Disability Studies and Biblical Literature
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Disability Studies and Biblical Literature Edited by Candida R. Moss and Jeremy Schipper
disability studies and biblical literature Copyright Candida R. Moss and Jeremy Schipper, 2011. Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2011 978-0-230-33829-6 All rights reserved. Chapter 5 reprinted by permission of the author and the Journal of Hebrew Scriptures from The Ascription of Physical Disability as a Stigmatizing Strategy in Biblical Iconic Polemics, Journal of Hebrew Scriptures 9.14 (2009): 1 15. c Journal of Hebrew Scriptures. Chapter 9 reprinted by permission of the author and Baylor University Press from Mikeal C. Parsons, Body and Character in Luke and Acts: The Subversion of Physiognomy in Early Christianity, pp. 109 123. Waco, TX: Baylor University Press, 2006. c Baylor University Press. First published in 2011 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN in the United States a division of St. Martin s Press LLC, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010. Where this book is distributed in the UK, Europe and the rest of the World, this is by Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited, registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS. Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies and has companies and representatives throughout the world. Palgrave and Macmillan are registered trademarks in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries. ISBN 978-1-349-34133-7 ISBN 978-1-137-00120-7 (ebook) DOI 10.1057/9781137001207 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Disability studies and biblical literature / edited by Jeremy Schipper and Candida R. Moss. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. People with disabilities in the Bible. I. Schipper, Jeremy. II. Moss, Candida R. BS680.P435D57 2011 220.8 3624 dc23 2011020966 A catalogue record of the book is available from the British Library. Design by Integra Software Services First edition: November 2011 10987654321
For friends at Temple University s Institute on Disabilities andludgerviefhues
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Contents List of Tables Abbreviations List of Contributors Introduction 1 Candida R. Moss and Jeremy Schipper 1 The Nature of Barrenness in the Hebrew Bible 13 Joel S. Baden 2 The Blind, the Lame, and the Barren Shall Not Come into the House 29 Susan Ackerman 3 Like the eunuch who does not beget : Gender, Mutilation, and Negotiated Status in the Ancient Near East 47 T. M. Lemos 4 Sexual Disabilities in the Hebrew Bible 67 David Tabb Stewart 5 The Ascription of Physical Disability as a Stigmatizing Strategy in Biblical Iconic Polemics 89 Saul M. Olyan 6 Whoring after Cripples: On the Intersection of Gender and Disability Imagery in Jeremiah 103 Rebecca Raphael 7 A Tale of Two Eunuchs: Isaiah 56:1 8 and Acts 8:26 40 117 Sarah J. Melcher 8 The blind, lame and paralyzed (John 5:3): John s Gospel, Disability Studies, and Postcolonial Perspectives 129 Warren Carter 9 His Feet and Ankles Were Made Strong: Signs of Character in the Man Lame from Birth 151 Mikeal C. Parsons ix xi xv
viii Contents 10 Paul s Disability: The Thorn in His Flesh 165 Adela Yarbro Collins 11 In Sickness and in Health: Ancient Rituals of Truth in the Greco-Roman World and 1 Peter 185 Meghan Henning 12 The punishment of the devil was apparent in the torment of the human body : Epilepsy in Ancient Christianity 205 Nicole Kelley Index 223
List of Tables 4.1 Three substantive categories of the priest s disabilities in P and its redactor H 70 4.2 Sexual disabilities in the Deuteronomic literature 73 4.3 Sexual disabilities in the Priestly literature 74 4.4 Summary of biblical sexual disabilities 75
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Abbreviations AB Anchor Bible ABD Anchor Bible Dictionary, ed. D. N. Freedman, 6 vols (New York, 1992) ABRL Anchor Bible Reference Library AnBib Analecta Biblica ANTC Abingdon New Testament Commentaries BDAG F.W.Danker,W.Bauer,W.F.Arndt,andF.W.Gingrich, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature (3rd ed., Chicago, 2000). BZAW Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft CAD The Assyrian Dictionary of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago (Chicago, 1956 ) CANE Civilizations of the Ancient Near East CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly CCSL Corpus Christianorum: Series latina (Turnhout, 1953 ) COS The Context of Scripture. vol.1:canonical Compositions from the Biblical World; vol. 2: Monumental Inscriptions from the Biblical World; vol. 3: Archival Documents from the Biblical World, ed. W. W. Hallo and K. L. Younger (Leiden: Brill, 1997 2002) CSEL Corpus scriptorum ecclesiasticorum latinorum CT Cuneiform Texts from Babylonian Tablets in the British Museum D Deuteronomic Dtr Deuteronomistic literature DtrH Deuteronomistic History EABS European Association of Biblical Studies EB Echter Bibel FAT Forschungen zum Alten Testament
xii Abbreviations FRLANT Forschungen zur Religion und Literatur des Alten und Neuen Testaments GCS Die griechische christliche Schriftsteller der ersten [drei] Jahrhunderte H Holiness Code HNT Handbuch zum Neuen Testament HSM Harvard Semitic Monographs HSMM Harvard Semite Museum Monographs HTS Harvard Theological Studies HUCA Hebrew Union College Annual HUT Hermeneutische Untersuchungen zur Theologie ICC International Critical Commentary IG Inscriptiones graecae. Editio minor. Berlin, 1924 JAAR Journal of the American Academy of Religion JBL Journal of Biblical Literature JE The Jewish Encyclopedia, ed. I. Singer, 12 vols (New York, 1925) JSJ Journal for the Study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic, and Roman Periods JSNTSup Journal for the Study of the New Testament: Supplement Series JSOTS Journal for the Study of the Old Testament: Supplement Series JSPSup Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha: Supplement Series JW Josephus, Jewish War KTU Die keilalphabetischen Texte aus Ugarit, ed. M. Dietrich, O. Loretz, and J. Sanmartín (2nd ed., Neukirchen-Vluyn, 1976) LCL Loeb Classical Library LHBOTS The Library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies NASB New American Standard Bible NIV New International Version NPNF Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers NRSV New Revised Standard Version OBT Overtures to Biblical Theology P Priestly Source PG Patrologia Graeca. ed. J.-P. Migne, 162 vols (Paris, 1857 86) RSV Revised Standard Version SBLDS Society of Biblical Literature Dissertation Series
Abbreviations xiii SC Sources chrétiennes (Paris, 1943 ) SHCANE Studies in the History and Culture of the Ancient Near East SP Sacra Pagina TDOT Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, ed. G. Kittel and G. Friedrich, trans. G. W. Bromiley, 10 vols (Grand Rapids, 1964 76) WUNT Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament ZNW Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft und die Kunde der älteren Kirche
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List of Contributors Susan Ackerman. Professor of Religion and Chair of the Department of Religion, Dartmouth College. Joel S. Baden. Assistant Professor of Old Testament, Yale Divinity School. Warren Carter. Professor of New Testament, Brite Divinity School. Adela Yarbro Collins. Buckingham Professor of New Testament Literature and Criticism, Yale Divinity School. Meghan Henning. Ph.D. candidate in New Testament, Emory University. Nicole Kelley. Associate Professor of Religion, Florida State University. T. M. Lemos. Assistant Professor, Faculty of Theology, Huron University College at the University of Western Ontario. Sarah J. Melcher. Associate Professor of Hebrew Bible, Xavier University. Candida R. Moss. Assistant Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins, University of Notre Dame. Saul M. Olyan. Samuel Ungerleider Jr. Professor of Judaic Studies and Professor of Religious Studies, Brown University. Mikeal C. Parsons. Professor of and Macon Chair in Religion, Baylor University.
xvi List of Contributors Rebecca Raphael. Associate Professor of Philosophy, Texas State University. Jeremy Schipper. Associate Professor of Hebrew Bible, Temple University. David Tabb Stewart. Assistant Professor of Ancient Near Eastern Religions, California State University, Long Beach.