Preaching the Tradition: Homily and Hermeneutics after the Exile

The aim of this study is to examine the speeches given to leading characters in the Books of Chronicles, including those which formed the basis of Gerhard von Rad's book The Levitical Sermon in the Books of Chronicles. These are compared with similar material in the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah and in the post-exilic prophets. It is Dr Mason's contention that recurring themes and homiletical devices suggest that these 'addresses' (while not to be classified as 'Sermons') do reveal something of the exegetical and teaching methods employed in the Second Temple period, which are here echoed. By studying the contents and aims of this preaching, the author tries to clarify the process by which pre-exilic Davidic Yahwism became the living faith of the post-exilic community in the challenging circumstances of the Persian and Greek periods through the careful reinterpretation of earlier scriptural material.