Caught in the Act, Walking on the Sea, and the Release of Barabbas Revisited

by Aus, Roger David

• ISBN13: 9780788504075
• ISBN10: 078850407X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1998-01-01
• Publisher: University of South Florida

Summary

This book brings together three essays which relate Judaic traditions to New Testament narratives in new and illuminating ways. Examining the narrative of the adulteress _caught in the act_ in John 7:53-8:11, the author sees in it Zealot traditions reflected in the Mishnah and in Judaic interpretation of Malachi 2:11 and Hosea 4:14. Jesus' walking on the Sea of Galilee in Mark 6:45-52 is seen to derive primarily from early Judaic traditions on the crossing of the Reed Sea in Exodus 14-15 and as a foil to the maniacal Roman emperor Caligula's crossing of the bay of Naples. The release of Barabbas in Mark 15:6-15 is related to the response of Herod's son and successor Archelaus to the Jerusalem insurrection against Herod at his death in 4 BCE.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
CHAPTER ONE "CAUGHT IN THE ACT" -- WITH WHOM, AND BY WHOM? The Judaic Background of the Incident of the Adulteress in John 7:53 - 8:11	1	(52)
Introduction	1	(1)
I. "Caught in the Act"	2	(2)
II. m. Sanh. 9:6	4	(2)
III. Numbers 25 in Judaic Tradition	6	(9)
1. In flagranti	8	(2)
2. The Law of Moses	10	(3)
3. Phinehas' Zealous Behavior	13	(2)
IV. The Dating of m. Sanh. 9:6	15	(3)
V. The Pharisees and Zealots of Jesus' Time	18	(3)
VI. The Identity of the Adulterer	21	(5)
VII. Jesus' Writing in the Ground	26	(9)
1) Mal 2:11	28	(3)
2) Hos 4:14	31	(4)
VIII. The Punishment of Stoning	35	(3)
IX. Sin No More	38	(2)
X. The Extent, Content and Setting of the Narrative	40	(3)
XI. The Original Language	43	(1)
XII. The Historicity and Genre	44	(9)
1. The Historicity	44	(3)
2. The Genre	47	(6)
CHAPTER TWO WALKING ON THE SEA The Crossing of the Reed Sea in Exodus 14-15, and Jesus as Second Moses and Messiah in Mark 6:45-52, Matt 14:22-33, and John 6:16-21	53	(82)
I. The Israelites' Crossing the Reed Sea, and the Disciples' Crossing the Sea of Galilee	53	(57)
Introduction	53	(1)
1. The Sea of Galilee, and the Reed (or Red) Sea	55	(1)
2. Crossing the Sea of Galilee, and Crossing the Reed Sea	56	(3)
3. Jesus' Praying at a Mountain, and Moses' Praying Before a Mountain	59	(3)
4. Twelve Disciples, and Twelve Tribes	62	(1)
5. In the Middle of the Sea	63	(1)
6. A Head Wind	64	(3)
7. Rowing with Difficulty or Tortuous Rowing	67	(5)
8. Evening, All Night, and the Morning Watch	72	(3)
9. Walking on the Sea and an Apparition / Phantom / Spirit	75	(8)
a)	75	(1)
b) 1) The Prince or Guardian Angel of Egypt Hovering / Flying in the Air	75	(8)
2) The Lord as Flying, Appearing and Walking at / on the Reed Sea	77	(4)
3) An Apparition	81	(2)
10. Wanting to Overtake Them	83	(2)
11. Crying Out	85	(1)
12. Being Terrified / in Great Fear	86	(2)
13. Take Heart, Do Not Fear	88	(2)
14. It Is I	90	(1)
15. The Wind Ceased	91	(3)
16. Seeing the Lord, and Being Utterly Astounded	94	(4)
17. Peter the First Disciple, and Nahshon of Judah, the First or Ruling Tribe	98	(2)
18. Peter's Descending, and Nahshon's Descending	100	(1)
19. Peter's Descending in Faith, and Nahshon's Descending in Faith	100	(1)
20. Peter's Fear and Little Faith, and the Israelites' Fear and Little Faith	101	(2)
21. Sinking	103	(1)
22. Save Me!	104	(1)
23. Stretching Out One's Hand and Taking / Rescuing Someone Sinking in the Sea	105	(2)
24. The Disciples' Worshiping Jesus	107	(3)
II. The Messiah as Hovering Over the Water in Gen 1:2	110	(6)
III. The Extent of the Original Narrative	116	(1)
IV. A Concrete Cause for the Origin and Date of the Original Narrative	117	(9)
V. The Original Language and the Provenance of the Narrative	126	(2)
VI. The Historicity and Purpose of the Narrative	128	(4)
Appendix: The Lectionary Readings in Nisan	132	(3)
CHAPTER THREE THE RELEASE OF BARABBAS REVISITED (Mark 15:6-15; Matt 27:15-26; Luke 23:18-25; John 18:39-40)	135	(36)
I. Introduction	135	(6)
II. An Insurrection in Jerusalem in 4 BCE	141	(6)
A) Herod's "Release" and "Releasing / Remitting"	142	(2)
B) Herod's Lack of Respect for Jewish Religious Beliefs and Customs	144	(1)
C) Herod's Fear of Insurrection and His Preventive Measures	144	(1)
D) The Jerusalem Insurrection of 4 BCE Shortly Before Passover	145	(2)
III. Archelaus' Handling of the Insurrection, With a Release of Prisoners	147	(11)
1. A bema	147	(1)
2. The Crowd	148	(1)
3. Requests / Demands	148	(1)
4. Crying Out	148	(1)
5. Releasing Prisoners	148	(2)
6. Flattering / Conciliating	150	(1)
7. The Festival of Passover and Ancestral Custom	150	(3)
a) The Festival of Passover	151	(1)
b) Ancestral Custom	151	(2)
8. The King of the Jews	153	(1)
9. The Name Barabbas	154	(4)
IV. The Procurator Vitellius' Release at Passover in Jerusalem	158	(4)
V. The Original Language and Date of the Narrative	162	(3)
VI. The Purpose of the Original Narrative, and Mark's Redaction of It	165	(6)
A) The Purpose of the Original Narrative	165	(4)
1) Filling a Gap	165	(1)
2) Transferring the Roman Responsibility for Jesus' Death to the Jews	166	(2)
3) Emphasizing Jesus' Innocence	168	(1)
B) Mark's Redaction of It	169	(2)
Sources and Reference Works	171	(10)
Index of Modern Authors	181