Section outline

    • Overview

      • What is theological interpretation of the Bible?
      • Theological interpretation in the context of TNK / Old Testament
      • Theological interpretation in the context of the Christian Bible
    • OTE 08 Steps 6 File

    • Comment

      The review of the canonical approach/criticism in the section on history of interpretation is in many respects important also for the theological interpreation of a given biblical passage. Further, two examples of theological interpretation are provided in the present section.
      The first example is taken from the work of Brevard S. Childs, the proponent of the canonical approach to the Bible. On the example of exegesis of Psalm 8 Childs demonstrates, how he imagined the specific text could be interpreted in its original Old Testament context, but also, how the New Testament recontextualization of Psalm 8 in the epistle to Hebrews provides valid theological insight.

      The second example is chosen from the work by a more recent author, that is, Walter Moberly. His detailed analysis of Genesis 12:1-3 illustrates not only, how linguistic considerations influence the theological interpretation of the text, but also how the text can lead to several acceptable theological recontextualizations in different contexts, namely Christian and Jewish.

    • Literature for individual study

      Review Hayes and Holladay, Biblical Exegesis, 122-130 from the preceding seciton.

      Childs, Brevard S. Biblical Theology in Crisis. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Westminster Press, 1970, 151-163
      Moberly, R. W. L. The Theology of the Book of Genesis. Old Testament Theology. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009, 141-161.

    • Childs, Brevard S. Biblical Theology in Crisis. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Westminster Press, 1970, 151-163 File
    • Moberly, R. W. L. The Theology of the Book of Genesis. Old Testament Theology. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009, 141-161. File

    • Verifying comprehension

      1. What is, according to Childs, the meaning of Pslam 8 in the Old Testament context? What Old Testament texts with similar kind of theology Childs mentions? 
      2. In what aspect is the Septuagint translation of Ps 8:5-6 relevant for the recontextualzation of the psalm in Hebrews 2:6-9.
      3. What kind of reading and understanding of Psalm 8 suggests Childs for the context of Christian theology? Why does he think, that his approach is superior to that of Luther or Calvin?
      4. What is the crucial grammatical feature in Gen 12:1-3, according to Moberly, which leads to possibility of different translation? What are some examples of interpretation of this text in Christian and in Jewish traditions?