Statement

Another problem was applying ancient texts to contemporary reality. In 2 Samuel 7 David is assured by God that his line will reign forever, but what could that mean in a world with no Davidic dynasty and with Jews under foreign powers? Isaiah's prophecies speak of the Assyrians, but what did they mean when Jews faced Greeks and Romans? Early interpretation assumed the Bible was perpetually relevant, which stood in tension with the fact that much of it was out of date.

References

1. p. 58

   supports · main text · ch. 2

   Efron, Lehmann and Weitzman. The Jews: A History. 3rd edition. New York and Abingdon: Routledge, 2019.

   Verification anchor recorded · checked against the page text