pitkanen

8/8/2019 pitkanen

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/pitkanen 1/3

Pekka M.A. Pitkänen, Joshua: Apollos Old Testament Commentary , IVP

Academic, 2010. – Reviewed by Jim West

It’s not very often that a commentary can be described as historically critical, theologicallyinsightful, and spiritually uplifiting. Somehow or other, though, P. has managed to accomplish

all three in this intriguing volume.

But first, the bad.

The table of contents offers the reader a plethora of valuable information, including full listings

of introductory matters and excurses (which are scattered throughout the book). What it

doesn’t offer the reader, regrettably, is any way to locate the contents of the Book of Joshua. If

readers wish to find the commentary associated with any particular passage, they are obliged,

for some inexplicable reason, to thumb through the volume in order to find it. All the reader is

told is that the text and commentary commences on page 101. A series of 12 excurses are then

listed. But there’s not the slightest indication that the commentary’s treatment of Joshua 9 can

be found on page 205.

To be sure, that’s not an insurmountable difficulty. But it does seem a tad odd. If the focus of

a commentary on a biblical text is the text itself, why ‘hide’ the text and the commentary

attached to it?

And now, the good.

Our author goes to great pains to discuss, incredibly fairly, the most pressing of questions

attached to Joshua. So, for instance, he describes ‘history’ in Joshua. ‘Genocide’ in Joshua.

‘Theology’ in Joshua. The problem of war in Joshua. And most impressively, Joshua, Israel

and the Palestinians.

And while the commentary proper is quite good, P. is actually at his best in explanatory

introductory issues. The introduction (at 100 pages) is worth the price of the volume. Here’s

why:

1- P. is extraordinarily even handed in his discussion of the ‘minimalists’. He writes with

restraint and respect. And even, given the conservative nature of both author and audience, P.

is unwilling to castigate.‘

The author does think that it is entirely plausible that, if read in anappropriate way, the book reflects actual historical events, even though one certainly cannot

prove the matter ’ (p. 40). And again- ‘… while the writer in many ways disagrees with the

views of the minimalist scholars, he thinks that they contain valuable insights and are worth

consulting’ (p. 40). Given the vitriol of Dever and Shanks and others, it’s more than a little

refreshing to see fair and balanced conservative scholarship.

8/8/2019 pitkanen


2- P. offers some interesting historical interpretations. ‘We may think of Joshua as a product of

a pro-Yahwistic party that wished to mould Israelite society in its preferred form, contrary to

some other common religious practices prevalent in their day’ (p. 71). And even more

impressively, ‘ … it must be specifically noted that any possible exaggerations in the text,

besides belonging to a common Ancient Near Eastern literary tradition, can also be seen as part

of the rhetoric of the authors who wished to emphasize the power and might of Yahweh so thatthe Israelites would follow him’ (p. 72).

3- P’s treatment of the problems of holy war and genocide are theologically sensitive. Indeed,

he suggests that one possible solution to the problem posed by Joshua ’s promotion of violence

‘… could be to say that this was part of the unique, non-repeatable, salvation-historical plan of

God’ (p. 80). And ‘Looking at it from a Christian canonical standpoint, the destruction of the

Canaanites can then be seen as a localized judgment on mankind in order to further God’s plan

of salvation, culminating in Christ’ (p. 81).

Are these satisfying solutions? No. Not even for P. ‘… There is a tension in Joshua which

cannot but remain unresolved for many if we want to believe in the goodness of God based on ahuman understanding of the matter ’ (p. 82).

And finally, the 4th

reason why this is a good volume is that P’s discussion of Israel and the

Palestinians is spot on. P. isn’t afraid to allow the biblical text to address modern life. Or, in

other words, he isn’t afraid to think theologically. Unfortunately too many commentators are

afraid to do exactly that, preferring instead to relegate scripture to the dusty past where it can’t

offend or challenge or demand. Not so P.

‘… Three issues in particular … have sprung from my considerations of Joshua, that is, how

ideology can drive territorial appropriation, the basis from which the concept of justice and

fairness should be evaluated, and the role of power in all this’ (p. 89). And then he describes infascinating detail the processes which have led to the present situation of the Palestinians in

Israel. Citing the work of Ze’ev Jabotinsky and the influence which his ‘ plan’ to populate

Palestine with Israelis has had, P. remarks ‘… the situation has turned into something that is

grossly unfair to and unjust for the Palestinians’ (p. 95). Moreover, ‘Just as outlined by the

ideology of the Iron Wall, the Palestinian negotiation is based on a position of desperation, and,

with the passing of time, there is a threat that there will be increasingly less for them to

negotiate for ’ (p. 95).

Anyone watching the debacle called the ‘Peace Talks’ in Israel will know immediately that P.

has put his finger right on the heart of the issue. And that he does so in connection with the

book of Joshua, which many see as a mandate to rid the land of all foreigners, is a stroke of brilliance.

Furthermore, P. shows himself to be no friend of Christian Zionism (which may surprise many

of the more conservative readers of his volume). ‘… There is no need to interpret biblical

material as foretelling a literal return of the Jews to Israel. Rather, in the view of this writer,

prophecies about Israel’s return to the land should be taken metaphorically, not literally’ (p.

8/8/2019 pitkanen


96)!!! One can hardly restrain oneself from standing and cheering. And there’s still more

reason to applaud P.

‘In sum, the present author sees the Church as the new Israel, and thinks that there should be a

just solution to the ‘Palestinian problem’ (p. 97). AMEN! But why is this all important?

‘… One’s theology does matter. In this respect, to start with, relinquishing a dispensational

framework could go a long way towards reversing the practically blind support that many

American Christians … offer in support of Israel’s policies that include continuing oppression,

conquest and at the very least ethnocide of the Palestinians. But, beyond that, whether for the

Christian, the Jew, or anyone else, let justice and mutual respect prevail’ (p. 98). Now that’s

theology!

One could wish that all commentators were as even handed with the material, as intelligent in

their approach, and as insightful. P’s perspective on the text of Joshua itself is just as poignant.

Here we have a volume worth reading more than once.

Documents

pitkanen