Table of Contents
Preface xi
Part I Setting the Stage: Posing the Problem
1 Examining the Bible's Mystique 3
Part II The Formation of the Torah
2 Breaking Open the Books of Moses 21
3 The Yahwist Document: The Original Narrative 29
4 The Elohist Document: The Torah Expands 37
5 The Deuteronomic Writers: The Third Strand of the Torah 45
6 The Priestly Document: The Fourth Strand of the Torah 51
Part III The Rise of the Prophets
7 The Transitional Books: Joshua, Judges and Samuel 63
8 The Story of Nathan: All Are Subject to the Law 71
9 I and II Kings, Elijah and Elisha: Step Two in the Prophetic Tradition 77
Part IV Introducing the Writing Prophets
10 The Prophetic Principle: Ancient and Modern 85
11 The Isaiahs I, II and III 91
12 Jeremiah: Prophet of Doom 105
13 Ezekiel: Prophet of the Exile 111
14 Daniel: Misplaced but Potent 117
Part V The Minor Prophets: The Book of the Twelve
15 Hosea: The Prophet Who Changed God's Name to Love 125
16 Amos: The Prophet Who Changed God's Name to Justice 131
17 Micah: The Prophet Who Turned Liturgy into Life 137
18 Jonah: Definer of Prejudice 143
19 I and II Zechariah: Shapers of the Jesus Story 149
20 Malachi: The Dawn of Universalism 155
Part VI The Bible's Protest Literature
21 Job: Icon of a New Consciousness 163
22 Ruth: The Myth of Racial Purity 169
Part VII Liturgical Books and Wisdom Literature
23 The Book of Psalms 177
24 Wisdom Literature: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon 183
25 Lamentations and Esther: Books Designed for Liturgical Observances 189
26 The Chronicler, Ezra and Nehemiah: National Mythmakers 195
Part VIII Introducing the Christian Scriptures, Commonly Called the New Testament
27 A New Beginning-An Old Theme 203
28 Dating the Historical Jesus 209
29 Dating the New Testament in Relation to the Life of Jesus 215
30 The Oral Period 221
Part IX Paul: The First New Testament Writer
31 The Witness of Paul 229
32 Paul's Secret Thorn 235
33 Paul's Early Epistles: I Thessalonians and Galatians 241
34 The Corinthian Letters 247
35 Resurrection According to Paul 253
36 Resurrection Through Jewish Eyes 259
37 Romans: The Gospel of Paul 265
38 The Theology of Paul as Revealed in Romans 271
39 Who Is Christ for Paul? The Gospel in Romans 277
40 The Elder Paul: Philemon and Philippians 283
41 Post-Pauline Epistles: II Thessalonians, Colossians and Ephesians 289
Part X The Synoptic Gospels
42 Exploring Mark: The Original Gospel 297
43 Mark's Use of Synagogue Worship Patterns 303
44 Mark's First Narrative of the Crucifixion: A Passover Format 309
45 Matthew: The Most Jewish Gospel 317
46 Matthew's Interpretive Secret 323
47 Matthew and the Liturgical Year of the Synagogue 329
48 Luke: Moving Toward the Gentile World 333
49 Luke's Vision of Universalism 339
50 Acts: The Spirit That Embraces the World and Drives Toward Wholeness 347
51 Paul and Early Christians as Viewed Through Acts 353
Part XI The Pastoral Epistles, Hebrews and the General Epistles
52 I and II Timothy and Titus: "We Have the Truth!" 361
53 The Epistle to the Hebrews 367
54 The General Epistles: James, I and II Peter and Jude 373
Part XII The Johannine Corpus
55 Introducing the Johannine Material 381
56 The Gospel of John: Not a Literal Book 387
57 The Raising of Lazarus and the Identity of the Beloved Disciple 393
58 The Epilogue of John 399
59 The Johannine Epistles and the Book of Revelation 405
Bibliography 411