Papers by David Cielontko
New Testament Studies, 2023
The article explains the problematic Second Teacher episode in the so-called developmental interp... more The article explains the problematic Second Teacher episode in the so-called developmental interpretation of IGT recently proposed by M. R. Whitenton and J. R. C. Cousland. The article shows that the killing of the second teacher in the text of Gs, which is appropriately identified as problematic for the developmental interpretation, appears to be a later version of the episode that most likely already sought to supplement a more original account. In the earliest recoverable form, preserved in the early versions (Syriac, Latin and Ethiopic), the story consistently does not blame Jesus for the death of the second teacher, either in the episode itself or in the other passages. So in the earliest surviving version(s), the teacher dies but not because of a curse from Jesus. Therefore, this episode does not disturb the so-called developmental interpretation.
Pavol Bargár (ed.), Bible, Christianity, and Culture. Essays in Honor of Professor Petr Pokorný, Prague: Karolinum, 2023
The objective of this study is to depict the “history” of ideas about resurrection in early Judai... more The objective of this study is to depict the “history” of ideas about resurrection in early Judaism as a precondition for understanding the meaning of resurrection in Christianity. I want to offer an overview of particular texts that refer to resurrection and against that backdrop, to explicate the development of, and changes in, belief in resurrection in the context of ideas about life after death in early Judaism. Simultaneously, I attempt to trace important shifts in scholarship that have occurred in recent decades as a consequence of discoveries and investigations of new texts.
Eirene. Studia Graeca et Latina, 2022
This article builds upon the theoretical framework for the study of negative reputations develope... more This article builds upon the theoretical framework for the study of negative reputations developed by the prominent American sociologist Gary Alan Fine and conceptualizes the portrayal of Jesus in his work True Doctrine as a deliberate construct of negative reputation. Celsus is seen as a reputational entrepreneur portraying Christians and their doctrine as an unconvincing, illogical, and ridiculous superstition for the weak-minded. Since the reputations of individuals and groups interact, it is rational that he has also targeted the inventor of this doctrine, Jesus, to prove the falsity of Christian doctrine. He measures the narratives of Jesus’ birth, public ministry, teaching, arrest, and execution against the values and ideals of contemporary Greek culture on divinity, magic, class, and social status and depicts Jesus as an insignificant “wicked sorcerer” who died disgracefully, being abandoned and betrayed by his own followers.
in: Social Memory Theory and Conceptions of Afterlife in Jewish and Christian Antiquity (Studies in Cultural Contexts of the Bible 8), ed. Thomas R. Hatina – Jiří Lukeš, Paderborn: Brill Schöningh, 2023
Baker Academic, 2018), 292-95. Although it is not crucial for this study, I incline toward a date... more Baker Academic, 2018), 292-95. Although it is not crucial for this study, I incline toward a date in the first decades of the 1st century BCE. 8 As is standard practice, I refer to the author of 2 Maccabees as "the abridger." On the practice of abbreviating a longer historical work in the context of 2 Maccabees, see Luke Neubert, "Inventing Jason of Cyrene? 2 Maccabees and the Epitome," in Die Makkabäer, eds.
In: Hellenism, Early Judaism, and Early Christianity. Transmission and Transformation of Ideas (Arbeiten zur Kirchengeschichte 155), ed. Radka Fialová - Jiří Hoblík - Petr Kitzler, Berlin - Boston: De Gruyter, 2022
Biblica , 2021
David Cielontko, "On the Origin of the Archdemon Beelzebul/Beelzebub," Biblica 102/1 (2021), s. 6... more David Cielontko, "On the Origin of the Archdemon Beelzebul/Beelzebub," Biblica 102/1 (2021), s. 68–77.
The Last Century in the History of Judah: The Seventh Century BCE in Archaeological, Historical, and Biblical Perspectives, edited by Filip Čapek and Oded Lipschits (Atlanta: SBL Press, 2019), 2019
Studies in Czech/Slovak by David Cielontko
Helénismus, raný judaismus a rané křesťanství. Kapitoly z encyklopedie, 2023
A handbook chapter on Qumran
Helénismus, raný judaismus a rané křesťanství. Kapitoly z encyklopedie, 2023
A handbook chapter on Demetrius the Chronicler
Dávid Cielontko – Filip Čapek (eds.), Kolektivní paměť v bibli a křesťanství. Od teoretických otázek k praktickým aplikacími, Praha: Karolinum, 2023
Tento článek usiluje o představení využití teorie kolektivní paměti v současné biblistice.
Teologická Reflexe, 2022
The reputation of the Jewish King Herod is closely linked to the legend of the massacre of the in... more The reputation of the Jewish King Herod is closely linked to the legend of the massacre of the infants of Bethlehem from the Gospel of Matthew and to the hatred that Josephus Flavius says his own Jewish subjects had for him. In contrast to this tradition, this article, following contemporary Herodian scholarship, demonstrates that Herod was a good king to his subjects, who helped the Jews both within his kingdom and throughout the Roman Empire, and did much to make them visible and to protect them. It also argues that some of the negative texts about Herod, both from his reign and shortly after, should be read not as impartial historical judgments but as political propaganda by his political and religious opponents among the social elites.
Studia Theologica, 2022
The Troubles of the Maturation of Little Jesus: On the Christology of the Infancy Gospel of Thoma... more The Troubles of the Maturation of Little Jesus: On the Christology of the Infancy Gospel of Thomas
This article offers an analysis of the depiction of the growing up of the child Jesus in the Infancy Gospel of Thomas (IGT). IGT describes the divine Jesus consecutively at the ages of five, seven, eight, and twelve and outlines his gradual maturation. While the five-year-old Jesus displays impulsivity and infantility, his behaviour changes for the better as he grows older. This transformation is based on the central programmatic theses that Jesus has to learn “to bless and not to curse” (Gs 4:2) and to love those his own age and have respect for elders (Gs 6:2). The depiction of Jesus‘ childhood in the IGT is contextualized against the background of ancient popular ideas about Greco-Roman gods as well as ancient ideas about childhood developmental stages. Given the lack of a more thorough discussion of IGT in the Czech milieu, the article begins with a more detailed textual discussion that reflects contemporary shifts in scholarship.
Teologická Reflexe, 2021
This article offers an analysis of the synoptic tradition of the Beelzebul controversy, which is ... more This article offers an analysis of the synoptic tradition of the Beelzebul controversy, which is preserved in two independent versions in Mark and Q. This analysis reflects some recent methodological impulses from orality and (social) memory studies that offer some corrections of the theoretical assumptions about the synoptic tradition. The article focuses on the particular meanings of this tradition in the specific literary representations and on the process of reception. Mark and Q offer two forms of textualization of an oral tradition that their authors creatively embedded into their literary productions. Matthew, in turn, combines the content of both of them and places them within his own compositional framework. This process reflects a conservative appreciation of the received tradition as well as the creative freedom of the individual authors to locate the tradition in new literary and narrative contexts. The article concludes with a brief reflection of the possibilities and limitations of exploring the synoptic tradition and studying the historical Jesus.
Revue Společnosti křesťanů a Židů, 2020
David Cielontko, "Svatební liturgie z Kumránu?" Revue Společnosti křesťanů a Židů 80 (2020), s. 3... more David Cielontko, "Svatební liturgie z Kumránu?" Revue Společnosti křesťanů a Židů 80 (2020), s. 36–39.
Od Mojžíše k novému Jeruzalému. Deset biblických výkladů, 2021
David Cielontko, "Otázka původu ohnivého jezera ze Zj 19–20" in: Jan Roskovec (ed.), Od Mojžíše k... more David Cielontko, "Otázka původu ohnivého jezera ze Zj 19–20" in: Jan Roskovec (ed.), Od Mojžíše k novému Jeruzalému. Deset biblických výkladů, Jihlava: Mlyn, 2021, s. 166–186.
e Dating of the Parables of Enoch. e dating of the Parables of Enoch has long been a matter of ... more e Dating of the Parables of Enoch. e dating of the Parables of Enoch has long been a matter of dispute. Various proposals have ranged from the late Hasmonean period (Charles) to the late third century C. E. (Milik), with a majority of recent scholars placing the Parables' origin in the late decades B.C.E. and the early decades C.E., i.e. in the Herodian era. is article builds on recent academic discussions, and proposes further arguments for a possible setting of the origin of the text, based on analysis of the socio-historical situation of both the Herodian era and the situation mirrored in the text.
Exegetický maraton 2014: Etika vztahů, 2015
On Silence of Corinthian Women: An interpretation of 1Cor 14:24-25 (in Slovak);
Presented study ... more On Silence of Corinthian Women: An interpretation of 1Cor 14:24-25 (in Slovak);
Presented study is the exposition of the complicated text 1Cor 14:34-35, which is part of a discussion about the role of women in the church. Absolute restriction of speaking is in obvious contradiction to Paul’s treatment in 1Cor 11 and also with most that we know about the role of women in Pauline Christianity. The article offers a survey of main solutions and an attempt to contextualized interpretation using knowledge of cultural anthropology of the Mediterranean culture and the social setting of Pauline Christianity. The proposed solution is to understand Paul’s words on silencing of women as forbidding a certain kind of inappropriate speech (supposedly including questions and evaluation of prophecies) which would cause shame both on woman and man according to main cultural values of the Mediterranean society that is the concept of honor and shame. These kinds of speeches were not common in every church as it’s seen by Paul’s omission of a “man – woman” part from the baptismal formula (originally in Ga 3:28) in 1Cor 12:13. It points to a problem with understanding this equality by Corinthian women. At least few known Christian missionaries or women in leading positions of local churches such as Foibe, Pricilla or Junia had to speak and preach (and probably teach) publicly and they probably knew how to do their ministry without scandalizing surrounding cultural milieu. So the Paul’s restriction worked primarily as a cultural compromise. Probably it would never have to be formulated if somebody hadn’t taken the gender equality of early Christian movement so radically. But it happened. Now, it would be unrealistic to change Roman patriarchal society, but it was necessary to surrender some radical positions to higher mission – to preach the gospel.
Book Reviews by David Cielontko
Studia Biblica Slovaca, 2019
Books by David Cielontko
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Papers by David Cielontko
Studies in Czech/Slovak by David Cielontko
This article offers an analysis of the depiction of the growing up of the child Jesus in the Infancy Gospel of Thomas (IGT). IGT describes the divine Jesus consecutively at the ages of five, seven, eight, and twelve and outlines his gradual maturation. While the five-year-old Jesus displays impulsivity and infantility, his behaviour changes for the better as he grows older. This transformation is based on the central programmatic theses that Jesus has to learn “to bless and not to curse” (Gs 4:2) and to love those his own age and have respect for elders (Gs 6:2). The depiction of Jesus‘ childhood in the IGT is contextualized against the background of ancient popular ideas about Greco-Roman gods as well as ancient ideas about childhood developmental stages. Given the lack of a more thorough discussion of IGT in the Czech milieu, the article begins with a more detailed textual discussion that reflects contemporary shifts in scholarship.
Presented study is the exposition of the complicated text 1Cor 14:34-35, which is part of a discussion about the role of women in the church. Absolute restriction of speaking is in obvious contradiction to Paul’s treatment in 1Cor 11 and also with most that we know about the role of women in Pauline Christianity. The article offers a survey of main solutions and an attempt to contextualized interpretation using knowledge of cultural anthropology of the Mediterranean culture and the social setting of Pauline Christianity. The proposed solution is to understand Paul’s words on silencing of women as forbidding a certain kind of inappropriate speech (supposedly including questions and evaluation of prophecies) which would cause shame both on woman and man according to main cultural values of the Mediterranean society that is the concept of honor and shame. These kinds of speeches were not common in every church as it’s seen by Paul’s omission of a “man – woman” part from the baptismal formula (originally in Ga 3:28) in 1Cor 12:13. It points to a problem with understanding this equality by Corinthian women. At least few known Christian missionaries or women in leading positions of local churches such as Foibe, Pricilla or Junia had to speak and preach (and probably teach) publicly and they probably knew how to do their ministry without scandalizing surrounding cultural milieu. So the Paul’s restriction worked primarily as a cultural compromise. Probably it would never have to be formulated if somebody hadn’t taken the gender equality of early Christian movement so radically. But it happened. Now, it would be unrealistic to change Roman patriarchal society, but it was necessary to surrender some radical positions to higher mission – to preach the gospel.
Book Reviews by David Cielontko
Books by David Cielontko
This article offers an analysis of the depiction of the growing up of the child Jesus in the Infancy Gospel of Thomas (IGT). IGT describes the divine Jesus consecutively at the ages of five, seven, eight, and twelve and outlines his gradual maturation. While the five-year-old Jesus displays impulsivity and infantility, his behaviour changes for the better as he grows older. This transformation is based on the central programmatic theses that Jesus has to learn “to bless and not to curse” (Gs 4:2) and to love those his own age and have respect for elders (Gs 6:2). The depiction of Jesus‘ childhood in the IGT is contextualized against the background of ancient popular ideas about Greco-Roman gods as well as ancient ideas about childhood developmental stages. Given the lack of a more thorough discussion of IGT in the Czech milieu, the article begins with a more detailed textual discussion that reflects contemporary shifts in scholarship.
Presented study is the exposition of the complicated text 1Cor 14:34-35, which is part of a discussion about the role of women in the church. Absolute restriction of speaking is in obvious contradiction to Paul’s treatment in 1Cor 11 and also with most that we know about the role of women in Pauline Christianity. The article offers a survey of main solutions and an attempt to contextualized interpretation using knowledge of cultural anthropology of the Mediterranean culture and the social setting of Pauline Christianity. The proposed solution is to understand Paul’s words on silencing of women as forbidding a certain kind of inappropriate speech (supposedly including questions and evaluation of prophecies) which would cause shame both on woman and man according to main cultural values of the Mediterranean society that is the concept of honor and shame. These kinds of speeches were not common in every church as it’s seen by Paul’s omission of a “man – woman” part from the baptismal formula (originally in Ga 3:28) in 1Cor 12:13. It points to a problem with understanding this equality by Corinthian women. At least few known Christian missionaries or women in leading positions of local churches such as Foibe, Pricilla or Junia had to speak and preach (and probably teach) publicly and they probably knew how to do their ministry without scandalizing surrounding cultural milieu. So the Paul’s restriction worked primarily as a cultural compromise. Probably it would never have to be formulated if somebody hadn’t taken the gender equality of early Christian movement so radically. But it happened. Now, it would be unrealistic to change Roman patriarchal society, but it was necessary to surrender some radical positions to higher mission – to preach the gospel.