The Use of the Old Testament in the New

This study is a broad based investigation of exorcism in the activities of the historical Jesus, particularly the connection between spirit possession and exorcism on the one hand and the socio-political context of first-century Galilee on the other. As such, it draws on research from the areas of sociology, anthropology, archaeology and biblical studies to illuminate this aspect of Jesus' career, as well as the broader social implications of spirit possession in those he treated and the exorcisms themselves. Evidence found in the Synoptic Gospels is evaluated using the criteria of authenticity and comparative analysis in order to establish early and historical material. Questions posed and answered concern the historical plausibility of Jesus' role as exorcist, the possibility that his own career began with a period of spirit possession, and the meaning that his exorcisms conveyed to his first-century audience. Thus, the methodology includes textual analysis, sociological analysis of general cultural patterns within which first-century Palestine can be fitted, and anthropological analysis of the plausible functions of both spirit possession and exorcism in agrarian societies. Jesus' role as exorcist, his own experience of spirit possession, and the fact that he was accused of being possessed by the demon Beelzebul are attested across all strands of the tradition, with the exception of the Gospel of John. This aspect of his career also finds support in the criteria of authenticity, particularly embarrassment, is coherent with his role as healer and prophet and also fits the general pattern of healers and exorcists across cultures, particularly in agrarian societies.

This article proposes a hermeneutical framework grounded in the Lukan narrative of the lawyer's question (Luke 10:25-28), wherein Jesus presents three movements essential to biblical interpretation: textual observation ("What is written?"), hermeneutical understanding ("How do you read it?"), and a transformative application ("Go and do this"). Building upon established exegetical methodology, this framework integrates historical-grammatical analysis, literary-theological interpretation, and contextual application into a coherent process that addresses both the descriptive and prescriptive dimensions of biblical texts. The article argues that this threefold approach, rooted in Scripture itself, provides a methodologically sound and pedagogically effective model for contemporary hermeneutics that resists the fragmentation of exegesis from application while maintaining scholarly rigour.
Keywords: biblical hermeneutics, exegetical methodology, Luke 10:25-28, application theory, theological interpretation

Contemporary biblical scholarship faces an ongoing tension between historicalcritical methods that prioritize descriptive analysis and theological approaches that seek prescriptive application . This methodological divide has produced exegetical practices that excel at reconstructing ancient meanings while struggling to articulate contemporary significance, or conversely, that emphasize relevance while compromising historical integrity . The present study proposes that this dichotomy can be addressed through a hermeneutical framework derived from Luke 10:25-28, wherein Jesus's dialogue with a lawyer models three essential movements: textual interrogation, interpretive reading, and performative obedience.

Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple during Passover was not a moment of uncontrolled anger, as often portrayed, but a deliberate prophetic act—a parable in motion. Acting in obedience to the command to remove leaven before Passover, he symbolically purified his Father’s house of spiritual corruption. Through this enacted parable, Jesus revealed Israel’s blindness to divine truth, affirmed his authority as the Son of God, and foreshadowed the coming New Covenant grounded in faith rather than ritual.

In the Gospel of Luke, written around the mid-first century, we find Jesus delivering a prophetic statement concerning the fate of Jerusalem and the Jewish people: “And they [the Jewish people] will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24, NKJV) This paper expounds that prophecy.

This study engages with the motif of "Jesus the divine exorcist" within the framework of Markan demonology and Christology, elucidating the cultural and historical contexts that shape the understanding of exorcisms as depicted in the Gospel of Mark. The discourse initiates by situating Jesus' exorcistic endeavours within the first-century Jewish and Greco-Roman milieu, thereby elucidating the entrenched beliefs surrounding demonic entities and the diverse methodologies of exorcism prevalent in these environments. A critical examination of pivotal exorcism narratives in Mark-specifically the Gerasene demoniac, the Syrophoenician woman's daughter, and the boy afflicted by an unclean spirit-will be undertaken, revealing Jesus' unparalleled authority and his empathetic engagement with those besieged by malevolent forces. The paper further investigates Markan demonology, conceptualizing demons as active, malevolent agents resisting divine will and portraying the cosmic conflict between good and evil. The implications of Jesus' identity as both the Messiah and the suffering servant will be scrutinized, highlighting how his dominion over demons signifies the inauguration of God's kingdom. Finally, the theological ramifications for contemporary faith will be contemplated, encompassing themes of spiritual warfare, healing, liberation, and the essence of evil, ultimately advocating for a transformative and prophetic faith responsive to the persistent struggles against malevolence in the contemporary world. Expounding on the theme of "Jesus the divine exorcist, Markan demonology, and Christology in dialogue" necessitates an exhaustive examination of the themes, narratives, and theological implications articulated in the Gospel of Mark. This exploration can be systematically organized into several key domains, encompassing the cultural and historical context of exorcism in first-century Judaism, comprehensive analyses of the exorcism narratives in Mark, an exploration of the nature of evil as articulated in Markan demonology, a nuanced understanding of Christology as it pertains to Jesus' role as an exorcist, and finally, the broader theological implications of these motifs for contemporary faith. This thorough discourse will incorporate academic and theological references to substantiate the analysis.

This paper proposes an in-depth investigation of the pedagogical role of the Law, focusing on Galatians 3:19–25. It emphasizes the function of the Law as a tutor (paidagōgos) to lead human beings to Christ and its theological implications for the relationship between Law and Grace, especially in light of the dangers of legalism and antinomianism.

In this paper, I will argue that the typological interpretation of Hosea 11:1 in Matthew 2:15 is the most biblical and accurate. In doing so, I submit that typology as a hermeneutical tool is not only present in the Hosea-Matthew passages, but that the Scripture itself as a whole, as composed of the Old Testament and New Testament, is typological in nature. After I establish the legitimacy of typology, I will examine Hosea 11:1 and Matthew’s use of the text in Matthew 2:15, and will show that the nation of Israel in the Old Covenant points to the true Israel in the person of Christ in the New Covenant; the national Israel as a type, and the Lord Jesus Christ as the antitype. Along the way, I will address some objections raised against the typological interpretation of Hosea 11:1 and present the nuanced Reformed Baptist view of typology, which distinguishes them from the broader Reformed perspective.

It has become commonplace in recent scholarship to acknowledge the determinative role of hermeneutics in the discussion of the Scriptural right of women to hold church office. 1 Even if I was competent to do so, in the present study it is not my concern to address the larger issues raised by women's ordination or feminism. My concern, rather, is to demonstrate that while the crucial role of hermeneutics is not to be denied, the current discussion still appears to be vexed all too frequently by an assumed but perhaps faulty exegesis of the relevant Biblical texts. As an illustration of this point the present essay will consider 1 Tim 2:8-15, generally conceded to be the most forceful of the handful of NT passages that appear to oppose the right of women to hold church office. 2 For convenience I will begin with a summary of what may be called the "traditional" exegesis of 1 Tim 2:8-15. Following this I will analyze four alternative hermeneutical approaches to this widely held exegesis, which, it turns out, reflect alternative assessments of Paul's use of the example of Adam and Eve. Finally I will offer my own exegesis of the passage and seek to demonstrate that all four alternative approaches err by failing to note that Paul cites Adam and Eve precisely because his concern in this text is not with male-female relationships in general but with the husband-wife marital relationship in particular.

Mark's Gospel insists that the 'Way of Jesus' is the 'Way of Discipleship'. As a 'macrologia' in which the dominant genre is the βίος genre, Mark promotes the μίμησής / imitatio of Jesus, the primary character. However, Mark is more than biography, and Adams is right that imitating Jesus is a tall order because in the end he is the Son of God. Even so, Mark presents a Christ who blurs the categories of divine and human. He does not hide the vulnerabilities of Jesus and he often portrays him responding to interruptions and unexpected events along his journey. As such his Jesus is both a Teacher and a Learner.

This paper proposes that the narrative of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4 can be understood as a form of Midrash, reflecting first-century Jewish modes of storytelling and interpretation. Rather than reading the account as a straightforward historical report, it is argued that the Fourth Gospel employs narrative techniques consistent with Rabbinic exegesis, reworking motifs from Ezekiel 16 and 2 Kings 17. In doing so, the Gospel presents the Samaritan encounter as a dramatization of Israel's redemption and the inclusion of Samaria within that eschatological vision, according to the prophet Ezekiel.

The conjunctive ‫ִם‬ ‫א‬ in Isaiah 53.10b serves as the conditional clause to the guilt offering, which results in a threefold blessing recalling the second covenant given to Israel subsequent to the exodus. As a consequence, the conditional stands in opposition to the Christian conjunctive particle μέν in 1 Peter 1.20a, concerning the foreknowledge of Jesus, since this is set as a certainty. The above poses difficulties to Christian theology since the affirmative was formulated within the confines of a late systematic proposition, alien to the conditional clause in both purpose and prophetic resolve.

Christians sometimes speak of "finding Christ in the Old Testament." The phrase implies that he is indeed there to be found. But the New Testament doesn't quite speak in these terms, which I think is a sign that way of seeing the relationship between Jesus and the Old Testament is inappropriate. In this paper I think about the question more in terms of how far the Old Testament helps us understand Jesus, and how far Jesus helps us understanding the Old Testament In the New Testament, the works we call "the Old Testament" are simply "the Scriptures"; this other, rather sad title was devised later. I like to call them the First Testament rather than imply that they are antiquated and out-of-date. These Scriptures issued from the real relationship between God and Israel, as testimony to God's acts with Israel and documentation of God's speaking to Israel. The New Testament encourages us to let them illumine Jesus for us, but we are unwise to read Jesus into them and then miss what they have to say. We are wise to read the New Testament in light of them. And we do read the two Testaments in light of each other, as both comprise the Christian Scriptures.

Este artigo tentará estabelecer se o fenômeno da intertextualidade está presente em 2 ‎Coríntios 4:1-5:10 em relação aos textos do Antigo Testamento. A hipótese de trabalho ‎baseia-se em certas conexões linguísticas e temáticas que o apóstolo Paulo parece tomar ‎emprestado especificamente da seção de Gênesis 1-3 para construir seu argumento ‎teológico-epistolar para a seção acima mencionada. Para corroborar essa suposição, será ‎realizado um estudo comparativo do vocabulário e da estrutura sintática usados em ambas ‎as seções. Além disso, será feita uma tentativa de identificar os temas que os autores de ‎ambos os textos parecem compartilhar. O trabalho será realizado seguindo uma análise ‎sequencial versículo por versículo, tomando como texto base para comparação a versão ‎grega da Bíblia Hebraica (LXX) e, quando possível, textos hebraicos paralelos. A hipótese ‎baseia-se na afirmação de que o apóstolo usa conscientemente o conteúdo temático e ‎linguístico de Gênesis 1-3 para desenvolver sua visão teológica do ministério que cabe a ele ‎em particular e aos cristãos em geral.‎

Este artigo investiga o tema da expulsão e da perda da glória como padrão teológico da Escritura, desde a narrativa do Éden até a consumação escatológica. Diversos textos bíblicos (Gn 3; Nm 5; Js 1–12; 2Rs 17; Sl 51; Mt 13; 2Ts 1:8–9; Ap 19–20) apresentam o juízo divino em termos de expulsão da presença de Deus e exclusão da sua glória. Em contraste, Cristo experimenta o abandono na cruz (Mt 27:46), assumindo a rejeição que cabia ao pecador, para garantir aos crentes acesso à graça e à esperança da glória (Rm 5:2; 2Co 3–4). O estudo integra interpretações de comentaristas do Antigo e Novo Testamento (Wenham, Currid, Hamilton, Mathews, Longman, Collins, Moo, Schreiner, Gorman, Garland, Barnett, Oswalt, entre outros), ressaltando que a narrativa bíblica é um drama de glória perdida, juízo por expulsão e glória restaurada, culminando na promessa escatológica de que a terra se encherá do conhecimento da glória do Senhor (Is 11:9; Hc 2:14).
Palavras-chave: Expulsão; Glória de Deus; Juízo; Restauração; Escatologia.

New Testament scholars continue to debate basic points about Paul’s letter to the Romans, specifically who his intended audience is and what his main argument is. Since the Reformation, much scholarly effort has revolved around the discussion of, as Douglas Campbell puts it, “Justification Theory,” and the “Lutheran” view of the primacy of “justification by faith” over against a supposed Jewish legalism. In the wake of two world wars and an exponential rise in antisemitism, 20th century scholarship was instrumental in changing the direction of this conversation. Krister Stendahl suggested that Paul’s focus in Romans was unity between “Jews” and “Gentiles” and that “justification by faith” was just an example of one of the challenges to that unity. E. P. Sanders denounced the centuries-long belief in the dichotomy between grace and works as representative of the sole contrast between Christianity and a Jewish legalism and introduced the phrase “covenantal nomism” into the lexicon. However, as Pauline scholarship has progressed from a “new perspective on Paul” to examining “Paul within Judaism,” the old debates of audience and message in Romans continue unabated with no end in sight. In this paper I suggest a new path forward: by examining the various group markers in Romans, I posit that Paul’s audience is not a dichotomy of “Jews” and “Gentiles,” but rather a trichotomy of Jewish Israelites, primarily from the former Southern Kingdom of Judah referred to by the term *Ioudaios* (Jew), non-Jewish Israelites, primarily from the former Northern Kingdom of Israel referred to by the term *Héllēn*  (Greek), and non-Israelites, the people from “the nations” referred to by the term *éthnē* (Gentiles). I interact significantly with the recent work of Jason Staples, who has called into question the assumption that "Jew" and "Israel/Israelite" are synonymous in the NT and Second Temple Period literature. While examining each of these group markers, I conduct a more detailed investigation of the group marker *Héllēn* in Romans, the New Testament, and the works of Josephus, demonstrating how this new interpretation of *Héllēn* as non-Jewish Israelites makes sense in context. Mark Nanos, Paula Fredriksen, Matthew Thiessen, and Ryan Collman are dialogue partners on a discussion of "Greek" circumcision. I then show how these shifts in exegesis bring newfound coherence and cohesion to the entire letter to the Romans, including and especially to the main argument in chapters 1 through 11. In this synthesis, I engage with Douglas Campbell's work on Rom 1:18-32. The proposed end result is that Paul is addressing Jewish believers in Romans and urging unity with non-Jewish Israelites as they return to the family of God. Gentiles are part of Paul’s audience as direct addressees (11:13) but also as a third person group used as an example in Paul’s argument. Implications for the rest of the Pauline corpus and the New Testament as a whole is briefly discussed.

This article undertakes an in-depth study of Paul's enChristô theology, or "in Christ," examining it through the perceptive lens of the Epistle to the Ephesians. It provides an indepth examination of how Paul painstakingly constructs the believer's identity, the communal sense of belonging they experience, and the moral life they are expected to live, all in relation to the profound reality of union with Christ. In the book of Ephesians, the phrase "enChristô" is more than just a theological term; it is a redemptive spiritual location that has the potential to transform what human life means before God, human relations with others, and the wider cosmos that binds all things together. The study is an intentional exercise in bringing to the forefront several key theological matters, including election, reconciliation, the unity of the church, ethical transformation, and spiritual warfare. All of these are grounded firmly in the believer's membership in Christ, which is an essential aspect of Christian doctrine and understanding. It also presents contextual reflections drawn from African Christian theology, illustrating how the social and cosmic focuses of the book of Ephesians closely address many African worldviews of life and spirituality. The article ultimately concludes that the book of Ephesians presents a most compelling and comprehensive picture of what it means to be a Christian. It is a picture characterized by a highly active and dynamic participation in both the redemptive work accomplished by Christ and His ongoing presence in the life of the believer.

Jesus’ statement to the criminal on the cross recorded in Luke 23:43 has often been cited as evidence that the criminal went to Paradise that day. However, the correct reading hinges on the placement of the comma, either before or after the word “today,” rendering the statement either “I tell you today, … ” or “I tell you, today…” However, a misplaced comma can hardly displace the mountain of biblical evidence in favor of a future entry into paradise for the forgiven criminal alongside all believers at the Second Coming of Christ.

This study examines the biblical perspective on marriage, divorce, and remarriage, highlighting God's original design for marriage as a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman. The work explores key Old and New Testament teachings, showing how marriage was instituted by God for companionship, procreation, purity, and pleasure, but was later challenged by the entrance of sin, leading to marital conflicts and the practice of divorce. The Old Testament emphasizes the permanence of marriage and condemns divorce, while the New Testament presents a higher standard through Christ's teaching, stressing reconciliation and forgiveness as the preferred response to marital breakdown. The study further considers the sensitive issue of remarriage, particularly in cases of death, desertion, or divorce, and evaluates the apostolic instructions regarding believers and unbelievers in mixed marriages. Beyond the theological discussion, the research underscores the destructive consequences of divorce on families and society, while affirming the church's role in guiding couples toward reconciliation and offering pastoral care to those affected by marital breakdown. Ultimately, the work affirms that God hates divorce, calls for the sanctity of marriage to be preserved, and challenges Christians to embrace forgiveness, reconciliation, and fidelity as reflections of God's redemptive love.

its historical context and do not want to get bogged down in the philological minutiae of Edelstein-Kidd. As such, it is a welcome addition to the literature and only improves on re-reading. It is remarkably free of technical errors and contains an excellent bibliography.

This paper examines interpretative approaches to the Books of Daniel and Revelation, particularly within the context of eschatological studies. We will address Daniel 7:8, 24, and Revelation 13, 17. We will explain from scripture why we believe the 3 horns that the Antichrist uproots are actually ruling. It is common practice among biblical scholars to interpret Daniel 7:8 in a way that leaves only the 7 kings reigning with the Antichrist, who is the eighth king. However, as we will demonstrate in this paper, this view is neither supported by Scripture nor does it align with Revelation 17:12-14. We will also address the traditional view of interpreting Revelation 13 and delve deeper into why we think it’s flawed, since some theologians apply allegorical interpretation while others interpret these empires in succession rather than considering them as an amalgamation of empires. Finally, we will try to identify the 10 toes or the 10-nation confederacy. We will explain the geographic locations covered in King Nebuchadnezzar’s image and the Apostle John’s vision of the 10-horned beast. We will explain why the stone cut without human hands struck the image of the beast in a single event rather than hitting it in succession. We will also explain why Nebuchadnezzar’s image matches Apostle John’s beast, the difference being that John sees it as a beast as opposed to a metal empire.

engetahuan dimulai dengan rasa ingin tahu, kepastian dimulai dari rasa keragu-raguan, dan filsafat dimulai dari kedua-duanya. Sehingga jika kita ingin mengerti akan pengetahuan harus mengetahui apa yang kita tahu dan ketahuilah apa yang kita tidak tahu. Rumit memang jika membicarakan pengetahuan, ilmu, dan filsafat namun ketiganya itu ada di dalam hidup kita dan kita pasti akan bertemu dengan ketiganya. jadi janganlah menganggap sulit sesuatu sebelum kita berusaha untuk mencobanya. Filsafat mempunyai beberapa karakter, yang pertama adalah menyeluruh. Maksud dari menyeluruh adalah tidak akan cepat puas dengan apa yang dimilikinya, karena masih ada banyak lagi sesuatu yang belum diketahui. Dan jika sudah mempunyai spesialisasi ilmu maka jangan remehkan ilmu yang lain, tetapi coba kaitkanlah ilmu-ilmu yang lain dengan ilmu yang dimiliki. Kemudian karakter yang kedua adalah mendasar, maksudnya yaitu jangan cepat percaya bahwa sesuatu yang kita miliki adalah paling benar sehingga tidak ada kesombongan diantara kita ini. Yang terakhir karakternya adalah spekulatif, arti dari spekulatif ini adalah segala sesuatu yang kita anggap benar atau salah itu hanya pendapat dari kita sendiri. Hal ini disebabkan karena manusia mempunyai batas dalam pemikirannya. Untuk filsafat ilmu sendiri, ia adalah bagian dari epistimologi yang secara spesifik mengkaji hakekat ilmu (pengetahuan ilmu). Dan secara garis besar filsafat ilmu ini dibagi menjadi filsafat ilmu-ilmu alam dan filsafat ilmuilmu sosial. Hal ini hanya untuk pembatasan masing-P ii | M. Mahbubi, S.Fil.I., M.Pd.I. Mahbubi adalah masih satu-satunya buku Filsafat Ilmu yang ada di lingkungan UNUSA. Kepada penulis, saya ucapkan selamat dan sukses atas bukunya yang berjudul "FILSAFAT ILMU: Sebuah Catatan Ringkas" yang telah diterbitkan ini. Harapan saya, semoga buku ini bisa bermanfaat bagi seluruh civitas akademika UNUSA pada umumnya dan seluruh Dosen UNUSA pada Khususnya agar termotivasi munculnya karya-karya lainnya di lingkungan UNUSA, sehingga semakin banyak kajian keilmuan yang muncul dari UNUSA. Silahkan buku ini dibaca, dimengerti, termotivasi, berfikir, dan berkarya.

For many Bible students, pastors, and scholars the main reason for not allowing women to hold the office of pastor (i.e. elder or overseer) 1 is primarily based on Paul's arguments from creation in 1 Tim 2:13-14. It is maintained that Paul's prohibition cannot be limited due to cultural conditions since Paul does not argue from culture but from creation. He argues from the order of creation ("For it was Adam who was created first, then Eve") and from the order of accountability in creation ("Adam was not deceived but the woman was deceived"). Based on Paul's reasoning, it is therefore concluded that women cannot "teach or have authority over men" in the context of the local church. But can the above method of interpretation also be applied to 1 Cor 11:8-9 where Paul employs similar arguments from creation to bolster his position? In the context of 1 Corinthians 11 Paul demonstrates that women need to have their heads covered while praying or prophesying. To prove his point, he argues from creation that the woman was created from man ("For man does not come from the woman, but the woman from man") and for man ("For man was not created for the woman but the woman for the man"). The question must then be raised if it is inconsistent to reject Paul's appeal for women to wear head coverings and, at the same time, affirm his command for women not to teach or have authority over men since in both contexts Paul uses virtually the same reasoning. This apparent inconsistency is raised by Keener when he writes, "Although many churches would use arguments [from the order of creation] to demand the subordination of women in all cultures, very few accept Paul's arguments [in 1 Cor 11:8-9] as valid for covering women's heads in all cultures." 2 He continues, [T]he same argument Paul uses in one passage for forbidding women to teach he uses in another passage to argue that married women. .. must cover their heads in church. In the one passage, Paul does not want the women of a certain 1 For a defense of the terms "elder" and "overseer" referring to the same office, see Benjamin L.

EDITORIAL BOARD: Dr Eric Hermanson Former Translation Consultant, Bible Society of South Africa Prof Luke Timothy Johnson Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, Ga., U.S.A. Ms Ruth (Spielmann) Heeg Translation Coordinator, Canadian Bible Society Rev Dr Tim Meadowcroft Senior Lecturer in Biblical Studies, Laidlaw College (formerly Bible College of New Zealand), Auckland, N.Z. Prof Christo van der Merwe Professor of Ancient Near Eastern Languages, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa PRACTICAL PAPERS FOR THE BIBLE TRANSLATOR Published twice yearly (April and October) by the United Bible Societies Vol. 59, No. 4, October 2008

What was the role of animals, material "things, " and other nonhuman entities in the formation of early Christian views of Jesus? What can these portrayals teach us about early Christianity's more general relation to nature and nonhuman others? The ensuing essay explores these two questions through an analysis of how zoological metaphors informed portrayals of Christ and the construction of Christian ethics in the Epistle of Barnabas, an early Christian text written in the late-first to early-second century CE. While Barnabas is often classified among the early Christian "Apostolic Fathers, " it was composed contemporaneously with writings that would eventually become the New Testament, and was even included in some early New Testament collections (e.g., Codex Sinaiticus) (Lookadoo 2022, 4-16; Loman 2005). This makes it a valuable work for elucidating the broader cultural contexts that may have shaped views of animals among the writers and readers of (other) New Testament texts. My approach comprises an ideological-critical analysis, which seeks to examine how the meaning and function of ideas, as contextualized within their socio-historical contexts, inter-inform, support, and/or subvert particular relations of power. 1 In Barnabas, I argue that animal metaphors, simultaneously representative of Christ's messianic identity as well as the world's fallen deviancy, functioned to undergird Christian superiority and forward anti-Jewish ideologies. In such a way, the Epistle provides an important opportunity to reflect on the role of animals both in ancient identity formation and in contemporary conversations surrounding animal and environmental ethics.

In this new volume in Kregel's Kerux commentary series, Robert Chisholm, Jr. and Michael Hontz combine detailed exegesis of the Hebrew text of Isaiah 1-39 with homiletical insights to help preachers and teachers present this Old Testament book to their congregations. The Kerux series pairs an exegete with a pastor.

En la segunda mitad del siglo veinte, la enseñanza de la Sagrada Escritura ha tenido un protagonismo diverso, dentro del contexto de los estudios teológicos, al que le había correspondido en los siglos anteriores. Además, su incidencia en el temple de los estudiantes durante su periodo de formación ha sido mucho menos pacífica que en otros momentos. De hecho, hace ya décadas que se percibió un distanciamiento paulatino entre la Escritura, que dejaba de ser un arsenal de citas para apoyar tesis teológicas, y la Dogmática o la Moral -y no digamos la Espiritualidad-que estudiaban los alumnos. Junto a ese distanciamiento de las materias en las que se continuaba percibiendo más claramente su cariz teológico, la docencia de materias bíblicas adquiría un estilo propio con singular atractivo. La frescura que proporcionaba la instrucción en un acceso libre de condicionantes apriorísticos al contexto histórico real en el que se escribieron los libros sagrados, y el aire alegre que comenzó a respirarse en la formación bíblica gracias a la aplicación generalizada de los métodos histórico-críticos, junto con otros métodos y acercamientos, tuvo como contrapartida ocasional el brote de un cierto escepticismo ante la Escritura, que unido a una conmoción en las convicciones religiosas de los alumnos, en algunos casos provocaba una verdadera crisis de fe. Puede parecer trasnochado sacar hoy a la luz una problemática surgida en los años previos al Concilio Vaticano II y agudizada en los inmediatamente posteriores a la que, actualmente, desde el punto de vista académico, se han dado respuestas intelectualmente satisfactorias. Sin embargo, no escapa a ningún observador atento que cuestiones consideradas resueltas entre los profesores, siguen sin estarlo en la experiencia vital de muchos alumnos. Por eso, quisiéramos compartir en estas páginas unas consideraciones que no se mueven en el

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in [among] them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. {ESV} Peter has given us two letters in the NT in which he makes much of the OT. To give a few 1

This paper examines the question of whether pre-Pentecost believers were regenerated—“born again”—in the same sense as post-Pentecost Christians. By analyzing Jesus’ statement in John 13:10 alongside Paul’s teaching in Titus 3:5, the study argues that regeneration has always been the means of salvation and was not a new reality introduced at Pentecost. Through linguistic and theological analysis of key Greek terms such as louō (“to bathe”) and palingenesia (“again genesis”), the paper demonstrates continuity between Old Testament and New Testament salvation. Evidence from Nicodemus’ encounter with Jesus (John 3), the testimony of Old Testament saints (Hebrews 11), and logical necessity further supports the conclusion that regeneration and the indwelling Spirit were present for believers prior to Acts 2. The Day of Pentecost marked a unique corporate empowerment of the church, not a transformation in the nature of individual salvation. Thus, Old Testament and New Testament believers alike received the same full spiritual cleansing and renewal by grace through faith.

Αυτό που κυρίως ενδιαφέρει τον Ιησού είναι οι άνθρωποι να αντιληφθούν μέσα από τις Γραφές ότι στο πρόσωπό του εκπληρώνεται το πραγματικό σχέδιο του Θεού για τον κόσμο και όχι μια εθνική επιδίωξη. Αυτός είναι και ο λόγος που στη συζήτησή του με τον Νικόδημο, ο Ιησούς βάζει τον συνομιλητή του να σκεφτεί με βάση τις Γραφές.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10 has often been interpreted through moral or ethical lenses. This study proposes an alternative reading grounded in the narrative structures and literary devices deliberately embedded by the evangelist Luke. Biblical texts, beyond the level of words, generate visual and spatial imagery within the reader's imagination through narrative atmosphere, structure, and literary composition, thereby guiding the direction of interpretation. Attending to this textual dynamic, the paper approaches the parable not merely as content to be decoded but as a carefully crafted theological narrative that must be read in light of its textual intent.
Building upon three prior studies that have identified chiastic structure, inter-narrative structure, and intertextual references (notably to Ezekiel 34), this research reads the parable through a six-scene image-based structure. Each scene generates symbolic and visual motifs that together form a redemptive progression. Special attention is given to ten hapax legomena-Greek words that appear only once in the New Testament-each of which serves as a linguistic marker of divine initiative, mercy, and once-for-all redemption. These rare terms are not incidental but strategically positioned to deepen the theological architecture of the narrative.
Rather than presenting the Samaritan as a model of moral action, this paper interprets him as a Christological figure who intervenes in the existential death of humanity with divine grace. By tracing the literary design that Luke constructs, the study reframes the parable as a theological narrative in which death-bound existence meets the approaching mercy of God. This reading offers a model of theological literacy-a mode of interpretation that attends to Scripture's structure, symbolism, narrative flow, and redemptive intent.

Publication Information
This article was originally published in Journal of Christian Philosophy, Vol. 43 (2025), pp. 315–348.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.23291/jcp.2025..43.315 (pending activation).
An open-access English version is archived in Zenodo for broader accessibility.

Keywords: theological literacy, Good Samaritan, hermeneutics, image, hapax legomena, Image-based Reading, Go and Do Likewise.

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