Abstract
How to organize Old Testament theology has long been a contentious topic, for example whether overall themes or individual books are preferable. Childs' canonical emphasis led him to distrust a thematic approach as taking texts out of context (Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments [Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1993], pp. 15–16, 361). Brueggemann has similarly complained that themes “fail to communicate the open-ended vitality of the text” (The Book That Breathes New Life [Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2004], p. 146). On the other hand, Barr raised a reasonable question about theological study of one book at a time, “How am I to know how it relates to the theology of any or all of the books?” (The Concept of Biblical Theology [Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1999], p. 54). Rendtorff (The Canonical Hebrew Bible [Blanford Forum: Deo, 2005]) has solved the problem by studying both books and themes. Anyway, an introductory study like Stevens's, intended for lay readers, is best served by themes.
She finds four themes, as her alliterative subtitle indicates: Creation, Covenant, Cultus, and Character. Here is a sketch of how the book's themes are broken down. Under creation, first the narratives in Genesis 1–2 are analyzed and compared with Mesopotamian accounts; the divine directives in the first narrative are regarded as gentle “supplication language” (p. 18), rather than the commands of Psalm 33:9. Then consideration of God's ongoing use of the forces of nature is followed by hopeful descriptions of restoration and apocalyptic re-creation. The chapter closes on the unusual but welcome note of creation's praise of God. The theological metaphor of covenant is explained with illustrations of human agreements, including the grant covenant and the suzerainty treaty. Then God's particular covenants in the Old Testament are reviewed, including the prophetic presentations in Ezekiel 16 and Jeremiah 11 and 31. The third theme deals with cultic structures and workers and explains the festivals and rituals; it closes with unorthodox religious practices. Under character, goodness is studied as a principle of creation, justice as a covenant principle, and holiness as the cultic one. The ethics of wisdom is presented in terms of honesty, generosity (or forgiveness), and moderation. Finally, Exodus 34:6–7 is used to explain God's own character as committed to the covenant people, yet also just.
The book invites comparison with Old Testament Themes by Victor H. Matthews (St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2000), an introductory work of similar length and approach, though with a wider readership in view. Matthews also has four themes, but with only one overlap: covenant, remnant, universalism, and wisdom. Stevens's grouping looks canonical in its arrangement, while Matthews's fans out from a pervasive, narrow theme to broader ones. The first three of Stevens's themes reflect straightforward biblical categories; the last one represents an umbrella that covers the ethics of creation, covenant, cult, and wisdom. By contrast, Matthews's umbrella themes are remnant and universalism, which cover material from diverse biblical places. Stevens's third theme, cultus, is absent from Matthews's book. This theme is longer than the rest, taking up 34% of the fourfold space; it gives the benefit of her academic specialty to readers who would otherwise overlook its important role in the Old Testament. On the other hand, I think she has sold the prophets short even though she does weave some prophetic aspects into her themes, especially creation. Both books list works for further reading and have a scripture index. Matthews adds a glossary and a subject index.
Both authors endeavor to explain the Old Testament on its own terms and against an ancient near eastern background. While they use the term “Old Testament” throughout, Matthews never refers to the New Testament, and Stevens does so seldom. In a rare instance, her denial, obviously important to her, that the new covenant in Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25 “nullifies the previous covenants” (p. 83) cries out for elucidation, once texts are broached. Perhaps she has Galatians 3:17 in mind, but then she has to square it with Hebrews 8:13. She has a constant and laudable concern to introduce new readers to the content of the text and its contribution to the theme, while Matthews wants readers also to appreciate literary forms used in the text. Occasionally they disagree. For instance, the divine speeches in Job paint a wild and unpredictable, rather than ordered, world for Stevens, while for Matthews they put Job in his place. Readers will be driven back to the text to see where they stand. The two books are complementary and may be recommended as a pair, starting with Stevens.