School of Theology

The time frame for Maiachi is that of post-exilic Judah, or better, restoration Judah.' As such it was certainly not a very auspicious era for Judah and a far cry from the "golden age" of the monarchy, even in the years of its decline. Just as Judah tended to look back nostalgically to what had been, so we today tend to look at the restoration period as a sort of appendage to Judah's history, a dark age that lay between the period of the monarchy and the beginning of the New Tfestament era. Often our stereotypical view sees from this era only the rise of "legalistic Judaism" with its emphasis on perfunctory performance of ritual over against the high ethical demands and living faith called for by pre-exihc prophets. Even in the field of Biblical Archaeology, major textbooks either omit entirely'' or treat only in the most cursory fashion' the restoration period. Therefore, a look at the social and historical context of restoration Judah is needed to understand the milieu out of which Maiachi arose.

These new approaches focus especially on questions concerning the very definition of history, the materials that can be used in constructing a history, and the relationship between history and the actual events of the past. Further there are deep philosophical issues concerning whether one has a single history of the past, "what actually happened," or many histories, the multifaceted interpretations of the past. An analogy to this history issue is the early history of our nation. I was taught in high school and college a traditional history:

Part II deals with some of the important sites of the biblical world and raises several issues certain to intrigue the reader. Brown gives the evidence for both the conquest and peasant revolt views of Israel's entry into Palestine. He likewise raises the critical issues current in dealing with the patriarchal era. Pertinent to New Testament study, Brown discusses the archaeological evidence of a first century A.D. crucifixion and the Shroud of Turin. He also describes New Testament Jerusalem as revealed in recent excavations on the Temple Mount and in the Old City.

Volume Eight of The New Interpreter's Bible provides General Articles to introduce the New Testament, as Volume One introduced the Old Testament. Also, Matthew and Mark, the two NT books treated in Volume Eight, are interpreted in detail. It would be difficult to do justice to the ancient books in their interpretation without consideration of the social, political, and religious contexts in which these books were written. TheNew Interpreter's Bible, therefore, first puts us down in the GrecoRoman world and the Jewish world as well, preparing the interpreter to bring to particular biblical texts keen appreciation of the often overlooked tributaries to interpretation. Of course, the "Commentary" that gives exegetical treatment of the biblical text has been written with all of the above in view, yet the General Articles assist the user in putting everything together with greater facility when interpreting a text. One feature of this new series that is rather different from its predecessor, The Interpreter's Bible, is that this series does not offer as much finished homiletical application as the older series. "Reflections," not exposition, follows "Commentary." Thus the teacher or preacher is led provocatively into lines of thought that stimulate creativity. Leander Keck of The Divinity School at Yale University has served as Convener and Senior New Testament Editor of The New Interpreter's Bible. He has been joined by an ecumenical array of widely recognized biblical scholars and by rising newer scholars with solid credentials. Volumes One and Eight are the key volumes for the projected Twelve Volumes. The entire set will be a major investment for the pastor or teacher, but it should be among the few sets of commentaries on the bookshelves of the serious student of the Scriptures.

The Hebrew word translated "heap of ruins," 'iyin is one of the two major words for mounds of occupational debris.-^ Biblical Archaeology deals somewhat with mountains , and much more with heaps of ruins. Some recent scholars have discussed the position of archaeology within the broader field of Biblical Stud­ ies,'' raising the issue of biblical archaeology's place. Is biblical archaeology itself more of a mountain or a heap of ruins within biblical studies? Nearly a quarter of a century ago, I embarked on my seminary education at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. The first course I had there (8:00 TuFri) was Introduction to Biblical Archaeology with Dr. M a r c Lovelace. It w a s an exciting t ime to s tudy archaeology. Our textbook was the recently revised edition of G. Ernest Wright's Biblical Archaeology. The feeling w e had from the course and the textbook was that archaeology could resolve many of the difficult issues unresolved by historical-critical methodologies. The Patriarchs could be rescued from the later sources and sagas and placed into their Middle Bronze A g e context and culture. The biblical account of the Conquest was placed firmly at the end of the Late Bronze Age , dated usually to 1250-1200 B.C., and w a s clearly indicated by the evidence of destrucdon at the sites like Bethel, Lachish, Tell Beit Mirsim, Tell el-Hesi, and H a z o r Even then there were a few disquieting m o ­ ments. Archaeological evidence from Jericho and Ai was negative for the period of the Conquest. Even the usually positive Wright had to admit: "at the m o m e n t we must confess a complete inability to explain the origin of the Jericho tradidon."" But the overall tone was upbeat and posidve. In his inaugural address delivered in this place the same year I began seminary studies. Dr. Joseph A. Cal laway spoke of "the Emerging Role of Biblical Archaeology."' Cal laway spoke of the positive way in which archaeological data might have an important role in interpreting scripture: "There seems to be arising in scholarship a new generation that sees more future in sweating over typology, sections, and stratigraphy under the hot Palestinian sun than in playing solitaire with the sources of the Pentateuch.""

The book of Hosea has many references to religious practices, some acceptable to the prophet and others strongly condemned. Certain of the practices are clearly drawn from Canaanite worship practices, and those of Israel's other neighbors; other practices are clearly common to Israel's faith community. The purpose of this article is to survey these religious practices to determine what elements constituted the worship practices of Israel during Hosea's time. It will be helpful to distinguish those practices which were acceptable in the "official" religion and those found in "popular" religion. Generally, most scholars consider the principal charge made by Hosea against the people of Israel to be that of apostasy, of forsaking the LORD and worshiping the Baals:

reader to various dimensions of firstcentury Mediterranean values and life. The book contains sixty-one windows that begin with a scenario of a modem North American perplexed by a behavior on the part of the firstcentury [ew.: This makes for entertaining reading and good teaching. The vignettes fall under the general categories of honor and shame, general interpersonal behavior, ingroup (friendship, workmates, patronage, etc.), intra-family relations, out group, loving-kindness, general common values, and concept of time. All of the windows are tied to New Testament passages. This book is the best simple introduction I know to the cultural world of Jesus and his disciples, and can help anyone to become more knowledgeable and sensitive to the ways of Jesus and his contemporaries.

into print. The power of a free press is illustrated repeatedly. The way in which the Bible is interpreted relating to every phase of life is instructive. Its authority is unquestioned. An authority that claims precedence over that of pope, bishop, or king. The Old Testament is found to be more relevant than the New. England was struggling with monarchy and with the issues of rich and poor. The Old Testament is also struggling with a failed monarchy. The prophets and Jesus showed God's sympathy for the poor. Cromwell could be seen as England's Moses. Hill's reflections on the similarities with Liberation Theology and on the results, both positive and negative, of biblical criticism which both produced the printed Bibles of the 17th century and led to the Bible's loss of authority and relevance in the following centuries are enlightening. This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. It has much to say to us at the end of the 20th century as we struggle with social issues and try to find the right way to use the Bible in the process. This book belongs in every serious theological library. Similar studies of the use of the Bible in 19th and 20th century America would be instructive.