■-f

re

NI 111/

v v ILY

Prof. Rolland E. Wolfe, of
Cleveland, and the Rev. Harold
A. Bosley, of Evanston, Ill.. are
the authors of the comments on
the Book of Micah:
Micah is described as a small
town artisan whose prophecies
compresses into a single obser- ing • anxiety and incipient de- vice or virtue abstractly con- "indicate deep sympathies for
vance' the whole covenant rela- spair, maintain enthusiasm for ceived, but God'''s dealings with the poor." His messages are
tionship between the Lord and the national cause, encourage his people. Therefore God is said to be in complete harmony
Israel. It brings into the life of loyalty to God and to the ordi- not described as avenging with Isaiah's, although the two
the people an awed recognition nances of the law, keep bright crimes, but as avenging the may never have met.
of his claim upon them, so that man's hope in a future that people against whom the crimes
This prophet's mission "is a
they know themselves to his could be even more wonderful were committed."
lesson in how to take God seri-
and not their own. There was than the past."
With reference to the con-. ously."
a great need of something of
Daniel's use of the allegory as eluding verses: "Egypt shall be
In Micah, too,' there is the
this kind after the Exile, when 'a literary vehicle is outlined by a desolation . . . Judah shall
Israel was in danger of becom- Prof. Jeffrey; who states with dwell forever . . . the Lord dream of restoration (2:12): "I
ing assimilated to the surround- reference to the language: "The dwelleth in Zion," the commen- will surely gather the remnant
ing nations."
Hebrew portion bears every evi- tators state that the reason for of Israel."
Also, after the destruction,
The exposition also contains dence of having been translated Egypt's punishment "is for vio-
interesting comment on assim- from Aramaic, and why the lence done to the people of there is the vision (4:1 - 5:15) of
ilation, with reference to book has come down partly in Judah," and "Judah shall re- a glorious future.
* - * *
20:32: "What is in your mind Aramaic and partly in Hebrew main" is interpreted as "Jerusa-
shall never happen — the is a puzzle which scholarship lem, the glorified city of God,
The Books of Nahum, Ha-
thought, 'Let us be like the has not yet solved."
bakkuk and Zephaniah are in-
shall be eternal."
nations, like the tribes of the
terpreted by the Rev. Charles
* * *
The Hebrew of the Book of
countries, and worship wood
Daniel, we learn, "is late, re-
The Book of Amos is inter- L. Taylor, Jr., of Cambridge,
and stone.' "
sembling that of Ecclesiastes, preted by Prof. Hughell E. W. Mass.; Prof. James T. Cleland,
Dr. Allen, indicating that "the Esther, and Chronicles."
Fosbroke, of Cambridge, Mass., of Duke University, and the
Rev. Howard. Thurman, of San
greatest perils which the Jew-
The three special skills in and the Rev. Sidney Lovett.
Francisco.
ish people have faced in the Daniel "a r e enumerated as
Amos the shepherd, who
course of their tragic, history dream interpretation, riddle draws upon outdoor life for the
Nahum's poem depicts the
have been from assimilation solving, and spell breaking, his imagery of his prophecy, who Sack of Nineveh. It has a reli-
rather from persecution," refers excellent spirit giving him his brooded over the temper of his gious message. The prophet ex-
to the request in I Sam. 8:5, skill in oneiromancy, his know- people, ministered in the North- presses his indignation over
"Make us a king to judge us ledge enabling him to solve rid- ern Kingdom. He prophesied Nineveh's destruction. The mes-
like all the nations," and states: dles, and his understanding
its approaching doom: "There is sage is: "the Lord avenges the
"In the Exile there was a serving to break talismans."
about the prophet's own utter-. ruthlessness of those who put
their trust in the sword."
* * *
tendency to seek to make the
ance a dreadful consistency . .
* * *
lot of the Jew easier by eli-
Prof. John Mauchline, of Trin- Not that Amos was devoid of
minating anything which dis- ity College, Glasgow, and the human sympathy . . The aus-
Reference is made to the
tinguished him from his fel- Rev. Harold Cooke Phillips, of tere severity of his utterance Habakkuk Dead Sea Scroll,
lows. Precisely the same situ- Cleveland, are the scholars who and the bitterness of its irony which has added new interest
ation-faces the Jew in the deal with the Book of Hosea. are indicative of one who had to this prophetic book.
modern world. Some would
Prof. C. C. Torrey is quoted
'Hosea is presented as the 8th cared deeply and had had to
say that those countries in Century B.C.E. prophet whose overcome a natural reluctance as having regarded Habakkuk
which the Jew takes on the utterances had been preserved, to deliver his message."
as a "meditation on the con-
color of the society around who condemned social evils
quests of Alexander the Great
The
epilogue
offers
ground
him, becoming 'Reformed' in and Israel's unfaithfulness.
for hope for the future. There and his armies in Asia."
one and 'Marxist' in another,
* * *
Hosea's marriage to a harlot, is the prophecy (9:11-12) of the
are more dangerous than oth- • Gorner, the allegorical interpre-
It
is
very
likely,
we are told
restoration of the Davidic King-
ers in which anti-Semitism is tation of his tragic life, the par-
dom: "In that day I will raise in the section on Zephaniah,
rampant.
allelism between the relation- up the tabernacle of David . . ." that the prophet was the grand-
"There are certain ques- ' ship of Hosea and Gomer and The return of the exile is pro- son of the grandson of King
tions we should put to our- Yahweh and Israel, and the pol- phesied (9:14-15): "I will re- Hezekiah of Judah.
selves in this connection. First, itical conditions of the time, are store the fortunes of my people
An interesting • comment is
as regards the Jew. Do we
subjects for interesting com- Israel . . . And I will plant them made on 3:9—"I will change the
really wish assimilation to mentaries in The Interpreters upon their land, and they shall speech of the peoples to a pure
prevail? Is it really desirable Bible.
no more be pulled up out of speech"—as expressing the hope
that the Jewish community
With reference to 9:1-3, "Re- their land which I have given of a universal language.
should be absorbed into the
The final picture is one of a
joice not, 0 Israel! ... for you them, saith the Lord thy God."
intermarriage and seculariza-
golden
age: "I will make you a
have played the harlot," the
The phrase "they shall build
tion on a large scale, including
interpreter states: "The pro- the ruined cities," this commen- name and a praise among all the
general life of a country by
phet discusses in this chapter tary states, "reflects the longing peoples of the earth, when I
the acceptance of a purely
the sorrows of the Exile. Is- of those who could not forget turn back your captivity" (3:20).
* * *
nominal Christianity in many
rael has played the harlot. She the desolation of the land they
cases? Or has Jewry still a
Prof. D. Winton Thomas, Uni-
has turned from the Lord to loved and would find their
distinctive contribution t o
the Baalim."
greatest satisfaction in restoring versity of Durham; Dean Wil-
make? The conclusion to
In the following chapter, dis- its ruins and in tilling once lard L. Sperry, of Harvard Uni-
, which we come will affect cussing the power of kings, we
versity; The Rev. Theodore
again its soil."
our thinking on the relations are treated to an interesting
Cuyler Speers, New York, and
* * *
between Christians and Jews, discussion of democracy in rela-
Prof. Robert C. Denton, New
Prof.
Thompson
and
the
Rev.
as well as our attitude to var- tion to the rulers o'f the time of
York, are the commentators for
ious tendencies and groups Hosea, to a review of the en- Langford also are the commen- Haggai, Malachi and Zechariah.
tators for the Book of Obadiah.
within Jewry.
Haggai's prophecies were in
tire book, we are then told, is
This short book deals with 520 B.C.E. He "has an impor-
"Second, what of the Christ- in its concluding verse which
ian position? Are we not ex- admonishes us that the ways of the expulsion of the Edomites tance all his own for the his-
and the prophet sees it as di- tory of postexilic Judaism . . •
posed also to the danger of the Lord are right:
assimilation? Has the process
"Whoever is wise, let him vine judgment for cruelties to- For the fact that there was a
perhaps been allowed to go
understand these things; who- ward Israel. There is reference restored temple . . . at which
too far with us already?"
ever is discerning, let him to the catastrophe of 56'7 B.C.E., Jews of this age could worship
know
them; for the ways of "the only capture of Jerusalem the chief credit must go to Hag-
Discussing the prophecy of
Ezekial of putting the bones the Lord are right; and the in which it is recorded that the gai, who persuaded his fellow
countrymen — some of whom
together, of putting flesh and upright walk in them, but Edomites had a part."
Obadiah, too, closes on a hope- were inclined to make light of
sinew upon them, Prof May transgressors stumble i n
ful note. His "hope transcends his efforts (2:3) — to take in
deals with the question of hope. them."
* * *
mere nationalism, for he sees in hand the work of rebuilding.
He calls attention, with refer-
Prof. John A. Thompson, of Israel's victory the establish- Second, in Haggai's opposition
ence to 37:11—"Our bones are
of God." to the Samaritans (2:10-14)—an
dried and our hope is lost ..." Cairo, and the Rev. Norman F. ment of the kingdom
* * *
opposition which was shared by
..to the "modern Zionist song, Langford are the commentators
The Rev. James D. Smart, of Zechariah—may be seen the be-
"We still have not lost our for the Book of Joel.
An unparalleled locust plague Toronto, and the Rev. William ginning of that rigid exclusive-
hope," quoting the words in
Hebrew "Od lo avdah tikva- is occasion for the prophecy of Scarlett, of St. Louis, have writ- ness which was to become a
Joel who sees the occurence as ten the exegesis and expoSition characteristic of p o s t exilic
tenu."
Judah."
These and many more similar "a judgement from God and as for the Book of Jonah.
Zechariah, like Haggai, "was
They review the history of
comments, on problems and is- a warning and symbol of the
the parable, discuss the object one of the chief founders of
sues leading to modern inter- final day of the Lord."
There is the admonition that of it and the Rev. Smart asserts Judaism . . . In Zechariah some
ests, add great value to the Ez-
"Joel does not identify the that Jonah was acquainted with of the features of the messianic
ekiel expositions.
plague with the day of the Jeremiah's prophecies and that: age . . . which is soon to arrive,
* *
Lord. Rather it serves as warn- "When to this is added the fact appear in greater clarity than in
The Book of Daniel, intro- ing of something more funda- that the author saw in Jonah Haggai." Zechariah is inter-
duction and exegesis and ex- mental, of which the locusts are the whole nation of Israel, the preted as the prophet of "un-
position by Prof. Arthur Jef- a sign ... In an unusual and conclusion seems inescapable realized hopes."
fery (Columbia University) and poignant way Joel drives home that the incident of the great
Malachi is interpreted as "a
Bishop Gerald Kennedy (Lin- the guiltiness of man: by under- fish is a symbolic representa- man of great spiritual force who
coln, Neb.) is accompanied by scoring the pathos of the lower tion of the Exile and the re- felt himself obliged to go out
many challenging views. The animals."
turn."
into the market place and on
introduction reviews the his-
In the summary of the phras-
God's concern for the world the street corner to contend ac-
torical background commencing es my people and my heritage is emphasized. The comment tively for what he believed to
with Alexander the Great, the Israel in 3.2, there is this com- upon the concluding sentence in be the truth." He condemned
divided loyalties in the land of ment: "Joel, like the other Jonah, "And not I spare Nin- intermarriages. Marriage, he
Israel in the days of Antiochus scriptural writers, does not eveh . ." is: "The God who held, was a solemn covenant
Epiphahes, the desecration of speak of cruelty or oppression, makes this appeal to Israel is entered into before God. He
Jerusalem, the Maccabean re- or any other kind of wicked- the Lord of the whole earth, pleaded for righteous living and
volt, the appearance of the Book ness in abstract terms; neither whose compassion reaches to all threaten retribution for those
of Daniel, "written under the is righteousness t r ea t e d ab- peoples, and the destiny that he who failed to pay their debt to
persecutions of Antiochus." "Its stractly. What stands at the cen- has for Israel is to be his pro- God in full.
message could counter the grow- ter of biblical thought is not phet to the nations, proclaiming
P. S.

Friday, October 26 1956

Christian Scholars Discuss Assimilation,
Intermarriage, Redemption of Israel

>

Publication, by Abingdon
Press, of Nashville, Tenn., of
the 12 - volume commentary,
"The Interpreter's Bible," must
be rated as one of the outstand-
ing scholarly efforts of our gen-
eration.
This is a Christian undertak-
ing. It represents a cross-sec-
tion of Biblical criticism in Pro-
testantism. The Holy Scriptures
in these commentaries are pre-
sented in both the King James
and Revised Standard versions.
On introduction, exegesis and
exposition, and maps of the per-
iods, accompany all the books of
the Bible.
Under present review is Vol-
ume VI, in which are included:
Lamentations, Ezekial, Daniel,
and the Twelve "Minor" Proph-
ets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah,
Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habak-
kuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zech-
ariah, Malachi.
Prof. Theophile J. Meek, of
the University of Toronto, and
the late Rev. William Pierson
Merrill, of New York, wrote
the Lamentations articles. The
book's place in Jewish tradition,
as "Ekha," after the first word,
as "Qinoth"—dirges or lamenta-
tions—and as one of the Megil-
loth or Rolls, is explained by
Prof. Meek.
Lamentations, he points out,
was not written merely to
memorialize Jerusalem's trag-
ic destruction, "but to inter-
pret God's rigorous treatment
of his people.
As already indicated, and this
reviewer explained in his re-
views of the first five volumes
of "The Interpreter's Bible," the
Protestant scholars' approach
is christological. Thus, in the
explanatory note on the "Fear
Not" in Lamentations 3.57 the
Christian commentator states:
"That is what the religion of
Jesus says to us, 'Do not fear,
only believe. " Throughout this
work the Christian influence
is felt, and the Jewish reader
must recognize that such is the
intention of authors and publish-
ers: that this set Of commentar-
ies is to serve as a cross-section
of Protestant thinking.
* - * *

Profs. Herbert G. May (Aber-
lin College) and E. L. Allen
(King's College) are the schol-
ers who wrote the theses for
Ezekiel. Again, the historical
background of the book is dis-
cussed, there is comment on the
prophet's authenticity, whether
one or more men wrote the
book. Reference is made to Jo-
sephus' report that Ezekial left
behind him two books and to
the doubt expreSsed by Spinoza
that Ezekial's writings are in
the original order or that we
have the prophet's complete
writings.
The commentators refer to
the high places, to the oracles
on the mountains. The link of •
mountains with Prophecy and
the Prophets finds interesting
echo in these discussions. "Re-
storation of the Mountains
and the People of Israel," re-
ferring to Chapter 36, adds
great value to the subject of
Mountains.
The sentence in Ezekial (20:-
12) about the Sabbath—"More-
over I also gave them my sab-
baths, to be a sign between me
and them, that they might know
that I am the Lord that sancti- .
fy them"—leads the commenta-
tors to a discussion of the im-
portance of the Sabbath. Dr.
May refers to "the Sabbath as
the sign of the consecration or
sanctification of Israel." Dr.
Allen's exposition points out:
"Ezekial describes the sab-
bath here as a sign between
God and his people, something
which indicates the peculiar re-
lationship obtaining between
Him and them. ... For Ezekial,
as for many other devout Jews
at a later period, the sabbath

-