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The second Moore College Library lecture, given in the T.C. Hammond Room on 9th April, 1976.

A paper read to the Church of England Historical Society (Diocese of Sydney), Thursday 4 February 1971

Compiled from the archives by Robin Wood in 2011, updated March 2021. Villages listed in order of opening.

PhD thesis by Joel Atwood exploring the uses of חּר in Biblical Wisdom Texts, including Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Job. Abstract reads : "Text: רוּח ַ is a central term in the thought-world of the Hebrew Bible, and also strongly polysemous, able to refer to meteorological (wind), anthropological (breath, spirit), theological (Spirit), and other non-human creaturely (spirits) phenomena. Many efforts to date have examined רוּח ַ via the theological uses and seek to relate the divine Spirit to other use of the term. This study attempts an alternative approach by focusing upon the relatively understudied anthropological uses of רוּח ַ. To examine how רוּח ַ is used with reference to human persons, we employ several approaches and insights from the field of Cognitive Linguistics to examine in detail the רוּח ַ-texts from the books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job. The restricted sub-corpus allows for extensive examination of the contexts of the instances of רוּח ַ enriched with the insights of cognitive semantics and cognitive approaches to figurative language. Using our analysis, we will suggest a provisional construction of the relationships between the different senses of רוּח ַ when used to refer to a human person that provides insight into something of the conceptual structure that is evoked when רוּח ַ is used in these ancient texts. This project contributes both to the understanding of the texts themselves via the incorporation of multiple approaches from the field of Cognitive Linguistics and provides a richer understanding of how a sub-section of uses of רוּח ַ is used to depict the human person and its experiences, especially as to how a concrete and embodied sense such as breath is developed through metonymy, metaphor, and semantic association to generate many of the diverse uses in biblical Hebrew." 1. The Elusive רוּח 2. The Protean רוּח 3. The Liminal רוּח - Ecclesiastes 4. The Exhausted רוּח - Job 5. The Path of the רוּח - Conclusions

Abstract reads : "This thesis examines a form of action that is observed in 25 separate passages in the NT but has received virtually no significant theological attention in the Christian tradition: the ‘one-another edifying speech’ (OES) of the Christian community. This form of speech-act is defined as one in which the speaker is a general member of the Christian community (not a recognized or authorized teacher or leader), the hearer is a fellow member (or members) of the community, the content concerns some aspect or application of Christian revelation, and the purpose is to bring spiritual benefit or growth to the hearer. Ethics is an appropriate discipline of thought within which to examine OES, since it entails exploring the theological nature, purposes and practice of morally significant forms of action in the world (of which OES is one, according to the way that it is portrayed in the NT). The method followed is firstly to trace key apostolic trains of thought regarding OES in 1 Corinthians, Ephesians and Hebrews; then to synthesize and explore three significant theological themes that emerge from this exegetical analysis (the relation of OES to the word of God, to the moral transformation of believers, and to the nature of Christian community); and finally, to construct a coherent theological framework to inform the deliberation of contemporary Christian communities. The main findings are threefold. Firstly, OES shares with more recognized forms of congregational teaching and preaching (CTP) a close relation to the apostolic gospel, in source, content and purpose. OES and CTP are, in this sense, different species of the one genus of speech-act—one which by the power of the Spirit seeks to bring the christocentric word of God to bear on the lives of its hearers. Secondly, the key differences between OES and CTP are to be found in the particular functions they serve in the Christian community, in relation to the moral learning and growth of believers. OES is both itself a form of sanctified human speech, and also a means by which moral transformation and growth proceeds in the lives of believers. OES plays a particularly important role in speaking with practical immediacy to the moral deliberations and actions of fellow believers. Thirdly, the Christian community is not only created and constituted by Christ’s word and Spirit, but continues to live and grow as its members encounter one as ‘bringers of the message of salvation’ (in Bonhoeffer’s words). Bonhoeffer’s Life Together provides a theologically compelling picture of OES as the highest form of Christian service. The thesis concludes with an integrated theological understanding of OES, to serve as a framework for the practical deliberation of contemporary Christian communities." Part I: One-another edifyingspeech (OES) as a subject fortheological investigation Part II: Apostolic trains of thought Part III: Synthesis and interaction Part IV: Conclusions, A thesis submitted at Moore Theological College in fulfillment of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Abstract reads : It has been widely recognised that Romans alludes to the story of Adam and Eve not only in 5:12-21, but also in 1:18ff, 7:7-11, and 8:18-22. While each of these allusions has been studied in isolation, few scholars have sought to tie them together or sought to synthesise the function of Genesis 2-3 in Romans. This thesis examines each of Paul’s allusions carefully, along with a less well recognised echo of Genesis 4:7, to understand the overall function of the Genesis 2-4 narrative in Romans 1-8. In doing so, it is recognised that Paul is telling stories of sinful humanity from various perspectives, and each story in some way follows the pattern of the Edenic narrative. The stories of collective humanity (1:18-32), the one man Adam (alluded to in 5:12-21), the sinful individual “I” (7:7-11), and the personified cosmic entity of “Sin” each express key aspects of Paul’s understanding of the human predicament, and each is patterned in some way after Genesis 2-4. The new story of Christ, however, brings these old stories to an end and achieves the telos that Adamic humanity failed to achieve (8:18-23). Through these observations, we see that Paul engages with his scriptures typologically, seeing the pattern of the Edenic events as having significance beyond themselves. Personified Sin, derived by Paul from Genesis 4:7 MT, emerges from the Edenic events as a real power at the human relational level. It affects every human being, leading them to sin, even as each human’s sins give rise to Sin’s power. This pattern, established by Adam, applies to all humanity outside of Christ. Only in Christ’s new story – his new pattern or type – can humans escape the reign of Sin that leads to Death, and instead live lives of suffering that leads to resurrection from the dead and eternal life in glory." 1. A Pauline predicament 2. An Adamic story of sins – Romans 1:18-32 3. Sin personified 4. Sin enters: the role of Adam in Romans 5:12-21 5. Sin reigns: sin’s scriptural background in Romans 6-7 6. Sin remains: Christic persons and Adamic bodies in Romans 7 7. Sin eliminated: the hope of Christic humanity in Romans 8 8. Conclusions Submitted in fulfilment of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Moore Theological College.

Abstract reads : "Despite much secondary literature on the Olivet Discourse and the Old Testament in Matthew’s Gospel, there remains a dearth of book-length research on Danielic mystery in Matthew’s Gospel, and Matthew’s Olivet Discourse. Our study endeavours to fill these gaps by pursuing a narrative-critical analysis of Matt 24–25 that deploys Matthew’s use of Danielic mystery as a key interpretative grid. In terms of methodology, we will adopt a narrative-critical approach complemented by Umberto Eco’s theories of the cultural encyclopedia, the model reader, and texts that train the model reader. From this perspective, the Olivet Discourse is an integral component of Matthew’s first-century narrative that emerged out of the Second Temple Jewish cultural encyclopedia. Also, Matthew’s model reader exhibits specific encyclopedic competence, which includes knowing τ"#ηθ&νδι*∆ανι-λτο0προφήτου (24:15) and its conception of mystery. Accordingly, Matt 24–25 shapes interpretation by invoking frames pertaining to Danielic and Matthean mystery, which the model reader actualises by understanding Jesus’s speech as an exploration of the notion. The focus of our investigation is, “How does attending to Danielic and Matthean mystery illuminate Matthew’s Olivet Discourse?” We propose a twofold answer to this question. Firstly, alertness to mystery, especially its form, content, and function, clarifies the main message and purpose of Matt 24–25. According to 24:4–35, the temple’s destruction signals the nearness of the Parousia of the Son of Man. Nevertheless, the end of the temple is simply the beginning of the (ultimate) end; only the second coming brings the present age to its completion. 24:36–25:46 reinforces the shift in focus from the temple to the Son of Man. These verses polemically distinguish the wise from the foolish and wicked in order to encourage alignment with the former who watch for the parousia. Secondly, Matthean mystery’s inaugurated eschatology explains the echoes of Matt 24–25 in Matt 26–28 in terms of preliminary fulfilment. The tearing of the temple veil (27:51) and the appearance of Jesus in Galilee (28:18) respectively commence the temple’s devastation and the Son of Man’s arrival predicted in the Olivet Discourse, while pointing to their future consummation. This, in turn, reinforces the main message and purpose of Matt 24–25 by directing attention from the temple to the Son of Man, in anticipation of his coming in the fullness of power and glory as universal judge." Chapter 1 : Introduction Chapter 2 : Danielic Mystery in Second Temple Judaism Chapter 3 : Mystery in Matthew's Gospel Chapter 4 : Matthean Mystery and the Olivet Discourse (I) : Matt 24:1-35 Chapter 5 : Matthean Mystery and the Olivet Discourse (II) : Matt 24:36-26:2 Chapter 6 : Matthean Mystery, the Olivet Discourse, and the Passion and Resurrection Narrative Chapter 7 : Conclusion Submitted in full fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Moore Theological College.

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