Jude on the Attack: A Comparative Analysis of the Epistle of Jude, Jewish Judgement Oracles, and Greco-Roman Invective

by Alexandra Robinson, Chris Keith (Editor)

Overview

Alexandra Robinson examines the letter of Jude in the light of repeated scholarly references to this source as an invective, a polemic, and an attack speech, with a dependence on both Jewish and Greco-Roman sources. Moving beyond the 'Hellenism/Judaism divide', Robinson specifies what these elements are, and how they relate to the harsh nature of the discourse.

This study shows how, where, and why Jude borrows from these contemporary genres, with a detailed survey of Greco-Roman invectives and Jewish judgement oracles; comparing and contrasting them to the epistle of Jude with consideration of structure, aims, themes, and style. Robinson argues that Jude has constructed a 'Jewish invective,' and that his epistle is a polemical text which takes the form (structure, aims, and style) of a typical Greco-Roman invective but is filled with Jewish content (themes and allusions), drawing on Israel's heritage for the benefit of his primarily Jewish– Christian audience.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780567689184
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	06/27/2019
Series:	The Library of New Testament Studies
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.57(d)

About the Author

Alexandra Robinson has studied theology at Sydney Missionary and Bible College and St Mark's Theological Seminary. She recently completed her PhD in the Ancient History department at Macquarie University.

Chris Keith is Research Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society, Norway. He is the author of The Pericope Adulterae, the Gospel of John and the Literacy of Jesus, a winner of the 2010 John Templeton Award for Theological Promise, and Jesus' Literacy: Scribal Culture and the Teacher from Galilee. He is also the co-editor of Jesus among Friends and Enemies: A Historical and Literary Introduction to Jesus in the Gospels, and was recently named a 2012 Society of Biblical Literature Regional Scholar.

Table of Contents

List of tables
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Note on Translation
Abbreviations
1: Introduction
2. Preliminary Matters
3. Examining the Literature, Method and Genre
4. The Structure of Jewish Judgment Oracles, Greco-Roman Invectives, and the Epistle of Jude
5. The Aim of Jewish Judgment Oracles, Greco-Roman Invectives, and the Epistle of Jude
6. Themes of Jewish Judgment Oracles, Greco-Roman Invectives, and the Epistle of Jude
7. Style of Jewish Judgment Oracles, Greco-Roman Invectives, and the Epistle of Jude
8. Conclusion
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

Robinson is wide-ranging in her interaction with secondary literature across a vast spectrum of topics… making this a valuable reference source for graduate students and researchers. In particular, her thorough discussion of Greco-Roman invective will provide a solid starting place for scholars interested in the presence of invective in Paul or John's Apocalypse.” —Biblical Theology Bulletin

“[Robinson's] most helpful contribution alongside bringing the comparative material together for the reader to consider is her observation that the “form (structure, aims, and style) of the epistle is typical of a Greco-Roman invective, while the discourse is filled with Jewish content (themes and stylistic devices)” (p. 204; emphasis original). Robinson's monograph is well organized and judicious in expression, keeping its focus on the central thesis throughout.” —Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society

From the Publisher