The Strength Needed to Enter the Kingdom of God (eBook)

Cover 1
Titel 4
Preface???????????????????????????? 8
Acknowledgements?????????????????????????????????????????????? 10
Foreword?????????????????????????????? 12
Table of Contents 14
List of Symbols and Abbreviations???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 20
Chapter 1: Introduction???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 42
A. Luke 16,16: A Preliminary Critical Analysis and Translation?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 43
B. Matt 11,12–13: A Similar Saying but in a Different Context???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 45
C. The Present State of Research: A Bundle of Unresolved Issues???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 49
D. The Scope of a New Proposal and its Justification?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 53
E. A Summary of the Methodological Arrangement of this Proposal???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 57
Chapter 2: A History of the Interpretation of an Enigmatic Saying???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 60
A. Introduction???????????????????????????????????????????? 60
B. An Uncontested Traditional Understanding in both East and West???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 61
I. The Positive Voice of the Fathers of the Church?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 61
1. The Greek Fathers?????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 61
a) Two Interwoven Strands: Self and God???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 64
b) A Thievish and Heavenly Violence: Fasting, Prayer and Alms???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 66
c) A Profitmaking Relationship: Violence and Possessions?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 67
2. The Latin Fathers?????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 70
a) Equivalent Features: Interwoven, Thievish and Profitable ??? 70
b) A Western Enhancement: Faith and Love?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 74
c) A Western Peculiarity: Legal Categories and Concepts???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 76
3. The Patristic Vision of the Kingdom of God???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 77
a) An Earthly or Heavenly Spiritual Dimension???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 77
b) A Political or Ecclesial Earthly Power???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 81
c) Ultimately: Eternal Life with God in Heaven?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 81
II. The Positive Echo of the Middle Ages?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 82
1. In the Eastern World???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 83
2. In the Western World???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 84
3. The Medieval Vision of a Political Earthly Kingdom???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 86
C. The Rise of Modern Scholarship: First Attempts and Final Impasse???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 87
I. A Gradual Swing Towards the In Malam Partem Solution???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 88
II. A. Schweizer and his Interpretation of ??? as “Physical Violence” 90
III. A. von Harnack and the Eventual Polarization of the Discussion???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 95
D. A Summary of the Major Proposals in Recent Decades???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 104
I. The Greek Impasse and the Question of a Conjectural Semitic Original???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 104
II. The Question of the Jewish Background???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 110
III. The Question of the Historical and Narrative Context???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 114
E. Final Remarks and Preliminary Questions?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 122
Chapter 3: The Saying in its Context?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 130
A. Introduction???????????????????????????????????????????? 130
B. A Look at the Narrative Context: Some Methodological Premises?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 131
C. The Narrative Unit around Luke 16,16: Delimitation and Structure???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 133
I. Luke 16,14–31: The Minimum Narrative Segment encompassing v. 16?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 135
II. Luke 16,1–13: A Closely Associated Narrative Segment?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 138
III. Luke 16,14: A Lynchpin for the Whole Narrative Unit?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 141
D. Two Sandwiching Parables???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 145
I. A Few Shared Features: Introductory Remarks?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 147
1. Lexical Correspondences?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 148
2. Thematic Correspondences???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 149
3. Structural Correspondences???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 152
II. The First Parable (vv. 1b–8a)???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 157
1. The Identity of “the Master/Lord” (? ??????) in v. 8a 159
2. The Proper Ending of the Story???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 160
3. The Narrative Plot and Structure of the Story?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 163
a) The Plot from the Rich Man’s Perspective???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 163
b) The Plot from the Shrewd Steward’s Perspective???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 165
c) The Overall Chiastic Structure of the Story?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 166
4. The Meaning of the Master’s Praise: A Hermeneutical Crux???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 170
5. The Point of the Parable: Wise Use of Money with Eternity in View?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 175
III. The Second Parable (vv. 19–31)???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 184
1. The Delimitation of the Story?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 185
2. The Structure of the Story???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 186
3. The Main Point and Function of the Story???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 189
E. Two Embedded Concatenations of Sayings???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 191
I. A Thematic Thread of Thought???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 192
II. The Role of the Sayings in the Overall Pattern?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 196
III. An Encouraging Analogous Case?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 202
F. Concluding Remarks and Questions???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 204
Chapter 4: The Linguistic Spectrum of the “???-based” Lexemes 206
A. Introduction???????????????????????????????????????????? 206
B. The Widest Semantic Field of the “???-terms” in Ancient Greek 207
I. BÍA and BÍO?: An Etymological Liaison 210
II. The Ancient Greek Usage: Ambiguity and “Strength”???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 212
1. The Greek Literary Source Material: Several Shades of Meaning?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 214
a) A Philosophically “Naturalistic” (vs. “Moral”) Phenomenon?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 214
b) A Traditional Epic Theme and its Mythological Domains?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 221
c) Minor Uses and Contexts?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 226
2. The Greek Papyrological Source Material: A Significant Nuance?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 229
a) Violence as a “Force” Used Against Someone Else’s Property???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 230
b) Property-Owner Violation and Lawsuits Against “Violent Acts”???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 237
c) “Violent Acts” and Acquisition by Usucapio or ?azaqah 240
C. The Narrower Semantic Field of the “???-terms” in Second Temple Period 245
I. The Greek Jewish Literature: Ambiguity and “Strength”?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 246
1. The Jewish OT Greek Versions, LXX and Apocrypha?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 247
a) The Use of the ???-verb, its Prefixed Forms and Translations 247
b) The Use of the substantive ???, its Cognates and Translations 257
2. The Hellenistic Jewish Writings?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 261
a) The Pseudepigrapha of the OT???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 261
b) Philo of Alexandria?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 265
c) Flavius Josephus???????????????????????????????????????????????????? 270
II. The Shared Aggadic Targumic Traditions on Deut 6,5: “Strength” and “Mammon”???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 274
1. The Ritual Recitation of the Šema‘ in 1st c. Palestine 275
2. The Interpretations of the Text in the Jewish World?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 276
D. The Appropriation and Use of the “???-terms” in Early Christian Literature 280
I. The NT Apocryphal Literature???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 281
II. The NT Canon and Luke’s Exclusive Use of the “???-terms” 282
E. Concluding Remarks and Remaining Questions???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 286
Chapter 5: Exegesis and Theology of Luke 16, 16 in Context?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 288
A. Introduction???????????????????????????????????????????? 288
B. Tradition and Redaction of the Text?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 288
I. Author and Audience?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 289
II. Sources and Form?????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 292
III. Redaction of Luke 16,16?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 294
C. Exegesis and Theology of the Saying in Its Remote Context?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 300
I. Luke 14,25–17,10: A Narrative Sequence Within the Travel Section???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 300
D. Exegesis and Theology of the Saying in Its Proximate Context???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 306
I. Luke 16,15b–18: A 2nd Set of Sayings Within a Concentric Unit?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 306
1. Verse 15b:???????????????????????????????????????? 308
2. Verse 16:?????????????????????????????????????? 313
a) 16ab: “The Law and the Prophets” – “Kingdom of God” Relationship???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 313
b) 16c: The Meaning of the Phrase, “and everyone gains entrance into it”?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 321
3. Verse 17:?????????????????????????????????????? 327
4. Verse 18:?????????????????????????????????????? 330
E. Conclusion???????????????????????????????????????? 335
Chapter 6: Conclusion???????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 337
A. The Advantageous Interpretation of an Unneeded Omission?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 337
B. “Violence” and “Kingdom of God”: Problem or Good News????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 339
C. A “Violence of Love” for a Treasure in Heaven vs. a “Love of Violence” for a Treasure on Earth???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 342
D. The “Strong Tones” of Asceticism and Charity: Their Theological Relevance Today?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 347
Bibliography?????????????????????????????????????? 360
Index of References???????????????????????????????????????????????????? 400
Index of Authors Cited?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 442
Index of Subjects???????????????????????????????????????????????? 456