 An excellent example of the point I have sought to make in the last two posts arrived in my in-box yesterday. The latest Review of Biblical Literature contained two items about a recent title from T&T Clark. The book in question is Brian J. Abasciano’s Paul’s Use of the Old Testament in Romans 9.1–9: An Intertextual and Theological Exegesis. This book is a redo of Brian’s doctoral thesis at Aberdeen University; a study of the use of Exodus 32-34 and Genesis 18-21 in the first 9 verses of Romans 9. In writing this analysis, Abasciano builds on the previous work relating to intertextuality by Richard Hays.
In his review of Abasciano’s work, Thomas W Gillespie of Princeton Theological Seminary encapsulates the approach used:
His thesis is that the apostle viewed Scripture as discrete wholes, with each appeal to a particular text entailing its immediate literary context. The assumption is that the scripturally adept readers (or hearers) of a Pauline letter would have recognized not only the source of such an appeal but its textual context as well, thus allowing the whole to inform their understanding of the apostolic point being scored by the specific textual reference.
In that the book of Romans was written to both Jewish and gentile believers, Paul clearly required an intimate understanding of these key passages in making his argument. The fact that Abasciano can write more than 200 pages on Paul’s dependence on two sections of Scripture that span just 9 verses shows how important knowledge of the Scriptures was to the early followers of Jesus, whether Jew or gentile.
Both reviewers found Abasciano’s work profitable for appreciating Paul’s writing although they had points of disagreement with method or approach. Gillespie concluded, “[t]here are too many exegetical insights here to be ignored for any reason.” In a separate review, Steve Moyise of the University of Chicester opines: “[t]his is a rich and insightful study that shows the fruitfulness of exploring the complex intertextual connections between Paul and the Old Testament.”
Above all this is a book to be borrowed, not bought. At $120.00 or $140.00, depending on the reviewer, this is best acquired from the library shelf! | 
