DOCSLIB.ORG

The Nature of Irony and a Rationale for Its Prevalence in the Gospel of John

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Nature of Irony and a Rationale for Its Prevalence in the Gospel of John THE MIDWIFE OF TRUTH: THE NATURE OF IRONY AND A RATIONALE FOR ITS PREVALENCE IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN. BY BRUCE W. BELL A thesis submitted to the Victoria University of Wellington in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Victoria University of Wellington (2014) 1 ABSTRACT The Gospel of John is renowned for its pervasive use of irony. While this phenomenon is widely recognized by scholars, there have been only a few attempts to explain the “how” of Johannine irony and no meaningful attempt to explain its “why.” The last major treatment of the topic was by Paul Duke in his 1985 work, Irony in the Fourth Gospel, which provides an account of how Johannine irony works through an analysis of local and extended ironies. Other examinations, such as Gail O’Day’s Revelation in the Fourth Gospel in 1986, explore irony as a corollary of some other thematic concern. The reticence of scholars to delve deeper into the nature of Johannine irony is understandable given that as Duke puts it, irony laughs at all pretensions, especially the pretension of claiming to have grasped irony. This study undertakes the demanding but necessary task of describing irony to a level that allows meaningful engagement with ironic texts, while accepting that it remains ultimately indefinable. Particular attention is paid to historical shifts of understanding of the nature of irony and the implications this has for appreciating irony at a conceptual level. From a survey of the Johannine scholarship, a comprehensive but non-exhaustive overview of the Fourth Gospel’s use of irony is derived. No previous work has attempted to approach the subject in this way. The main advantage of doing so is that it allows for the identification of broad patterns of irony and the way it functions in the narrative. This in turn provides a framework for proceeding to an examination of particular texts and the identification of a possible rationale. The present study assesses several hypotheses to explain why the author of the Fourth Gospel makes such sustained use of irony. The preferred hypothesis is that it is intrinsically linked to a predominant Johannine theme of alētheia (truth). Drawing on the conceptual link between irony and truth, it argues that the truth theme is a deliberate literary strategy employed by the author to entice the reader to seek certain propositional truths within the narrative. This ultimately serves the author’s desire to evoke revelation and response in line with the Gospel’s purpose statement in 20:31. The argument that irony serves the Johannine truth theme is tested with particular reference to the Prologue (1:1-18) and the Passion Narrative (chapters 18-19). The study establishes that irony serves as the link between appearance and reality in the narrative. Its subtle and engaging qualities make irony the most suitable vehicle to testify to the Gospel’s propositional statements in a manner that fulfils the author’s stated Christological (a revelation of Jesus’ true identity) and soteriological (a response that leads to salvation) purposes. 2 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to recognise the profound debt I owe Professor Chris Marshall for his wisdom and encouragement during the completion of this dissertation. Without his advice this study, which became a longer journey than originally anticipated, would have been a much lesser work and may not have been completed at all. His timely insights saved me on numerous occasions from my own over-ambition and passion for this topic, thereby keeping the project manageable. My thanks also go to Dr Geoff Troughton for his valuable input at a crucial juncture in the preparation of this manuscript. I am profoundly grateful for the support of initially The Rock Church and later The Olive Tree Church. Without their generosity in allowing me time off to work on this project, it would have been impossible. The Olive Tree in particular, demonstrated remarkable forbearance and kindness in tolerating my dual focus at times, particularly as this manuscript came closer to completion. I wish to acknowledge my parents, Bill and Annette Bell, who have always stood by me in all of my undertakings. I deeply regret that my father passed away shortly before he saw this one finished. My uncle, Dr Alan Roberts, provided sage advice on the process of thesis writing that made the exercise much more enjoyable and productive than it otherwise would have been. I thank my children, Rebecca, Erin and Matthew for their willingness to accept the constraints on my time as I frequently burned the candle at both ends. Above all, I want to recognise the sacrifice and unstinting support of my wife, Lee, to whom I dedicate this work. 4 Contents Chapter 1. Introduction to Johannine Irony ............................................................................. 8 1. Method of Analysis ............................................................................................................... 10 2. Survey of Literature .............................................................................................................. 14 3. Outline of Approach.............................................................................................................. 17 Chapter 2. Towards a Definition of Irony ............................................................................... 24 1. The Formal Requirements of Irony ....................................................................................... 28 a) Definitions and Delimitations ........................................................................................... 28 b) Stable and Unstable Irony ................................................................................................. 34 2. Taxonomies of Irony ............................................................................................................. 35 a) Verbal (Instrumental) Irony .............................................................................................. 36 b) Situational (Observable) Irony ......................................................................................... 38 c) General (Cosmic) Irony .................................................................................................... 39 3. The Development of Irony .................................................................................................... 40 a) The Greek Dramatists and Philosophers ........................................................................... 42 b) The Roman Philosophers and Orators .............................................................................. 45 c) Romanticism ..................................................................................................................... 46 d) Postmodernism ................................................................................................................. 53 4. Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 60 Chapter 3. The Form and Purpose of Johannine Irony ......................................................... 62 1. Literary Style......................................................................................................................... 63 a) Literary motifs and devices as Indicators of Irony ........................................................... 66 2. A Rationale for Irony ............................................................................................................ 77 a) Divine Irony ...................................................................................................................... 79 b) Greek Tragedy .................................................................................................................. 82 c) Personal Style.................................................................................................................... 85 d) The Truth Theme .............................................................................................................. 87 3. Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 97 Chapter 4. The Irony of the Prologue ...................................................................................... 98 1. Origin .................................................................................................................................... 99 2. Structure .............................................................................................................................. 100 3. Functions ............................................................................................................................. 102 4. Categorisation of Johannine Irony ...................................................................................... 104 5 5. Implications for Johannine Irony and the Prologue ............................................................ 107 6. Other Functions ................................................................................................................... 108 7. Specific Irony ...................................................................................................................... 112 8. Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 116 Chapter 5. The Form of the Passion Narrative ....................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Two Spotlights of Inductive Bible Study and Narrative Criticism | 7
    The Two Spotlights of Inductive Bible Study and Narrative Criticism | 7 The Two Spotlights of Inductive Bible Study and Narrative Criticism Suzanne Nicholson Asbury University [email protected] Abstract Narrative criticism and inductive Bible study share many key features, such as intensive investigation of textual details, recognition of the im- portance of viewing a book as a whole, and specific techniques for analyzing passages. Biblical narratives do not simply describe the events in the lives of Israelite kings, prophets, or Jesus and the early church. Rather, these highly crafted narratives lead the reader to theo- logical conclusions through creative plot structures, characterizations, point of view, and other tools. Theological truth springs from literary art. When IBS intentionally includes narrative criticism as part of its analysis of biblical narrative, a deeper understanding of the text will emerge. This paper will focus on examples from the Gospels and Acts, with a more detailed look at Acts 15. Keywords: Narrative Criticism, Gospels, Acts, Acts 15 Seeking meaning in a text can sometimes feel like wandering in a dark forest at midnight with nothing but a tiny flashlight. Greater clarity occurs, however, when the explorer brings multiple spotlights to bear 8 | The Journal of Inductive Biblical Studies 8/1:7−58 (Winter 2021) upon a text. By intentionally incorporating the hermeneutical approach of narrative criticism into the Inductive Bible Study (IBS) method, in- terpreters can more effectively uncover the nuances embedded in bib- lical narratives. IBS offers interpreters a deep understanding of Scrip- ture through careful analysis of the details of the text while simultane- ously paying attention to the structure of the book as a whole.
    [Show full text]
  • A Thesis Submitted to the University of Gloucestershire in Accordance With
    THE THEME (S) OF THE JOSEPH STORY: A LITERARY ANALYSIS James Bombo Sellee A thesis submittedto The University of Gloucestershire In accordancewith the requirementsof the degreeof Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities October 2003 ýý. All . r.. +ý F ". CL-Nm .1 Author's Declaration I declarethat the work in this thesis was carried out in accordancewith the regulations of The University of Gloucestershireand is based on my own work except where indicated in the thesis.No part of the thesishas been submitted as part of any academicaward. The views expressedare my own, and in no way representthose of the university. James B. Sellee 11 THE THEME (S) OF THE JOSEPH STORY: A LITERARY ANALYSIS ABSTRACT Since the 1970sthe application of narrative analysis to the JosephStory has enriched its reading. But those who apply this method to the narrative produce significantly different results in terms of what its theme is. The aim of this thesis is to investigatethe reasonsfor this and to articulate as objectively as possible the theme of the JosephStory. Chapter One establishes the context of this investigation by evaluating the major narrative readings of the Joseph Story. It reveals that those who apply narrative methodologies to the story come to different conclusions about what its theme is. It notes that the different results could be due to different narrative approaches, the literary context of the narrative, and the complex nature of the text itself. We choose Humphreys, Longacre, and Turner as our dialogue partners because they represent different narrative methods of reading the Joseph Story.
    [Show full text]
  • Ironic Authority
    IRONIC AUTHORITY: A Rhetorical Critical Analysis of the Stability of Irony in the Fourth Gospel Passion Narrative Kevin W. Sarlow MTh, BTh, Dip Theol © March 2017 The Department of Theology, The School of Humanities and Creative Arts, The Faculty of Education, Humanities and Law, Flinders University, South Australia. This thesis is submitted to Flinders University to fulfil the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. i For Jenn, Nath, Loz and Em and their families ii - iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................ vii DECLARATION ...................................................................................................... viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................... ix ABBREVIATIONS....................................................................................................... x LIST OF TABLES AND DIAGRAMS ....................................................................... xi INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 1 The Research Topic: Ironic Authority .......................................................................... 1 Contextualising the Thesis ............................................................................................ 2 The Research Question ......................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Theory and Interpretation of Narrative) Includes Bibliographical References and Index
    Theory and In T e r p r e Tati o n o f n a r r ati v e James Phelan and Peter J. rabinowitz, series editors Postclassical Narratology Approaches and Analyses edited by JaN alber aNd MoNika FluderNik T h e O h i O S T a T e U n i v e r S i T y P r e ss / C O l U m b us Copyright © 2010 by The Ohio State University. All rights reserved Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Postclassical narratology : approaches and analyses / edited by Jan Alber and Monika Fludernik. p. cm. — (Theory and interpretation of narrative) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: 978-0-8142-5175-1 (pbk. : alk. paper) ISBN-10: 0-8142-5175-7 (pbk. : alk. paper) ISBN-13: 978-0-8142-1142-7 (cloth : alk. paper) ISBN-10: 0-8142-1142-9 (cloth : alk. paper) [etc.] 1. Narration (Rhetoric) I. Alber, Jan, 1973– II. Fludernik, Monika. III. Series: Theory and interpretation of narrative series. PN212.P67 2010 808—dc22 2010009305 This book is available in the following editions: Cloth (ISBN 978-0-8142-1142-7) Paper (ISBN 978-0-8142-5175-1) CD-ROM (ISBN 978-0-8142-9241-9) Cover design by Laurence J. Nozik Type set in Adobe Sabon Printed by Thomson-Shore, Inc. The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials. ANSI Z39.48-1992. 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Contents Acknowledgments vii Introduction Jan alber and monika Fludernik 1 Part i.
    [Show full text]
  • A Glossary of New Testament Narrative Criticism with Illustrations
    religions Article A Glossary of New Testament Narrative Criticism with Illustrations James L. Resseguie Winebrenner Theological Seminary, Findlay, OH 45840, USA; resseguiej@findlay.edu Received: 10 February 2019; Accepted: 15 March 2019; Published: 21 March 2019 Abstract: This is the first stand-alone glossary of New Testament narrative-critical terms in the English language. It is an alphabetical listing of prominent terms, concepts, and techniques of narrative criticism with illustrations and cross-references. Commonly used terms are defined and illustrated, these include character, characterization, double entendre, misunderstanding, implied author, implied reader, irony, narrator, point of view, plot, rhetoric, and other constitutive elements of a narrative. Lesser-known terms and concepts are also defined, such as carnivalesque, composite character, defamiliarization, fabula, syuzhet, hybrid character, MacGuffin, masterplot, primacy/recency effect, and type-scene. Major disciplines—for example, narratology, New Criticism, and reader-response criticism—are explained with glances at prominent literary critics/theorists, such as Aristotle, Mikhail Bakhtin, Wayne Booth, Seymour Chatman, Stanley Fish, E. M. Forster, Gérard Genette, Wolfgang Iser, and Susan Sniader Lanser. Keywords: narrative criticism; narratology; literary terms; literary criticism; reader-response criticism; New Criticism; close reading 1. Introduction Narrative criticism focuses on how the New Testament works as literature. The “what” of a narrative (content) and the “how” (rhetoric and structure) are analyzed as a complete tapestry, an organic whole. Narrative critics are concerned primarily with the literariness of New Testament narratives or the qualities that make them literature. It is a shift away from traditional historical-critical methods to how the text communicates meaning as a self-contained unit, an undivided whole.
    [Show full text]
  • “I Love to Tell the Story:” a Narrative Critical Approach to the Gospels of Mark and John with Attention Given to Joseph of Arimathea
    “I LOVE TO TELL THE STORY:” A NARRATIVE CRITICAL APPROACH TO THE GOSPELS OF MARK AND JOHN WITH ATTENTION GIVEN TO JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA by JONATHAN RIKARD BROWN (Under the Direction of Wayne Coppins) ABSTRACT This thesis explores the field of Narrative Criticism and its application to Biblical Literature. It zeroes in on the application of this method as it is applied to The Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of John. This is be done by examing the field of narrative criticism outside of the Bible, and then focusing on the two pioneering works in this area, mainly Mark as Story by David M. Rhoads, and The Anatomy of the Fourth Gospel by R. Alan Culpepper. This thesis attempts to show how the results of this type of study do not contradict historical studies, and can in some case work to compliments other types of Biblical Criticism. This is done by examining the literary function of Joseph of Arimathea. INDEX WORDS: Narrative Criticism, Mark, John, Joseph of Arimathea David M. Rhoads, R. Alan Culpepper “I LOVE TO TELL THE STORY:” A NARRATIVE CRITICAL APPROACH TO THE GOSPELS OF MARK AND JOHN WITH ATTENTION GIVEN TO JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA by JONATHAN RIKARD BROWN B.A., Brevard College, 2007 A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF ARTS ATHENS, GEORGIA 2011 © 2011 Jonathan Rikard Brown All Rights Reserved “I LOVE TO TELL THE STORY:” A NARRATIVE CRITICAL APPROACH TO THE GOSPELS OF MARK AND JOHN WITH ATTENTION GIVEN TO JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA by JONATHAN RIKARD BROWN Major Professor: Wayne Coppins Committee: Carolyn Jones Medine David S.
    [Show full text]
  • Ancient Literary Criticism Oxford Readings in Classical Studies
    Oxford Readings in Ancient Literary Criticism Oxford Readings in Classical Studies Greek Religion Edited by Richard Buxton Homer’s Iliad Edited by Douglas L. Cairns Virgil’s Aeneid Edited by S. J. Harrison The Roman Novel Edited by S. J. Harrison Aristophanes Edited by Erich Segal Greek Tragedy Edited by Erich Segal Menander, Plautus, and Terence Edited by Erich Segal The Greek Novel Edited by Simon Swain All available in paperback Oxford Readings in Ancient Literary Criticism Edited by ANDREW LAIRD 3 3 Great Clarendon Street, Oxford ox2 6dp Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide in Oxford New York Auckland Cape Town Dar es Salaam Hong Kong Karachi Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourne Mexico City Nairobi New Delhi Shanghai Taipei Toronto With oYces in Argentina Austria Brazil Chile Czech Republic France Greece Guatemala Hungary Italy Japan Poland Portugal Singapore South Korea Switzerland Thailand Turkey Ukraine Vietnam Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries Published in the United States by Oxford University Press Inc., New York © Oxford University Press 2006 The moral rights of the author have been asserted Database right Oxford University Press (maker) First published 2006 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted by law, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reprographics rights organization.
    [Show full text]
  • Tragedy in the Gospel of Mark
    Tragedy in the Gospel of Mark Amelinda Berube Faculty of Religious Studies McGill University, Montréal August 2003 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Arts © Amelinda Berube, 2003 Library and Bibliothèque et 1+1 Archives Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de l'édition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Canada Canada Your file Votre référence ISBN: 0-612-98416-8 Our file Notre référence ISBN: 0-612-98416-8 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non­ L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library permettant à la Bibliothèque et Archives and Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par télécommunication ou par l'Internet, prêter, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des thèses partout dans loan, distribute and sell th es es le monde, à des fins commerciales ou autres, worldwide, for commercial or non­ sur support microforme, papier, électronique commercial purposes, in microform, et/ou autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. The author retains copyright L'auteur conserve la propriété du droit d'auteur ownership and moral rights in et des droits moraux qui protège cette thèse. this thesis. Neither the thesis Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels de nor substantial extracts from it celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés ou autrement may be printed or otherwise reproduits sans son autorisation. reproduced without the author's permission.
    [Show full text]
  • On the Use of Fictionality for Persuasion and Pedagogy Victor Robert Perry Iowa State University
    Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Graduate Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 2018 On the use of fictionality for persuasion and pedagogy Victor Robert Perry Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd Part of the Communication Commons, English Language and Literature Commons, and the Rhetoric Commons Recommended Citation Perry, Victor Robert, "On the use of fictionality for persuasion and pedagogy" (2018). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 16434. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/16434 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. On the use of fictionality for persuasion and pedagogy by Victor Robert Perry A dissertation submitted to the graduate faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Major: Rhetoric and Professional Communication Program of Study Committee: Richard Crosby, Co-major Professor David Roberts, Co-major Professor Gloria Betcher Michael Dahlstrom Margaret LaWare The student author, whose presentation of the scholarship herein was approved by the program of study committee, is solely responsible for the content of this dissertation. The Graduate College will ensure this dissertation is globally accessible and will not permit alterations after a degree is conferred. Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 2018 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT iii CHAPTER 1. FICTIONALITY AND RHETORICAL ANALYSIS 1 CHAPTER 2.
    [Show full text]
  • Irony in the Matthean Passion Narrative
    1 Irony and the Matthean Passion Narrative Purpose Irony (εἰρωνεία, ) is a literary-rhetorical device of the implied author eirōneia by which he reveals (reality) behind (appearance). what is hidden what is seen The reading of irony must parse both of these dimensions of meaning. Irony defies one-dimensional reading and underlines the complexity of reality. In the story world, the implied reader cannot perceive the deeper meaning of the ironic words, situations or character dynamics merely through a surface level reading but only through a “delightful leap of intuition,”1 which is a result of persuasion based on the so-called “implicit flattery”2 between the ironist, the implied author, and his reader. As result, irony offers its reader a superior understanding through which he is able to perceive the distinction between the reality and its shadow. In the story world of the First Gospel, irony is well observed. The Matthean implied author shapes the narrative in an ironic fashion by embedding crucial information through a strategic choice of words, an intentional arrangement of the story and a revealing characterization. He employs irony within his narrative in an omniscient manner and intends his implied reader, whom he believes capable of understanding irony, to detect his literary technique so that the reader may arrive at an ideal understanding of the story’s reality. At the beginning of Matthew, the implied author provides his reader with a particular divine perspective as the norm of the story that Jesus will save his people from their sins (1:21). The fact that this divine perspective on the 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Between Eden and Egypt: Echoes of the Garden Narrative in the Story of Joseph and His Brothers Brian Osborne Sigmon Marquette University
    Marquette University e-Publications@Marquette Dissertations (2009 -) Dissertations, Theses, and Professional Projects Between Eden and Egypt: Echoes of the Garden Narrative in the Story of Joseph and His Brothers Brian Osborne Sigmon Marquette University Recommended Citation Sigmon, Brian Osborne, "Between Eden and Egypt: Echoes of the Garden Narrative in the Story of Joseph and His Brothers" (2013). Dissertations (2009 -). Paper 263. http://epublications.marquette.edu/dissertations_mu/263 BETWEEN EDEN AND EGYPT: ECHOES OF THE GARDEN NARRATIVE IN THE STORY OF JOSEPH AND HIS BROTHERS by Brian O. Sigmon A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School, Marquette University, in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Milwaukee, Wisconsin May 2013 ABSTRACT BETWEEN EDEN AND EGYPT: ECHOES OF THE GARDEN NARRATIVE IN THE STORY OF JOSEPH AND HIS BROTHERS Brian O. Sigmon Marquette University, 2013 The Joseph story (Gen 37-50) is often recognized for its remarkable literary unity and depth. At the same time, much of its richness derives from its relationship with the rest of Genesis, as the Joseph story’s context is an essential aspect of its meaning and message. This dissertation explores the Joseph story’s relationship with the beginning of Genesis, by illuminating its connections with the Eden narrative and the story of Cain and Abel (Gen 2:4-4:26). It argues that the Joseph story’s allusions to these narratives deepen its literary themes and theological vision by setting it in its proper context for interpretation. Using the concepts of intratextuality and narrative analogy, this project traces various patterns of correspondence between Gen 37-50 and Gen 2-4.
    [Show full text]
  • Life Preservation in Genesis and Exodus: an Exegetical Study of the Tebāh
    Life Preservation in Genesis and Exodus: An Exegetical Study of the Tebāh by Joshua Joel Spoelstra Dissertation presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Theology at Stellenbosch University Supervisor: Prof. Louis C. Jonker December 2013 i Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za DECLARATION By submitting this dissertation electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the sole author thereof (save to the extent explicitly otherwise stated), that reproduction and publication thereof by Stellenbosch University will not infringe any third party rights and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification. Date: 31 August 2013 Copyright © 2013 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved ii Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za ABSTRACT hbt, that rare word appropriated for the vessels of Noah and Moses and nowhere else in the Hebrew Bible, seems to indicate an inter-textual relationship and invites investigation; in fact, hbt has undergone very little treatment in past scholarship. There are several oddities to this seemingly straightforward problem, though. The two vessels are drastically different from one another, both aesthetically and contextually; the word is in fact a loan word, not native to the Hebrew language; the term in the LXX is disharmonious in each respective story: kibwto/j for Noah and qi=bij for Moses. What had the author(s)/redactor(s) in mind when making the hbt lexical link; and why have the Septuagint translators severed the terminological nexus? After thorough synchronic and diachronic exegesis of the Flood (Gen 6-9*) and Foundling (Ex 2*) narratives, it is argued that the donor language from whence the Hebrews loaned hbt is the Egyptian ḏbȝ.t meaning ―coffer, coffin; Götterschrein.‖ Whereas the lexeme in question is Egyptian in origin, the form and content of the Flood and the Foundling narratives are germane to Akkadian–Babylonian literature.
    [Show full text]