Hosea in the Book of the Twelve and in Christian Theology
The book of Hosea’s modern reception history has largely been devoted to pursuing literary-critical or historical issues, for example, the identity of Hosea’s wife, the specific nature of her adultery, and the question whether she is the same woman being described in chapter 3. Most of the questions that interest scholarly readers pertain to the book itself, especially the prologue in chapters 1-3, rather than its function within the Twelve. Such approaches fail to appreciate the manner in which Hosea establishes a theological context for helping readers understand the LORD’s providential ‘visitations’ or ‘ways’ with the broken body of Israel in the Twelve. The ultimate purpose of these visitations is to renew and restore the marriage covenant between himself and Israel through figural acts of death and resurrection, acts which find their basis in the life-giving name and character of the LORD disclosed in Exodus 34:5-7.
The book of Hosea’s modern reception history has largely been devoted to pursuing literary-critical or historical issues, for example, the identity of Hosea’s wife, the specific nature of her adultery, and the question whether she is the same woman being described in chapter 3. Most of the questions that interest scholarly readers pertain to the book itself, especially the prologue in chapters 1-3, rather than its function within the Twelve. Such approaches fail to appreciate the manner in which Hosea establishes a theological context for helping readers understand the LORD’s providential ‘visitations’ or ‘ways’ with the broken body of Israel in the Twelve. The ultimate purpose of these visitations is to renew and restore the marriage covenant between himself and Israel through figural acts of death and resurrection, acts which find their basis in the life-giving name and character of the LORD disclosed in Exodus 34:5-7.
The book of Hosea’s modern reception history has largely been devoted to pursuing literary-critical or historical issues, for example, the identity of Hosea’s wife, the specific nature of her adultery, and the question whether she is the same woman being described in chapter 3. Most of the questions that interest scholarly readers pertain to the book itself, especially the prologue in chapters 1-3, rather than its function within the Twelve. Such approaches fail to appreciate the manner in which Hosea establishes a theological context for helping readers understand the LORD’s providential ‘visitations’ or ‘ways’ with the broken body of Israel in the Twelve. The ultimate purpose of these visitations is to renew and restore the marriage covenant between himself and Israel through figural acts of death and resurrection, acts which find their basis in the life-giving name and character of the LORD disclosed in Exodus 34:5-7.