Book Review of Story as Torah by Wenham, Part 2

Wenham’s Organization of His Book

It begins with an Introduction followed by a chapter on Critical Methodology. It then has three main chapters on the Rhetorical Function of Genesis, the Rhetorical Function of Judges, and Ethical Ideals and Legal Requirements, where Wenham attempts to demonstrate his main thesis. Next is a chapter on Some Problemmatic Tales, followed by a chapter on New Testament Perspectives, and ending with Conclusions.

Wenham sets out his main thesis at the beginning, but his methodology is almost cryptically hidden throughout the text. It is not until pp. 88-89 that Wenham gives a three-fold criteria for determining the implied author’s ethical ideal, even though the preceding chapters have been trying to establish the ethical ideal from Genesis, Judges, and the Law codes. It seems better for this to have been placed early in the book, so the reader can understand how Wenham landed on certain ideals.

These criteria are as follows:

1. Behavior pattern should be repeated in a number of different contexts since “it is more likely that a repeated pattern is intended to be imitated than one that is described just once” (p. 88).
2. A virtuous character trait should be exhibited in a positive context (p. 89).
3. Remarks in the legal codes, psalms, and wisdom books often shed light on Old Testament attitudes to different virtues and vices (p. 89).

Evaluation: Aside from the fact that the third criteria is not parallel with the others, and that none of the criteria offer any real objective standard, these criteria do provide a starting point for consideration. It is good that they require that individual pericopes be evaluated in the larger context of an entire book, or even section of books (e.g., the Pentateuch). Furthermore, they do not provide a paradigm for addressing negative character that appear frequently (e.g. lying) though Wenham does address them in his writing as negative. Wenham cautions about finding any virtuous action in Judges (p. 89), though his “Problemmatic Tales” use Gideon as a paradox, appearing both virtuous and questionable. In short, these criteria work well for stories that fit them, but have no place for stories that do not (of which there are plenty).

How Stories Communicate Ethical Ideals

Wenham argues that the moral viewpoint of the author/narrator is rarely explicit, but often contained in his presentation of the story or scene: “A wise woman called from the city (2 Sam 20:16), Sarah ill-treated her (Gen 16:6), the people of Israel played the harlot after the Baals (Judg 8:33) (p. 14). This has the effect not only of revealing the author’s ethic, but also balancing the reader’s emotional balance and emotional distance, both of which are necessary.

Furthermore, the stories selected highlight the qualities or virtues that the author deemed noteworthy. By his selection of stories, the author highlights the ideals that he wishes to encourage or discourage.