Greece Trip (10): Balancing Act

One can still learn some balancing act....and Agnes is not only good at what she does above, she is also an excellent doctor who treated my injured ankle sustained while visiting Corinth. The story about my injured ankle will come in a later post.

Rick Strelan's New Book: Luke the Priest

Rick Strelan, whom I had the pleasure of meeting some years ago in exploring the possibilities of doing my doctoral studies with him, has recently published a very intriguing book, Luke the Priest: The Authority of the Author of the Third Gospel. Rick is currently a Senior Lecturer in New Testament and Early Christianity at the School of History, Philosophy, Religion & Classics, University of Queensland, Australia.

Published by Ashgate, this latest book by Rick "focuses on the authority and status of the author of Luke-Acts. What authority did he have to write a Gospel, to interpret the Jewish Scriptures and traditions of Israel, to interpret the Jesus traditions, and to update the narrative with a second volume with its interpretation of Paul and the other apostles who appear in the Acts narrative?"

In this book, Rick Strelan constructs the author, "whom tradition has called ‘Luke’, might well have been a Jewish priest who, of course, had come to believe that Jesus is God’s Lord and Christ, the fulfillment of Israel’s Scriptures. It was the author’s status as priest that gave him the authority to interpret the various traditions he deals with and to write his interpretations as authoritative texts for his audiences." (from the Introduction)

The Table of Contents of the book is as follows:

Introduction
1 Who Were the Gospel Writers?
2 Gospels, Authors, and Authority
3 The Status of Luke in Scholarship
4 Why Write Another Gospel?
5 Owning, Controlling, Guarding the Tradition
6 The Oral and the Written
7 Luke in the Tradition
8 Luke among the Scholars
9 Luke the Priest
10 Luke as Authoritative Interpreter of Scripture
11 Luke as Interpreter of the Jesus Traditions
12 Luke as Interpreter of Paul
Conclusion

For a sample page taken from the Introduction, please click here.

The sample page from the Introduction alone is enough to whet the appetite for this book. The only prohibition is the price of the book at £50.00! Could there be a special discounted price for scholars from the Two-Thirds World?

Ancient Church Discovered in Jordan?

The jury is still out there whether the recently discovered cave underneath St George's Church (photo above) can be dated to AD33-70. The news report by AP is reproduced below:

AMMAN, Jordan - Archaeologists in Jordan have discovered a cave underneath one of the world's oldest churches and say it may have been an even more ancient site of Christian worship. But outside experts expressed caution about the claim.

Archaeologist Abdel-Qader al-Housan, head of the Rihab Center for Archaeological Studies, said this week that the cave was unearthed in the northern Jordanian city of Rihab after three months of excavation and shows evidence of early Christian rituals.

The cave is under St. George's Church, which some believe was built in the year 230, though the date is widely disputed. That would make it one of the oldest churches in the world, along with one unearthed in the Jordanian southern port of Aqaba in 1998 and another in Israel discovered in 2005.

Al-Housan said there was evidence that the underground cave was used as a church by 70 disciples of Jesus in the first century after Christ's death, which would make it the oldest Christian site of worship in the world.

He described a circular worship area with stone seats separated from a living area that had a long tunnel leading to a source of water. He said the early Christians hid there from persecution.

A mosaic inscription on the floor of the later church of St. George above refers to "the 70 beloved by God and the divine" who founded the worship there.

S. Thomas Parker, a historian at North Carolina State University who led the team that discovered the church in Aqaba, said that while he hadn't seen the Rihab site, any such claim should be taken with a degree of caution.

"An extraordinary claim like this requires extraordinary evidence," he said. "We need to see the artifacts and dating evidence to suggest such an occupation in the 1st century A.D."

Parker asked how archeologists could be certain whether the "cave was actually a center of Christian worship."

The archaeologist also noted that mosaics are difficult to date unless there is a precise date in the text of the mosaic inscriptions themselves and typical mosaic inscriptions with Christian themes are from the 5th to 6th century.

"It's quite possible that there was a cave with earlier occupation which was later converted to Christian use. But to make the jump that this was actually used by Christians fleeing Jerusalem in the 1st century A.D. seems like a stretch to me," Parker said.

Australian archaeologist Kate da Costa of the University of Sydney, who works in northern Jordan where the cave was found, also said the evidence needs to be confirmed by other archaeologists.

"And even if the cave can be proved to have been in use in the first (century) A.D., there needs to be additional evidence that it was used by Christians," she told the AP.

She also said that St. George's church is not universally accepted as the oldest church in the world. Da Costa said a date of 230 for a constructed church "is over 200 years earlier than any other known church."

Archimandrite Nektarious, bishop deputy of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in Amman, hailed the discovery, calling it an "important milestone for Christians all around the world and right here at home."

"It confirms that Christians in this region are not strangers," he said. "They are real citizens who have always had roots in this region from those days until the present."

Gordon-Conwell Names New President

In a letter to the alumni dated June 10, Interim President Haddon Robbinson announces that Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary has a new president.

"On Tuesday, June 10, The Presidential Search Committee, having looked at a number of candidates, presented to the Board of Trustees Dr. Dennis P. Hollinger, President and Professor of Christian Ethics at Evangelical Theological Seminary in Myerstown, Pa. The board voted unanimously that he would be the next president to lead Gordon-Conwell. He will be joined in ministry by his wife of 36 years, Dr. Mary Ann Hollinger, who is Dean of External Programs and Assistant Professor of Family Studies at Messiah College in Grantham, PA."

Dennis Hollinger’s leadership experience in theological education as a pastor, scholar and innovator are detailed here.

With the new President announced, Dr Robbinson will continue on serving Gordon-Conwell as the Harold John Ockenga Distinguished Professor of Preaching and working in the Doctor of Ministry program.

As an alumnus of Gordon-Conwell, I wish Dr Hollinger God's blessings and guidance as he assumes this new position in leading the seminary to greater heights.

Greece Trip (9): Philippi: Not Really A Homogeneous Ekklesia - Part 5

After Paul and Silas were released from prison, they went to Lydia's house, "where they met with the believers and encouraged them." (Acts 17:40) After this, Paul and his companions left Philippi and travelled to Thessalonica.

The mosaic flooring testifies to the first assembly hall, most likely established after the Edict of Milan in 313 CE, and dedicated to the memory of St Paul: Bishop Porphyrios made the embroidery of Paul's basilica in Christ

By the time Paul left Philippi, a rather vibrant ekklesia had been established and met in Lydia's house. Who were the "believers" (Acts 17:40) in this ekkelsia? We know that according to the narrative in Acts, they include Lydia and her household (Acts 16:15) and the jailer and his household (Acts 16:34). We can only conjecture that the other women who gathered with Lydia by the river (Acts 16:13) and the slave girl delivered from the spirit of Python (Acts 16:16-18) would most likely join this group of believers as well. By the time Paul left Philippi, the first ekklesia established in Macedonia would number approximately 15-20.

If we take a look at the composition of the believers in Philippi, this fledgling church is anything but homogeneous. People from various social status and standing form this church, and it cuts across the social structure of the day. From the rich (e.g., Lydia) to the poor (e.g., the slave girl), they worship the Lord together.

Basilica B - built in the 6th century CE.

One distintive character of the church in Philippi stands out. While Lydia most likely provides hospitality and financial support for the church and Paul, the church at large is generally poor. Yet despite their material poverty, this church gives generously for Paul's missionary work and the Jerusalem church.

Several times the Philippian church provides for Paul and his missionary activities. The church regularly contributes financially to Paul when he was in Thessalonica (Phil 4:16). When Paul was in the Roman imprisonment (traditionally believed, although this has been disputed), the church once again provides for Paul's material needs (Phil 4:10, 14, 17-18). After receiving these gifts from the church, Paul immediately writes a letter of thanksgiving to them for their partnership in the gospel. It is because of the generous giving that the Philippian church sends through Epaphroditus to Paul that we now have in our possession the Letter to the Philippians.

Epaphroditus

The Philippian church also partners with Paul for his collection project for the church in Jerusalem, as recorded in 2 Corinthians 8:1-4:

"And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches (the Philippian church included). Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints."

This is a church that looks beyond its four walls. Predominantly a Gentile church (see my previous post on why there is no synagogue in Philippi), this church contributes to the Jerusalem church, a predominantly Jewish community, to demonstrate her solidarity with those in need, regardless of ethnic, social, and cultural boundaries.

Listen to the words of Paul once again:

"Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:15-19

The Philippian church serves as a model for the Corinthian church (cf. 2 Corinthians 8-9). It is a church that gives generously out of its poverty, a church that knows the meaning of "partnership (κοινωνία) in the gospel from the first day until now" (Phil 1:5), and a church that is willing to help another assembly in need.

There is much that the Church today can learn from the Philippians. Many of our Malaysian churches, particularly those in the Klang Valley, are middle class. Are we willing to give generously, out of our wealth, as our partnership in the gospel, to those who serve the Master full time and and to other churches in need?

Society of Asian Biblical Studies Meeting in July 2008

The Society of Asian Biblical Studies is having its inaugural conference in July 14-16, 2008, to be held at the Methodist Theological Seminary in Seoul, Korea.

For an idea of the programme, click here.

The complete list of papers to be presented have also been finalised.

I will have to give this conference a miss. It is held immediately after the Society of Biblical Literature International Meeting in Auckland that I hope to attend.

Greece Trip (8): Philippi: Jail House Rock - Part 4

After casting out the spirit of Python from the slave girl, the owners dragged Paul and Silas (note that Luke is excluded here) to face the magistrates which led to their flogging and imprisonment, with a jailer guarding them carefully (Acts 16:19-24).

According to tradition, the following photos depict the location of the prison cell where Paul and Silas spent the night. However, this tradition has been disputed, and this exact location is archaeologically unlikely to be Paul's prison.

According to Acts, there was an earthquake in the night, resulting in the opening of the prison doors and the loosing of the chains of the prisoners. Upon seeing this, the jailer attempted suicide, only to be prevented by Paul (Acts 16:25-28).

This subsequently led to Paul proclaiming "the word of the Lord" to the jailer and his entire household, resulting in their conversion.

It is interesting to note the sequence of events in Acts' narrative thus far:

Paul's Macedonian call - the visit to Philippi - Lydia's Conversion - the slave girl's exorcism - accusation by the owners of the slave girl - persecution, suffering and imprisonment - conversion of jailer and his household.

The questions are: Is suffering necessary for Paul in order for the jailer and his household to hear "the word of the Lord" (Acts 16:32)? Without Paul being flogged, humiliated (in which Paul gave up his rights as a Roman citizen where he was thrown in prison without trial, cf. Acts 16:37 - of course, the issue of Paul's Roman citizenship is disputed, but this is a topic for another post), and imprisoned, would the jailer have been persuaded to become believers of the Way? Is suffering therefore a necessity for the propagation of the gospel? Is suffering intrinsic to Paul's call? I have attempted to answer some of these questions in my own work to be published by T & T Clark next year.

Paul is no stranger to suffering and imprisonment (cf. 2 Cor 11:23). In fact, he wrote the letter to the Philippians from prison. Would Paul have remembered his chains and the conversion of the jailer in Philippi when he penned these words?

"Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly." (Phil 1:12-14)

"For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have." (Phil 1:29-30)

Paul's chains in Philippi is a timely reminder for believers of the gospel he proclaimed. Missionary work in proclaiming THE way to salvation in 1st century is risky business, it is not any less risky for those engaging in the same vocation today.

Greece Trip (7): Philippi: Is Paul Proclaming A Way to Salvation? - Part 3

After the initial success of his Macedonian mission with the household of Lydia as the first few converts, Paul continued his missionary activities in Philippi for some days.

Acts 16:16-19 narrates the events that followed after the conversion of Lydia.

"Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her. When the owners of the slave girl realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities." (NIV)

NIV slightly obscures the translation by rending the phrase πνεῦμα πύθωνα as "a spirit by which she predicted the future." Literally, it could mean "a spirit which is Python" or "a Pythonian spirit." In either case, a spirit of divination is intended here (cf. the translations of NRSV, NASB, KJV, ESV which rightly translate "a spirit of divination." See also NLT which generalises the phrase as "demon-possessed.")

It is interesting to note that while πύθων (Python) is a reference to soothsaying divinity, it is originally conceived as a snake or dragon who served as the guardian of the Oracle at Delphi prior to Apollo. This spirit was subsequently defeated and slain by Apollo. Priestess that uttered the oracles of Apollo were later known as Pythiai, and they were said to have been directed by this spirit to foretell the future.

In Philippi, this slave girl followed Paul by crying out these words: "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." (Acts 16:17, NIV). Paul was so troubled by this and decided to perform exorcism on this slave girl.

What makes Paul so troubled by what the slave girl uttered? Wasn't she correct to say that Paul and his companions were servants of the most High God and they were the one were telling the people the way to salvation or the way to be saved? If this is the truth, why didn't Paul say that even this girl possessed by the spirit of Python acknowledged who they were and what they were proclaiming?

A closer examination of the Greek text reveals the reason for Paul's anger, and unfortunately, this is again not reflected in most of our English translations. In the Greek text, this slave girl described Paul and his companions as "οἵτινες καταγγέλλουσιν ὑμῖν ὁδὸν σωτηρίας." (Acts 16:17). It is rather strange that almost all the English translations miss the nuance of this phrase. Most of our English translations render it as "who proclaim to you the way of salvation/the way to be saved." This is an incorrect translation. Notice that there is no article before ὁδὸν, making it anarthrous or indefinite. There is a very significant difference whether an article is present or absent in this phrase.

In other words, with the absence of an article before ὁδὸν σωτηρίας, what the slave girl was in fact suggesting is that Paul is merely preaching a way of salvation; not the way of salvation. If Paul is proclaiming a way of salvation, he is simply announcing that the gospel of Christ is one of the many ways to salvation, and not the only path to salvation. If it is intended that Paul is proclaiming the way to salvation, the presence of an article would be expected before ὁδὸν, like this: τὴν ὁδὸν σωτηρίας. As such, the slave girl's pronouncement merely adds to the confusion among the crowd, and this would most likely drive Paul to perform exorcism on her.
In this respect, NRSV has the right translation of this phrase: "These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation."

To the Greco-Roman world, religious pluralism is not only tolerated but also celebrated and embraced (see Alex's post on this). But for Paul, the gospel of Jesus Christ that he proclaims remains the only way to salvation (cf. Acts 16:31; Phil 2:5-11), and he would not tolerate anyone that challenges that claim. Recognising that any distortion of his gospel would have come not from the Holy Spirit but the spirit of Python, it is therefore not surprising that Paul decided to perform exorcism on the slave girl.

Perhaps this incident may also explain why Paul would have reminded the Philippians years later with these words:

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
- Philippians 2:5-11

For further information on the absence of an article, see Daniel Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics (Grand Rapids: Zondervan,1996), 243-254.

PS:
Perhaps this article in some little way serves to demonstrate the value of learning biblical Greek. To all our students who are still hesitating to learn Greek or questioning the value of learning Greek, I hope that this article would encourage you!

NT Position at Brite Divinity School

I have just come across the following announcement:

New Testament Faculty Position

Brite Divinity School

Brite Divinity School, affiliated with Texas Christian University, invites applicants in the fall of 2008 for a tenure track position in New Testament beginning in the fall of 2009.

Level of appointment is at the Associate or Full Professor level. Ph.D. or equivalent is required.

Commitment to teaching and scholarly research is expected. Teaching load is four courses per year at masters and doctoral levels.

Primary teaching competencies should include Pauline literature with significant publication record and teaching experience, and with competency in secondary areas that may include among others: Paul and politics, social context, NT archeology, gender studies, queer studies, and racial/ethnic issues.

Brite Divinity School is a seminary related to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). It is ecumenical in character and mission. Brite is an EEO employer and maintains a policy of nondiscrimination with respect to all employees and applicants for employment. Scholars of color and those from other underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply.

Send a letter of application describing interests in teaching and research, dossier, and three letters of recommendation to :

Office of the Dean,

New Testament Search Committee

Brite Divinity School

TCU Box 298130

Fort Worth, TX 76129.

Review of applicants will begin September 1, 2008 and continue until the position is filled.

7th Annual Greek Study Day

The following announcement came through the BNTS list.

7th Annual Greek Study Day, 15th September 2008
Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge

The Greek Study Day is aimed at those teaching New Testament Greek in universities and colleges. It provides an opportunity to hear about different methods and textbooks, to share experiences and to develop new ideas and approaches for teaching.

This year's programme is presently being put together - if you would like to offer a session, or to register your interest in receiving further information, please contact:
Jane McLarty
jdm35@cam.c.uk
Lucy Cavendish College
Cambridge CB3 0BU