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Bulletin of Biblical Studies, vol.10, July-December 1991, year 20, p. 64.

   The July-December 1991 issue of the Bulletin of Biblical Studies contains five (5) articles.

   Father S. Mavrofidis touches on the question of the corrective and hermeneutic translation of the Hebrew Bible, as far as some “dark texts” are concerned that are not easily understood due to the Hebrew language they make use of. He presents the issue referring, on the one hand, to the corrective fervour certain biblical scientists had in the past and, on the other hand, to the counter-corrective fervour that certain biblical scientists display today, making a special reference to the School of Rome. Finally, he mentions the “honest” solution that some biblists suggest, that is, the translator should leave blank spaces with dots every time he comes across a seriously disturbed text.

   D. Passakos offers a short introduction to the Sociological Interpretation of the N. T. . He does so by presenting how this new hermeneutic method started in the West, as its need was realized, which gnostic areas of Sociology were used by various researchers, the most important approaches for the implementation of the sociological interpretation in the N. T., the criticism it arose and, finally, the necessity of using this method for the interpretation of the holy texts.

   D. Adamo examines the importance of the Hebrew term ruach, which means wind, breath, air or spirit. The writer presents the use of the term as wind, as breath, as living force, as independent spirit, as feeling and, finally, as the will of man.

   N. Primentas attempts to convey the real importance of John 19, 23 about Jesus’ unstitched robe. In this context, he moved on to an edulous study of the robe and the search for its possible technical construction in order to probe into John’s description. Thus, after some ascertainments in the area of the textile-manufacturing technique, he was led to the designing of textile arrangement and a method of constructing a whole robe without the intervention of a tailor.

   J. Skedros examines the theological meaning of the term «έργον» in John’s gospel, under the light of the passage John 10, 22-39, where Jesus confronts the Judeans for the last time during his earthly action. The writer goes on to an analysis of the term in D gospel, which proves that the term demands a specific theological meaning that defines the relation of Jesus to the God-Father. The use of the term has to do with the faith of the community of John in Jesus as the son of God.

   Following are the book reviews of the issue.   

Bulletin of Biblical Studies, vol. 9, July-December 1990, year 19, p. 80.

The July- December 1990 issue of the Bulletin of Biblical Studies contains four (4) articles.

P. Vassiliadis presents with great brevity Luke's supply for the mission of the church in the modern world, particularly stressing Luke's dominant eschatology that opens up new dimensions to the ecclesiological problem the christian Churches are occupied with.

Father K. Papadopoulos seeks in his short text the right interpretation of A' Kor. 7, 36-38. Thus, he investigates the meaning of the male presence in the verse and assumes as source of the opinion expressed by Paul Exod. 21, 7-11.

D. Adamo attempts an explanation of ch. 20 of John's gospel, referring mainly to the problem of the appearances of the resurrected Jesus to Mary Magdalen and the Apostles.

S. Agouridis examines the way the death of Jesus Christ is explained in the Letter to the Hebrews, in A' John and A' Peter, as well as in John's Apocalypse, as each one of these texts expresses a particular theological position and teaching on the question of why Christ died. In the addendum of his study, Agouridis describes the progress and the causes of the different ecclesiastical theories about atonement that were developed in different times in East and West while, in the end, he even proposes certain necessary adjustments so that the classical theory about atonement may find the orthodox today responsive.

The Chronicles of the text come next. I. Karavidopoulos gives an account of the proceedings of the 39^th Colloquium Biblicum Lovaniese that took place in Louvain, Belgium from the 7^th until the 9^th of August 1990 under the topic: “John and the Synoptics”.

Following are the book reviews of the issue.

Bulletin of Biblical Studies, vol.10, January-June 1991, year 20, p. 80.

The January-June 1991 issue of the Bulletin of Biblical Studies contains four (4) articles.

G. Gratseas examines comparatively the Apostolic Synod, Act 15, 1-35 and the Assemblies of the Essenes. The writer initially presents the content of the particular passage and then in the context of the N. T.. Following, he displays the information about the communal or other less peopled gatherings of the community of the Essenes. This is found in the Discipline Manual and the Damascenian text, in other manuscripts of the Dead Sea, in Philonas and in Josephus. Finally, Gratseas moves on to the comparative examination of the above data. In this context, he examines the issue of the observance of the Law of Moses, of the hierarchical order, the ordained lords, the personality of the congress member, of xenophobia and decision-taking.

M. Adeyemi attempts to show the importance of the sociological approach for the understanding of the N. T. and especially the Letters of Paul, using as a tool the study of the social conditions of the broader Graeco-Roman world.

B. Skourov attempts in his article a reference to the authenticity of the poetics of the Psalms in search of samples of artistic thought in the writers of the Psalms. He also examines some problems that come up from the translation of the Psalms while, at the same time, he juxtaposes the poetic principles of the Psalms with the corresponding ones from poems of the antiquity.

I. Karavidopoulos presents the role of Ap. Peter and its significance in the Church of the N. T.. In this context, he first examines Peter's position among the twelve Apostles, according to the information of the four formal gospels before Christ's Resurrection. Then, he analyses Peter's position among the twelve Apostles after the Resurrection, commenting on A' Kor. 15, 3-5, John 21, 15-19 and on the passages of the Acts that provide information about Peter's role in the first church.

Following are the book reviews of the issue.

Bulletin of Biblical Studies, vol. 9, January-June 1990, year 19, p. 80.

The January-June 1990 issue of the Bulletin of Biblical Studies contains three (3) articles. Father S. Mavrofidis deals with two of the hyperboles that the enthusiasm of the meaning-based translation of the Holy Scripture generates. The first hyperbole the writer examines is that of the mania for clarity that originates in the translators’ anxiety that the Word of God may not be understood even by the simplest of men and this often has as a consequence that the symbolism and evocativeness of the prototype are sacrificed for the sake of the meaning. The second and last hyperbole that is examined is that of the mania of the cultural modernization that originates in the modernization of translation of the biblical culture.

            S. Agouridis analytically examines, on the one hand, the theological way with which D evangelist presents why Christ was crucified. In this context, he analyses the various scattered hints with which D evangelist appraises the cross of Jesus and explains the theological interpretation of Jesus’ death, the way it is given in the mentioned gospel. On the other hand, he analytically examines Apostle Paul’s view on why Christ was crucified. Initially, the writer makes a general presentation of Paul’s views on Jesus’ cross and then he moves on to the basic meanings of the interpretation of the cross in Paul.

Father F. Kontidis examines the position of the Holy Scripture in the theological thinking of M. Farantos, the way it is expressed in his work The orthodox teaching about God (H περίΘεούορθόδοξηδιδασκαλία), Athens, 1985 and particularly its Christological part. In this context, Kontidis examines the direct reference of Farantos to the Scripture and its significance, the way we understand the Tradition and Scripture, the interpretation and historicity, his position as a writer in his work and, finally, his theological talk (θεολογείν).

Following are the book reviews of the issue.