The Social World of the New Testament: Insights and Models

The Social World of the New Testament: Insights and Models surveys essential contributions made by leading scholars of the social-scientific approach to New Testament studies. Including important essays by Bruce J. Malina and John J. Pilch, among others, this book acts as a comprehensive collection of the most important essays and articles in the field. Included are topics vital to the social scientific interpretation of the New Testament, organized under three headings: INSTITUTIONS  Kinship: All in the Family: Kinship in Agrarian Roman Palestine–K. C. Hanson  The Patron-Client Institution: God in the Letter of James: Patron or Benefactor?–Alicia Batten  Economics: Jesus and Agrarian Palestine: The Factor of Debt–Douglas E. Oakman CULTURE  Honor and Shame: Loss of Wealth, Loss of Family, Loss of Honor: The Cultural Context of the Original Makarisms in Q–Jerome H. Neyrey, SJ  Purity: The Epistle of James in Rhetorical and Social-Scientific Perspective: Holiness-Wholeness and Patterns of Replication– John H. Elliott  Social Location: Was Jesus a Peasant: Implications for Reading the Jesus Tradition (Luke 10:30-35)–Douglas E. Oakman  Social Location: The Social Location of the Markan Audience–Richard L. Rohrbaugh  Gender: Who Should Be Called "Father"? Paul of Tarsus between the Jesus Tradition and Patria Potestas–S. Scott Bartchy  Space: "Teaching You in Public and from House to House" (Acts 20:20): Unpacking a Cultural Stereotype–Jerome H. Neyrey, SJ  Healing: Healing in Luke-Acts–John J. Pilch  Evil Eye: Paul, Galatians, and the Evil Eye– John H. Elliott  Limited Good: "He Must Increase, I Must Decrease"(John 3:30): A Cultural and Social Interpretation–Richard L. Rohrbaugh and Jerome H. Neyrey MODAL PERSONALITY  Modal Personality: Ancient Mediterranean Persons in Cultural Perspective: Portrait of Paul–Jerome H. Neyrey, SJ and Bruce J. Malina