space invaded

Philippians 2.19-30, Part 2

2010-04-29T07:53:00.000-05:00

While Paul feels unable to send Timothy to the Philippians at this moment, he determines it is “necessary” to send Epaphroditus to church right away. Paul takes pains to express both his and the Philippians’ mutual attachment to the person. He is “my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier” (words reminiscent of the partnership language in chapter 1) and “your messenger and the one who serves my needs” (2.25).

Though the Philippians had initially sent this man to Paul, he eagerly embraces his own affection for the man before sending him back, likely to reassure that the Philippians (in the personage of Epaphroditus) had been well-received by the apostle and to ensure that his own message would receive a similar reception among them.

Paul sends Epaphroditus for two reasons: the messenger was longing for the church and the church was experiencing anguish at the thought of the latter’s severe illness (2.26). In sending him, Paul hopes that the Philippians will rejoice and his own anxiety about them (i.e., the Philippians) will be relieved. A good messenger, well-prepared, should accomplish these objectives given the right situation.

Paul concludes this section on his plans with a word about the church’s responsibility: they are under an obligation to receive Epaphroditus “with all joy and honor men like this” (29) because of such service for the gospel. Here the messenger becomes, for Paul, the embodiment of the participatory service in the gospel that he is trying to urge upon the church at Philippi. Paul wants them to be careless with their life as Epaphroditus was on Paul’s (and thus the gospel’s) behalf (2.29–30) and as he has been on their behalf.

Philippians 2.19-30, Part 1

2010-01-09T11:43:00.001-06:00

So we come to a section in Philippians, not uncommon in letters of the period, wherein Paul details his future travel plans and those of his associates. He notes first of all his firm intention to send his close friend and fellow missionary, Timothy, to the Philippian body of believers. By formally expressing his plans in this way, Paul is ensuring a proper reception for Timothy.

Several items are worth noting here. What motivates Paul to send Timothy is his desire “to become aware of those things which concern” (2:19) the church at Philippi. This may be a conventional expression but nonetheless expresses Paul’s desire to be kept abreast of the real issues surrounding the believers. (Would that ministers were as vigilant about the well-being of their own local congregations as Paul was about those in cities far from his current location!)

Secondly, as assessed by his own mentor, Timothy rates high in his commitment to the gospel. We have already seen in this letter how Paul has abandoned much—e.g., his personal freedom (1.12), his concern about his reputation (1.18), his immediate desire to be with Christ (1.24–25)—in his quest to advance the gospel and its working in the lives of new believers. Timothy, it seems, is cut from the same cloth, as Paul writes of him that he “is genuinely concerned about your welfare” (2.21) and like Paul above all “served . . . the furtherance of the gospel” (2.22).

Lastly, though Paul plans on sending Timothy to the church, he nevertheless hopes to make the trip himself. From Mitchell’s study it can be reasonably concluded that Paul at times preferred to send envoys to his churches, especially when it was evident that his presence would if anything enflame a tense situation. Here, however, Paul seems to enjoy a genuinely amiable relationship with the Philippians, from which we might judge that his expressed intent here to visit them is indeed sincere. It is important that such travel plans are grounded by his brief but powerful phrase “in the Lord,” which reveals the instrumentality of his intentions.

Hengel on the Old Testament Canon

2009-09-22T16:06:00.002-05:00

Michael Bird quotes a significant statement from renowned scholar Martin Hengel on the closed versus open nature of the Old Testament canon based upon its relation to its usage (along with other, non-canonical literature) by NT authors. Read the quote and Bird's reflections here.

Patronage

2009-09-15T09:41:00.004-05:00

Erlend MacGillivray's article is a trenchant criticism of the over-application of the Roman patronage system to the broader Greco-Roman world and, indeed, to the New Testament. Read it here.

Ancient Wall Discovered in Jerusalem

2009-09-06T09:29:00.002-05:00

A large, ancient wall has been uncovered in Jerusalem. Check out the story here.

About the wall: it's said to be 3,700 years old, and stood "8 meters (26 feet) high."

"To build straight walls up 8 meters ... I don't know how to do it today without mechanical equipment," said the excavation's director, Ronny Reich. "I don't think that any engineer today without electrical power [could] do it."

Amazing.

Good Reads

2009-08-26T14:20:00.002-05:00

Good musings on a Greek phrase over at Cafe Apocalypsis. Reflections on our ignorance of the historical Jesus by Mark Goodacre at The Bible and Interpretation.

Associations in Roman Asia Minor

2009-06-27T09:06:00.003-05:00

Wow, two months since I've posted. Work has been crazy! Before I got so busy, I read a book by Philip Harland on assocational life in Roman Asia Minor, a very interesting one at that.

Harland's analysis of the place of associations in the Greek East of the Roman empire begins with a critique of the former scholarly consensus about the character of associations, which saw them in large part as subversive "clubs." In this view, members of associations, drawn largerly from the lower classes, gathered together according to religious commitments, ethnicity, occupation, etc. as a way to feel connected; this desire for connectedness, moreover, was prompted by a sense of dislocation from civic mechanisms as the Roman Republic became the Roman Empire. Associational activity, then, was a way to express and relieve a deep-seated angst.

In exposing this consensus to critique, Harland is able to show that far from being protest movements, associations actually provided a link to civic participation. His examination of inscriptional evidence demonstrated a rich interplay between associations of all different stripes and prominent individuals (e.g., through benefaction) and civic bodies. An association would court the favor of rich and influential members of society; those individuals might bestow significant financial resources to the association; the association in turn would respond by honoring the benefactor with prayers and/or a highly visible inscription on a building used for meeting and banqueting. Associations needed the support of such individuals and civic bodies in terms of financial support and (sometimes) offical sanctioning, and prominent members of society craved the honor that came from being recognized for their benefactions.

One of the most interesting parts of Harland's study is his attempt to set Jewish and Christian gathering in the context of associational life. He notes, for instance, the similar terminology that applied to both (synagogues, etc). In fact, he argues that in many places Jews and Christians who gathered together in their respective communities would have conceived of their activities and identity as belonging to the category of association.

In characterizing Jewish and Christian gatherings along the lines of associations, Harland is note suggesting that there is a geneological relationship along the line of their belief systems or even that--in the history-of-religions framework--that such Jewish and Christian groups somehow were a natural outgrowth of the latter in a social evolutionary process. Rather, there is an analogical relationship that tells us much about composition and typical activities. Harland suggests that many scholars of a previous generation, fearful of any suggestion of such a geneaological relationship and wanting to assert Christianity's utter uniqueness as movement, resisted drawing analogies between Jewish/Christian gatherings and associations. Many similarities are to be seen, however, when it comes to investigating much of their activities and the self-descriptive terminology employed, as well as, and here is the surprising part, their relationship with civic authorities--which I hope to come back to.

King and Messiah, Chapter 4, Part 2

2009-04-30T10:02:00.000-05:00

The Similtudes of Enoch

In this text is found the “most important and extensive portrayal of a figure called “Son of Man,” . . . apart from Daniel 7.” Collins first deals with authorship and dating of this work. He attributes the Similtudes to a Jewish author writing between 40–70 ce. A Christian author, he argues, would have applied to the title to Jesus (which does not happen), and a Jewish author, if he were writing after 70 ce would certainly have avoided use of “Son of Man,” since it was commonly used by Christians (e.g., in the Gospels) in describing Jesus.

At any rate, what is most pertinent about the Similtudes’ characterization of the “Son of Man” is, first, its portrayal of him as preexistent in a way “typical in pre-Christian Judaism . . . of wisdom.” Moreover, the “Son of Man,” though not said to originate from David, “takes over the functions of the Davidic king vis-à-vis the nations.” In other words, he is enthroned and acts as “the eschatological judge.” Collins points out that despite the fact the “Son of Man” is not also called the “Son of God,” he is angelic and yet, on account of his enthronement, clearly holds authority beyond that given to most angels.

4 Ezra 13

A final text of importance is the apocalypse known as 4 Ezra. Collins highlights the language in the third vision within this work as key for his theme:

Then after seven days I had a dream in the night. I saw a wind rising from the sea that stirred up all its waves. As I kept looking, that wind brought up out of the depths of the sea something resembling a man and that man was flying with the clouds of heaven. . . .

Since the work only exists in translations, and not in the original Semitic, we do not have access to the original words. Collins, however, suggests that “the original may have read ‘Son of Man,” but contends that even if it didn’t, “it is clearly adapting and reworking Daniel’s vision.” Within this vision, the man rising out of the sea occupies the “role traditionally ascribed to the messianic king.” Though the elements, such as sea and clouds, function differently than they do in Daniel’s vision, nevertheless the author of 4 Ezra is appropriating them self-consciously and giving them a creative reinterpretations.

Conclusion

Reflecting on The Similtudes and 4 Ezra, Collins does find points of departure: “The one is a warrior, concerned with the restoration of Israel. The other is a judge, enthroned in heaven, who does not appear on earth at all.” However, it is still the case that both “identify him with the messiah, and describe his role in terms usually applied to the Davidic messiah, although they understand his role in different ways.”

Collins finds in these texts a tendency to see the messiah as preexistent, and as a heavenly figure. He points out, crucially, that there “was evidently no orthodoxy, and only limited consistency, in the ways in which the messiah might be imagined.” Countless texts among the Dead Sea Scrolls, in ruminating on the Davidic messiah, say nothing about his divine status, while texts such as those just discussed speculate “about heavenly deliverers” in a way typical of the period and literature. To Collins:

“In the context of first-century-ce Judaism, it is not surprising or anomalous that divine status should be attributed to someone who was believed by his followers to be the messiah. At the same time, it should be noted that neither the king in ancient Judah nor the messiah in most instances was the object of worship.”

The Exploding Wolf in Romans 7

2009-04-22T12:37:00.002-05:00

Michael Bird proposes a delightful anology for the Romans 7 struggle over at Euangelion. I, like Bird, see Romans 7 as providing a description of Paul's pre-Christian condition, rather than, as we hear so often in the pulpit, the struggle inherent to the Christian condition.

Read Bird's "Exploding Wolf" analogy here.

King and Messiah, Chapter 4, Part 1

2009-04-18T13:29:00.000-05:00

Collins begins Chapter 4, “Messiah and Son of Man,” by discussing and eventually dismissing the notion of some scholars that lying behind Jewish conceptions of the “Son of Man” was a myth of Iranian origin. While advocates of this view believe the “Jewish conception of ‘the Son of Man’ was a ‘Jewish variant of this oriental, cosmological, eschatological myth of Anthropos [Gk, “Man”],” adapted and transformed, Collins has a different explanation. He credits instead the creative forces of Jewish reflection on and exegesis of Daniel’s vision (Dan. 7). In elaborating on this thesis Collins discusses several key writings: (1) Daniel 7, (2) 11QMelchizedek, (3) The Simultudes of Enoch, (4) and 4 Ezra 13.

Daniel 7

Here Collins summarizes his views presented elsewhere. The “son of man” (7:13) is the archangel Michael (see Dan. 10–12). The images surrounding the ancient of days and the frightening natural attending him and the son of man’s coming represent “old mythic traditions that derive from pre-Israelite, Canaanite roots.” Collins seems to endorse the scholarly view that the “one like a son of man” was not “originally meant to be identified with the messiah.”

11 QMelchizedek

This text, part of the Melchizedek scroll found in Qumran, bears witness to a deliverer figure and thus captures Collins’s attention. The scroll brings together various passages from the OT in midrashic form. Most interesting is one particular point where the reconstructed text has been rendered “Your god is Melchizedek.” Collins admits that this is a “bold reconstruction” but finds support for it in the fact that “Melchizedek had already been identified with the Elohim, or God, of Psalm 82.” Collins argues that in this scroll Melchizedek appears as an angelic figure. At the same time, he is “the paradigmatic priest-king.” The relevance of this work for the present book’s purposes is, according to Collins, that it “shows the growing interest in imagining a savior figure who was divine in some sense, while clearly subordinate to the Most High, and the attempt to ground such a figure in innovative interpretation of traditional texts.”

Nuclear Forebodings

2009-04-14T10:43:00.002-05:00

Here's an interesting article, "No Nukes," by Steve Coll in The New Yorker. Ever since his Ghost Wars, I've been a big fan.

Jewish Associations

2009-04-14T07:30:00.006-05:00

In an interesting article in the Journal of Greco-Roman Christianity and Judaism, David Instone-Brewer and Philip Harland tackel the issue of "Jewish Associations in Roman Palestine." It is well established that across the Greco-Roman world there existed associations, organized around such identity markers as occupation, geographical region (of residence or of origin), ethnicity, etc. The members of these associations would typically celebrate their membership with meals and, oftentimes, drinking parties that followed. Brewer and Harland point out that each of these associations would invariably perform their activities in honor of a particular god(s), so it is unhelpful to designate a religious grouping as a separate type of association.

To this point, however, little attention has been devoted to studying the extent to which Jews in Palestine (Roman-occupied, of course) themselves congregated together as associations. It is well known that they did elsewhere throughout the Mediterranean world. (In fact, "in many cases and in several respects, Jewish gatherings or synagogues would be viewed as associations . . . by their neighbours and by any local or imperial authorities, and may have often understood themselves as such.") But what of closer to home? Brewer and Harland argue on the basis of Mishnah passages which detail particular customs that must be observed in group dining arrangements that Jews in fact did form relations according to the common (Greco-Roman) custom of associations.

About Greco-Roman Associations

--They tended to be small gatherings of b/w 15 to 30 members

--Would gather together for meals and drinking parties

--Was common to gather on the occasion of a festival for a god or goddess

The authors of this article argue against traditional scholarly positions that most associations experienced little or no interference from the Roman authorities. This goes for those Jewish associations in Palestine, as well. Rather than employing an empire-wide policy governing the establishment, proliferation, and day-to-day operation of associations, Roman officials tended to deal with individual assocations on an ad hoc basis. Some associations, for example, would try to curry favor with a particular official and in turn might win special recognition from Rome as well as attendant privliges

Brewer and Harland's discussion of the Mishnaic evidence is interesting. They argue that the the rabbis used the term chavurah to mean "association," and this encompassed meeting "for a Passover meal, . . . a peace offering on a high festival day . . . , orfor unspecified ceremonial meals . . . , including ones on a Sabbath." In short, the rabbis were applying the Greco-Roman concept of associations to the observance of their own particular holy days and festivals. Without going into detail about all the rules the rabbis laid down for proper associational gatherings, they did put a high premium(among other things) on separation, as when various associations were meeting in the same hall, and membership and registration, which Brewer and Harland hypothesize received its initial importance from desire by Roman authorities to know who was involved in various--potentially revolutionary--groups.

One last point of interest. Brewer and Harland note that the rabbis in the Mishnah specified that in the eating of the various festival or holy meals members must situate themselves in a reclining positions. The archaeological and literary evidence of the Greco-Roman world attests to the existence and use of triclinia (triclinium, sing.), or C-shaped "couches." The Jews, perhaps, also made use of these. The would allow for members to face inward toward the food placed on a table in the center and thus not be contaminated through interaction with other associational groups using the same hall. Anyhow, lying down while eating--as we see that Jesus and his disciples did during the Passover feast--was to be the proper position of reverance and respect. However, the Jews likely picked up this custom from their Greco-Roman environment rather than inheriting it from their ancestors (though the authors note that the rich among the Jews had likely emulated this for centuries). In fact, as Brewer and Harland note, earlier in their tradition, the prophet Amos had railed against reclining thus at dinners, probably because it suggested undue opulence and mimickry of unrighteous foreign neighbors.

King and Messiah as Son of God, Chapter 3, part 2

2009-04-09T17:28:00.003-05:00

Ok, it's been a while. Let's pick up again with King and Messiah as Son of God. I'm realizing that reviews/summaries should be written as soon as possible after reading the works to which they correspond. Next time I'll do that and hopefully save myself some rereading.

Turning to the Septuagint in his investigation of the portrayal of messiah in the Hellenistic Period, Collins asks whether “the translators ever enhance the claims of the king/messiah to divine status, or show influence from the Hellenistic cults?” Little evidence from the Pentateuch would seem to support such a judgment, but Collins maintains that the LXX renderings of the Psalms and prophets provide suggestive evidence.

LXX

Psalms 45. Collins concludes that the translator was not importing into this psalm a notion of the king’s divinity. Rather, when it comes both to (1) addressing the king as “God” in verse 6 and (2) and offering the psalm to Agapeitos—a word “used for . . . ‘only begotten,’ in Genesis 22 and elsewhere”—the translator is likely faithfully reproducing the original meaning of the Hebrew. What this may show us in both instances is that the translator, perhaps because of the “influence of the Hellenistic ruler cults,” was not uncomfortable with the attribution of divinity to the king.

Psalm 110 (LXX 109). Again, Collins points out the LXX translator’s lack discomfort translating the Hebrew word into Greek as “I have begotten you” (see LXX 109:3). He also finds significant the alteration of “holy,” singular in the Hebrew, to “holy ones,” plural in the LXX, and suggests that it represents an attempt to associate the messiah with angelic beings, similar to the “depiction of Melchizedek . . . as a heavenly being in the Melchizedek scroll from Qumran.”

Psalm 72:17 (LXX 71:7). Following Volz, Collins suggests that the neutral Greek (LXX) rendering of the Hebrew term meaning “before the sun” should be taken in a temporal sense, implying “the preexistence of the name of the messiah.” The original Hebrew, though not often taken this way, at least allows this interpretation as well.

Isaiah 7:14, 9:6. Though he clearly believes the child mentions in Isa 7:14 was the offspring of the king or a prophet, meaning that his mother was not a “virgin” in the modern sense of the word, Collins nonetheless finds it striking that the LXX translator uses the word parthenos to render the Hebrew word often translated as “virgin.” Though even parthenos does not necessarily imply a woman who has not had sexual relations, it is not the word usually employed to translate the word we find in the Hebrew version of this verse. I’m guessing here that Collins is merely proposing that the translator was ascribing a miraculous significance to the woman and her giving birth. In the latter part of the prophecy, the translator renders “mighty God” as either “messenger” or “angel” of great counsel. Collins opts for the latter and suggests that “this is not so much a demotion as a clarification of his [the messiah’s] status in relation to the Most High.”

The Dead Sea Scrolls

Collins draws attention to the so-called “Son of God” text from Qumran. In 4Q246 there appears “a figure who is called ‘son of God’ and ‘son of the Most High,’ using Aramaic phrases that correspond exactly to the Greek titles given to Jesus in the Gospel of Luke 1:32–35.” Though some argue that this reference is in fact a negative one, that is, describing a personage inimical to the community at Qumran, Collins concludes that “4Q246 is most plausibly interpreted as referring to a Jewish messiah,” arguing sensibly that “Luke would hardly have used the Palestinian Jewish titles with reference to the messiah if they were primarily associated negatively with a Syrian king [as is suggested by some].” Collins finds in this text many analogies to Daniel and is thus tempted to draw parallels between this “son of God” figure and the “one like a son of man” in the earlier work, but expresses caution on this front, as there are many differences as well—not least of which is that the vision is “that of a king rather than of a visionary like Daniel.”

Collins concludes this chapter with the reminder that “more important than the putative influence of the ruler cults [on the conceptualization of messiah] is the tendency that we have noted in a few passages in the LXX to attribute to the messiah preexistence and angelic status.”

Friday is for Potential Hostilities and Baseball

2009-02-27T14:34:00.002-06:00

Here's happy news for those of you feeling nostalgic for the Cold War.

Gotta love the Red Sox Japanese connection. Saito pitched yesterday and didn't look all that bad.

Plutarch on Writing Biographies

2009-02-24T10:29:00.002-06:00

"I am writing biography not history, and the truth is that the most brilliant exploits often tell us nothing of the virtues or vices of the men who performed them, while on the other hand a chance remark or a joke may reveal far more of a man's character than the mere feat of winning battles in which thousands fall, or of marshalling great armies, or laying siege to cities."

"When a portrait painter sets out to create a likeness, he relies above all upon the face and the expression of the eyes and pays less attention to the other parts of the body: in the same way it is my task to dwell upon those actions which illuminate the workings of the soul, and by this means to create a portrait of each man's life. I leave the story of his greatest struggles and achievements to be told by others."

Plutarch, Alexander

Collins, "Messiah and Son of God in the Hellenistic Period," part 1

2009-02-23T14:45:00.003-06:00

In Chapter 3 of King and Messiah as Son of God, John Collins turns to a consideratio of "Messiah and Son of God in the Hellenistic Period." Upon his death Alexander's empire was split into two branches, as is well known, divvied up by the late Macedonian's generals. During his lifetime, Alexander had "demanded proskynesis, the Persian form of obeisance, which was offensive to many Greeks"; the emergent Ptolemaic and Seleucid empires developed their own unique ways of projecting divinity upon their rulers.

Collins contends that the Ptolemaic empire, headquarted in Egypt, managed to combine "Greco-Roman and pharaonic traditions" in its idealization of the ruler. Such a ruler assumed the status of divinity based on his position of king as well as the "traditional association of the pharaoh with the sun god and with Horus."

The Seleucid characterization of the ruler, while different, similarly found ways of exalting this figure. Because of their benefactions, "kings were sometimes hailed as divine." Especially noteworthy is the coloring of the genealogy of the king in Seleucid rendering. He is often said to be the direct descendant of god(s). An important qualifier, however, is "that divinity was a status that could be conferred and that stories about divine birth had only a confirmatory role," that is, were only applied retrospectively, after the individual assumed the position of ruler. Collins makes much of this latter point throughout his essays. I wonder, though, how significant this fact really is. Is it that surprising that one doesn't hear or read about the divine status and/or exploits of an individual--even if he were likely to become king--prior to his assuming the mantle of leadership? At that point there is another ruler and it still remains a question who next will be thrust into that role. Political common sense dictated a hesitation I would think. But I digress.

Collins notes that with the rise of the Roman Empire, many of these Hellenistic views of kingship were incorporated into the Imperial cult. Representing an "escalation," though, is the "favorable comparison of the emperor with the Olympian gods." While Jews living under the new Roman rule were more circumspect in their adulation of the emperor, it is interesting that the luminary Hellenistic Jew Philo, in his reflection, still felt it appropriate that gentiles accord the dominant ruler of the Mediterranean world "divine honors." Did Jewish views about the messiah in any way mirror the more general Greco-Roman ideas about the emperor?

We'll see when we next look at Collins' assessment of Jewish messianic speculation in the Septuagint and the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Thursday Tidbits

2009-02-12T13:50:00.003-06:00

The Times reports on Pakistan's admissions regarding the Mumbai attacks here. Let's hope that Pakistan's cooperation is indeed that and not mere machinations designed merely to soothe international concerns and protect members of the ISS or military.

In other news, Haaretz details a discovery of coins from the Second Temple Period here. From the article:

"In ancient times, the inhabitants of the Land of Israel and its environs would raise pigeons in underground caves. Called "columbariums," the caves had small niches, in which the birds laid their eggs. Over the years many columbariums have been unearthed at ancient sites around the country, particularly at those containing finds from the Second Temple period. A few days ago, archaeologists made a most surprising find at the bottom of such a columbarium, at a site at Kibbutz Ramat Rachel near Jerusalem - a hoard of coins from the time of the destruction of the Second Temple (70 C.E.)."

Michael Bird touches on a couple interesting topics: (1) The Fall of Man and the Foundations of Science and (2) scholar R.T. France's thoughts on Inerrancy and N.T. Exegesis (with attention to 1 Cor. 10:4).

Finally, I thought I would mention this post by Duane Watson on the confusion between beer and urine, since I plan to sample some (the former) tonight.

King and Messiah as Son of God, Chapter 1, Part 2

2009-02-10T13:35:00.001-06:00

Psalms 2 and 110 are key to the discussion of divine kingship in the Old Testament.

Psalm 2

Psalm 2:6–7 reads “But as for me, I have installed my king upon Zion, my holy mountain. I will surely tell of the decrees of the Lord: He said to me, ‘You are my son, today I have begotten you.”

Against some who argue that this first Psalm—because of its alleged Aramaisms and its vision of universal kingship—reflects a post-exilic origin, Collins believes that it has a “far more plausible Sitz in Leben in the period of the monarchy, in the context of an enthronement ceremony.” Along with some others, he sees in the Psalm combined “Egyptian and Assyrian influences.” The language of begetting resembles that found in Egyptian texts, though this does not mean direct Egyptian influence, but perhaps suggests that pre-Israelite Jerusalem was so influenced. Later, Israelite enthronement rituals became an indirect beneficiary.

[Collins draws an interesting parallel here to Isaiah 9. He references Von Rad’s suggestion that the chapter celebrates Hezekiah’s enthronement not the birth of a baby, despite the Hebrew word generally translated as “give birth or beget.” Collins thinks that Von Rad’s argument has weight in that Psalm 2 and Psalm 45:6 (“Your throne, O God, endures forever”) demonstrate that “the king could be addressed as elohim, “god.” Collins conclusion follows:

It seems very likely that the Jerusalemite enthronement ritual was influenced, even if only indirectly, by Egyptian ideas of kingship. At least as a matter of court rhetoric, the king was declared to be the son of God, and could be called an elohim, a god.

Psalm 110

Psalm 110:1 “The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”

Psalm 110:4 “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

Collins suggests that this psalm provides a link to Assyrian influence—“mediated through Canaanite traditions—in its meditation on the status of the king. “Kingship and priesthood were associated in Assyrian tradition, where the king had the title shangu, a term related to the provision and maintenance of sanctuaries.”

However, even in this psalm one finds Egyptian ideas, argues Collins. For the “invitation to the king to sit at the right hand of the deity . . . has long been recognized as an Egyptian motif, known from the iconography of the New Kingdom.”

Psalm 110:3 (109:3 in the Greek) is a notoriously corrupt verse. Collins argues it should stand as follows:

In sacred splendor, from the womb, from dawn, you have the dew wherewith I have begotten you.

In this reading “the dew is the means by which the deity has begotten the king, and it infuses him with divine vitality.” While it is not certain that “dew” does approach the same meaning here that it does in Egyptian inscriptions, the “motifs of seating at the right hand and sun-like emergence from the dawn . . . strongly suggest an Egyptian background.”

Collins offers a few important conclusions to his comparative study:

“The status of the king in Jerusalem was not as exalted as that of the pharaoh, and the testimonies to his divine sonship that have been preserved are relatively few. Nonetheless, the language of sonship does have mythical overtones, and clearly claims for the king a status greater than human.”

In “the Hebrew Bible, to say that the king was son of God was to suggest a special relationship to the Most High, but certainly not parity.”

The “main implication of the declaration that the king was son of God is the implication that he is empowered to act as God’s surrogate on earth.”

“The fact that the dominant attitude in biblical tradition insists on a sharp distinction between divinity and humanity, and is sharply critical of kingship makes the preservation of the royal psalms all the more remarkable. It requires that we take them seriously as a witness to preexilic religion, before it was chastened by the harsh historical experiences that led to the demise of the monarchy.”

Harmony

2009-02-09T15:21:00.002-06:00

In an interesting article a number of years back ("The Homonoia Coins of Asia Minor and Ephesians 1:21"), John Paul Lotz makes an argument for reading Ephesians 1:21 against the backdrop of inter–city(-state) politics in the developing Greco-Roman world. Speaking of Christ in this verse, Paul indicates that God has seated him “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” Is this polemical proposition that by God’s having raised him from the dead, Christ receives a status far superior to earthly rulers (i.e., the emperor) and has the power and title (i.e., name) to prove it?

Lotz points out that with their own sense of autonomy and military might waning as a result of internal warring coupled with the ascension of Rome, city-states of Asia Minor struggled to find new ways to assert their influence over and against one other. An important realm in which they competed was the cultic/religious one. For example, as the cult of the emperor took rise in the provinces—interestingly enough, in a more full-blown way than in Rome itself—the once powerful city-states grasped hold of its introduction as a means by which to curry special favor with the ruling power of the day and to outpace other cities competing for influence. Sometimes this was accomplished by obtaining from Rome the honor of building a temple for the furtherance of the imperial cult. Titles were appropriated by cities upon their establishment and/or stewardship of a particular cult (witness Ephesus’s claim to hosting the great temple of Artemis), such as the imperial cult. According to Lotz, having “the imperial cult temple and being able to list among one’s titles . . . [Neokoros] was a key factor in securing the highly prestigious title . . . [First of Asia].”Once accomplished, other city-states were obliged to recognize that this or that particular city-state (e.g., Pergamum, Ephesus) was so honored

Why is this bit of information important? Because, as Lotz illustrates, such competition reveals the tense state of affairs between rival cities in Asia Minor that prevailed under the so-called Pax Romana. That there really was festering conflict and a high state of rivalry at work helps explain, in turn, the concerted effort to foster “harmony” (homonoia) throughout the empire. Literary (Lotz draws special attention to Plutarch, Dio Chrysostom, and Aristides), inscriptional, and numismatic evidence from the first few centuries of the Common Era bear witness to a heightened glorification of this quality. “Harmony” is personified on coins as well as commemorative monuments as a way of establishing the political prerequisite for peaceful co-existence and, as a goddess, even becomes the recipient of cultic devotion.

Was the apostle Paul speaking into this atmosphere of rivalry when he wrote of the risen Christ that he is above all rule and has attained the highest name/titles for himself? Lotz thinks so. Ephesians has a lot to do with bringing rival elements of Christian society—Jew and Gentile—together. Just perhaps Paul is arguing that Christ, the highest power of all—not Caesar—is alone able to unite warring parties. Only he can accomplish true harmony. Seems like a relevant message for today, huh?

King and Messiah as Son of God, Chapter 1, Part 1

2009-02-06T08:52:00.000-06:00

In the first chapter of King and Messiah as Son of God, John J. Collins tackles the fundamental topic, “The King as Son of God.” He begins this chapter by reminding readers that the transliterated messiah comes from a Hebrew word that “means simply ‘anointed’ and is not used in the Hebrew bible in an eschatological sense.” Collins then frames his discussion in terms of the ongoing debate concerning whether biblical references in the Psalms and elsewhere to the king as “son of God” represent an indebtedness to Egyptian belief in the ruler’s divinity or rather reflect a metaphorical acknowledgment of God’s appointment of the king.

Before examining views of the king in Ancient Judah, Collins analyzes evidence from other ancient societies which shed light on how kings were portrayed in relation to the divine.

Egypt
To portray the Pharaoh’s ascension, some Egyptian texts use terms like “dew” or “fragrance” to conjure up images of sexual intercourse. The following exchanges refer to the god Amon-Re and the Egyptian Queen Hatshepsut (ca. 1479–1458 BCE):

Utterance of Amon-Re, lord of Thebes, presider over Karnak: “He made his form like the majesty of this husband . . . he found her as she slept . . . he imposed his desire on her, he caused that she should see him in his form as a god.”

Utterance by the king’s wife and king’s mother Ahmose in the presence of the majesty of this august god, Amon, Lord of Thebes: “How great is thy fame! It is splendid to see they front; thou hast united my majesty with thy favors, thy dew is in all my limbs.” After this, the majesty of the god did all he desired with her.

Even when such graphic imagery is absent, it is quite common to find in Egyptian texts the language or idea of begetting. There is, according to Collins, some real sense in which Egyptian rulers were projected as the offspring of the gods.

Collins cautions, however, against on over literal reimagining of actual Egyptian beliefs, asserting that it “may be that ancient Egyptians were more conscious of the metaphorical character of such language than modern scholars have often assumed.” It seems that the factor which is most important in granting divine status is the office of king (i.e., pharaoh), such that it is only upon becoming king that the ruler is then portrayed—retrospectively—as born of gods. Despite this caveat, Collins concludes that “there is no doubt that the claims of the pharaoh to divine status were taken seriously in ancient Egypt, in the sense that he was not regarded as an ordinary mortal.”

Ancient Mesopotamia
Divine kingship as belief was less common in ancient Mesopotamia. It did, however, persist for a short span under the rule of Naram-Sin “at the end of the third millennium in ancient Sumer.” Again at points during the Neo-Assyrian periods there is the representation of the king “as a son of a god,” though the language is less explicit than the Egyptian inscriptions in blatantly calling the king a god. Nonetheless, “the divine-like character of the Assyrian king is meant to be taken seriously.”

Ancient Canaan
Little evidence exists from Canaanite sources to draw a direct parallel to the Egyptian deification of the king. Collins does note that in “the Ugaritic king list, each of the names of the dead kings are preceded by the word il, “god,” but recognizes not much can be drawn from this title. In facts, dead kings were not deified but dwelt in the underworld, even if among more respected company. Collins speculates that “Egyptian conceptions of monarchy were mediated to Israel through ancient Canaan, which had been under Egyptian control for much of the second millennium B.C.E.”

Iraq as the Model?

2009-02-05T08:02:00.002-06:00

Daveed Gartenstein-Ross and Joshua D. Goodman report on a possible new strategy, inspired by a movement in Iraq, soon to be implemented in Afghanistan. Read their article, "How to Export an Awakening."

Gravitas

2009-02-04T12:49:00.002-06:00

Scot Mcknight has a post up about one of President Obama's defining attributes, gravity. Read it here.

Once Upon a Time . . .

2009-02-04T12:39:00.002-06:00

Peter Feinman tells of a time when Arabs and Israel were allies. Read the article here. (HT)

Envoys, Part 3

2009-02-02T15:18:00.000-06:00

Margaret Mitchell’s analysis of the role of envoys in the Greco-Roman of Paul’s day reveals yet another important insight. The envoy served two masters, so to speak, acting on behalf of the one who sent him in delivering a message and for the recipient(s) in conveying a response. “In his commissioning formulas,” Mitchell suggests, “Paul shows himself sensitive to the double-sided role of the envoy, who has some relationship with both Paul and the church in question.”

We see how in Philippians, for example, Epaphroditus is called both “my brother and fellow laborer and comrade-in-arms” and “your messenger and servant of my need” (Phil. 2:25). That the envoy is more than just a substitute for the sender is seen even here, where what seems most essential is that the individual has a close and abiding relationship with both parties. As Paul’s call in Philippians is to a unity of mind and heart in service of the gospel, the role of the envoy serves a rhetorical purpose by binding together apostle and church as co-participants in this very mission.

E.P. Sanders

2009-02-02T08:26:00.004-06:00

Mark Goodacre links to this "academic autobiography" of E.P. Sanders, a pioneering figure in the field of biblical studies. I found it a fascinating read. More than any other Sanders popularized the terminology covenantal nomism, the notion that Jews of Paul's day understood themselves as "in" because of God's election and, once in, as responsible to keep God's laws. The implication of this view is that Judaism was not characterized by a legalistic mindset that put a premium on works as a way to earn God's favor in the first place. In this paper Sanders discusses his influences as well as the process by which he reached his conclusions. (HT)

Is Inerrancy Inerrant?

2009-02-02T07:49:00.004-06:00

Michael Bird offers a few responses to Greg Beale's discussion of the erosion of biblical inerrancy here. One of Bird's key concerns is that an "a priori theological deduction about Scripture always trumps the phenomena of Scripture in formulating a doctrine of Scripture." Read the post here.

TGIF

2009-01-30T13:40:00.004-06:00

J.P. Moreland, Christian philosopher, is interviewed by Hugh Hewitt and argues for a rubust evangelical political involvement under the Obama administration. (HT)

Red Sox resign Jason Varitek. (Now let's just hope he learns how to hit in the offseason.)

In the online version of the Wall Street Journal Rush Limbaugh offers his "Bipartisan Stimulus" plan. Read it here.

To the Glory of God and Praise for Me?

2009-01-29T12:23:00.003-06:00

Over at Evangelical Textual Criticism, Peter heads draws attention to a variant in verse 11 of Philippians 1. The variant is found in Papyrus 46 and reads (translated, of course), "to the glory of God and praise for me," instead of the reading supported by most witnesses, "to the glory and praise of God."

I have to agree with Head that, despite the fact that this manuscript represents a lone witness, the reading makes good sense on internal grounds. Head rightly points to Paul's expression of eschatological vindication in light of the Philippians's faith elsewhere (Phil. 2.16). In support of this reading, then, is the fact that it is the more difficult reading, the early age of the manuscript supporting it, and the internal consistency implied by its inclusion.

Check out the post (with a snapshot of the papyrus section) here.

Is the NT a Story About God's Desire to Glorify Himself?

2009-01-28T11:47:00.007-06:00

Ben Myers offers some critical comments on Tom Schreiner's (and Piper's and Edwards's) theorizing that NT Theology can be united around God's desire to glorify himself. Read the post and comments here.

A Roman Boxer in Jerusalem

2009-01-27T16:18:00.006-06:00

A figurine of a boxer (likely Roman) was recently discovered in Jerusalem. It appears to be datable to the second or third centurey c.e., and is reported to be the first such discovery in Jerusalem. The discovery is detailed here.

(via Jim Davila)

McKnight on the Now-Reversed Mexico City Policy

2009-01-27T15:12:00.003-06:00

Scot McKnight, over at Jesus Creed, asks a critical question about the reversal of the so-called Mexico City Policy, which had pulled U.S. support for NGOs offering access to abortions, and renders his opinion. Check his posts here and here.

A Humble Foreign Policy

2009-01-27T11:20:00.002-06:00

Last night on Anderson Cooper I saw some clips of Obama's interview on Al-Arabiya television. Much of what the President said showed definite forethought and balance. The tone, moreover, was a humble one.

Two things are interesting about this interview. First is the interview itself, the first major one of Obama's administration, which was granted to a foreign news outlet.

Second, however, is the President's comment, "all too often the United States startes by dictating."

Clearly Obama is trying to send a conciliatory message to the "Muslim world." My question is whether this particular tact is an appropriate one for an American president to take. Any thoughts?

Envoys, Part 2

2009-01-27T11:11:00.001-06:00

Though an envoy in the Greco-Roman world could represent a personage more palatable to the receiving party than the sender himself, it is nevertheless the case, Mitchell asserts, that the “envoy or emissary represents the one by whom and in whose name he was sent.” Obviously this is not fully the case today, as it is commonplace to retort, when delivering an unpopular message, “don’t shoot the messenger!”

The basic equation of messenger with sender takes on an interesting flavor when it becomes spiritualized in the early church, Mitchell points out, and “is applied Christologically . . . so that in receiving the Christian, one receives Christ (Mark 9:37; Matt 10:40).” (She references the appointing of the twelve disciples as an earlier beneficiary of this “cultural assumption.”) Indeed Paul, writing to the Thessalonians, rejoices that the church, “when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but . . . the word of God” (1 Thess. 2:13).

Ultimately, Mitchell argues, this “whole complex is rooted for Paul . . . in God’s sending of the Christ, who now sends Paul,” who now sends the envoy(s). Those who are the recipients of the envoy are to behave as though they are actually welcoming the sender himself. Mitchell finds evidence for this strong connection between envoy and sender in the way Paul, in defending himself against charges leveled by the Corinthians, presents as evidence of his own uprightness “Titus’ behavior among them” (2 Cor. 12:17–8).

Reminders of the need for proper reception often take place, moreover, as Paul makes clear in Philippians when he urges that the church receive Epaphroditus “in the Lord” and “hold such men in high esteem” (Phil 2:29). This does not insinuate that Epaphroditus had fallen into ill-repute with the church, Mitchell suggests, but is rather a formulaic expression.

Syriac Monastery in Turkey

2009-01-26T15:30:00.002-06:00

This from Reuters on a Syriac Christian monastery in Turkey that faces a battle to retain its property in the face of legal challenges and opposition from neighboring villages. The reporter notes that this particular case has broader implications for Turkey's aspirations to be admitted to the EU.

Here is a sliver of the article:

The row began when Turkish government land officials redrew the boundaries around Mor Gabriel and the surrounding villages in 2008 to update a national land registry.

The monks say the new boundaries turn over to the villages large plots of land the monastery has owned for centuries, and designate monastery land as public forest. Christian groups believe officials want to ultimately stamp out the Syriac Orthodox monastery.

Their allegations come as the EU has said the ruling AK Party government, which has Islamist roots, needs to do more to promote religious freedom alongside its liberal economic and political reforms.

(HT: Jim Davila)

Brooks On Human Nature and Economics

2009-01-26T10:12:00.004-06:00

Here's an interesting op-ed by David Brooks about faulty economic thinking on both sides of the isle. As argued by Brooks, what more thinkers need to take into account is human nature, a variable absent from many economic models.

About The Messiah . . .

2009-01-23T14:36:00.001-06:00

Lately I’ve been working my way through the joint work of Adela Yarbro Collins and John J. Collins titled King and Messiah as Son of God. While I’m not sure I will be able to cover every chapter in this book, I want to touch on a few that are most interesting to me. I am fascinated by the questions concerning the existence of messianic expectation in Judaism and how such ideas influenced Christian conceptions of Jesus. The authors of this work specify that their particular focus here is “on the specific question of the divinity of the messiah.”

A principal conclusion of the authors is that “the idea of the divinity of the messiah has its roots in the royal ideology of ancient Judah, which in turn was influenced by the Egyptian mythology of kingship.” Rather than merely standing as a metaphorical characterization of God’s adoption of the king, on the one hand, or as representing actual divinity, on the other, the attribution of divine status to the messiah captured both understandings. The Collins’s demonstrate this thesis in eight chapters, with each author contributing four, beginning with John J. Collins.

Envoys, Part 1

2009-01-19T11:03:00.000-06:00

In Philippians 2.19–30, Paul discusses in turn two men known to himself and the church at Philippi. These men—Timothy and Epaphroditus—were essentially functioning in the role of envoys, an office well known in the Hellenistic world of Paul. Margaret Mitchell has written an article* on NT envoys and makes a number of significant points, some of which are relevant to Paul’s epistle to the Philippians.

Mitchell takes issue with the judgment of Robert Funk that (in Mitchell’s words) “Paul sent envoys as only ‘inadequate substitutes’ [Funk’s phrase] for his own physical presence because of the busyness of his schedule.”

She goes on: “Is it not more likely the case that in certain instances Paul sent envoys of letters (or both) to represent him because he thought that they might be more effective than a personal visit in dealing with a particular situation that was facing a church? It is quite possible that we have a Pauline corpus in the first place because of the relative ineffectiveness of Paul’s personal presence and his own creative recognition of that limitation.”

Part of Mitchell’s overall point is that the envoy served many purposes for the one sending the message; he was not always simply a substitute. Paul’s strained relationship with the Corinthians would especially have called for an envoy that could also function as a sort of mediator. In the case of Philippians, where there seems to have been a genuine and uncomplicated mutual affection between apostle and church, the envoy’s role would presumably not have been so complicated. Yet I would still think that both Timothy and Epaphroditus, for instance, could effectively bolster Paul’s message of unity and gospel participation so as to make Paul’s own job easier.

* “New Testament Envoys in the Context of Greco-Roman Diplomatic and Epistolary Conventions: The Example of Timothy and Titus.” JBL 111/4 (1992) pp. 641–662.

Mad Dog

2009-01-15T08:30:00.008-06:00

So P. and I have been dog sitting for our friends the last two days. Of course, it's been really fun. And he's extremely well-behaved. Here are a few pictures of me with my buddy, Boston.

Smile for the camera.

Boston goes for the neck.

Boston attacks the neck.

No comment.

A more subdued Boston poses with sitter.

The Maker's Diet--Not So Good?

2009-01-14T21:17:00.002-06:00

Despite the claims of many, the biblical diet was actually not very health according to Old Testament lecturer Nathan MacDonald. Some of MacDonald's observations regarding ancient diet is noted in this BBC article. HT: Jim Davila.

Christians in the (Ancient) Cities

2009-01-14T12:50:00.004-06:00

Lately I've been working my way through The Cambridge History of Early Christian Literature. More than anything else it is a helpful overview of the literature and social setting of early Christianity. Writing about "The Social and Historical Setting" of Christianity from its inception until the time of Irenaeus, John Behr makes the following observations about the manifestation of the distinctive movement in the cities of the Greco-Roman world.

The cities were "rife with infectious diseases, such that most people would have suffered from chronic health conditions, and those who survived had a life expectancy of less than thirty years. Cities were subject to frequent fires, collapsing buildings and other disasters. To maintain their populations, the cities needed to be repopulated by newcomers more or less continually, leading to high rates of crime and frequent riots. In such conditions, the Christian church could provide a new basis for attachments and an extended sense of family."

Behr goes on to note that for a city, when an "epidemic struck . . .the fatalities were enormous, probably about a quarter to a third of the total population." In such conditions, the "typical response of pagans, even doctors like Galen, was to leave the cities for the countryside until the danger passed." By contrast, two early writers remarked "how the Christians, having learnt how not to fear death, remained in the cities nursing the sick. . . . Galen also noted that the Christians' 'contempt of death and of its sequel is patent to us every day.'"

Behr concludes that the "newly forming Christian communities offered, in Stark's words, a 'new culture capable of making life in Greco-Roman cities more tolerable."" How might Christians in today's cities embody to those watching and in need a new culture?

Happy Birthday to Albert Schweitzer

2009-01-13T21:53:00.002-06:00

In recognition of Albert Schweitzer's birthday, Mark Goodacre at NT Gateway has some video clips of the man as well as of a reconstructed young Schweitzer with an even younger Indiana Jones. Check out the clips here.

Philippians 2:16-18

2009-01-13T11:41:00.002-06:00

Ultimately what engenders harmony among the Christians at Philippi and among Christians today is their mutual possession of gospel. Paul’s “while” assumes that his flock is indeed clinging to this gospel—what he calls the “word of [i.e., that produces] life”—but it functions just as much like a command to hold on to it. As apostle he realizes the dire urgency of this instruction; so many distractions and obstacles together conspire to loosen the church’s hold on their very basis of existence. He knows, however, that should the Philippians stand fast, as their apostle he will be able to boast when the “day of [i.e., that is characterized by] Christ” comes, a day which entails judgment and salvation. For all of Paul’s work to this point—his deprivation, his imprisonment, his decision not to “go and be with Christ”—will prove to have paid off.

Paul’s linkage of his status with that of Philippians on that ultimate day of reckoning is profound. How often do Christians today—I, especially—think of accomplishment in terms of comfort, prestige, financial success? Paul, instead, is driven by a vision of his spiritual children “being filled with the fruit of righteousness to the glory and praise of God” (1:11) and is willing to give his all to see that accomplished. He concludes this section, in fact, by explaining to the church that he rejoices “even if I am poured out [i.e., die] as a sacrifice and service to your faith” (2:17). And they too, he says, “should be glad and rejoice with” him (2:18).

A New Pair of Sox

2009-01-08T13:26:00.002-06:00

Cool. The Red Sox add John Smoltz (probably) and Rocco Baldelli to the roster. Midwestern correspondent J. Allen informed readers of the news this morning. Ugh. It really sucks getting scooped on this news by a fan living in Missouri.

Hamas's Recent Elections: Change You Can Believe In?

2009-01-06T16:40:00.004-06:00

Matthew Levitt provides helpful background details to Israel's current clash with Hamas in Gaza. New leaders in the Gaza branch of the organization, apparently, are calling the shots, leading to the recent increase in missile attacks as well as Israel's full-throttled response. Read the article here.

Plutarch On Governing

2009-01-05T10:46:00.003-06:00

More words of wisdom from our dear friend:

In "political affairs, a method of government which is too rigid and opposes the popular will on every occasion will be resented as harsh and overbearing, but on the other hand, to acquiesce in all the demands of the people and share in their mistakes, is a dangerous, sometimes a catastrophic policy."

Politicians, and parties I daresay, fall prey to one or the other of these extremes. How should those governing avoid these two pitfalls? Plutarch goes on.

"The art of wise administration consists in making certain concessions and granting that which will please the people, while demanding in return an obedience and cooperation which will benefit the whole community--and men will cooperate readily and usefully in many ways provided they are not treated harshly and despotically all the time."

Plutarch, Phocian

Philippians 2:14-15

2009-01-02T15:35:00.000-06:00

When Paul continues in his instructions to the Philippians he is either fleshing out what it means to “work out your salvation” (2:12) or he is building upon this command with more concrete directives. It is natural at this point that he should urge activity that is devoid of “grumbling and dispute” (2:14), for he has elsewhere characterized his association with the Christians at Philippi as a “partnership” (1:4) and has lobbied for a spirit of unity (1:27) and like-mindedness (2:2) among their ranks. What is striking, however, is Paul’s insistence that the purpose here of such harmony is that the Philippians “should be blameless and pure” (2:15a). Such conduct—and this status that results from it—marks Christians out as “God’s children, who are without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation” (2:15b).

Surely there are other characteristics that should signal this or that person is a Christian and is different from those around him or her. The absence of this or that sin. The practice of this act of kindness. The joy that accompanies this person in all types of circumstances. Here, though, Paul interestingly pinpoints harmonious living amongst Christians as the ultimate badge of their unique relationship to God. While we who are Christians today often place this low on our list of priorities, Paul intimates that it is what causes the Philippian believers to “shine as lights in the world” (2:15c).

Israel's Upcoming PM Elections

2009-01-01T11:38:00.004-06:00

Ben Smith writes about Israel's political process in view of the upcoming PM election there. What will be interesting to see is how the current conflict between Israel and Hamas will impact the election. Smith's article reports that Barak's Labor Party has already witnessed gains in the polls at the expense of Netanyahu's Likud. However, Smith notes that

"Despite the international preoccupation with the slow-burning conflict with the Palestinians, the focus had been on domestic policy. Netanyahu’s service as finance minister in the boom years of 2003 to 2005 has given him great strength on economic issues."

Were Netanyahu to win the election, this would prove an interesting challenge to U.S. foreign policymakers, as the former Israeli Prime Minister has been a consistent critic of the two state solution. Check out the article here. And be sure to check out the humorous "Livni Boy" video that Smith links to there.

Plutarch On Compassion

2008-12-29T09:43:00.000-06:00

"To show kindness only to one's friends and benefactors is no proof of having acquired such self-control: the real test is for a man who has been wronged to be able to show compassion and moderation to the evil-doers."

Plutarch, Dion

Our First Christmas Bird

2008-12-25T14:31:00.004-06:00

P. and I are making our first turkey together. Thanks to a great bird featured by friends Keke and Jade at Thanksgiving, we have been craving turkey ever since, hence our endeavor today. As an homage to Thanksgiving two years ago, we have decided to add a little something extra--beer--to the roasting process, specifically Beamish Stout. This year's recipe is an adaptation of one of Alton Brown's.

UPDATE

We are about 45 minutes into the roasting. Our aromatic mixture of Beamish Stout, apples, onions, cinnamon, rosemary, and sage are sizzling happily inside. We've rubbed down the outside with olive oil and have sprinkled it with sea salt and italian spices (and extra Beamish).

Mark's Date

2008-12-23T18:27:00.002-06:00

Good discussions on the dating of Mark at NT Gateway (post-70) and Earliest Christian History (pre-70) below. Critical to the debate is the relative merit of invoking narrative technique in positing a date for the penning of the work. For the posts, check here, here, here, and here.

Teixeira's Destination

2008-12-23T07:54:00.004-06:00

UPDATE: Ouch, Mark Teixeira is headed to New York. Those pesky Yankees.

Will Mark Teixeira end up with the Red Sox, despite John Henry's assertion that the team is "not a factor" is negotiations for the star first baseman? I hope so, and Buster Olney thinks so.

Plutarch on Iraq, er, Syracuse

2008-12-22T16:13:00.004-06:00

"After such a long period of tyranny, the Syracusans were in the position of a man who tries at the end of a long illness to stand immediately on his feet, and so in attempting to act the part of a free people before they were ready for it, they stumbled in their efforts. At the same time they resented the attentions of Dion, who, like a good physician, tried to impose a strict and temperate course of treatment."

Plutarch, Dion

Philippians 2:12-13

2008-12-22T13:14:00.000-06:00

With “wherefore” Paul returns from his reflection on Jesus to the Philippians and their responsibility in light of the gospel. Like Jesus obeyed the father, the Philippians are to obey Paul, who is Christ’s servant (1:1), whether he is present with them or is communicating with them through his emissaries or a letter.

The command for the Philippians is “to work out your salvation in a manner of fear and trembling” (1:12). These terms connote serious and consequential activity. It is not Paul, of course, whom the Philippians are most to be concerned of, but God himself. They should pursue Christian living that is fitting to the gospel Paul has delivered, essentially for the sobering reason that “God is the one working in you to will and work on behalf of his good pleasure” (2:13).

This is a striking reminder of God’s preeminent activity in the life of his people. One’s “partnership in the gospel” (1:5) is not to be taken lightly, for God stands behind such beginnings and his glory is the goal of its continuance and completion (cf. 1:6, 11). This principle serves as a bridge between 2:1–4 and 2:14–18—by providing the grounds for Paul’s instructions in the former passage concerning like-mindedness and humility and for the latter passage, to which we turn next.

Niebuhr Considered

2008-12-19T09:12:00.001-06:00

Joseph Loconte, in Books and Culture, reflects on Reinhold Niebuhr and the relevance of his political theology for our present time. Read the article here.

It's a Wonderful Life?

2008-12-19T07:45:00.003-06:00

I love this personal perspective of It's a Wonderful Life given by Wendell Jamieson in the NY Times. He's able to capture many ironies the film holds out to today's viewers as well as the darkness that pervades the story, despite its sentimental trappings. Read the piece here.

Mohammad on Obama

2008-12-16T19:02:00.002-06:00

I just stumbled across this post by Mohammad--at Iraq the Model--in the aftermath of the U.S. presidential election. A refreshing perspective.

Obama on Energy and the Environment

2008-12-15T16:25:00.004-06:00

Obama looks uncomfortable--maybe he's tired. I've been watching the president-elect roll out his energy team. Concluding the presentation, Obama fielded a few questions, including one or two about the Blago scandal. Two observations:

(1) During the introduction to the Obama energy team and during each member's brief comments there existed this strange "we're going to save the world" feel. Completely understandable during the campaigning season, it seemed a bit strange--dare I say over the top?--here. Don't get me wrong, I think Obama's handled most things very well so far (I'm not sure McCain would have been so organized, for example). In the interest of practicality, though, I would expect the president-elect to start detailing smaller achievable goals, which he can then build on later. Instead I'm hearing Bush-like rhetoric applied to environmental goals. There is one expection.

(2) Obama is, not completely unsurprisingly, back-tracking from his initial insistence against off-shore drilling. At the press conference he notes that he, while campaigning, did allow for the possibility of off-shore drilling as long as it was part of a comprehensive strategy to rid ourselves of dependence upon foreign oil. Well, sort of. He arrived at this particular position only late in the game, after McCain (in my view) outmaneuvered the president-elect on this issue (even if it didn't make much difference in the long run). Initially he completely opposed lifting the ban on off-shore drilling. I am pleased he is showing himself to be practical with this issue, as he seems to be doing with foreign policy as well.

Meet Lucy

2008-12-12T14:07:00.004-06:00

Philippians 2:9-11

2008-12-12T14:04:00.001-06:00

Ok, back from that Facebook nonsense.

It should be remembered that when Paul turns to Jesus in 2:5–11 he is doing so in order to provide his readers with the ultimate model to imitate. (Of course, Jesus is more than just the model for, he is also the ground of kingdom living.) This point is important to remember for it helps explain why Paul emphasizes what he does. He wants the Church to be “like-minded” (2:2); regard “others as being more important than yourself” (2:3); to look “out for the concerns of others” (2:4). Jesus did all of these things. His obedience (2:8) proved his agreement with the Father; his humility in assuming human form and marching forward to a wretched death demonstrated his self-effacing and compassionate existence. God’s response to Jesus’ actions, then, is one of which Christians who walk in Jesus’ way can also expect to be similar recipients.

[Interestingly, Paul has presented his own sacrificial ministry in much the same terms he uses to describe Jesus’. In 1:23, it will be recalled, he expresses his desire “to depart and be with Christ”; however, he determines to “remain and continue with you all.” Of course Paul wasn’t, like Jesus was, equal to God, but the apostle does give up presence with the exalted Lord in order to minister to the Philippians. This is his act of obedience. And what is the result of it? Like Jesus’ service meant glory to God, Paul’s service causes the Philippians “to glory in Christ Jesus” (1:26). A very fascinating parallel!]

As a result of [“wherefore”] Jesus’ obedience unto death, God exalted him. This is a reminder that God’s ways are so different from the ways that define our ordinary existence in society. Typically, we are only rewarded when we assert ourselves and push our way to the top, whatever the consequences to bystanders, and we long to imitate those who embody this lifestyle. Jesus, though, does not exalt himself but is exalted by the Father; it happens, moreover, only when he submits in humility.

Along with exalting him [progression] God gave him a name that is preeminent. He blessed him with authority—the same authority he had willingly given up in the incarnation. What a turn of events! But the authority vested in his name has the aim [purpose clause, “in order”] that all beings everywhere submit themselves in worship of and acknowledgment that Jesus is Lord. Interestingly, this picture depicts the very like-mindedness among God’s creatures that Paul wishes for his Church at Philippi to possess. Fixation on Christ is the only way to accomplish like-mindedness among God’s people. For, after all, it is God’s will. This we see in the result that flows forth from praise of Jesus.

The end of acknowledgment and reverence of Jesus is that “glory is given to God the Father” (2:11). This is not only the result but it is also the purpose of God’s investing Jesus with such authority. We are not merely expressing praise to Jesus who died for us but we are also worshiping the Father who gave us existence and orchestrated our salvation. Our salvation will also one day culminate in exaltation, but that is for God to accomplish; it remains for us to wait upon him in a humble and sacrificial love of one another as Jesus did.

The Next Model

2008-11-12T20:45:00.002-06:00

Check out this moody humanoid. At least he's targeting UK cities first.

The Next Model

2008-11-12T20:45:00.000-06:00

Check out this moody humanoid.

Advice to Conservatives Via Powerline

2008-11-10T08:46:00.003-06:00

Paul, at Powerline, offers some excellent advice for conservatives wondering how to respond to the new Obama presidency. Check it out here.

Scott adds his own thought.

Paul also forecasts the coming transnational politics likely to prevail under Obama's administration.

Palin and "Troopergate"

2008-10-11T11:24:00.001-05:00

Paul at Powerline reflects on the "Troopergate" report here.

Ayers Online

2008-10-09T17:44:00.004-05:00

Several MSNBC analysts have made the case that it's a little too late to raise fears in people's minds about Obama's connections to ideological radicals now that people feel comfortable with him. I would probably have to agree with this. The McCain campaign, though, is till going to try. John at Powerline links here to an Internet ad put out by McCain. The ad concludes that Obama's connection to Ayers raises concerns about his judgment, but it fails to say much about the related issue of the Illinois senator's very liberal ideological background.

Last Night's Debate: A Great Cure for Insomnia

2008-10-08T15:20:00.003-05:00

Politico makes an accurate assessment of last night's debate: "The Worst Debate Ever." I am so disgusted at the obvious pandering from both sides, not to mention the obfuscation. If my enthusiasm for McCain was tepid before, it is downright cold now. And about the "nonresponsiveness," Harris and Vandehei make a nice point:

"The candidates are stumped.

When Sarah Palin dodged questions with scripted messages and folksy one-liners in her debate against Joe Biden her nonresponsiveness was often glaringly obvious. With McCain and Obama, you have to print out the transcript and read carefully to fully appreciate how they glided past sharp questions. Because both have gone through dozens of such encounters over the past couple of years, and because Obama in particular is an exceptionally fluent speaker, their answers can sound plausible — even when the fog machine is going full blast."

Obama and Ayers, Part 2

2008-10-07T11:46:00.002-05:00

Briefly put, there are two main reasons why the Obama-Ayers connection is relevant, and neither one of them has to do with the absurd implication that Obama is a terrorist since Ayers is.

1) It goes to judment. Much has been made of judgment already in this campaign. Obama was mentored by Rev. Wright, a close acquaintance of Farakan. McCain showed poor judgment in continuing the war strategies of George W. Bush. Obama shows poor judgment in wanting to withdraw troops right away. And how about this one, McCain has shown what type of judgment he has (read: bad) in picking Sarah Palin to be his running mate. I argued regarding Obama's Rev. Wright connection, one need not say that the Democratic contender espouses racist ideas or hatred because his pastor does. Similarly, one need not say that Obama is a terrorist because he had multiple interactions with Ayers, a terrorist. However, it does demonstrate his judment. Someone might say that it doesn't reveal much if his interactions were merely accidential of no substance. Perhaps, but that is precisely what needs to be determined. What were the nature of those interactions and what might they reveal about Obama.

2) Maybe even more important, the connection needs to be investigated and explicated because of what it reveals about Obama's chosen narrative for himself. Obama presents himself as a force to bring people together, not as exponent of partisan politics. We have very little to go on in terms of his Illinois Senate voting record (other than "present"); we do, however, have a decidedly liberal voting record in the U.S. Senate. Now, maybe Obama would not deny that he's liberal; perhaps he would just suggest that his liberal politics are exactly what would bring people together. This would be clever semantics and perhaps convincing to some. However, I think Obama wants people to believe he is not a far-left liberal and that he intends more than anything else to bring people together and to usher in a new era of pragmatic politics. his narrative--which Obama has written--is why it's important to dig further (or better explicate further) into his associations with Ayers. I suspect that at the very least they will reveal what his Senate voting record suggests, namely, that he is a thorough-going commited liberal.

One last comment: I've heard some say that Obama only worked with Ayers because Daley introduced the man as his "point man on education." Perhaps this is true. Again, though, this very fact would dispel the myth that Obama is post-party politics. If Obama were part of the renowned Daley Democratic machinery in Chicago, falling in line as necessary, what would this reveal about his potential as a politician to bring people together? It seems to me that we have on the one hand, Obama's voting record and known associates, and on the other, how he portrays himself. For clarification, I have no problem, necessarily, that Obama has plugged in thoroughly with his party's leadership and walks in line with liberal ideology. It's just that he's trying to present a different case. Obama's "Ayer connection" helps make this case.

The Legitimacy of the Obama and Ayers Discussion, Part 1

2008-10-07T11:03:00.005-05:00

Just got back from running and wanted to post a few thoughts on political matters before I drop dead. Here goes.

On the question of whether it's appropriate for McCain and Palin to raise questions about Obama's "Ayers" connection. My answer is . . .

Most assuredly yes! Now, before I offer a rationale, let me make an initial observation. I completely understand how, because of the often-times acrimonious nature of politics, those who hear McCain and Palin's attack on Obama as "Palling around with terrorists" get turned off. There are likely several types of people who dislike these attacks:
1) Those who are democrats through and through and at heart just don't want their candidate to be "smeared" in this fashion.
2) Those who pay little attention to politics through disinterest or because of "partisan bickering."
3) Those who used to fall into camp 2 but now are more attracted to the political process because of the hope that Obama seems to hold out for "post-partisan" politics.
4) Neutrals who have investigated the evidence for anything more than a "passing" connection and have come away convinced that Obama's past in this regard is above repute.
5) Those who are Republicans and may think there is a serious connection to be investigated but take issue with the strident terminology in which the subject is broached.

[I, of course, tend more toward 5), but owing to a somewhat realist (cynical?) streak, have come to see politics as a hard-nosed contest. I have to give Obama credit in this respect--though he has had the sore Bush legacy as an ally--because he has managed to establish the national and media narrative for the race in such successful fashion that any serious investigation of his represents smear tactics and a desire for the old partisan bickering that Washington has come to represent and that people want to move past. He's done a great job of this and has taken the arrows out of McCain's quiver.]

Now, I think those who hold to position 1) can be fairly easily dismissed. If Tom Delay was running for president, you can bet that Democrats would be raising as an issue even the remotest of dangerous or rabid ideological acquaintances that he might have had in the past--and rightly so. Someone might say, though, that this is because of Delay's established reputation, he penchant for ideologicaly or power-hungry politics. Well, but that's precisely what is at issue here, one's actual
belief system and tendencies. We don't know much about Barak Obama other than his voting record in the Senate (which speaks against his own narrative). It's important where there is substantial indications of formative relationships and associations to investigate these.

Those who pay little attention to politics because of disinteredness 2a), I have little sympathy for. However, I do have sympathy for those who tend to be turned off because of the strident "dialogue" (2b and 3). Many of my friends fall into this category, as does my wife at times. A preliminary reminder to those new to political interestedness, however, is that there has never been a time in political history, either in this country or I suspect another, where such tones have not existed. In fact, things were much worse at the birth of our country. Duels and beatings occured among members of Congress and the executive branch, and politicians were outright branded traitors and worse on political posters, in newspapers, and on the streets. Politics were run by ruthless bosses who controlled how many on the street would vote (sounds like Ohio, huh?).

This is not to condone this behavior or to say we shouldn't strive for respectable dialogues, but instead to recognize that really important issues are at stake and sometimes the situation calls for serious and, yes, heated debate. Many of those who complain of McCain and Palin's attacks see it as evidence of desperation, to which I say, duh. Of course it is, precisely because they realize that they--and their ideas--are at stack now that polls show Obama solidly winning. It is poor logic, though, that draws the conclusion that such desperation therefore means the point is out of bounds. I will argue, that the Obama-Ayers connections is very much a necessary one to raise insofar as it goes directly to the issue of the narrative that Obama has himself established.

Now, it may be that camp 4) types may exist--those who consider themselves neutral and have thoroughly investigated the details and concluded that Obama has no significant connection to Obama. I think if most of us are honest, though, we would deny that pure neutrals exist at all. I certainly don't consider myself one and I don't ascribe this characterization to The New York Time (or The New York Post, for that matter). In the absence of neutrals, and the indisputable evidence that some relationship existed between the two men, it's only right if dialogue be had. And the dialogue should not stop with, as it might tend to, simply saying that Obama had ties with the terrorist Ayers. This gives rise to the slightly accurate claim of smear politics as well as the aversion by those who might otherwise be interested about knowing more. It must show, as in the court of law, relevance. And I will make a brief case for that in my next post.

Robogirl

2008-10-07T08:47:00.002-05:00

Here's a a look at the new robogirl, whose design is based on a real Japenese girl. How would you like to have her serving you coffee in the morning? Scary.

The Constitution and the Vice President

2008-10-04T08:33:00.004-05:00

John at Power Line comments here on the constitutional role of the vice president--as touched on in the recent vice presidential debate. (I'm fairly confident that if Obama is elected president, Biden will relish this role.)

Here John links to a NY Post article that details some of Biden's misstatements in the debate. (Pain made her own--e.g., regarding the pre-surge troop levels.) I chuckled at the Burr reference.

For the Love of the Dog

2008-10-04T08:17:00.002-05:00

I saw this story a few days ago on TV. A Florida man takes on a shark to save his dog. Check it out here.

Philippians 2.5–8

2008-10-02T10:39:00.001-05:00

The ultimate exemplar of the type of like-minded, humble pursuit of gospel unity that Paul wishes to commend to the church in Philippi is Jesus himself. In 2:5 he turns from simple exhortation to a concrete example by urging the Christians to "consider this [mindset/mode of living] among you, which also is in Christ Jesus." In other words, possess or embody Christ's way of life—a high standard to follow, indeed. But rather than point first to Jesus' exalted status, his glory, his majesty, Paul draws upon his lowliness to drive home his argument.

After all, "even though" [a concessive formulation] he existed in God's form—something Paul has no wish to deny—Jesus "did not consider 'the being equal to God' status as a thing to be grasped." How different Jesus' manner was, then, from how we tend to conduct our lives, even those of us who would carry around the title "Christian." We grab for every possible shred of dignity and status within our reach; if others fail to exalt us, we exalt ourselves. Our whole lives are a testimony to a struggle to reach the top by whatever means within our power—academically, financially, socially, et cetera. Christ's way was so different, and it was so because he placed his faith in the sovereign lord of the universe.

Rather than grasp for his rightful status as "God," Jesus did something different, something much unexpected. At this point (v. 6b) Paul delivers a strong contrast, "but!" [alla], to emphasize just how extraordinary Jesus' actions were when compared with typical human tendency. The one who existed in God's form nevertheless "emptied himself" of the privileges that "Godness" affords by means of taking/assuming a slave's form. Put another way, he exchanged the form of God for the form of slave, the radical reverse of our expectations and our own habits. Paul reminds us here that Jesus came not merely to testify to his glory but to serve. This service mindset is what Paul himself strives to embody—note already how he has put the cause of the gospel before even his own life—and what he wishes his converts in Philippi to take up as well.

Concurrently with Jesus' emptying himself [I take this verb as parallel with "empty"], he was "born in man's likeness (v. 7c)," which is to say, he became a man. This further phrase illustrates, firstly, that Jesus' appearance as a man (his "likeness") does not tell the full story about who his is. But it also suggests a close linkage between the concepts of "man" or "human" and the idea of "service"—at least insofar as Jesus' humanity became operative for the purpose of service. So far Jesus' humble actions seem laudatory, even counter-cultural, but the full extent of their radical nature has not yet been explored. That's why Paul goes on to say that,

While "being found with respect to outward appearance as a man" [I take this as a temporal clause, explaining when Jesus' following actions take place] Jesus "humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death." Our humility often consists of deferential treatment toward others; of avoiding the limelight; of letting someone else set in front of us while in line. Rarely does our humility take the form of serious self-limiting action. Jesus was humble "by means of" giving himself over in death. His path of obedience led to a destination of expiration; our way of obedience often results in a "temporary setback," because we can't imagine that God wants anything else for our lives other than success. And to top it all off, Paul goes out of his way to emphasize that Jesus' death was the worst then imaginable: it was death produced by a cross.

Why didn't Jesus resist? Was Jesus by his death simply seeking to enact a dramatic—and tragic—parable? What had he to gain from such servitude? What have we? Paul treats the substance of these questions beginning in verse 9.

Kristol's Advice for McCain

2008-09-30T10:37:00.003-05:00

Here's some interesting advice for McCain from Bill Kristol. I'm not sure if I agree with Kristol that the liberal tag will hurt Obama at this point. And it seems as if McCain is unwilling to draw attention to the Obama-Ayers connection, noted here in a February post by Ben Smith.

Review of Freddosa's Book on Obama

2008-09-25T13:38:00.002-05:00

The Economist has up a review of NRO's (yes, a conservative publication) David Freddosa's work on Obama. Ultimately, Freddosa finds that Obama is, counter to public presentation, a rather conventional politician. Check out the article here.

Campaign 2008: Out with the Old and in with the, er, Old

2008-09-25T07:41:00.004-05:00

Here's an article on how this presidential race stacks up against past one's. The author concludes--and I would have to largely agree with him--that Obama and McCain are for the most part running fairly convential campaigns.

Philippians 2.1-5

2008-09-19T11:49:00.003-05:00

The material in Chapter 2 flows nicely in a thematic way from Paul's discussion in Chapter 1. We've mentioned before how Paul time and again seems to encourage imitation among his addresses—both of Christ and of himself. We see examples of both here.

Technically, a new section begins in 1:21, insofar as there the apostle explains his intentions to strive further in his ministry as this accrues to the benefit of the Philippians. This attitude, in fact, sets a tone for selfless service and concern for others that Paul wants to impress upon the church. In 1:27–30 he shifts his discussion to the church and begins to treat their responsibility in light of his absence. Even here he associates "living as citizens" (1.27) with a like-minded and harmonious common pursuit of the gospel. It is in the first part of Chapter 2, though, that Paul holds up Christ as an example and unpacks what kind of humility is required of citizens of heaven.

The "therefore" in 2.1 serves to pick up and further explicate Paul's command in 1.27. In this first section (2.1–5) what the apostle wants to do is describe a way-of-life that is characteristic of the follower of Christ. He will then follow up this description with a portrayal of Christ that reinforces his command and further fleshes it out.

While Paul begins Chapter 2 with a series of "if-then" commands, there is little doubt, on the one hand, that these conditions are indeed met and, on the other, that the resultant command must be obeyed. There is encouragement that results from one's residing in Christ [the grounding condition—note the "in" versus "of"—of the following conditions]; there is solace that emanates from [God's] love; true fellowship does indeed spring from the Holy Spirit's presence; and affection and compassion do characterize Christ's followers. Since these conditions are met, the Philippians are obligated to fulfill Paul's command, which oddly enough is to "complete" his joy (2.2).

What follows is Paul's explanation of his joy—that which the Philippians must complete. (This gives us a glimpse, therefore, into the apostle's mindset every bit as much as it describes actions to be undertaken.) Instead of understanding Paul to say "complete my joy by . . .," we should translate the passage "complete my joy, which is you being like-minded [lit., "thinking the same thing"]. When read this way, it's easier to see just how central unity was in Paul's thinking—unity, that is, that is grounded in the Gospel. His joy is a function of the church's unity. The following clauses should not be read as parallel statements with "you being like-minded," as if they are additional actions, but rather as explanations of how (means) to embody the like-mindedness that Paul envisions.

Paul explains how the Philippians are to embody the like-minded life-style by employing three sets of statements, the first strictly positive and the next two comprising alternative, positive-negative commands. (1) Firstly, they are to possess the same love, be harmonious, and focus on the same thing. There is a clear intent to emphasize "sameness" in the apostle's participial phrases; (2) secondly, instead (neg.) of acting according to the standards dictated by strife or vanity, the Philippians are to (pos.) regard others as being more important than themselves; (3) and thirdly, through the instrumentality of humility, which Christ-followers should possess, individuals are not (neg.) to look out for his or her own affairs, but instead (pos.) should look out for the concerns of others.

The above commands are based on and grounded in the model set by Christ, which Paul goes on to delineate in the following verses. . . .

Anti-Americanism in Europe

2008-09-15T23:28:00.003-05:00

No wonder why America is so disliked. It's the polygamy!

Bernard Lagat's Coach

2008-06-24T12:44:00.003-05:00

Here's an article in the NY Times about James Li, the coach of US runner, Bernard Lagat. I found this interesting about Lagat's training and Li's commentary on it:

Many distance runners train twice a day and run 125 or so miles a week. Lagat has maintained his health and sharpness by training once a day and running about 65 to 70 miles a week. “If I’ve been able to do one thing, it is to liberate myself from what is written in a book,” Li said.

Articles on Philippians, Part 1 (Provenance)

2008-06-21T13:32:00.006-05:00

In the course of my study of Philippians I've read some interesting articles lately. They appear in the edited work New Testament Greek and Exegesis: Essays in Honor of Gerald F. Hawthorne.

Frank Thielman, in "Ephesus and the Literary Setting of Philippians," examines arguments for both Rome and Ephesus as the birthplace of Paul's letter to the Macedonian church at Ephesus. Both proposals have their share of advocates, many utilizing poor arguments, in the estimation of hte author. Thielman's argument for Ephesus, rather than relying on external evidence, proceeds on literary grounds.

Thielman determines that an Ephesian provenance, at a time period near to the apostle's penning of Galatians and 1 Corinthians, provides a solution to two "puzzles" that plague one's interpretation of the epistle--1) why the sudden (sharp) change in tone at chapter 3; 2) why does the apostle seem to combat two opposite tendencies, nomism (3:2f) and anti-nomism (3:18f)? Apparently (per Th.) Paul wrote Philippians during his ministry to the Ephesians when "his conflict with Judaizers in Galatia was still fresh in his mind" (219). At the same time, Paul has had to contend recently with the Corithians, many of whom, because of their exalted view of their own spirituality and their cultural climate, allowed themselves wide latitude in indulging their bodily appetites. Thus, the apostle warns the Philippians against a similar move in their habits. In the way it is easy to see how the apostle might find it necessary to combat both practical errors before they take root among the Philippians.

Gospel of Judas

2008-06-16T13:03:00.002-05:00

Here's an article giving a behind-the-scenes view of the scholarly infighting in the wake of the National Geographic documentary on the Gospel of Judas. Interesting stuff. (HT: Mark Goodacre)

Packing and Obama

2008-06-13T12:15:00.002-05:00

I hate packing. It used to be that I didn't mind it so much, but I think I'm getting old.

Read this David Brooks column about Obama and his education policy on break. Check it out.

Tuesday Tidbits

2008-05-20T11:48:00.002-05:00

Here's a couple more great columns by David Brooks.

On escaping the mundane.

On a brewing spiritual battle.

And a friend just passed along a Times article on today's Ireland, a must read. Check out the slideshow. For my money (figuratively and literally) experiencing pub life is the best part of visiting Ireland. Check out the article here.

Conservatism across the Pond

2008-05-14T13:39:00.003-05:00

Here's an interesting column by David Brooks comparing the stature--and message--of today's British conservatives with America's. I'm intrigued by the British conservative projection, at least, of a positive concern for society (i.e., rather than just being against negative forces) that seems to be coupled with traditional conservative economic themes. Who knows how this will be manifested in practice. Surely America's conservatives should be watching the situation closely and rethinking what shape today's conservative movement should take.

Doc's Pep Talk

2008-05-14T12:43:00.002-05:00

Here's some funny stuff from the Sports Guy. I don't have a lot of confidence in the Celtics at this point.

Philippians 1:27-30, Part 3

2008-05-05T12:42:00.002-05:00

The relative clause "which" in verse 28 does not, I take it, refer to all of vv. 27–28 but only to this late statement concerning how the Philippian Christians are to respond to their opponents. Paul here unpacks the significance of fearlessness in the face of all kinds of adverse circumstances arranged by those who (literally) stand against the Christ-believers.

A fearless response to attacks on the gospels signals ["a sign of," g. of apposition] two things: for those who opposes, it essentially as a visible proclamation of destruction; the gospel itself, after all, was birthed in/through opposition! By contrast, fearlessness for the believer who proclaim the gospel, for reasons that Paul will go to elaborate, becomes evidence of salvation. Being "partakers of grace" (1:8) carries with it a hope that can not be extinguished by human opposition, that of being resurrected from the dead and transformed in the body (3:10, 21), being "with Christ" (1:26), and seeing "every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord" (2:11). Ultimately, Paul takes care to note, the "salvation" that he Philippian believers enjoy comes "from God." This simple addition hints again at the inference that the opponents sponsored an approach to religion that relied heavily on personal achievement.

With an explanatory "since," Paul advances his argument for fearless suffering by undermining any element of surprise that such opposition may occasion for his church in Philippi. They are to understand that such opposition is their lot as followers of Christ. The passive "it has been granted to you" alerts the readers to the reality that God stands behind all circumstances that they encounter. And just as much as they have been chosen—not for their sake, but "for the sake of Christ" (1:29a)—to direct their belief to Christ, so too they have been selected to suffer "on his behalf" (1:29b). Suffering is part and parcel of the life of a Christ-believer. No big surprise given Christ's own bloody path to exaltation.

As the apostle does elsewhere, so too here he holds up himself as an example for the Philippians. While [temporal] they are engaged in suffering, they can realize they are walking the same path ("conflict") that their spiritual father, Paul, himself has gone down and continues to follow. They are to engage in imitation as a way of bolstering their confidence in Christ as they encounter opposition.

To summarize 1:27–30. Being citizens (1:27; cf. 3:20) of a heavenly kingdom requires a (i) unified approach, (ii) common striving for/in the interest of the gospel's message and purpose, and (iii) a fearless attitude toward opposition—which is a sign of (a) destruction for opponents and (b) salvation from God for believers, which is (c) founded on the call of God to suffer on behalf of Christ, and which process is (d) supported by the similar conflict endured by those who go before his in the faith [here, Paul].

Iran

2008-04-30T13:46:00.004-05:00

Here's an interesting article in the Times from yesterday about Iran's nuclear program. The country recently released photos of a nuclear development facility in Nantanz, giving analysts plenty to debate about: why, for example, is the Ahmidinejad regime showing its cards? what do such cards reveal? is uranium being enriched for peaceful purposes (note the "bottom bearing" mentioned in the article).

What America's approach toward Iran will, I hope, be an important issue in this year's presidential campaign. While I certainly don't find myself agreeing with President Bush on all foreign policy matters (e.g., Iraq), particularly when it comes to a devaluation of diplomacy, I also can't help thinking that the an "Obaman" approach might be equally dangerous. Ultimately, a president's foreign policy approach to different countries and different conflicts should be, well, different, even when there's an operative well thought-out policy.

From experience, we know that taking a country at its word, as the US did with North Korea during the Clinton years, can pose certain hazards when the avowed enemy is adept at using deception and diplomacy to achieve its nefarious purposes. Iran, I think, resembles North Korea in this respect, declaring, against all past evidence, that its aims are peaceful. It might not be the wisest thing merely to take the leadership at its word or to engage in toothless diplomacy that might allow them, as it did North Korea, to gain more time in developing nuclear weapons (which, by the way, are likely to be completed by 2010-2015 according to current projections).

All's Not Wright with Obama

2008-04-30T13:29:00.003-05:00

Though I'm not an Obama supporter, I do admire him and, consequently, feel sorry for him as the Rev. Wright stuff has dominated the news of the last few days. Of course I do find it hard to understand how some of Wright's positions and statements could have come as a surprise to Obama--could this really be a completely different side of Wright than Obama has encountered over the last twenty years? Yet still, I can understand how Wright and Obama may share a common understanding of some of the problems occupying American (esp. black) while dividing over how to frame those issues and what solutions to offer.

Clearly Wright is taking a more divisive approach while Obama, whether because of temperment or ideology, wants to provide unification in moving forward toward solutions. It's possible that what came across in their past dealings was a mutual agreement that these problems do exist, but, either because Wright didn't listen or because Obama didn't offer (Wright, after all, was the superior in the context of their relationship), Obama's more measured policy solutions were not understood by Wright. This does not seem improbable to me. And I do not hold Obama responsible for Wright's rhetoric.

Philippians 1:27–30, Part 2

2008-04-28T11:49:00.006-05:00

The remainder of this section (1:27b–30) expresses what it means to live in such a way as the apostle envisions. Paul employs a purpose clause ("in order that") merely as a means to spell out how the Christians in Philippi should be behaving: the important thing is not, of course, whether he "is able to come and see" or "hear" the following things about them, but that they are in fact conducting themselves as he proceeds to spell out.

What comprises conduct worthy of the gospel is, in part, unity. Later Paul discusses unity in contrast to conceited, self-interested behavior, whose opposite is seen in Christ's self-denying obedience (2.1-8); here, he describes it ("stand in one Spirit," [manner]) as a stance Christ-believers should assume as they [temporal] "strive together [again, manner] for [i.e., 'in the interest of'] the faith." (By "the faith," Paul means the gospel.)

Just because different people may be declaring and fighting for the same gospel does not mean that they are doing so in a way that truly embodies that gospel and models unity. We recall how earlier in the same chapter Paul speaks of those who preached Christ "from envy and rivalry" (1:15). While he concluded there, however, that ultimately what was important was that "Christ is proclaimed" (1:18), here (1:28) he emphasizes that it does in fact matter how those proclaiming Christ stand in relation to the rest of the family of believers.

Next Paul moves to what must have been a central concern to his recipients: opponents of the gospel. Even as [temporal, parallel with the preceding clause] the Philippians are to stand together as a united body in their defense of the gospel, they are, outwardly, to protect themselves against fear of those who oppose them and/or their message.

It's not clear to whom Paul is referring here, but one might suppose, based on 3:1-2, that such opponents urge a more strict adherence to certain behavioral precepts (the law? circumcision?). Regardless of their identity, Paul is clear that the Philippians should not be frightened "in anything [means, i.e., 'by'] by those standing against you." Interestingly, the apostle does not care to elaborate why the Philippians ought not to fear, but instead chooses to dwell on the significance/repercussions of such an attitude.

For the Love of the Plant

2008-04-26T11:44:00.002-05:00

This week I was listening to the Herd, IMHO the best sports radio show out there, and heard about the book, It's Just a Plant. Colin talks about a lot of stuff other than just sports, so I wasn't too surprised he brought this up. Hearing about this, though, I didn't know whether to laugh or shake my head (I did both). This, from an editorial review on Amazon:

"Jackie wakes up late at night and finds her parents smoking pot. They give a simple explanation and promise to talk to her about it the next day, which happens to be Halloween."

The goal of this book, apparently, is to acclimate one's children to the proper use of marijuana. It is, after all, just a plant.

From Syria to Pike Place

2008-04-23T15:29:00.004-05:00

Here's an interesting article in the Times about the survival (barely) of Aramaic in several Syrian villages. The article notes how The Passion of the Christ stirred some interest in Malula's (a Syrian village) Aramaic heritage. Like the citizens of the village and the prof. at UCLA mentioned in the story, I also had a hard time following the Aramaic dialogue in the movie, because of the "different dialects of Aramaic, and the actors’ pronunciation made it hard to understand anything." But only for those reasons. Heh.

Meanwhile, Brian at Climb Jacob's Ladder has an interesting post up about "Libertarian strains in US Christianity and its boundaries." He examines the intersection of Christianity with government and manages to touch on the philosophical roots of the US constitution.

Tim Ricchuiti has provided some final thoughts (along with session-by-session summaries) of the 2008 Grear-Heard Forum at New Orleans Baptist Seminary. This would have been an awesome event to attend.

Oh, and for the record, I hate Starbucks' Pike Place Roast! It's weak. Sorry, Jason.

Philippians 1.27-30, Part 1

2008-04-21T15:21:00.003-05:00

Paul is sure that he is going to "remain" yet longer because of the benefit that the Philippians stand to gain from his coming to them. Not surprisingly, for Paul this gain is ultimately the whole-hearted fixation—in thought (1:9), proclamation (1:18), and identification (3:8)—on Jesus Christ. The apostle exemplifies this reality in his own life, and he hopes that by his visiting the Philippian church, they too will approach this ideal. Most importantly ("only"), though, the believers are to behave (or "conduct yourselves as citizens") in a manner that is "worthy of the gospel of Christ" (1.27), that is, the good news that is characterized by Christ.

The verb in this sentence, politeuomai, is related to "city" (polis) and "citizen" (politeis) but in common usage at this time probably carried the general idea of "live," "conduct one's ways," etc., though one can easily see how the concepts are related, since being a citizen carried with it certain obligations. And because of this connection, it's not outside of the realm of possibility that Paul does intend the idea "conduct yourselves as citizens" to be understood by his readers as they are, as Christians, ones who live with a certain expectation of "the day of Jesus Christ" (1:6) that will "bring to completion" the work wrought within them. In fact, this work confirms that they already enjoy—together with all Christ-believers—"citizenship . . . in heaven" (3:19). Thus, even now they are bound by an obligation to live in a manner that corresponds to the person who has guaranteed their citizenship.

The remainder of this section (1:27b–30) expresses what it means to live in such a way. Paul employs a purpose clause ("in order that") merely as a means to spell out how the Christians in Philippi should be behaving: the important thing is not, of course, whether he "is able to come and see" or "hear" the following things about them, but that they are in fact conducting themselves as he proceeds to spell out.

Patriots Day and Boston Sports

2008-04-21T14:49:00.003-05:00

Boy, I wish I were in Boston for Patriots Day (or the day it is celebrated). Aside from the historical significance of this holiday, there is much to appreciate it from a sports perspective, especially this year. Of course the Boston Marathon is a huge draw. (Too bad I'm an old man with a gimpy knee, or else I would join the field.) It looks like there was a pretty close finish today.

The Sox, of course, come in a close second in terms of importance. Today in downing the Rangers they completed a sweep at home. Way to go, Buchholz! Up next, Beckett faces the Angels and SP Weaver.

The Celtics last night proved their regular season dominance was no fluke as they crushed the Atlanta Hawks. Who would have thought a year ago that the Celtics would be co-favorites--along with the Pistons--to make it to the finals?! Even more surreal is the fact that they stand a good chance of meeting the LA Lakers if they do. What is this, the 80s all over again? Should both of these storied franchises indeed meet again in the momentous finals, I will be hard-pressed, as a traditional Lakers fan with new Celtic sensibilities, to decide who I want to win. A nice problem to have, nonetheless.

Well, I guess that's it. Oh wait, could it be true, could the Bruins really be jealous enough for some of the limelight so as to do something about it? Perhaps. At least they've already done the improbable as an eight seed in the playoffs--coming from behind 3-1 to tie the series 3-3 and force the one-seeded Montreal Canadiens to the brink of elimination. While it's not likely they will in fact upend the dominant team north of the border, there's still hope. After all, it is Patriots Day (kinda).

The Fence Fell

2008-04-16T13:17:00.009-05:00

Here's a very interesting poem by Erich Fried that we read in our German class:

Versuchung

In Nachbars Garten

wiegt sich der apfel am Stiel

"Still, Stiel!"

"Still stiehl!"

Ich hielt mich an

an dem Zaun

und der Zaun fil.

Viel fiel.

Ich hielt mich nicht mehr im Zaum.

Im Garten

baumt sich die Schlange

unter dem Baum.

A rough translation, rendered, of course, with the aid of our prof., reads like this:

Trial (or Testing)

In the neighbor's garden

the apple swayed on the stem.

"Silent, Stem!"

"Silently steal!"

I held myself

on the fence [i.e., in check]

and the fence fell.

Much fell.

I held myself in check no more.

In the garden

the serpent "treed himself"

under the tree.

The play on words in this poem is a central feature. There's the similarity at the beginning b/w Stiel ("stem") and stiehl ("steal," imperative); the comma in the 3rd line indicates an address to the stem, whereas the absence of one in the 4th line suggests, instead, a command given to a separate entity to "steal silently (adverb)."

Further on the poet playfully employs a common expression (apparently) in German "on the fence," which figurately means "hold oneself in check," in close proximity to "the fence fell," presumably to illustrate the inexorable consquences resulting from a breakdown in self-restraint. As the fence down, "much [else] did (Viel fiel)."

In the end, the snake "treed himself (baumt sich) [presumably an invented verb by Fried]" "under the tree (unter dem Baum)." Thus, what was the neighbor's garden at the beginning, seems now to be the serpent's. Perhaps?

Anyway, I find this poem at the same time fun and haunting and very worth pondering.

Man Who Grew Roots

2008-04-14T16:26:00.002-05:00

I just saw this video of an Indonesian man "who grew roots." I can't imagine how difficult his life must have been. Happily, it seems that he may have a chance of recovery after doctors recently performed a series of operations on him. Here's a fuller story on the man and his disease. Apparently,

"Dede's problem was that he has an extremely rare immune system deficiency, leaving his body unable to contain the warts. The virus was therefore able to "hijack the cellular machinery of his skin cells", ordering them to produce massive amounts of the substance causing tree-like growths known as "cutaneous horns"."

Boston and Seafood

2008-04-12T13:20:00.009-05:00

Our trip to Boston didn't exactly turn out the way we had planned. P. made two trips to the ER, was virtually confined to a room for the trip, and was forced to cancel her interviews. However, I am so thankful that we made it through a very trying time and am very grateful to our hosts R. and A., who were so kind to us in feeding us, giving us rides, and attending to all our needs. Their cute son provided much additional entertainment. He's quite an accomplished guitarist, as seen in the picture below. When he plays he taps his foot on the ground. It's hilarious.

Though our trip to Boston was nearly a wash, we did have a fun time the first few days. On Monday night we spent time with our awesome friends Keke and Jade in the North End. They introduced us to The Daily Catch, an unassuming restaurant with scrumptious seafood; they also have branch in Brookline.

Here Keke and Jade demonstrate the proper way to eat calamari.

P. had a cool dish: ground squid served over noodles died with squid ink. I like how it's served in the pan in which it's cooked.

My mussels weren't half bad either.

Bad and Good

2008-04-08T21:55:00.001-05:00

Still bummed about this. But baseball season is in full swing and this cheers me up.

Boston--Friends and Food

2008-03-23T20:56:00.003-05:00

It's already been a great couple days since landing in Boston. We are staying with our wonderful friends who are housemaster's at MIT; I'm hoping just by being here that some of the brain power will rub off on me. Seeing them and other friends at church and for lunch has been nice.

Also, we've had two great--all-time favorite--dishes since being here, Pho and Jombong. I've greatly missed these so I'm still savoring them in my belly. Sigh.

Stuck on a Toilet

2008-03-18T15:39:00.002-05:00

It's been a while since I last posted. Been busy proofreading a commentary on 2 Peter and Jude, writing curriculum for the 8th graders, and studying German. Fun stuff.

Anyhow, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to link to this story appearing in the local Columbia Tribune. It's about a woman in Kansas--next door to Missouri, for you Northeasterners--who was found stuck to a toilet. Enjoy.

More Buechner

2008-03-04T14:23:00.002-06:00

"Almighty and everlasting God,

Only speak to us that we may hear thee. Then speak to us and yet again so that when in our hearts we answer thee by saying No, we may at least know well to whom we say it, and what it costs us to say it, and what it costs our brothers, and what it costs thee.

And when at those moments that we can never foretell we say Yes to thee, forgive our healfheartedness, accept us as we are, work thy miracle within us, and of thy grace give us strength to follow wherever love may lead.

We bless thee for him who shows us the way and is the way and who will be, we pray, at the end of all our ways. Grant that even on stumbling feet we may follow him into the terrible needs of the human heart. Remember us. Remember us. For thy mercy's sake.

Amen."

Life's Presents

2008-03-03T15:49:00.009-06:00

Here are some penetrating words from Frederick Buechner's "The Sign by the Highway":

"The old saying is that where there is life, there is hope, and I think that the hope that there is, the hope that if not tomorrow or the next day, then some fine day, somehow, life will finally give us the present which, when we open it, will turn out to be the one that we have waited for so long, which is the one that will fill the empty place, which is the peace that passeth all understanding, which is the truth, salvation, whatever we want to call it.

But one by one, as we open the presents, no matter how rich and wondrous they are, we discover that no one of them by itself, nor even all of them taken together, is the one of our deepest desiring--that ultimately, although her face is beautiful and draws us to her, life by herself does not have that final present to give. And to know that is the pain of it as again and again we reach out our hands to life for what we need most deeply, only to have it seized in the terrible grasp."

Philippians 1:12-18, Part 4

2008-03-02T18:32:00.004-06:00

So the situation that faces Paul is proclamation of Christ for very different reasons. The implied question, then, is what does he think of the fact that some people may be engaging in preaching activities for such base reasons (“What then?” v. 18a). His response reveals his single concern: As long as “Christ is proclaimed . . . I rejoice” (v. 18b). What is especially interesting about this section (vv. 12-18) as compared with the former one (vv. 3-11) is that here Paul seems to take a pragmatic approach in focusing on the end result—the announcement of the news about Christ—whereas there Paul was very much interested in the internal lives of the Christians.

We could draw the wrong conclusion from this observation and say that Paul is simply a pragmatist, intent on Christianizing. However, what this observation really points up is the fact of God’s sovereignty evident in his working through less-than ideal circumstances. Above it had been Paul's imprisonment and the hostility of the palace guards; here it is the twisted motives of some of the insiders, fellow Christians. And Paul’s response is key here as well, for he determines, first, to recognize God’s working, and, second, to rejoice in it, even when as now it means a level of discomfort for himself.

Earlier I mentioned that Paul holds himself out as a model and that is part of the reason why he shifts from concern for the Philippians to excursus on his own circumstances, and then back to matters involving his recipients in 1.27. In this context it is notable that Paul resolves to rejoice in every circumstance here (1.18) and later states his desire to remain in the flesh for the “progress and joy in the faith” (1.25b) of the Philippians.

Essentially, Paul wants this group of Christians to reach the same state of being able to find their wholeness of meaning and fulfillment in glorify of Christ that he himself enjoys. He is not merely stroking his ego and singing his own praises, but is showing his young converts how to orient themselves in the midst of adverse circumstances. The repetition of “I will rejoice” in verse 18b is a bridge that allows Paul to draw a theological conclusion to his experiences above as well as to begin a brief new section (vv. 19-26/30?) that links the apostle and his experiences to his church at Philippi.