Time and Space in Haggai-Zechariah 1-8

The Author: Seth Sykes is an Academic Advisor and Adjunct Professor of Religious Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University. He received his Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from Union Theological Seminary in Virginia.

"Sykes' work is clear and cogent enough to serve as a primer in Bakhtinian analysis. Application of this method to Haggai-Zechariah 1-8 enables him to resolve an old impasse in Haggai-Zechariah scholarship: namely, is this work pro- or anti-Persian? Sykes' Bakhtinian analysis frames this question in different terms: what is the socio-political function of this work in the Persian context? Through comparison with Babylonian and Assyrian examples of the chronistic genre, Sykes succeeds in demonstrating that the temple scribe responsible for editing Haggai and Zechariah 1-8 (possibly Zechariah himself) has transformed this genre, from a presentation of the ideal king's responsibility to preserve temple and city to a statement of the Divine King's power and authority, superceding and surpassing the might of the Persian monarch. Sykes' useful and creative synthesis of historical and literary methodologies hold promise for application to other areas of biblical studies, in particular other examples of the chronistic genre." (Steven Tuell, Randolph-Macon College)
"Sykes' provocative yet judicious study forges an exciting new direction in comparative research that moves beyond standard form-critical treatments of Haggai-Zechariah 1-8. With a new methodology in hand and a discerning eye on the Neo-Babylonian Chronicles, Sykes is able to take account of both the form and content, as well as the socio-political function of this prophetic piece of literature. The results are surprisingly theological. His work is a model of precision and presentation." (William Brown, Union Theological Seminary)