Studies in Jewish and Christian Literature

Whether Paul teaches or assumes a Trinitarian theology has become a lively question among New Testament researchers in the past few decades. Ron Fay contributes to this debate by viewing Paul's letter to the Roman church within their own social and religious context. What role do mystery cults, the Capitoline Triad, and the Roman imperial cult play in the reception of Paul's theology proper? By borrowing from and subverting the pagan theological landscape, Fay claims that Paul was able to build an argument for and present the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as a trinity in Romans 8. Each performs an overlapping role with the others in the work of re-creation, salvation, adoption, and glorification for those who are "in Christ."

Most scholars understand that the Day of Atonement ritual of Leviticus 16 provides the main template for understanding Jesus's death and exaltation in the argument of Hebrews. This study suggests that the perspective of Hebrews is much wider than that, conceiving of the ascension as the inauguration of Jesus' office as "Son" at the "right hand of God." The title "Son" is the fulfillment of the promises made to David (2 Sam 7:12-15), which are claimed for Jesus explicitly in Heb 1:5 and 13. This connection to the Davidic covenantal traditions brings closer the theology of Hebrews and the theology of other New Testament documents, which opens new vistas for understanding early Christianity.

“The War Scroll at Qumran” (1QM) is a rich text that describes the battle between the Sons of Light on one side and Belial and the Sons of Darkness on the other. Allusions of Scripture throughout the scroll promise God's support of the Sons of Light, but only columns 10-12 directly cite Scripture. Melgar argues that these citations are used prophetically by looking to the past in order to predict the future, when God will fully establish his reign and his fellowship with the Sons of Light. By integrating theories from biblical and literary studies, Melgar reads these citations within a web of intertextual connections and suggests that they provide a window into the religious beliefs of the sectarians at Qumran.