Atonement and Ethics in 1 John: A Peacemaking Hermeneutic

Description

Christopher Armitage considers previous theological perception of 1 John as a text advocating that God abhors violence, contrasted with biblical scholarship analysis that focuses upon the text’s birth from hostile theological conflict between ‘insiders’ and ‘outsiders’, with immensely hostile rhetoric directed towards ‘antichrists’ and those who have left the community. Armitage argues that a peace-oriented reading of 1 John is still viable, but questions if the commandment that the community loves each other is intended to include their opponents, and whether the text can be of hermeneutic use to advocate non-violence and love of one’s neighbour. This book examines five key words from 1 John, hilasmos, sfazo, anthropoktonos, agape and adelphos, looking at their background and use in the Old Testament in both Hebrew and the LXX, arguing that these central themes presuppose a God whose engagement with the world is not assuaging divine anger, nor ferocious defence of truth at the expense of love, but rather peace and avoidance of hatred that inevitably leads to violence and death. Armitage concludes that a peacemaking hermeneutic is not only viable, but integral to reading the epistle. Cover Contents Preface Acknowledgements Abbreviations Introduction – Some Peacemaking Hermeneutical Approaches to 1 John Genesis of This Study René Girard James Alison Raymund Schwager Willard Swartley William Klassen Pheme Perkins Wayne Northey Kharalambous Anstall Glen Stassen, David Gunshee John Howard Yoder Gordon Kaufman Stanley Hauerwas Darrin W Snyder Belousek Richard Hays Richard Burridge George Hunsinger Hans Urs von Balthasar Thomas Torrance Gustav Aulen Conclusion 1 The Background, Purpose, Literary Structure and Reception of 1 John Introduction The Background of 1 John (i) Jewish Influence in 1 John (ii) The Johannine Community – John and His Opponents The Purpose of 1 John Conflict in 1 John – Present or Past? The Literary Structure of 1 John Reception of 1 John in the Early Church Conclusion 2 Ίλασμός and Its Cognates in the Septuagint, the Intertestamental Literature and the Dead Sea Scrolls Introduction Ίλασμός in the Septuagint (i) Leviticus 25:9 (ii) Numbers 5:8 (iii) 1 Chronicles 28:20c (iv) Psalm 130:4 (v) Ezekiel 44:27 (vi) Daniel 9 (vii) Amos 8:14 Cognates of ἱλασμός in the Septuagint Conclusions on Usage of ἱλασμός and ItsCognates in the LXX Atonement and Forgiveness in Some IntertestamentalPseudepigrapha (i) 1 Enoch (ii) Jubilees Atonement and Forgiveness in the Dead Sea Scrolls Conclusion 3 Ίλασμός in 1 John Introduction Scholarship Review (i) Expiation (ii) Propitiation (iii) Other Views Conclusions from Scholarship Review Exegesis of 1 John 2:2 and 4:10 (i) 1 John 2:2 (ii) 1 John 4:10 Conclusion 4 Σφάξω and ἀνθρωποκτόνος in 1 John Introduction Cain and Abel in the Hebrew Bible Cain and Abel in the Septuagint Cain and Abel in Some Intertestamental Literature (i) 1 Enoch (ii) Jubilees (iii) The Testament of Abraham Cain and Abel in Philo Cain and Abel in Josephus Historical Summary Σφάξω and ἀνθρωποκτόνος in 1 John Conclusion 5 Άγαπάω and ἀδελφός in 1 John Introduction Leviticus Deuteronomy Possible Influence of Leviticus and Deuteronomy on 1 John Conclusion 6 Peacemaking in 1 John Introduction John’s Polemic against the Secessionists Ἰλασμός and Peacemaking in 1 John Ʃφαξω, ἀνθρωποκτόνος and Peacemaking in 1 John Áγαπάω, ἀδελφoϛ and Peacemaking in 1 John Conclusion: A Peacemaking Hermeneutic of 1 John Bibliography Author Index Index of References