Abraham, significance of, 251, 262–3, 266; ‘sacrifice’ of Isaac, 273–4
Acts, shape of story, 375
Adam, recapitulation of, 265; reversal of sin of, 251, 262–3, 266
Aims, human: as object of historical study, 110–11; within worldview-analysis, 125–6
Akiba, 166, 183, 197–8, 199, 309
Alexander the Great, conquests of, 157
Allegorical exegesis, 20–1
Analogy, principle of, 95n
Antiochus Epiphanes, 158–9, 217, 296
‘Apocalyptic’, 280–99; literary forms and meaning of, 280–6; metaphor-systems within, 283–4, 305–6, 425; and ‘myth’, 425; in Scrolls, 208; whether dualistic, 208, 252–3, 297–9; contexts of, 286–9; Schweitzer’s view of, 284; many C1 Jews prob. unfamiliar with, 288–9; in early Christianity, 343, 401, 459–64; in Mark, 392–6; in Paul, 406–7
Appian, 162
Archelaus, son of Herod the Great: represses revolt in 4 BC, 172; argues with Antipas over succession, 172; Jews appeal against, 172, 173; captures Athronges, 173; removed by Rome, 173
Aristocracy, Jewish: as puppet oligarchy under Herod and Rome, 178, 210–13
Athanasius, 108
Athronges, messianic pretender, 173
Authority: of Jesus, 24, 102; of scripture, 23–4, 86–7, 139–43, 470–1; as creating hermeneutical problems, 86; story and, 86; of unfinished play, 140–2, 470
‘Bare events’, no such things as, 63,
Bar-Kochba, rebellion of, 164, 165–6, 176, 197–200, 309
Beliefs, within worldviews, 126
Ben-Sirach, Wisdom of, 236, 265, 375, 409, 415, 416, 442; ‘story’ of, 217
Bible, use of: in Judaism, 239–43; in early Christianity, 400; pre-critical readings of, 7; ‘historical’ readings of, 7–8, 11; ‘theological’ readings of, 8–9, 12; ‘postmodern’ readings of, 9; different ‘senses’, 19–20
Biblical studies, symbiotic relationship with theology, 137–8
‘Biblical theology’: 21
‘Canon within the canon’, 21–2
Christian theology, see Theology, Christian
Christianity, early: history of, 14–15; different theories concerning, 15–16; hermeneutical function of, 16–18, 87; problems of studying, 27, 87–8, 100–1, 119–20, 341–5; as Jewish sect, 343; break with Judaism, 344, 348, 451–2, 467–8, 472–6; defined against paganism, 348–9; pagan attitudes towards, 347–55, 360; geographical spread of, 356–7; mission of, 359–62, 367, 407, 441–6; rapid growth of, 359–60; as community, 447–52; varieties within, 452–6; behaviour, 362–3; as storytelling community, 41, 372
Cicero, 85
Circumcision, attempts to remove marks of, 158, 237; debates over, 421
Claudius: expels Jews from Rome, 354
Clement of Alexandria, 352
Closed minds, as damaging to scholarship, 93, 103, 426
‘Closed continuum’, spurious belief in, 92–3
Communities, behind texts, 52–3,
Community Rule (Qumran), 203, 205, 254, 439, 440
Controversy stories, 431–3
Covenant, Jewish, 259–68; importance of, 260–2
Creeds, early Christian, 368
Critical Realism, 32–46 et passim; and reading, 61–5, 66–7; and history of early church, 89, 467, 470
Cross, as early Christian symbol, 366–7
Culture, human, place within worldviews, 124
Cumanus, 175
Cynicism, ancient, 155, 405, 427–8, 437, 446, 453
Daniel, book of, as subversive, 220; popular in C1, 266; ‘son of man’ in, 291–7; C1 interpretation of, 289–90, 292–5, 304, 312–17; use of by Luke, 374
Data: within hypotheses, 99–100, 104–5; cunning (but costly) ways of disposing of, 101, 107,
David, figure of: use of by Luke, 379
Deconstructionism, 59–61, 66, 68, 81; subverting itself, 60, 62n.36; similarities to pietism, 60
Deism, 130–1, 298; ruled out in Jewish monotheism, 249, 250, 427
Dio Cassius, 162
Disappearing Object, threat of, 88
Dualism: distinguished from dualities, 252–4; damaging versions in modern worldviews, 25; in 1 Enoch, 415
Dualities, types of, 252–6, 257–9, 285
‘Egyptian’ (leader of revolt), 175–6
‘Eighteen Benedictions’, 164–5, 199, 233
Eleazar ben Jairus, nephew of Sicarii leader Menahem, 180, 326–7
Election, Jewish doctrine of, 259–68; Christian redefinition of, 457–8
Eliezer ben Hyrcanus, 161n, 163, 197–8, 202
Enlightenment, 7–10, 24, 32–4, 402, 425, 427, 473
Enoch, first book of: personal eschatology in, 416, 433; dualism in, 415
Epictetus, 185, 249, 364, 372, 437
Epicureanism, 155, 249, 335, 476
Eschatology, Jewish: problem of, 268–70; Essene, 208–9; duality, 253–6; not involving end of physical world, 332–4; early Christian, 382, 401, 455, 458, 459–64; Pauline, 406–7; and myth, 425; vertical and horizontal, 437
Essenes, 170, 203–9; history, 204–6; size, 204; praxis, 205–6; worldview, 206–7; theology, 207–8; eschatology, 208–9; attitude to Temple, 205
Euripides, plays of, 157
Events: theologians’ problems with, 53, 91–2; and significance, 63, 91–2, 116–7; intrinsically public, 117
Exile, seen as sacrifice, 276; expectation of return from, 159, 241, 268–71, 386, 399, 406, 440, 446
Existentialism, 7,
Ezra, work of, 231
Faith, relation to history, 94
Fasting, 234–5
Felix, 175–6
Festivals, Jewish, 233–4; use of in John, 412; see also under particular festivals
Festus, 176
Form-criticism, 20, 52, 418–35
Fundamentalism, 4, 5, 66, 97; as corporate religious solipsism, 103; as inverted positivism, 128; fear of among scholars, 106; susceptible to dualism, 135
Gaius: plan to place statue in Jerusalem, 174–5
Galilee, 167–8,
‘Gentile Christianity’, 108, 454–5
Gentiles, Jewish attitudes to, 238, 267–8, 302–3
Gnosticism, 42, 94, 155–6, 249, 288, 343, 351, 356–8, 415, 420, 436–43
Gospels: problems in studying, 100, 397, 427–8; blend of genres in, 381–4, 390, 391–2, 396–403; as intending history, 397–8
God: gender-specific language in relation to, xvi; use of lower case for, xiv–xv; ways of referring to, xv; early Christian views of, 370; outstanding questions concerning, 471–6
God’s-eye view, impossibility of in epistemology, 36, 64,
Griemas, A. J., as pioneer of type of story-analysis, 70
Hanukkah, institution of, 159, 234
Hasmonean dynasty, 153, 159, 170, 204; compromised with Hellenism, 159, 170
Hebrews, letter to: compared with Sirach, 409–10
Hegesippus, 341, 351, 352, 353, 354
Hermeneutics, 19, 68; since Schleiermacher, 56; new proposals, 64; of suspicion, 128–9
Herod Agrippa, grandson of Herod the Great, 175
Herod the Great, 160; rebuilds Temple, 225–6; posing as new Solomon, 160n, 226, 308–9; cunning use of Caesarea Maritima, 157; marriage into Hasmonean royal house, 160, 309; rise to power, 171; punishes those responsible for ‘eagle incident’, 172; revolt after his death, 172; opposed by Pharisees, 190–1; favours Essenes, 206
Herodotus, historian, 84; knowing difference between history and horography, 84
Hezekiah (‘chief brigand’ under Herod), 171, 180
Hillel, house of, 164, 183–4, 194–5, 197–9, 201
History: nature of, ch. 4 passim; involves selection, 83; relationship with theology, 12–13, 68, 78, 93n, 94, 114, 143; unhelpful descriptions of, 15–18, 84–5, 88; as form of knowledge, 81–2, 86; impossibility of ‘mere history’, 82–88; concerns human aims, intentions, etc., 91, 94, 111–12; not covert psychology, 111; necessity of narrative within, 113–15; Christianity committed to, 137, 377–8
Homer, 153
Hypothesis and Verification, 37, 42–3, 45–6, 98–109; requirements of hypothesis, 99–100; always used, not always acknowledged, 103–4; balance between criteria for, 104–5; possibility of hypothesis being underdetermined, 109
Ignatius of Antioch, 162, 350–2, 356–7, 360, 364, 370, 427, 447,
Intention, authorial, 55–61; within history, 109–12; within worldviews, 126
Irenaeus, 366
Isaac, ‘sacrifice’ of, 273–4
Israel, land of, xvi, 3–4, 5; as symbol, 226–7
Israel, people of, as true humanity, 262–8; Part III passim
Jabneh see Jamnia
James, death of, 353–4
Jamnia [also spelled Jabneh, Javneh, Yavne, etc.]: synod of, 161, 346, 451–2; modern myths about, 161–2, 163; actual significance of, 165
Javneh see Jamnia
Jerusalem: different meanings attached to fall of, 116–7, 352, 373–4, 395–6; significance of, 167–8,
Jesus: place of within ‘New Testament theology’ etc., 18, 22–3, 101–2, 104, 139; NT writers’ theology about, 23, 399–401; debate as to discoverability of, 23, 468–9; as prophet, 429–31, 442; hypothetical portraits of, 101–2, 106, 114, 422–3; see also Messiah etc.
‘Jewish Christianity’, 108, 453–4
Jewish theology, see Theology, Jewish
Jewish War, 161, 176–7, 193, 449
John, evangelist, 94, 410–17, 427, 460; use of Gen., 411; of Wisd., 413–16
Joseph and Aseneth, as retelling of Jewish story, 219–20
Josephus, Jewish historian, 151; interpretation of Daniel, 304, 308, 312–14; knows difference between fact and fiction, 68; on Jewish parties, 169; tries to shift blame on to rebels, 171–2, 179–80; attitude to Pharisaism, 181–3, 186, 188, 200, 211–13; on Essenes, 203; on resurrection, 324–7; compared with Luke, 373–8; see also Part III passim
Jubilees, book of: as retelling of Israel’s story 218
Judaism, ancient: sources for, 151–2; problems in studying, 87, 100–1, 118–9, 147–51; sources for, 151–2; periodization of history, 147n; history of, 157–66; worldview of, 148, ch. 8 passim; beliefs of, ch. 9 passim; hope of, ch. 10 passim
Judas the Galilean, revolt of, 160, 173, 179, 180 see also next entry
Judas son of Hezekiah [ = Judas the Galilean?], revolt of, 172–3, 180
Judas Maccabaeus, exploits of, 158
Judas son of Sariphaeus, partly responsible for ‘eagle incident’, 172
Justification, in Judaism, 334–8; in Qumran, 337; in early Christianity, 421–2, 458
Justin Martyr, 162, 166, 356–8, 360, 364–8, 370, 376,
Kingdom of God, hope for, 170, 284–5, 302–7; not ‘dualistic’, 307; in early Christianity, 375, 380, 395–6, 427, 442, 460
Knowledge, nature of, 31–46, 89, 96; as form of stewardship, 45
Language, different levels of, 63
Literary study, ch. 3 passim, esp. 65–69; place of in studying NT, 11, 13–14, 25–6
Literature, place within worldviews, 125
Livy, Roman historian, 85, 106
Luccius Albinus, 353
Luke, evangelist, 8, 23, 56, 76, 107, 361, 371–84 passim; compared with Jos., 373–8; use of 1 Sam., 379–81; motives, 376
Luke-Acts, composite work of, 74, 372, 376
Maccabaean revolt, and effects of, 158–9, 167–8, 170, 178
Marcion, 407
Mark, evangelist, 8, 23, 40, 76, 89, 91, 104, 390–6
Martyrdom: Jewish, 323–4, 336; Christian, 364–5, 369
Masada, 161, 162, 177, 179, 180
Matthew, evangelist, 8, 26, 52–3, 76, 107, 357, 384–90, 396, 398, 402–3, 409–10, 432, 435–41, 450–3, 458
Meaning: within history, 95–6, 109–18, 121–2; recognized within Judaism and Christianity, 122; of words, sentences, and stories, 115–16; of events, 116–17
Menahem, Sicarii leader, 177, 178n, 180
Messiahship: meaning of, xiv; of Jesus, xiv, 84, 309–10, 351, 355, 370, 375, 395, 406–9, 447; in Scrolls, 310–11; in Ps. Sol., 311–12; in Jos., 312–3; ‘messianic secret’, 104, 391
Messianic expectations, 307–20; fuelled by C1 readings of Daniel, 315–6
‘Messianic Woes’, 277–8
Metaphor, 40, 63, 129–30; more basic than ‘factual’ speech, 130; as mini-story, 135; as way of speaking truly about God, 135; see also apocalyptic, myth
Mikvaot, on Masada, 193
Miracles, 92–3,
‘Modernity’, modernism, etc. 7, 10, 92–3, 97, 139–40
Monotheism, Jewish and others, 247–52, 259, 397; creational, 248–50; providential, 250–1; covenantal, 251–2; modifications within, 257–9; redefinition in early Christianity, 362, 369, 457; commits holder to history, 426
Myth: as necessary in theology, 135; in gospels, 424–7
Nero, 352–3
Neutrality, impossibility of: in epistemology, 36; in theology, 475
‘New Criticism’, 55–6
New Testament: aims in studying, 3–6, 469–71; historical approach, 7–8, 11; literal sense of, 19–20; literary approaches, 11; pre-critical readings, 7; theological approach, 8–9; ways of reading, 7–11
‘New Testament theology’, in current discussion, 18–25
Nicolas of Damascus, 182, 191, 196, 202
Objectivization, fear of, 89, 94
Oral history/tradition, 423–4; see also Mishnah
Paganism: modern, 7 135; ancient, 154–5, 349; Jewish attitudes towards, 156, 159–60, 250; Torah as boundary-fence against, 168; attitudes to Christianity, 347–55, 360; Christian attitudes towards, 369
Palestine, land of, xvi, 3–4, 5, 168–9
Pantheism, 7, 131, 135, 249, 253
Parables, 6–10, 67, 74–7, 433–4
‘Parousia’, 284–5, 462; ‘delay’ of, 342–3, 459–64
Paul, portraits of, 102–3; theology of, 14, 403–9; career of, 354, 357, 404–5; use of stories by, 403–9; refers to Jesus, 408–9
Pentateuch, used by Matthew, 387–9
Pentecost, festival of, 234
‘People of the Land’, 213–14
Persecution, of Jews by pagans, 296; of Christians by pagans, 346–55, 449–50; of Christians by Jews, 450–1; of Jews by Christians, 87, 115, 148
Pharisees, 170, 181–203; in Josephus, 52, 181–2, 186, 188, 200, 202; in Scrolls, 181–2; in Rabbinic evidence, 182; in NT, 182, 202; transmuted into Rabbis?, 162, 182; identity of, 184–5; agenda, 185–95; influence, 195–203; early history of, 187–9; attitude to Hasomoneans, 188–9, 201; to Romans, 189–95, 201; to revolution, 191–2, 193–5, 201; size of party, 195–7, 209; belief in resurrection, 200, 328; in providence, 200–1; disputes between groups, 201; see also Hillel, Shammai
Phenomenalism, 34; in literary criticism, 51–3, 59, 66; in history, 88–9
Philo, Jewish philosopher: on Essenes, 203; belief in immortality, 331
Pliny (the Younger), 348–50
Polycarp of Smyrna, 341, 345–8, 350–2, 357, 359, 427, 461
Pompey, Roman general, 156, 159
Pontius Pilate, 160–1; disturbances during his rule, 174–5;
Positivism, 27, 32–3, 35, 66; treatment of theology within, 33; unthinking adoption of by theologians, 33–4, 83n.; in historiography, 15–16, 34, 66, 82–3, 103; ch. 2 passim
Postmodernism, xvii, 7, 9, 13, 25–6, 31–2, 34, 54, 97, 137, 403
Praxis, within worldviews, 124
Present Age/Age to Come, 252–4, 299, 300, 324
Priests, 209–12
Pronouncement-stories, see Chreiai
Pseudo-Philo, story of, 218–19
Purity, Pharisaic and rabbinic concern for, 183, 187–8, 195, 202, 213; Essene, 207–8
Q (hypothetical document), 435–43
Quadratus, 357
Questions, within worldviews, 123
Rabbinic traditions, 151–2
Racial Identity, as symbol in Judaism, 230–2
Reading, 50–54; and Critical Realism, 61–5
Realism, critical, see Critical Realism
Realism, naïve, 33, 36, 50–1, 54
Reductionism, historical, 89–90,
Relativism, only relatively true, 131
Religio licita status of Judaism under Rome, 154n, 376
Religion, within worldviews, 124–5
Religious experience, as object of historical investigation, 16;
Representation, literary and other, 289–93, 296, 298–9, 336; in Daniel, 329–30
Resurrection, belief in, 321–32; in Josephus, 324–7; in Ps. Sol., 327–8; in Wisd., 329–30; origin of belief, 332; held by Pharisees, 200; denied by Sadducees, 211, 331; in early Christianity, 370, 399–400, 460–1
Revolution, Jewish, 170–81, 302–4
‘Righteousness of God’, 271–2, 298–9, 336, 458
Rome: empire of, 153; ruling Judea, 159–61, 171–6; Christianity in, 356
‘Scientific’ method, 37
Sacrifice: meaning of in Judaism, 274–8; Christian attitude to, 363–4
Sadducees, 169, 211–12; deny resurrection, 211, 331
‘Salvation’: meaning of in Judaism, 300, 334–8; in Christianity, 400, 458
Samuel, books of: use by Luke, 379–81
Scripture, see under Bible
Septuagint, use of by early Christian communities, 165
Shakespeare, plays of, 5–6; purpose of, 53; as model for biblical hermeneutics, 140–1, 470
Shammai, house of, 164, 183–4, 194–5, 197–9, 201
Shepherd of Hermas, 357–8, 372
Sicarii, 171n, 175, 335; distinguished from ‘Zealots’, 179, 180
Simon, messianic pretender in AD 6, 173
Simplicity, criterion of, 100–1, 107; within history, 107–8, 109
Sin, dealing within Judaism, 272–9
Solipsism: result of extreme phenomenalism, 33; fundamentalism as corporate form of, 103; index-entries as potential illustration of, 534
‘Son of Man’, interpretation of, 291–7
Sophocles, 326
Stoicism, 155, 364–5, 405, 437
‘Story’, as category, xvii, 6, 32, 38, ch. 3 passim, esp. 69–74; within worldviews, 38–9, 67, 69, 123; within literature, 65; within history, 113–15; within theology, 126–30; analysis of, 39–40, 69–80; and metaphor, 40; explanatory stories, 43; as subversive, 40, 50, 130; reaching climax, 150; in Judaism, 77–9, 215–23; form of, 221–2; in early Christianity, 78–9, 371–443 passim, esp. 396–7, 401; early Christian stories as completing Jewish story, 383, 389–90
Structuralism, 57–8,
‘Supernatural’ and ‘rational’, spurious division between, 5, 10, 92, 97,
Susannah, story of, 220–1
Suspicion, hermeneutic of, 128–9
Symbols, 41; within worldviews, 123–4; Jewish, 224–32; Christian, 365–9
Tabernacles, feast of, 234
Tacitus, opinion of Christians, 352–3
Targumim, 220
Temple in Jerusalem, 160; destroyed by Babylon, 157; desecrated by Antiochus Epiphanes, cleansed by Judas Maccabaeus, 158; rebuilt by Herod, 160, 225–6; fall of in AD 70, 161, 395; desire for rebuilding, 162; -tax, 227; as symbol, 224–6; Jewish attitudes to, 225–6; Essene attitudes to, 205–6; Christian attitudes to, 365–6, 454, 459–60; in Hebrews, 409–10
Theology, 121–44; critical realism and, 129–30; as the god-dimension of worldview, 130–1; non-negotiable part of NT study, 130–1, 137–8,
Theology, Christian: meaning of, 12–13, 131–7; summarized, 97–8, 134–5; origins of, 368, 456–8, 472–6; place in Christianity, 368; regarded as atheistic by pagans, 347; relationship with ‘history’, 12–13, 19–20; within worldviews, 125; integrated with symbols, 127–8; with praxis, 128; retreating in face of literary theory, 47
Theology, Jewish, 78–9, 244–79 passim; problem of describing, 244–6; regarded as atheistic by pagans, 156, 377; integration with social description, 258; Pharisaic, 200–1; Essene, 207–8
Theudas, 175
Thomas, Gospel of, 11, 17, 26, 60, 91, 432–43, 458
Thucydides, 84–5, 90, 377; aware of duty of intellectual honesty, 85; as writer of ‘contemporary history’, 115
Trinity, incipient doctrine of, 448
Torah: place of in divine purpose, 221–2; as symbol, 227–30; identified with Wisdom, 265; importance of in border territory, 168; assumes some functions of Temple, 168, 228–9, 236; adherence to in Galilee, 168; oral Torah, 229–30; ‘works of Torah’, 238; study of, 235–7; in Paul, 405–6; in John, 414
Trajan, 348–51
Truth: in history, 136; relation to justice and peace, 136; provisionality of human statements of, 136; ‘timeless truth’ as red herring in NT studies, 142
Varus, legate of Syria: suppresses revolt in 4 BC, 172; suppresses Galilean rising, 172–3
‘Wisdom’, 264–5, 420; identified with Torah, 265; use of in John, 413–16; in ‘Q’ and Thomas, 435–43
Wisdom of Solomon, story of, 218
Words, human, 135–6
Worldviews, 122–6; four basic elements of, 123–4; modern Western (collapse of), 24–5, 31–2; modern Western (shoring up of), 116, 125; analysis in relation to story etc., 38–44, 69; in relation to history, 112, 117; to theology, 122–31, esp. 130–1; possibilities of being incorrect, 92; of being changed, 117, 125–6
Worldview, Christian: essentially public, 41–2, 135; stories which embody, 67, 77–80; symbols, praxis and questions of, 133–4, 359–70, 402–3; as variation on Jewish worldview, 456
Worldview, Jewish: essentially historical, 41, 243; stories which embody, 67–8, 77–80; seen in apocalyptic writings, 298
Worship, early Christian, 362
Yavneh see Jamnia
Zealots, 176–7, 335; debate about proper use of term, 177–81; distinguished from Sicarii, 179; overlap with Pharisees, 190, 191
Zion: restoration of, 399; pilgrimage of nations to, 264, 267, 285, 300
Zoroastrianism, 155