Papers by Akiva Cohen
In his book, Stories of the Law, Moshe Simon-Shoshan presents an eloquent and cogent case for the... more In his book, Stories of the Law, Moshe Simon-Shoshan presents an eloquent and cogent case for the inextricable connection between law and narrative in the Mishnah. 1 In keeping with our session's goal of exploring commonalities and contrasts in Second-Temple and Rabbinic texts, I have chosen to focus upon Simon-Shoshan's discussion of Mishnaic exempla. After explaining, in summary fashion, his work I will compare the Matthean Jesus with Simon-Shoshan's analysis of the Mishnaic rabbi. Simon-Shoshan defines exempla as "ma῾asim which portray the acts of individual rabbis or groups of people who are considered to be righteous and knowledgeable in the law." 2 He defines the term ma῾aseh as an "intrusion of real life events into the largely theoretical and hypothetical discourse of the Mishnah," that "introduces an event that happened in the past which has halakhic implications or ramifications of one sort or another." Furthermore, the exempla depict the rabbis as "living embodiments of the halakah." The editors of the Mishnah carry out this program by focusing equally upon the way that the pronouncements and the behavior of the rabbis establish normative authority. It is this latter category, the rabbis behavior, that is illustrated in Mishnaic exempla. In his overarching argument that the Mishnah establishes and investigates rabbinic authority, Simon-Shoshan unpacks the mechanics of rabbinic authority; his discussion engages, on the one hand, "an" authority vs. "in" authority-essentially rational categories-and on the 1 Moshe Simon-Shoshan, Stories of the Law: Narrative Discourse and the Construction of Authority in the Mishnah (New York: Oxford University Press, 2012). 2 Ibid., 46. The constraints of this paper prevent me from interacting with Simon-Shohan's much wider discussion of degrees of narrativity, case stories, etiological stories, speech acts, etc. Tannaitic storytelling." 7 In post-Mishnaic literature, however, (i.e. the Amoraic Midrashim and Talmuds), miracle-working rabbis are not uncommon. One line of evidence for placing the rabbis as a subset of "wise-men" within the framework of Greco-Roman culture is the similarity of the Tannaitic sage-story and the chreia, a concise saying with practical utility for daily living. Furthermore, rabbinic anecdotes are integrated into wider 'master narratives' that focus upon a given rabbi's deeds and the latter's halakic significance, rather than upon an individual rabbi's words or deeds per se. 8 Simon-Shoshan notes the work of Henry Fischel, who argued for a strong similarity between the Tannaitic and Greco-Roman chreiai. Fischel argued that the rabbis adapted the rhetorical tools of the Hellenistic sophos to facilitate
Introduction to Messianic Judaism: Its Ecclesial Context and Biblical Foundations, 2013
"Messianic Jews in the Land of Israel." Chapter in: Introduction to Messianic Judaism: Its Eccles... more "Messianic Jews in the Land of Israel." Chapter in: Introduction to Messianic Judaism: Its Ecclesial Context and Biblical Foundations. Edited by David J. Rudolph and Joel Willitts
The present chapter acknowledges the role that one's preunderstanding plays in the reading proces... more The present chapter acknowledges the role that one's preunderstanding plays in the reading process and that an understanding of and comparison with near-contemporary Jewish texts provides an appropriate context for a historical reading of Matthew's engagement with the Jerusalem temple. I begin by briefly situating Matthew's view of the temple within his own Jewish context, 1 that is, the wider context of Second Temple Judaism(s) and postdestruction rabbinic views of God's presence in the temple. This will illustrate Matthew's agreement with the dominant view reflected in Scripture and early rabbinic tradition, that is, that God's presence resided in the temple. I will then compare Matthew's temple-Messiah-centered theology to examples of early rabbinic texts related to the temple, the people of Israel, and the sages. Finally, I will note Matthew's view of the temple in recent scholarship, in Matthew's canonical context, in Davidic
Matthew and the Mishnah Redefining Identity and Ethos in the Shadow of the Second Temple's Destru... more Matthew and the Mishnah Redefining Identity and Ethos in the Shadow of the Second Temple's Destruction [Matthäus und die Mischna. Die Neude nition von Identität und Ethos im Schatten der Zerstörung des Zweiten Tempels.] 2016. XIX, 636 pages. WUNT II 418 ISBN 978-3-16-149960-9 sewn paper 139,00 € ISBN 978-3-16-154810-9 eBook PDF 139,00 € Published in English. Akiva Cohen investigates the general research question: how do the authors of religious texts reconstruct their community identity and ethos in the absence of their central cult? His particular socio-historical focus of this more general question is: how do the respective authors of the Gospel according to Matthew, and the editor(s) of the Mishnah rede ne their group identities following the destruction of the Second Temple? The author further examines how, after the Destruction, both the Matthean and the Mishnaic communities found and articulated their renewed community bearings and a new sense of vision through each of their respective author/redactor's foundational texts. The context of this study is thus that of an inner-Jewish phenomenon; two Jewish groups seeking to (re-)establish their community identity and ethos without the physical temple that had been the cultic center of their cosmos. Cohen's interest is in how each of these communities (the Matthean and Mishnaic/Rabbinic-related ones) underwent a reformulation of their identity as Israel , and the consequent ethos that resulted from their respective reformulations.
Book Reviews by Akiva Cohen
RBL, 2022
Brown and Roberts's volume on Matthew's Gospel is part of the Two Horizons New Testament Commenta... more Brown and Roberts's volume on Matthew's Gospel is part of the Two Horizons New Testament Commentary series edited by Joel Green. The THNTC series seeks to "bridge the existing gap between biblical and systematic theology." 1 Thus, the partnership between Brown, a biblical scholar, and Roberts, a theologian, 2 aptly pairs them to fulfill the aim of this series to connect exegesis with theological concerns. The authors stress that their mutual intention has been to "engage real conversations in which we listen closely to the discipline-specific insights each person has to offer." 3 While noting their use of narrative criticism and attention to the Gospel's historical, Jewish, and Greco-Roman cultural contexts, they stress that their main concern is how these aspects connect to "Matthew's theological project." 4 The authors also note their self-awareness as "privileged … white, Western scholars," 5 and thus their intention to engage interpreters from the
RBL, 2018
This review was published by RBL 2018 by the Society of Biblical Literature on Alan Kirk, Q in Ma... more This review was published by RBL 2018 by the Society of Biblical Literature on Alan Kirk, Q in Matthew
RBL, 2016
Turner's book is a revised version of his 2009 PhD dissertation from the Hebrew Union College-Jew... more Turner's book is a revised version of his 2009 PhD dissertation from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. The book is divided into three parts: I. The Motif of the Rejection of the Prophets; II. The Rejection of the Prophets in Matthew; III. Jesus and the Jewish Leaders in Matthew 23. Part I consists of three chapters, which focus upon the rejected prophet motif in relation to the Deuteronomistic perspective, Jewish literature, and the New Testament. Part II
RBL, 2018
The editors of the Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament (EGGNT) explain that the purpose o... more The editors of the Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament (EGGNT) explain that the purpose of their series is to "close the gap between the Greek text and the available lexical and grammatical tools, providing all the necessary information for greater understanding of the text." 1 Each volume begins with a brief introduction to a particular New Testament book, a basic outline, a list of recommended commentaries, and ends with a comprehensive exegetical outline. The body of each commentary is devoted to paragraph-by-paragraph exegesis of the Greek text and includes homiletical helps and suggestions for further study. Charles L. Quarles, the author of the Matthew volume, notes that his contribution "is not a commentary on Matthew," but rather, "merely a first step toward the interpretation and exegesis of Matthew." 2 Quarles begins with a brief introduction, which includes his view that the Gospel was written by the apostle Matthew, basing his conclusion on, among other points, the author's use of "the more precise term νόµισµα ('state coin') in his discussion of the payment of the imperial tax in 1 Quarles, Matthew, xxxv. The publishers-who undertook to renew this previously discontinued series by another publisher-note (xxxiii) the labor of love of the original series editor, Murray J. Harris, to whom they dedicate the series. They also add (xxxv) that although the EGGT is not a full scale commentary, it makes interpreting the Greek text easier, especially for those "who are hard-pressed for time and yet want to preach or teach with accuracy and authority." 2 Ibid., 3.
In this volume Gowler argues that all interpretations of the parables, in some way, are dependent... more In this volume Gowler argues that all interpretations of the parables, in some way, are dependent upon and in dialogue with a multitude of conversations that precede it. Including over fifty case-studies from "a variety of eras, perspectives, media, and contexts," this ambitious volume seeks to invite a "chorus of voices" to the table, many of which have gone unrecognized in parable stud ies. The five primary chapters are set to a particular era: antiquity; middle ages; sixteenth to seventeenth centu ries; eighteenth to nineteenth centuries; twentieth to twenty-first centuries. The voices included within each chapter offer select, but intentionally diverse perspec tives. Gowler allows each interpretation to speak for itself, within its own context. Following his James through the Centuries (2014), Gowler has once again contributed a valuable work to the growing field of reception history and biblical studies. It is especially important to note that he sees this work as an "introduction," a "starting point" and "stimulus for further discussions," and as such it certainly accomplishes this task. Due to the sheer number of voices represented in the book, it is virtually impossible for a reader, regardless of his or her research interests, not to gain some new insight on the parables. Students and scholars with interests in parable studies and reception history will find this work not only engag ing and a joy to read, but a book to which they will con tinue to return.
Religious Studies Review, 2019
Luke-Acts in relationship to the wider literary landscape of the Greco-Roman world. Chapter 3 foc... more Luke-Acts in relationship to the wider literary landscape of the Greco-Roman world. Chapter 3 focuses on historiographical practices of organizing time in written form. In the epilogue, Becker contends that the written texts of Mark and Luke-Acts "pave the way for nothing less than a Christian conception of history." Overall, Becker has produced a work most worthy of critical engagement by scholars working on various aspects of Christian Origins, including the dialectic between memory and history, the genre of the Gospels, and the relationship between the Gospels and their contemporary literary culture. Due to its technical style her work is primarily suitable for scholars.
Kesher: A Journal of Messianic Judaism, 2019
Reviewed by Akiva Cohen Mark Kinzer has established himself as one of the most theologically arti... more Reviewed by Akiva Cohen Mark Kinzer has established himself as one of the most theologically articulate voices from within the community of Messianic Jewish scholars.1 His pioneering, provocative (in the best sense of the word), and sophisticated theological proposals have engaged a broad spectrum of issues, e.g., Messianic Jewish identity, Oral Torah, eschatology,2 ecclesiology, supersessionism,3 and a dialogical engagement and respectful critique of Catholic dogma.4 Kinzer's most recent work, Jerusalem Crucified, Jerusalem Risen, lays out his broad theological vision and understanding of the euangelion, the good news of Messiah Yeshua based upon his reading of Luke and Acts.5 In his introduction, Kinzer notes how the essentially Jewish ekklēsia had, within a century, become a largely gentile one and that the latter's reception of the euangelion transformed its message into one that no longer would have been 'good news' to the Jewish people. Jerusalem's destruction was understood in a triumphalist manner that saw the role of the Jewish people as having ended in the flames of the former's conflagration. The future role of the
The Expository Times, 2017
BIBLICA (A Quarterly Review Published by the Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome) Vol. 98, 2017.2 Pages 310-314, 2017
Conference Presentations by Akiva Cohen
In his book, Stories of the Law, Moshe Simon-Shoshan presents an eloquent and cogent case for the... more In his book, Stories of the Law, Moshe Simon-Shoshan presents an eloquent and cogent case for the inextricable connection between law and narrative in the Mishnah. 1 In keeping with our session's goal of exploring commonalities and contrasts in Second-Temple and Rabbinic texts, I have chosen to focus upon Simon-Shoshan's discussion of Mishnaic exempla. After explaining, in summary fashion, his work I will compare the Matthean Jesus with Simon-Shoshan's analysis
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Papers by Akiva Cohen
Book Reviews by Akiva Cohen
Conference Presentations by Akiva Cohen