The Vine, Israel and the Church (Studies in Biblical Literature Series), Vol. 51
The vine is one of the blessings of the Promised Land. Since Israel is precious in the eyes of Yahweh, she is also called the vine. But this vine became degenerate in some prophetic and wisdom writings. The metaphor was taken over in the New Testament where the Kingdom of Heaven was compared to the vine but with this marked difference: this vine was to bear lasting fruit. This is so because Jesus is the true vine, and his salvific work is carried on in His Church.
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Catholic priest Akpunonu (biblical and proclamation studies, U. of St. Mary of the Lake and Mundelein Seminary, Nigeria) begins by explaining the role of the botanical plant in the ancient Near East both as a source of fruit and wine and as a symbol. Then he surveys its appearance in Isaiah and the Psalms, and the Gospels of Matthew and John, showing how the meaning of the symbol changed as it passed from Judaism to Christianity. He closes by looking in turn at Israel and the church as vine. He does not provide an index. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
AcknowledgmentsList of AbbreviationsSeries Editor PrefaceIntroduction1Ch. 1The Vine in Israel3Ch. 2The Canticle of the Vine (Isa 5:1-7)19Ch. 3Psalm 8044Ch. 4The Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen (Matt 21:33-44)87Ch. 5The Vine in John's Gospel125Ch. 6Israel as Vine158Ch. 7The Church as Vine176Epilogue199Notes201Primary Sources and Reference Works215Bibliography219
