How Repentance Became Biblical: Judaism, Christianity, and the Interpretation of Scripture

281 Pages·2015·12.45 MB·English

by  David A. Lambert

How Repentance Became Biblical
How Repentance
Became Biblical
Judaism, Christianity, and the
Interpretation of Scripture
xwx
David A. Lambert
1
1

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Lambert, David A., 1976- author.
How repentance became biblical : Judaism, Christianity, and the interpretation of scripture /
David A. Lambert.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Summary: “How Repentance Became Biblical explores the rise of repentance as a concept
within early forms of Judaism and Christianity and how it has informed the interpretation of
the Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament. It develops alternative accounts for many of the ancient
phenomena identifed as penitential.”— Provided by publisher.
ISBN 978–0–19–021224–7 (alk. paper) — ISBN 978–0–19–021225–4 (ebook) —
ISBN 978–0–19–021226–1 (electronic resource) 1. Repentance—Biblical
teaching. 2. Bible. Old Testament—Infuence. 3. Bible—Criticism, interpretation,
etc. I. Title.
BS680.R36L36 2015
234′.509--dc23
2015010845
1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2
Printed in the United States of America
on acid-free paper
For A., at long last.
Concepts are not waiting for us ready-made, like heavenly bodies. Tere is no
heaven for concepts. Tey must be invented, fabricated, or rather created and
would be nothing without their creator’s signature.
—Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, What Is Philosophy?
Great is repentance for it preceded the creation of the world.
What was repentance? It was a heavenly voice that cried out and said:
“Repent you mortals!”
—Midrash Tehillim, 90:12
C ON T EN T S

Preface xi

Introduction: Te Penitential Lens 1

PART I: Rites

1 . Fasting and the Artistry of Distress 13

2 . Te Logic of Appeal 33

3 . Articulating Sin 51

PART II: Language and Pedagogy

4 . A Material “(Re)turn to YHWH” 71

5 . Power and the Prophetic Utterance 91

PART III: Religion

6 . Agency and Redemption 121

7 . Te Genealogy of Repentance 151

Postscript 189

Notes 193

Bibliography 225
Primary Sources 247
Subject Index 259
( ix )