Biblical Scholia

Features of the interpretation of the Bible as a literary work

Dionysius Kim, priest — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This article examines the question of the possibility of interpreting the Bible as a literary work that obeys the laws common to world literature. This problem arises in the context of applying the narrative method to the analysis of the biblical text, which has already proven itself in Western biblical studies and is gradually entering Russian theological science. The author examines the concept of «literariness» and its aspects, the connection between literariness and narrativeness, and lists the problematic aspects of interpreting the Bible as literature. The literature of the Bible is also analyzed in the context of the peculiarities of biblical historicism. Attention is focused on the fact that the artistry of the biblical narrative also represents an invitation to the reader to self-analysis. The article also expresses considerations regarding the presence in the biblical text of techniques of literary influence on the reader.

The Question of the Glorification of the Name of God and its Literary Reception

Rupova Rozaliya M. — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The theoretical material offered to the readers is based on the author’s article «The Problem of the Name of God in Exegetical and Philosophical Understanding» — revised, partly shortened due to the fact that an important part of this publication is the literary reception in the form of a wreath of sonnets of the complex problem of the Name. The question of the Name of God has a centuries-old history and its roots go back to deep biblical antiquity. The article describes its biblical dimensions. Further attention is paid to its philosophical and theological interpretations due to the fact that in the 20th century this topic was extremely acutely posed among the Russian Athonite monasticism, which formed the «Name-worship» movement. The author provides a whole range of interpretations of the problem by the greatest thinkers of the 20th and 21st centuries. The publication ends with a wreath of sonnets, in which the main theme is the glorification of the Name of God.

Review of: Adrio König. Christ Above All: The Book of Hebrews. Bellingham: Lexham Press, 2019. Pp. viii+100. ISBN 978-1683592853

Kovshov Mikhail V. — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This small book is the third in a new Bible study series from Lexham Press. The "Transforming Word" series aims to "identify a key theme in each book of the Bible, resulting in a thorough biblical exegesis focused on that captivating theme in each volume." The author of the reviewed commentary, Adrio König, is a former professor of systematic theology at the University of South Africa.

Review of: Garland, David E. 1 Corinthians. Baker Exegetical Commentaries on the New Testament Grand Rapids: Baker, 2003. Pp. xxi + 870. ISBN 080102630X

Kovshov Mikhail V. — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

David Garland's exegetical Analysis of 1 Corinthians was one of the first five books in Baker's relatively new Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (BECNT) series, which sought to «provide, within the framework of informed evangelical thought, commentaries that combine It combines scientific depth with legibility, exegetical details with sensitivity to the whole, and attention to critical issues with theological awareness» (xi). Despite the fact that the series is strongly exegetical rather than homiletical, its intended audience is «pastors and other people involved in preaching and exposition of the Scriptures» (xi). For this purpose, Garland, who was then a professor of the Holy Scriptures at Baylor University's Truett Theological Seminary, presented his significant work.

Commentaries on the Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians

Korotkov Peter A. — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The article «Commentary on the Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians» is an in-depth and comprehensive study of one of the key works of the New Testament addressed to the communities in the region of Galatia. The author of the work provides a comprehensive analysis of the Epistle, focusing on both the historical contexts of the writing, cultural and theological significance of the text for early Christianity.

The basic tenets of the «New View of Paul»

Kovshov Mikhail V. — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

In this article a brief overview of the «Old» and «New Perspective on Paul» is presented, which in the second half of the 20th century challenged the established views of western theologians and biblical scholars on St Paul’s epistles, the problem of the law, justification by faith, and other similar issues. Given the vastness of the topic, only the main most important tenets of the New Perspective on Paul will be discussed. This task seems urgent because the New Perspective continues to generate controversy and disagreement among scholars, and because of the need to evaluate this trend from an Orthodox biblical and theological perspective.

Pre-Revolutionary Russian Biblical Scholars on the Fourth Song of the Servant of the Lord (Is. 52, 13 — 53, 12)

Dmitry Nikitenko, priest, Ivan Zmiev, deacon — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The article includes the historiographic description of the pre-revolutionary Russian Bible Studies works on the Fouth Song of the God’s Servant (Is. 52, 13 — 53, 12). Russian biblical scholars (1880–1917) аctively studied this messianic prophecy for the Christian Orthodox apologetics. Using the latest foreign data, they argued with the representatives of the «critical» school in order to prove the authority, sanctity and historical value of the Holy Scriptures. Their underestimated and often unknown works for the modern scientists represent an obvious interest not only for the history of the Russian Theology, but also as examples of thorough scientific and theological work. Innovative for that time they can serve as a basis for the development of the modern Old Testament Bible Studies Orthodox Theology.

Curses or complaint in Psalm 108 (109)?

Iriney (Pikovsky), hieromonk — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The present article raises the problem of the genre and addressees of Psalm 108(109), which is solved in two ways in scholarship. Some exegetes side with the Davidic authorship of the work, softening the curses pronounced against the opponents (vv. 6–19), while others believe that the Psalm represents a complaint related to the post-exile historical context, when the «theology of the poor» and the idea of the just judgement of the reigning God in Zion was developed. Comparing the hermeneutical approaches of classical Jewish and Christian interpreters with the modern exegesis, one must conclude that regardless of the solution of the problem of the authorship of the Psalm (David or not David), we do not have an unambiguous solution to the problem of the addressees of the «curses» (vv. 6–19), and therefore it makes no sense to soften the harshness of the rhetoric, directed against enemies, which is repeatedly found in the Psalms poetry (see Ps 34(35):4–6; 57(58):7–10; 68(69):23–29).

Fleeing to Egypt — The First Messianic Journey of the Lord Jesus Christ with a chronicle and geography of the Gospel events

Alexandra (Mushketova), nun — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The study of the Gospel events of the life of the Lord Jesus Christ with a chronology calculated according to the author’s methodology makes it possible to review the geographical routes of His messianic travels throughout Israel and nearby countries with the recording of probable calendar dates. The article examines the hypothesis about the possibility of classifying the Flight of the Holy Family into Egypt as the First Messianic Journey of the Savior. The research is based on the Gospel, Holy Tradition, scientific and historical information of the Coptic Orthodox Church about the sites of the Holy Family and other current research. Testing the hypothesis made it possible to clarify and substantiate the geographical map of the entire route of the Holy Family, i. e. from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the census, flight to Egypt, travel around the country and return to Nazareth; to calculate the approximate chronology of these events, and determine the influence of the traditions of Egyptian monasticism on the worship of the Christian Church.