Sacra Scripta 16:2 (2018)
E. Tsalampouni, "Citizens of Heavens in res publica colonia Philippensium: Constructing Christian Identity in the Roman Colony of Philippi," 127-149
In this article the construction of the identity of the members of the Christian community in Philippi is discussed. To achieve this goal, the archaeological evidence from the colony and Phil 1:12-28 and 3:4-16 are examined with the help of the social identity theory. The article is divided in three parts. In a first part the political and religious ambience in the colony is reconstructed. In the second part the text of Paul’s letter to the Philippians is closely examined in order to locate indications of the way the members of the community understood their existence in the colony. Finally, in the last part the problem of the social and political profile of the members of the Philippian church is also addressed.
Martin Meiser, "Die Jesus-Remembered Debatte," 150-177
Within the horizon of modern reflection of historiography on the one hand, oral tradition on the other, James D.G. Dunn and Jens Schröter developed “Jesus-Remembered”-Concepts. After a short presentation of these concepts, this article recapitulates insights from modern humanities and offers a short portrait on early Jesus tradition.
Silviu Tatu, "The Political Involvement of the Individual in the Ancient Israelite Society: A Preliminary Presentation of the Alternatives Found in the Hebrew Bible," 178-197
Although the Bible does not carry a united answer to the issue of political involvement, one can trace several solutions suggested both when monotheism was a major phenomenon in the society and when it reflected the belief of a minority only. At first, four basic hermeneutical principles are presented followed by six contextual features. The alternatives of political involvement are laid out as four antithetical pairs: respect vs. disobedience, material support vs. sabotage, propaganda vs. criticism, political involvement vs. revolt. They reach the four domains of life: attitude, goods, words, and actions. All eight alternatives have the support of some Biblical texts, but their contribution has to be evaluated in accordance with the events they promote. It can be safely said that the individual should support God given authority and institutions, but rising against them is authorized whenever those institutions trespass their legal boundaries and obligations.
Renate Klein, "„Die Sünde meines Volkes essen sie..." (Hos 4,8a). Priesterkritik in Dodekapropheton," 198-228
Corruption and every kind of abuse are contemporary issues in today's society. This article deals with the abuse of authority and of power practiced by priests as it is revealed by the texts of the dodecapropheton. Priests can be subordinated to an authority conflict. They are accused to search their own benefit instead of preaching knowledge of God. They take payment for instruction. Their teaching is formal, without the right content. They're not able to oppose to foreign influences. The sacrifices they offer up are not corresponding to the cultic requirements. Abuse of authority and power turn up where priests are acting in own interest instead of taking seriously their mediator role between God and the people.
Stelian Paşca-Tuşa, "Joseph and His Brothers - Biblical Reflections on the Spirit of Brotherhood," 229-247
Maintaining brotherly relationships or at least a spirit of brotherhood is an ever growing challenge for the contemporary human being. Family, social, inter-ethnic, political or religious conflicts are putting strains on humanity, which is barely finding the necessary resources to maintain order among fellow human beings. Unfortunately, people have forgotten that they have the same parents, that our face shows we are all related first to Adam and Eve and then to Jesus Christ, the new Adam, in whom we are all one (Gal 3:28). In other words, human beings are brothers, whether we relate to our forefathers or to Him who would be the first-born among many brothers (Rom 8:29).Wishing to offer concrete solutions to restore brotherly relationships, we have chosen a paradigm from the Old Testament whose protagonists are the Patriarch Jacob, Joseph and his brothers. Through Jacob, we shall understand in a tangible way how to maintain brotherly relationships and what to do in order to correct possible deviations. Likewise, by means of this endeavour, I envisage highlighting a biblical model that would allow me to pinpoint the manner in which the Holy Scripture perceives the spirit of brotherhood that, according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, lies at the basis of inter-human relationships.
