Seeking the Imperishable Treasure. Steven R. Johnson

Чтение книги онлайн.

      SEEKING THE IMPERISHABLE TREASURE

      Wealth, Wisdom, and a Jesus Saying

      Copyright © 2008 Steven R. Johnson. All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in critical publications or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the publisher. Write: Permissions, Wipf and Stock Publishers, 199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401.

      Cascade Books

      A Division of Wipf and Stock Publishers

      199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3

      Eugene, OR 97401

      www.wipfandstock.com

      isbn 13: 978-1-55635-244-7

      eisbn 13: 978-1-4982-7384-8

      Cataloging-in-Publication data:

      Johnson, Steven R.

      Seeking the imperishable treasure : wealth, wisdom, and a Jesus saying / Steven R. Johnson.

      xvi + 184 p. ; 23 cm.

      Includes bibliographical references.

      isbn 13: 978-1-55635-244-7 (alk. paper)

      1. Q hypothesis (Synoptics criticism). 2. Bible. N.T. Gospels—Criticism, interpretation, etc. 3. Gospel of Thomas (Coptic Gospel)—Criticism, interpretation, etc. 4. Bible. N.T. James—Criticism, interpretation, etc. 5. Bible. N.T. Colossians—Criticism, interpretation, etc. 6. Wealth—Religious Aspects—Christianity. 7. Wisdom—Religious Aspects—Christianity. I. Title.

      bs2555.2 j64 2008

      Manufactured in the U.S.A.

      To Ellen

      You may not be what Jesus

      and the sages of old were speaking of,

      but to me

      you are radiant and unfading,

      more precious then jewels,

      an unfailing treasure,

      an enduring wealth,

      better than silver or choice gold;

      with you I am happy.

      Acknowledgments

      I would like to recognize and extend my appreciation and gratitude to the following institutions and individuals for their support in this project.

      The Institute for Antiquity and Christianity supported my work as a research associate with the International Q Project. Much of the thanks for this goes to the emeritus Director of the Institute, James M. Robinson. Jon Ma. Asgeirsson, a former Associate Director, provided support in many other ways—I’m glad to be able to thank him here.

      Benjamin L. Hubbard, Religion Department Chair emeritus at California State University, Fullerton, provided me with a teaching assistant in my last year of adjunct teaching. James Robinson enabled my writing in innumerable ways, both financially and intellectually. It has truly been an education working with him. Gregory J. Riley provided me with fresh, new ways of looking at the Gospel of Thomas, ways that are reflected in this work. Douglas M. Parrott has been especially supportive as a reader and friend, providing both a sounding board and sound advice on numerous occasions in recent years.

      A big thanks to K. C. Hanson, Editor in Chief at Wipf and Stock Publishers, for approaching me about publishing this study. Both his enthusiasm and his editing skills have been a tremendous help.

      Blessings to my friend and colleague, C. Michael Robbins, who has been an ever-present reminder to me that scholarship is not the end-all—that a full life is a happier life. To my parents, Robert and Lois Johnson, whose love, enthusiasm, interest, concern, and support—both as parents and as friends—helped me to survive the program at Claremont. And finally, to my wife and sweetie, Ellen Davis, who has been a dear friend since the day I arrived in Claremont; for her love and support. She slowed me down in the courtin’ years—and I thank God.

      Abbreviations

      AAR/SBL American Academy of Religion/Society of Biblical Literature

      AB Anchor Bible

      AcOr Acta Orientalia

      ANRW Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt

      APOT The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament. Edited by R. H. Charles

      ASNU Acta seminarii neotestamentici upsaliensis

      BDAG Walter Bauer, Frederick W. Danker, William F. Arndt, and F. Wilbur Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (the earlier, 2nd edition [1979] is referred to as BAGD)

      BDF Friedrich Blass, Albert Debrunner, and Robert W. Funk, A Greek Grammar of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature

      BETL Bibliotheca Ephemeridum Theologicarum Lovaniensium

      BHT Beiträge zur historischen Theologie

      Bib Biblica

      BibS(F) Biblische Studien (Freiburg)

      BJRL Bulletin of the John Rylands University Library of Manchester

      BU Biblische Untersuchungen

      BWANT Beiträge zur Wissenschaft vom Alten und Neuen Testament

      BZ Biblische Zeitschrift

      BZENT Beiträge zur Einleitung in das Neue Testament

      BZNW Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft und die Kunde der älteren Kirche

      CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly

      CBR Currents in Biblical Research

      CEQ The Critical Edition of Q: Edited by James M. Robinson, Paul Hoffmann, and John S. Kloppenborg. Hermeneia Supplements

      CNT Commentaire du Nouveau Testament

      Crum W. E. Crum, A Coptic Dictionary

      Ebib Études bibliques

      EGGNT Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament

      EKKNT Evangelisch-katholischer Kommentar zum Neuen Testament