Stephen Barkley
I’ve recently learned a new word: Wirkungsgeschichte. (Funny, it’s not in my spell checker!) It’s a German word that can be translated as “history of effects.” In Biblical Studies, this type of study considers how the church has received and interacted with the text in question.
In this published version of Rick Wadholm, Jr.’s doctoral thesis, he uses Wirkungsgeschichte to develop a uniquely pentecostal reading of the Spirit in the Former prophets. If you’re new to Biblical Studies and don’t have Jewish roots, the “former prophets” refer to the books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings. These books cover the history of Israel from their glorious entry into the Promised Land until their ignominious exile to Babylon.
Perhaps surprisingly, references to God’s Spirit in the former prophets are few. The references centre on four events:
- Four judges (Othniel, Gideon, Jephthah, and Samson)
- King Saul, David, and music
- The troublesome prophet Micaiah
- The double-portion transfer from Elijah to Elisha
Back to Wirkungsgeschichte. In traditional evangelical hermeneutics, this sort of study would be an ancillary historical project at best. However, in a pentecostal hermeneutic—one that takes the three elements of Word, Spirit, and Community seriously—this is an effort to discern the voice of the larger community. Wadholm’s chapter on pentecostal hermeneutics captures the key themes of this developing field and points the reader toward all the key voices in the conversation.
The meat of this book lies in chapters 5–7 where Wadholm reads the Spirit in the former prophets in light of his historical-hermeneutical work. There are many fascinating and practical points for pastors and teachers to glean here.
Two themes struck me as deserving of further consideration. First, Wadholm emphasizes the ambiguity of the Spirit in the Micaiah account. “The Spirit allows for ambiguities and demands (and facilitates) discernment” (172). This is something pastors encounter regularly but struggle to frame biblically. Second, Wadholm points out that 1 Samuel 10, 16, 18–19 “highlight the relation of kings Saul and David to the Spirit, prophesying, and the playing of the lyre” (139). This connection between Spirit, prophecy, and music is deeply embedded in our pentecostal tradition. Our worship leaders deserve to see it unpacked!
A Theology of the Spirit in the Former Prophets will serve both pastors and those in the academy well. Pastors will find an abundance of pneumatological insight, while scholars will see a fine example of Wirkungsgeschichte in action.
Wadholm, Jr. Rick. A Theology of the Spirit in the Former Prophets: A Pentecostal Perspective. Cleveland: CPT Press, 2018.
