PPL 2_Jeremiah In Contemporary Biblical

Jeremiah In Contemporary Biblical Scholarship : 

Jeremiah In Contemporary Biblical Scholarship

Challenges of Interpreting Jeremiah : 

Challenges of Interpreting Jeremiah Structure of the book Radical textual differences between MT and LXX Odd mixture of genres and materials Duplications with oracles separated from their corresponding settings/events (Jer 7 & 26; 25 & 36) Prophet holds seemingly contradictory positions (e.g. on repentance and on Babylon)

Two Basic Approaches to the Book : 

Two Basic Approaches to the Book Problems explained on basis of complicated compositional process involving many editors/redactors Problems explained on basis of prophet’s own complexity of thought and theological development Some combination of these. Diachronic vs. Synchronic

History of Modern Interpretation : 

History of Modern Interpretation Friedrich Giesebrecht (1894) – identified 3 sources Jeremiah Baruch Redactor (Bearbeiter) B. Duhm (1901) – used poetry/prose distinction as basis for separating authentic Jeremiah from subsequent redaction.

History of Modern Interpretation : 

History of Modern Interpretation Sigmund Mowinckel – further refined Duhm’s thesis. Source A – poetic oracles of prophet Source B – biographical/historical prose Source C – prose sermons reflecting interests of Deuteronomistic redactors Source D – later collection consisting of 30-31 RA RB RC RD and RJ Explanation of Deuternomistic History (DtH) DtH Dtst Dtc

History of Modern Interpretation : 

History of Modern Interpretation E. W. Nicholson – a via media J. P. Hyatt and W. Thiel – the whole book is dtstc Note the move away from sources and patchwork approaches to the book. 1980’s brought a real shift and a real rift in Jeremiah studies Robert P. Carroll William McKane William L. Holladay

McKane’s “Rolling Corpus” : 

McKane’s “Rolling Corpus” “My argument is that there is no comprehensive framework of literary arrangement or theological system within which the parts of 1-25 are fitted together, and the prose does not supply such a scaffolding. There is more accident, arbitrariness, and fortuitous twists and turns than has generally been allowed for.”

McKane’s “Rolling Corpus” : 

McKane’s “Rolling Corpus” MT underwent series of expansions Shorter LXX text is point of departure Intuition leads to earlier expansions present in both proto-MT and proto-LXX Seeking a “kernel” text that will help explain current shape of canonical text Poetry = lexical reservoir for prose “Triggering” Poetry generates prose Poetry generates poetry Prose generates prose

R. P. Carroll : 

R. P. Carroll Jeremiah is an evolving Apologia Ideologiae No overarching theme. Development of motifs due to changing circumstances and passage of time (diachronic). Only a variety of post-exilic settings explains the disparate pieces of the book. 2 parts of book stand in stark contrast 1-25 mostly poetry with prophet backgrounded 26-51 mostly prose with prophet foregrounded

Synchronic Jeremianic Approaches : 

Synchronic Jeremianic Approaches Th. Robinson and Otto Eissfeldt both associated prose sermons with Jeremiah. John Bright’s comparison of prose w/ poetry and w/ DtH. Helga Weippert brought greater linguistic accuracy to Bright’s observations W. Holladay’s theory of multiple scrolls composed for septennial readings (Dt 31:10-11). J. G. McConville – development of the prophet’s theology Jack Lundbom’s rhetorical approach to the book.

Differences between MT and LXX : 

Differences between MT and LXX LXX is 1/7 shorter Haplography (Janzen, 1967; Lundbom, 1999 Fewer superscriptions Jer 11:7-8a missing in LXX Duplicate passages in MT not duplicated in LXX (e.g. 8:10b-12; 17:3-4) Jer 33:14 – 26 missing in LXX

Differences between MT and LXX : 

Differences between MT and LXX LXX has OAN situated after Jer 25:13a Additions in LXX [2:28; 3:18; 9:13 (MT 9:14)] Use of pseudoprophētēs as an equivalent for näbî´ Both text attested at Qumran 4QJerb = proto-LXX 4QJera; 4QJerc; 2QJer = proto-MT

An Approach to the Structure of MT : 

An Approach to the Structure of MT 1. Chapters 1 – 23 (begins with vision) A) Chapters 1 – 15 (“they will fight against you”) Chapters 1 – 6 (begins with an account) Chapters 7 – 15 (begins with an account B) Chapters 16 – 23 (begins with an account) 2. Chapters 24 – 51 (begins with vision) A) Chapters 24 – 31 (thematic cluster) B) Chapters 32 – 45 (prophetic acts within biographical frame) C) Chapters 46 – 51 (OAN)