Linguistic Biblical Studies - Böcker

This study integrates three independent subjects—translation theory, Mandarin aspect, and Greek aspect—for the purpose of formulating a working theory applicable to translating the Bible. The primary objectives are defined in terms of grammatical translation of Greek aspect into Mandarin aspect at the discourse level. A historical overview of the Chinese Bible is provided as a way of introducing major translation issues related to linguistic, conceptual, and logistical challenges. The proposed theory provides the translator with a powerful tool, which is tested in two sample passages from John 18–19 and 1 Corinthians 15. Provided, also, are critical reviews of over sixty Chinese Bible versions, Nestorian, Manichaean, Catholic documents, and a translation written according to the proposed theory.

Modeling Biblical Language presents articles with some of the latest scholarship applying linguistic theory to the study of the Christian Bible. The contributors are all associated with the McMaster Divinity College Linguistic Circle, a collegial forum for presenting working papers in modern linguistics (especially Systemic Functional Linguistics) and biblical studies. The papers address a range of topics in linguistic theory and the Hebrew and Greek languages. Topics include linguistic model building, temporality and verbal aspect, Greek lexical semantics and Hebrew-Greek translation, appraisal and evaluation theory, metaphor theory, corpus linguistics, discourse analysis, and Greek clausal structure. These various areas of linguistic exploration contribute generally to the interpretation and analysis of the Old and New Testaments, as well as to linguistic theory proper.

In Pauline Language and the Pastoral Epistles Jermo van Nes questions the common assumption in New Testament scholarship that language variation is necessarily due to author variation. By using the so-called Pastoral Epistles (PE) as a test-case, Van Nes demonstrates by means of statistical linguistics that only one out of five of their major lexical and syntactic peculiarities differs significantly from other Pauline writings. Most of the PE’s linguistic peculiarities are shown to differ considerably in the Corpus Paulinum, but modern studies in classics and linguistics suggest that factors other than author variation account equally if not better for this variation. Since all of these explanatory factors are compatible with current authorship hypotheses of the PE, Van Nes suggests to no longer use language as a criterion in debates about their authenticity.

In A Discourse Analysis of Galatians and the New Perspective on Paul, David I. Yoon outlines discourse analysis from the framework of Systemic Functional Linguistics for analyzing Paul’s letter to the Galatians. From this analysis, he determines whether the context of situation better reflects the New Perspective on Paul, covenantal nomism, or a more traditional perspective, legalism. The first half of the book introduces the New Perspective on Paul and discourse analysis, followed by a detailed model of SFL discourse analysis with respect to register and context of situation. The second half is a discourse analysis of Galatians. This is the first monograph-length study to address the New Perspective on Paul from a linguistic approach, and will as such be of great interest to scholars of Pauline Studies, linguistics, and theology.

In The Interpersonal Metafunction in 1 Corinthians 1-4, James D. Dvorak offers a linguistic-critical discourse analysis of 1 Cor 1-4 utilizing Appraisal Theory, a model rooted in the modern sociolinguistic paradigm known as Systemic-Functional Linguistics. This work is concerned primarily with the interpersonal meanings encoded in the text and how they pertain to the act of resocialization. Dvorak pays particular attention to the linguistics of appraisal in Paul’s language to determine the values with which Paul expects believers in Christ to align. This book will be of great value to biblical scholars and students with interests in biblical Greek, functional linguistics, appraisal theory, hermeneutics, exegesis, and 1 Corinthians.

This book attempts to investigate two strands in a single work: ‘apocalyptic Paul’ and ‘intertextuality’. First, what does ‘apocalyptic Paul’ mean? Is it synonymous to eschatology as a theological notion, or the end-time mystery? Many seminal works have delved into the intriguing yet unorganized notion of the ‘apocalyptic’. Instead of attempting to provide a universal definition of the ‘apocalyptic’, the author presents his understanding of the phenomenon, particularly in the cultural realm. The author contends that ‘apocalyptic’ is neither all about the end-time event nor merely a literary genre, but an interpretive lens to understand the world and social phenomena—one that is shaped and developed through culture and society. Accordingly, the term ‘apocalyptic Paul’ implies how Paul views and understands the world, history, and supernatural phenomena through interaction with his cultural texts and context. Second, the author also suggests that ‘intertextuality’ is not only about comparative literature study. Rather, intertextuality refers to cultural semiotics: a sign system to deliver the meaning of text. Based on this notion of intertextuality, the author interprets how Paul envisages multiple phenomena (heavenly ascent, resurrection, afterlife, the origins of sin, and two ages) within his cultural context.

Linguistic Biblical Studies is dedicated to the development and promotion of linguistically informed study of the Bible in its original languages. Biblical studies has greatly benefited from modern theoretical and applied linguistics, but stands poised to benefit from further integration of the two fields of study. This series provides a venue for this integration and the challenges it poses.

This study critically examines the current state of Synoptic Gospel studies, particularly many scholars' reliance on the Literary Dependence Hypothesis, and endeavors to advance a more balanced approach. The author attempts to deduce the Synoptic Gospels' construction process by meticulously examining the Eucharist and its co-text within these Gospels, by employing a model of Mode Register Analysis based on Systemic Functional Linguistics. This study uncovers the probability that each designated text in the Synoptic Gospels was constructed based on oral Gospel tradition(s) under the influence of each constructor’s identity.

Researching ancient languages is notoriously difficult in sociolinguistics, due to the scarcity of data. This challenge is addressed by utilizing recent sociolinguistic theories and models to investigate the prestige languages used by early Christians in Acts. Drawing on historical documents, archaeology, and inscriptions, this study reconstructs the complex multilingual settings of the time. It reveals how Greek, despite the diverse linguistic landscape, became the dominant language in nearly all official contexts of early Christianity. This work breaks new ground in understanding early Christian communities and their linguistic practices, offering historical sociolinguistic approaches to the study of ancient languages and societies.