Nazarene Theological Seminary

On February 24th and 25th, Dr. Richard B. Hays, Ivey Professor of New Testament, Duke University, presented the Earle Lectures in Biblical Literature to a large gathering of members of the NTS community and other academic institutions. During his time at NTS, Hays delivered two complementary lectures.

The first lecture, entitled “Can the Gospels Teach Us How to Read the Old Testament?” focused on the necessity of interpreting the whole of Scripture contrary to privileging either the Old or the New Testament. He sees this reading differing from the post-modern emphasis of treating the Bible as some sort of self-help book. Hays insists that the Bible is about God’s action to rescue a lost and broken world. Christians have the greatest degree of difficulty in reading the Old Testament. Hays argued against interpretations of Old Testament that exclude Christological interpretations.

First, Hays emphasized the necessity for a proper understanding of the Old Testament in order to read the Gospels. Without such an understanding, the allusions created by the New Testament authors go unnoticed and our reading of such passages is much poorer. Secondly, the Gospels teach us how to read the Old Testament. Hays explained that the Gospels open new ways of interpreting the Old Testament as the story of God that builds to a narrative climax in Jesus. Using the example of the Emmaus road contained in Luke 24, Hays argues that Jesus himself authorizes Christological interpretations of the New Testament. Moreover, interpreting the Scriptures is only possible inside the community created through the fellowship of the table of the Eucharist.

The second lecture, entitled “Through the Eyes of the Evangelists: The Art of Reading Scripture”, described Hays' assertion that reading the Scripture is an art to be learned. This art, like all other art, has beauty as a goal and must be learned from those who are already masters of interpretation. Hays asserted that each of the Gospels gives a different way of interpreting Scripture. Interpreters of Scripture should not make the Gospel’s speak with a univocal voice but should see that each offers an imaginative reading of the Old Testament. In conclusion, Hays emphasized that Scripture is to be "read in communities of prayer, service and witness."

Hays also participated in discussions over lunch with students, alumni, and other members of the NTS community. Dr. Benefiel, President of Nazarene Theological Seminary, remarked, "Dr. Hays was very well received by the NTS community. Students, alumni and faculty benefited a great deal from the lectures and Q & A sessions with Dr. Hays. His lectures on reading the New Testament through the Old and the Old Testament through the New were insightful, creative and very helpful."