Theologies of the Old Testament - Book Review

How was the incredible rebirth of this people made possible? Not much information is available--only the fact that some returned to Judah and others established communities in the Diaspora, which extended from Alexandria to Babylon and grew steadily. But the reality is a mysterious process--that a people should recreate their early traditions, forming them into holy writings, torah and prophets. Instead of the "queen of heaven" 0er 44:16-18), the Lord prevails and exclusive fidelity is demanded, even though the "chosen" people were decimated and exiled. G. (p. 175) singles out Jonah's definition of himself in 1:8-9, "I fear YHWH, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land," as a novum in the history of the ancient Near East. A tight community life helped the people to achieve a sense of superiority; they were chosen by the Lord (Deut 10:14-17). The Lord is king, as the "enthronement" psalms (Pss 47, 93, 96-99) proclaim. Yet, there is also a "weakness theology" (pp. 185, 197) as in Lamentations 2:5 and some psalms, e.g., 44:10-23--a God who is close and yet distant. The traditional divine attributes (all-knowing, etc.) are hard to reconcile with a God who seems to contradict them and who is more mysterious than traditional believers will accept. In the Servant of God songs of Isaiah, especially Isaiah 53, suffering even unto death appears as the "fruitful ground that already bears in itself the buds of new life" (p. 197).

The future of God's people is assured, but the initiative lies with the Lord. Messianism, so firmly described by many theologians, is practically bypassed by G. (p. 199). Instead, he describes a theology from below, such as the ideals indicated in Deuteronomy 15 and Leviticus 25. Now the plight of the poor, who are the concern of the Lord, is made manifest (see, e.g., Pss 34:15-21; 104:13). This belief perdures, but not without difficulties, as Psalms 37 and 73 bear witness. "Torah piety" means obedience to the Lord, "the great teacher of Israel." From Nehemiah 8:8 G. concludes that biblical interpretation was born, and also that the torah not only revealed the divine will, but was to be continually interpreted anew, for its study became a fundamental religious activity of the just person (Ps 1).

This community not only welded itself into a tightly closed unit, even with its foundations in the diaspora, but it made the claim of world dominion for the Lord. This was due, not to (pre-exilic) Yahwistic belief, but to outside influence: Babylonian ideas on creation and world empire, the dualism of Persia, and possibly Egyptian ideas. He finds this an astonishing feat, but the reader may doubt this, when so little evidence is presented.

The status of the Temple, rebuilt in 515, was changed; it was no longer an appendage to the palace. Moreover, the birth of the synagogue (no dates for this) marked a certain distance towards the typical style of worship. However, the reading of the Law by the scribe Ezra (around 450) sets the tone of the community. Now they pledge fidelity (Ezra 8:1-8). Moreover, the sacrificial system of old, although it does not disappear (Leviticus 1-7), is now seen in another light, as manifested in Psalms 40:7-9, 50:8-13, and 51:18-19. The old distinction between "official" religion and the belief of the people appears in the assessment of the postexilic period, although G. admits that there is not enough real evidence concerning the structure of folk religion.