Pulse Figuring Resurrection

Joseph as a Death and Resurrection Figure in the Old Testament and Second Temple Judaism
1. Auflage 2021
ISBN: 978-1-68359-454-3
Verlag: Lexham Press
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 288 Seiten

Reihe: Studies in Scripture and Biblical Theology

The death and resurrection of Joseph Towards the end of Genesis, the narrative slows down to tell the story of Joseph. There is no dispute that Joseph's story is unique, but why does it deserve such focused attention? And how does this story relate to the rest of Genesis? In Figuring Resurrection, Jeffrey Pulse presents the view that Joseph is a death-and-resurrection- figure. A close literary reading of Genesis 37-50 reveals that Joseph's story is one of rejection and restoration, descent and ascent, condemnation and exaltation, exile and return, death and resurrection. Far from a lengthy diversion, Joseph's story of 'death and resurrection' plays an important role in the theology of Genesis and later Second Temple Jewish literature. Figuring Resurrection has implications for our understanding of Joseph's narrative, the book of Genesis, Hebrew thinking on the afterlife, and typology.

Jeffrey Pulse (PhD, University of Durham) is professor of exegetical theology at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He spent more than twenty-two years in parish ministry in churches in Iowa and Washington state.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Pulse

Pulse, Jeffrey

Leseproben

Introduction AIM AND SCOPE The pages of this book focus on the character of Joseph as recorded in the Joseph narratives of Genesis 37–50. Specifically explored is the particular aspect of his character identifying him as a death-and-resurrection figure in the Old Testament and Second Temple Judaism. Many scholars over the centuries have engaged with Joseph and his story, and their efforts have often borne useful fruit. Some of their valuable insights and discoveries have informed the writing of this book, and they will be duly noted. One aspect of Joseph’s story, however, has been somewhat neglected. I suggest that a “dying and rising” theme in Genesis 37–50 plays a prominent part in the Hebrew text as we have received it in its final form. The intention of the book, therefore, is to attempt to recapture this characteristic of the Joseph narratives and to explore it in detail, noting its impact on the canonical figure of Joseph. PART I: BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION In order to accomplish this, an examination of the history of biblical interpretation is required.1 Part I explores this history. However, this history can never be seen as a straight, unadulterated line that demonstrates a logical, sequential progression. Nor can one assume clean and clear lines of demarcation between the various hermeneutics. Too often these assumptions have encouraged the notion that the history of biblical interpretation has been a positive, progressive evolution. In reality, there is no clear, collegial adherence to one single methodology at any point on the hermeneutical timeline. Rather, there are always periods of transition with various theologians serving as bridge figures from one method to another.2 From the beginning of the New Testament era, there have been biblical scholars who have been instructed in the current hermeneutic but have continued to explore and experiment with new approaches. They stand with one foot in the established method while the other foot explores new ground. Generally, it is their students who complete the move to the new hermeneutic; but the bridge figure has pioneered the ground. Also important is that complete consensus in the field of biblical interpretation has never existed. This remains true today, as some still advocate a form of higher criticism with a focus on the world behind the text, while others recommend the rhetorical or narrative approaches, which tend to focus more broadly on the world within the text and the world in front of the text.3 There is a broad spectrum represented that demonstrates a continual state of flux. On the surface this may seem a negative, but there is a positive as well. The constant experimentation, searching for the hermeneutic that best serves the text, brings new information and expands the knowledge base, and each of these hermeneutical assumptions of the past has contributed to our foundational knowledge of the text. There are trends that may be identified in this evolution of Old Testament hermeneutics. An interesting trend and the most significant for the purpose of this book is the movement toward dissecting the text, which had its advent alongside the modern scientific approach.4 Rather than viewing the text as a whole, scholars began to take it apart to discover how it was constructed. Much information was gleaned in this process; however, the integrity of the whole was often compromised. This movement was common to all methods of historical criticism for centuries. Due to the trend toward the dissection of the text into smaller parts, little has been done in relation to the Joseph narratives, which tend to be resistant to such an approach.5 The cohesiveness of these chapters does not fit well into the historical-critical milieu, and much has been overlooked or underemphasized in these narratives. Looking at any biblical text through a microscopic lens, while interesting, may cause one to miss the big picture. In the case of the Joseph narratives, the big picture provides elements for a balanced interpretation of the text as a whole. Historically, the trend toward dissection has slowly reversed, moving toward a view of the text as a unified whole.6 Scholarship has trended toward a wider view of the biblical narrative. While understanding the smallest pieces of the text is important, it is only a tool to help understand the larger narrative. Regardless of one’s faith tradition and personal theology, a narrative reading allows the writings to be read in their final form, which all exegetes may engage and expound. It is a danger to assume a simple division between those who consider the many pieces of the text and those who adhere to a more holistic approach. Again, there are no clear lines and no absolutes in approach. In some ways, the scientific methods employed belong to the academy, while the more holistic approaches continue to function in the practical realms of the faith communities; but even this account presupposes a false dichotomy that no longer exists in the field of biblical interpretation—if it ever did. In this historical analysis of biblical hermeneutics I have focused on the various trends from 1980 onward. Although this may appear to be a slim slice, it most closely resembles and informs my own recommended methodology. I have attempted to describe the current landscape of hermeneutical thought, describing more recent trends and movements in the discipline, in order to demonstrate how my own approach fits in and adds to the discussion. The hermeneutic for interpretation that I advocate is reading the text of Scripture as a unified theological narrative. Reading the Scriptures as a unified narrative that also demonstrates a unified theology is not new, but it has suffered disuse in modern history.7 Returning to this view of the text can reveal a rich and substantive meaning. This approach assumes the place of individual portions of Scripture, such as the Joseph narratives, as essential to the entire narrative of the biblical text. Not only are all the parts integral to the whole, but their placement within the present, final form of the received text is significant as well. Following the attempts of various methods to divide and dismantle the biblical narrative, this approach may, at first, seem counterintuitive. However, looking at the text from a grander perspective is in keeping with its canonical purpose. The recommended method of reading Scripture as a unified theological narrative not only avoids the tendency toward the dissection of the text, but it also moves away from a wooden, literalistic approach. This flat, one-dimensional approach sees only the surface of the text and does not allow the exploration of its rich theological depths. While the Old Testament writings are historical documents filled with many interesting isagogical facts, they are so much more. It is important to take into account, as far as we are able, the way in which the canon was received by its ancient audience and by the oldest Jewish interpreters known to us.8 The usefulness of reading Scripture in such a way may be attested to by the presence of various biblical motifs that wind their way throughout the wider narrative. These motifs reveal themselves as the threads that provide the woven fabric of the text and as the themes that speak to a unified message. The majority are first encountered by the reader in Genesis; and as they continue to appear in the rest of the canon, greater meaning and deeper import are often ascribed to them. Because they represent themes that are taken up in canonical books outside Genesis, they can present the reader with new information as they are used in new contexts. As one might expect, these motifs also intertwine with one another as they progress through the text. In those characters and events that demonstrate a multiplicity of these motifs, there is great respect and honor often afforded by the faith community. This may well be due to the community’s recognition of these important motifs and not only the way in which they hold the text of Scripture together, but also how they convey a consistent, unified theological message. I have used this approach as the direction from which I approach the Joseph narratives. Such a reading reveals these chapters as a beautifully structured narrative that contains many and various biblical motifs. Not only can these motifs reflect the deeper character of the text, but they also tie Joseph and his story into the overall context of the narrative of Scripture.9 PART II: THE TEXT Following the hermeneutic of reading Scripture as a unified theological narrative, I have examined the MT of the Joseph narratives with an eye toward the biblical motifs that define its sense and meaning. In comparison, this examination often shows efforts to portray Joseph in various ways. These variations have not been noted in any systematic way by current scholars, and yet they prove invaluable in helping establish Joseph’s identity. The overriding emphasis, brought out in the MT, portrays Joseph as a death-and-resurrection figure. In the examination of the MT, the story of Joseph is unique in how the narrator uses language. Even the casual reader recognizes the distinct style incorporated. The narrator uses an inordinate amount of doubling in these chapters. Not only are various words doubled, but we also note the doubling of dreams, blessings, and even narratives. This is quite distinct, and the...