Holiness in Israel (review)

Hebrew Studies 32 (1991) 90 Reviews Nevertheless, one cannot but admire the expert knowledge and scholarly effort that went into the publication of this edition. It is hoped that many more volumes in this series will follow. MoshePelli University ofCentral Florida Orlando, FL 32816 HOLINESS IN ISRAEL. By John G. Gammie. Overtures to Biblical Theology. Pp. xv + 215. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1989. Paper, $12.95. John Gammie's contribution to the well-received Overtures to Biblical Theology series is an important study of holiness as a theological theme in the Hebrew scriptures. Readers familiar with the recent excellent work of Jon Levenson, Sinai and Zion: An Entry into the Jewish Bible (1985), will be most appreciative of Gammie's additional contribution to our understanding of a fundamental and surprisingly under-treated aspect of biblical theology. Gammie's book, however, focuses directly on the question of holiness and appropriate responses holiness calls forth as attested across the breadth of Hebrew Scripture traditions. In this work Professor Gammie carefully supports a major thesis arising from his examination of holiness in the literary traditions. He contends that among all three groups contributing to scriptural traditions-priestly, prophetic, and sapiential-holiness is a significant theological concept. Thus holiness provides a unity between otherwise remarkably diverse streams of theological traditions. But that is only half the truth Gammie uncovers. Within this unity around holiness abides distinctiveness and diversity. While the holiness of God is perceived by priests, prophets, and sages, each group, Gammie believes, developed its own normative response to the experience of God's numinous presence. For the Priestly writers, the holiness of God demanded separation and ritual purity; for the prophets, holiness required social justice as response; and for the sages, holiness called forth a personal morality and integrity befitting God's omniscience. In the apocalyptic writings Gammie sees these three streams flowing together so that the ethical requirements of holiness in apocalyptic may be said to offer a recapitulation of biblical ethics. Hebrew Studies 32 (1991) 91 Reviews The plan of Gammie's book is reflective of his insightful thesis. In a brief introduction the author lays out both thesis and methodology, promising to make use of insights from history of religions research and recent anthropological work, particularly that of Mary Douglas and Edmund Leach, as well as the literary critical work of biblical scholars. Central to Gammie's understanding of holiness is the pioneering work of Rudolph Otto in The Idea of the Holy. Otto's characteristics of the experience of the numinous presence of God-mysterium, tremendum, energicum, maiestas, andfascinans-serve as an overlay for Gammie's reading of biblical texts (Le., to detect the expression of holiness beyond the limitations of holiness language). Otto's categories of universal experience provide a helpful window through which to discern the unity and diversity of Israel's conception of holiness and the requirements for cleanness which are called forth. In three of the six chapters that follow the introduction the author sets forth the normative views of holiness with its inherent and reciprocal concept of cleanness: for the Priestly writers (chap. 1); for the prophets, taking the book of Isaiah as exemplary (chap. 3); and in wisdom, particularly Proverbs, wisdom Psalms, and Job (chap. 5). Alternate chapters (2,4, 6) explore attenuations and variations from the normative view traced in other priestly, prophetic, and sapiential traditions. Thus Ezekiel's concept of holiness and the view of holiness found in the Chronistic history are compared with the normative priestly view; Jeremiah, Deuteronomy, and the Deuteronomic history with the normative view of the prophets; and Qoheleth, Sirach, and the Wisdom of Solomon with the normative view of the sages. The final chapter focuses on the understanding of holiness among Apocalyptic writers, particularly the "Little Apocalypse" of Isa 24-27, Zech 9-14, Joel, Ezek 38-39, and Daniel. Since Gammie sees the Apocalyptic works as bringing together diverse understandings of holiness from the three traditional sources, this chapter serves as an appropriate conclusion to the book. It is followed by a very brief summary which points back to the thesis and notes incidental, but not unimportant, secondary insights gained along the way. The value of...