When I had imagined researching and writing a doctoral thesis, upon which this book is based, I assumed it was a lonesome and isolated endeavor, where one is shut up in a small study or tucked away in the nook of the library. I am surprised and relieved that my experience was nothing like this scenario. It is fitting, then, to give special thanks to the many people who influenced me and assisted me in various ways. I have been twice blessed by having two supervisors who have invested much time and thought in my research. Dr. Stephen Barton has shaped my thinking and writing in innumerable ways, always prodding me to see the text afresh. I also benefited greatly from a postgraduate seminar on Social Scientific Criticism and the New Testament where Dr. Barton introduced me to the work of people like Mary Douglas, Peter Berger, and Clifford Geertz. Dr. Barton also has a careful eye for detail and helped me to write as clearly and cogently as possible.