Jesus and Ethics by Richard H. Hiers (review)

210 BOOK REVIEWS From the detailed exegesis and interpretation of Paul's use of flesh the author is lead to the conclusion that he does not put forward a " systematic anthropology, nor does he offer a psychology of man as such, of his constituent parts, his nature, his functions." (p. ~16) Rather the author concludes that Paul treats of man in various ways, and even when using the central idea of flesh he does not restrict himself to a single meaning. He does, however, always treat of the whole man and in the context of a redemptive-history theology. The third section provides the background against which the author determines Paul's debt to the thought of the Old Testament and Judaism for his use of flesh, as well as the area in which his meaning diverges. In regard to the latter-flesh as a term for man in slavery to sin and at enmity with God-he insists upon the importance of Paul's Christology and teaching on the Spirit for a proper interpretation of meaning. In summary, the dissertation is an impressive and imposing piece of work on an important topic. However, certain reservations might be entertained about methodology. The method used by the author is basically the so-called Begriffsforschung-the investigation of the theology contained in a word or group of words. Since .James Barr's resounding criticism of this method in Semantics of Biblical Language, one wonders whether the on-going discussion might not relegate such an approach as the author's to a school of the recent past. Dominican House of Studies Washington, D. C. JusTIN CuNNINGHAM, 0. P. Jesus and Ethics. By RICHARD H. HIERS. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1968. Pp. ~08. $6.50. This book studies the thought of four scholars, Harnack, Schweitzer, Bultmann and Dodd on the relation between the eschatology and ethics of Jesus. By eschatology Hiers means mostly the specific teaching of Jesus that the kingdom of God would be coming visibly, dramatically, and very soon, at which time human history would end. Harnack argues that, although the teaching is in the New Testament, Jesus never took it very seriously and certainly did not make it part of the essence of his doctrine. Schweitzer asserts that Jesus took the teaching very seriously and called for an " interim " ethics until the time would come. Bultmann agrees with Schweitzer that Jesus took the teaching seriously, taught it, and was mistaken about it. The exegete now must demythologize to find an ethical teaching for today. Dodd holds that Jesus preached that the kingdom of God had already come. BOOK REVIEWS 211 Thus, if each man were asked what the relation between the eschatology and the ethics of Jesus is, Harnack would say that there is no relation; Schweitzer that the ethics is a direct result of the eschatology; Bultmann that, since the eschatology is myth, one must go behind it to find the real meaning of existence, namely, radical obedience to the Word of Jesus expressing itself in love of neighbor; Dodd that the ethics flows naturally from a realized eschatology. Hiers accepts something from all these men but follows the exegesis of Schweitzer and Bultmann mostly. He thinks Dodd is guilty of introducing Platonism into his exegesis by claiming that Jesus was consciously symbolizing in his eschatological teaching an eternal order beyond space and time. Hiers holds that Jesus was simply mistaken about his teaching and taught nothing of the eternal order created by Dodd's platonism. This, of course, opens up the bag of worms about the identity of Jesus. Hiers skirts the question but seems to give us his own idea about it when he says that God " was incarnate both in the men of faith in ancient Israel and in Jesus of Nazareth." (p. 154) In other words, Hiers would not accept the divinity of Jesus in any unique sense. His criticism of Dodd's position, then, does not allow the possibility that that doctrine, not platonism, gave Dodd his basic insight into the preaching of Jesus. Even if one cannot accept all of Hier's conclusions, the book is a useful summary of the positions of four...