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Essays on Halakhah in the New Testament
These essays explore the Jewish background to central issues in the New Testament letter and spirit, prophecy and law, forgiveness, the accounts of Jesus trial(s), evidence required for legal/theological claims, the shepherding images, disinheritance, and teachings on marriage and divorce.
266 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2007
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September 12, 2021
This book consists of eight essays by Jackson, a scholar of Jewish law. The essays consider New Testament passages that relate in various ways to Jewish law.
The most important of the essays is the sixth one, which considers the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15) in light of the customs for dividing an estate that were extant at the time of Jesus. Christian scholar Kenneth Bailey has famously asserted that the younger son's early request for his share of his father's estate (Luke 15:12) would have been unheard of at the time and was tantamount to saying that he wished his father were dead.
Jackson disagrees, on the grounds that there were well established procedures in place for this kind of division of an estate. The younger son's request shocked the twentieth century Arab Christians with whom Bailey interacted, but it would not have been shocking in the first-century Jewish world of Jesus.
Jackson considers the actions and motivations of the two sons based on some possibilities for how the father may have arranged for the division of his estate. He agrees with Bailey that when the younger son "came to himself" in Luke 15:17, he was not repenting but thinking of his own self-interest.
Jackson corrects Bailey on one additional, minor point. Bailey speculates that when the younger son returned, the community would have performed a special ceremony for disinheritance because the son had given up his portion of the family estate to Gentiles. Jackson says there is no real evidence that such a ceremony ever existed.
For those interested in the parable of the prodigal son, the collection is worth seeking out for this one essay. But there are lots of fascinating tidbits in the other essays.
The first essay takes as its jumping-off point Paul's statement that "the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life" (2 Cor 3:6). Jackson looks at the following question: How does God make his will known---through a written text, or through inspired people? The answer seems to be "yes".
The second essay surveys Jewish traditions on the characteristics of a "prophet like Moses" in Deut 18:15 and how Jesus may have been portrayed in the Gospels as possessing those characteristics.
The third essay looks at parallels between the trial of Jeremiah in Jer 26 and the trial of Jesus as described in the Gospels.
The fourth essay looks at how the Torah requirement that there be multiple witnesses for a capital crime was implemented in Qumran's Damascus Document and in rabbinic law. There were some special circumstances, it turns out, when a lesser punishment might be given in a case with only one witness. Jackson also looks at the way in which the "multiple witness" idea is used by Paul in 2 Cor 13:1-4, and at the multiple post-resurrection appearances of Jesus recorded by the Gospel writers.
The fifth essay discusses legal issues raised by the story of Susanna, and how reflection on those issues progressed through history. No real New Testament connection, but stimulating nonetheless.
The seventh essay looks at the use of shepherd imagery in the Gospels in light of its use in the Tanakh.
The eighth essay, the longest in the book, examines New Testament teaching on divorce and remarriage. Jackson believes that these teachings are best understood by seeing early Christianity as an eschatologically-oriented sect somewhat analogous to the Qumran sect. He does not find David Instone-Brewer's explanation of these matters persuasive. I, on the other hand, am persuaded by Instone-Brewer's exegesis.
The most important of the essays is the sixth one, which considers the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15) in light of the customs for dividing an estate that were extant at the time of Jesus. Christian scholar Kenneth Bailey has famously asserted that the younger son's early request for his share of his father's estate (Luke 15:12) would have been unheard of at the time and was tantamount to saying that he wished his father were dead.
Jackson disagrees, on the grounds that there were well established procedures in place for this kind of division of an estate. The younger son's request shocked the twentieth century Arab Christians with whom Bailey interacted, but it would not have been shocking in the first-century Jewish world of Jesus.
Jackson considers the actions and motivations of the two sons based on some possibilities for how the father may have arranged for the division of his estate. He agrees with Bailey that when the younger son "came to himself" in Luke 15:17, he was not repenting but thinking of his own self-interest.
Jackson corrects Bailey on one additional, minor point. Bailey speculates that when the younger son returned, the community would have performed a special ceremony for disinheritance because the son had given up his portion of the family estate to Gentiles. Jackson says there is no real evidence that such a ceremony ever existed.
For those interested in the parable of the prodigal son, the collection is worth seeking out for this one essay. But there are lots of fascinating tidbits in the other essays.
The first essay takes as its jumping-off point Paul's statement that "the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life" (2 Cor 3:6). Jackson looks at the following question: How does God make his will known---through a written text, or through inspired people? The answer seems to be "yes".
The second essay surveys Jewish traditions on the characteristics of a "prophet like Moses" in Deut 18:15 and how Jesus may have been portrayed in the Gospels as possessing those characteristics.
The third essay looks at parallels between the trial of Jeremiah in Jer 26 and the trial of Jesus as described in the Gospels.
The fourth essay looks at how the Torah requirement that there be multiple witnesses for a capital crime was implemented in Qumran's Damascus Document and in rabbinic law. There were some special circumstances, it turns out, when a lesser punishment might be given in a case with only one witness. Jackson also looks at the way in which the "multiple witness" idea is used by Paul in 2 Cor 13:1-4, and at the multiple post-resurrection appearances of Jesus recorded by the Gospel writers.
The fifth essay discusses legal issues raised by the story of Susanna, and how reflection on those issues progressed through history. No real New Testament connection, but stimulating nonetheless.
The seventh essay looks at the use of shepherd imagery in the Gospels in light of its use in the Tanakh.
The eighth essay, the longest in the book, examines New Testament teaching on divorce and remarriage. Jackson believes that these teachings are best understood by seeing early Christianity as an eschatologically-oriented sect somewhat analogous to the Qumran sect. He does not find David Instone-Brewer's explanation of these matters persuasive. I, on the other hand, am persuaded by Instone-Brewer's exegesis.
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