Historical bible criticism attempts to establish the historical milieu of a document. This involves many things and various disciplines, such as linguistics, sociology, anthropology, and comparative literature studies of various kinds. Certainly, it is important to establish the time, place, events, persons, general milieu, and sources. All of this is necessary in order to help the reader understand this literary document. The contemporary experience of reality should help to establish the meaning and significance of ancient texts, even though these ancient texts had a worldview different from that of the modern world.
establish
Redaction criticism
The study of how the manuscript editions of the texts have changed is called redaction criticism. This is the examination of these literary biblical document to discover how the biblical authors have formed and linked the materials together. How did they edit these texts to establish their meaning and significance?
Form Criticism
The German theologian Hermann Gunkel (1862-1932) first developed Formgechichte in an attempt to establish fixed literary patterns. These patterns then could go behind the present text to help establish the meaning and significance of the literary pattern in its original context. However, the meaning of form criticism has become fluid. The study of the biblical texts using form criticism has revealed a marvelous multiplicity of literary styles, forms, and methods used in the Bible.
Textual criticism
Textual criticism is the study of the variants in the original Hebrew or Greek texts. This textual criticism attempts to establish the original wording of the biblical texts. There is an attempt to establish the possible formation and transmission of the texts themselves. All the original manuscripts of the Bible have been lost. Thus, the goal of textual criticism is to recover the best critical text possible, given the circumstances of today. Most modern translations are based on various Hebrew and Greek critical texts. These ancient texts were copied by hand with some possible human errors. Many kinds of copying errors have been categorized and classified. Textual criticism is known as lower criticism, because it is the foundation for all of the other kinds of critical study.
Joakim (Dan 13:1-13:1)
“There was a man
Living in Babylon
Whose name was Joakim.”
This chapter 13 story only appears in the Greek Septuagint version of the Book of Daniel. Thus, this story of Susanna and Daniel is sometimes called apocryphal literature. It probably should be at the beginning of this work, since it presents Daniel as a young man, but it is usually placed here at the end. This story is about the wife of Joakim, a Jewish man living in exile in Babylon. The name Joakim means that the Lord will establish him.
The new decree (Dan 6:7-6:9)
“All the presidents
Of the kingdom,
The prefects,
The satraps,
The counselors,
The governors,
All agreed.
The king
Should establish
An ordinance.
He should enforce
An interdict.
‘Whoever prays
To anyone,
Divine,
Or human,
For thirty days,
Except to you,
O king!
Shall be cast
Into a den of lions.
Now,
O king!
Establish the interdict!
Sign the document!
Thus,
It cannot be changed,
According to the law
Of the Medes,
Of the Persians.
It cannot be revoked.’
Therefore,
King Darius signed
The document.
He signed
The interdict.”
Thus, the two other presidents of the kingdom, with the prefects, the satraps, the counselors, and the governors all agreed that the king should establish an ordinance to be enforced as an interdict. This ordinance would say that anyone who prayed to any divine or human for the next 30 days, except to the king himself, should be cast into a den of lions. Then the king established this interdict and signed the document that could not be changed, according to the laws of Medes and Persia. This is somewhat reminiscent of the story of the king in Book of Esther, chapters 3-4 and 8-9, against the Jews.
Remember the covenant (Ezek 16:61-16:63)
“‘Then you will remember
Your ways.
You will be ashamed
When I take
Your sisters,
Both your elder
As well as your younger.
I will give them
To you
As daughters,
But not on account
Of my covenant
With you.
I will establish
My covenant
With you.
You shall know
That I am Yahweh.
Thus you may remember.
Thus you may be confounded.
Never open
Your mouth again
Because of your shame!
I will forgive you
All that you have done.’
Says Yahweh God.”
Yahweh told Jerusalem that she would remember her wicked ways. She should be ashamed. Yahweh was going to give her younger and older sister, Samaria and Sodom, as daughters to her, but not because of a covenant. Yahweh was going to establish his covenant with Jerusalem. She would know that he was Yahweh. She would remember that and be confounded. Jerusalem was never again to open her mouth because of her shame. Yahweh was going to forgive her for all that she had done.
The eternal covenant (Ezek 16:59-16:60)
“Yes!
Thus says Yahweh God.
‘I will deal
With you
As you have done.
You have despised
The oath.
You have broken
The covenant.
Yet I will remember
My covenant
With you
In the days
Of your youth.
I will establish
With you
An everlasting covenant.”
Yahweh was going to establish an everlasting covenant with Jerusalem, even though she had forgotten and despised this oath. She had broken her covenant with Yahweh. However, he would remember the days of Jerusalem’s youth. He would remember the day that he established his everlasting covenant with her, despite the lack of commitment on her part.
The future restoration of Moab (Jer 48:47-48:47)
“‘Yet I will restore
The fortunes of Moab
In the latter days.’
Says Yahweh.
Thus far is
The judgment on Moab.”
Thus this long chapter on Moab ends with a future undated restoration of Moab. After this entire long diatribe, Yahweh was still going to let Moab establish itself again, but no specific time was mentioned.
Wisdom is the best (Sir 40:18-40:21)
“Wealth makes life sweet.
Wages makes life sweet.
But better than either is
The one who finds wisdom.
Children establish one’s name.
Building a city establishes one’s name.
Better than either is
The one who finds wisdom.
Cattle make one prosperous.
Orchards make one prosperous.
But a blameless wife is
Accounted better than either.
Wine gladdens the heart.
Music gladdens the heart.
But the love of wisdom is
Better than either.”
Sirach makes a lot of comparisons in these proverbs. No matter what, wisdom is always better than anything else. It is the best. Certainly having wealth and wages make life sweet. However, finding wisdom is sweeter than both of them. Having children and building a city will establish your name, but the one who finds wisdom is better established. Having cattle and orchards can make you prosperous, but a blameless wife is better than either of them. She is like wisdom. Finally, wine and music gladden the heart, but the love of wisdom is a better heart warmer than either wine or music.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 