AAR-SBL 2019 San Diego: Intertextuality in the New Testament

It's that time of year when anywhere between 10,000-12,000 religious scholars from around the globe (but mostly from North America) meet at the annual Society of Biblical Literature and American Academy of Religion meeting in San Diego from November 23-26, 2019. I'm continuing as co-chair of the Intertextuality in the New Testament Section and this year we have 5 sessions programmed at the annual meeting. Two of them are joint sessions shared with the Hebrews Section (i.e., the Letter to the Hebrews), two open sessions, and one we are sponsoring with the Composite Citations group. 
    I'm presiding over the first of our plenary sessions, and giving a response paper for the second. I'm preparing my response paper this coming week and look forward catching up with colleagues and friends at the meeting.
    Please join us for the sessions. Below are the session dates, times, locations, presenters and their paper titles. Blessings! MJL
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S23-323: Intertextuality in the New Testament / Hebrews
4:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Sat 11/23/2019
28C (Upper Level East)

Theme: Intertextuality in the Letter to the Hebrews and the Old Testament/Jewish Literature
The Hebrews Section and The Intertextuality in the New Testament Section have collaborated for two joint plenary sessions. This is the first of two which features invited papers with responses that pay particular attention to the intertextual methods employed by the author of Hebrews with the Old Testament and Jewish literature.

Max Lee, North Park Theological Seminary, Presiding

Susan Docherty, Newman University Birmingham
Israel’s Scriptures in Hebrews (25 min)

David Moffitt, University of St. Andrews
Isaiah 53, Hebrews, and Covenant Renewal (25 min)

Lori Baron, Saint Louis University, Respondent (10 min)

George Guthrie, Regent College
High Priestly Sacrifice and “Intertextual Layering” in Hebrews (25 min)

Nicholas Perrin, Trinity International University
Two Psalms and a Priest Walked into a Bar: The Traditionsgeschichte behind Jesus’ Sacerdotal Sonship in Hebrews (25 min)

Erik Waaler, NLA University College, Respondent (10 min)

Discussion (30 min)
Business Meeting (0 min)


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S24-125: Hebrews / Intertextuality in the New Testament
9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Sun 11/24/2019
2 (Upper Level West)

Theme: Intertextuality in the Letter to the Hebrews and the Classical Tradition/Greco-Roman Literature
The Hebrews Section and The Intertextuality in the New Testament Section have collaborated for two joint plenary sessions. This is the second of two which features invited papers with responses that pay particular attention to the intertextual methods employed by the author of Hebrews with the classic tradition and Hellenistic/Greco-Roman literature.

David Moffitt, University of St. Andrews, Presiding

Kenneth Schenck, Houghton College
Echoes of Philo in the Sermon of Hebrews? (25 min)

Madison N. Pierce, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
The Origins of Prosopological Exegesis and Features of Its Use in the Epistle to the Hebrews (25 min)

Max J. Lee, North Park Theological Seminary, Respondent (10 min)

Scott D. Mackie, Independent Scholar
Divine Testing, Toil, and Confession of Divine Kinship in Philo, Congr. 163–180 and the Epistle to the Hebrews 12:1–17 (25 min)

Jason A. Whitlark, Baylor University
Humor in Hebrews: Rhetoric of the Ridiculus in the Example of Esau (25 min)

B. J. Oropeza, Azusa Pacific University, Respondent (10 min)

Discussion (30 min)

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S24-220: Intertextuality in the New Testament
1:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Sun 11/24/2019
27A (Upper Level East)

Theme: Composite Techniques and Traditions

Sean Adams, University of Glasgow, Presiding
Seth Ehorn, Wheaton College (Illinois), Presiding

Sean Adams, University of Glasgow and Seth Ehorn, Wheaton College (Illinois)
What is a Composite Allusion? An Introduction to This Session and Its Aims (5 min)

Michelle Fletcher, King's College London
Reading Composite Allusions as Pastiche (20 min)
Discussion (5 min)

Sean Adams, University of Glasgow and Seth Ehorn, Wheaton College (Illinois)
Composite Allusions in Classical Authors (20 min)
Discussion (5 min)

Tavis Bohlinger, University of Durham
An Overlooked Composite Allusion to Genesis 15:6 in Pseudo-Philo’s Liber Antiquitatum Biblicarum (20 min)
Discussion (5 min)

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S24-323: Intertextuality in the New Testament
4:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Sun 11/24/2019
Aqua 307 (Third Level)

Theme: Intertextuality in the Gospels and Acts

Isaac Morales, Providence College (Rhode Island), Presiding

Bruce Henning, University of Aberdeen
The Church’s One Foundation? Peter as the Messianic Temple Foundation in Matt 16:18 (20 min)
Discussion (10 min)

Rachel Yejee Park, Yale Divinity School
More Parallels between Jesus and Moses in Matthew 14:22–33 and Exodus 14:10–31 (20 min)
Discussion (10 min)

Hans M. Moscicke, Marquette University
Intertextual Allusions to Jonah in Matthew 27 (20 min)
Discussion (10 min)

J. D. Atkins, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Where Is It Written That the Christ Must Suffer? An Intertextual Clarification of Luke 24:44–46 (20 min)
Discussion (10 min)

Michael Patrick Barber, Augustine Institute Graduate School of Theology
Holy Craps: Lot Casting and Priestly Traditions in Acts 1 (20 min)
Discussion (10 min)

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S25-130: Intertextuality in the New Testament
9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Mon 11/25/2019
30C (Upper Level East)

Theme: Intertextuality in the Epistles

Alice Yafeh-Deigh, Azusa Pacific University, Presiding

Ryder A. Wishart, McMaster Divinity College
Cain and Abel in Second Temple Jewish Culture: The Intertextual Negotiation of Social and Theological Values (25 min)
Discussion (10 min)

Jackson Wu, International Chinese Theological Seminary
God is Not Justified by Wrath: Vindicating Paul’s Use of Psalm 51:4 in Romans 3:4 (25 min)
Discussion (10 min)

Josef Sykora, Northeastern Seminary at Roberts Wesleyan College
The Sword of God’s Judgment: Romans 13:1–7 and the Song of Moses (25 min) 
Discussion (10 min)

Michael M. C. Reardon, University of Toronto
The Corporate σῶμα in Epictetus and Paul (25 min)
Discussion (10 min)

Lastest Wabash Center Article on #LearningOnline in Theological Education

You can read the article online or download a PDF version here

Well, I have not been doing much posting on the blog (just way way toooooo busy) but I have been slowly working on publishing steadily again, starting with the Wabash Center's series on Online Teaching-Learning, then working on some lectionary articles with the Westminster  John Knox Press Series Connections (Lectionary B), and eventually going full steam to finish a long overdue monograph with Mohr-Siebeck. 
   For now, I hope those interested in online education will find this article helpful on "5 Tips for Effective Online Teacher-Student Communication" born from trial and error, mostly error, and learning to be a better teacher in the process. 

Happy New Year this 2019!

Happy New Year! From everyone I've talked to, we all seemed to have a really tough 2018, full of disappointment, distress, sometimes tragedy, illness, and disaster. I'm grateful that through the valley moments in my life, Christ the Good Shepherd does see me through all the time. If there is one thing to celebrate in 2018, it is His faithfulness.
    I have been thinking about a Bible verse which encapsulates 2018 and leads me into 2019. I've landed on John 3:30: "He must become greater, I must become less" (NIV). I think one of the reasons why 2018 was so hard was simply there was too much of me, too little of Jesus. As I repent about how let so many other things and circumstances shape me rather than the Lord, I'm praying that in 2019, there will much more of Christ and less of me. 
    2019 is the year of the pig, a symbol of festivity and joy. Let's hope that as Christ increases and we decrease, the fruit of walking with Christ and letting him form us will indeed lead to inexpressible joy. Blessings in the New Year! MJL