1 / 18

Global Interpretation of Christian Scriptures

Global Interpretation of Christian Scriptures. Classical Models of Interpretation of Scripture: Pharisaic/Rabbinic interpretation of Scripture. COVENANT as Jewish Hermeneutical-Theological Frame. DP’s Early Jewish Hermeneutics, 1975 . Pharisees (Rabbinic Judaism in formation)

cais
Download Presentation

Global Interpretation of Christian Scriptures

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Global Interpretation of Christian Scriptures Classical Models of Interpretation of Scripture: Pharisaic/Rabbinic interpretation of Scripture

  2. COVENANT as Jewish Hermeneutical-Theological Frame • DP’s Early Jewish Hermeneutics, 1975. • Pharisees (Rabbinic Judaism in formation) • Apocalyptic groups (Zealots, Qumran) • Sadducees • Shared Basic Conviction: We are the Chosen People of God . . . • Shared Basic questions/concerns: How to remain the Chosen People? How to be the Chosen People? Why?

  3. Jewish Interpretations of Scriptures • EARLY RABBINIC/PHARISEES VIEW OF SCRIPTURE • Interpret Scripture = Tanakh = Torah Prophets/Nebiim Writings/Ketoubim • Explicit views of Scripture = Torah « defile the hands” = sacred text; what is read; the writings

  4. Early Rabbinic/Pharisees: Explicit Views Of Scripture • Why is Scripture sacred? Torah is the complete, final, immutable revelation : “everything is revealed on Mount Sinai” • More than the written text. • in the world to come God teaches Torah. = Wisdom (Prov 8:22ff) with God at the creation; blueprint of creation = God’s Wisdom. • = before and beyond the written text. • Given to Israel = God giving himself to Israel

  5. Early Rabbinic/Pharisees: Explicit Views Of Scripture • to recite or read Torah = being in the Presence Shekinah [G’D] “where two or three are gathered and exchange words of Torah the Shekinah is with them. • thus Torah = surrogate of the Temple • taking the yoke of Torah = taking the yoke of Heaven [G’D] • Torah = water (gratis, priceless, brings life) wine; fire, wife

  6. Early Rabbinic/Pharisees View Of Scripture (1) • IN SYNAGOGUE and IN SCHOOL • In Synagogue • Cycle of readings; Torah (seder) prophets (haftarah) (verbal tallying) • Translation = Targum • Homilies; stringing texts together (pearls)… a text, interpreting another text, interpreting another text…. Back to the first text. (eventually written down = Midrash) • Targum = same thing as homilies… explain the text, in terms of other texts.

  7. Early Rabbinic/Pharisees: Synagogue (2) Haggadic interpretations Some Hermeneutical principles: • 1) Everything is meaningful in Scripture; • 2) Scripture is to be explained by Scripture; • 3) Synthetic view of scripture and of sacred history/ “telescoping” “ There is no before and after in scripture” (one of 32 middoth rules): ex: nights of creation, of Abraham (covenant, Gen 15), of Aqedah (sacrifice of Isaac), of Passover, eschatological night of Messiah • = sacred history is closed:God acted/revealed in the past, the sacred past of sacred history; will act/reveal in the future; in between there is no new revelation Everything is revealed on Mt Sinai

  8. Early Rabbinic/Pharisees: Synagogue (2) Haggadic interpretations Some Hermeneutical principles (continued): • 4) Theological developments in Targum =not systematic theology = haggadah = (sacred) stories = a listening to scripture • 5) Some actualization of scripture = circle of scripture interpreting scripture is broken – but primarily halakic (back to this later)

  9. Early Rabbinic/Pharisees: Synagogue (4) Liturgical Haggadah • All liturgy = scripture = participating in liturgy (prayers, songs, readings, translations/targums, homilies) = entering Scripture • Entering Torah = being constituted as the people of God • = example of Passover Seder = we went out of Egypt • We are the people of Israel described in Scripture

  10. Early Rabbinic/Pharisees: Covenant • Covenant: • a) God’s intervention, redemption from slavery = election;= haggadah (past) • b) Vocation: people of priest for the nations; haggadah = sanctification of the Name • C) Law = how to walk: halakah

  11. Early Rabbinic/Pharisees: School: Halakah Sanctification of the Name • Oral Torah = living tradition= harmonize Torah and life • Beyond the written Biblical Text (as Torah was with God, before the creation) • Gezeroth = teaching independent from Scripture • Takkanoth = teaching radically changing the teaching of Torah = Prosbul of Hillel • Sanctification of the Name

  12. Early Rabbinic/Pharisees: School: Halakah Sanctification of the Name • Making a fence around Torah • Always changing and growing tradition: Mishnah, Talmud; reinterpreted in terms of the new situations in life; • Here Revelation, Scripture = open; on going; discerning what is God’s will = how to sanctify the name today • Being faithful = adapting, changing…

  13. COVENANT (Exodus 19 & 20) as Hermeneutical/Theological Frame: • For Pharisees and Rabbis: • Election (as the Chosen People of God) = God’s freeing the People from bondage = saved from bondage = done; closed revelation • Vocation (to be a people of priests = Sanctification of the Name) closed revelation • Law = Way to walk… How to fulfill this vocation (to sanctify the Name) open = always new ways for new contexts (inculturation)

  14. Exodus 19:3-6 • 3 "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the Israelites: 4 You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is mine, 6 but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the Israelites."

  15. Exodus 20:1-4 • 1 Then God spoke all these words: 2 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; 3 you shall have no other gods before me. 4 You shall not make for yourself an idol,

  16. Pharisees (DP’s Early Jewish Hermeneutics, 1975) • Pharisees = One Covenant • Election: complete = everything has been revealed on Mount Sinai (Oral and Written Torah) • Haggadah: Closed sacred history Liturgy; interpreting Scripture by Scripture (Midrash) • Halakah: needs to be reinterpreted again and again (Mishnah, Talmud, constantly interpreted in terms of social, cultural situation)

  17. Apocalyptic people: e.g. Qumran(DP’s Early Jewish Hermeneutics, 1975) • Apocalyptic = New Covenant (people still in bondage) • Election: God is electing, choosing a remnant/a new faithful people = new interventions of God • Typology; Prophecy are fulfilled • Haggadah = Open sacred history, ongoing activity of God , establishing and reestablishing the covenant through choosing/calling a new people, through interventions of power • Halakah = Very strict; AS BY PRIEST IN THE TEMPLE

  18. Pharisees = One Covenant Apocalyptic = New Covenant People still in bondage) Election: God is electing, choosing a remnant/a new faithful people = new interventions of God Typology; Prophecy are fulfilled Haggadah = Open sacred history, ongoing activity of God , establishing and reestablishing the covenant through choosing/calling a new people, through interventions of power Halakah = Very strict; AS BY PRIEST IN THE TEMPLE • People freed from bondage • Election: complete = everything has been revealed on Mount Sinai (Oral and Written Torah) • Haggadah: Closed sacred history Liturgy; interpreting Scripture by Scripture (Midrash) • Halakah: needs to be reinterpreted again and again (Mishnah, Talmud, constantly interpreted in terms of social, cultural situation)

More Related