Wright or wrong, all these play on words are getting a bit much!

It’s funny, but the first thing i have noticed when looking into New Perspectives teaching is all the play on words of NT Wright’s name.  Who said theologians don’t have a sense of humour?  I guess we could debate about the standard of humour though!  But as it is, my studies have taken me down the inevitable road of the New Perspectives debate.  Not knowing much about this fairly recent development in NT scholarship, i am looking forward to getting a comprehensive and fair understanding of the issues at stake in it.  Whatever your point of view on this issue may be, we cannot overestimate the necessity of understanding first century Judaism when interpreting the New Testament.  One of the things that NPP proponents have been able to highlight is the tendency for modern day scholars to be anachronistic in reading sixth century categories into first century material.  This kind of debate (whatever side you fall on) is always helpful in that it challenges our pre-conceived and rarely thought through presumptions about the times of Jesus.

Another important aspect i hope to jump into is understanding what second temple Judaism looked like and taught.  After the return of the exiles a second temple was constructed and met with mixed responses from the retrunees.  Some cheered and celebrated for they had returned home at last, but others weeped in bitterness and anguish.  This temple was not the glorious building that housed the presence of God when it was first built.  The question i suppose is, how did the Jewish cultus change? How did the people perceive themselves? What was their understanding of their status before God?  Where they still in Exile?  These types of questions i think will impact how we understand the context in which Jesus came proclaiming, “The Kingdom is at hand!”

If you have any links of resources that will direct myself and others in understanding this important issue, let me know!

~ by Anthony on March 30, 2007.