Biblica - Vol 89 (2008) Oswald, Wolfgang, Textwelt, Kontextbezug und historische Situation in Jesaja 7 (2008)

The narrative in Isa 7 unfolds a particular scenario in which only the initial verse 7,1 refers to the historical situation of the so-called Syriac-Ephraimitic war. What follows exhibits a completely different situation involving a threat and very similar to Isa 36-37. Several elements in the narrative in Isa 7 (the way of the fuller’s field, Shear-Yashub, the almah, Immanuel) only make sense within the context of Isa 36-37 and other parts of the book of Isaiah. Isa 7 is a highly intertextual entity that uses older texts to advocate its message of trustfulness in the God of Israel.

Biblica - Vol 89 (2008) Swetnam, James, o( a)po/stoloj in Hebrews 3,1 (2008)

The word a)po/stoloj in Heb 3,1 is seen as a reference to the risen Jesus in Heb 2,12 who has been “sent” by God to reveal God’s name as Moses was “sent” to reveal God’s name. Since Heb 2,12 is an allusion to the Christian tôdâ known as the Eucharist, the parallel with the word a)rxiereu/j is appropriate. The risen Christ is the son who reveals his father to those who have faith-trust as Jesus had faithtrust in the face of death. This revelation of a piece with a central theological theme of the New Testament, and is an invitation to enter liturgically into the death of Jesus so as to enter into his relation of son with his father.

Biblica - Vol 88 (2007) Swetnam, James,   )Ec e(no/j in Hebrews 2,11 (2007)

The phrase   )ec e(no/j in Heb 2,11 is a standard crux. The article attempts to come to grips with it through a close reading of the text of Heb 2,8bc-18. This close reading leads to the conclusion that the 'one' mentioned in is the spiritual seed of Abraham composed of all those who, like Abraham exercise faith-trust in God in the face of death. But this spiritual seed of Abraham is modified by the faith-trust of Jesus brought to the perfection of his heavenly priesthood.