This collection of essays by biblical scholars currently situated B in Oceania engages regional concerns—for example, climate i b change, conquest, migration, displacement, resettlement, asylum, l and discipleship—at the intersection of Bible, borders, and e , belonging(s). The contributors read, in their own ways, biblical B texts on those concerns in relation to borders and belonging(s). o The meanings of borders and belonging(s) are fluid and r overflowing: the borders of a text, nation, community, or body d e may be in view; and belonging(s) encompasses possessions as well r as belonging in a place (home, land), a group (tribe, camp), or a s movement (disciples, cultures). Regional in roots (belonging), this , B volume flows far beyond the borders of Oceania. e The contributors are Jeffrey W. Aernie, Mark G. Brett, Merilyn Clark, l o Michele A. Connolly, David M. Gunn, Jione Havea, Gregory C. n Jenks, Jeanette Mathews, Judith E. McKinlay, Monica Jyotsna g Melanchthon, David J. Neville, John Painter, Kathleen P. Rushton, i n Ruth Sheridan, Naˉsili Vaka‘uta, and Elaine M. Wainwright. g ( JiONE HAVEA is Senior Lecturer in Biblical Studies at United Theological s College of the School of Theology of Charles Sturt University, Australia. ) He is the author of Elusions of Control: Biblical Law on the Words of Women (Society of Biblical Literature) and co-editor of Out of Place: Doing Theology on the Crosscultural Brink (Equinox). DAViD J. NEViLLE is Senior Lecturer in New Testament Studies at St Mark’s National Theological Centre of the School of Theology of Charles Sturt University. He is the author of A Peaceable Hope: Contesting Violent Eschatology in New Testament Narratives (Baker Academic) and co-editor of Faith and Freedom: Christian Ethics in a Pluralist Culture (ATF Press). W aiNH ELAiNE M. WAiNWRiGHT is Head of the School of Theology at the nea University of Auckland, New Zealand. She is the author of Women wrigvillevea Bible, Borders, Belonging(s) Healing/Healing Women: The Genderisation of Healing in Early Christianity h t (Equinox) and co-editor of The Bible in/and Popular Culture: A Creative Encounter (Society of Biblical Literature). Engaging Readings from Oceania Cover photo: The Hot Seat, © Samuel Bushi, bushifilmco.com, Edited by Jione Havea, David J. Neville, 2014. Cover design: Kathie Klein. and Elaine M. Wainwright Society of Biblical Literature BIBLE, BORDERS, BELONGING(S) Semeia Studies Gerald O. West, General Editor Editorial Board: Pablo Andiñach Fiona Black Denise K. Buell Gay L. Byron Jione Havea Jennifer L. Koosed Jeremy Punt Yak-Hwee Tan Number 75 BIBLE, BORDERS, BELONGING(S) ENGAGING READINGS FROM OCEANIA Edited by Jione Havea, David J. Neville, and Elaine M. Wainwright Society of Biblical Literature Atlanta Copyright © 2014 by the Society of Biblical Literature All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by means of any information storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permit- ted by the 1976 Copyright Act or in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission should be addressed in writing to the Rights and Permissions Offi ce, Society of Biblical Literature, 825 Houston Mill Road, Atlanta, GA 30329 USA. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Bible, borders, belonging(s) : engaging readings from Oceania / edited by Jione Havea, David J. Neville, Elaine M. Wainwright, Society of Biblical Literature. p. cm. — (Society of Biblical Literature. Semeia studies ; Number 75) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-58983-955-7 (paper binding : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-1-58983-957-1 (electronic format) — ISBN 978-1-58983-956-4 (hardcover binding : alk. paper) 1. Bible—Criticism, interpretation, etc.—Oceania. 2. Oceania—Social conditions. 3. Oceania—Environmental conditions. 4. Christianity—oceania. 5. Christian life—Oce- ania. I. Havea, Jione, 1965– editor of compilation. BS511.3.B523 2014 220.60995—dc23 2014002890 Printed on acid-free, recycled paper conforming to ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 (R1997) and ISO 9706:1994 standards for paper permanence. Contents Abbreviations ...................................................................................................vii Preface ................................................................................................................ix Engaging Readings Engaging Scriptures from Oceania Jione Havea ..................................................................................................3 “Save Us! We Are Perishing!”: Reading Matthew 8:23–27 in the Face of Devastating Floods Elaine M. Wainwright ..............................................................................21 Calamity and the Biblical God—Borderline or Line of Belonging? Intratextual Tension in Luke 13 David J. Neville .........................................................................................39 On the Crossroads between Life and Death: Reading Birth Imagery in John in the Earthquake-Changed Regions of Otautahi Christchurch Kathleen P. Rushton .................................................................................57 Th e Prologue of John: Bridge into a New World John Painter...............................................................................................73 Jewish Readings of the Fourth Gospel: Beyond the Pale? Ruth Sheridan ...........................................................................................93 Mapping the Boundaries of Belonging: Another Look at Jacob’s Story Merilyn Clark ..........................................................................................109 Slipping across Borders and Bordering on Conquest: A Contrapuntal Reading of Numbers 13 Judith E. McKinlay .................................................................................125 vi CONTENTS Border Crossing/Body Whoring: Rereading Rahab of Jericho with Native Women Nāsili Vaka‘uta ........................................................................................143 Deuteronomy 30: Faithfulness in the Refugee Camps of Moab, Babylonia, and Beyond Jeanette Mathews ....................................................................................157 Reading Rizpah across Borders, Cultures, Belongings … to India and Back Monica Jyotsna Melanchthon ...............................................................171 Borderless Discipleship: Th e Syrophoenician Woman as a Christ-Follower in Mark 7:24–30 Jeff rey W. Aernie .....................................................................................191 Bare Feet Welcome: Redeemer Xs Moses @ Enaim Jione Havea ..............................................................................................209 Th e Sign of Jonah: Reading Jonah on the Boundaries and from the Boundaries Gregory C. Jenks.....................................................................................223 Engaging Responses Gospel Maps: Intersections of Life Michele A. Connolly ..............................................................................241 Breaking Bible Boundaries David M. Gunn .......................................................................................249 Bordering on Redemption Mark G. Brett ..........................................................................................259 Contributors ...................................................................................................269 Index of Primary Texts .................................................................................273 Index of Modern Authors.............................................................................281 Index of Subjects ............................................................................................287 Abbreviations Ag. Ap. Josephus, Against Apion Ant. Josephus, Jewish Antiquities BDAG Bauer, W., F. W. Danker, W. F. Arndt, and F. W. Gin- grich. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3d ed. Chicago: Uni- versity of Chicago Press, 1999. BDB Brown, F., S. R. Driver, and C. A. Briggs. A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1907. BDF Blass, F., A. Debrunner, and R. W. Funk. A Greek Grammar of the New Testament and Other Early Chris- tian Literature. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1961. Comm. Jo. Origen, Commentary on John Embassy Philo, On the Embassy to Gaius FIR First Information Report Haer. Irenaeus, Adversus haereses (Against Heresies) jb Jerusalem Bible J.W. Josephus, Jewish War KNLA Karen National Liberation Army lxx Septuagint mt Masoretic Text njps Tanakh: Th e Holy Scriptures: Th e New JPS Translation according to the Traditional Hebrew Text nrsv New Revised Standard Version NSW New South Wales Ps.-Clem. Hom. Pseudo-Clement, Homilies rsv Revised Standard Version -vii- Preface Biblical studies are not conducted in a vacuum and are necessarily infl uenced by sociocultural contexts and concerns. Th e studies in this col- lection focus on various interpretive issues relating to current big-picture concerns in Oceania. Th e contributors are located around the edges of the Tasman Sea, but the issues, views, arguments, blind spots, and concerns that they address extend over the currents of Oceania onto the shores of Asia, and further. Th e chapters refl ect the competencies and concerns of their respective authors—biblical scholars of diverse backgrounds who currently read, live, play, work, and worship in Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia—but the collection as a whole illustrates the potential con- tribution of the Bible and biblical studies to public discourse on matters of general concern. Th e collection came together as follows: Ten of the thirteen contribu- tors met over three days (April 19–21, 2012), thanks in part to a grant from the Public and Contextual Th eology Research Centre of Charles Sturt University, to present and discuss some “drafty drafts” of our thoughts, with two contributors presenting by video conference. Th is seminar was at United Theological College, North Parramatta (NSW, Australia), and though we did not consult the traditional custodians of the land, we each learned what the others were doing, and we helped one another sharpen and deepen our thoughts on our texts, topics, and con- cerns. Th e three respondents did not participate in the seminar, but they have been invited to respond because of their rootedness in Oceania and expertise on the subjects of Bible, borders, and belongings. Each of the contributors engages biblical text(s) and/or character(s) that crop up in the intersection of the Bible with borders and belongings. Th e Bible is of course vast, complex and slippery, and the meanings of borders and belongings are fl uid: from belonging in a place (home, land), a group (identity, nation), or a movement (disciples, cultures), to belongings as material and cultural possessions (property); and from the borders of a -ix-