest it is possible to do both. Representing Jewish, evangelical Protestant, and Roman Catholic perspec- tives, they write out of their own experience, sharing how and why they have attempted to read the Bible both critically and religiously while remaining true to each approach. Notable is the degree to which the locus of authority shapes the challenge each faces: whereas for the Judaism exempli- fied here and Roman Catholicism, the locus of authority is Religious Studies Review VOLUME 40 NUMBER 3 SEPTEMBER 2014 154

Transcript of Unzertrennliche Drillinge-Motivsemantische Untersuchungen Zum Literarischen Verhältnis Der...

addressed to goddesses and facing page translations. Whileboth commentaries cover the basics (language, diction,meter, date of composition, manuscript tradition, and rela-tion to other early Greek texts), Faulkner’s commentary isgenerally more cautious and traditional in its approach,while Olson emphasizes the hymn’s intertext with theHomeric epics and its use of narrative devices such asfocalization. Most tellingly, Faulkner sees the theme offuture offspring as central to the poem whereas Olson high-lights the centrality of Aphrodite and sexuality and thehymn’s theological implications in explaining how the erain which gods and mortals mated to produce the heroescame to an end, an interpretation that I have myself pro-moted. Scholars and students alike will now have the nec-essary tools and unsurpassed access to this delightfulcomposition.

Jenny Strauss ClayUniversity of Virginia

EUTHYDEMUS: ETHICS AND LANGUAGE.LECTURAE PLATONIS 8. By Samuel Scolnicov. Intro-duction by Harold Tarrant. Sankt Augustin, Germany:Academia Verlag, 2013. Pp. 179. €26.00.

Scolnicov’s main argument is that the Euthydemuspresents two approaches to language: the binary andtriadic models. In the binary model, adopted by the soph-ists and the unnamed logographer, there is a direct linkbetween name and referent; in the triadic model, adoptedby Socrates, the speaker comes between name and refer-ent: rather than having a fixed meaning, words mean whatthe speaker thinks they do. Scolnicov then clarifies thatwhat comes between the word and its meaning is specifi-cally the soul, as the locus of contradiction. Finally, hepoints out similarities between Socrates and the sophists,and argues that we can only distinguish between the twothrough a “moral intuition,” said to result from the emotionaroused by the death of Socrates. The book includes criticalresponses to Scolnicov by Maurizio Migliori, LuciaPalpacelli, and Dennys Garcia Xavier. Migliori addressesvarious points, but is often unhelpful. Palpacelli raiseswell-argued objections. Both she and Garcia Xavier opposethe idea of similarities between Socrates and the sophists.Scolnicov’s own responses to his critics offer additionalremarks on the same general topic, but do not alwaysexplicitly address the specific objections raised. His focuson the often-neglected eristic scenes of the dialogue isuseful. But the book’s main views are already familiar fromScolnicov’s earlier work on the Euthydemus, and the addi-tion of numerous secondary points obscures these views.Finally, the book would benefit from the elimination of ahost of typographical errors, including serious mistakes inthe Greek.

Georgia Sermamoglou-SoulmaidiFoundation of the Hellenic World

Christian Origins

THE BLACKWELL COMPANION TO THE BIBLEAND CULTURE. Edited by John F. A. Sawyer. Oxford:Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. Pp. xv + 555. Paper, $44.95.

The editor forthrightly concedes the almost arbitrarylimits placed on the range of topics covered in a volumededicated to something so vast as “the Bible and culture.”Even so, this collection—unchanged from the 2006 hard-cover original—stands as one of the most ambitious andinclusive handbooks of its kind to appear in print. Its aim is“to listen to some of the much louder and clearer voices ofthe millions of readers . . . who down the centuries havelooked to it for guidance, authority and inspiration.” Giventhe space constraints, the topics are well chosen (with thepossible exception of a chapter on a nineteenth-centurycircus). Issuing “a coherent challenge to assumptions thatthe Bible is a static and univocal phenomenon,” thirty essaysare divided into four sections: 1) “Revealing the Past” tracesthe history of the Bible itself and its interpretation by histo-rians and theologians across time; 2) “The Nomadic Text”surveys global appropriations, ranging far afield from theusual focus on Europe and North America; 3) “The Bible andthe Senses” considers the arts and popular culture; 4)“Reading in Practice” looks at newer methods that approachthe text from avowedly ideological perspectives. As most ofthe contributors are not trained primarily as biblical schol-ars, the fresh perspective they bring will benefit specialistsand non-specialists alike.

Patrick GrayRhodes College

THE BIBLE AND THE BELIEVER: HOW TO READTHE BIBLE CRITICALLY AND RELIGIOUSLY. ByMarc Zvi Brettler, Peter Enns, and Daniel J. Harrington.Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012. Pp. x + 210. $27.95.

At least since the Enlightenment, there has been a per-ceived tension between reading the Bible “critically” and“religiously” (see, e.g., M. Legaspi, The Death of Scripture andthe Rise of Biblical Studies), evident in recent years, forexample, in an online discussion about whether the Societyof Biblical Literature is an “Enlightenment” organization(with all that entails) or one inclusive of a wider range ofperspectives. Some voices argue that the “critical” and “reli-gious” options are mutually exclusive, and some contendthat any sort of religious commitment to the Bible renders acritical reading impossible. Some—including the authors ofthis book—suggest it is possible to do both. RepresentingJewish, evangelical Protestant, and Roman Catholic perspec-tives, they write out of their own experience, sharing howand why they have attempted to read the Bible both criticallyand religiously while remaining true to each approach.Notable is the degree to which the locus of authority shapesthe challenge each faces: whereas for the Judaism exempli-fied here and Roman Catholicism, the locus of authority is

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outside the text (in the teachings of the rabbis or the teach-ing magisterium of the Church, respectively); for evangelicalProtestants, the locus is (at least in theory) the text itself,which means that Enns faces a rather different set of chal-lenges than his co-authors do. All three essays are thought-ful, reflective, and well written, well worth reading byanyone wrestling with these sorts of issues, or mentoringthose who are.

Michael W. HolmesBethel University

THE CRAFT OF HISTORY AND THE STUDY OF THENEW TESTAMENT. By Beth M. Sheppard. Resources forBiblical Study, 60. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature,2012. Pp. xii + 267. Paper, $32.95.

Are professionally trained historians and NT scholarsengaged in the same activity when they use “historical”methods? That question guides this insightful volume, whichattempts to show both the overlap between and the distinc-tiveness of the two disciplines, explores theoretical andphilosophical concerns, and traces the recent history of his-toriography. The book applies these insights to three histori-cal concerns reflected in the NT: clothing and textiles in theGospel of Luke, marriage and divorce in John 4, and ancientmedicinal practices as referenced in 1 Corinthians. Thesefinal chapters consist of brief historical and exegeticalinsights such that the book is, by Sheppard’s admission,more “informative than argumentative.” Sheppard’s inter-disciplinary approach reveals an awareness of the criticalliterature and current conversations within each discipline.Although she warns at the outset that delving into two dis-ciplines in the same work may fail to satisfy practitionersfrom either camp, her treatment of the issues in historicalresearch and NT studies appears fair and even-handedthroughout. This book could easily find a home as a supple-mental course text for introductory NT courses, classes onhermeneutics, and others devoted to orienting students tothe discipline of biblical studies.

Christopher W. SkinnerMount Olive College, NC

THE PEOPLE’S BIBLE: THE REMARKABLEHISTORY OF THE KING JAMES VERSION. By DerekWilson. Oxford: Lion Hudson, 2010. Pp. 222. Paper, $24.95.

This is a lively, entertaining, and informative popular-level account not just of the making of the King JamesVersion (KJV) but of its “pre-history” (including its roots inthe Lollard movement and Wycliffe, and the many transla-tions of the sixteenth century) and its subsequent historyand cultural impact (“Wirkungsgeschichte”) down to thepresent. The author’s evident respect and admiration of theKJV does not prevent him from making clear the extent towhich the background, creation, and eventual reception(“ultimately . . . ensured by state censorship”) of the KJV was

deeply entangled in the politics and culture of the time, andhe has no patience for those today who would treat it aseither a timeless standard of English literature and style, oras an unrevisable acme of divine revelation. In all, a goodand (generally) reliable read whose delightful (and veryBritish) writing style a moderately literate audience willappreciate and enjoy.

Michael W. HolmesBethel University

ANCIENT JEWISH LETTERS AND THE BEGIN-NINGS OF CHRISTIAN EPISTOLOGRAPHY. ByLutz Doering. WUNT, 298. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2012.Pp. xii + 600. Cloth, $220.00.

This important work persuasively argues that Jewishtraditions of letter writing have been consistently underap-preciated when exploring the backgrounds of early Chris-tian epistolography, including the letters in the NT. Doeringtraces Jewish letter writing from the fifth century BCE tothe third century CE, examining both the content and formof Jewish letters. Doering casts a wide net, examining bothletters embedded in larger texts and letters that havesurvived independently. This investigation explores theElephantine letters, the Hebrew Bible, various Aramaiclegal and administrative texts, and the Qumran materials,as well as a wide variety of Greek texts with a Jewish origin(Philo and Josephus merit a chapter to themselves). Theresult is an unparalleled account of the Jewish epistolarytradition and a compelling case for the NT writer’s place-ment within this tradition. Doering’s attention to bothembedded and free-standing letters makes the volumeuseful not only for students of NT letters, but also for stu-dents of Acts. The volume has a rich bibliography and iswell indexed. Doering has provided what is clearly destinedto be the definitive work in the field for decades to come.This work is highly recommendation for students of Paul, ofNT letters, and of ancient Judaism. No research libraryshould be without this volume.

Thomas E. PhillipsClaremont School of Theology

JEWS IN A GRAECO-ROMAN ENVIRONMENT. ByMargaret H. Williams. WUNT, 312. Tübingen: MohrSiebeck, 2013. Pp. xiv + 462. Cloth, $254.00.

Scholars of early Christianity will probably know of Wil-liams mainly from her student-friendly The Jews among theGreeks and Romans: A Diasporan Sourcebook (Duckworth,1998). Beneficiaries of that project will also appreciate thepresent volume, which consists of 22 of Williams’s previ-ously published scholarly essays focusing on DiasporaJewish communities. The essays were originally publishedfrom 1986 to 2011, their historical coverage spanning fromthe first century BCE to the sixth century CE. Appearinghere for the first time is a lengthy introduction that surveys

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the scholarly reception of Williams’s work and how otherscholars have further explored their subject matter in theintervening years. Part 1 of the book contains eleven essayson the Jewish community in Rome; Part 2, six investigationsof other Diaspora communities (i.e., Rhodes, Aphrodisias,Corycus, Venusia); Part 3, five onomastic studies. Scholarsof early Christianity will be especially interested in Wil-liams’s studies on Jewish identity and community structurein Rome, the God-fearers inscription from Aphrodisias, themeaning and function of Ioudaios in Greco-Roman inscrip-tions, and Palestinian Jewish names in Acts. The book endswith a cumulative bibliography as well as passage, author,and subject indices. This is a book that serious scholars ofancient Judaism and early Christianity should not ignore.Unfortunately, many libraries and readers will find the costof the volume prohibitive.

John K. GoodrichMoody Bible Institute

THE REAL JESUS: THEN AND NOW. By Geza Vermes.Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2010. Pp. xi + 185. Paper,$15.95.

The articles collected here were written for popularaudiences between Vermes’s retirement in 1991 and hisdeath in 2013. Most of them originally appeared as op-edpieces for a variety of European newspapers. They cover awide range of topics, not all having to do with his areas ofexpertise: Christian Origins, Dead Sea Scrolls, and Second-Temple Judaism. The collection here includes a review ofPope Benedict XVI’s book on Jesus, several reviews of MelGibson’s 2004 film, The Passion of the Christ, and a review ofDan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code (2003), along with severalarticles on papal politics and papal relations with Israel. Thecollection is not meant to be cohesive, nor scholarly. But inthat regard, the collection is a little odd: if it is meant for atruly popular readership, I do not think it succeeds. For asfine a scholar as Vermes was, he was not a public figure, andis therefore unlikely to be popularly known. Vermes is, ofcourse, widely known and respected among scholars still,but they are less likely to appreciate such popular writingand wide-ranging topics.

Zeba CrookCarleton University

GOSPEL WRITING: A CANONICAL PERSPECTIVE.By Francis Watson. Grand Rapids, MI: William B.Eerdmans, 2013. Pp. xiii + 665. Paper, $48.00.

This monumental achievement deserves the attentionof every student of the NT, church history, and Christiantheology! Watson has provided an astoundingly completeaccount of how the Christian gospels—both canonical andnon-canonical—were written, transmitted, and interpreted,three processes which he sees as inextricably interwoven.For Watson, the gospels reflect—and should be interpretedas—part of an ongoing process of interpretation and rein-

terpretation of Jesus’s life and mission. Watson is equallyadept at reconstructing the gospels’ first-century originsand their later reception from the second to the nineteenthcenturies. Unfortunately, as with any 650+-page behemoth,this volume will seldom be fairly or adequately reviewed.Many conservative readers will quickly dismiss Watson’swork when they encounter his frequently repeated insis-tence that even the Gospel of Mark is a heavily interpretedversion of Jesus’ life; many more critically minded scholarswill dismiss his work in an equally rapid manner whenthey learn that Watson places all the canonical gospels in afirst-century context that is devoid of Q (Watson arguesthat Luke was an interpreter of Matthew). Watson standsfirmly within the tradition of British Biblical scholarship,so I—and many scholars more influenced by Germanicscholarly traditions—will disagree with Watson on manyspecific points. Still, with exceptionally clear writing,expansive research, and judicious analysis, this volumestands unparalleled as an advanced synthesis of contempo-rary scholarship on the gospels. This tome is not for faintof heart, but it will richly reward those who are willing toset aside a few weeks of study for focused attention on itstreasures.

Thomas E. PhillipsClaremont School of Theology

WHAT ARE THEY SAYING ABOUT Q? By BenedictViviano. New York: Paulist Press, 2013. Pp. vii + 111. Paper,$14.95.

This contribution deserves a place within this usefulseries. Viviano’s first chapter rapidly traverses the familiarterrain of Q’s supposed content, roughly 220 verses of(mostly) sayings in Luke and Matthew, but absent fromMark. Although his subsequent chapters largely presumethe existence of Q, Viviano narrates both the “discovery” ofQ and the challenges to the document’s existence. He char-acterizes dissenters to the Q hypothesis as “a noisy factionin Britain and France that still resists this conclusion.”(The late American scholar, William Farmer, and his manyAmerican students would be deeply offended to be geo-graphically excluded from this “noisy faction.”) In spite ofsuch condescending language, Viviano represents thecritics of the Q theory fairly. In fact, his volume probablygives disproportionate attention to the criticisms of Q andis therefore forced to slight some recent detailed and sub-stantial explorations of Q (e.g., Helmut Koester’s AncientChristian Gospels is not even mentioned). Also worrying,the bibliography has only eight entries from the lastten years (2003 and later). For a series focused on whatthey “are saying,” the datedness of the bibliography isconcerning—especially in an area with such proliferateresearchers. In such a brief volume, selectivity is inevi-table, but astute readers will note some significant lacunae.Still, the volume introduces the discourse about Q andclearly depicts the issues involved in the Q debates. The

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volume will be useful for those new to the study of theformation of the gospels.

Thomas E. PhillipsClaremont School of Theology

CONVERSION IN LUKE AND PAUL: AN EXEGETI-CAL AND THEOLOGICAL EXPLORATION. By DavidS. Morlan. Library of New Testament Studies, 464. London:Bloomsbury, 2013. Pp. ix + 219. Cloth, $120.00.

This monograph reexamines the relationship betweenPaul and Luke in the context of their understanding of con-version. Morlan’s approach is primarily theological. Hebegins by situating his study within the history of scholar-ship on the relationship between Paul and Luke, beginningwith the Tendenzkritik of Baur. He surveys prominentPauline and Lukan scholars, mining their works for insightsabout the nature of conversion in Luke and Paul and therelation between the two biblical writers. The bulk of thebook consists of an examination of conversion in five pas-sages (Luke 15, Acts 2 and 17, and Romans 2 and 9–11) andconcludes by comparing Lukan and Pauline perspectives.Morlan selected these texts based on their use by previousscholars. For each biblical passage, he asks three questions:“What is the change involved in this conversion? Why isconversion necessary? Who is responsible for conversion?”By focusing on these questions, Morlan is able to bring ameasure of clarity to the issues previously raised by schol-ars. One weakness is that this methodology projects con-cerns onto Luke and Paul’s writings that they may not haveintended to address. Morlan, himself, concedes this point.Another concern is the appropriateness of conversion lan-guage with respect to Jews in the early church (especially inLuke 15 and Acts 2). Nevertheless, this volume will be valu-able both for readers interested in theological interpreta-tions and for scholars and graduate students concerned withthe history of scholarship on the relation between Paul andLuke.

Michael KochenashClaremont School of Theology

CHRISTOLOGY AND DISCIPLESHIP IN JOHN 17.By Marianus Pale Hera. WUNT II, 342. Tübingen: MohrSiebeck, 2013. Pp. xiv + 206. Paper, $103.00.

In this exceptionally readable revision of his disserta-tion, Hera focuses on the Gospel’s Christology and itsimplications for discipleship. His approach incorporatesnarrative, exegetical, and text-critical assessments. Heraframes the context for discussing John 17 through a narra-tive analysis utilizing discipleship as the primary lens forunderstanding John’s christological content. Each chapterclearly summarizes the evidence and implications for John’sportrait of discipleship. Chapter 2 demonstrates the method-ology using John 1:1–2:11, 9, and the “I am” sayings as testcases. Chapter 3 provides Hera’s narrative analysis of the

Farewell Discourse before discussing several textual vari-ants in, and proposing a five-part structure for, the Greektext of John 17. Chapter 4 presents the central research onJohn 17 employing the narrative and exegetical methodsdemonstrated in the earlier chapters. Among several conclu-sions, Hera proposes is that his study demonstrates thatdiscipleship may be one determining factor in the composi-tion history of the Gospel’s sources. Hera’s revision providesan informative background of scholarship on John 17 as wellas arguing for Christology and discipleship as its unifyingelements. This presentation is easily accessible for anystudent of the Fourth Gospel interested in Christology, nar-rative analysis, or the emphasis on discipleship.

Stan HarstineFriends University

HEARING AT THE BOUNDARIES OF VISION: EDU-CATION INFORMING COSMOLOGY IN REVELA-TION 9. By Sean Michael Ryan. Library of New TestamentStudies, 448. London: T & T Clark, 2012. Pp. xviii + 272.Cloth, $120.00.

This book is a revision of the author’s doctoral thesiswritten at Heythrop College, University of London. Twoinformative chapters on the ancient Greco-Roman educa-tional system and ancient cosmologies establish the basis forthe author’s argument. The remainder of the book exploresthe author’s hypothesis that students reaching only theprimary or secondary levels of education would not havebeen exposed to the developed cosmologies found in Platoand Aratus, authors read after the secondary level. Ryanposes two hypothetical readers corresponding to these twocosmological sensitivities. Each is given its own chapter, andthe author provides a reading on Revelation 9 from these twodivergent vantage points. As a test case, the author offers aclose reading of the early commentaries of Victorinus,Tyconius, and Oecumenius. The net effect of this inquirydoes little to support the author’s hypothesis. Instead, Ryanis left nuancing the reasons why the work of an uneducatedauthor (Victorinus) contains traces of a higher-level cosmol-ogy while a fully educated author (Tyconius) contains nosigns that education shaped his understanding of the cos-mology of Revelation 9. I recommend the work as an excel-lent source for the Greco-Roman education system andancient cosmologies even if the reading of Revelation 9offered here is not convincing.

Eric J. GilchrestJudson College, AL

MAGICAL MOTIFS IN THE BOOK OF REVELA-TION. By Rodney Lawrence Thomas. Library of New Tes-tament Studies, 416. London: T & T Clark, 2010. Pp. x + 230.Cloth, $117.00.

Thomas’s revision of his Durham doctoral thesis expandsupon David Aune’s investigation into Revelation as an

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anti-magical text. Noting the difficulties inherent in modernreconstructions of ancient magical traditions, Thomas adoptsdual “etic” and “emic” definitions of magic, the first concern-ing magic in ancient Egyptian, Greco-Roman, Near Eastern,and Jewish sources, and the second concerning magic inJohn’s (and his audience’s) specific cultural contexts of first-century Asia Minor and Jewish tradition. Thomas examineseleven assorted passages throughout Revelation containingvarying degrees of magical imagery. While an investigation ofpharmakeia and its cognates, for example, is to be expected,many of Revelation’s magical motifs “hidden” from modernsensibilities prove to be enlightening. Thomas proposes thatthe pervasive presence of magic in the ancient Mediterraneanhelps to explain some of the bewildering imagery of theApocalypse. By reworking existing magical traditions into aChrist-centered worldview, John rejects magical activitiesthat supplant God’s supreme authority, while accepting thosepractices which rely upon the power of Jesus Christ. Withextensive footnotes and an ample bibliography of bothprimary and secondary sources, this volume should proveuseful to specialists and research libraries.

C. Thomas FraatzBoston College

THE RIDDLES OF THE FOURTH GOSPEL: ANINTRODUCTION TO JOHN. By Paul N. Anderson.Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2011. Pp. xiv + 296. Paper,$22.00.

Anderson introduces the Fourth Gospel through thelens of three “riddles” in the text, which he identifies asliterary, historical, and theological perplexities encounteredby readers of this Gospel. The literary riddle involves ques-tions about whether the Prologue was an original introduc-tion or later addition, textual additions to the Gospel notfound in its earlier editions, textual chronological anoma-lies, the relation of the Gospel to the Johannine epistles andRevelation, typology and textual fulfillment of the scripture,and the identity of the Beloved Disciple. The theologicalriddle arises from presenting Jesus as the Prophet likeMoses. The historical riddle originates in an alternativeJesus tradition with its own perceptions and reflections,which developed alongside the Synoptic Gospels andinvolved intra-tradition and inter-tradition dialogue. Othersections of the book analyze various approaches to theseperplexities and provide an interpretation of the riddles.Anderson further identifies three stages in the developmentof the Johannine community and provides a discussion ofhis two-edition theory of composition. He concludes that theFourth Gospel should be treated as the key for interpretingthe other Gospels. The manuscript was written primarilyfor a general reader with the intention of providing a lucidexposition of this Gospel and as an invitation to furtherstudies.

Marian HillarTexas Southern University

HOW TO KILL THINGS WITH WORDS: ANANIASAND SAPPHIRA UNDER THE PROPHETIC SPEECH-ACT OF DIVINE JUDGMENT (ACTS 4:32–5:11). ByDavid R. McCabe. Library of the New Testament Studies,454. New York: T & T Clark, 2011. Pp. x + 274. Cloth,$120.00.

McCabe’s revised dissertation is a narrative criticalstudy using speech act theory to argue that the controversialstory of Acts 4:32-5:11 represents a prophetic death sen-tence uttered with divine sanction by employing the conven-tions of prophetic speech. The book’s title, an allusion toAustin’s How to Do Things with Words, illustrates McCabe’sview that Peter’s words to Ananias and Sapphira function asthe performance of a speech act and situates the work along-side several studies drawing from Austin and Searle’sspeech act theory. McCabe’s argument focuses on both nar-rative and historical contexts, carefully considering the roleof the passage within Luke-Acts and also in light of theexpectations of Greco-Roman and Jewish communities-of-goods (Pythagoreans, The Jerusalem Church, Qumran cov-enanters, Essenes), including the expectation of severediscipline. McCabe shows that Peter is characterized as anapostolic-prophet (following the Prophet-King Jesus) withdivine authority to carry out the punishment of Acts 5:1–11,while Ananias and Sapphira (along with Judas) are charac-terized as those worthy of divine punishment. The interdis-ciplinary nature of the study allows McCabe to draw from thenarrative construction of Luke-Acts, the characterization ofthe main figures, elements of the historical context(s), andspeech act theory in order to make sense of a particularlydifficult passage. The book is thoroughly argued and makesa strong contribution to the debate that will interest special-ists and serious students alike.

Thomas AndersonLondon School of Theology

REMEMBER THE POOR: PAUL, POVERTY,AND THE GRECO-ROMAN WORLD. By Bruce W.Longenecker. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 2010.Pp. xi + 380. Paper, $25.00.

Longenecker’s book is timely. It engages a recent andongoing discussion concerning Paul’s theology in relation tohis care for the poor. But even though his work is indeedilluminating on several counts, it falls short in its attempt tounearth the theological dimension of Paul’s practice amongthe poor. Since Longenecker argues that “the poor” in Gal2:10 should not be identified as “the poor among the saintsin Jerusalem,” he neglects two crucial passages centered onthe Jerusalem Collection: Rom 15:26 and 2 Cor 8. Shock-ingly, in his chapter entitled “Care for the Poor in Paul’sTheology,” these verses are not even considered. Hadhe incorporated an in-depth examination of these texts,however, a theological relational pattern would haveemerged, one which outlines a mutually enhancing, Paulinevision of giving to the poor and vice versa: “[Y]our abundance

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at the present time should supply their [i.e., the poor Jeru-salem saints] need, so that their abundance may supply your[i.e., the Corinthians] need, that there may be fairness” (2Cor 8:14). At any rate, this work will benefit scholars andstudents alike, providing an informative avenue throughwhich to engage discussions concerning economics andearly Christianity.

David E. BrionesReformation Bible College

PAUL, FOUNDER OF CHURCHES: A STUDY INLIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE FOR THE ROLEOF “FOUNDER-FIGURES” IN THE HELLENISTIC-ROMAN PERIOD. By James Constantine Hanges.WUNT, 292. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2012. Pp. xxiii + 550.Cloth, €129.00.

In this solidly researched and well argued tome, Hangesconcludes that “Paul’s self-description of his selection byGod, his apologetic use of that description, the range ofresponsibilities he assumes within his mission area, as wellas the strategies he uses for exercising his authority over his�κκλησιαι reflect his familiarity with and selective appro-priation of the Hellenistic paradigm of the founder figure.” Inorder to demonstrate this, Hanges follows a lengthy back-ground chapter on “The Founder as Paradigm” with threechapters that examine in detail five epigraphic texts thatconvey stories and regulations linked to the founding ofassociations, providing text, translation, and extensive com-mentary for each: the story concerning a temple for theEgyptian god Sarapis on Delos (IG IX,4 1299) and that of thefoundation of an association of Sarapis in Opus (IG X.2 255),the divine instructions for the household association ofDionysos in Lydia (SIG3 985) and the regulations for an asso-ciation of the god Men Tyrannos in Laurion (IG II2 1365), andthe regulations of the Andanian mysteries (SIG3 736). A finalchapter then compares Paul’s letters to these Hellenistic-Roman associations to show that despite the variousdifferences in detail among all the accounts, there is a para-digmatic connection among them. Thus, even while theChrist cult was “to a certain extent unique,” Paul’s relation-ship with the communities he founded was typical of that ofother cult founders. Highly recommended for scholarsresearching the social organization of Pauline communities.

Richard S. AscoughSchool of Religion, Queen’s University

PAULUS—WERK UND WIRKUNG: FESTS-CHRIFT FÜR ANDREAS LINDEMANN ZUM 70.GEBURTSTAG. By Paul-Gerhard Klumbies and David S.du Toit. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2013. Pp. xii + 823. Cloth,€164.00.

Thirty-two articles by as many authors, five in Englishand the remainder in German, are distributed across foursections reflecting the full range of Lindemann’s impressive

scholarly output. Part 1 contains twelve essays exploringPaul’s letters, ranging from exegetical studies of theCorinthian letters (de Jonge; Bieringer), 1 Thessalonians(Landmesser), Philippians (Standhartinger), and Romans(Hellholm; Schröter; Lohse; Gemünden), to intersectionsof Paul’s letters with other traditions such as Aesop(Vollenweider), Isa 54:1 (Wolter), Hellenistic-Jewish writ-ings on leisure (Gundry), and Crito (Becker). Pauline theol-ogy is taken up in Part 2, with six essays on “Son of God”(Karrer), justification (Schnelle), faith (Weder; du Toit),ethics (Horn), and resurrection (Vouga). The ten essaysin the third part focus on the influence of Paul in thesecond through fourth centuries in Acts (Backhaus), thePastoral Epistles (Winter), 2 Clement (Pratscher; Tuckett),Hippolytus (Bracht), Tertullian (Ulrich), and Meletius ofAntioch (Brennecke). Verheyden contributes a helpfuloverview of “non-orthodox” Jewish-Christian groups thatrejected Paul. Two specific geographic locales are examinedin detail: Koch on Ephesos, and Breytenbach, in a standoutcontribution, using Christian inscriptions in Lycaonia toshow that Παυλος was a popular name where Paul “exertedinfluence in the first century.” Part 4 continues the receptionhistory from the Reformation into the present, with essayson the Heidelberg Catechism (Beintker), “the word of thecross” in systematic theologies (Körtner), and interpreta-tions of Paul in successive editions of Religion in Geschichteund Gegenwart (Wischmeyer). Klumbies rounds out thesection, and the volume, by exploring how modern theologyintersects historical exegesis, a concern throughout much ofLinnemann’s work. This is a fine volume and a fitting tributethat should be found on university library shelves.

Richard S. AscoughQueen’s University

PERFORMANZKRITIK DER PAULUSBRIEFE. ByBernhard Oestreich. WUNT, 296. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck,2012. Pp. xii + 305. Cloth, $133.00.

This ambitious volume seeks to establish a new varietyof historical interpretation for the Pauline corpus—performance criticism. Oestreich begins by pointing out thatnearly all of the Pauline letters were originally written tocommunities with the expectation that the letters would beread aloud to the assembled community. Oestreich arguesthat Pauline scholars have not taken seriously enough thiswidely accepted historical reality of the letters’ communalperformance and that this performance aspect of the letters’reception should influence contemporary interpretation ofthe texts. Oestreich uses several texts from the authenticPauline letter to illustrate how use of performance criticismcan enhances our understanding of the text. The argumentsin this volume are cogent and the interpretations are gener-ally persuasive, but some scholars will doubt that “perfor-mance criticism” delivers enough unique and distinctivebenefits to be counted as anything other than a usefulsubspecies of the traditional criticism method. Other

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scholars will wonder how performance criticism is signifi-cantly different from existing social-scientific and reader-oriented reading strategies. Although the volume’sambitious goals are likely to be reined in as Oestreich’sinsights are incorporated into the larger body of scholarship,the volume will serve Pauline scholars well.

Thomas E. PhillipsClaremont School of Theology

PAULINE COMMUNITIES AS “SCHOLASTIC COM-MUNITIES”: A STUDY OF THE VOCABULARYOF “TEACHING” IN 1 CORINTHIANS, 1 AND 2TIMOTHY AND TITUS. By Claire S. Smith. WUNT II,335. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2012. Pp. xiv + 555. Paper,€94.00.

This published PhD thesis seeks to defend E. A. Judge’sproposal that the early Pauline churches are appropriatelylabeled “scholastic communities” and that learning was anessential aspect of communal life in those churches. Smith isuninterested in many of Judge’s contested socio-historicalclaims about the social perceptions and organizational ante-cedents of the Pauline churches. Instead, she is concernedsolely with the practice and prominence of teaching as por-trayed in the Pauline corpus. Smith therefore undertakes acomprehensive analysis of the use of educational languagein four sample letters (1 Corinthians, 1–2 Timothy, Titus) todemonstrate that learning was a prominent activity in thePauline communities, serving a central role in their creation,formation, and maintenance. Smith’s analysis covers all thelanguage belonging to the semantic domain of “teaching,”with separate chapters treating the vocabulary of “coreteaching,” “speaking,” “traditioning,” “announcing,” “re-vealing,” “worshipping,” “commanding,” “correcting,” and“remembering.” While few will contest Smith’s centralclaims, the book’s size will deter many: 393 pages of argu-mentation; nearly 100 pages of appendices; about 60 pagesof bibliography and indices. Theological libraries will benefitfrom having this book.

John K. GoodrichMoody Bible Institute

THE BLACKWELL COMPANION TO PAUL. Editedby Stephen Westerholm. Wiley Blackwell Companions toReligion. Oxford: Wiley Blackwell, 2011. Pp. xvii + 615.Paper, $54.95.

No single volume on Paul, in my opinion, contains moreestablished scholars in their respective fields, more breadthof understanding, and more up-to-date scholarly researchthan The Blackwell Companion to Paul. This rich collection ofessays is divided into three main sections. Part 1 examinesPaul and Christian Origins. From chronological issues tosurveys of Paul’s letters, to analyses of his perspective onspecific issues (e.g., Scripture, Judaism, law, women,empire, etc.), this section exposes the reader to a variety of

Pauline topics, providing lucid explanations of the materialas well as the controversial debates attending each one. Part2 focuses on readers of Paul. Every important theologicalfigure throughout church history is considered, fromMarcion to Barth, and it even offers particular readings ofPaul from philosophical, Jewish, Orthodox, and African view-points. Part 3 centers on the legacy of Paul, with a particularemphasis on how he has influenced art, literature, and espe-cially later Christian theology. Westerholm unabashedlystates that this companion is an attempt to foster a “mutualconversation” between students of the NT and early Christi-anity, on the one side, and Christian theology, on the other.He has not only succeeded in making that conversation pos-sible but has also produced a comprehensive work on Paulthat will be of great benefit to all who open its pages formany years to come.

David E. BrionesReformation Bible College

SÜNDE UND RECHTFERTIGUNG BEI PAULUS. ByEun-Geol Lyu. WUNT II, 318. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck,2011. Pp. xv + 405. Paper, €84.00.

Lyu presents the Christian meaning of Paul’s under-standing of sin and attempts to interpret anew his own doc-trine of justification of sin’s understanding, according towhich the doctrine of justification consists of the theology ofatonement (Sühnungstheologie), of the theology of non-accounting (Nichtanrechnungstheologie), and of liberationtheology (Befreiungstheologie). Thus, the understanding ofsin and not the polemic of law stands in the foreground ofPauline theology. This reconstruction of the justification doc-trine is based on the unique idea of sin’s presentation of theApostle Paul, wherein in some places hamartia is repre-sented as excessively atoning sinning; it is represented alsoas a non-imputed transgression, and in the Epistle ofRomans even as the power, from which humans are rescued.These aspects of hamartia date back to the Pauline effort,when he comes to defense of his anthropological prerequi-site for soteriology in all circumstances: “All are sinners.”This volume is recommended for specialists.

Spyros P. PanagopoulosIonian University

PAUL’S LETTER TO THE ROMANS. By Colin G.Kruse. Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids,MI: William B. Eerdmans, 2012. Pp. xlii + 627. Cloth, $52.00.

This new contribution to the Pillar series replaces LeonMorris’s celebrated volume from 1988. As one might expectfrom his earlier work on Paul, Kruse offers a reliable guideof this most important epistle for those in need of a first-rate exegesis by an established evangelical scholar. As onemight also expect, Kruse is critical of nearly every aspectof the New Perspective on Paul: he objects to Sanders’sdescription of early Judaism as covenantal nomism, Dunn’sunderstanding of “works of the law” as boundary markers

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rather than moral achievements, and Wright’s eccle-siological focus on justification by faith. Further, he takespistis Christou as an objective genitive (3:22), Paul’s use of“I” (ego) as unbelieving Israel under the law (7:7–25), and“all Israel” as the believing Jewish remnant who are savedthroughout the church age (11:26). Greek is transliteratedand kept to a minimum, while engagement with currentdebates is often left to excurses to enhance the book’s read-ability. This commentary will serve its intended audiencewell for decades to come. It should be acquired by all theo-logical libraries and could usefully function as a textbook onRomans in Bible colleges and seminaries.

John K. GoodrichMoody Bible Institute

NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION: AN AUDIENCE-ORIENTED STUDY OF 2 CORINTHIANS 5:16–6:2.By Timothy Milinovich. Cambridge, UK: Lutterworth Press,2012. Pp. xv + 173. Paper, $22.00.

This revision of Milinovich’s dissertation analyzeschiastic structures in the first five chapters of 2 Corinthiansto demonstrate the response of the implied audience toPaul’s letter. Milinovich does not directly discuss the letter’sintegrity or engage related scholarship, but assumesthe integrity of at least 1:1–6:2. He identifies three“macrochiasms” in this section, which in turn contain“microchiasms,” and argues that these structures are thekey to audience response. The title is somewhat misleading:Milinovich dedicates only a single chapter to 5:16–6:2. Aftertwo chapters defining his “audience-centered” and “text-centered” method, and summarizing the history of chiasm inancient pedagogy and modern interpretation, three fullchapters discuss 1:1–5:15. He treats the title section as a“culmination” of all preceding arguments, in which Pauldefends his “credibility as an apostle” and refocuses theCorinthians on faith and “the eternal unseen things” in orderto help them fully realize their salvation. As the self-proclaimed first audience-oriented treatment of 2 Corinthi-ans, this highly technical book will be valuable for thoseresearching the epistle in-depth.

Margaret FroelichClaremont Lincoln University

UNZERTRENNLICHE DRILLINGE—MOTIVSEMAN-TISCHE UNTERSUCHUNGEN ZUM LITERARIS-CHEN VERHÄLTNIS DER PASTORALBRIEFE. ByMichaela Engelmann. BZNW, 192. Berlin: Walter deGruyter, 2012. Pp. xv + 693. Cloth, €129.95.

Engelmann’s dissertation on the Pastoral Epistles is astudy that develops the thesis from within the history ofresearch beginning with studies of Schleiermacher, DeWette, Baur, and Holtzmann. The title “UnzertrennlicheDrillinge” (inseperable triplets) quotes Holtzmann (1880)and stands for the common understanding that the Pastoral

Epistles, which are close to one another in language andthemes, represent a self-contained pseudepigraphic tradi-tion of Paul. Engelmann questions this interpretation andgives a long overdue comprehensive analysis of theChristology, soteriology, ecclesiology, church development(Ämterkirche), heresy, and the image of Paul that arepresent in each individual letter that comprise the Pastoralepistles. Although her methodological reflection is notstrong, Engelmann comes to the convincing conclusion thateach motif differs in meaning throughout the three epistles.This leads to her substantial explanation that the lettersform a receptional corpus that suggests a Pauline traditionrather than the formation of a Pauline school. Recommendedfor specialists in Paul who focus on the Pastoral Epistles.

Soham Al-SuadiUniversität Bern

JAMES AND JUDE. By John Painter and David A. deSilva.Paideia: Commentaries on the New Testament. GrandRapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2012. Pp. xiv + 256. Paper,$27.99.

Like previous volumes in the Paideia series, this com-mentary treats the texts in large rhetorical units rather thanverse by verse. Even so, the two texts considered in thiscommentary are short enough that many verses receive indi-vidual attention. Painter’s portion of the commentary—onJames—highlights two aspects of this epistle: its distinctivevocabulary and its points of contact with other parts of theNT. Some of Painter’s explanations about authorship andcomposition are convoluted—for instance, he goes to greatlengths to maintain some sort of connection with James, thebrother of Jesus, while still following evidence that points toa date after 135—but they are not inscrutable. In his com-mentary, he is careful to connect each rhetorical unit to therest of the letter, which is particularly helpful given howeclectic James can seem. His application of the text to currenttheological issues, such as economic inequality and the envi-ronment, is also commendable. In his concise commentaryon Jude, deSilva explains the letter primarily with referenceto its use of classical rhetoric and its intertextuality, bothextracanonical and canonical. He argues against the idea ofpseudonymous authorship and makes reasonable compari-sons between Jude’s language and that of Paul. Althoughthere are a few text critical issues in Jude, deSilva adroitlyguides the reader through them to the final form being used.On the whole, this volume is appropriately accessible forupper-level undergraduates and could be used profitably inteaching courses for such students.

Michael KochenashClaremont School of Theology

KULTMETAPHORIK UND CHRISTOLOGIE: OPFER-UND SÜHNETERMINOLOGIE IM NEUEN TESTA-MENT. By Christian A. Eberhart. WUNT, 306. Tübingen:Mohr Siebeck, 2013. Pp. xvi + 328. Cloth, $136.00.

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This splendid study considers the NT’s use of seeminglyviolent metaphors in its conceptions of Christology,soteriology, and atonement. Eberhart focuses on the meta-phors of sacrifice, blood, atonement (hilaskomai), and lambwith particular attention to Eph 5:2, Rom 3:25 and 8:3, 1 Cor5:7, 2 Cor 5:21, 1 John 2:2 and 4:10, 1 Pet 1:19, and the bookof Hebrews. Eberhart argues that these passages and themesdo not require a violent interpretation, suggesting that whenread within the context of the Hebrew Scriptures and Jewishtradition at the beginning of the common era, these seem-ingly violent metaphors are primarily concerned with puri-fication and consecration. In Eberhart’s interpretation, theseNT metaphors are not primarily about Jesus’s vicariousdeath. Eberhart’s interpretation has much to commend it,and the time has certainly come for Christian theologians torethink any uncritical adoption of the seemingly violentmotifs in early Christian thought. Although Eberhart’sreading of these texts is well nuanced and multifaceted,some readers will be left wondering if Eberhart has been tooquick to dismiss the inherent violence of metaphors like“blood” and “slain lamb.” Still, this volume is an importantcontribution and deserves the careful attention of scholarsworking with soteriology and soteriological metaphors inthe NT.

Thomas E. PhillipsClaremont School of Theology

APPROACHING NEW TESTAMENT TEXTS ANDCONTEXTS. By Lars Hartman. WUNT, 311. Tübingen:Mohr Siebeck, 2013. Pp. xii + 382. Cloth, $150.00.

This collection of essays contains previously pub-lished articles by Hartman, with dates of their originalcomposition range from 1973 to 2009. All but four of theessays are in English (three are in German and one isin French). The articles have been ably assembled,but have not been updated or significantly revised. Onearticle, “Interpreting Eschatological Texts,” has been trans-lated into English from its original Swedish for the firsttime. The collection is wide-ranging: five articles on Mark,four articles on baptism, and another sixteen looselygrouped under the rubrics of hermeneutics and Hellenisticbackgrounds of the NT. Although the articles were cer-tainly worthy of their initial publication in various journalsand festschriften, most are readily available elsewherethrough various databases. Researchers with access to aquality library will find little in this volume that is notalready accessible to them. The articles, however, are wellindexed in this volume and a comprehensive bibliographyboth of Hartman’s works and of cited works is included.Still, individuals and libraries with limited funds will bebest advised to use their resources on other more originalwork.

Thomas E. PhillipsClaremont School of Theology

AUGUSTINE AND MANICHAEAN CHRISTIANITY:SELECTED PAPERS FROM THE FIRST SOUTHAFRICAN CONFERENCE ON AUGUSTINE OFHIPPO, UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA, 24–26 APRIL,2012. Edited by Johannes van Oort. Nag Hammadi andManichaean Studies, 83. Leiden: Brill, 2013. Pp. xv + 236.Cloth, $133.00.

In this selection of revised conference papers, the editorin his preface refers to a “paradigm shift” in Augustinianstudies, owing to new manuscript discoveries of Augustine’ssermons and letters. He also refers to the importance of theCologne Mani Codex discovered in Egypt. The papers pub-lished here attest to this paradigm shift. Jason BeDuhndiscusses the influence of Manichaeism on Augustine’sthought. Jacob van den Berg discusses biblical quotations inFaustus’ Capitula. Majella Franzmann discusses Augustin-ian and Manichaean almsgiving. Therese Fuhrer discussesthe setting of Augustine’s De ordine. Iain Gardner discussesthe motif of “the few and the many” in Augustine’s contro-versy with Manichaeans. Annemaré Kotzé discusses theprotreptic in Augustine’s Confessions 4. Josef Lössl discussesreflections of Manichaeism in Augustine’s De vera religione.van Oort presents a “Manichaean” analysis of Augustine’sConfessions 10,1–38. Nils Arne Pedersen discussesManichaean self-designations in Western Manichaeism. Inan appendix, Gijs van Gaans presents an overview of currentscholarship on the Manichaean bishop Faustus. This is anexcellent contribution to scholarship on Augustine andManichaeism.

Birger A. PearsonUniversity of California

THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS AND CHRISTIANORIGINS: ESSAYS ON THE FIFTH GOSPEL. ByStephen J. Patterson. Nag Hammadi and ManichaeanStudies, 84. Leiden: Brill, 2013. Pp. xiv + 311. Cloth,$182.00.

The eleven chapters in this book are republications ofessays published between 1991 and 2013. In his Introduc-tion, Patterson refers to Gospel of Thomas (GTh), discoveredin 1945, as a “polarizing artifact,” because it has elicited somany different ideas as to its place in Christian origins.Patterson shows the importance of Edessene Christianityfor understanding GTh in Chapter 1. What I consider to bethe most important feature of Patterson’s work is his dem-onstration of the Middle Platonic background of its theol-ogy, discussed especially in Chapters 2 and 3. GTh and theSynoptic Problem is discussed in Chapter 4, GTh and his-torical Jesus research in Chapter 5, “Wisdom” and “Asceti-cism” in Chapters 6 and 7, and the parable of the catch offish (GTh 8; Matt 13:47–48) in Chapter 8. In Chapter 9,Patterson shows how “polyvalent” parallel sayings aregiven an apocalyptic meaning in the canonical gospels anda “prophetic” meaning in GTh. Chapter 10 is devoted toPaul and the Jesus tradition, wherein Patterson shows how

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GTh can provide insights into important issues discussedby Paul in his letters. Patterson calls for more attention toGTh among scholars in his concluding chapter, “The Gospelof Thomas and Christian Beginnings.” Patterson’s work onGTh over the years is a very important contribution toscholarship on Christian origins.

Birger A. PearsonUniversity of California

2 CLEMENT: INTRODUCTION, TEXT, AND COM-MENTARY. By Christopher Tuckett. Oxford ApostolicFathers. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012. Pp. x + 328.$230.00.

This commentary (part of the Oxford Apostolic Fathersseries) is organized around the three elements of the sub-title. The thorough (82-page) introduction includes anexcellent discussion of the document’s sources and cita-tions (a welcome feature, inasmuch as a significant numberare no longer extant, apparently), and takes (for goodreasons) an agnostic position regarding authorship, date,unity, and alleged opponents. Next, the author’s own Greektext (with apparatus) and relatively literal English transla-tion occupy facing pages. The relatively substantial (177-page) commentary gives attention at the beginning of eachchapter to any sources, discusses fruitfully the textualvariation among the three witnesses when it impinges oninterpretation, and above all seeks to trace and explicatesympathetically the document’s line of thought andcontent, almost always in steady conversation with otherinterpreters (Pratscher most frequently, then Warns,Wengst, Lindemann, and Donfried). An extensive bibliogra-phy (that is limited, with a few exceptions, to English andGerman titles, and has one or two notable absences) andtwo indices complete the volume. The result is a well-considered and informative reading of the document andoverview of recent interpretation. This is easily the besttreatment of 2 Clement available in English; it is disappoint-ing, therefore, that the price will inhibit the wide usage thevolume deserves to enjoy.

Michael W. HolmesBethel University

History of Christianity (Early)

TO TRAIN HIS SOUL IN BOOKS: SYRIAC ASCETI-CISM IN EARLY CHRISTIANITY. Edited by RobinDarling Young and Monica J. Blanchard. Washington, DC:Catholic University of America Press, 2011. Pp. xix + 217.$34.95.

This rather diverse collection of ten essays centers onSyriac asceticism. With the exception of the final entry, apiece of Neo-Aramaic poetry composed in honor of S. Grif-fith, each of the essays is of scholarly value. S. Brock’s

treatment of msarrqûtâ (“renunciation”) in Syriac literatureand S. A. Harvey’s examination of housekeeping as an imageof ascetic attentiveness will likely hold the greatest appealfor those with a general interest in Syriac asceticism. Theargument of A. Golitzin for monastic authorship of the SyriacApocalypse of Daniel may appeal to a smaller audience, but itis thorough and well argued. Three of the essays consistmostly of original translations of Syriac texts: a portion of theMaronite Divine Office, three of Ephrem’s hymns on virgin-ity (into Spanish), and selections from the writings of BehIsho‘ Kamulaya. G. Anderson’s discussion of key terms inDan 4:24 is among the most interesting entries, though itseems somewhat out of place here, dealing neither withasceticism nor with Syriac literature. This book would be asolid addition to any library containing scholarship onSyriac Christianity, but individual purchasers should beaware that there is relatively little material here dealingdirectly with Syriac asceticism.

Joshua NobleUniversity of Notre Dame

READING THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS: FROMTHE DIDACHE TO NICEA. By James L. Papandrea. NewYork: Paulist Press, 2012. Pp. vii + 343. $24.95.

Papandrea’s book surveys early Christian literaturefrom a traditional Catholic perspective. Three chaptersexamine individual authors and texts, stretching from theDidache to Novation, while the rest examine broader themes,such as the relationship between the church and the RomanEmpire. The text-focused chapters make the book a usefulreference tool though they also make the book read like anencyclopedia at times. The author’s emphasis is firmly onprimary sources; discussions of secondary scholarship arerare and confined to the endnotes. One of these endnotesstates two of the book’s presuppositions: the eventual ortho-dox position of the church has always been the majoritybelief among Christians, and the outcome of doctrinaldebates is divinely guided. One wishes that these program-matic stances had been made clear upfront in the introduc-tion. As it stands, the introduction, while brief, offers helpfulmethodological considerations for novice readers of patristicliterature. Although Papandrea approaches these texts as aCatholic, for the most part, his analysis is ecumenical,though his discussion of Roman primacy in relation to 1Clement may strike some readers as tendentious. This bookwould be well suited for an undergraduate-level introductionto early Christian literature for institutions that sharePapandrea’s convictions.

Joshua NobleUniversity of Notre Dame

THE ART OF LISTENING IN THE EARLY CHURCH.By Carol Harrison. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013.Pp. x + 302. Cloth, $125.00.

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