Archive for category Deuterocanon
Jason, James, Jesus and Wisdom
Posted by Joel in Deuterocanon on November 27, 2010
Jason has a post up about some of the Wisdom literature and the book of James.
These are brief samplings of the parallels between James and one non-canonical book of wisdom. I believe that they show us that James has some definite traits of wisdom literature.
The Book of James As Christian Wisdom Literature | Pastoral Musings.
Although I may disagree with him about the ‘non-canonical’ status… I do think his post is an excellent on. Go over and give it a read if you can.
Review: Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture – Apocrypha
Posted by Joel in Book Review, Church Fathers, Deuterocanon on September 23, 2010
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One of the great services that InterVarsity Press has given us is a wide range of collections centered on the ancient Christians. These series, such as the series on the Creeds and this voluminous set, provides for modern Christians a touchstone to the past, a hallmark of those who have gone before. In doing so, they shed light on modern beliefs that ‘have always been.’
Billing itself as a ‘Christian Talmud’ (Oden, Introduction xii), it contains passages of scripture (pericopes) with commentary by the patristic writers. The passages are given in the Revised Standard Version (unless textual variants require the use of the Latin), following the order and the versification of the RSV. Further, the arrangement of the books in this volume follow the RSV as well. While not all books (such as 1st Maccabees) is included, namely because ancient writers rarely if at all quoted from them, the more well know are, such as Wisdom, Sirach and Tobit.
The importance of these volumes resides not in the introductions, overviews, and histories provided, but in the author sources which are used. These volumes go beyond the normal name to include those Christians who are less known, but no less important. We have the standards like Clement of Rome, Augustine and Irenaeus but we have those not commonly cited in the West such as John Cassian. We also have unknowns (to me) such as Hesychius, Isaac of Nineveh, a few pseudo’s, and even Fastidiosus. There are Elders, such as Salvian, and popes, such as Leo the Great. Victor of Vita and some Anonymous Italians join the list as well. As does Didymus the Blind and his teacher, Origen. The Julians Three make the list – of Eclanum, Pomerius and Africanus. Even the Spaniard, Leander of Seville makes the index of authors. And it goes on and on and on… with names that I wouldn’t dare to pronounce out loud and some I even give up on before I think it.
The volumes include pericopes of passages, overviews, and topical arrangements per book. For this volume, a history of the Septuagint and an overview of the Apocryphal books are included as well. This serves to introduce, if needed, the readers to what they are about to read. It has not always been that these books were roundly excluded from Christian discourse, but have been used, some more than others, to help determine matters of the Church.
Each volume is large, and this one no different. Coming in at 540 pages worth of material, the fifteenth volume in the Old Testament series provides a much need review of early Christian writers and how they used the hidden books to bring to light Christian values, doctrines and dogma.
Reflections: Ancient Christian Commentary – Apocrypha (3)
Posted by Joel in Deuterocanon on September 22, 2010
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I wanted to share with you a few of the features of this commentary set. While this volume is specifically about the Apocrypha, the features are generally the same throughout the series.
Billing itself as a ‘Christian Talmud’ (Oden, Introduction xii), it contains passages of scripture (pericopes) with commentary by the patristic writers. The passages are given in the Revised Standard Version (unless textual variants require the use of the Latin), following the order and the versification of the RSV. Further, the arrangement of the books in this volume follow the RSV as well.
With each pericope, the editors give an overview of the commentary. As they not, however, nothing is done in chronological order, which, frankly, doesn’t matter. The commentaries, instead of being arranged chronologically are arranged according to topics for the passage, clearly set out in the headings for each passage. Each author is stated as well as the work used. Footnotes for further investigation is provided as well.
Provided for this volume is an introduction to the Apocrypha, going through the history of it from Alexandria which gave rise to several of the books, if not the thoughts within others. Continuing on, the editors note the Letter of Aristeas which gave rise to the Septuagint (at least in name and tradition, remarkably similar to that of the modern King James Only movement) and even explore what the LXX meant to the early Christians. The editors also give a brief overview of ancient acceptance and controversy of the books as well as an overview of the books in the Apocrypha. Not all of them are included in the commentary because they simply weren’t quoted.
All in all, it is a great volume for those who would like to explore the ancient use of the Apocrypha, rather, the Deuterocanon.
Reflections: Ancient Christian Commentary – Apocrypha (2)
Posted by Joel in Church Fathers, Deuterocanon on September 21, 2010
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As a part of this week’s series on Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, the Apocrypha, I wanted to share with you a few of the early writers which are included in these volumes –
We have the standards like Clement of Rome, Augustine and Irenaeus but we have those not commonly cited in the West such as John Cassian. We also have unknowns (to me) such as Hesychius, Isaac of Nineveh, a few pseudo’s, and even Fastidiosus. There are Elders, such as Salvian, and popes, such as Leo the Great.
Victor of Vita and some Anonymous Italian join the list as well. As does Didymus the Blind and his teacher, Origen. The Julians Three make the list – of Eclanum, Pomerius and Africanus. Even the Spaniard, Leander of Seville makes the index of authors. And it goes on and on and on… with names that I wouldn’t dare to pronounce out loud and some I even give up on before I think it.
I have another volume at home, with an equally (sometimes share) listing of names as this volume does. If you want a wide range of authors, East to the West, literal to the more allegorical, and even those you might not like, from Augustine to John Cassian, to broaden your reading and to add a few points to your sermon, you might give these books a try.
Reflections: Ancient Christian Commentary – Apocrypha (1)
Posted by Joel in Athanasius, Deuterocanon on September 20, 2010
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Any one who reads this blog for any amount of time knows that I have no Protestant qualms about using the Apocrypha, rather, the Deuterocanon. As a matter of fact, I am pretty adamant about using it to shed light into the thought-world of the New Testament. Let’s be honest: Paul didn’t have a closed canon. Instead, he used ‘other’ books for his dictionary and lexicon. Some of those books are no doubt in the Deuterocanon. Easily seen to my readers are my favorites – Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch and 1st Maccabees.
One of the great services that InterVarsity Press has given us is a wide range of collections centered on the ancient Christians. These series, such as the series on the Creeds and this voluminous set, provides for modern Christians a touchstone to the past, a hallmark of those who have gone before. In doing so, they shed light on modern beliefs that ‘have always been.’
This week, I intend to shed some light from this particular volume on the Apocrypha. It doesn’t cover all of the books, leaving out 1st Maccabees, however, it does get to the core of those which still provide liturgical uses for even Protestant denominations.
Then all the Gentiles will turn to fear the Lord God in truth, and will bury their idols. (Tobit 14:6 RSV)
While there are numerous writers mentioned, I thought we might go with a personal favorite, Athanasius:
See then what human beings considered the foolishness of God because of the cross, how this has become above anything else the most honored. For our resurrection is stored up in it. No longer Israel alone, but from this time forward all the nations, as the prophet has foretold, abandon their idols and acknowledged the truth God, the Father of Christ. The illusion of demons has come to nothing, and he alone who is truly God is worshiped in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. – Athanasius, Discourses Against the Arians, 1.43.1 (p33)
In the Mail – IVP’s Awesome Service edition
Posted by Joel in Book Review, Church Fathers, Deuterocanon, Matthew on August 21, 2010
I recently discovered the Confessing Church movement which is alive in many of the mainstream denominations, and as part of that movement, is the return to the early Church…. and myself, I’ve spent the last few years reading various and wonderful works by early Church writers, and have found in them, beauty. Intervaristy Press, coincidentally, has several series which brings the early writers to the modern Protestants… This past week, for review, Adrianna Wright sent along three books of great interest –
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This last volume of the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture offers commentary from the early church fathers on the deuterocanonical books of the Bible, with insights that will be of great benefit to preachers and teachers alike. Readers will find some ancient authors translated into English here for the first time. Throughout they will gain insight and encouragement in the life of faith as seen through ancient pastoral eyes.
Personally, I am looking forward to digging into this book as I have great interest in the Deuterocanon/Apocrypha. Already, just flipping through, the set up is the like the Ancient Christian Doctrine series which explored the Creed of 381. It simply presents the original author in their own words, without commentary to that passage. This entire series is one which should be in church and theological libraries.
Also in the mail was the Incomplete Commentary on Matthew, volumes 1 and 2.:
In the translator’s introduction to this volume, James Kellerman relates the following story:
As Thomas Aquinas was approaching Paris, a fellow traveler pointed out the lovely buildings gracing that city. Aquinas was impressed, to be sure, but he sighed and stated that he would rather have the complete Incomplete Commentary on Matthew than to be mayor of Paris itself.
Thomas’s affection for the work attests its great popularity during the Middle Ages, despite its significant missing parts-everything beyond the end of Matthew 25, with further gaps of Matthew 8:11-10:15 and 13:14-18:35. Despite the gaps what remains is quite lengthy, so much so that we offer the work in two volumes, comprising fifty-four homilies. While the early fifth-century author displays a few Arian propensities in a handful of passages, for the most part the commentary is moral in nature and therefore orthodox and generic. The unknown author, who for several centuries was thought to be John Chrysostom, follows the allegorizing method of the Alexandrians, but not by overlooking the literal meaning. His passion, above all, is to set forth the meaning of Matthew’s Gospel for his readers.
Here for the first time this ancient work is made available in English, ably translated by James A. Kellerman and edited by Thomas C. Oden.
Thomas Oden, by the way, is a Confessing Methodist who is focused on paleo-orthodoxy.
Speaking of IVP, be sure to check out the book club which they now offer (see the icon on the right hand side of the page). I am member of it and would recommend it above other book clubs for solid Christian books.
Oh, and the awesome service? The early writers, theologians and wrestlers of Scripture and History must not be overlooked or forgotten. IVP is doing a remarkable job of bring these people to new light in the modern age.
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