Steven R. Johnson, associate professor of religion at Lycoming College, has published a new book titled “Seeking the Imperishable Treasure,” an in-depth study of how a saying of Jesus might have been transmitted in the time of the early Christian apostles. According to Johnson, some form of the saying is found in each of the biblical gospels, two of the biblical letters and in other early Christian literature as well. The message of the saying discussed is found to be quite flexible, but follows two distinct paths of interpretation: the moral and ethical use of wealth and the search for divine wisdom, knowledge or truth.

“I originally wrote this book as my doctoral dissertation for Claremont Graduate University in California,” Johnson said. “It was inspired by a desire to uncover source teachings used by the writers of the gospels.”

The specific Jesus saying Johnson examines, known as the Treasure in Heaven, is mentioned in the Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Colossians, James, Q and Gospel of Thomas books.

“I eventually settled on the saying of Jesus commonly referred to as the Treasure in Heaven saying because I discovered that it was widely used, it was repeatedly modified to fit different social and theological contexts; and it is found not only in the biblical gospels, but in biblical epistles and non-biblical texts as well.”

Despite the author’s interest in the Treasure in Heaven saying of Jesus, Johnson’s desire to write this book was based on his passion of more than just one saying of Christ.

“If there is any underlying motivation in the writing of this book, it is to demonstrate that Jesus’ teachings were not simply memorized verbatim and endlessly repeated until someone wrote them down,” Johnson said. “They were part of a living tradition of interpretation that responded to the pastoral or spiritual needs of different audiences. This study shows the conscious and conscientious creativity of authors who modified and applied the teachings of Jesus to varied situations in the life of the early church.”

Johnson says the book may be relevant to work of biblical scholars, but it will also be an interesting read to clergy and the general public.

“The motivated layperson might simply enjoy the book as something of a scholarly detective novel, weaving through the evidence and the numerous theories to get at the motivations and messages of various first-century writers,” Johnson said.

Along with his recent release, Johnson is also a managing editor of the International Q Project and is the author and editor of “Q 7:1-10 The Centurion’s Faith in Jesus’ Word” and the recently released “Q 12:33-34: Storing up Treasures in Heaven.”

“With studies like Steve Johnson’s, the study of the Gospel of Thomas is entering a new, more mature phase, where careful, thorough analysis of particular texts can begin to make substantive contribution to our understanding of the Jesus tradition and its early history,” said Stephen J. Patterson, professor of New Testament at Eden Theological Seminary in Saint Louis, Mo. “(It’s) an exemplary piece of critical scholarship.”

Johnson, a Tustin, Calif., native, earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from California State University, Fullerton, a master of divinity degree from San Francisco Theological Seminary, and a master’s degree in religion from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. In 1998, he earned a Ph.D. in religion with a specialization in New Testament studies from the Claremont Graduate University. Johnson joined Lycoming’s faculty as an assistant professor in 1999, and was named the department chair for religion in 2002.

:: See More Lyco News :: See More Events ::