James Chukwuma Okoye, a native of Nigeria, is a member of the Spiritan community. He has served his order and church in Nigeria and in Rome as a member of the Spiritans’ international administration. He is associate professor of Biblical Studies at Catholic Theological Union, Chicago.
224 pages
Contents:
1. The Hermeneutics of Mission in the Old Testament 1
Election and Mission 1
Scholars and Mission in the Old Testament 5
What Is Mission in the Old Testament? 9
Four Faces of Mission in the Old Testament 10
Survey of Contexts of Mission in the Old Testament 12
Interpreting the Text 13
A Christian Reading of the Old Testament 15
Discussion 16
2. A Brief Survey of Trends in Mission 18
Reflection 22
3. Genesis 1 as Blueprint for Mission 24
Faith and Culture 25
Structural and Literary Analysis 26
The Resting of God 28
The Earthly Temple 30
In the Likeness of God He Created Them 32
Conclusion 34
Discussion 34
4. “You have put all things under his feet”: Psalm 8 35
A Hymn 35
Translation 36
The Frame 38
The Narration: The Heavens 39
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The Narration: The Earth 40
Discussion 42
5. The Blessing of Abraham: Genesis 12:1-3 43
The Divine Initiative in Mission 43
The Story Line 44
Mission as Blessing for All Families on the Earth 46
Reapplications of the Blessing of Abraham 49
The Blessing of Abraham in Acts 3:25 and Galatians 3-4 52
Conclusion 54
Discussion 55
6. “For the whole world is mine”: Exodus 19:3-8 56
Reapplication in Revelation and 1 Peter 2:4-10 64
Conclusion 66
Discussion 66
7. God of Righteousness: The Prophetic Protest of Amos 67
Amos 1:2: Yahweh’s Presence in Zion Is Fraught
with Dire Responsibility 68
Amos 1:3–2:16: Israel as One of the Nations 70
Amos 9:7: Do Not You and the Cushites All Belong to Me? 75
Conclusion 77
Discussion 79
8. The Protest of Jonah 80
Approaches to the Interpretation of the Book of Jonah 81
The Context of the Book of Jonah 82
Internal Structure and Themes of the Book of Jonah 84
Discussion 89
Appendix: The Book of Jonah 89
9. The Primacy of the Righteousness of God 93
Conclusion 100
Discussion 101
10. “Sing to Yahweh all the earth”: Psalm 96 102
Conclusion 107
Discussion 108
11. Zion, Center for World Peace and Moral Center
of the World: Isaiah 2:2-5 109
The Unit and Its Context 109
The Cultural Background 110
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Mount Zion as the Highest of the Mountains 111
Mission by Attraction 112
Torah from Zion 113
Yahweh Adjudicates between the Nations 114
The Mission of the House of Jacob 114
Conclusion 116
Discussion 117
12. The Inclusive Covenant 118
Isaiah 19:16-25 118
Zechariah 14 122
Isaiah 56:1-8 123
Isaiah 66:18-24 125
Conclusion 127
Discussion 128
13. A Light to the Nations: Deutero-Isaiah and Mission 129
The Salvation of the Nations and Their Acknowledgment
of Yahweh 131
The Role of Israel vis-à-vis the Nations
outside the Songs of the Servant 134
The Role of Israel vis-à-vis the Nations
in the Songs of the Servant 135
Conclusion 142
Discussion 143
14. “I am creating new heavens and a new earth”:
Isaiah 65:17-25 144
Discussion 150
Conclusion 151
Bibliography 159
Index 173
Scripture Passages Discussed 178
Reviews
"This book will take its deserved place among the few ilustrious exceptions to the general neglect of the Old Testament in mission studies . . . . Okoye shows us how much they still have to teach us in relation to the mission of the church today."--Christopher J.H. Wright, Langham Partnership International"The most authoritative and comprehensive book on mission in the Old Testament--an inspiriting work done with crystal clarity and great insight."--David Rhoads, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
"Written with a great expertise and sensitivity that is unparalleled in previous studies."--Francis Anekwe Oborji, Urbaniana University, Rome
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ISBN: 9781570756542
Catalogue code: N/A
Publisher: ORBIS BOOKS - published N/A
Format: N/A