Rework Introduction

Elijah in James - immediately.

Example of righteous prayer

Interpretative issues regarding drought

Appropriateness of Elijah narrative to James

baal; sin & restoration; rich; etc. (in New Intro.)

Historical Elijah does not end with ascension.

Eschatological Elijah

Highly eschatologically charged character. as witnessed in the Gospels, rev. 4:25; etc.

this is denied by commentators - emphasizing omoiopathes

Elijah is a human - contrary to Jewish background, so eschatological Elijah is a human like us.

It is affirmed by some.

Elijah’s prayer and Eschatology in James:

  1. Elijah’s historical and eschatological traditions are not seperable. He is one and the same, and the traditions about the eschatological Elijah are blended with the traditions about the historical Elijah and vice versa
  2. See particularly Sirach 48
  3. Exile theology
  4. Not just return of Elijah, but Elijah associated with the fire & with exile & with restoration of twelve tribes via Isaiah 49:6. {footnote about James and Gentiles?}
  5. Note then 4Q521; LAB 48:1; 4 Ezra; where similar phenomenon occurs.
  6. Tg. Ps.-J. Deut. 33:1; Phinehas targumim; and the connection between Malachi and 1 Kgs. See also Tg. Ruth 1:1 (drought type of eschatological drought?).
  7. Luke 4:25 –Gentiles, but also poor, widow and orphan imagery associated with 3.5 years {relation with Isaiah 61 seen in widow’s poverty, not her gentile nature – though that could be seen as well as a “sojourner/prosylite”? (note the issue of borders)
  8. 3.5 issue?
  9. round number
  10. suffering
  11. judgment
  12. why 3.5 in Elijah’s drought?
  13. Drought as origin of 3.5 years & Judgment?
  14. More detailed account of third year after many days + time for assembly?
  15. Association with Daniel via oath, dispersion, θλιψις (12:1; 7; 11:35) etc.?
  16. Was James and perhaps Jesus aware of the connection?
  17. Rev 11 – 3.5 years; Elijah’s drought; 3.5 days; vindication; suffering/tribulation
  18. 5:17-18 evokes several images of eschatolog in other passages in James
  19. James links with 1:1 (eschatological bookends)
  20. via Sirach 48 / Isa 46:9 / Sir 36, 35 Restoration of twelve tribes
  21. Tg. Ps.-J. Deut. 30:4 “Even though your dispersal will be to the ends of the heavens, from there will the Memra of the Lord gather you through the mediation of Elijah, the great priest, and from there he will bring you near through the mediation of the King Messiah.”Note eschatological connotation and the allusions to Malachi (bring near) and perhaps to Sirach 48 (dispersion); LAB 48 (Phinehas); etc.
  22. Lack of rain as judgment
  23. General principle in OT prophets. (further thoughts on James – mentions Deuteronomy & rain, but does not recognize the prophetic development. Seen in James’ use in 5:7-8 (see also Enoch’s Epistle; etc.)
  24. James overtly mentions Elijah’s prayer for rain, which hearkens back to 5:7-8 and eschatological ramifications.
  25. 5:7-8 is explicitly eschatological (wait patiently for the coming of the Lord, as the farmer waits for the former and latter rains.
  26. Background: Deut 11; Joel; Hosea; etc. (only five places where hopsimos and proimos are used, and in four of them they are prophetic texts.
  27. Deut is covenantal background for them all – and for Elijah’s drought! (cf Lev 26) Note mention of care of widows and orphans in 10:18.
  28. Hosea calls the Lord coming the spring rain; this is associated with healing and repentance as well.
  29. See also Isaiah 58:8 ‘Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy health shall speedily spring forth: and thy righteousness shall go before thee, and the glory of God shall compass thee.” (Note the “story of Israel” ch. On James). Note use of proimos, (not as rain, but as “early”) note also the return of rain in latter part of the chapter as a result of proper prayer and social concern. God’s benificence is contingent upon our benificence (image of God idea?)
  30. Joel 2:23 God’s eschatological blessing including the pouring out of the Spirit and the pouring of the rain comes as a result of prayer; Gracious and Merciful God;
  31. Jeremiah 5:24 – God’s withdrawl of the early and late rains is the result of Israel’s sin – specifically orphans and widows.
  32. Zechariah 10:1 – pray for early and later rains – see who’s in charge. It’s God!
  33. Sirocco imagery of 1:9-11 (poor & rich reversed; sun rising with scorching heat a possible reference to Malachi 3?
  34. Eschatological Elijah and James?
  35. Rain/Drought judgment/Restoration language (covenant developed into eschatology)
  36. Three point five years time of thlipsis?/Judgment/interim period & inaugurated theology
  37. Elijah the messenger to come in Malachi – what is known RE function of messenger?
  38. Rain imagery
  39. linked to tithes!
  40. Tithes, according to Deut 26 go to levites, widows, orphans and aliens! (See also Tobit 1:6-8; Sir 35) (Deut 26:15 God looks down from heaven and blesses the land v. 15)
  41. Tithes are a prerequisite for God opening the heavens! James 1:27 casts widows and orphans in thlipsis.
  42. judge is standing at the door
  43. Collusion of indictments similar to James: Widows, Orphans, Adulterers, false swearing, witholding wages etc.
  44. drawing near in judgment
  45. lord of hosts / isaiah / wages / pantokrator in Malachi
  46. leviticus 19 connection (tosato/hugenberger/Johnson)
  47. association of false swearing solved? Why is it there? Is it there because of Malachi 3?
  48. refiners fire (james 1:2-3; 1 Peter 1:7)
  49. Note that Elijah cared for the widow and the orphan – with healing! (Luke associates 3.5 with this healing episode and the rain – there the issue was not just that they were Gentiles, but that they were the poor as well! – that fits Isaiah 61!)
  50. Healing (opposite of sickness/weakness) in his wings (compare with Isaiah 58)
  51. Corporate restoration (fathers to sons) and solidarity of 5:17-18; issues of division; etc.
  52. Elijah in Sirach – twelve tribes.
  53. Relation to prayer?
  54. Eschatological community
  55. inaugurated restoration yet to be consumated
  56. Community of the renewed 12 tribes (but still in the dispersion)
  57. First fruits, but not the whole harvest
  58. Interimsethik
  59. Eschatological suffering of the poor/community.
  60. thipsis
  61. 3.5 years
  62. waiting for the rain/reign
  63. All prayer is eschatological
  64. Suffering in an eschatological context (1:27)
  65. Chastisement hurts, but it is for our good. (Hosea & Job)
  66. Personal responsibility and reproof
  67. Widow – “What have I done?” “As Yhwh lives…” Obedience
  68. Ahab –“Troubler of Israel - NO Ahab troubled Israel”
  69. Confession
  70. Patience
  71. Elijah’s wait for vindication – not in his lifetime!
  72. Elijah’s obedience
  73. Prayer
  74. Social responsibility
  75. tithes/care of widow, orphan, etc. linked to rain & prayer
  76. Sirach
  77. Deut
  78. Mal
  79. Isa 58
  80. Jeremiah
  81. Relief is available in the midst of repentance (both
  82. for the offender [the one healed and/or forgiven]
  83. and for the person who restores the offender).
  84. Community solidarity
  85. Confession one to another
  86. Saving the wanderer

Interplay of Sir 35-36; 48

Bottini: Intercession; Delimitation of Passage; Elijah material, but no eschatology

Eisenman Eschatology, but no morings in orthodoxy

Edwards Eschatology, but not applied to Elijah.