The Jewish Pseudepigrapha: An Introduction to the Literature of the Second Temple Period

by Susan Docherty (Translator)

Overview

Designed with the beginning student in mind, this volume introduces the reader to the books that did not make it into the Bible or the Apocrypha but that remained popular among Jews and early Christians for centuries. These writings take various forms, such as novels, poems, apocalypses, the fictional deathbed speeches of biblical characters, and even attempts to rewrite well-known parts of Scripture. The book draws out the main religious ideas of these writings and links them to both their original historical setting and to issues of concern today.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781451490282
Publisher:	1517 Media
Publication date:	04/01/2015
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Susan Docherty is reader in biblical studies and head of theology at Newman University, Birmingham, UK. She is the current chair of the Annual Seminar on the Use of the Old Testament in the New Testament, and serves as a member of the steering group for the Society of Biblical Literature Hebrews section.

Table of Contents

Abbreviations ix

1 Introduction 1

Introducing the Pseudepigrapha 1

The history of the Second Temple period 4

Format and organization 8

The significance of the Pseudepigrapha 10

2 Rewritten Bible 12

Introducing the genre of rewritten Bible 12

The Book of Jubilees 14

The Biblical Antiquities of Pseudo-Philo 23

Other examples of rewritten Bible 33

The significance of the rewritten Bible texts 34

3 Para-biblical literature or biblical expansions 38

Introducing the para-biblical literature 38

Joseph and Aseneth 39

The Life of Adam and Eve 50

Other examples of biblical expansion 58

The significance of the para-biblical texts 59

4 Non-narrative literature: poems, hymns and drama 62

Introducing the non-narrative literature 62

The Exagoge of Ezekiel the Tragedian 62

The Psalms of Solomon 69

The Sibylline Oracles 78

Other examples of poetic, hymnic and dramatic texts 89

The significance of the non-narrative literature 90

5 Testaments 93

Introducing the testament genre 93

The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs 94

The Testament of Job 100

The Testament of Moses 108

The Testament of Abraham 115

Other examples of testamentary literature 121

The significance of testaments 121

6 Apocalyptic literature 125

Introducing the genre of apocalyptic literature 125

1 Enoch 127

4 Ezra 137

2 Baruch 147

Other examples of apocalyptic literature 155

The significance of apocalyptic literature 155

7 Conclusions 159

Index of ancient sources 167

Index of modern authors 177

Index of subjects 178