Podcast Summary

Overview

Episode Theme:
This special bonus episode of "Ask NT Wright Anything," hosted by Mike Bird, features Tom Wright (NT Wright) reflecting on the life, friendship, and profound scholarly impact of the late Richard B. Hays. Recognized as a leading New Testament scholar, especially on Pauline studies, ethics, and the use of the Old Testament in the New, Hays’ work has deeply influenced how scholars and pastors think about Paul, the Gospels, and Christian ethics. The episode celebrates Hays’ legacy, explores his key contributions, and includes personal anecdotes from decades of friendship.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Who Was Richard B. Hays?

• Background:

  • Born 1948, six months older than Tom Wright.
  • Studied literature at Yale, then earned his PhD in New Testament at Emory University.
  • Academic appointments at Yale and Duke Divinity School, where he stayed most of his career.
  • Deeply rooted Methodist but Reformed in theological instincts (03:59–06:19).

• Personal Anecdotes:

  • Wright and Hays met at the 1983 Society of Biblical Literature annual meeting, immediately connecting over scholarly exegesis.
  • Their friendship included lively debates, sharing ideas, and staying at each other's homes (03:59–06:19).
  • "Richard and I encountered one another first...when he gave a paper on Romans 4:1, in which he took a line of thought which I'd never thought of before..." (Tom Wright, 03:59)

2. Game-Changing Exegesis: Romans 4:1

• Traditional vs. Hays’ Reading of Romans 4:1:

  • Traditional: "What did Abraham, our forefather, discover according to the flesh?"
  • Hays (and Wright’s) suggestion: "Have we found Abraham to be our forefather according to the flesh?" with the expected answer being "no" (06:19–07:55).
  • This translation change shifts the focus to Abraham as the father of all believers, not just those according to the flesh (Jewish lineage), and solves interpretive issues with subsequent verses.
  • "Now, if you put a question mark after 'what shall we say?', you then make the next statement: 'have we found Abraham to be our forefather according to the flesh?' And then the implied answer is no..." (Tom Wright, 06:37)

• Wider Impact:

  • Hays’ scholarly approach rejected simplistic Protestant readings where faith itself becomes a "work."
  • He insisted that Paul’s focus was on the faithfulness of the Messiah (Pistis Christou), not merely believers’ subjective faith (07:56–10:51).

3. Faith ‘of’ Christ vs. Faith ‘in’ Christ

• Key Concept:
  • Hays championed translating key Pauline phrases as "the faithfulness of Christ" (subjective genitive), arguing this is central to understanding justification and salvation.
  • This once-minority view is now a major, if not majority, opinion in New Testament scholarship.
  • Discussion on how Galatians 2:20 illustrates this dynamic, with Wright offering his own translation and affirming the theological importance (10:51–12:49).
  • "So I have...union with the Messiah, who has exercised his vocation and being the Passover Lamb, the one who gave—who loved me and gave himself for me." (Mike Bird, 11:35)

4. Hays on New Testament Ethics

• Ethics as Central to Christian Life:
  • Hays’ The Moral Vision of the New Testament is praised as one of the most influential ethics works (12:49–13:29).
  • Hays emphasized that morality flows from living within the faithfulness of Christ, not from striving to impress God.
  • He was well known for his pacifist convictions—debated, but never resolved, with Wright.
  • "Nobody else was trying to do this big vision of new creation, new covenant, resurrection, all applied to...the big moral questions of the day." (Tom Wright, 13:29)

5. Echoes of Scripture: Metalepsis and Interpretive Revolution

• Echoes of Scripture in Paul and the Gospels:

  • Hays’s concept of "echoes" (metalepsis): when a New Testament writer quotes or alludes to an Old Testament snippet, they intend to evoke the entire context/story of that passage.
  • This approach revolutionized Pauline and Gospel studies, encouraging readers to uncover the broader scriptural backdrop behind brief quotes.
  • "When you quote one small bit from a more extended text, it actually brings with it all the rest of that text..." (Tom Wright, 15:55)
  • Example: 2 Corinthians 4’s allusion to Ps 115, which, upon reading the whole Psalm, enriches Paul’s message.

• Unity of Scripture:

  • Hays’ reformed instinct: God’s purpose is cohesive throughout redemptive history; the New does not override the Old, but fulfills it (17:45–20:33).

6. Transformative Impact and the Gospels

• Echoes of Scripture in the Gospels:
  • Even more ambitious: Hays demonstrates that all four Gospels, not just John, present Jesus as the God of Israel.
  • This insight upends longstanding scholarly distinctions between “low” and “high” Christology among the Evangelists (21:30–24:46).
  • "They all, without exception, are telling us through their use of Scripture that Jesus is the God of Israel in person, in human form, which is just...as revolutionary as anything else Richard ever did." (Tom Wright, 22:18)

7. Personal Notes on Hays’ Illness and Perseverance

• Hays was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2015, given months to live, but survived for several years, long enough to complete significant work.
• His courage and dedication even in illness left a lasting impression on Wright and the broader scholarly community (21:30–24:46).

8. Hays’ Most Accessible Works – Book Recommendations

• Wright recommends The Conversion of the Imagination, a collection of essays aimed at expanding how readers imagine and understand Scripture’s meaning (25:02–26:15).
• Bird recommends Hays’ shorter book on figural Christology and his Galatians commentary (26:15–27:01).
• "Praying and working for the opening of the imagination to see how Scripture works, to see that God does not change his mind, that in the faithfulness of the Messiah, all has been accomplished and is being accomplished." (Tom Wright, 26:11)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On First Meeting:
  • "It was one of those papers where I listened to the first line...and I thought, oh, my goodness, never thought of reading chapter four, verse one like that..." (Tom Wright, 03:59)
• On Pauline Faith:
  • "Richard was basically at his heart in the Barthian mode, a reformed theologian, as opposed to a Lutheran...when Paul talks about Pistis Christou faith...he means the faithfulness of the Messiah..." (Tom Wright, 08:35)
• On the Impact of ‘Echoes of Scripture’:
  • "It’s hard now to imagine a world in which people weren’t prepared to ask that question. But if you go back to commentaries written in the 60s and 70s...there’s just no sense that that’s what’s going on when Paul is quoting Scripture." (Tom Wright, 19:34)
• On Christology in the Gospels:
  • "...when you look at the way that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all use the Old Testament, they all, without exception, are telling us...that Jesus is the God of Israel in person, in human form..." (Tom Wright, 22:18)
• On Opening the Imagination:
  • "...our imaginations need to be converted. Richard was a literary scholar...this was all about the opening of the imagination so that we might just see and glimpse things beyond what our present culture...was telling us we might be able to see." (Tom Wright, 25:11)

Timestamps of Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment & Content | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:18 | Introduction—Mike Bird sets topic: Remembering Richard B. Hays | | 03:59 | Wright introduces Hays, describes first meeting and scholarly connection | | 06:19 | Romans 4:1—Hays’ innovative exegesis | | 07:56 | Theological significance: faith vs. works, justification, faithfulness of Christ | | 10:51 | Galatians 2:20 and Pistis Christou discussion | | 12:49 | Hays’ contributions to New Testament ethics and pacifism | | 15:55 | Echoes of Scripture: metalepsis, scriptural unity, and influence | | 20:33 | Influence on generations of scholars and commentary fatigue (Bird’s observation) | | 21:30 | Echoes of Scripture in the Gospels, high Christology, Hays' illness and resilience | | 24:46 | Book recommendations: Conversion of the Imagination, Galatians commentary, etc. | | 27:01 | Closing reflections and friendly banter |

Summary Table: Hays' Major Works Mentioned

| Book Title | Main Focus/Contribution | Why It Matters | |----------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------| | Echoes of Scripture in Letters of Paul | OT echoes in Pauline writings | Changed reading of how Paul uses Scripture | | Echoes of Scripture in the Gospels | OT echoes show Jesus as Israel’s God | Upended views on Gospel Christology | | The Moral Vision of the New Testament | NT ethics and their theological roots | Seminal work in Christian ethical thought | | The Conversion of the Imagination | Essays on new ways of reading Scripture | Expands reader’s theological imagination | | Galatians Commentary (New Interpreter's Bible) | Exegetical insights on Galatians | Influences preachers and scholars alike | | Figural Christology (short monograph) | How NT writers identify Jesus with God | Accessible summary of key arguments |

Final Thoughts

This episode offered not just a tribute to Richard B. Hays as a friend and scholar, but a masterclass in the evolution of New Testament studies over four decades. Tom Wright and Mike Bird weave personal memories with analysis of Hays’ most influential ideas, highlighting his lasting legacy in scholarship and church life. Whether you’re new to Hays or a long-time admirer, this conversation underscores why his work remains vital for anyone seeking to understand Paul, the Gospels, and Christian ethics.

Recommended first steps:

• Start with The Conversion of the Imagination for Hays’ overall vision.
• Read Echoes of Scripture (Paul and Gospels) to see his influence on biblical interpretation.