~ Orthodox Theological Digital Library I.M.D. ~

Bulletin of Biblical Studies, vol. 7, July-December 1988, year 17, p.110.

   The July-December 1988 issue of the Bulletin of Biblical Studies contains five (5) articles.

   S. Agouridis examines the Letters A΄ and B΄ to the people of Thessalonikiby ap. Paul as the type of paulian eschatological admonition. The writer seeks the causes that led the people of Thessaloniki to their peculiar positions and analyses thoroughly so much Paul’s positions as the ones of the people of Thessaloniki, regarding the eschatological expectation of Jesus’ glorious Coming.

   Father C. Coman, on the pretext of the anniversary of the celebration of the three hundred years since the edition of the first translation of the Holy Scripture in the Rumanian language, known as “The Bucharest Bible” or “The 1688 Bible” or “Serban’s Bible”, presents its history. First, the writer describes all those social, political and cultural workings, which led to the translation of the Bible in the late 17^th century and then he gives some technical information about that particular edition. A short analysis of the role of the translation for the Rumanian nation and language and of the history of the following Rumanian translations comes next.

   D. Adamo moves on to an analytical presentation of the data in ch. 1-4 of Letter A΄ to the Corinthians, proving the importance that the teaching on wisdom has for paulian Christology. In this context, the writer initially presents the very start of the paulian terminology as regards the meaning of “wisdom” and next he highlights the importance of wisdom in paulian Christology, emphasizing the liberty with which he makes use of the Greek, Hebrew and Gnostic terminology to support the Corinthians in his Christology.

   S. Agouridis presents in Greek translation the falsely attributed Gnostic Gospel of Philip. Brief comments referring to the finding and origin of the Gospel, as well as to its Gnostic character precede the Greek text.

   Father I. Skiadaresis’ text constitutes the second and last part of the article about the books of Genesis and Revelation. The first part of the article is found in the previous issue of BBS. The writer, continuing here the analytical examination of the relationship between the thematology and typology of Revelation and Genesis, always with regard to the central issue: Creation-history-eschata, finally concludes that in the general spiritual fortune of John the book of Genesis had a prominent position and that by using figures and symbols of Genesis and also by transcending its facts, Revelation visually projects the life of eschata as the perfect realization “in Christ” of what was not realized in the garden of Eden.

   The Chronicles of the issue come next. I. Karavidopoulos describes the works of the 43^rd General Assembly of Studiorum Novi Testament Societas that took place in Cambridge, Great Britain from the 8^th until the 12^th of August 1988 and of the 38^th Colloquium Biblicum Lovaniese that took place in Louvain, Belgium from the 16^th until the 18^th of August 1988 with the topic: “The gospel of Lord Jesus (B΄ Thes. 1,8)”. S. Agouridis describes the manifestations for the panegyric anniversary of the 300 years since the translation of the Holy Scripture in Rumanian and the works of the E΄ Gathering of Orthodox Biblical Theologians from the 26^th until the 30^th of October 1988 with the topic of The Apostles’ Acts.      

Bulletin of Biblical Studies, vol. 8, January-June 1989, year 18, p.70.

   The January-June 1989 issue of the Bulletin of Biblical Studies includes three (3) articles.

   S. Agouridis analyses the importance of ap. Paul’s captivity, that is his adventure as a captive of the roman authorities in Caesarea, Palestine and in Rome, as it is described in Acts, 20,27-28,31. However, in his text Agouridis raises a series of issues having to do with the biggest hermeneutic problems, such as the use of theology and history by Luke, the different image of Paul in the Acts and Letters, the relationship of the Christians with the roman authorities etc, directly or indirectly related to the main issue he examines.

   D. Adamo analyses the problem of pain and the multiple answers the O. T. provides to it. In this frame of mind, the writer presents the meaning and content of pain as retribution, divine judgement, punishment and making an example, a means of revelation, salvation and, finally, as an eschatological fact.

   Dr. Obeng deals with the miracle of the cessation of the sea by Jesus. In this context, the writer examines the differences in the reports of the synoptic gospels, the historicity of the miracle, its relation to Meteorological Witchcraft and its significance according to the spirit of the O. T.  Finally, he writes about the importance of the miracle and the viewing of Jesus as savior and the application of this message for the Church of Africa today.

   The Chronicles of the issue come next. S. Agouridis briefly presents the content of the introductions that took place in the General Assembly of Studiorum Novi Testament Societas in 1987 in Germany and in 1986 in the U.S.A.

   The issue closes with reviews of foreign and Greek books.

Bulletin of Biblical Studies, vol. 8, July-December 1989, year 18, p. 120.

   The July-December 1989 issue of the Bulletin of Biblical Studies contains three (3) articles.

   G. Rigopoulos moves on to a hermeneutic approach of the meaning of the term “shepherd”. In the introduction of his study, the writer examines the meaning of the term for the ancient eastern people and especially for the ancient Egyptians and Greeks on the one hand and for ancient Israel and the later Judaism on the other. Next, he examines the text in ch. 10 of John’s gospel, focusing on the literature problem of the chapter, presenting the views of younger researchers and on the literature genre of John 10, 1-5 and the problem of John’s term “proverb” (John 10, 1-5). Finally, Rigopoulos goes on to the hermeneutic approach of the text. In this context, he examines the meaning of the term “shepherd” in the synoptic gospels, John’s “proverb”, the characterization of Jesus as “shepherd of sheep” (John 10, 17), the Christology of John 10, 11, the missionary perspective of John 10, 16 and the eschatological dimension of the meaning of “shepherd” as this unfolds in the Apocalypse, especially in 5, 6 and 7, 17.

   G. Sarigiannis examines the racial subdivisions and the urban planning terms in the ancient Hebrews according to the Hebrew prototype and the translation of the O. At the introduction Sarigiannis presents the historic and linguistic frame of the ancient Hebrews and the importance and structure of their nomadic life. In the first part of his paper, he examines the racial terms and racial subdivisions, such as “house”, “house of lineage”, “Generation”, “race” and “Nation” that Hebrews used, the way they appear in the prototype Hebrew text and in the translation of the O. In the second part, he analyses the urban planning terms in the Hebrew prototype from the time of nomadic cataclysms until the city dwelling of the Hebrews and the urban planning terms that appear in the translation of the O. Finally, he examines the relationship between the Semitic and Indo-European words and meanings concerning the racial subdivisions and the urban planning terms.

   E. Obeng goes on to the explanation of Rom. 8, 26. In this context, he particularly examines how the Holy Spirit helps people with their weakness, the way we pray and, finally, the way the Holy Spirit mediates to God for our sake. The study closes with the analysis of the meaning of the passage for the modern churches in Africa and the way modern African Christians ought to pray.

   The Chronicles of the issue come next, where the proceedings and the content of the recommendations of the XII Colloquium Ecumenicum Paulinum that took place from the 25^th until the 30^th of September 1989 in the Monastery of St. Paul in Rome under the topic: “Defense and founding of the apostolic axiom” (B Kor. ch. 10-13).

   Following are reviews of S. Agouridis of foreign and Greek books.