Violence in the New Testament : Jesus followers and other Jews under empire

While much work has been done on the role of Jews in the crucifixion of Jesus in post-Holocaust biblical scholarship, the question of violence in subsequent community formation remains largely unexamined. New Testament passages suggesting that early Christ-believers were violently persecuted--the G stone throwingG passages from John, the G persecuted from town to townG passages in Matthew, the stoning of Stephen in Acts, PaulG s hardship catalogue in II Corinthians, etc.-- are frequently read positivistically as windows onto first century persecution; at the other extreme, they are sometimes dismissed as completely a-historical. In either case, scholars up until now have provided little in the way of methodological reflection on how they have reached such conclusions. A further problematic issue in previous readings of passages suggesting such violence is that the perpetrators of violence are frequently cast as G JewsG while the violated are cast as G Christians, G in spite of the growing consensus that it is impossible to tease out these two distinct and separate religious identities, Jew and Christian, from first century texts. This volume takes up crucial methodological questions about how to read passages suggesting violence among Jews in texts that eventually became part of the New Testament canon. It situates this intra-religious violence within the violence of the Roman Imperial order. It provides new readings of these texts that move beyond the G Jew as violatorG /G Christian as violatedG binary. Front Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Contents......Page 7 Acknowledgments......Page 9 Introduction......Page 11 Notes......Page 20 1. Violent Acts and Violent Language in the Apostle Paul......Page 23 Notes......Page 30 2. The Blood Required of This Generation: Interpreting Communal Blame in a Colonial Context......Page 32 The Contours of Communal Blame and Communal Suffering in Q 11:49-51......Page 34 Rejecting the Law and the Prophets......Page 36 The Murder of Zechariah......Page 37 The Biographies of the Prophets......Page 38 Postscript......Page 40 Notes......Page 42 3. Collateral Damage: Jesus and Jezebel in the Jewish War......Page 45 Axes of Violence......Page 46 Cultural/Political Context......Page 47 Polythetic Taxonomy......Page 48 "Conflict with Jews"......Page 49 Jesus and Jezebel 1: The Characters......Page 50 Collateral Damage......Page 51 Hybridity......Page 52 Arguing with Women......Page 54 Comparisons and Conclusions......Page 56 Jewish War......Page 57 Collateral Damage......Page 58 Notes......Page 59 4. "By the Finger of God": Jesus and Imperial Violence......Page 61 Roman Imperial Violence......Page 65 The Effects of Imperial Violence......Page 66 Judean and Galilean Resistance......Page 68 "God's Kingdom Is at Hand": Conflict and Violence in Q and Mark......Page 71 "My Name Is Legion": Countering Imperial Violence in the Exorcisms......Page 73 "Love Your Enemies": Countering the Effects of Imperial Violence in the Renewal of Village Community......Page 78 "Behold Your House Is Desolate": Prophetic Pronouncement of God's Judgment......Page 81 Jesus and Imperial Violence......Page 84 Notes......Page 86 5. Constructions of Violence and Identities in Matthew's Gospel......Page 91 Scholarly Constructions of Violent Matthean Jews......Page 93 Definition......Page 95 Classification of References to Violence in Matthew (not exhaustive) by Agents......Page 96 Violence by Ruling Elites......Page 102 Nonviolent Nonelites......Page 105 Gender......Page 106 Theological Violence: Satan, God, and Jesus......Page 107 Functions......Page 109 Notes......Page 112 6. Love, Hate, and Violence in the Gospel of John......Page 119 Notes......Page 132 7. The Need for the Stoning of Stephen......Page 134 Jesus—Stephen—Paul in Lukan Narrative and in Historical Reconstruction......Page 135 The Sure and Certain Murder of Stephen......Page 137 The Use of Stephen in the Early Church......Page 138 Luke, Stephen, and Imperial Sociology......Page 140 Conclusion......Page 143 Notes......Page 144 Violence between "Jews" and "Christians" in the First Century C.E.......Page 150 Violence and the Narcissism of Minor Differences......Page 152 Functions of the Religious Representation of Violence: Some Propositions......Page 154 Notes......Page 160 Contributors......Page 163 C......Page 165 G......Page 166 J......Page 167 M......Page 168 R......Page 169 Z......Page 170 Back Cover......Page 174 While Much Work Has Been Done On The Role Of Jews In The Crucifixion Of Jesus In Post-holocaust Biblical Scholarship, The Question Of Violence In Subsequent Community Formation Remains Largely Unexamined. New Testament Passages Suggesting That Early Christ-believers Were Violently Persecuted - The Stone Throwing Passages From John, The Persecuted From Town To Town Passages In Matthew, The Stoning Of Stephen In Acts, Paul's Hardship Catalogue In Ii Corinthians, Etcetera - Are Frequently Read Positivistically As Windows Onto First-century Persecution; At The Other Extreme, They Are Sometimes Dismissed As Completely Ahistorical. In Either Case, Scholars Up Until Now Have Provided Little In The Way Of Methodological Reflection On How They Have Reached Such Conclusions. This Volume Takes Up Crucial Methodological Questions About How To Read Passages Suggesting Violence Among Jews In Texts That Eventually Became Part Of The New Testament Canon. It Situates This Intra-religious Violence Within The Violence Of The Roman Imperial Order. It Provides New Readings Of These Texts That Move Beyond The Jew As Violator/christian As Violated Binary.--book Jacket. Violent Acts And Violent Language In The Apostle Paul / John G. Gager, E. Leigh Gibson -- The Blood Required Of This Generation: Interpreting Communal Blame In A Colonial Context / Melanie Johnson-debaufre -- Collateral Damage: Jesus And Jezebel In The Jewish War / John W. Marshall -- By The Finger Of God: Jesus And Imperial Violence / Richard A. Horsley -- Constructions Of Violence And Identities In Matthew's Gospel / Warren Carter -- Love, Hate, And Violence In The Gospel Of John / Adele Reinhartz -- The Need For The Stoning Of Stephen / Shelly Matthews -- Violence And Religious Formation: An Afterword / David Frankfurter. Edited By Shelly Matthews And E. Leigh Gibson. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.