“Jonah’s gourd” and its early Byzantine interpretations

Many modern scholars consider the Old Testament book of Jonah being written in a boldly parodic manner. The narrative engages many details that sound humorous for a modern reader. However, from the standpoint of late Antique and early Medieval patristic exegesis, it is often unclear whether Byzantine interpreters perceived such passages laughable or at least inappropriate for a prophetic writing. This study presents a few examples of early Byzantine commentaries to the episode with Jonah and a gourd (Jonah 4:6–11). None of the commentaries expresses any explicit amusement caused by the discussed text. However, the style, method, or context of each commentary appears to be passing the traditional bounds of Bible interpretation. The earlier interpreters adhere to the most expected moral reading of Jonah 4, but they use epithets, metaphors, or omissions, which produce the effect of paradox comparable to the biblical wording itself. The later commentaries tend to involve unexpected and even provocative senses. In such interpretations, God can be thought of as being able to play with a human or even to fool and deceive. What seems us humorous in the Bible, Byzantine commentators take primarily as a paradox, which they did not explain or remove but elaborate further paradoxically. The later an interpreter is, the bolder his paradoxical approach appears. The results of the study provide some clues to understanding how the interpretation of humorous, parodic, or ironical passages were developing in the history of Byzantine intellectual culture.

“Don’t Let God Step In Human Waste”: Interpretation Of Deuteronomy 23:14–15 In The Context Of Cholera In Zambia

Climate change and health challenges such as the HIV and AIDS have motivated religious leaders to rethink their beliefs and practices, considering how to apply these to health crises. Christian theologians and biblical scholars have risen to the occasion and developed new ways of interpreting the bible that offer a response to current situations. The new ways of interpreting the bible include approaching the text with a degree of wariness and traditional readings of the bible are often transgressed. The experience of the marginalised or the dismembered is used as a starting point for bible interpretation and theological reflection. This paper contributes to the shifts in bible interpretation and theological reflection by offering an eco-theological interpretation of Deuteronomy 23:14–15 in the context of cholera. The paper shows that, in the context of cholera in Zambia, an eco-theological interpretation of the biblical text can foster hygiene and proper management of human waste which would be an important contribution to the prevention of cholera outbreaks.

FERDINAND DE SAUSSURE: Strukturalisme dan Pengaruhnya Bagi Dunia Penafsiran Alkitab

Abstrak Terlepas dari maraknya pendekatan hermeneutika pascastrukturalisme yang mengabaikan tatanan struktur dan sistem tanda, strukturalisme memainkan peranan yang vital dalam jantung hermeneutika modern. Sebagai sebuah alat baca terhadap tanda (dan keterjalinan teks) dalam masyarakat, strukturalisme memberikan fondasi yang kokoh bagi peneliti bahasa dan teks untuk mengkaji pesan bermakna yang disampaikan melalui tanda. Dalam dunia hermeneutika Alkitab, strukturalisme memberikan pengaruh yang signifikan bagi keragaman dan kekayaan penafsiran teks-teks Kitab Suci. Penelitian ini berusah untuk memaparkan strukturalisme sebagai sebuah perangkat hermeneutika modern dan menunjukkan pengaruh strukturalisme bagi dunia penafsiran Alkitab. Menggunakan teks Lukas 18:1-8 dan Mazmur 8:1-9 sebagai alat peraga, penulis mendiskusikan kemampuan dan keterbatasan pendekatan strukturalisme dalam mengkaji teks. Kata Kunci: Ferdinand de Saussure, Strukturalisme, Signified-Signifier, Tanda, Langue-Parole, Sintagmatik-Paradigmatik, Sinkronik-Diakronik. Abstract Despites the rampant approach of post-structuralism hermeneutics which disregards structural pattern and sign systems, structuralism plays a vital role in the heart of modern hermeneutics. As a reading tool toward signs (and inter-texts) in society, structuralism has laid a solid foundation for philologist to decipher meaningful message that is delivered through sign. In the world of bible hermeneutics, structuralism contributes significantly to the diversity and richness of textual interpretation to Scripture. This research endeavors to expound structuralism as a tool of modern hermeneutics and show its influence on the world of bible interpretation. Taking Luke 18:1-8 and Psalms 8:1-9 as teaching tools, the writer discusses the ability as well as the limitation of structuralism in understanding the texts. Kata Kunci: Ferdinand de Saussure, Structuralism, Signified-Signifier, Sign, Langue-Parole, Sintagmatic-Paradigmatic, Synchronic-Diachronic.

Model Pemuridan Berbasis Keluarga Era New Normal Pandemi Covid-19

New normal era, with social and physical distancing, has made Christian Javanese family difficult in fulfilling their spirituality need. The churches have tried to fill their need by online service but still had problem. Family based discipleship proposed to solve this problem. Family based discipleship implementation in Christian Javanese family was obstracted by leadership, interpretation, and subject matter problems. This research aimed to develop a family-based discipleship model for Christian Javanese family at New Normal era Covid-19 pandemic by promoting a correct, easy, and right Bible interpretation. This research is an applied research with qualitative approach and fenomenology theology. Finally, this research proposed family - storytelling - inductive discipleship model for Christian Javanese family at new normal era.Abstrak. Era New normal dengan social and physical distancing, membuat keluarga Jawa Kristen kesulitan memenuhi kebutuhan kerohaniannya. Gereja mencoba memenuhi kebutuhan tersebut dengan ibadah online namun masih bermasalah. Pemuridan berbasis keluarga diusulkan untuk menyelesaikan permasalahan ini. Penerapan pemuridan berbasis keluarga pada keluarga Jawa Kristen terhalang masalah kepemimpinan, penafsiran, dan materi pemuridan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menemukan model pemuridan berbasis keluarga bagi keluarga Jawa Kristen di era new normal pandemi Covid-19 dengan interpretasi Alkitab yang benar, mudah dan tepat. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian terapan dengan pendekatan kualitatif dan paradigma hermeneutik fenomenologi. Penelitian ini menemukan model pemuridan keluarga - bercerita - induktif sebagai model yang cocok bagi pemuridan keluarga Jawa Kristen di era new normal.

Kasih yang Berpura-pura dan Relevansinya Bagi Umat Kristen Studi Eksegesis Kitab Roma 12:9-10

AbstrakTujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui apakah kasih yang berpura-pura menurut Rasul Paulus dalam surat Roma 12:9-10. Metode penelitian dalam penulisan skripsi ini adalah metode kualitatif yakni dengan pendekatan studi eksegesis. Metode penafsiran yang dilakukan tentunya dengan menggunakan syarat dan langkah-langkah penafsiran Alkitab, sehingga langkah-langkah yang dipakai penulis adalah sebagai berikut: analisa teks dan kritik teks, perbandingan terjemahan, konteks umum dan konteks khusus, keadaan hidup tafsiran ayat per ayat tafsiran keseluruhan dan skopus. Dari hasil penelitian studi eksegesis Roma 12:9-10, bahwa kasih yang berpura-pura ialah kasih yang di sertai kejahatan, kasih yang tidak mengganggap saudaranya dan kasih yang tidak saling mengutamakan.Kata Kunci : Roma, kasih yang berpura-pura AbstactThe purpose of this research is to find out what pretend love according to the Apostle Paul in Romans 12: 9-10. The research method in writing this thesis is a qualitative method, namely the exegetical study approach. The method of interpretation that is carried out is of course by using the terms and steps of Bible interpretation, so that the steps used by the author are as follows: text analysis and text criticism, comparison of translations, general context and special context, living conditions of verse-by-verse interpretation of the whole and scopus. From the research results of the exegetical study of Romans 12: 9-10, that love that pretends is love accompanied by evil, love that does not respect one's brother and love that does not give priority to one another.Keywords: Rome,Pretend love

Neoliberalism and Queer Theory in Biblical Readings

Queer theorists posit that gender produces, reproduces, and is produced in concert with social forces. This essay explores the extent to which neoliberal capitalism plays a part in those productions. In addition to setting up basic definitions, I explore the question whether a gender binary could exist without neoliberalism. In order to answer this question, I need to know, first, when and where is the binary strongest, and second, on what does it feed. In other words, the question is which ideologies work to strengthen and maintain the binary. Third, I discuss how Bible interpretation intersects to aid, subvert, or correct a neoliberal production of gender.