Gregory E. Sterling

When the Beginning Is the End: The Place of Genesis in the Commentaries of Philo

Written by leading experts in the field, The Book of Genesis: Composition, Reception, and Interpretation offers a wide-ranging treatment of the main aspects of Genesis study. Its twenty-nine essays fall under four main sections. The first section contains studies of a more general nature, including the history of Genesis in critical study, Genesis in literary and historical study, as well as the function of Genesis in the Pentateuch. In the second portion, scholars present commentary on or interpretation of specific passages (or sections) of Genesis, as well as essays on its formation, genres, and themes. The third part includes essays on the textual history and reception of Genesis in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The final section explores the theologies of the book of Genesis, including essays on Genesis and ecology and Genesis in the context of Jewish thought.

The People of the Covenant or the People of God

Exodus was the second most important book in the Pentateuch. The book of Exodus has played a significant role in many contexts, including political contexts. The book has been important for Jews who celebrate the story of the exodus annually at Passover. It was also important for Philo of Alexandria, and this chapter discusses how he interpreted it. The chapter considers the following questions: What did Exodus mean for the most prolific commentator on the Pentateuch in Second Temple Judaism who cited or alluded to the book more than any other biblical book apart from Genesis? How did Exodus function in his writings? It explores the use of Exodus in Philos writings by working from the broadest level down to the smallest. It is important to note the different ways that Philo handled the biblical text in his writings in order to appreciate his treatment of Exodus. Keywords: Exodus; Judaism; Pentateuch; Philo of Alexandria

Which Version of the Greek Bible did Philo Read

This volume consists of collected essays, which was first read at the International Workshop on the Study of the Pentateuch with Special Emphasis on Textual Transmission History in the Hellenistic and Roman Periods held August 28-31, 2007 in Tokyo.

Thunderous Silence: The Omission of the Sinai Pericope in Philo of Alexandria

One of the most surprising omissions in Philo’s retelling of Moses’s life in his De vita Moysis is the Sinai pericope. The Alexandrian omitted Exod 17:14-Num 20:13 with the exception of the spy story (Num 13:1-14:45). There appear to be three reasons for the omission. First, Philo recognized the doublet of the story of the water from the rock (Exod 17:1-7//Num 20:1-13). This provided a narrative rationale for the omission. Second, he routinely omitted place names from his narrative, an ars narrandi that helped to universalize the text. Third, the omission enabled him to avoid the association of Sinai with the covenant. Philo retold the story of Moses, but turned Moses outward into the larger world rather than inward to his own community.

17 A People under the Word: Theological Interpretation

To discuss a theology of the Word is an exacting task under any circumstances. For the Christian such discussion involves the nature of revelation and the source of faith. The church became part of Gods revelation by being the response of faith to the Word. It became the historical ground in which the Word was anchored. The importance of the church is further emphasized by the part it played in the mediation and preservation of the Word. The nature of the Christian faith is determined by the nature of the Word. As the Word is Christocentric in character, so also is the faith which comes into existence as a response to that Word. Faith is not only subjective in nature. It admits, indeed requires, objective statement beyond the verbal expression of trust in and commitment to Christ. Keywords: christian faith; Word

25 Paraenesis in the Epistle to Titus

This chapter treats the paraenesis in the Epistle to Titus without regard to the supposed character of the letter as a church order, a supposition the author considers dubious. The salutation in Titus (1:1-4) is, with the exception of those in Romans and Galatians, the longest in the Pauline corpus. It provides Pauls bona fides, and performs a number of functions, one of which is of interest to us, namely, the description of Titus as γνήσιον τέκνον and its significance for the paraenetic character of the letter. In the Epistle to Titus, the philophronetic element is exhibited throughout the letter in the confidence that Paul has in Titus. The language of the Epistle to Titus shares many features with paraenetic style. One of the most characteristic features of paraenesis is its use of antitheses . Remembrance or reminder plays a role in the Pastoral Epistles (PE). Keywords: church order; paraenetic text; Pastoral Epistles (PE); Pauls letters; Titus

10 Exhortation in First Thessalonians

This chapter shares the interest of Elpidius Pax in Pauls manner of exhorting recent converts, but whereas he seeks to illuminate 1 Thessalonians with Jewish advice to converts, the chapter draws attention to the Graeco-Roman tradition of moral exhortation. Before offering examples of the way in which Paul utilizes and modifies elements of that tradition, the chapter identifies some hortatory features that pervade the letter throughout. Pauls modification of the hortatory tradition to describe himself as bearer of the divine message is further illustrated by his adaptation in chapter 2 of the description of the ideal philosopher and his exercise of παρρησία. Pauls use of the traditional hortatory material is marked by profound change as he reshapes it to express his experience of God working in him, or stresses the theological and religious dimensions of ethics, or uses traditional Christian material to address issues also of concern to pagan consolers. Keywords: 1 Thessalonians; Graeco-Roman tradition; moral exhortation; paraenetic letters; Paul

13 The Apologetic Theology of the Preaching of Peter

This chapter points out some theological themes in what is perhaps the earliest extant Christian Apology outside the New Testament (NT), the Preaching of Peter , and compares them with similar themes in earlier Christian missionary preaching , particularly that of Paul. In any case, the Preachings apparent familiarity with the later NT writings rules out Petrine authorship, and it is generally agreed that the Preaching was written by the first quarter of the second century, either in Greece or in Egypt. Early Christian missionary preaching can be reconstructed from a number of NT texts. The influence of Stoicism on some Jewish writings, especially the Wisdom of Solomon, has long been recognized. The tradition reflected by the Preaching is Middle Platonic and would exert great influence on later Apologists. Keywords: christian apology; early christian missionary; New Testament (NT) texts; Preaching of Peter ; stoicism

21 The Christianization of a Topos (Luke 12:13–34)

This chapter introduces ancient Greek and Latin deliberations on greed into the discussion and demonstrates Lukes awareness of the conventions used in those deliberations. It is natural that wealth be associated with the pleasures it makes possible, and the moralists lost no opportunity to link covetousness and wealth with the hedonistic life. The topos comes into play especially in vv. 13-34, for it allows Luke to write in terms widely known in his day. The similarities to the popular conventions associated with covetousness are numerous and striking. Equally striking is the way Luke has placed his own theological imprint on those conventions, in the process Christianizing the topos . Keywords: christianization; Luke

13 “Not in a Corner”: Early Christian Apologetic in Acts 26:26

This chapter focuses on Acts 26:26, where Paul makes claims for the public character of Christianity and his own preaching. Usually, when the purpose of Acts is seen to be the offering of a defense to non-Jews or non-Christians, the apology is defined in terms of political rights, and attempts are then made to describe the historical, and in particular, political conditions that were likely to have been the occasion of the writing. Cynics were frequently regarded as mad because of their rigorous, ascetic life or their unconventional or vulgar behavior. In sum, the dialogue that follows the last account of Pauls conversion in Acts contains themes that Luke had developed earlier. Specifically, he had represented Paul as speaking in language derived from discussions by and about the moral philosophers of his day. An important feature of his depiction of Christianity is the public character of the church. Keywords: Acts 26:26; Christianity; moral philosophers; Paul