Reviewed Book: Moloney, Francis J. The Living Voice of the Gospel. [S.l.]: Collins Dove; London: Darton, Longman & Todd; New York: Paulist Press, 1987

Buck, Erwin

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The Living Voice of the Gospel

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ConsensusVolume 15Issue 1 Mission of the Church Article 135-1-1989The Living Voice of the GospelErwin BuckFollow this and additional works at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensusThis Book Reviews is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Consensus by anauthorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.Recommended CitationBuck, Erwin (1989) "The Living Voice of the Gospel," Consensus: Vol. 15 : Iss. 1 , Article 13.Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol15/iss1/13Book Reviews 117approaches can be seen in their entries on the Pentateuch and its sources.Eerdmans gives as much space to the traditional view that Moses was re-sponsible for the Pentateuch as to the Documentary Hypothesis of mod-ern scholars, even though concluding that the historical-critical approachis important for understanding the sources for the Pentateuch. Harper’sdiscusses only the Documentary Hypothesis.In conclusion, I can say that I am happy to possess both dictionar-ies. For its comprehensiveness, wider range of theological interpretation,and greater attention to linguistic details I find Eerdmans a valuable re-source. For its more pleasing format (larger print, more pictures, maps,and charts), wider range of authors, and more up-to-date biblical criti-cism I value Harper’s. A further plus for Harper’s is the newly published(1988) companion volume. Harper’s Bible Commentary, with its extensivecross-references to the dictionary.David W. DahleCamrose Lutheran College, Camrose, AlbertaThe Living Voice of the GospelFrancis J. MoloneyNew York/Mahwah: Paulist Press, 1986U.S. $8.95Francis Moloney wishes to bring to laypeople the insights that have beengained by careful and responsible scholarship. The growing sophisticationof believers, especially among the young, suggests to him that the time isripe for scholars to communicate with laypersons on a more challenginglevel.After a general introduction regarding the appropriate reading of agospel the author devotes two chapters to each of the four gospels, out-lining first the general argument and the major theological issues foundwithin the gospel under consideration, and then examining a particularsection from that gospel. In the concluding chapter Moloney reflects on thedynamism that has always characterized the revelation of the Word of Godin Scriptures and in the Tradition.Moloney presents data which demonstrate that the gospels are at vari-ance with one another at significant points. “There are two very differ-ent versions of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth” (93), he observes, and thegospels often diverge widely in the way in which they portray such inci-dents cLS Peter’s confession of faith, for instance. Careful comparison of theMatthean Sermon on the Mount with the corresponding material in Luke,leads Moloney to conclude: “If we claim that the gospels are historical, inthe modern sense of the term, then either Luke or Matthew must have their118 Consensus‘facts’ wrong” (9). The gospels are not primarily brief accounts of the lifeof Jesus. Each evangelist has told the basic story of Jesus in such a wayas to proclaim, in his own particular way, a message of God’s purpose inoffering hope and salvation for humankind. Therefore, “we must avoid thetemptation to harmonise them, to insist that all four evangelists are sayingthe same thing” (19).The gospels should be read as entire documents, not just as collec-tions of independent stories. “It is not by chance that the miracle of theSyrophoenician woman [in Mark] comes between a gift of bread to Israel(6:31-44) and a gift of bread to the Gentiles (8:1-10)” (33). The confessionof Peter is carefully “framed” by two miracles where blind men receive sight(Mark 8:22-26; 10:46-52) and is dominated by three passion predictions(8:31; 9:31; 10:32-34). It is the contextual placing of the individual storieswhich gives important clues regarding the evangelist’s intended meaning.But the interpreter must not be content simply to elucidate the back-ground and intention of the evangelist, Moloney insists. The object is not“the rediscovery of a first-century church with its first-century answers”(20). The gospels have something to say to women and men today. Markassures the readers that even though they continue to see things “in the wayof men” (8:33), Jesus does not abandon them, but continues to teach themin the way of discipleship, not by laying down laws, but by inviting themto “follow” the way of the suffering and serving Son of Man. Mark calls asuffering church to follow a suffering Messiah. Luke proclaims a universalmessage of repentance and salvation to churches far-flung from Christian-ity’s Jewish origins. The theme of “journey” permeates all of Luke, the un-born baby must be carried all the way from Galilee to Jerusalem (see Luke2:1-7 and compare Matthew 2:1-12, which presupposes that the baby isborn at home). At Jerusalem, one journey ends and another begins, as thechurch launches out into the whole world, as Luke relates in Acts. Matthewpoints to Jesus as the perfection of the hopes of Israel. John proclaims theunique revelation of God in his only-begotten Son Jesus, before whom bothJew and Greek must make their decision of faith.The book does not constitute an advance in New Testament scholarship.Rather, Moloney has admirably succeeded in presenting in concise fashionfor the benefit of the intelligent and interested layperson what scholars havecome to observe a long time ago.Realizing that the discussion of these issues often generates great heat—and very little light, Moloney has “tried to deal with this matter in anobjective and caring way” (x). While endeavouring to keep in touch withcontemporary scholarship, Moloney has attempted to write in a direct andsimple fashion, “trying to avoid all the byways into which a purely scholarlyapproach could lead us” (viii). He deliberately takes a “moderate line”(147), but unfortunately he frequently skirts the real problems which arecreated by scholarly observations. “We cannot pause here to delve intothe theological and historical difficulties created by these two very differentnarratives,” he remarks after comparing the birth stories of Matthew andBook Reviews 119Luke (93). For such treatments Moloney refers the reader to bibliographyin the footnotes.At various places one might disagree with Moloney. For example, doesthe Lukan Eucharist indeed center around “a body broken and blood spilt”(85)? It all depends on how one copes with the text- critical problem atLuke 22:17 ff., but Moloney does not even indicate that there is such aproblem. With regard to Matthew, Moloney accepts the structural outlineof Bacon, without mentioning J.D. Kingsbury’s trenchant critique of thatanalysis.Nevertheless, this is an eminently useful book for the intelligent layper-son who wishes to learn more about a responsible handling of Scripture.Erwin BuckLutheran Theological SeminaryOn Exodus: a Liberating PerspectiveGeorge V. Pixleytranslated by Robert R. BarrMaryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 1987XX + 236 pp.For many years the writer of this review has believed and taught thatYahweh’s message to the Egyptian Pharaoh, “Let my people go”, is a one-sentence summary of Old Testament theology. A commentary on Exodusdedicated to “the heroic struggle of the Salvadoran people” and addressed to“the person who feels an identification with the oppressed in their longingfor liberation” (xv) would seem, on the surface at least, to fall directlywithin this perspective.Through a section-by-section analysis of the entire book of Exodus,augmented by thirteen appendices, George V. Pixley draws on the resultsof biblical scholarship to make the ca.se that “there is an affinity betweenthe struggle of the Hebrew people against the forced labor and genocide im-posed by the Egyptian state and the current struggles of the popular classesin such places as Central America” (xiv). As the commentary develops itbecomes clear that more is at stake than this modest aim indicates. Thebook of Exodus appears as a justification of and a formula for revolutionagainst the oppressor.The possibility of this radical interpretation of the book lies in theauthor’s isolation of four stages in the composition of the text. Thesecorrespond to changes in the social and political contexts of the writers.In the initial two stages, now obscured and almost obliterated by laterreinterpretation, the Exodus narrative is an account of a class struggle.Originally, it was the battle for liberty of an oppressed peasant group in

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