THE 6651 BIBLICAL HERMENEUTICS Class IV Historical and

THE 6651 BIBLICAL HERMENEUTICS Class IV: Historical and social-scientific methods © Dr. Esa Autero

Historical and social-scientific methods 1. 1 Introduction • Read Luke 12: 22 -34 • Write down what it means in your opinion (1 paragraph) • Jot down three of the most important features of the text • Different approaches bring something new to the reading process • Historical-critical methods • Social-scientific and anthropological approaches

Historical and social-scientific methods 2. 1 Historical-critical paradigm – behind the text • Historical and Theoretical assumptions • Emerged out of enlightenment • B. Spinoza - Tractatus theologico-Politicus (1670) • Primacy of reason in interpretation of Scripture • Scripture should be studied like any other book • Birth of historical-critical approach • Precedent in Spinoza & evolutionary developmentalism • Scientific “objective” and “detached” study of history • Supreme trust in human reason • Reason – supreme judge of revelation • Miracles rejected outright or “bracketed out”

Historical and social-scientific methods • Principles of historical study (Ernst Troeltsch, 1898)* • Criticism, analogy, correlation • Criticism – interpret. subject to revision in light of new knowledge • Analogy – historical events have an analogy in present to be true • Correlation – historical events are in causal relation w/ one another Historical event judged by what is “normal, usual, widely attested” • Emphasis on historical evolution – “primitive” to “advanced” • Focus on historical development of the text, not text itself Captivity of biblical studies to dogmatic theology changed into captivity of biblical studies to Enlightenment dogma of reason Historical-critical paradigm produced important advances in bib studies Good (essential) starting point for exegesis is historical study

Historical and social-scientific methods • Modern historical-critical investigation • Historical-criticism – definition • “scientific process of investigating a text’s transmission, development, and origins” (Burnett 2005: 290 in DTh. IB) • Linguistic, literary, cultural, religious, social, political, economical, anthropological context of the Bible & related literature • Seeks to answer: “to what historical circumstances does this text refer, and out of what circumstances did it emerge” (Burnett 2005: 290) Precedent in 1440 – Lorenzo Valla exposed spurious origins of Donation of Constantine as a hoax – also Erasmus’ Novum Instrumentum in 1516 Many evangelicals use “chastened” historical-critical methods without adopting Enlightenment presuppositions

Historical and social-scientific methods • Methods of historical-criticism • Textual criticism – discovering the original text • Precendent in Erasmus, Novum Instrumentum 1516 • Development of critical GNT, HB & LXX editions • Source criticism – tracing the sources (Luke 1: 1 -3) • What sources did the author used to compile the text • Julius Wellhausen (1878) – documentary hypothesis JEPD • Synoptic problem – the relationship b/w synoptic gospels

Historical and social-scientific methods • Form (and tradition) criticism – finding the sitz im leben* • Tracing the oral tradition behind Jesus’ saying • Gospels as collections of units of Jesus’ sayings & stories • Each saying/story initially circulated independently • Classifying the sayings in the Gospels according to genre • Logia/sayings; short narratives; “myths”; passion narrative Each “form” initially oral, then “polished” by evangelists “Laws of oral transmission” to recover the earliest forms • Finding the life setting in which they were used • Mission, teaching, apologetics and so on • Gospels considered historically rather unreliable • Church’s memory not trusted & evangelists creative • Ignores eye-witness testimony (Bauckham) • Stability of oral tradition (informal controlled; Bailey)

Historical and social-scientific methods • Redaction criticism – how the Gospels were put together • How the evangelists edited, adapted, arranged units & sources • Chronological, thematic, sequence – composition analysis • What changes made to sources and why – emendation analysis Reveals theological emphases & motivations of evangelists Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, 3 it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; 4 so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught. (Luke 1: 1 -4)

Historical and social-scientific methods • Employ historical-critical methods (source, form, redaction) to the text (Lk 12: 22 -34/Mt 6: 25 -34) and answer… 1) What is the relationship between the texts and the possible sources? What was the source? What is adapted or taken as is… 2) Is one or both texts possibly “composite” (combination of more than one saying of Jesus)? 3) What sections and in what way may the evangelists have “polished” the sayings? Why? 4) What setting in the life of the early church might have benefitted from this saying? 5) What is the larger literary unit into which the text is part of? Is this significant? Does it betray something about the composition of each Gospel? 6) Does the placement in the Gospel or adaptation of source indicate theological emphases of each evangelist? How so?

22 And He said to His disciples, “For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! 25 And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life’s span? 26 If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith! 29 And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying. 30 For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. 31 But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. 32 Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. 33 “Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Lk 12: 22 -34) 25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28 And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31 Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat? ’ or ‘What will we drink? ’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing? ’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Mt 6: 25 -34)

Historical and social-scientific methods • Social-scientific and anthropological approaches • Two broad categories or approaches • Social history – investigation of social world of the Bible • Application of social-scientific and anthropological theories • Social history – specific background studies of social world • Assumption – western values are “read into” the Bible • Individualism, guilt/honor-shame, wealth/poverty etc. • Reciprocity* and patron-client relationship • Patron – wealthy person who grants favor (Gk. charis) and facilitates potential upward mobility to social inferiors • Client – social inferior who demonstrates loyalty (Gk. pistis) to the patron in forms of service, gratitude, praise • Broker – person who acts as a bridge b/w patron and client Rules of interaction taken for granted

Historical and social-scientific methods 12 And He also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment. 13 But when you give reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. ” (Luke 14: 12 -14) • How does the idea of ancient reciprocity and patron-client system help you understand Jesus’ dinner party invitation in this passage? *

Historical and social-scientific methods • Social-scientific & anthropological theories applied to Bible • Theories of modern studies of various cultures as analogies • Ancient data sometimes scant or not available • Institutionalization of the church – from charisma to hierarchy • Based on theory of “routinization” of charisma (M. Weber, 1920) • • Jesus as charismatic leader – disciples and wandering charismatics Charismatic Pauline congregations (esp. 1 Cor) Institutionalization of the church (Deutero-Pauline/Catholic epistles) Monarchical bishop of the 2 nd century and Medieval hierarchy • Lenski’s social stratification system* • Roman empire as Advanced agrarian society • Social stratification based on power & privilege • Theory based on comparative data (historical and modern) No ancient document provides such a comprehensive model

Ruler (Emperor) ELITE Governing Class(2%) Retainers (prominent slaves; administrators etc. ) Merchants; priestly class NON-ELITE Peasants & Artisans Unclean&Degraded(unclean/dangerous‘trades’) Expendables(beggars, thieves, unemployed)

Augustus (Lk 2: 1) ELITE Quirinius, Syrian Legate (Lk 2: 1) High Priest Chief Priests Retainers (priests, scribes, Pharisees; centurion Lk 7: 2) Merchants NON-ELITE ZECHARIAH the priest Peasants (tenants of the vineyard Lk 20: 9) Artisans (Peter, sons of Zebedee Lk 5: 5, 10) Woman with blood flow (8: 35) Demonized man (Lk 4: 33); blind beggar (Lk 1: 35)

Poverty* Scale (PS) Description Representatives Imperial elites Imperial dynasty, senatorial families, a few retainers, local royalty; few freedpersons PS 2 Regional and provincial elites Equestrian families, provincial officials, some retainers, some decurian families, some freedpersons, some retired military officers PS 3 Municipal elites PS 4 Moderate surplus PS 5 Stable near subsistence level PS 6 Subsistence level & often below PS 7 Below subsistence level Elite PS 1 % of population 0. 04% Where does Paul and 1% his communities fit in the scale? 1. 76% Some merchants & traders, some freedpersons & artisans, veterans 7%? Many merchants & traders, wage earners, artisans, large shop owners, freedpersons 22% Middling income Most decurian families, wealthy men & women w/o office, some freedpersons, some retainers, veterans, some merchants Poverty Small farmers, laborers (skilled & unskilled), 40% artisans, wage earners, most merchants & traders, small shop owners Unattached widows, orphans, beggars, disabled, unskilled laborers, prisoners 28%

Wealth and poverty in Paul’s Epistles PS 1 Imperial elites PS 2 Regional and provincial elites PS 3 Municipal elites PS 4 Moderate surplus Rabbi Saul of Tarsus PS 5 Stable near subsistence level PS 6 Subsistence level & often below PS 7 Below subsistence level

Wealth and poverty in Paul’s Epistles PS 1 Imperial elites PS 2 Regional and provincial elites PS 3 Municipal elites PS 4 Moderate surplus PS 5 Stable near subsistence level Paul the apostle PS 6 Subsistence level & often below PS 7 Below subsistence level

Historical and social-scientific methods • Apply social history and social-scientific theory to Luke 12: 22 -34 by asking questions such as… 1) Is reciprocity and/or patron-client applicable? How? 2) How was poverty and wealth understood? (cf. limited resource) 3) Are there any other aspects of social history or other “background” info that might shed light on the passage? Such as individualism vs. collectivism; concept of time; use of language; social stratification; human relations etc.