Many readers of this journal will recall with pleasure bygone days of conversation or study in St. Louis with the Christ Seminary-Seminex faculty. There, generations of students first glimpsed the promise of Lutheran biblical studies. That exiled faculty nurtured a promising tradition, and its great cloud of witnesses pointed to a "better hope" (Heb 7:19). Among them, Robert H. Smith has made consistently notable contributions. Always a popular teacher, Bob exercised much influence through the classroom. While I never had the privilege of a formal class with Bob (his sections always closed early!), I have enjoyed a lengthy conversation with the honoree about the meaning of the New Testament. Bob also has contributed to church and academy over the years through valuable publications. I cannot forget the excitement of reading Easter Gospels when it first appeared, a fine testament to the strength of the Seminex tradition of biblical scholarship. (4) May Bob and other readers find in this essay an equal dedication to the promise of that tradition. Earliest Christologies
