Mr.(Rev. Dr. Prof.) E.F. Harrison's "Introduction to the New Testament:" Ch. 1-2

          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 2^nd 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 1^st 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.