The Law and the Prophets: A Study in Old Testament Canon Formation

✍ Scribed by Stephen B. Chapman

• Publisher: JCB Mohr (Paul Siebeck)
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 379
• Series: Forschungen zum Alten Testament, Band 27
• Edition: Reprint
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

"This publication is recommended to everyone interested in the notion of canon and every scholar who wrestles with the history of canon formation. Chapman's theory will have to be reckoned with in all future research of the Old Testament canon." P.M. Venter in Hervormde Theologise Studies 58/4 (2002), pgs. 1874-1875 "This is a fine study on the intriguing question of the biblical canon. Chapman offers an alternative model of the origin of Law and prophets […] The book contains a lot of food for thought; maybe the interpretative model of a "theological grammar" will allow us to view the plurality of biblical texts in a different light. No serious future study can afford to overlook Chapman's insights." Anselm C. Hagedorn in The Journal of Religion vol. 83/1, pgs. 617-618 "This is an important, and readable book. It shows that both the law and the prophets are authoritative Scripture which are aware of and play off each other. It is not a case of Torah priority or of the prophets being before and the source of the law, as some critics hold. This book should be in all academic theological libraries." David W. Baker in Ashland Theological Journal 34 (2002), pgs. 99-100

✦ Table of Contents

Cover
Titel
Acknowledgements
Preface
Contents
1. The Question of the Law and the Prophets
Introduction
The Rise of the Standard Theory
H. E. Ryle
Canon and Higher Criticism
J. Wellhausen
W. J. Beecher
G. Hölscher
Summary
The First Half of the Twentieth Century
M. L. Margolis
Mid-Century Views and New Findings
R. H. Pfeiffer
Summary
The Rise of a Canonical Approach
P. R. Ackroyd
D. N. Freedman
R. E. Clements
J. C. H. Lebram
A. C. Sundberg, Jr.
T. N. Swanson
J. A. Sanders
S. Z. Leiman
J. Blenkinsopp
J. Conrad
B. S. Childs
Recent Proposals
J. Barr
J. Barton
R. T. Beckwith
N. K. Gottwald
O. H. Steck
E. E. Ellis
J. W. Miller
L. M. McDonald
Conclusions
2. ‘Density within History’. Canon as a Theological Grammar
Introduction
Ideology and Historical Criticism
P. R. Davies
A ‘Canonical’ Approach?
H. Bloom
N. Frye
Canons, Power and Self-Interest
C. Altieri
Canon as a Theological ‘Grammar’
‘Self-Subsumption’ and the Old Testament Canon
The Articulation of Shared Values
A Critical Benchmark
‘Canon’ versus ‘Scripture’
3. No Prophet Like Moses? Canonical Conclusions as Hermeneutical Guides
Introduction
Deuteronomy 34:10–12
A Conclusion to the Torah
An Incomparability Formula
Moses as Covenant Mediator
Moses as a Prophet
Dual Agency
Summary
Malachi 3:22–24 [4:4–6]
Appendices to Malachi Alone?
Appendices to the Prophetic Corpus?
A Variety of Orders in the Prophets
Canon-Conscious Appendices
Further Deuteronomistic Background
Appendices to Malachi and The Twelve
Summary
4. The Law and ...
Introduction
Deuteronomy 31–34
Deuteronomy 30–31
Deuteronomy 31
Deuteronomy 32
1. A Prophetic Account of History
2. Prophetic Motifs and Idioms
3. Prophetic Citations and Allusions
Conclusions Regarding Deuteronomy 32
Deuteronomy 33
Summary of Deuteronomy 31–34
Joshua
A ‘Deuteronomistic History’
A Deuteronomistic Edition of Joshua
A Second Deuteronomistic Edition of Joshua
The Problem of Joshua 23–24
The Relation of Joshua to Judges
A Third Layer of Redaction?
Joshua 8:30–35
The Relation between Joshua 8:30–35 and 24:1–28
Redactional Summary of Joshua
Prophecy in Joshua
A Prophet Like Moses
The Final Form of Joshua
5. The Law and the Words
Introduction
The Deuteronomistic History Revisited
The Book of Judges
The Books of Samuel
The Books of Kings
1 Kings 17–19, the Elijah Stories
2 Kings 17:7–23 and 21:10–15
Summary
Jeremiah
‘The Law and the Words’
‘My Servants the Prophets’
The ‘Word’ and the ‘Words’
A ‘Prophet Like Moses’
Summary
Zechariah 1 and 7–8
Prophecy in First Zechariah
‘The Law and the Words’
Citations and Allusions
Summary
Chronicles
Prophecy in Chronicles
1. Stories about Prophets
2. The Prophetic Addresses
3. Citation Formulas
Summary
Ezra-Nehemiah
Prophecy in Ezra-Nehemiah
1. A Surprising Beginning
2. A Surprising Ending
3. Prior Knowledge of the Law
4. The Authority of Prophetic Scripture
5. Prophetic ‘Words’
Daniel
6. The Pre-Eminence of Torah?
Introduction
Counter-Indications: Grounds for the Torah’s Pre-Eminence
Internal Evidence
External Evidence
1. Persian Policy
2. Prior Canonization
3. Text Criticism
4. The Samaritan Pentateuch
5. The Septuagint
6. The Dead Sea Scrolls
7. Ben Sira
8. The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha
9. The Cessation of Prophecy
10. The New Testament
11. The Sadducees’ Canon
12. Synagogue Lectionaries
13. Philo
14. Josephus
15. Literary Position
The Twin Authority of Law and Prophets
Christian Tradition
Jewish Tradition
Reconstruction and Conclusions
The Place of the Writings?
Theological Implications for Jewish and Christian Traditions
Bibliography
Author Index
Source Index
Biblical Literature
Ancient Sources