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the allusions he himself identies seem less than solid.
Luther hardly needed to have read the Metamorphoses to call
his critics donkeys, while the alleged Apuleian echoes in
Sidneys Arcadia seem pretty doubtful. I noted a few factual
slips and some errors in translation. But these are minor
aws in a wide-ranging and important book.
Gregory Hays
University of Virginia
VERGILS ECLOGUES. Edited by Katharina Volk. Oxford
Readings in Classical Studies. Oxford and New York: Oxford
University Press, 2008. Pp. vi + 293. Paper, $49.95.
This volume, a complement to Oxford Readings in
Vergils Georgics (2007) and Aeneid (1990), is intended as an
introduction to recent scholarship on the same poets
Eclogues. It contains a survey by Volk, a full bibliography,
and ten studies, in or translated into English, by nine dis-
tinguished commentators. Some of the studies have been
revised slightly and equipped, where lacking, with transla-
tions of Latin quoted in the text (but not in the notes), but all
were originally published in the last quarter of the twentieth
century, when the Eclogues generated a remarkable amount
of scholarship. As Volk observes, much of this was, to use
her terms, either ideological, interpreting the Eclogues as a
response to their historical, political, and religious context,
or literary, exploring them chiey as poems about
poetry, but her selections include only two ideological
studies, both concerned more with antecedents and inu-
ence than with the Eclogues themselves. On the literary
side are valuable discussions of individual poems, groups of
poems, and thematic elements, but also two accounts of style
and language that seem out of place in a collection requiring
translation of Latin texts and could have been omitted in
favor of more ideology. Nevertheless, even as it is, the book
should serve both classicists and general readers as a useful,
if somewhat one-sided, introduction to these remarkable
poems.
David Mankin
Cornell University
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Christian Origins
GREETINGS IN THE LORD: EARLY CHRISTIANS
AND THE OXYRHYNCHUS PAPYRI. By AnneMarie
Luijendijk. Harvard Theological Studies, 60. Cambridge, MA:
Harvard University Press, 2008. Pp. xx + 294. $25.00.
This is a ne example of what may be termed narrative
papyrology, in which the authors papyrological skills
combine with a disciplined imagination to bring to life snap-
shots of the lives of the people behind the small details of life
in Oxyrhynchus randomly preserved among the papyri. For
example, behind two seemingly insignicant parchment
scraps the author envisions the contours of a Christian
scriptorium. In the rst section, the image of a busy
223
marketplace frames a discussion of the public identity and
identication of Christians. In the second section, ve letters
referencing Sotas, a third-century bishop, reveal a lively
network linking Christian communities and their common
concerns and activities (including bookmaking and fundrais-
ing). The third section looks for Christians in ofcial
papers (certicates of sacrice, summons, and property
conscation orders) and nds evidence of street level
forms of resistance to and subversion of government orders.
The three sections (of two chapters each) are nicely framed
by introductory and summative chapters. Overall Luijendijk
does a ne job of teasing out details from the lives of real
people and plausibly framing scenes from the lives these
details imply. Her work is simultaneously a ne study of
Christians in Oxyrhynchus and a very readable portal to the
discipline of papyrology.
Michael W. Holmes
Bethel University
FROM LITERAL TO LITERARY: THE ESSENTIAL
REFERENCE BOOK FOR BIBLICAL METAPHORS.
SECOND EDITION. By James Rowe Adams. Cleveland,
OH: The Pilgrim Press, 2008. Pp. 387. $25.00.
This resource is aimed at a lay audience unfamiliar with
the technical study of the Bible or the biblical languages. The
author states that his goal is to enrich the readers under-
standing of biblical metaphors that have too often been inter-
preted in an overly literal fashion. From the outset, there is
a not-so-subtle subtext wherein the author reveals his prob-
lems with institutionalized religion. This subtext permeates
the book and raises questions about whether his treatment
of biblical metaphors is really all that balanced or fair.
Though Adams writes in his acknowledgements that he has
tried to be sensitive to those who come from more conserva-
tive backgrounds, the book clearly reects a politically and
theologically liberal stance within mainline Protestantism.
Practically, this means that the authors attempts at uncov-
ering biblical metaphors are in some places illuminating and
in other places reective of his own presuppositions rather
than those of the biblical authors. Entries that fall into this
latter category include, among others, homosexual (pp.
144-46), and virgin birth (pp. 304-06), where Adams incor-
rectly identies Isaiah 7:14 (he writes 14:7) as the OT source
for Matthews understanding of the virginal conception.
These entries seem to reect an anticonservative polemic, or
at the very least, an apologetic for understanding the biblical
text from a liberal mainline Protestant perspective. Further,
no rationale is provided for why the book includes some
biblical metaphors (which is presumably the books focus),
some metaphors from Christian theological discussions, and
some terms that are not metaphorical in the slightest.
Neither is there an explanation of why some metaphors are
included while other equally important metaphors are left
out. This book suffers from a number of aws in terms of
presentation, methodology, and breadth of research. The aim
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behind this book is a noble one, but there are several other
helpful resources to recommend before suggesting this one
to an interested layperson.
Christopher W. Skinner
Mount Olive College
SETTLEMENT AND HISTORY IN HELLENISTIC,
ROMAN, AND BYZANTINE GALILEE. By Uzi Leibner.
Tbingen, Germany: Mohr Siebeck, 2009. Pp. 471. $199.00.
This technical monograph began as a doctoral disserta-
tion at Bar Ilan University in Ramat Gan, Israel, and eventu-
ally morphed into its nal form after several years of
subsequent research. The ambitious aim of the volumeto
reconstruct the settlement history of Galilee during the
Greek, Roman, and Byzantine erasis pursued through a
methodology that is both literary and archaeological. Leibner
begins his introduction by tracing the history of archaeologi-
cal research on Galilee and its surrounding regions. This
study is concerned with Galilee, but more specically the
northern part of the Eastern Lower Galilee, between longi-
tude 185-200 and latitude 242-261, an area of some 285
square kilometers. According to Leibner, this area provides
the most reliable literary evidence for advanced archaeologi-
cal research. Leibner has done a tremendous amount of work
in collating and translating all the relevant documentary
materials. The literary evidence examined in this volume
comes from Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic sources and has
been compared with rabbinic sources from the periods in
question. As one might expect from a volume such as this,
there are also extensive discussions of pottery types, agri-
culture, climate, and other issues traditionally associated
with biblical archaeology. In all, the study looks at fty dif-
ferent archaeological sites in Galilee. This book is clearly the
result of in-depth research and one must be well versed in
the language and nuances of biblical archaeology to use the
book with any real benet. That being said, Leibner has
produced a volume that will likely become the eld manual
for archaeological research on the settlement history of
Galilee during the three eras covered by his research.
Christopher W. Skinner
Mount Olive College
EXPERIENTIA, VOLUME 1: INQUIRY INTO RELI-
GIOUS EXPERIENCE IN EARLY JUDAISM AND
EARLY CHRISTIANITY. Edited by Frances Flannery,
Colleen Shantz, and Rodney A. Werline. Atlanta, GA: Society
of Biblical Literature, 2008. Pp. 261. $32.95.
Literary expressions of early Judaism and Christianity
present readers with an array of religious experiences, from
demonic possession and spiritual transformation to apoca-
lyptic visions and heavenly ascents. This book is a compila-
tion of papers that explore these and other religious
experiences. The papers were originally presented over
several years in the Religious Experience in Early Judaism
and Early Christianity Consultation of the SBL. Although
VOLUME 36 NUMBER 3 SEPTEMBER 2010
the volume is concerned with both early Judaism and early
Christianity, eight of the books thirteen chapters are
devoted to exploring religious experiences in the NT. There
are two chapters on Mark (both related to the demonic), one
on the language of transformation in John, and an entire
section consisting of ve chapters on Paul. The rationale for
devoting an entire section to religious experiences in Pauls
writings is that the Pauline corpus seems to offer both the
most tantalizing access to religious experience and some
quite complex problems regarding our access to that expe-
rience. An essay by C. Fletcher-Louis entitled Religious
Experience and the Apocalypses is among the most inter-
esting chapters in this volume. Fletcher-Louis examines
similarities between Daniel, 1 Enoch, and Joseph and Aseneth
(three seemingly unrelated apocalypses), in light of a new
perspective on dealing with apocalyptic texts. As an entre
to the substantive chapters of the book, the editors provide
an exposition of their suppositions and methodology, espe-
cially as those concerns relate to the History of Religions
approach embodied specically by the Chicago School. This
is a welcomed rst volume in what will hopefully be an
ongoing series.
Christopher W. Skinner
Mount Olive College
WOMEN IN THE WORLD OF THE EARLIEST
CHRISTIANS: ILLUMINATING ANCIENT WAYS OF
LIFE. By Lynn H. Cohick. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Aca-
demic, 2009. Pp. 350. $26.99.
This book stands apart in the crowded eld of scholarly
investigations into the status and roles of women within the
Roman Empire and early Christianity. Cohick demonstrates
both a deep mastery of the primary texts and an enviable
sophistication in her readings of those texts. Cohick inter-
acts with secondary sources, but very little in this work is
derivative. The author has mastered the primary sources,
and readers will nd none of the gross generalizations or
simplistic stereotypes that characterize some of the schol-
arship within this eld. Cohick is sensitive to different aims
of our ancient sources. She appropriately notes that pre-
scriptive sources tend to stereotype women as silent and
submissive, while descriptive sources exhibit signicantly
more diversity. Cohick considers ancient women in all their
variety, surveying everything from womens roles as wives
and daughters to their vocations as wet nurses and artisans.
This volume is as attentive to slaves and prostitutes as it is
to female deacons and benefactors. The majority of her
work investigates the Greco-Roman context, but when
Cohick examines biblical texts she brings a fresh and well-
trained eye to many long familiar debates. Simply stated,
this volume is the best work of its kind that is currently
available. It is likely to serve as a standard work for decades
to come.
Thomas E. Phillips
Point Loma Nazarene University
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IN THE SHADOW OF EMPIRE: RECLAIMING THE
BIBLE AS A HISTORY OF FAITHFUL RESISTANCE.
Edited by Richard A. Horsley. Louisville, KY: Westminster
John Knox, 2008. Pp. 199. $24.95.
The imperial policies instituted during the Bush
Cheney administration caused many American Christians to
pose difcult questions about the relationship between the
Bible, the role of government, and the American identity.
Though the early days of American expansion were driven
by an ideology that saw America as the new Israel, Horsley
begins this volume by emphasizing that modern America is
much more like a new Rome, wielding its power with the
erceness of an ancient empire. The goal of this book is to
explore the underlying narrative of oppression and resis-
tance in the OT and NT with a view to answering contempo-
rary questions. Six of the books nine chapters are focused
on the NT, the entirety of which was written under Roman
rule. This lack of balance strikes the present reviewer as
somewhat strange, since the OT is more diverse in its depic-
tion of the struggle against the foreign domination of three
world empires (Assyria, Babylonia, and Persia). Neverthe-
less, this volume does an able job of advancing the thesis
that the Bible is a continued story of faithful resistance in
the face of imperial domination. The chapters are written
by (in order) Gottwald, Brueggemann, J. Berquist, Crossan,
Horsley, N. Elliott, W. Carter, B. Kahl, and G. Carey. This
lineup is impressive, as the contributors are established
scholars, and a few (notably Crossan and Carter) are well
known and regarded for their work on the Bible and empire.
The chapter by Brueggemann (Faith in the Empire) is par-
ticularly helpful for the biblical and ecclesial insights it
advances. Overall, this work is a good example of scholar-
ship in service to the church.
Christopher W. Skinner
Mount Olive College
ENGAGING ECONOMICS: NEW TESTAMENT SCE-
NARIOS AND EARLY CHRISTIAN RECEPTION.
Edited by Bruce W. Longenecker and Kelly D. Liebengood.
Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2009. Pp. 336. Paper, $32.00.
This collection of thirteen original essays by both estab-
lished and emerging scholars is composed of strong indi-
vidual contributions. The opening essay on methodological
issues (by P. Oakes) is exceptional. The next seven essays
examine various economic themes and concerns in selected
NT writings (particularly the Synoptic Gospels, Acts, Paul,
James, and 1 Peter). Some articles explore an entire NT book
or corpus (e.g., LukeActs or Paul), while others examine a
recurring theme (e.g. reciprocity, benefaction, and the rela-
tionship between money and identity). The coverage of the
NT is selective, not comprehensive. Three of the following
essays examine the reception of Galatians 2:10, of the book
of Revelation, and of Pauls instructions to widows (as found
in 1 Timothy!). The two closing essays explore the theme of
almsgiving in a broad swath of early Christianity and the
economics implications of the Syriac Book of Steps. Each
VOLUME 36 NUMBER 3 SEPTEMBER 2010
article in this volume stands well on its own merit, but the
chapters have little clear connection to one another either in
terms of approach or content. The volume is fully indexed
and the editors provide a brief introduction and afterword.
Research libraries should secure a copy of this volume.
Thomas E. Phillips
Point Loma Nazarene University
THE TRIAL NARRATIVES: CONFLICT, POWER,
AND IDENTITY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. By
Matthew L. Skinner. Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox,
2010. Pp. 210. Paper, $34.95.
Skinner examines the trial narratives in the four gospels
and Acts, devoting a chapter to Jesus trial narrative in each
of the gospels, to the trials in Jerusalem (Acts 4-8), to the
trials in Philippi and Thessalonica (Acts 16-17), and to Pauls
nal trials in various settings (Acts 21-28). Although Skin-
ners earlier work has demonstrated his mastery of Roman
forensic rhetoric, his approach in this volume is largely
narrative-critical, with a keen eye for the theological signi-
cance of the trial scenes. Skinner enters into the politically
charged arena of early Christianitys interaction with the
Roman Empire with a balanced and nuanced hand, avoiding
the one-sided readings so common among contemporary
scholarship. In Skinners reading, Rome is neither an unre-
lenting foe nor an unambiguous ally of emerging Christian-
ity. Skinner also recognizes that the trial narratives are not
primarily about Rome, but about the early Christians and
their God. This volume is therefore particularly noteworthy
for its attention to questions of perceived and implied divine
involvement in the NTs trial narratives. This volume is rec-
ommended both for readers interested in the political orien-
tations of the NT narratives and for readers interested in
theological questions about the nature of divine/human
interactions in NT narratives more generally.
Thomas E. Phillips
Point Loma Nazarene University
RELIGION IM RMISCHEN THESSALONIKI:
SAKRALTOPOGRAPHIE, KULT UND GESELL-
SCHAFT 168 V. CHR.324 N. CHR. By Christopher
Steimle. Studien und Texte zu Antike und Christentum, 47.
Tbingen, Germany: Mohr Siebeck, 2008. Pp. xi + 240.
Paper, 59.00.
The modern city of Thessaloniki occupies its ancient
urban center, making it difcult for archaeologists and his-
torians to discover much about Roman Thessalonik. In the
past few decades, however, some inroads have been made.
Drawing upon this recent archaeological work and on liter-
ary evidence, Steimle examines the complex religious land-
scape of Thessalonik. Following a brief exploration of the
status questionis, he provides a panorama of the physical
spaces with which various religions were afliated. This is
followed by a detailed examination of three specic religious
phenomena at Thessalonik: the Egyptian gods, Emperor
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worship, and cult associations (Vereinigungen). In the nal
chapter, Steimle concludes that cultural, including religious,
changes in Thessalonik over a 500-year period of interac-
tion with Rome reect a pattern of mutual inuence, not only
between Rome and Macedonia but also among the urban
centers within the province itself. The city inhabitants
crafted their own responses to the constantly shifting socio-
political conditions around them. Convincing in its argu-
ment and thorough in its detail, Steimle has provided
scholars interested in early Christianity at Thessaloniki an
invaluable tool for understanding the complexity of the cul-
tural environment in which the Jesus movement took root.
Richard S. Ascough
Queens University at Kingston
PAULINISCHE THEOLOGIE UND RELIGIONSGE-
SCHICHTE. GESAMMELTE AUFSTZE, V. By Hans
Dieter Betz. Tbingen, Germany: Mohr Siebeck 2009.
Pp. xii + 259. 89.00.
This volume contains twelve essays written between
1995 and 2008 that focus on the sophisticated conversa-
tion between theology and the history of religions. The rst
seven essays have their point of origin in the Epistles of Paul.
Among other things, Betz deals with 1 Cor 11:17-34 and the
Concept of the Inner Human Being (ho eso anthropos) in
the Anthropology of Paul, and with Rom 9:1-5. Further, Betz
broaches the issue of the The Gospel and the Wisdom of the
Barbarians: The Corinthians Question Behind Their Ques-
tions, and he considers the matter of self-deception by Paul
according to 1 Cor 3:18-23. In the nal ve papers Betz
focuses on the works of ancient writers, namely Dio of Prusa
and Plutarch of Chaironeia. An elaborate index rounds out
the collection. All in all, this fth volume of Betzs collected
papers demonstrates what a profound and virtuosic inter-
preter of ancient texts he is. This volume will spark the
interest of professors and students of theology alike, as well
as of pastors and religion teachers. It profoundly provides
broad insights into central theological topics and issues of
the NT.
Thomas Witulski
Westflische Wilhelms-Universitt, Mnster
THE CHILD IN THE BIBLE. Edited by Marcia J. Bunge.
Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2008. Pp. xxvi + 467. $30.00.
Finding its point of entry at the crossroads of biblical
studies and the burgeoning discipline of childhood studies,
this volume arises as a part of The Child in Religion and
Ethics Project at Valparaiso University. The book consists of
eighteen substantive essays aimed at examining the child
in the OT (six essays); in the NT (seven essays); and from
several thematic perspectives (ve essays). Though not
every contributor has written extensively on the role of chil-
dren in the Bible, each is a recognized authority in the area
of biblical study addressed by his or her essay. The contribu-
tors are, for the most part, centrist scholars drawn from
VOLUME 36 NUMBER 3 SEPTEMBER 2010
institutions with a mainline Protestant, evangelical, or
Roman Catholic afliation. Given that the Bible is not par-
ticularly centered on children, the question of method is of
critical importance to this volume and its aims. The task
given to each contributor is to examine various biblical texts
and themes through the lens of the child. In other words,
they are to keep in mind questions and concerns about
children and childhood as they interpret biblical texts. This
includes a consideration of the various terms for children,
depictions of children (positive, negative, and indifferent),
and adultchild relationships, along with their respective
roles and responsibilities. Overall, this book represents an
ambitious undertaking that generates complex discussions
and yields a number of helpful insights. The coverage of
biblical texts is generally balanced and comprehensive,
though one wonders about the disproportionate attention
given to the much shorter and less diverse NT. That criticism
notwithstanding, this volume will likely nd a home in the
classroom as a valuable resource, and its value for confes-
sional and ecclesial contexts should not be overlooked. I
anticipate that this book will also be used with benet by
rabbis, pastors, and other religious leaders who have a
vested interest in the biblical presentations of children.
Christopher W. Skinner
Mount Olive College
FAITHFUL FEELINGS: RETHINKING EMOTION IN
THE NEW TESTAMENT. By Matthew A. Elliot. Grand
Rapids, MI: Kregel, 2006. Pp. 301. $21.99.
Few prior NT studies on emotion attempt a working
denition; Elliots makes a strong case for the cognitive
nature of emotion. In chapter 1, he adopts the language of
modern emotional theorists to emphasize the interdepen-
dence of physiological responses and reason. Chapters 2-3
establish precedent for a cognitive view in ancient Greco-
Roman and Jewish thought. In the sequel, Elliot assesses
scholarly treatment of seven emotions in the NT, concluding
that NT writers conceive of emotion more like OT writers. To
wit, emotions are feelings that accurately reveal ones beliefs
(contra the Greek notion that they are irrational impulses to
be controlled). It is problematic, however, that Elliot uses
modern context and categories to analyze our shared expe-
rience written about in the New Testament. Some emotions
on Elliots modern list (e.g., agapao and elpizo ), for example,
may not qualify as emotions for the Greeks (pathe lists go
unmentioned by Elliot). Further, certain Hellenistic philoso-
phers who assume Aristotelian cognition have advanced to
other, overlooked concerns, such as the point in the cogni-
tive process at which emotion begins. Unfortunately, Elliot
offers only eight pages on Hellenistic literature (compared to
thirty pages on the OT) and relies almost exclusively on
Martha Nussbaums analysis. Faithful Feelings is neverthe-
less commendable for its originality and range; touching
upon most NT books, Elliot challenges the discipline to take
a fresh look at the literary function of emotion. The works
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greatest contribution, overall, may be to foster interdiscipli-
nary dialogue with counseling or psychology.
Richard Hicks
Fuller Theological Seminary
ALTERNATIVE CHRISTS. Edited by Olav Hammer. Cam-
bridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009. Pp. 305. $90.00.
Consisting of essays written by a cadre of international
scholars from the USA, Britain, France, Holland, Denmark,
Sweden, and Norway, this work is concerned with examin-
ing different presentations of Jesus in both ancient and
modern forms of religious expression. Hammer begins his
introduction by noting that even though there is an estab-
lished understanding of Jesus within Christianity, there has
never been unanimity among religious people about the sig-
nicance of Jesus life and ministry. As the title suggests, the
book is devoted to looking closely at how different groups of
religious people have incorporated and/or explained Jesus.
Several chapters of this book explore Jesus place within
specic religious systems such as Gnosticism (R. van den
Broek), Manicheaism (J. DeBuhn), Islam (J. Hjarpe), Hindu-
ism (B. Malkovsky), and Mormonism (D. J. Davies). Other
chapters explore different literary presentations of Jesus,
including the NT apocrypha (E. Thomassen), and the writ-
ings of Guillaume Postel (J.-P. Brach), and Swedenborg (W. J.
Hanegraaff). Other chapters that are difcult to squeeze into
one category examine alternative approaches to Christology
from within quasi-Christian and non-Christian frameworks
(see the essays by U. Szulakowska, J. A. Santucci, N.
Goodrick-Clarke, J. R. Lewis, and M. Rothstein). The books
nal chapter explores modern Jesus legends and argues that
forgotten elements of previous presentations of Jesus con-
tinue to nd their way into the mainstream, often appearing
as new ideas. Hammer concludes the book by commenting
that even though the NT narratives are thoroughly legend-
ary, the Gospel stories are nevertheless held up as the
absolute standardsaesthetic, literary, historical, and
theologicalagainst which all other Jesus narratives are
measured.
Christopher W. Skinner
Mount Olive College
PAUL, GRACE AND FREEDOM: ESSAYS IN
HONOUR OF JOHN K. RICHES. Edited by Paul Middle-
ton, Angus Paddison, and Karen Wenell. T & T Clark Biblical
Studies. New York: T & T Clark, 2009. Pp. v + 215. $130.00.
This dedicated collection of twelve essays honors J.
Riches by taking seriously that which he has valued, namely,
the importance of reading the Bible critically within the
context of community. Part One attends to the books themes
as they occur in the NT, followed by Part Twos engagement
with how these themes have been read, interpreted, and
employed in various settings. J. Barclays conversation
between Pauls and Philos understanding of Gods grace is
the strength of Part One. This essay brings into sharp focus
the radical nature of Pauls understanding of grace within
VOLUME 36 NUMBER 3 SEPTEMBER 2010
his reading of the Jewish scriptures. Similarly, S. Chesters
evaluation of Badious and Luthers readings of Paul and
politics sets the stage wonderfully for Part Two, showing the
continual interplay between hermeneutics, context, and
ethics in ones exegesis of Paul. G. Wests essay on I. Shem-
bes use of Paul is equally informative, as it demonstrates the
importance that contextual readings of sacred texts have on
the formation of new communities of faith, a process that is
illuminating for understanding Pauls hermeneutics as well.
The quality of the essays is certainly consistent, making this
collection of essays useful for both biblical scholars and
theologians alike.
Mark A. Jennings
Marquette University
GELITTENGESTORBENAUFERSTANDEN:
PASSIONS- UND OSTERTRADITIONEN IM
ANTIKEN CHRISTENUM. Edited by Tobias Nicklas,
Andreas Merkt, and Joseph Verheyden. Wissenschaftliche
Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament, II/273. Tbingen,
Germany: Mohr Siebeck, 2010. Pp. viii + 380. Paper,
$147.50.
This important collection of essays (eleven in English,
six in German, and one in French) largely originates from a
series of scholarly conferences in 2007. The articles examine
early Christian literature that discusses suffering, death,
and resurrection. The authors mostly focus upon noncanoni-
cal Christian literature (gospels, Acts, and patristic writings)
to discern what can be learned about early Christian beliefs
about the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus and of
other early Christian gures. Some articles consider the
reception of NT and noncanonical traditions in patristic,
Gnostic, and Qura nic writings through the seventh century.
Particular attention is paid to the Acts of Pilate, the Gospel of
Peter, the Acts of John, Origen, Ignatius, and the Sibylline
Oracles. Few comparable volumes provide as good a means
of entering into the current discussion about the competing
passion and resurrection traditions within early Christiani-
ties. Scholars working on suffering, martyrdom, passion,
and resurrection themes within early Christian discourse
will nd these articles indispensable both for their ability to
summarize the present state of scholarly discussion and for
their contributions to that discussion.
Thomas E. Phillips
Point Loma Nazarene University
THE DISCIPLES JESUS: CHRISTOLOGY AS RE-
CONCILING PRACTICE. By Terrence W. Tilley. Mary-
knoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2008. Pp. xiv + 302. $38.00.
The main thrust that runs throughout Tilleys intriguing
treatise is that Christology is a practical rather than merely
theoretical exercise. Within this framework, Tilley asks inci-
sive questions and provides possible, indeed often probable,
answers to many: why we need another Christology; the
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politics of the Jesus movement; Jesus teachings on for-
giveness and discipleship; the meaning of exorcisms and
healing; the purpose of common meals with his followers;
Jesus as rst among equals; and his role as Messiah. In an
epilogue, Tilley treats many facets of the resurrection: the
value of evidence; eyewitnesses; and acts being more funda-
mental than texts. Tilleys arguments require intensive con-
centration on the readers part, but the payoff is well worth
the effort. Especially striking is Tilleys quote from G. B.
Shaws Saint Joan, which can be paraphrased thus: Joan
believes her voices come from God; her interlocutor claims
they come from her imagination; Joan replies, That is how
the messages of God come to us. Therein we have ample
food for thought, applicable to exegetical and theological
circumstances never envisaged by the playwright. Joan,
willy-nilly, was right.
Casimir Bernas
Holy Trinity Abbey
ATONEMENT: THE PERSON AND WORK OF
CHRIST. By Thomas F. Torrance. Edited by Robert T.
Walker. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2009.
Pp. lxxxiv + 489. $35.00.
Admirers of the theological work of Torrance will rejoice
that his lectures on the Atonement have been commendably
collected and edited by his nephew Walker in a form that
does justice to the intent of Torrance before ill health and
death prevented him from completing the work himself. A
massive Synopsis and lengthy editorial Introduction precede
the twelve chapters of the treatise proper, whose subject
matter covers a vast range of atonement-related NT themes:
priesthood of Christ; OT background; justication in Paul;
reconciliation; resurrection; Parousia; Spirit; Church; and
Eschatology. An editors guide to further reading, glossary,
and general index complete the treatise. How is one to
approach such a monumental undertaking, the considered
fruit of a lifetime of scholarship? Working ones way from
cover to cover is hardly viable. Readers will surely prot
most by simply browsing through the copious editorial aids
and then fastening upon subjects of individual interest
which will frequently coincide with Torrances own con-
cerns with Barthian theology and the relation of theology in
general to the natural sciences.
Casimir Bernas
Holy Trinity Abbey
CHRIST AND THE JUDGMENT OF GOD: THE
LIMITS OF DIVINE RETRIBUTION IN NEW TESTA-
MENT THOUGHT. By Stephen H. Travis. Revised and
updated edition. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2009.
Pp. xvi + 383. $24.95.
This revised and expanded edition is a welcome update
to Traviss earlier 1986 version; he has here modied some
of his previous conclusions and included three new
VOLUME 36 NUMBER 3 SEPTEMBER 2010
chapters. The Introduction furnishes an overall view of the
state of the question and describes divine retribution in the
OT and later Jewish literature. There follows an explication
of the subject in Paul, the Gospel tradition, and the Book of
Revelation. For Travis, the dependability of God is the ulti-
mate source of eternal salvation according to the Synoptic
Jesus. In Paul, the word of God is neither random nor
impulsive; Gods judgment is not retributive, but relational
(it depends on how one is associated with Christ). Though
it is often difcult to follow Traviss train of thought,
readers will become aware that the subject of divine retri-
bution (reward and punishment) in the Bible opens a Pan-
doras box whose highly controverted implications touch
upon the very foundations of NT religion: grace, free will,
works; predestination and human responsibility; virtue as
its own reward; Luther or the Catholic tradition; and, sal-
vation and damnation. Travis cannot be expected to recon-
cile these perennial dichotomies (indeed, they cannot be
reconciled), but by describing the vagaries of individual NT
writers (including their limits), his efforts are not thereby
wasted.
Casimir Bernas
Holy Trinity Abbey
REDEFINING FIRST-CENTURY JEWISH AND
CHRISTIAN IDENTITIES: ESSAYS IN HONOR
OF ED PARISH SANDERS. Edited by Fabian E. Udoh,
Susannah Heschel, Mark Chancy, and Gregory Tatum.
Christianity and Judaism in Antiquity Series, 16. Notre
Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 2008. Pp. 418.
$60.00.
No contemporary NT scholars work is more important
than the work of Sanders. This celebration of Sanderss
work falls into four areas. First, Sanders and two of his
former students review Sanderss intellectual biography
and his publications. Second, seven scholars assess Sand-
erss work on ancient Judaism, particularly his argument
for a common Judaism in the rst century. This common
Judaism was marked by worshiping Yahweh, keeping the
Sabbath, circumcising young males, practicing ritual
purity, and supporting the temple. Third, six chapters
address the continuing legacy of Sanderss work on the his-
torical Jesus, particularly in regard to Judaism and the
temple. Finally, the last ve chapters discuss Sanderss
work on Paul and his role in establishing the new per-
spective on Paul. No scholar of ancient Judaism or of early
Christianity can afford to overlook this volume. Each of the
contributors is a distinguished scholar in his or her own
right and the contributions offer generally appreciative,
but always stimulating, dialogue with Sanderss seminal
ideas. Every theological library should have a copy of this
work.
Thomas E. Phillips
Point Loma Nazarene University
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THE WORD LEAPS THE GAP: ESSAYS ON SCRIP-
TURE AND THEOLOGY IN HONOR OF RICHARD B.
HAYS. Edited by J. Ross Wagner, C. Kavin Rowe, and
A. Katherine Grieb. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2008.
Pp. xxii + 710. $70.00; 38.99.
This Festschrift, offered to Hays on his sixtieth birthday
anniversary, contains thirty-two essays on a variety of bib-
lical subjects that reect Hayss own widespread interests.
Thus, for F. Watson (Resurrection and the Limits of Paulin-
ism), the two collections of canonical genres (Gospels and
Epistles) instigated an as-yet-unresolved tension between
Christology and theologically based anthropology (broadly,
between dogma and morals in the early church). J. Dunn
takes friendly issue with the second edition of Hayss The
Faith of Jesus Christ: The Narrative Substructure of Galatians
3:1-4:11 (Eerdmans, 2001); for Dunn, pistis Christou is not
Christs own faith (as Hays claims), but the believers faith in
Christ. According to D. Smith (The Historical Figure of Jesus
in 1 John), the author of the epistle would have known some
sort of document resembling the Fourth Gospel, a document
that provided memories that preserved Jesus from dissolv-
ing into the Docetic gure that the epistle combats. These
few samples hardly do justice to the wealth of insight pro-
vided by the remaining contributors, who include L. Keck, J.
Marcus, D. Allison, Jr., J. Green, L. Johnson, E. Sanders, and
N. Wright. All in all, an outstanding collection that NT schol-
ars should not overlook.
Casimir Bernas
Holy Trinity Abbey
NEW PERSPECTIVES ON THE NATIVITY. Edited by
Jeremy Corley. New York: T&T Clark, 2009. Pp. xi + 215.
Paper, $34.95.
This volume seeks both to summarize what conversa-
tion has taken place around the nativity narratives in
Matthew and Luke since the second edition of Raymond
Browns epoch-making The Birth of the Messiah (1993) and
also to move beyond that conversation. H. Wansbrough
provides an able summary of scholarly discourse since
Browns second edition appeared. Wansbroughs chapter
largely sets the tone for the remainder of the volume. Each
chapter offers a new perspective primarily in the sense
that the author is presenting a perspective that has either
acquired attentionor gained increased attentionsince
Browns second edition appeared. Several chapters provide
brief accounts of the arguments that the authors have
made in greater detail elsewhere (e.g., W. Carters chapter
on Matthews birth narrative and Roman political order
and L. Malufs chapter on the use of Zechariah in Lukes
Benedictus). In fact, some chapters (e.g., N. Kings argu-
ment in favor of translating Lukes katluma as an inn)
actually advocate for a return to older patterns of interpre-
tation. Although well-read interpreters of the birth narra-
tives will nd few truly new ideas in this volume, the
volume does provide a welcome summary of recent
VOLUME 36 NUMBER 3 SEPTEMBER 2010
scholarship on the birth narratives (and sometimes upon
their reception).
Thomas E. Phillips
Point Loma Nazarene University
THE HEBREW GOSPEL AND THE DEVELOPMENT
OF THE SYNOPTIC TRADITION. By James R. Edwards.
Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2009. Pp. 360. Paper, $36.00.
This ambitious volume offers a sustained argument for
new scholarly understanding of the origin of the Synoptic
Gospels. Edwards argues that the Hebrew Gospel which was
widely discussed among ancient Christians was the Grund-
text (base text) for Lukes Gospel and that the uniquely
Lukan traditions (including the birth narratives) represent
Greek translations of this Hebrew original. On the basis of
this thesis about Lukes use of a Hebrew source, Edwards is
able to argue against the existence of Q. Edwards accepts
Markan priority, but he argues against the prevailing theo-
ries for the relationship between Matthew and Luke by sug-
gesting that they shared only a very small common source
(177 verses). Edwards is unwilling to commit on whether
this shared source was written or not, but he is insistent that
it was nothing like the Q so commonly discussed in contem-
porary scholarship. Scholars with a strong interest in the
history of the synoptic traditions will nd this volume impor-
tant reading, even though Edwardss arguments are unlikely
to seriously challenge the reigning paradigms. Recom-
mended for research libraries.
Thomas E. Phillips
Point Loma Nazarene University
REVISITING THE EMPTY TOMB: THE EARLY
HISTORY OF EASTER. By Daniel A. Smith. Minneapolis,
MN: Fortress, 2010. Pp. xi + 267. $29.00.
With an economy of language and a richness of content,
this volume uses a history of traditions approach to examine
the two types of Easter traditions, traditions of the empty
tomb (traditions of disappearance) and traditions of postres-
urrection christophanies (traditions of appearance). In
keeping with his earlier work on the same topic, Smith
argues that the empty tomb traditions stem from Greco-
Roman traditions about the postmortem vindication of a hero
gure, while traditions about Jesus postresurrection appear-
ances have a more Jewish origin. Smith disagrees with schol-
ars who regard the empty tomb traditions as an early church
fabrication which were invented to explain how the chris-
tophanies of the crucied and resurrected Christ are pos-
sible. Instead, Smith argues that the empty tomb traditions
are equally ancient and that the empty tomb traditions gain
much plausibility from the appearance traditions. In Smiths
account the empty tomb traditions and the postreappearance
traditions both trace back to early layers of tradition and
both traditions persevere within the churchs ongoing dis-
course. This volume is essential reading for those who seek
to understand the history and origin of the Easter traditions
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and it is highly recommended for all scholars of the gospels,
Paul, and earliest Christianity.
Thomas E. Phillips
Point Loma Nazarene University
RETHINKING THE GOSPEL SOURCES, VOL. 2: THE
UNITY AND PLURALITY OF Q. By Delbert Burkett.
Early Christianity and Its Literature, 1. Atlanta, GA: Society
of Biblical Literature, 2009. Pp. 360. Paper, $35.95.
The last several years have seen two distinct chal-
lenges to the theory of Q as a source that Matthew and
Luke shared. On the one hand, some scholars have argued
for an outright rejection of the existence of Q. On the other
hand, other scholars have argued that Matthew and Luke
used different versions of Q as sources for their respective
gospels. In light of these scholarly challenges, Burkett
seeks to accomplish three goals: to demonstrate the neces-
sity of Q, to establish the unity of Q, and to explain the
discrepancies between the Q traditions in Luke and in
Matthew. As he pursues each goal, Burkett is traveling
well-worn paths. Burketts most important contribution
comes as he seeks to demonstrate how the difference
between the Q traditions in Matthew and Luke can be best
explained by the tendency of Matthew and Luke to merge
the Q traditions with traditions from their other sources.
Therefore, according to Burkett, Matthew and Luke drew
upon identicalor nearly identicalversions of Q, but each
author edited Q in light of the parallel traditions which
they found in M, L, and occasionally Mark. The argu-
ments in this volume are clear and plausible. Even though
Burkett has provided a detailed defense of widely held
opinions, many readers will be disappointed by his some-
times surprising lack of attention to previous
scholarly work (e.g. none of H. Koesters work is men-
tioned and W. Farmers work is dismissed in a single
paragraph).
Thomas E. Phillips
Point Loma Nazarene University
HEAVEN AND EARTH IN THE GOSPEL OF
MATTHEW. By Jonathan T. Pennington. Grand Rapids, MI:
Baker Academic, 2009. Pp. xv + 399. Paper, $42.99.
Students of the First Gospel have long assumed that the
uniquely Matthean expression kingdom of heaven is
nothing more than a circumlocution employed to help the
faithful avoid using the word for God. This well-written
and thoroughly researched monograph turns that conven-
tional wisdom on its head, arguing that Matthews use of
heaven represents far more than an insignicant variant.
Pennington begins deconstructing the circumlocution
theory by demonstrating that nearly every modern
comment on the question cites the work of Gustav Dalman
(Worte Jesu, later published in English as The Words of
Jesus) and little more. Pennington then goes on to dismantle
Dalmans conclusion and lay the foundation for his own
VOLUME 36 NUMBER 3 SEPTEMBER 2010
thesis, which is based upon four peculiarities in Matthews
use of heavenly language: 1) Matthews intentional distinc-
tion between the singular and plural uses of the Greek
ouranos/ouranoi and his preference for the latter; 2) fre-
quent use of the heaven/earth pair; 3) use of heavenly
father and father in heaven; and 4) regular use of the
phrase kingdom of heaven. The book is divided into two
major sections. The rst section consists of four chapters
and explores heavenly language in the OT, in the second
temple literature, in Matthew, and in contemporary
Matthean studies. The second section consists of eight
chapters and focuses on Matthews idiolectic (or particu-
lar linguistic construct) for heaven and the heaven/earth
pair. In the end, Pennington shows that decades of
Matthean scholarship have failed to scratch the surface of
an important Matthean theme. With the exception of a
glaring typographical error on every other page of Chapter
Three (instead of Survey it reads Survery), it is difcult
to nd a weakness in this book. Even those who disagree
with the conclusions will nd the research and argumenta-
tion nearly unassailable. Those with interests in the First
Gospel, especially future commentators, need to pay atten-
tion to this book.
Christopher W. Skinner
Mount Olive College
MARK AND ITS SUBALTERNS: A HERMENEUTI-
CAL PARADIGM FOR A POSTCOLONIAL
CONTEXT. By C. I. David Joy. London: Equinox, 2008.
Pp. xvi + 223. Cloth, $95.00; paper, $29.95.
This updated version of a (Birmingham) PhD thesis lets
Marks subalterns speak by using them to set forth a post-
colonial hermeneutic valorizing the postcolonial, subaltern
context. Joy works specically toward a hermeneutic in and
of the poverty, caste system, and religious pluralism of India
(see Chapter 9). Part One nds resources in Dhvani read-
ings, in some interpretations of Mark, and in a critical appro-
priation of previous political hermeneutics (including
postcolonial feminist and subaltern hermeneutics). Part two
reads Mark, and the Jesus solidarity movement the author
thinks it reects, as the communal struggle of the lowest
Galilean agrarian class (the Markan crowd) against imperial
oppression in the form of an enslaving tax system and the
Jerusalem religious authorities. The Markan Christ shares
the suffering of this degraded class. Three exegetical chap-
ters (on Mark 10:17-31, 7:24-30, and 5:1-20, respectively)
compellingly illustrate Joys concentration on social-
economic issues, like unjust wealth and the oppressive
boundaries often set up by gender, race, and religion. This
emphasis contrasts starkly with traditional interpreters
focus on salvation/theology. Like R. Horsley, Joy sees Mark
as anticolonial, and opposes interpreters like T. Benny Liew
(who sees Mark itself as imperial) with his exegeses, rather
than through sustained critique of the opposition. The dis-
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cussion of Indian hermeneutics and the exegesis chapters
will benet advanced Markan students and postcolonial
interpreters.
Richard Walsh
Methodist University
SURPRISED BY GOD: PRAISE RESPONSES IN THE
NARRATIVE OF LUKE-ACTS. By Kindalee Pfremmer de
Long. Beihefte zur Zeitschrift fr die neutestamentliche Wis-
senschaft und die Kunde der lteren Kirche, 166. New York:
Walter de Gruyter, 2009. Pp. xii + 331. $116.00.
This revised dissertation, written at the University of
Notre Dame under G. Sterling, argues that the presence and
signicance of praise within Luke-Acts has been underap-
preciated in Lukan scholarship. In order to address this
failure within Lukan scholarship, de Long rst examines
how language of praise for the divine functioned within
selected Greek and Hebrew texts generally (focusing par-
ticularly upon the Dead Sea Scrolls, Josephus, Philo, a few
classical Greek texts, and the Septuagint). Then she offers a
more detailed consideration of how the language of praise
functions in two ancient narratives (Tobit and Joseph and
Aseneth). When she turns to Luke-Acts, de Long argues that
praise plays a prominent role at four points: in the birth
narrative (Luke 1-2); in the accounts of healing (Luke 5, 13,
17, and 18; Acts 3-4); in accounts which emphasize Jesus
identity as Messiah, Son, king, and risen Lord (Luke 10, 19,
and 22-24; Acts 2); and in accounts about the conversion of
the gentiles (Acts 10-11, 13, 15, 21, and 27). De Long con-
cludes that the emphasis upon praise in these four contexts
serves to highlight the essential points in the plot of Luke-
Acts (Jesus birth, his healing ministry, establishment of
Jesus identity, and the inclusion of the gentiles). Although
de Longs choice of two romances for her primary compari-
son is curious, scholars of Luke-Acts are nonetheless
encouraged to carefully consider this strong and original
thesis.
Thomas E. Phillips
Point Loma Nazarene University
BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION IN EARLY CHRIS-
TIAN GOSPELS: VOL. 3: THE GOSPEL OF LUKE.
Edited by Thomas R. Hatina. Library of NT Studies, 376. New
York: T & T Clark, 2010. Pp. xii + 228. $130.00.
The eleven essays in this volume address a wide variety
of issues related to Lukes use of the OT (particularly the
LXX). The essays employ a variety of approaches, ranging
from traditional historical-critical analysis of particular pas-
sages to postmodern analysis of OT themes within Lukes
Gospel. Several of the articles take up well-known issues in
Lukan studies (e.g., Lukes use of Chronicles in the parable
of the Good Samaritan and the use of Isaiah 40 in the John
the Baptist narratives). Whether by design or not, the special
Lukan material is explored more intensively than Lukes
shared traditions. In spite of the diversity of approaches
VOLUME 36 NUMBER 3 SEPTEMBER 2010
(including some interesting explorations of orality and cul-
tural memory), the volume makes no pretense of providing a
comprehensive treatment of Lukes use of the OT. The full
index will ensure that scholars get the maximum possible
use of this collection, though the volumes appeal will largely
be limited to researchers with a focused interest in the topic
or approach of a single article.
Thomas E. Phillips
Point Loma Nazarene University
HEARING BETWEEN THE LINES: THE AUDIENCE
AS FELLOW-WORKERS IN LUKE-ACTS AND ITS
LITERARY MILIEU. By Kathy Reiko Maxwell. Library of
NT Studies, 425. New York: T & T Clark, 2010. Pp. xii + 205.
$110.00.
Much of the reader-response and audience-oriented
work within Biblical scholarship has drawn upon contempo-
rary literary theory. Maxwell seeks to supplement that theo-
retical base by adding insights into how ancient literary
theorists conceived of the readers and audiences participa-
tion in a text. She develops W. Isers conception of literary
gaps by suggesting six literary devices that would have
caused ancient readers to experience such gaps. According
to Maxwell, ancient writers could encourage a readers par-
ticipation in texts by giving the reader access to privileged
information, by leaving omissions within the narrative, by
making open-ended comparisons, by offering double or
hidden meanings, by asking and answering questions, and
by suggesting cultural allusions. After developing these cat-
egories for discerning reader involvement, Maxwell illus-
trates the use of these literary devices throughout Luke-Acts.
The volume is a welcome addition to contemporary conver-
sations about reader- and audience-oriented approaches to
Luke-Acts. Positively, Maxwell contributes to those conver-
sations by investigating ancient rhetorical texts more care-
fully than have many comparable volumes. Less positively,
Maxwells engagement with contemporary literary theory
(and Lukan scholarship) is thinner than many of those same
volumes.
Thomas E. Phillips
Point Loma Nazarene University
THE ROMAN EMPIRE IN LUKES NARRATIVE. By
Kazuhiko Yamazaki-Ransom. Library of NT Studies, 404.
New York: T & T Clark, 2010. Pp. xv + 240. $110.00.
This revised dissertation (completed at Trinity Evangeli-
cal Divinity School under the direction of D. Pao) stands out
among contemporary investigations into early Christianitys
interaction with the Roman Empire. Yamazaki-Ransoms
central thesis is clear and compelling. Yamazaki-Ransom
argues that the political and social question of Lukes view of
the Roman Empire and its ofcials must be asked and
answered as an overtly theological question. Yamazaki-
Ransom suggests that Luke assumed a triangular model in
which Christians would grant temporal submission to
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Roman authorities as long as those authorities acknowl-
edged and respected the God revealed in Christ. Accord-
ing to Yamazaki-Ransoms reading, Luke adapted his view
from the prevailing Jewish approach to Gentile autho-
rities, a view which presumed both that Roman authorities
were under satanic inuence and also that these ofcials
could be granted temporal submission because God was
truly sovereign over all human affairs. In Yamazaki-
Ransoms understanding, Luke did not signicantly distin-
guish between Gentile and Jewish authorities since
both sets of authorities were ultimately aligned with the
emperor and therefore hostile to Gods people (Christian
believersand only Christian believersin this reading).
This well-argued volume should provide the new starting
point for subsequent work on Lukes view of the Roman
Empire.
Thomas E. Phillips
Point Loma Nazarene University
PAUL: JEW, GREEK, AND ROMAN. Edited by Stanley
E. Porter. Pauline Studies, 5. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill,
2008. pp. xiii + 370. $184.00.
After Porters introduction, H. Williams discusses the
inuences of specic OT documents on Paul in 1 Cor. P.
Coutsoumpos comments on Pauls attitude toward the law;
B. Van Os on Jewish recipients of Galatians; A. Potts on
diversity in Pauline eschatology; and T. Carter on the body
metaphor in 1 Cor 12. C. Evans presents Paul and the
pagans; J. Harrison, Paul and the gymnasiarchs; M. Nanos,
the polytheist identity of the weak in 1 Cor 8-11; C. Keener,
eshly versus Spirit in Rom 8; J. Jipp, the divided soul in
Paul and Plato; T. Burke, adopted as Sons; Porter, on whether
Paul spoke Latin; and S. Adams, Paul and the Roman citizen.
Indices are of ancient sources and modern authors. The col-
lection is indispensable for graduate students and others
concerned with the status of Pauline studies. I found essays
by Coutsoumpas, Pitts, Carter, Harrison, Nanos, Burke,
Porter, and Adams especially helpful in this regard. The
downside of the volume is that the update on Pauline studies
is neither systematic nor comprehensive.
Thomas H. Olbricht
Pepperdine University
THE ARROGANCE OF NATIONS: READING
ROMANS IN THE SHADOW OF EMPIRE. By Neil
Elliot. Paul in Critical Contexts. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress
Press, 2008. Pp. xvi + 223. $29.00.
Elliots book is a key contribution to an important area
focused on the imperial context of the NT. Eliot views
Romans as a Judean critique of Romes imperial ideology
and employs the methodology of J. Scott, which reveals
hidden transcripts present in texts from contexts of politi-
cal oppression. Elliot explicitly locates his book in the
context of the United States imperial ideology, which he
connects to the Roman imperial ideology (a connection that
VOLUME 36 NUMBER 3 SEPTEMBER 2010
has much merit, but which is not as critical as is his
reading of Paul). He elucidates the Roman imperial ideology
by focusing on ve concepts, each of which has a chapter
devoted to it: empire, justice, mercy, piety, and virtue. Inter-
acting with Roman texts (Cicero, Virgil, Seneca, Augustus
et al.) and Jewish texts (Daniel, the Habakkuk Pesher), Elliot
argues that Pauls messianic and apocalyptic viewpoint,
while not immune from the ideological constraints of
empire, presents a Judean alternative to the eschatological
fantasy that it was Romes destiny to rule the world. Elli-
ots perspective is one that any serious interpreter of
Romans must be engaged with and the book will be an
important addition to university and divinity school
libraries.
Thomas M. Anderson
London School of Theology
I, II, & III JOHN: A COMMENTARY. By Judith Lieu. NT
Library. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 2008.
Pp. xx + 300. $49.95.
Lieus book affords a valuable resource for the study of
1, 2, and 3 John in their ancient Christian context, the Johan-
nine tradition (especially in connection to the Gospel of
John), and the Jewish religious milieu of the Second Temple
period (mostly relying on the Dead Sea Scrolls). Drawing on
her own extensive knowledge of the Johannine Epistles, Lieu
offers a thorough commentary on the Johannine Epistles.
Lieu contends that two literary categories are employed in
the Johannine Epistles: letters and epistles. Though at times
it is possible to differentiate between the two, Lieu argues
that it is not necessary because these two categories are
interwoven in the Johannine Epistles. Another remarkable
feature in the commentary is Lieus argument that the ano-
nymity of authors is a rhetorical strategy. Lieus commen-
tary is well argued, the interpretation of the biblical text is
nuanced, and the study utilizes the latest research devoted
to Johannine Epistles such as new perceptions of postbiblical
Judaism and the discovery of Dead Sea Scrolls. She allocates
a signicant role to the Rule of the Community and The Tes-
taments of the Twelve Patriarchs. A comparative analysis of
these texts with the Johannine Epistles casts light on the
thought of 1 John. But this volume is not without limitations.
The book would have beneted greatly had the author traced
more broadly the history of interpretation of the Johannine
Epistles either in the introduction or during the course of the
commentary. The reception history casts light on different
theological problems central to the biblical literature. In par-
ticular, the exegetical works of the Protestant reformers
reect a great legacy of theological interpretation (such as
Luthers lectures on 1 John). Though one understands that
every commentary has a particular scope and unique
approach to the biblical text, a wider audience of readers
would benet from an inclusion of a brief history of inter-
pretation of the Johannine Epistles. In sum, the commentary
is a highly technical work that deserves serious attention
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and diligent study. By all means, biblical scholars and gradu-
ate students will appreciate the depth and readability of the
present work.
Igal German
Wycliffe College, University of Toronto
WAS IST GNOSIS? STUDIEN ZUM FRHEN
CHRISTENTUM, ZU MARCION UND ZUR KAISER-
ZEITLICHEN PHILOSOPHIE. By Barbara Aland.
Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen
Testament, 239. Tbingen, Germany: Mohr Siebeck, 2009.
Pp. xv + 434.
In the introduction to this book Aland states clearly that
her perspective in her studies of ancient Gnosticism is that
of a Christian, specically an Evangelical Lutheran. While
she acknowledges her debt to H. Jonas, she rejects his phe-
nomenological approach. She denes Gnosticism (Gnosis)
as a version of the Christian experience of fall and redemp-
tion presented as an otherwordly revelation couched in
picturesque mythic-narrative or philosophical forms. The
books sixteen chapters span a period of some forty years of
work, beginning with a summary of her Gttingen habilita-
tion dissertation in which she presents (unpersuasively) an
interpretation of Bardanes of Edessa as a Syrian Gnostic
(ch. 15, publ. 1970), up to a hitherto unpublished lecture
given on the occasion of her honorary doctorate at Halle-
Wittenberg in 2008 with a discussion of the important con-
tribution made by the Gnostic heresy to the development of
Christian theology. The book is organized in four parts: Part
I, on dening Gnosticism (die Gnosis), Chapters 1-9, in
which she consistently argues that Gnosticism arose within
early second-century Christianity; Part II, on literary forms
of Gnostic discourse (Chapters 10-11); Part III, on Marcion
(Chapters 12-14); and Part IV, on Syrian Gnosis, Bardesanes,
and Mani (Chapters 15-16). For an answer to the question
posed in this books title, the interested reader is advised to
look elsewhere.
Birger A. Pearson
University of California, Santa Barbara
rsr_1449 233..275
History of Christianity: Early
THE APOCRYPHAL ACTS OF THE APOSTLES: AN
INTRODUCTION. By Hans-Josef Klauck. Waco, TX: Baylor
University Press, 2008. Pp. ix + 288. Paper, $39.95.
Klaucks book, a translation of his 2005 German edition,
is the rst comprehensive investigation of the Apocryphal
Acts since the late nineteenth century. The intervening
years have witnessed a proliferation of scholarship on the
textual, literary, and cultural aspects of these works. Klauck
synthesizes these developments by offering examinations of
the ve major Apocryphal Acts (John, Paul, Peter, Andrew,
and Thomas) as well as chapters on the Acts of Peter and the
Twelve Apostles, the Pseudo-Clementines, and various
VOLUME 36 NUMBER 3 SEPTEMBER 2010
minor acts from late antiquity. Except for these later acts,
each chapter consists of subsections (each with their own
bibliography) that cover a discussion of historical context of
the text, a summary of its contents, a discussion of its inu-
ence on later literature, and a critical evaluation of its
themes and characteristics. The nal chapter offers reec-
tions on the major social and theological dimensions that
have occupied scholarly discussions (i.e., journeying, gnosis,
marriage and celibacy, encounters with pagan culture,
miracles, and women). The result is a much-needed resource
that will become the standard reference work for Acts
research. Not only will scholars value Klaucks command of
both the primary and secondary source material, but his
clear prose will also appeal to undergraduates embarking
on their own journeys into the world of early Christian
apocrypha.
David M. Reis
Bridgewater College
HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 1-40. By
Augustine, Bishop of Hippo. Translated by Edmund Hill, O.P.
Edited by Allan D. Fitzgerald, O.S.A. The Works of Saint
Augustine: A Translation for the 21st Century, III/12. New
York: New City Press, 2009. Pp. 604. Cloth, $59.00; paper,
$39.95.
Hills translation of Augustines homilies on the Gospel
of John, commonly called tractates (tractatus), is a welcome
contribution. Though there are at least three other English
translations available, only Hills and J. Rettigs (Fathers of
the Church) follow the critical edition of the Latin in Corpus
Christianorum, Series Latina (CCL) 36. Hills translation
proves superior in its nuanced interpretation of the text and
in its readability, although those accustomed to Hills trans-
lations of Augustine will nd some of the same curious and
at times perplexing idiosyncrasies in this volume. Neverthe-
less, Hills work remains edifying, and is poised to become
the standard English translation. Other strengths of this
volume include useful footnotes, which display Hills facility
with the Augustinian corpus, as well as the introduction by
A. Fitzgerald, a brief yet insightful look at the historical and
theological context of the homilies. The rst sixteen are pre-
occupied with the Donatist controversy, while the subse-
quent have little to say in this regard, suggesting the earlier
dating of the former, with the latter likely coming after the
Council of Carthage in 411. If indeed preaching is the privi-
leged place of exegesis, as Augustine seems to suggest in De
doctrina Christiana, this is no more evident than in these
homilies, which delve deeply into the mysteries of Christ,
the Holy Spirit, the Church, and the sacraments, particularly
the Eucharist. These homilies contain and express the rich-
ness of Augustines thought, and Hills translation will do
much to inspire renewed interest in these too often
neglected works.
James K. Lee
University of Notre Dame
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