TIDSSKRIFT FOR TEOLOGI OG KIRKE 66 (1995)

SUMMARY
The Oldest Bible Commentary? The Melchizedek Document from Qumran
The paper contains 1. a short general introduction to the current state of Qumran research; 2. a Norwegian translation of the Qumran document 11Q13 (11QMelch), with introduction and commentary; 3. a brief discussion of the relevance of the text for New Testament studies; and 4. some suggestions for further work on this very fragmentary document, in three directions: a) A reappraisal of the material reconstruction of the scroll; b) a fresh form-critical study of the document; c) comparative analysis of the document's use of Biblical texts within the broader setting of ancient Jewish and Christian exegesis.

Built on Solid Rock: Studies in Honour of Professor Ebbe Egede Knudsen on the Occasion of his 65th Birthday April 11th 1997

SUMMARY
Elias Blix (1836-1902) and Semitic Studies
Elias Blix has a very important position in the cultural history of Norway in the 19th century. As an author of hymns and a translator of the Bible, he was responsible for a major breakthrough in the development of nynorsk (an alternative form of the Norwegian written language, constructed on the basis of Old Norse and spoken dialects): He made the language acceptable for church use.
Much less known and estimated is the fact that Blix was a professor of Hebrew at the University of Oslo since 1879. His thesis for the degree doctor philosophiae, "The most important terms for the concepts Lord and Prince in the Semitic languages" (De vigtigste Udtryk for Begreberne Herre og Fyrste i de semitiske Sprog, 1876) was his only major scholarly contribution. In this work, he made an attempt to explain all the Semitic triliteral word-stems from older biliteral roots, which he further compared with Indo-European monosyllabic roots. This line of research conformed to an important trend of Semitic research in his day, but his further studies in the field (he worked on a manuscript for a "Semitic Root-Lexicon") remained unpublished.
There are some limitations inherent in the thesis of Blix. His choice to compare words that have semantic traits in common, rather than phonological or morphological, renders problematic the systematic conclusions that Blix draws from his material.
The most important limitations, however, should probably be sought in the external conditions of Blix. In particular, his participation in the Norwegian Government (1884-88) a few years after his appointment as a professor is probably a factor of decisive importance for his scholarly career. Except a period of study by H. L. Fleischer in Leipzig (1871-72), his exchange with scholars abroad was restricted.
Blix does not represent a very important chapter in the history of Semitic studies at Norwegian universities. His academic work may, however, throw considerable light upon his biography, and it should be of great interest for scholars interested in hymnology, Bible translation, the history of nynorsk as a language, and Norwegian cultural history in general.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE HISTORICAL ORIGINS OF THE WORSHIP OF JESUS 13-17 June 1998 St. Mary's College University of St Andrews

ABSTRACT: "MELCHIZEDEK AND JESUS"

Anders Aschim

The problem of the relationship between these two figures in the Letter to the Hebrews has been treated "in many and various ways" throughout the history of scholarship. In 1965, a _pesher_ from Qumran mentioning Melchizedek (11QMelch) was published. The text is fragmentary, but in it Melchizedek seems to appear at the end of days as a heavenly/angelic warrior, judge, and high priest. He atones for the "Sons of Light" at the great Day of Atonement which introduces the redemption of the final jubilee of history, and he defeats "Belial and his lot," executing judgment on behalf of God.
Later studies on Hebrews regularly discuss the significance of this text for the understanding of the letter, but no consensus has emerged. Some have argued that a Jewish tradition about a "heavenly Melchizedek" is utilised in the development of the Melchizedek-Jesus typology characteristic of the christology of Hebrews. Some detect polemics against exaltation of angels in Hebrews 1-2, finding in 11QMelch exactly the kind of angel exaltation refuted in Hebrews. Others are reluctant to see a connection, suggesting that the Melchizedek figure in Hebrews is shaped by the author's exegesis of Gen 14:18-20 and Psalm 110, rather than by extra-biblical tradition.
With the possible exception of Hebr 7:3 (where Melchizedek is perhaps understood as a heavenly figure, as in 11QMelch), obvious links between the two portraits of Melchizedek have been difficult to establish. However, several scholars have pointed to similarities between the images of Melchizedek in 11QMelch and _Jesus_ in Hebrews, particularly in the passage 2:10-18.
This paper will argue that the author of Hebrews, in shaping the image of Jesus as a heavenly warrior and high priest, did indeed take recourse to such a "heavenly Melchizedek" tradition. The impression that 2:10-18 already invokes the figure of Melchizedek is adequate, even if the connection is explicitly developed only in the later "high priest" passages of the letter. The sudden introduction of _Abraham_ in Hebr 2:16 and of the _high priest_ motif in 2:17 seem to prepare for the more elaborate expositions in 6:13-20 and ch. 7, where (the high priest according to the order of) Melchizedek and Abraham are the central figures. The significant structural role of Psalm 110 throughout the letter is another important clue.
If correct, this thesis may contribute to a clearer understanding of the place of the Letter to the Hebrews in the development of early christology. The introduction of the heavenly warrior-priest, well-known from Jewish tradition about Melchizedek, as a category for interpreting elements common to early Christian traditions (the suffering and self-sacrifice of Jesus on behalf of others, as well as his enthronement at God's right hand), seems to be a unique contribution of Hebrews. This combination in turn leads to a significant reinterpretation of the Melchizedek tradition, as demonstrated by later evidence (NHC IX,1).

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(c) 1998
Reproduction beyond fair use only on permission of the author.

TIDSSKRIFT FOR TEOLOGI OG KIRKE 70 (1999)

SUMMARY
Typological Method and Biblical Studies
The essay discusses typological analysis and dating of human artefacts, and the significance and limitations of such procedures for studies of the Biblical and Early Jewish cultures and literatures. Illustrations are selected from the disciplines of palaeography and Semitic philology, in particular as applied to material from the Qumran library. Two case studies are offered, one on the development of the Jewish script and the dating of manuscripts, another on the development of the Aramaic language in Palestine and the dating of texts written in this language.

THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS FIFTY YEARS AFTER THEIR DISCOVERY Major Issues and New Approaches Jerusalem, July 20-25,1997

ANDERS ASCHIM

Norwegian Lutheran School of Theology

Melchizedek and Levi

The portrait of Levi in certain Jewish works of the Second Temple period (the Aramaic Levi Document, Jubilees 30-32, the Greek Testament of Levi) shares some interesting features with the image of Melchizedek in the Hebrew Bible. Like Melchizedek in Gen 14:18-20, Levi is called "priest for the Most High God," and he is connected with the tithe. Like the priest "according to the order of Melchizedek" in Ps 110:4, Levi is proclaimed as "priest forever."
While these similarities have long been noted, opinions about their significance differ. Especially intriguing is the question of an eventual connection with the Hasmonean rulers. This raises the issue of the date and tendency of the Levi texts: Are they pro-Hasmonean, anti-Hasmonean, or pre-Hasmonean? Or do they rather represent different opinions or stages of tradition? A related issue concerns the dating of the Melchizedek texts of the Hebrew Bible. Hasmonean dates have recently been proposed for both Gen 14 and Ps 110.
The paper will reassess the question of the relationship between the Melchizedek and Levi traditions, in the light of recent research on the Qumran fragments of the Aramaic Levi Document and the Book of Jubilees.

TIDSSKRIFT FOR TEOLOGI OG KIRKE 72 (2001)

SUMMARY
The "New Religionsgeschichtliche Schule" in New Testament Research
Taking Larry W. Hurtado's 1988 monograph One God, One Lord: Early Christian Devotion and Ancient Jewish Monotheism as its point of departure, the essay introduces the recent trend in New Testament scholarship labeled "the New Religionsgeschichtliche Schule," characteristically emphasising "divine agency" speculations in Ancient Judaism as a resource for early christological thinking.