Global Interpretation of
Christian Scriptures
Classical Models of Interpretation
of Scripture: Pharisaic/Rabbinic
interpretation of Scripture
COVENANT as Jewish
Hermeneutical-Theological Frame
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2.
DP’s Early Jewish Hermeneutics, 1975.
Pharisees (Rabbinic Judaism in formation)
Apocalyptic groups (Zealots, Qumran)
Sadducees
Shared Basic Conviction: We are the
Chosen People of God . . .
Shared Basic questions/concerns: How to
remain the Chosen People? How to be the
Chosen People? Why?
Jewish Interpretations of Scriptures
EARLY RABBINIC/PHARISEES VIEW
OF SCRIPTURE
 Interpret Scripture = Tanakh = Torah
Prophets/Nebiim Writings/Ketoubim
 Explicit views of Scripture = Torah
« defile the hands” = sacred text; what is
read; the writings
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Early Rabbinic/Pharisees: Explicit
Views Of Scripture
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Why is Scripture sacred? Torah is the
complete, final, immutable revelation :
“everything is revealed on Mount Sinai”
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in the world to come God teaches Torah.
= Wisdom (Prov 8:22ff) with God at the
creation; blueprint of creation = God’s
Wisdom.
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More than the written text.
= before and beyond the written text.
Given to Israel = God giving himself to
Israel
Early Rabbinic/Pharisees: Explicit
Views Of Scripture
to recite or read Torah = being in the
Presence Shekinah [G’D] “where two or
three are gathered and exchange words
of Torah the Shekinah is with them.
 thus Torah = surrogate of the Temple
 taking the yoke of Torah = taking the
yoke of Heaven [G’D]
 Torah = water (gratis, priceless, brings
life) wine; fire, wife
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Early Rabbinic/Pharisees View Of
Scripture (1)
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IN SYNAGOGUE and IN SCHOOL
In Synagogue
Cycle of readings; Torah (seder) prophets
(haftarah) (verbal tallying)
 Translation = Targum
 Homilies; stringing texts together (pearls)… a
text, interpreting another text, interpreting
another text…. Back to the first text.
(eventually written down = Midrash)
 Targum = same thing as homilies… explain
the text, in terms of other texts.
Early Rabbinic/Pharisees:
Synagogue (2) Haggadic interpretations
Some Hermeneutical principles:
 1) Everything is meaningful in Scripture;
 2) Scripture is to be explained by Scripture;
 3) Synthetic view of scripture and of sacred
history/ “telescoping” “ There is no before and after
in scripture” (one of 32 middoth rules): ex: nights of
creation, of Abraham (covenant, Gen 15), of Aqedah
(sacrifice of Isaac), of Passover, eschatological night
of Messiah
 = sacred history is closed: God acted/revealed in
the past, the sacred past of sacred history; will
act/reveal in the future; in between there is no new
revelation Everything is revealed on Mt Sinai
Early Rabbinic/Pharisees:
Synagogue (2) Haggadic interpretations
Some Hermeneutical principles (continued):
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4) Theological developments in Targum =not
systematic theology = haggadah = (sacred) stories
= a listening to scripture
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5) Some actualization of scripture = circle of
scripture interpreting scripture is broken – but
primarily halakic (back to this later)
Early Rabbinic/Pharisees: Synagogue
(4) Liturgical Haggadah
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All liturgy = scripture = participating in liturgy
(prayers, songs, readings, translations/targums,
homilies) = entering Scripture
 Entering Torah = being constituted as the people
of God
 = example of Passover Seder = we went out of
Egypt
 We are the people of Israel described in Scripture
Early Rabbinic/Pharisees:
Covenant
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Covenant:
 a) God’s intervention, redemption from
slavery = election;= haggadah (past)
 b) Vocation: people of priest for the
nations; haggadah = sanctification of the
Name
 C) Law = how to walk: halakah
Early Rabbinic/Pharisees: School:
Halakah Sanctification of the Name
 Oral
Torah = living tradition=
harmonize Torah and life
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Beyond the written Biblical Text (as Torah
was with God, before the creation)
Gezeroth = teaching independent from
Scripture
 Takkanoth = teaching radically changing
the teaching of Torah = Prosbul of Hillel
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 Sanctification
of the Name
Early Rabbinic/Pharisees: School:
Halakah Sanctification of the Name
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Making a fence around Torah
 Always changing and growing tradition:
Mishnah, Talmud; reinterpreted in terms of
the new situations in life;
 Here Revelation, Scripture = open; on
going; discerning what is God’s will = how to
sanctify the name today
 Being faithful = adapting, changing…
COVENANT (Exodus 19 & 20) as
Hermeneutical/Theological Frame:
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For Pharisees and Rabbis:
Election (as the Chosen People of God) = God’s
freeing the People from bondage = saved from
bondage = done; closed revelation
Vocation (to be a people of priests = Sanctification of
the Name) closed revelation
Law = Way to walk… How to fulfill this vocation (to
sanctify the Name) open = always new ways for
new contexts (inculturation)
Exodus 19:3-6
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3 "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob,
and tell the Israelites: 4 You have seen what
I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on
eagles' wings and brought you to myself. 5
Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep
my covenant, you shall be my treasured
possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the
whole earth is mine, 6 but you shall be for me
a priestly kingdom and a holy nation. These
are the words that you shall speak to the
Israelites."
Exodus 20:1-4
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1 Then God spoke all these words: 2 I
am the LORD your God, who brought
you out of the land of Egypt, out of the
house of slavery; 3 you shall have no
other gods before me. 4 You shall not
make for yourself an idol,
Pharisees
(DP’s Early Jewish Hermeneutics,
1975)
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Pharisees = One Covenant
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Election: complete = everything has been
revealed on Mount Sinai (Oral and Written Torah)
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Haggadah: Closed sacred history Liturgy;
interpreting Scripture by Scripture (Midrash)
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Halakah: needs to be reinterpreted again and
again (Mishnah, Talmud, constantly interpreted in
terms of social, cultural situation)
Apocalyptic people: e.g. Qumran
(DP’s Early Jewish Hermeneutics, 1975)
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Apocalyptic = New Covenant (people still in bondage)
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Election: God is electing, choosing a remnant/a new
faithful people = new interventions of God
 Typology; Prophecy are fulfilled
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Haggadah = Open sacred history, ongoing activity of God ,
establishing and reestablishing the covenant through
choosing/calling a new people, through interventions of
power
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Halakah = Very strict; AS BY PRIEST IN THE TEMPLE
Pharisees =
One Covenant
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People freed from bondage
Election: complete =
everything has been
revealed on Mount Sinai
(Oral and Written Torah)
Haggadah: Closed sacred
history Liturgy; interpreting
Scripture by Scripture
(Midrash)
Halakah: needs to be
reinterpreted again and
again (Mishnah, Talmud,
constantly interpreted in
terms of social, cultural
situation)
Apocalyptic = New
Covenant
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People still in bondage)
Election: God is electing,
choosing a remnant/a new
faithful people = new
interventions of God
Typology; Prophecy are
fulfilled
Haggadah = Open sacred
history, ongoing activity of God
, establishing and
reestablishing the covenant
through choosing/calling a new
people, through interventions
of power
Halakah = Very strict; AS BY
PRIEST IN THE TEMPLE