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Seeking the Imperishable Treasure
Wealth, Wisdom, and a Jesus Saying
Steven R. Johnson
SEEKING THE IMPERISHABLE TREASURE
Wealth, Wisdom, and a Jesus Saying
Copyright © 2008 Steven R. Johnson. All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in critical publications or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the publisher. Write: Permissions, Wipf and Stock Publishers, 199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401.
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isbn 13: 978-1-55635-244-7
eisbn 13: 978-1-4982-7384-8
Cataloging-in-Publication data:
Johnson, Steven R.
Seeking the imperishable treasure : wealth, wisdom, and a Jesus saying / Steven R. Johnson.
xvi + 184 p. ; 23 cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
isbn 13: 978-1-55635-244-7 (alk. paper)
1. Q hypothesis (Synoptics criticism). 2. Bible. N.T. Gospels—Criticism, interpretation, etc. 3. Gospel of Thomas (Coptic Gospel)—Criticism, interpretation, etc. 4. Bible. N.T. James—Criticism, interpretation, etc. 5. Bible. N.T. Colossians—Criticism, interpretation, etc. 6. Wealth—Religious Aspects—Christianity. 7. Wisdom—Religious Aspects—Christianity. I. Title.
bs2555.2 j64 2008
Manufactured in the U.S.A.
To Ellen
You may not be what Jesus
and the sages of old were speaking of,
but to me
you are radiant and unfading,
more precious then jewels,
an unfailing treasure,
an enduring wealth,
better than silver or choice gold;
with you I am happy.
Acknowledgments
I would like to recognize and extend my appreciation and gratitude to the following institutions and individuals for their support in this project.
The Institute for Antiquity and Christianity supported my work as a research associate with the International Q Project. Much of the thanks for this goes to the emeritus Director of the Institute, James M. Robinson. Jon Ma. Asgeirsson, a former Associate Director, provided support in many other ways—I’m glad to be able to thank him here.
Benjamin L. Hubbard, Religion Department Chair emeritus at California State University, Fullerton, provided me with a teaching assistant in my last year of adjunct teaching. James Robinson enabled my writing in innumerable ways, both financially and intellectually. It has truly been an education working with him. Gregory J. Riley provided me with fresh, new ways of looking at the Gospel of Thomas, ways that are reflected in this work. Douglas M. Parrott has been especially supportive as a reader and friend, providing both a sounding board and sound advice on numerous occasions in recent years.
A big thanks to K. C. Hanson, Editor in Chief at Wipf and Stock Publishers, for approaching me about publishing this study. Both his enthusiasm and his editing skills have been a tremendous help.
Blessings to my friend and colleague, C. Michael Robbins, who has been an ever-present reminder to me that scholarship is not the end-all—that a full life is a happier life. To my parents, Robert and Lois Johnson, whose love, enthusiasm, interest, concern, and support—both as parents and as friends—helped me to survive the program at Claremont. And finally, to my wife and sweetie, Ellen Davis, who has been a dear friend since the day I arrived in Claremont; for her love and support. She slowed me down in the courtin’ years—and I thank God.
Abbreviations
AAR/SBL American Academy of Religion/Society of Biblical Literature
AB Anchor Bible
AcOr Acta Orientalia
ANRW Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt
APOT The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament. Edited by R. H. Charles
ASNU Acta seminarii neotestamentici upsaliensis
BDAG Walter Bauer, Frederick W. Danker, William F. Arndt, and F. Wilbur Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (the earlier, 2nd edition [1979] is referred to as BAGD)
BDF Friedrich Blass, Albert Debrunner, and Robert W. Funk, A Greek Grammar of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature
BETL Bibliotheca Ephemeridum Theologicarum Lovaniensium
BHT Beiträge zur historischen Theologie
Bib Biblica
BibS(F) Biblische Studien (Freiburg)
BJRL Bulletin of the John Rylands University Library of Manchester
BU Biblische Untersuchungen
BWANT Beiträge zur Wissenschaft vom Alten und Neuen Testament
BZ Biblische Zeitschrift
BZENT Beiträge zur Einleitung in das Neue Testament
BZNW Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft und die Kunde der älteren Kirche
CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly
CBR Currents in Biblical Research
CEQ The Critical Edition of Q: Edited by James M. Robinson, Paul Hoffmann, and John S. Kloppenborg. Hermeneia Supplements
CNT Commentaire du Nouveau Testament
Crum W. E. Crum, A Coptic Dictionary
Ebib Études bibliques
EGGNT Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament
EKKNT Evangelisch-katholischer Kommentar zum Neuen Testament
EvT Evangelische Theologie
Exp The Expositor
FB Forschung zur Bibel
FFNT Foundations & Facets: New Testament
Forum Foundations & Facets: Forum
FRLANT Forschungen zur Religion und Literatur des Alten und Neuen Testaments
GBS Guides to Biblical Scholarship
GNT4 The Greek New Testament, 4th ed.
HTKNT Herders theologischer Kommentar zum Neuen Testament
HTR Harvard Theological Review
HTS Harvard Theological Studies
IAC Institute for Antiquity and Christianity
ICC International Critical Commentary
Int Interpretation
IQP International Q Project
JBL Journal of Biblical Literature
JSNTSup Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement Series
KBANT Kommentare und Beiträge zum Alten und Neuen Testament