Jocelyn McWhirter

Stanley S. Kresge Professor and Chair

E-mail:
Phone: 517/629-0268
Office: 214 Vulgamore Hall

Dr. Jocelyn McWhirter is a Biblical Studies scholar who specializes in New Testament studies. Her current research focuses on how the first Christians interpreted Israel's Scriptures in light of their conviction that Jesus was the Messiah. Other areas of interest include cultural hermeneutics and the literature of Second Temple Judaism. She is affiliated with the Society of Biblical Literature, where she is a member of the Mark Group. Her dissertation was published by Cambridge University Press in the fall of 2007.

Courses

• RS101 Introduction to Western Religions
• RS121 History, Literature, and Religion of the Old Testament
• RS122 History, Literature, and Religion of the New Testament
• RS215 Jewish Life and Thought
• RS220 Legend, Wisdom, Apocalypse
• RS222 Jesus and the Gospels
• RS320 Gender and Biblical Interpretation
• LA 101 Ancient Faith, Modern World
• LA 101 The Holocaust
• IDY 198 Holocaust Studies Service Learning Project
  
  

Education

• Ph.D. New Testament Studies, Princeton Theological Seminary, 2002
• M.A. Religion, Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry, 1991
• B.A. (with Honors) Religion, Trinity College, 1982
  
  

Career

• Stanley S. Kresge Professor, Department of Religious Studies, 2015-present
• Associate Professor, Department of Religious Studies, Albion College, 2011-2015
• Assistant Professor, Department of Religious Studies, Albion College, 2006-2011
• Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Theology, St. Joseph's University, 2001-2005
• Lecturer, Department of Theology, St. Joseph's University, 1999-2001
  
  

Books

• Rejected Prophets: Jesus and His Witnesses in Luke-Acts, Fortress Press, 2014
• The Bridegroom-Messiah and the People of God, SNTSMS, Cambridge University
  Press, 2007
  
  

Essays

• "Luke 16:19-31," Interpretation 69 (2015): 463-65
• "Messianic Exegesis in Mark 1:2–3." Pages 158–78 in 'What Does the Scripture Say?' Studies in the Function of Scripture in Early Judaism and Christianity Ed. Craig A. Evans and H. Daniel Zacharias. LNTS 469. London: T&T Clark, 2012.
• "Messianic Exegesis in Mark's Passion Narrative." in The Trial and Death of Jesus: Essays
  on the Passion Narrative in Mark, CBET 45, Peeters, 2007, 69-98
  
  

Dictionary Articles

• "Nathan the Prophet," in Lexham Bible Dictionary (Lexham Press, 2015)
• "Tobit, Book of," in Lexham Bible Dictionary (Lexham Press, 2015)
• "Sarah, Wife of Tobias," in Lexham Bible Dictionary (Lexham Press, 2015)
• “Bride, Bridegroom,” in Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (2nd ed.; Downers Grove, Ill.:InterVarsity Press, 2013): 95-97
• “Marriage in the Bible,” in Lexham Bible Dictionary (Lexham Press, 2013)

Book Reviews

• Review of Sharan B. Merriam and Laura L. Bierema, Adult Learning: Linking Theory and Practice, Wabash Center Resources, 2015
• Review of Angela Breidenstein et al., Leading for Powerful Learning: A Guide for Instructional Leaders, Teaching Theology and Religion 17 (2014): 183-4
• Review of Susan E. Docherty, The Use of the Old Testament in Hebrews: A Case Study in
  Early Bible Interpretation, CBQ 73 (2011): 158-9
• Review of Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Darrell L. Bock, and Peter Enns, Three Views on the New
  Testament Use of the Old Testament, CBQ 71 (2009): 689-90· Review of Magnus
  Zetterholm, ed., The Messiah in Early Judaism and Christianity, CBQ 70
  (2008): 887-8
• Review of Mark H. Hamilton et al., eds., Renewing Tradition: Studies in Texts and Contexts,
  CBQ 69 (2007): 858-9
• Review of Mira Stare, Durch ihn leben: Die lebensthematik in Joh 6, CBQ 67 (2005): 724-6.
• Review of Holly E. Hearon, The Mary Magdalene Tradition: Witness and Counter-Witness in
  Early Christian Communities, CBQ 66 (2004): 650-1.
  
  

Conference Presentations

• "Searching the Scriptures: Jewish Messianic Exegesis in the Fourth Gospel," to be presented at the Sixth Nangeroni Meeting of the Enoch Seminar, Camaldoli, Italy, June 2016
• "To Juel and Beyond: Messianic Exegesis in Mark 4:12," presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, Atlanta, Georgia, November 2015
• "Review of James W. Voelz, Mark 1:1 - 8:26," presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, San Diego, California, 2014
• "Prophets Who Set Precedents in Luke-Acts," presented at the Annual Meeting of the
  Society of Biblical Literature, Atlanta, Georgia, 2010
• "Messianic Exegesis in Mark 1:2-3," presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society of
  Biblical Literature, Boston, Massachusetts, 2008
• "Luke's Use of Mark and the Septuagint to Portray Jesus and Peter as Prophets,"
  presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, San Diego, California,
  2007
• "Messianic Exegesis in Romans 9:30-11:32," presented at the Annual Meeting of the
  Society of Biblical Literature, Washington, D.C., 2006
• "Messianic Exegesis in Mark's Passion Narrative," presented at the Annual Meeting of the
  Society of Biblical Literature, San Antonio, Texas, 2004
• "The Bridegroom-Messiah in the Fourth Gospel: Messianic Exegesis of the Song of Songs
  and Gen 29:1-20 in Light of Ps 45," presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society of
  Biblical Literature, Denver, Colorado, 2001, and at the Annual Meeting of the Mid-Atlantic
  Region of the Society of Biblical Literature, Lima, Pennsylvania, 2000