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  • From: "meta" <meta AT rraz.net>
  • To: "Corpus-Paul" <corpus-paul AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Corpus-Paul] Second Temple Judaism and Covenant
  • Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2004 14:08:44 -0700

John, I comment on the remaining portion of your message (my messages get
too long, and besides I ran out of time until now), I can say however, it
is difficult for me because of your hermeneutical method of using the NT to
interpret the Tanakh (authors of the NT do the reverse by interpreting the
Tanakh for their own thinking):

----- Original Message -----
From: John Brand
To: Corpus-Paul
Sent: Friday, August 13, 2004 11:02 AM
Subject: [Corpus-Paul] Second Temple Judaism and Covenant

YOU: God intends to eventually bring all the families of the earth and all
of creation together into one unity (see Ephesians 1:10).

ME: I disagree with the "eventually" since I think it was included in
God's original intention (disagreeing with your methodology).

YOU: But we know at the outset that there is a grander plan in view. The
prophet Joel tells us that God intends to pour out his spirit "on all
people" (Joel 2:28)....

ME: We do not know this from the outset, or where do you find this in
Torah? This tradition (as Joel, perhaps during the exile?) was incorporated
into the composition of the Tanakh during the 6th century (Axial Age,
right?) with the new vision worldwide, of inclusivity, the first great
global era. We don't need the NT to confirm this. The new vision primarily
is care and justice for all people, not just the elite. Sin and atonement
are not primary at this time. Forgiveness, justice, and new direction are.
>From the Tanakh perspective, the grander plan has been unveiled: reflecting
back on "Old Israel" (the "suffering servant" of 2nd Isaiah) to "New
Israel."

YOU: What we do not see is an apprehension of the `weightier matters of
the law' (Mathew 23:23) in terms of eleos (cdqh) and krisis (+&pt). Isaiah
had rebuked the people of his day for fasting without loosening `the chains
of injustice,' setting `the oppressed free,' sharing `food with the hungry,'
providing `the poor wanderer with shelter,' and clothing `the naked' (Isaiah
58:6ff).

ME: The division of the Book of Isaiah with "Deutero-Isaiah" is accepted
by biblical scholars (although many Biblicists disagree). Second Isaiah was
composed in second temple times, so these "weightier matters" are indeed
considered. Justice and care for all their people during these Axial times
were emphasized, but there doesn't seem to be much said about the day by day
practices of the Yeduhim in these times. This also counters your statement:
"....which they had, obviously, still not understood....The law was
obviously not yet written on their heart...." But there is a struggle in
this matter.

YOU: Let's look at Jesus critique of Second Temple Judaism. He pointed the
Jew forward away from his petty observance of Torah toward a grander
fulfillment viz a vis `unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness
of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of
heaven' (Mathew 5:20).

ME: On the contrary, Jesus was referring to purist Jews of his own time,
not that of pre-Maccabbean times. Not a critique of Ezra-Nehamiah 2nd
temple Judeans, but rather first century C.E. times--the Ioudaious. Surely
you don't imagine Jesus' understanding of Torah as "petty"!

YOU: When Jesus admonishes the people to exceed this righteousness, he
means that they are to go beyond the ritualistic approach of their
forefathers. They are to pursue the weightier matters of justice, mercy and
faithfulness (Mathew 23:23). He does not mean that they should rely upon his
merits in fulfilling the divine imperative.

ME: The same for post-exilic in principle. Jesus made spirituality and
egalatarianism much more extensive and intense, in a "radical" way--radical
for that time.

YOU: Those who have the law written on their heart are those who do these
works. At the coming of Jesus each man will be judged according to his works
(Mathew 16:27). What kind of works? Works done out of love for their Lord:
they feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and welcome the stranger (Mathew
25:34-36). It is those who have done good in these terms who will rise to
live while those who have neglected these matters will rise to condemnation
(John 5:28-29). What we sow in terms of loving our neighbor, we will reap in
terms of eternal life both now and in the world to come (Galatians 6:7-8).

ME: YES. Very good. "love for their Lord" translated into love for
others.

YOU: Thus, I see a connection between our works and the new covenant. In
the new covenant there is an empowering of the Spirit from within to do what
the older covenants based as they were sarx were unable to do. Theology
after Augustine tends to marginalize the role of human cooperation in the
process of the fulfillment of God's initial covenant with Abraham.

ME: Yes, very good IMO. This particular new covenant will
work--world-wide, through inter-religious cooperation. I am glad you are
not giving up on our present world as it seems many Evangelicals are ("left
behind"). Should be more Abelard and less Augustine.

Richard Godwin.





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