Over the course of his career, Dale Allison has enriched our understanding of Jewish and Christia... more Over the course of his career, Dale Allison has enriched our understanding of Jewish and Christian hopes about the end of history, advanced nuanced readings of ancient texts in light of their scriptural and cultural conversation partners, and deepened our knowledge of the history of biblical interpretation throughout the ages. In all of these ways, he has sought, in the words of T.S. Eliot, "to recover what has been lost." In "To Recover What Has Been Lost": Essays on Eschatology, Intertextuality, and Reception History in Honor of Dale C. Allison Jr., leading biblical scholars and historians offer groundbreaking studies on Jewish and Christian eschatology, intertextuality, and reception history-three areas particularly evident in Allison's scholarship. These essays reconstruct the past, advance fresh readings, and reclaim overlooked exegetical insights. In so doing, they too recover what has been lost.
The suitability of the image of āthe parting of the waysā has been challenged in recent years for... more The suitability of the image of āthe parting of the waysā has been challenged in recent years for understandable reasons. And yet the question about how the historical Jesus relates to the development of a distinguishable social movement in his name remains a crucial one in the study of Christian origins. This essay provides an overview of those aspects of Jesusā career that are most relevant for this topic by charting some of the argumentative subcurrents in Jesus research. Attention then turns to the defense of three historical arguments: that Jesus was a controversial and divisive figure already in his own time, that his eschatological message about the kingdom was of such a nature that it left the spectrum of acceptable responses to it relatively narrow, and he was critical of the practices and beliefs of others in ways that made possible further group differentiation. Thus, we should stand by the conclusion of Joseph Klausnerāex nihilo nihil fitāif perhaps for reasons that differ from his.
Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus, 2022
The author offers a grateful reply to his three respondents before clarifying a few matters and r... more The author offers a grateful reply to his three respondents before clarifying a few matters and responding to queries. Nothing emerges that would require modifications to the main arguments of the book.
For centuries exegetes have struggled to explain why Matthew presents two animals in the triumpha... more For centuries exegetes have struggled to explain why Matthew presents two animals in the triumphal entry-a female į½Ī½ĪæĻ and her Ļįæ¶Ī»ĪæĻ-while all the other Gospels only have one (a Ļįæ¶Ī»ĪæĻ). The question is further complicated by the fact that the Scripture Matthew cites as fulfilled in this action-Zech. 9:9-also presents only one animal in all extant versions. So what is the historical or exegetical reason for Matthew's addition? While many have argued that Matthew's presentation stems from a misreading of the poetic parallelism in Zech. 9:9, this essay contends that Matthew's doubling of Mark's single Ļįæ¶Ī»ĪæĻ is the result of messianic exegesis. The argument is that Matthew or Matthew's tradition has read Zech. 9:9 alongside another famous messianic oracle, Jacob's blessing of Judah in Gen. 49:10-11, and that the doubling of the donkeys stems from a likely mistaken-though completely understandable-reading of the Hebrew text. The essay further shows that Matthew's use of Gen. 49 and Zech. 9 in the triumphal entry scene makes good sense in light of the interests of the Gospel as a whole as well as exegetical tradition that stems from these passages.
The discussion of the relationship between John the Baptist and Jesus has focused in recent years... more The discussion of the relationship between John the Baptist and Jesus has focused in recent years almost completely on the conceptual agreement or disagreement between the two figuresāthat is, how their ideas or ātheologiesā were similar or different. As important as that question is, this article looks at Jesusās relationship to John from a different angle, concentrating on actions and public perceptions. My argument is this: if we grant that Jesusās career started in the shadow of Johnās earlier and more popular ministry, that John did not point to Jesus publicly as the fulfillment or continuation of his work, and that Jesusās itinerant ministry developed in a different social location, it is likely that Jesus had to construct for his hearers his relationship to John. This investigation leads to a striking conclusion: the kinds of questions about Jesusās relationship to John that dominate current Jesus research were probably also around during the time of Jesus. The conclusion illuminates our understanding of the public identity of Jesus.
Zeitschrift fur die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft, 2019
In both Matthew and Luke, Satan offers Jesus "all the kingdoms of the world" in exchange for his ... more In both Matthew and Luke, Satan offers Jesus "all the kingdoms of the world" in exchange for his obeisance. Only in Luke, however, does Satan make an intriguing claim about his "authority" over the kingdoms and his prerogative to "give" such "to whomever he wishes" (4:6). Richard Hays lamented in his recent Echoes of Scripture in the Gospels that this unique detail has not been given thorough attention in exegetical studies of Luke-Acts. This study takes up the question of Satan's claim in detail and suggests that Satan's words are informed by a phrase that appears multiple times in the book of Daniel: "the Most High is sovereign over the kingdom of mortals and gives it to whomever he wishes." This intertextuality is important for the larger narrative of Luke-Acts in two respects. First, it presses the question of whether, from the perspective of the larger narrative , Satan's claim is truthful. The article concludes that an answer to that question is not immediately clear; the narrative permits varied readings. Secondly, it is argued that the Danielic background of Luke 4:6 intensifies the Christological drama of the narrative. Jesus is here tested with what is legitimately his as Daniel's "Son of Man," and we soon find that he will receive such not from the hand of Satan but from obedience to God.
| While many interpreters of Mark would agree that 16:8 is the intended end of the Gospel, there ... more | While many interpreters of Mark would agree that 16:8 is the intended end of the Gospel, there is little agreement on what that sudden stop means literarily, and theologically. The two most popular interpretations at present disagree significantly on how to evaluate the actions of the women in v. 8 (e.g., either positively or negatively), but they do agree that the end of Mark makes a point about discipleship. That is, Mark calls the reader to a certain kind of behavior, whether that be imitating the faithful women in discipleship or undoing their disobedience through obedience. While I do not wish to dispute the plausibility and theological importance of both readings, I will here argue that there is another thread in Mark 16:1-8 that meets, and extends beyond, the one about discipleship. This other thread concerns the plan and activity of the God of Israel. The ending of Mark, on this reading, presents the spectacular failure of discipleship, which forces one to place all trust in the faithfulness of God. Readers of Mark, who knew that the disciples were rehabilitated, are invited to see that the Church continued despite human failure only because of the agency and intervention of God.
Over the course of his career, Dale Allison has enriched our understanding of Jewish and Christia... more Over the course of his career, Dale Allison has enriched our understanding of Jewish and Christian hopes about the end of history, advanced nuanced readings of ancient texts in light of their scriptural and cultural conversation partners, and deepened our knowledge of the history of biblical interpretation throughout the ages. In all of these ways, he has sought, in the words of T.S. Eliot, "to recover what has been lost." In "To Recover What Has Been Lost": Essays on Eschatology, Intertextuality, and Reception History in Honor of Dale C. Allison Jr., leading biblical scholars and historians offer groundbreaking studies on Jewish and Christian eschatology, intertextuality, and reception history-three areas particularly evident in Allison's scholarship. These essays reconstruct the past, advance fresh readings, and reclaim overlooked exegetical insights. In so doing, they too recover what has been lost.
The suitability of the image of āthe parting of the waysā has been challenged in recent years for... more The suitability of the image of āthe parting of the waysā has been challenged in recent years for understandable reasons. And yet the question about how the historical Jesus relates to the development of a distinguishable social movement in his name remains a crucial one in the study of Christian origins. This essay provides an overview of those aspects of Jesusā career that are most relevant for this topic by charting some of the argumentative subcurrents in Jesus research. Attention then turns to the defense of three historical arguments: that Jesus was a controversial and divisive figure already in his own time, that his eschatological message about the kingdom was of such a nature that it left the spectrum of acceptable responses to it relatively narrow, and he was critical of the practices and beliefs of others in ways that made possible further group differentiation. Thus, we should stand by the conclusion of Joseph Klausnerāex nihilo nihil fitāif perhaps for reasons that differ from his.
Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus, 2022
The author offers a grateful reply to his three respondents before clarifying a few matters and r... more The author offers a grateful reply to his three respondents before clarifying a few matters and responding to queries. Nothing emerges that would require modifications to the main arguments of the book.
For centuries exegetes have struggled to explain why Matthew presents two animals in the triumpha... more For centuries exegetes have struggled to explain why Matthew presents two animals in the triumphal entry-a female į½Ī½ĪæĻ and her Ļįæ¶Ī»ĪæĻ-while all the other Gospels only have one (a Ļįæ¶Ī»ĪæĻ). The question is further complicated by the fact that the Scripture Matthew cites as fulfilled in this action-Zech. 9:9-also presents only one animal in all extant versions. So what is the historical or exegetical reason for Matthew's addition? While many have argued that Matthew's presentation stems from a misreading of the poetic parallelism in Zech. 9:9, this essay contends that Matthew's doubling of Mark's single Ļįæ¶Ī»ĪæĻ is the result of messianic exegesis. The argument is that Matthew or Matthew's tradition has read Zech. 9:9 alongside another famous messianic oracle, Jacob's blessing of Judah in Gen. 49:10-11, and that the doubling of the donkeys stems from a likely mistaken-though completely understandable-reading of the Hebrew text. The essay further shows that Matthew's use of Gen. 49 and Zech. 9 in the triumphal entry scene makes good sense in light of the interests of the Gospel as a whole as well as exegetical tradition that stems from these passages.
The discussion of the relationship between John the Baptist and Jesus has focused in recent years... more The discussion of the relationship between John the Baptist and Jesus has focused in recent years almost completely on the conceptual agreement or disagreement between the two figuresāthat is, how their ideas or ātheologiesā were similar or different. As important as that question is, this article looks at Jesusās relationship to John from a different angle, concentrating on actions and public perceptions. My argument is this: if we grant that Jesusās career started in the shadow of Johnās earlier and more popular ministry, that John did not point to Jesus publicly as the fulfillment or continuation of his work, and that Jesusās itinerant ministry developed in a different social location, it is likely that Jesus had to construct for his hearers his relationship to John. This investigation leads to a striking conclusion: the kinds of questions about Jesusās relationship to John that dominate current Jesus research were probably also around during the time of Jesus. The conclusion illuminates our understanding of the public identity of Jesus.
Zeitschrift fur die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft, 2019
In both Matthew and Luke, Satan offers Jesus "all the kingdoms of the world" in exchange for his ... more In both Matthew and Luke, Satan offers Jesus "all the kingdoms of the world" in exchange for his obeisance. Only in Luke, however, does Satan make an intriguing claim about his "authority" over the kingdoms and his prerogative to "give" such "to whomever he wishes" (4:6). Richard Hays lamented in his recent Echoes of Scripture in the Gospels that this unique detail has not been given thorough attention in exegetical studies of Luke-Acts. This study takes up the question of Satan's claim in detail and suggests that Satan's words are informed by a phrase that appears multiple times in the book of Daniel: "the Most High is sovereign over the kingdom of mortals and gives it to whomever he wishes." This intertextuality is important for the larger narrative of Luke-Acts in two respects. First, it presses the question of whether, from the perspective of the larger narrative , Satan's claim is truthful. The article concludes that an answer to that question is not immediately clear; the narrative permits varied readings. Secondly, it is argued that the Danielic background of Luke 4:6 intensifies the Christological drama of the narrative. Jesus is here tested with what is legitimately his as Daniel's "Son of Man," and we soon find that he will receive such not from the hand of Satan but from obedience to God.
| While many interpreters of Mark would agree that 16:8 is the intended end of the Gospel, there ... more | While many interpreters of Mark would agree that 16:8 is the intended end of the Gospel, there is little agreement on what that sudden stop means literarily, and theologically. The two most popular interpretations at present disagree significantly on how to evaluate the actions of the women in v. 8 (e.g., either positively or negatively), but they do agree that the end of Mark makes a point about discipleship. That is, Mark calls the reader to a certain kind of behavior, whether that be imitating the faithful women in discipleship or undoing their disobedience through obedience. While I do not wish to dispute the plausibility and theological importance of both readings, I will here argue that there is another thread in Mark 16:1-8 that meets, and extends beyond, the one about discipleship. This other thread concerns the plan and activity of the God of Israel. The ending of Mark, on this reading, presents the spectacular failure of discipleship, which forces one to place all trust in the faithfulness of God. Readers of Mark, who knew that the disciples were rehabilitated, are invited to see that the Church continued despite human failure only because of the agency and intervention of God.
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Books by Tucker Ferda
In "To Recover What Has Been Lost": Essays on Eschatology, Intertextuality, and Reception History in Honor of Dale C. Allison Jr., leading biblical scholars and historians offer groundbreaking studies on Jewish and Christian eschatology, intertextuality, and reception history-three areas particularly evident in Allison's scholarship. These essays reconstruct the past, advance fresh readings, and reclaim overlooked exegetical insights. In so doing, they too recover what has been lost.
Papers by Tucker Ferda
My argument is this: if we grant that Jesusās career started in the shadow of Johnās earlier and more popular ministry, that John did not point to Jesus publicly as the fulfillment or continuation of his work, and that Jesusās itinerant ministry developed in a different social location, it is likely that Jesus had to construct for his hearers his relationship to John. This investigation leads to a striking conclusion: the kinds of questions about Jesusās relationship to John that dominate current Jesus research were probably also around during the time of Jesus. The
conclusion illuminates our understanding of the public identity of Jesus.
In "To Recover What Has Been Lost": Essays on Eschatology, Intertextuality, and Reception History in Honor of Dale C. Allison Jr., leading biblical scholars and historians offer groundbreaking studies on Jewish and Christian eschatology, intertextuality, and reception history-three areas particularly evident in Allison's scholarship. These essays reconstruct the past, advance fresh readings, and reclaim overlooked exegetical insights. In so doing, they too recover what has been lost.
My argument is this: if we grant that Jesusās career started in the shadow of Johnās earlier and more popular ministry, that John did not point to Jesus publicly as the fulfillment or continuation of his work, and that Jesusās itinerant ministry developed in a different social location, it is likely that Jesus had to construct for his hearers his relationship to John. This investigation leads to a striking conclusion: the kinds of questions about Jesusās relationship to John that dominate current Jesus research were probably also around during the time of Jesus. The
conclusion illuminates our understanding of the public identity of Jesus.