The New Testament And The People Of God: Christian Origins And The Question Of God, Volume 1 [Paperback]

Wright devotes the first part of the book to some selected, general cognitive issues: specifically, outlining, correcting, and updating the weaknesses of the epistemological tendencies of the post-enlightenment period as he perceives them. He passionately calls for a move away from the "propositionalism" that characterised the Modern period, and towards an understanding of reality as a whole that is more narrative-oriented and realistic.

In the second part of the book, Wright surveys the different beliefs, hopes, and understandings that would have characterised the Jewish worldview during the approximately 400 year period between the Maccabean revolt in the 2nd century B.C.E. and the Bar-Kochba rebellion in the 2nd century C.E. Short of another Schurer revision, there is little more that could possibly be done to make this survey more comprehensive than it stands. The underlying theme here is "worldview," and it is this theme that propels the book into the final section.

The third part, then, stands as a proposal for developing a methodology, for lack of a better term, for understanding the writings of the New Testament, or perhaps more appropriately, the worldview underpinning the same. Such a methodology would both include and require a solid understanding of the perception of reality in general, and also how the Jews of the period would have perceived their respective realities, given their history and contemporary situations. This is where the work really starts to come together: don't miss it!

A couple of concerns. As is the case with many New Testament treatises, Wright repeatedly interacts with and chides what he refers to as the "Bultmannian" school; interaction with scholarship is one thing, but the extent to and ways in which Wright does so with Bultmann, one must wonder how much of this work is simply a vendetta and reaction against the life's work of a now-dead German scholar with whom he happens to vehemently disagree. His interaction with the cerebral rationalism of modernity takes much the same tone. Another concern is the occasional biting tone of the book. It is a bit too conversational at times, and as is the case with the Bultmann tradition, unnecessary jabs are sometimes taken at a few selected straw-men antagonists. As such, the book at times takes on somewhat of an accusatory and ostentatious tone, which is of course quite out of place in a work such as this.

All things considered, this is a most excellent introduction to the writings of the New Testament. One could conceivably refer to it as a hybrid, wedding as it does the traditionally disparate historical, theological, philosophical and literary dimensions of New Testament study. If there is one thing of which Wright could emphatically not be accused as it relates to this work, it is the failure to be thorough and erudite: Wright leaves absolutely no stone unturned in this study, and interacts with literally hundreds of other scholars on the issues at hand. This is a welcome addition to the world of New Testament studies.

Wright's interpretation of Second Temple Judaism is a variation on E.P. Sanders and J.D.G. Dunn's "New Perspective", which denies that the Jews in Jesus' time believed they could earn salvation through acts of covenantal loyalty. Wright parts ways with Sanders at several imporant points, though, including the historicity of Jesus' debates with the Pharisees (which he explores more fully in "Jesus and the Victory of God") and seems to be less interested in doing apologetics for Second Temple Jews than Sanders.

But with Sanders, he argues for a pluriform Judaism. He cites scads of ancient texts which catalogue the debates between the Pharisaical schools of Shammai and Hillel, the separatist Essenes and the Sadducess. These groups all expected the "forgiveness of sin" to involve YHWH moving decisively against those who refused to acknowledge him in the way he deserved, which included not only the Gentiles, but also members of the other sects of Judaism which did not hold to their belief system, and to exalt their particular group as the true children of Israel, returned from exile at last. Most strikingly, Wright says the Pharisees were a revolutionary party, drawing largely on their roots in the Maccabean period.

Wright's historical method is as fine as any I have seen in any history book on any topic in any genre. His command of the ancient and secondary sources is quite impressive. He is a cogent thinker and his work has little touches of ironic humor that endears the reader.

But Wright's eschatology leaves something to be desired. He claims that Second Temple Jews could not have understood the "little apocalypse" in Mark 13 as referring to end of the "space-time universe" and that it refers to destruction of the Temple in AD 70 rather than a scene of judgment at the Parousia. Instead, he recommends reading all apocalyptic language as figuratively referring to actual socio-political events.

Traditional scholars have often underestimated the importance of Jesus' proclamation of judgement on the temple. But it seems that Wright's position, following Dodd and Caird before him, is a response to Bultmann's mockery of Schweitzer's picture of Jesus as a failed apocalyptic prophet. Wright's eschatology gives too much in this area.

I have not yet read the "Resurrection of the Son of God", which presumably will tie in the importance of Christ's life and death to someone who lives millenia after AD 70. The expectation of Christ's return as the eschatological judge of the world has been the signal belief of Christians since the time of the apostles; I am not wiling to give it up because of the opinion of a handful of scholars doing battle against existentialism.

On balance, the book is worth your time and money, but, as always, read critically.