Seth Ehorn, Ph.D.
Visiting Asst Professor of New Testament, School of BTS/Bible/Theology/Archaeology | Wheaton College
Wheaton, IL, UNITED STATES
Theology expert, focusing on New Testament Literature and interpretation
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Biography
“The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.” So wrote L. P. Hartley at the opening of his excellent book, The Go-Between (1953). Having lived and studied in Scotland for four years, Hartley’s quote rings true for me in a powerful way. Likewise, as a scholar of New Testament and Christian Origins, Hartley’s words remind me that studying the New Testament can sometimes feel like living abroad. Indeed, they do things differently there!
Prior to coming to Wheaton, I took the Ph.D. in New Testament Language, Literature, and Theology from the University of Edinburgh. My research centers on historical questions related to the emergence of early Christianity and I enjoy sharing insights into the forces and factors that shaped the movement. Following from my doctoral dissertation on the citation of Psalm 68(67):19 in Ephesians 4:8, I am actively researching the questions of how and why ancient authors adapted the wording of their sources in the act of quotation. These questions are all the more interesting because many of the New Testament’s citations from Israel’s Scriptures have been altered—a practice that seems very foreign to modern readers.
No stranger to Wheaton College, I am particularly excited by Wheaton’s mission to educate the whole person and to foster excellence within the context of Wheaton’s Christian heritage. I hope to inspire my students by challenging them to be more rigorous in their thinking, more Christian in their assumptions, and more charitable in their engagement with others.
When I am not teaching or researching, I love spending time with my wife, Rachel, and my one-year-old son. Additionally, I enjoy cooking French and Spanish cuisine.
Education (4)
University of Edinburgh: Ph.D., New Testament Language, Literature, and Theology 2015
Wheaton College Graduate School: M.A. 2010
Bethel Theological Seminary: MDiv 2008
Bethel University: B.A. 2005
Areas of Expertise and Research Interests (3)
Greek Grammar
Greek Language
New Testament Literature and Interpretation
Professional Affiliations (3)
- British New Testament Society
- Institute for Biblical Research
- Society of Biblical Literature
Links (1)
Academics and Published Research (1)
Courses
- BITH 213 - New Testament Literature and Interpretation - GREK 101 - Greek Grammar I - GREK 102 - Greek Grammar II - GREK 201 - Intermediate Greek Grammar
Select Articles, Chapters, Reviews, and Other Publications (3)
Intertextuality
in Encyclopedia of Biblical Reception: Literature
Berlin: Gruyter, forthcoming 2016
Galatians 1:8 and Paul’s Reading of Abraham’s Story
The Journal of Theological Studies
2013 What accounts for Paul’s elusive mention of ‘an angel from heaven’ in Gal. 1:8? Interpreters have typically avoided the question altogether or posited that Paul’s opponents claimed that their counter-gospel (Gal. 1:6–7) was mediated by angels (cf. Gal. 3:19). In this short essay, I suggest that Paul’s opaque reference becomes more clear when read in the light of his large-scale reflection on the Abrahamic narrative in his letter to the Galatians. It is from the story of Abraham that Paul finds reference to angelic visitors who come bringing a message that agrees with a promise already delivered to Abraham (Gen. 18:10, 14; cf. Gen. 17:16–17).
The Use of Psalm 68(67).19 in Ephesians 4.8: A History of Research
Currents in Biblical Research
2013 Because Eph. 4.8 has an altered citation of Ps. 68(67).19, interpreters have developed polarizing opinions about the author’s sources and his citation techniques, ranging from the claim that the citation is aberrant or that it summarizes the whole psalm. In this study, it is suggested that such diverse opinions do not take account of ancient citation practices or Jewish exegetical procedures. The survey examines key interpreters and treatments in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, focusing on the question of the author’s Vorlage and the interpretive use of the psalm in Eph. 4.8. The survey shows that the prevalent view that Ephesians appropriates a (pre-)targumic or early Christian tradition has led to an under-appreciation of the christological significance of Eph. 4.8.
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