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The Place of the Old Testament in the Formation of New Testament Theology: Prolegomena

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 February 2009

Barnabas Lindars S.S.F.
Barnabas Lindars S.S.F.
Affiliation:
Cambridge, England
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Extract

In a recent article on the interpretation of the Old Testament in the New Testament Traugott Holtz takes as his point of departure the twice repeated kata tas graphas of I Cor. xv. 3, 5. C. H. Dodd took the same words for the title of his influential book, According to the Scriptures. So we may suitably start with this for our consideration of the place of the Old Testament in the formation of New Testament theology. Paul's use of this phrase in the credo of I Cor. xv is remarkable. For one thing, it is the clearest possible case in the New Testament of appeal to the scriptures in order to provide the basis of a theological interpretation of the Christ-event. This at once alerts us to expect the importance of the Old Testament for New Testament theology to be in the realm of christology, or rather of the person and work of Christ. It can be expected to be the most important factor in the primitive church's understanding of its own faith. But another point about I Cor. xv. 3, 5 is even more significant. In this instance Paul does not even consider it necessary to adduce the relevant texts. It is implied that he could do so, if he wished, and scholars have made various suggestions about which texts he actually had in mind. But the point is that he can presuppose that it is sufficient for his argument merely to allude to the possibility of adducing scriptures. And this implies that they are common ground between him and his readers. The scriptures are, then, an agreed basis for discussion. They have an authority which is unquestioned. Consequently it can be taken as axiomatic that they will play a most important, indeed indispensable, part in the formation of New Testament theology.

Type
Articles
Information
New Testament Studies , Volume 23 , Issue 1 , October 1976 , pp. 59 - 66
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1976

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References

page 59 note 1 Holtz, T., ‘Zur Interpretation des Alten Testaments im Neuen Testament’, T.L.Z. XCIX (1974Google Scholar), Nr. I, Sp. 19–32.

page 60 note 1 Holtz, T., Untersuchungen über die alttestamentischen Zitate bei Lukas (TU 104) (Berlin, 1968).Google Scholar

page 60 note 2 Reim, G., Studien zum alttestamentlichen Hintergrund des Johannesevangeliums (SNTS Monograph Series 22) (Cambridge, 1974).Google Scholar

page 60 note 3 Conzelmann, H., An Outline of the Theology of the New Testament (London, 1969Google Scholar), pp. 166 ff.

page 61 note 1 Grant, F. C., An Introduction to New Testament Thought (New York & Nashville, no date), pp. 15–17.Google Scholar

page 61 note 2 Genesis Rabba, 68. 18Google Scholar, where it is attributed to Yannai, R. (c. A.D. 240).Google Scholar

page 61 note 3 At Gen. xxviii. 12 (Macho, A. Diez, Neophyti I, Madrid & Barcelona, 1968).Google Scholar

page 62 note 1 N.T.S. XVIII (1971/1972), 1–14.Google Scholar

page 62 note 2 Art. cit. Sp. 25.Google Scholar

page 62 note 3 Cf. Stendahl, K., The School of St Matthew and its Use of the Old Testament (Acta Seminarii Neotestamentici Upsaliensis 20) (Uppsala, 1954), pp. 183–202Google Scholar; Lindars, B., New Testament Apologetic (London, 1961), p. 15.Google Scholar

page 62 note 4 Harris, J. Rendel, Testimonies I and II (Cambridge, 1916–20).Google Scholar

page 63 note 1 Rad, G. von, Old Testament Theology (Edinburgh and London, 1962–5Google Scholar), I, 446, 450; II 301–8.

page 64 note 1 So Dodd, C. H., According to the Scriptures: the Sub-structure of New Testament Theology (London, 1952), p. 110.Google Scholar

page 65 note 1 Serra, A. M., ‘Le tradizioni della teofania sinaitica nel Targum dello pseudo Jonathan Es. 19. 24 e in Giov. I, 19 – 2, 12’, Marianum XXXIII, (1971), 1–39.Google Scholar Summary in Olsson, B., Structure and Meaning in the Fourth Gospel (Coniectanea Biblica, New Testament Series 6) (Lund, 1974), pp. 24f.Google Scholar

page 65 note 2 The phrase is Olsson's.

page 65 note 3 E.g., most recently, Goulder, M. D., Midrash and Lection in Matthew (London, 1974).Google Scholar