Harrison,
Everett F. Introduction to the New
Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company,
1974. A 1990-edition is available at: http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-New-Testament-Everett-Harrison/dp/0802847862/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1377042673&sr=8-4&keywords=everett+f.+harrison
After twenty-five years of teaching seminary as a “double
doctor,” this 508-page introduction was motivated by watching his students “grow
weary of taking notes diligently from day to day in the classroom”
(Preface). Commendable by Dr. Harrison; it spares hours of hearing a Professor read his notes. Can’t go to seminary? Here is one workable and serviceable volume, although Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) Guthrie's magnum opus is unrivalled. He was a Presbyterian Churchman and plank-owner/cofounder of Fuller Theological Seminary.
Background
Part
One: The Background
1. The Background—history,
institutions and literature, pages 3-46
Mr. Harrison affords the student the obligatory and
necessary backgrounds of the Babylonian, Persian, Alexandrian, Egyptian, Syrian,
Maccabean and Roman periods of intersection with the covenant community
including discussions about chief priests, synagogues, doctors of the law,
Pharisees, Sadducees, Hasmoneans, and the Diaspora. He advises the NT student to learn 200 years
before and 200 years after Christ’s life. Mr. Harrison affords the student a
modest bibliography at the end of each chapter with footnotes per page. However, this nowise appears to compare to
Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) Donald Guthrie’s 1000-page magnum opus with a 100-page bibliography.
·
Persian period. Zerubbabel, Ezra, Nehemiah,
Malachi and the end of the OT.
·
Alexandrian period (332-301 B.C.). Alexander
the Great gobbles up Syria, Palestine, and Egypt. He was trained by
Aristotle. He sought to avenge the
Persian invasion by Xerxes. The notable
element is the extension of the language, literature and culture throughout the
Mediterranean. His dominion split at his death.
The Ptolemies ruled Egypt with the Seleucids Syria.
·
Egyptian Period (301-198 B.C.). This was
developed and settled by successors of Alexander. Or, Alexandria, Egypt. This was the “bread basket” of the area and
became an influential commercial and intellectual center. A great library was found there that existed
for nearly 1000 years. The Jews moved
there in great numbers. The Septuagint
was translated here.
· Syrian
Period (198-167 B.C.). There were decent
relations with Israel although they were taxed.
Antiochus Epiphanes IV marks a change in Seleucid policy and results in
the Maccabean War with the Jews. He seeks to regulate Israel’s religion and to “Hellenize”
them. His coins indicate “God manifest,
Victory-bearer.” He became known as a “Madman.”
He outlaws Sabbath, circumcision, and temple worship. He had the Hebrew
Scriptures burned. He confiscated temple funds, built a pagan altar in the
temple and offered pigs on the altar.
· Maccabean Period (163-63 B.C.). Revolt by Jews,
religious freedom re-acquired, and the temple cleansed. Other than continued taxation, there was a
degree of independence. The Hasmonean
line is established.
· Roman Period (63 B.C. into NT period). Internal dissensions developed within Israel.
Rome resolved the issue with Pompey’s visit and hegemony. Mr. Harrison gives a
quick review of Roman history (triumvirates, Caesars, loss of the republic,
establishment of the Empire, and emergence of control over Israel). Herod was
installed: he walked the parameters of pleasing Rome and keeping peace in
Israel. Herod had 10 wives. He killed
his mother-in-law, a wife, some sons and others to maintain control. He engaged in many building projects: Temple
enlargement, Caesarea port, varied fortresses, a resort area east of Jericho,
and many other temples. A theater, amphitheater and hippodrome were built in
Jerusalem. In Herod’s last will, he wanted his sons as governors, but Rome
retained oversight. Jesus taught
submission to Rome and paying one’s taxes.
The institutions: the
synagogue, Temple, Sanhedrin, Jewish Parties, and the Disaspora, pages 18-30.
·
The synagogue, allegedly, is a post-Exilic
development, although we are not sure about this claim. People met weekly for
the Sabbath; this was the fulcrum of religious education and worship. Annual trips to Jerusalem were for the
Levitical feasts. Scribes came to be an honored tradition. Elders ran the synagogue. There was a president and attendant (who kept
the scrolls). There may have been a Sabbath school. A liturgical service included: the Shema (Dt. 6.4-9; 11.13-21; Num.
15.37-41), liturgical prayers, Psalm-singing, lections from the Law and
Prophets, an exegetical sermon or homily, with an Aaronic blessing and
benediction. This carried over to the NT.
·
The Temple.
It was expanded under Herod the Great to about 26 acres. It was the same site as Solomon’s and Zerubabbel’s
times. The Temple was supported by dispersed Jews. There was half-shekel tax on each male
Israelite (about 2 days of wages). These
taxes went to support the morning and evening sacrifices, salaries and Temple
repairs. The Temple was also a site of commercial activity. It was the “crown jewel of the holy city.”
·
Sanhedrin.
After the captivity, the ruling figure was the High Priest. It added political dimensions to the
judicio-religious character of office. This was a Senate of 70 members. It
issued judicial rulings. The Sadducees dominated
the Senate, although there were Pharisees too.
·
The Parties: Sadducees, Pharisees, and
Essenes. The Pharisees consisted of
laymen and priests. They were the
largest party. They were a driving force
and probably emerged from the Maccabean period. They regarded themselves as the
“true Israel.” St. Paul belonged to this party, a “Pharisee of Pharisees”
(Phil. 3). They viewed themselves as the “custodians” of the faith. The
Sadducees, a smaller and more aristocratic party, disappeared after the Jewish
War of 66-70 A.D. They rejected the oral tradition, affirmed Moses’ Pentateuch,
denied the resurrection and lacked something of the moral earnestness of the Pharisees.
The Essenes—a few things here are disputed.
Some confine them to the western community a few miles south of Jericho,
but Josephus indicates they were spread throughout Israel. Or, there may have been degrees of Esseneism. Mr. Harrison gives a lengthy description of
the community, scrolls, and background, but we’re treating that elsewhere.
·
The Diaspora. Exiles (Assyrian and Babylonian)
as well as economic opportunities facilitated Jewish emigration and migration.
A heavy concentration was found in Alexandria, Cyrenaica, Rome, major cities,
Greece, Macedonia and Asia Minor. Yet,
cultural and religious connections were maintained with Israel.
The literature: historical, fictional, sapiential,
apocryphal, general, apologetic and miscellaneous, pages 31-46.
Historical.
1.
I Esdras.
Closely connected to 2 Chron. 35 and concludes with Ezra reading the
Law.
2.
1 Maccabees.
The events of Antiochus IV and related events (175-135 B.C.)
3.
2 Maccabees.
Events after 135 B.C.
Fictional.
1.
Tobit. A pious Jew living in Ninevah in
Shalmanezer’s times.
2.
Judith. Story of a beautiful Jewish widow.
Sapiential.
1.
Ecclesiasticus.
Dated about 180 B.C. It praises wisdom and has similarities to Proverbs.
2.
Wisdom of Solomon. Dated about 100 B.C. Gives a
review of various figures from Israel’s history.
3.
Sayings of the Fathers. Varied sayings by
Rabbis from the Christian times to the 2nd century A.D.
Apocryphal.
1.
Book of Enoch. The heavenly Enoch lays open his
views.
2.
Apocalypse of Baruch. Baruch, Jeremiah’s secretary, dated the 1st
century A.D. or later, speaks of the coming of the Messiah.
3.
Assumption of Moses. Reviews Israel’s history
down to the Roman times. It predicts the
coming of the Messianic kingdom over 250 times.
4.
Apocalypse of Ezra. A jeremiad about sin, the paucity of the
righteous, and a justification of God’s ways.
General.
1.
Jubilees. A revelation to Moses covering
Creation to the Exodus. It has been
called the “Little Genesis.”
2.
Sibylline Oracles. Book 3 is a resume of Israel’s history, the
dire conditions before the end, prophecies about the overthrow of the wicked,
the return of the world to Jehovah, and the period of peace and prosperity.
3.
Psalms of Solomon. Expresses disillusionment
with the Hasmoneans and expectations for the advent of the Son of David along
with nationalistic aspirations (Psalm 17 and 18).
4.
Testaments of Two Patriarchs. Biography of the
patriarchs, including vices and virtues.
Philosophical.
1.
IV Maccabees.
Apologetical.
1.
Letter of Aristeas. Background to the
translation of the LXX.
2.
III Maccabees. An account of Ptolemy IV in the
Temple.
Miscellaneous.
1.
Book of Baruch. Purports to be Babylonian in
provenance. Upshot: remain steadfast and
hold hope for the Restoration.
2.
Epistle of Jeremiah. Stand fast against
temptation to idolatry.
3.
Prayer of Azariah (Abednego). An addition to Daniel.
4.
Song of the Holy Children. Story about the fiery furnace of Daniel.
5.
History of Susanna. Daniel rescues a woman falsely accused of
adultery by two Jews.
6.
Bel and Dagon.
Daniel and King Cyrus hold a theological discussion while Daniel defangs
pagan deities.
7.
Additions to Esther. There are six of them.
Part II
The Language of the New
Testament
2. The Language of the New
Testament—rise of kione,
sources for knoine, New Testament
writers, influence of the Septuagint, quotation of the Old Testament in the
New, bibliography, pages 49-62.
Aramaic was widely used in Israel, although not
exclusively. The medium was Hebraic, the
culture, the customs, the history and backgrounds, but the medium for the
extension of the Gospel was Greek.
Homer and Hesiod, 800 B.C. Various incursions by
Indo-Europeans influence the development of Greek. There were 4 dialects: Doric, Aeolic, Ionic
and Attic. Attic prevailed with its
storied galaxy of writers in Athens. After Alexander the Great’s conquests,
post-300 B.C., Koine (Κοινε) spreads as the lingua franca of the Mediterranean.
Latin dominated Italy, but Greek was evident in Rome. Aramaic was predominant
in Israel, but Greek was evident also.
The LXX, NT, and Greek Fathers used Koine.
The dual was gone.
The optative was curtailed. There
was less use of superlative adjectives. The ina ('ινα) clause was expanded to
include result as well as purpose. A greater aggregation of prepositions were
used for emphasis. Luke and Hebrews
evince a more classical perspective although Paul shows facility also.
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