Jesus And The Old Testament by R. T. France (review)

412 BOOK REVIEWS though research references are given to satisfy the speci!tlist without wearying the reader who seeks a more intelligent appreciation of these three biblical prophecies. Theologians especially should find this volume of assistance for, as Dr. Wiseman remarked in his general preface, " ...the author of this commentary has shown that it is possible to make a book of the Bible-:--often little read and studied outside a few well-known passages-stand out afresh in its historical and prophetic setting, yet with meaning, relevance, and application for the serious reader today. " Even an extremely long review would not suffice to illustrate Dr. Wiseman's opinion fully; only a reading of the work itself would convey these nuances of scholarship. Dominican House of Studies Washington, D. C. ALAN SMITH, o. p. Jesus And The Old Testament. By R. T. FRANCE. Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1971. Pp. Q86. $9.95. Jesus' concept of his own identity and mission continues to preoccupy biblical exegetes, as this work illustrates. The approach of Prof. France is via Christ's use of Old Testament quotations: an approach which has not been thoroughly explored. Closely allied to this. issue is the question of the authenticity of sayings attributed by the Evangelists to Jesus. Limiting himself to the Synoptic Gospels, the author addresses his study to the solution of both problems by asking two questions: (I) Does Jesus' approach to the Old Testament represent an original line of development? and (Q) Did it form the model followed by the New Testament writers? His research leads him to an affirmative answer in each case. An examination of the text-form of the Old Testament quotations employed by Jesus occupies the first stage of this work. Rejecting the extreme skepticism of the followers of Bultmann, Dr. France concludes that there is no substantial evidence to be found in Christ's use of the Old Testament to support other than a Semitic origin of the latter. This conclusion is reached from the observation that in no case does a quotation of Jesus depend upon the Septuagint reading: all could be based on the Hebrew text. Jesus' use of typology bears out this initial conclusion. The author understands typology as a " pattern of the dealings of God with men " which is repeated later on in the antitype. The latter is described as " the embodiment of a principle which was exemplified in the type " through BOOK REVIEWS 418·both-'historical and theological correspondence. His· analysis of a variety of texts leads him to conclude to an authentic use of types by Jesus in perfect continuity with the Old Testament, but manifesting revolutionary features. The treatment of Jonah as basically a type- of one snatched from death is cogent. Next follows a study of Jesus' use of prediction. Here the author notes his heavy emphasis on present fulfillment-clearly exemplified in Luke 4:21, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled." Dr. France opts for what may be called a moderate eschatology on the part of Jesus: for him, the Kingdom of God is already partially realized, with a distinctive future aspect yet to 'be realized. This emphasis on the " already " aspect is taken by the author to constitute Jesus' most original contribution (over and above the fact. of course, that he identifies himself as the Messiah!) . A final chapter probes Jesus' use of Daniel 7 and Second Zechariah to support the claim of originality. Dr. France notes several thrusts in the Lord's citation of these texts. And, lastly, some examples are adduced to illustrate how the early Church (including the Evangelists) followed the pattern set by Jesus with few exceptions. All of these insights plus three appendices and a table of references add up to a truly worthwhile book. University of St. Thomas Houston, Texas MARTIN HoPKINS, O.P. Il Moro: EUis Heywood's Dialogue in Memory of Thomas More. Translated and Edited by RoGER LEE DEAKINS. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1972. Pp. 155. $10.00. Ellis Heywood (1530-1578) was a child when· his granduncle Tnomas More was executed in 1535. His portrait of More is not arecollection of the historical personality' of the author of Utopia; it...