God’s Holy People: A Theme in Biblical Theology
Overview
God’s Holy People focuses on the character of Israel, and examines the relationship between Israel and the nations as a framework for understanding Christian mission. God mandates holiness for Israel—Israel must be different from other peoples, because Israel belongs to Yahweh. Yet what does it mean to be a holy nation and a priestly kingdom? This book addresses two questions: What does holiness mean, and what to the dynamics of holiness in Scripture say about reading Scripture? Holiness, according to Jo Bailey Wells, focuses on faithful adherence to God’s covenant in all aspects of worship and life.
Top Highlights
“He demonstrates what it means to be holy, to belong to God. The special identity involves special responsibilities which are expounded in the Priestly material: to protect God’s special presence in the sanctuary, to apply and teach the laws by which God’s people are to live, and more generally to negotiate the special relationship between Yhwh and the people. Thus he is the focus of Yhwh’s holy presence with Israel and of Israel’s identity before God.” (Page 123)
“Holiness focuses, primarily, on faithful adherence to God’s covenant laws in all aspects of worship and life.” (Page 14)
“Holiness expresses Israel’s distinction from other peoples” (Page 97)
“‘Holy’ describes a status and a standard and a function.” (Page 56)
“The understanding of holiness which is developed through the New Testament is dependent on and bears resemblance to its Old Testament counterpart, yet it differs in certain fundamental aspects.” (Page 15)
. . . A useful analysis of a familiar biblical theme that is not often studied. . . . I recommend to scholars and students.
—Catholic Biblical Quarterly
Bailey Wells is to be commended for the careful, fresh and hermeneutically alert approach to this familiar biblical theme.
—Biblical Interpretation: A Journal of Contemporary Approaches
- Title: God’s Holy People: A Theme in Biblical Theology
- Author: Jo Bailey Wells
- Publisher: T & T Clark
- Publication Date: 2000
- Pages: 297