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Biblical ritual texts reflect a distinction between 'consumptive' fires, for the incineration of sacred materials upon an altar, and 'destructive' fires, for the incineration of leftovers at a distance from the cultic center. The dichotomy is evidenced by differences in terminology, geography, and legal detail, such that the former are characterized by a high degree of ritualization, and the latter by a low degree of ritualization. Yet this dichotomy reveals an instability inherent in ritual sacrifice: offering materia sacra inevitably generates leftovers, which occupy an ambiguous place within the ritual domain--they are not offerable, but they cannot be disposed of in any which way. The texts examined here responded to this instability with a conceptual shift, whereby destructive fires assimilated many of the features that initially characterized consumptive fires. From the earliest pentateuchal priestly strata through Ezekiel, the Temple Scroll, the Epistle to the Hebrews, and beyond, the data reflect a gradual gravitation toward a new way of thinking about 'destructive' fires. They were reconceptualized as mirrorimages of the 'consumptive' type and were modeled after them in terms of language, geography, and legal detail. From the perspective of a history of ritual, the process analyzed here is part of a larger trajectory whereby ritual residues are reconceptualized as essential components of the cult., [phrase omitted] (Isaiah 6:13) The Priestly literature (P) in the Pentateuch reflects a strict dichotomy between two types of ritual fire. Consumptive fires 'eat' ([phrase omitted], Lev 6:3) offerings served [...]

Throughout the interpretive history of Lamentations, significant attention has been devoted to the relationship between the gendered voices in the book. Previous scholarship has traditionally construed the male figure of chapter 3 as the solution to the female figure's problems in the first two chapters. Yet more recent work has centered the female figure as a corrective to the male voice typically privileged by previous interpreters. I build on this recent scholarship by reconsidering these gendered voices alongside some of their earliest readers. I show how early Jewish readers conceived of the relationship between these voices in ways that do not match modern assumptions about ancient conceptions of gender. In fact, I show that the early Jewish reuse of Lamentations conceives of a relationship where women, not men, provide a key to the suffering, breaking through the impasse produced by the destruction of the temple., Significant scholarly attention has been dedicated to the gendered voices in the book of Lamentations--the lamenting woman in the first two chapters and the self-identified gever ([phrase omitted]), "man," in [...]

The authors argue that the future existence of evangelicalism as an ecclesial tradition depends on its ability and courage to re-imagine the dual nature, human and divine, of the Bible as written revelation and, consequently, to renew the way that this community engages with it. Such an endeavour requires a new way of understanding and engaging with the Bible that can be built around the model of the Incarnation. As mainline Protestants, who ministered for many years in evangelical ecclesial communities and who have conducted extensive doctoral and post-doctoral research in patristic and contemporary theological studies, the authors are convinced that if evangelicalism is to survive and flourish in the complexities of the contemporary world, it requires a new hermeneutic. It should move away from a dominating docetic view of the Scripture, which overemphasises its divine nature, to the detriment, and sometimes the total neglect, of its human authorship, to give a full account of its dual nature, equally divine and human. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crisis phenomena (wars, epidemics) push people to seek spirituality. Scholars also need to study the experience of successful religious movements to identify effective management approaches in this area. An example of such a movement is the University Bible Fellowship (UBF). The study aims to identify effective methods of building a lay movement and methods of managing it and its development, based on the example of the UBF. To achieve this goal, the historical-genetic and historical-functional methods were used. It turned out that small group and one-on-one Bible studies are the most effective, as these didactic approaches have a therapeutic effect on movement members and candidates. An important role in the functioning of the Fellowship is played by the practice of writing personal testimony (sogam). From the point of view of ecclesiology, a certain amount of uncertainty is useful for the lay movement, which allows it to attract representatives of different denominations. The ability of the founders of the movement and its leaders to use their leadership qualities was important, as is seen in the examples of Samuel Lee and Sarah Barry. Some types of activities of religious organisations, such as presence on social media, are notable to convey religious experience but are necessary in the modern world. The rapid involvement of movement members in missionary or volunteer activities also plays an important role. The results of this study can be used both to further study the history of the UBF and to create lay movements using the most effective methods of management, evangelism, and didactic influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the wake of biblical trauma scholarship that identifies how traumatic experience has shaped biblical literatures and the Psalms in particular, interest has emerged in the potential therapeutic role of Psalm 90 in Christian-framed trauma therapies. Drawing on the SIFT approach to biblical hermeneutics, the present study tests the extent to which feeling types and thinking types read Psalm 90 differently. These two readings present different challenges working with this Psalm in trauma therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study delves into the intricate landscape of Mother Tongue Biblical Hermeneutics within the context of African Biblical Hermeneutics, aiming to unravel its origins, discern trends, and confront challenges. Employing a qualitative research methodology grounded in extensive literature review and critical analysis, this investigation explores the evolution and current state of Mother Tongue Biblical Hermeneutics in the African context.Findings underscore the significance of linguistic and cultural nuances in biblical interpretation, emphasizing the role of indigenous languages in shaping contextual understanding and relevance. Moreover, the study identifies persistent challenges including colonial legacies, linguistic imperialism, and theological biases that impede the full realization of Mother Tongue Biblical Hermeneutics.In light of these findings, recommendations are proposed to foster the integration of indigenous languages into biblical scholarship, advocate for linguistic diversity, and promote inclusivity in theological discourse. Ultimately, this study contributes to scholarship by illuminating the vital intersection of language, culture, and interpretation in African Biblical Hermeneutics, thereby enriching theological dialogue and advancing decolonial approaches to biblical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study delves into the intricate landscape of Mother Tongue Biblical Hermeneutics within the context of African Biblical Hermeneutics, aiming to unravel its origins, discern trends, and confront challenges. Employing a qualitative research methodology grounded in extensive literature review and critical analysis, this investigation explores the evolution and current state of Mother Tongue Biblical Hermeneutics in the African context.Findings underscore the significance of linguistic and cultural nuances in biblical interpretation, emphasizing the role of indigenous languages in shaping contextual understanding and relevance. Moreover, the study identifies persistent challenges including colonial legacies, linguistic imperialism, and theological biases that impede the full realization of Mother Tongue Biblical Hermeneutics.In light of these findings, recommendations are proposed to foster the integration of indigenous languages into biblical scholarship, advocate for linguistic diversity, and promote inclusivity in theological discourse. Ultimately, this study contributes to scholarship by illuminating the vital intersection of language, culture, and interpretation in African Biblical Hermeneutics, thereby enriching theological dialogue and advancing decolonial approaches to biblical studies.

Affect theory, non-representational theory, and assemblage theory have been among the most impactful developments in the theoretical humanities in the wake of, and in reaction to, poststructuralism. These interlocking bodies of theory and critical practice call into question two concepts foundational for biblical hermeneutics, namely, interpretation and representation. In literary studies, the poststructuralist "death of the author" has been succeeded by a post-poststructuralist "death of the interpreter". How might biblical exegesis be reimagined on the far side of this double demise? Non-representational theory, meanwhile, in tandem with affect theory, has dismantled traditional understandings of representation; this article argues that traditional biblical scholarship, epitomized by biblical commentary, is driven by a representation compulsion. Assemblage theory, for its part, more than any other body of thought, reveals the immense complexity of the act of reading, not least biblical reading—after which even explicit evocations of contemporary contexts in contextual biblical hermeneutics amount to skeletally thin descriptions. These and other related lines of inquiry impel the rethinking of academic biblical reading attempted in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introductory issues for 2 Peter and Jude often involve discussions about "false prophets" and "false teachers" as well as the order in which the letters were written based on literary dependence. Yet did both Peter and Jude confront "false prophets" and "false teachers"? Was 2 Peter written first, with Jude dependent on it? Or was Jude written first, with 2 Peter dependent on it? This essay argues that Peter and Jude addressed two entirely different adversaries, that they wrote independently of one another, and that both relied on their "memories" of events in common with their Jewish and Christian traditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jesus left an indelible impression on Peter's scriptural hermeneutic, and this influence can be seen in three ways. First, Peter's hermeneutical statement in 1 Peter 1:10-12 (cf. Acts 2-3) evokes Jesus's statements in Luke 24:25-27, 44-49. Second, Peter often uses OT passages quoted by Jesus earlier (e.g., Psalms 110, 69, and 118; flood/Noah narrative), but he does not merely repeat Jesus; he uses surrounding verses and develops the applications in new ways. Third, intertwined with the first two ways, Peter came to adopt Jesus's scriptural "suffering and subsequent glory" theme as paradigmatic for his own self-understanding (2 Pet 1:14), for his reading of the OT (1 Pet 1:10-12), and for his understanding of believers' experience in the world (e.g., 1 Pet 2:18-25; 3:8-5:11). In the end, while Peter shares much with Jewish contemporaries, his Master's shadow always looms large over his hermeneutic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Lucan account of Jesus' calling of the first disciples differs from the dominant and better known Marcan narrative in a number of ways. The Lucan account has been prefaced by an introduction to the person and actions of Jesus and specifically triggered by the miraculous catch of fish that Luke shares with John 21. Drawing on psychological type theory and the SIFT approach to biblical hermeneutics, this study tests the hypothesis that sensing types and intuitive types will see different things in this passage. The theory was tested by inviting a group of 19 clergy and lay members of ministry teams to work in type-alike groups. The data are consistent with the theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crisis phenomena (wars, epidemics) push people to seek spirituality. Scholars also need to study the experience of successful religious movements to identify effective management approaches in this area. An example of such a movement is the University Bible Fellowship (UBF). The study aims to identify effective methods of building a lay movement and methods of managing it and its development, based on the example of the UBF. To achieve this goal, the historical-genetic and historical-functional methods were used. It turned out that small group and one-on-one Bible studies are the most effective, as these didactic approaches have a therapeutic effect on movement members and candidates. An important role in the functioning of the Fellowship is played by the practice of writing personal testimony (sogam). From the point of view of ecclesiology, a certain amount of uncertainty is useful for the lay movement, which allows it to attract representatives of different denominations. The ability of the founders of the movement and its leaders to use their leadership qualities was important, as is seen in the examples of Samuel Lee and Sarah Barry. Some types of activities of religious organisations, such as presence on social media, are notable to convey religious experience but are necessary in the modern world. The rapid involvement of movement members in missionary or volunteer activities also plays an important role. The results of this study can be used both to further study the history of the UBF and to create lay movements using the most effective methods of management, evangelism, and didactic influence.

* Abstract This article analyzes the second-century Acts of John 56-57, in which Antipatros seeks healing for his twin sons whom he claims he cannot support as he ages. 1 [...]

* Abstract This article shows that the Gospel of Truth (NHC I, 3), dense with allusions to sources now in the New Testament, most often explored for its resonances with [...]

* Abstract While scholars have traditionally taken Revelation's 'letters to the seven churches' (Rev 2-3) as documentation for the experiences of the Christ-movement in those cities, this article argues that [...]

* Abstract In John 7:8-9, Jesus tells his brothers he will not 'go up' to Jerusalem, but in the very next scene, he makes the ascent in secret. This essay [...]

* Abstract Interpreters unanimously read eveukoyq0f|aovT(n in Gen 12:3b LXX as a passive. Good evidence, however, exists to challenge and problematize this conclusion. Recent linguistic studies on the ancient Greek [...]

Since the immensely influential work of J. Louis Martyn, many Johannine scholars have interpreted John's [phrase omitted] passages (9:22, 12:42, 16:2) as reflective of the gospel's outsider position in relation to Jewishness. In Martyn's model, as well as in the model of his contemporary Raymond E. Brown, 'the synagogue' functioned as synecdoche for 'Judaism,' leading both scholars to the conclusion that John's [phrase omitted] passages reflected the experience of a late first-century community that was on its way out of the 'household of Judaism.' In this article, I draw upon recent advances in scholarship on ancient synagogues to problematize the equation of 'the synagogue' with 'Judaism' in toto, still a very prominent analytical framework in Johannine studies today. I then argue that John's expulsion passages are helpfully illuminated when the sociohistorical context of the events described in the text itself are viewed from the broader perspective of expulsions from public assemblies in Jewish and Greco-Roman antiquity. From this angle, John's story of [phrase omitted] can be read as an account of the contentious politics of popular assemblies, in which there were winners and losers in the competition over political influence, rather than as part of a compositional strategy of disaffiliation from Jews and Judaism tout court., I. JOHN AND 'THE SYNAGOGUE'? In 2015, Raimo Hakola noted that, since the immensely influential work of J. Louis Martyn, many Johannine scholars have interpreted John's [phrase omitted] ('put out [...]

In this article I suggest a new reading of Heb 1:3b, wherein the Son is described as [phrase omitted]. This is often rendered in English translations along the lines of 'he sustains all things by his powerful word' (NRSV). A survey of previous scholarship on this clause yields three different readings of Heb 1:3b: a protological reading, a presentist reading (describing the Son's current activity), and an eschatological reading. Instead, I suggest a fourth reading, which understands this clause as a reference to the faithful obedience of the Son on earth. I translate the passage as 'enduring all things by the message concerning his [i.e., God's] power' This reading is to be preferred to prior alternatives since it more fully does justice to the vocabulary and syntax of the clause, the role of the clause in its immediate context, and the role of the faithfulness of the Son throughout Hebrews., It is no longer justifiable to repeat the old truism about a lacuna of scholarship on Hebrews. Where once the epistle was overlooked in New Testament scholarship, recent years have [...]

When Jesus dies in Mark's account, the sky darkens, a loud voice declares that it has been forsaken by its go d, and the temple curtain tears in two. These phenomena closely resemble the omens thought to have taken place before Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 CE as recorded by Josephus, Tacitus, 2 and 4 Baruch, the Pesiqta Rabbati, and the Talmudim. By surveying the ancient belief that tutelary deities would abandon cities before they were destroyed, I propose that the portents described by Mark and elaborated in subsequent gospels are another version of the popular tradition reporting the Judean god's departure from the temple before 70 CE., Legend has it that as long as there are ravens in the tower of London the kingdom shall not fall. (1) Fearing this prophecy, Charles II refused repeated requests to [...]

In recent years, biblicists have argued that the 'judge of Israel' and the 'era of judges' are simply the editorial invention of the Deuteronomist(s). Central to the debate is the place of Judg 2:11-19, the only passage within the book of Judges where the leaders of early Israel are specifically designated with the Hebrew title [phrase omitted], conventionally translated 'judge.' Since, according to recent scholarship, [phrase omitted] never existed in Israel's premonarchic past, their biblical attestation in Judg 2:11-19 demands an explanation. Over the past several decades, scholars have offered various ideas, none of which has been fully satisfactory. In this article, I challenge prevailing claims about the [phrase omitted] of premonarchic Israel through a reexamination of the composition history of Judg 2:11-19. I argue that this literary unit underwent two phases of editing--one in Israelite circles, and another in Judahite (Deuteronomistic) circles. Behind these editorial layers of Judg 2:11-19 is what I propose may have been a substratum on which later editors built. Notwithstanding the hypothetical nature of this substratum, I show how it corresponds to certain sociopolitical realities that would have been foreign at later times of writing and how it coheres with recent models of composition history for the book of Judges. Thus, I argue that the [phrase omitted] of Israel was not the invention of the Deuteronomist(s). Moreover, the findings suggest that Judg 2:11-19 may preserve a genuine memory of [phrase omitted] in premonarchic Israel. While recent scholarship has sought to explain cultural phenomena of early Israel (e.g., the [phrase omitted]) as the product of later writings, my study invites a discussion of possible links with older cultural settings., About one century ago, the book of Judges was believed to preserve genuine memories of the period of premonarchic [phrase omitted], which could be used as a reliable source for [...]

The Jewish Aramaic incantation bowls from talmudic Babylonia quoted biblical material as part of their written spells, in order to bolster the apotropaic ritual. Current scholarship is making it increasingly apparent that these spells were part of the Jewish 'mainstream,' rather than its margins. The bowl spells were often (sometimes?) produced by professional scribes many of whom--as I argue here --were also steeped in Jewish Scripture and liturgy. Moreover, given the high number of artifacts found, the spells can be considered representative of widespread religious practices and beliefs. The quotations are thus an unparalleled (and the only Babylonian epigraphic) source for the study of pre- Masoretic Bible traditions. The orthographic practices encountered in the biblical quotations become a lens through which to view attitudes to the Bible's 'writtenness' and the functions of writtenness, orality, and different types of memory. On the one hand, many spells provide evidence for the prominence of orality and memorization in Bible transmission and its reproduction. On the other, many bowls also imply a conceptual prestige of writtenness, alongside scribal training. At the same time, most bowls suggest a degree of self-sufficiency of the Bible as an oral, memorized, and liturgical text. While the Bible was construed as a written authority by the rabbis, in practice, its written component was likely neither always present, nor strictly necessary for achieving spiritual efficacy within the spells., I. INTRODUCTION: 'MAGIC' IN LATE ANTIQUE JEWISH CULTURE The Jewish Aramaic magic bowls are inscribed earthenware objects excavated, for the most part, in what is today's central and southern Iraq, [...]

This article explores the value of amulets and magical ostraca for New Testament textual criticism. We begin by defining amulets and magical ostraca and describing how New Testament text is recorded on them. We then survey which amulets and magical ostraca were used in twentieth-century critical editions of the Greek New Testament and why these categories were added and then subsequently removed from the Kurzgefasste Liste. After presenting the status quaestionis on these artifacts, we describe a shift in New Testament textual criticism toward an increasing appreciation of and curiosity about the social milieu of those who used the biblical text. This has generated fresh perspectives on the value and merit of amulets and magical ostraca, which justify their inclusion in the ECM, CBGM, and the Kurzgefasste Liste. We discuss the necessary stipulations for the inclusion of these items and explain why the 'talisman' and 'ostracon' categories in the Kurzgefasste Liste have been resurrected. Finally, we bring the Kurzgefasste Liste up-to-date by cataloging amulets up to T39 and magical ostraca up to Os30, outlining how their inclusion affects already cataloged witnesses and how images and transcriptions of these new additions are already accessible in the NTVMR (New Testament Virtual Manuscript Room)., The use of amulets and magical ostraca in the field of New Testament textual criticism has been muddled with ambiguity. At first sight, magical artifacts and the New Testament are [...]

This article offers a critical reassessment of the Bible's [phrase omitted] ('ibrim) and the problems of identification associated with the label with a focus on the two anomalous cases in 1 Sam 13-14 that deviate from an overarching pattern of the gentilic term's etic usage. Building on the literary-historical and philological analysis of 1 Sam 13:3 and 14:2, I delineate the limits of a previous interpretive spectrum and argue that the identity of the 'Hebrews' in these two passages is characterized by their collective capability of choosing and transferring political allegiance. This mobile aspect of negotiating political identity that the label 'Hebrew' carries is further compared with the usage of the Akkadian term 'ibrum from Mari and the depiction of David's loyalty to the Philistines and the designation of Hebrews in 1 Sam 29:3. By offering an alternative translation of the 'Hebrew(s),' I challenge a conventional categorical paradigm associated with the interpretation of gentilics in biblical scholarship., As narrated in 1 Sam 13-15, Israel's first king, Saul, is quickly deprived of his house's rule in favor of David, who enters the story immediately afterward. In this complex [...]

Although Num 25 is clearly a composite text, the manner of its compilation is still debated. This article presents a new analysis of the chapter as a test case for a fundamental issue in contemporary pentateuchal studies: whether the Pentateuch represents mainly a compilation of independent sources or a series of redactional strata. The analysis is focused on internal considerations of Num 25, suspending any theory of the formation of the Pentateuch, the nature of the Priestly writings, or the status of the book of Numbers. I conclude that Num 25 is more likely to consist of three independent narratives than several layers placed one on top of the other, and suggest several methodological considerations that can be helpful in analyzing other texts in the Pentateuch., Numbers 25 describes the Israelites engaging in idolatry through sexual transgression, YHWH's harsh response, and the acts that were prescribed and implemented to appease his wrath. As scholars have long [...]

The study evaluates Paracelsus’s and Paracelsian-Weigelian microcosmogonies, i.e. theories concerning the nature and creation of human beings, especially their biblical underpinnings, and particularly in the light of Luther’s and Lutheran anthropological and biblical-exegetical stances. The Lutheran approach to the origin and components of human beings—as seen in Luther’s early Magnificat Commentary and the Genesis Commentary of his late career—relied on such magisterial principles as adherence to sola scriptura, literal biblical exegesis, and the hermeneutical standard to ‘let scripture interpret scripture,’ whereas the Paracelsians, Weigelians, and Pseudo-Weigelians—in such works as Paracelus’s Astronomia Magna (1537/38) and the anonymous Astrologia Theologizata (1617)—employed such extra-biblical concepts as ‘sidereal bodies,’ the ‘light of nature,’ and a microcosm-macrocosm theory based on an alchemical interpretation of the limus terrae of Genesis 2:7. Seventeenth-century Orthodox Lutherans, including Nikolaus Hunnius and Ehregott Daniel Colberg, castigated the ‘heretical’ in Paracelsus and the Astrologia Theologizata. The study also addresses the authorship of several texts entitled Astrologia Theologizata and speculates on reasons for the tracts’ deviations from Paracelsus’s views. The case study of Paracelsian-Weigelian microcosmogonies underscores the centuries-long staying power of some of Paracelsus’s core theological concepts, which were both seconded by votaries and vituperatively criticized by opponents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay argues that the book of Ruth's reopening of Israel's history and national mythology functions in such a way as to redeem, as it were, the plight of the subaltern Moabite—a plight begun with the daughters of Lot in Genesis 19. A parallel is then drawn with the 1619 Project, the recent journalistic project which posits the entire historical sweep of African slavery in North America since 1619 as the defining arc of the United States' founding. As theoretical frames, the essay draws on the work of literary critic Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak (including her concept of "moral love") and political philosopher Arash Abizadeh. In so doing, the essay illustrates how a "functionalist" approach to biblical ethics that balances the content of the biblical narrative with attention to how the text functions in its broader context can provide guidance for contemporary ethical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At first, Hermeneutics as an interacting science was only used among the church as a method of Scripture Interpretation, with a standard system or method of hermeneutics. This hermeneutics is often referred to as Traditional Hermeneutics or Biblical Hermeneutics. However, in its development, Hermeneutics came out of biblical studies into the scope of philosophy, art, literature, and history. This hermeneutics is referred to as New Hermeneutics and appears in various variants. The purpose of this article is to introduce the New Hermeneutics system of the Postmodernist era, specifically Hans Georg Gadamer's Hermeneutics, and compare it objectively with the Biblical Hermeneutics System with the standard Grammatical-Historical method, which is often used to interpret the Bible. This study uses the comparative analysis study method to find fundamental similarities and differences between Hans Georg Gadamer's hermeneutic concepts and Biblical hermeneutics. Finally, the author makes conclusions and recommendations for Bible interpreters who are doing hermeneutics.

The fundamental concept regarding health in the Hebrew Bible is that God is the creator of life and the giver of health and well-being. People were created as a total [...]

THE AMBIGUOUS SAF The word saf in Tanakh is understood to mean either threshold or basin in different verses. Accordingly, Solomon Mandelkern has two entries for saf in his concordance [...]

INTRODUCTION In Numbers 12 we read about Miriam and Aaron's slander of Moses and the consequent punishment meted out to Miriam. Our sages and medieval commentators dispute what exactly it [...]

It starts with the asafsuf, the 'riffraff,' but soon it spreads throughout the people of Israel: a 'gluttonous craving' for meat in the desert. Feeling overwhelmed by their demands, Moses [...]

David Berger has recently drawn attention to the 'stunning' interpretation of Don Isaac Abarbanel to Psalm 50, who argues in his Ma'ynei Ha-Yeshuah that the chapter is a Biblical prediction [...]

In a new approach, I interpret biblical prophecy in light of its ancient Near Eastern divinatory context and offer a new perspective on the (non)fulfillment of prophecy. I begin with a description of how divine communication was understood according to Mesopotamian and biblical texts, laying a foundation for comparative analysis. I then apply this approach to the prophecies of restoration in Jeremiah 30-33. I argue that the prophecies in these chapters, originally intended to be fulfilled in the postexilic era, were canceled (except 31:35-37, 33:19-26) and that a new decision or decisions were given to take their place. Nevertheless, these canceled prophecies continue to have great divinatory significance that reveals patterns of how the deity intends to bless and dwell among the people. Ultimately, a close reading of the text in the light of its ancient Near Eastern contexts provides a strong corrective to the ways that these chapters are commonly interpreted., 'Men's courses will foreshadow certain ends, to which, if persevered in, they must lead,' said Scrooge. 'But if the courses be departed from, the ends will change.... Assure me that [...]