The Use of the Old Testament in the New Testament
Southwestern Journal of Theology
Volume 64, No. 1 – Fall 2021
Editor: David S. Dockery
By Bruce W. Longenecker. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2020, xi+292pp., $34.99
Bruce W. Longenecker serves as professor of religion and occupies the W. W. Melton Chair at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Longenecker has written numerous articles and monographs on the relationship between Pompeii and the New Testament, including: “Pompeian Artifacts and Jesus-Devotion: The Contours of the Issue in the Early Twenty-First Century” (2019), Early Christianity in Pompeian Light: People, Texts, Situations (2016), The Crosses of Pompei: Jesus-Devotion in a Vesuvian Town (2016), and “The Empress, the Goddess, and the Earthquake: Atmospheric Conditions Permitting Public Displays of Jesus-Devotion in Pompeii” (2016).
In his writing, Longenecker examines selected archeological artifacts (e.g., graffiti, inscriptions, statues, temples, paintings, tombs) preserved by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE to discover what they reveal about the ancient Roman world, especially urban settings. Classical texts are referenced occasionally, but only when they shed light on archeological remains. Afterward, he relates these artifacts to selected New Testament texts to glean new insights into the rise of the Christian faith in its historical settings. Longenecker is particularly interested in identifying the diverse ways Christianity gained a foothold, as well as the fresh ideas it introduced. While the calamity caused by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius affected multiple towns, Longenecker focuses mostly on the artifacts found at Pompeii and (to a lesser extent) Herculaneum, two coastal towns located approximately one hundred fifty miles south of Rome.
Those unfamiliar with the significance of the resources located at Pompeii and Herculaneum examined by Longenecker may question the legitimacy and uniqueness of his project. Nevertheless, when one recognizes that Pompeii and Herculaneum were covered and preserved by huge amounts of volcanic pumice and pyroclastic ash for centuries (up to twenty feet), they come to realize that both locations provide a treasure trove of materials from the ancient world. To be sure, Pompeii and Herculaneum supply a window to the first century like no other towns from ancient times due to the carefully preserved materials, which archeologists have largely uncovered in the past several hundred years.
The author’s purpose is neither to provide a complete introduction of ancient Roman artifacts nor a thorough discussion of early Christianity within the Roman world. Rather, he examines selected points of contact between the themes expressed in the artifacts with those found in New Testament texts. An additional motivation for writing In Stone and Story is a desire to provide a type of “interpretive bridge” for twenty-first century readers (p. 7). More specifically, Longenecker aims for his work to serve as a guide to help modern readers understand not only the first-century world of the Romans, but also the uniqueness of the Christian writings that appeared within it.
Longenecker arranges In Stone and Story into four major sections. In Part One, “Protocols of Engagement” (chs. 1-3), he covers various preliminary matters. The ancient Romans’ pursuit of status served as “the most important social phenomenon of the ancient world” (p. 14). Indeed, this feature functions as the “glue” that holds together many of the case studies examined in the book (p. 13). Furthermore, Longenecker discusses the similarities and differences between ancient cities, his work’s predilection for Paul’s writings due to their urban Roman contexts, and the basics regarding the archeological artifacts found in Pompeii and Herculaneum.
In the remaining portions of the book (parts 2-4), which comprises the bulk of his study, Longenecker surveys some of the Roman world’s most prominent features (as illustrated in the Vesuvian artifacts), which he places under the broad headings of “Popular Devotion,” “Social Prominence,” and “Household Effectiveness.” He discusses beliefs and practices tied to everyday life such as sacrificing to the deities, the promotion of the Pax Romana narrative, devotion to the Greco-Roman deities and mystery deities, life and death, and slavery. The reader gains a sense of how the Romans thought as well as what they valued. Longenecker identifies similarities and differences between the Roman and Christian perspectives, reaching the following conclusion: “[W]e have at times heard apostolic voices of the early Jesus-movement articulating perspectives that highlight the innovative creativity of their theological worldview. Embedded in their discourse were certain ideological commitments that ran against the grain of perspectives and practices commonly entrenched within the Greco-Roman world. At much of the same time, however, we have also seen how some forms of early Christian discourse and practice were aligned in general conformity with the first-century contexts.” (p. 250)
The author intended to write an introductory work for a popular as opposed to scholarly audience, and several features support this aim. Longenecker presents many beautiful and relatively clear images of the artifacts discussed, as well as photos of structures and diverse materials from (mostly) modern Pompeii. He also directs readers to remarkable internet resources, such as the website, “Pompeii in Pictures” (pp. 28-30), that allows them to examine ancient artifacts discussed in the writing. Other features of interest to a non-scholarly readership include the Appendix (pp. 255-63), which shares forty-eight “things to consider,” that is, additional early Christian passages not discussed in chapters 4-19 that provide opportunities for further reflection on various topics (e.g., sacrifice and sin, peace and security), and a helpful Glossary of terms used in the book (pp. 265-67). Finally, the “Further Reading” section shares many valuable works for scholarly and non-scholarly readers alike (pp. 268-82).
Some may question several of his conclusions, such as the suggestion that Paul highlighted women in public leadership roles while later Christians altered his presentation (pp. 223-25). Nevertheless, by and large Longenecker provides a perceptive, masterful overview of the Vesuvian artifacts and their corresponding themes in relation to the New Testament writings.
Anyone who wishes to understand Roman and Christian thinking on key beliefs and practices will greatly benefit by reading In Stone and Story. Pastors will better understand ancient Roman values, longings, fears, and ethics, while professors in universities who teach Bible survey classes will come to appreciate the social, religious, economic, and political world within which Christianity emerged. This is an excellent teaching resource. Strongly recommended.
