Jesus and Scripture: A Comparative Study of Hebrews, James, 1 and 2 Peter and their Use of the Old Testament and Jesus Traditions
This study aims to assess the impact of Jesus traditions upon the use of the Old Testament in Hebrews, James, 1 and 2 Peter. At various points the suggestion of Craig Evans that “some of the New Testament writers appealed to certain passages because Jesus appealed to them” has been central to this re-search which has sought to extend that concept out into non-Pauline epistles. As a result, the study begins by focussing in on four key research areas that develop into four key “research lenses” related to the gist of Jesus traditions, orality, scripturalization, and mnemonic keys in order to seek to assess the extent to which Jesus traditions impact the use of the Old Testament in Hebrews, James, 1 and 2 Peter. Consequently, each epistle is studied in light of these four research lenses in order to address the main research question regarding the impact of Jesus’s use of the Old Testament upon the use of the Old Testament in non-Pauline epistles. Within this study it is suggested that there is a multifaceted and nuanced answer to this question, with each book offering slightly differing interactions between Jesus traditions and the use of the Old Testament. First, within Hebrews, there is found a variety of Jesus traditions within the text. But, of course, Hebrews regularly and repeatedly draws on the Old Testament throughout the letter as a source of authority. Yet, at points, we might begin to see how the use of the Old Testament in Jesus traditions has impacted the use of the Old Testament in Hebrews. For example, it is suggested that the use of Ps 22:22 in Heb 2:12 could be linked to the use of the Old Testament by Jesus within Jesus traditions represented in Matt 27:46 and Mark 15:34. This study also suggests that texts such as Ps 40:6–8 may be used in Heb 10:5–7 due to its resonance and similarity to Jesus teaching traditions. Second, within James, we might note something quite different. Instead of a direct and specific link between Jesus traditions and the use of the Old Testament we find in James both a regular and repeated drawing upon of Jesus teaching traditions as well as a regular and repeated drawing upon of Lev 19. Interestingly, noting the potential presence of Lev 19 in both Jesus traditions and the epistle of James might suggest to us a close association between Jesus and Lev 19 within James. As a result, the proposal is offered that Lev 19 is used and appealed to in a regular and repeated manner due to the strong but general association between the text and Jesus. Third, within 1 Peter, the association between Jesus and Isa 53 is explored, especially given the intermin-gling of Jesus traditions and Isa 53 in 1 Pet 2:22–25. As a result, 1 Peter might indicate to us quite a direct connection between the use of the Old Testament in Jesus teaching traditions and the use of the Old Testament in 1 Peter. Fourth, the book of 2 Peter is studied, particularly the presence and priority of Jesus traditions and their connection to the Old Testament in 2 Pet 1:16–18 and 3:7–13, with a particular focus on what the sources of “authority” are within 2 Peter.
https://research.vu.nl/ws/files/155813604/T%20%20Parker%20-%20thesis.pdf
https://research.vu.nl/ws/files/155813608/T%20%20Parker%20-%20toc.pdf