Jewish Writings of the Second Temple Period

Copyright

FOREWORD

EDITOR'S PREFACE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER ONE: THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Introduction

The Hellenistic Period

The Hasmonean Uprising

The Hasmonean State

Roman Rule in Judaea

Institutions and Parties in Second Temple Judaea

Opposition to Rome and the Great Revolt

Between the Wars: From Jerusalem to Yavneh

CHAPTER TWO: STORIES OF BIBLICAL AND EARLY POST-BIBLICAL TIMES

Daniel 1-6

The Prayer of Nabonidus

Susanna

Bel and the Dragon

Tobit

Judith

Martyrdom of Isaiah

The Lives of the Prophets (by D. Satran)

The Testament of Abraham

Joseph and Aseneth

Paraleipomena of Jeremiah

Epistle of Aristeas

3 Maccabees

Bibliography

CHAPTER THREE: THE BIBLE REWRITTEN AND EXPANDED

1 Enoch and the Books of Giants

1 Enoch 6-11

1 Enoch 12-16

1 Enoch 106-107

1 Enoch 65-67 and 83-84

The Book of Giants

Jubilees

The Genesis Apocryphon

The Book of Biblical Antiquities

The Books of Adam and Eve

The Apocalypse of Moses

The Life of Adam and Eve

Hellenistic Jewish Poets

Philo the Epic Poet

Theodotus the Epic Poet

Ezekiel the Tragedian

Supplements to Biblical Books

The Story of Darius' Bodyguards

Additions to the Book of Esther

David's Compositions

Baruch

The Epistle of Jeremiah

The Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Young Men

Bibliography

CHAPTER FOUR: HISTORIOGRAPHY

1 Esdras

Fragments of Hellenistic Historians

Demetrius

Eupolemus

Pseudo-Eupolemus

Artapanus

Other Fragmentary Historians

Pseudo-Hecataeus

1 Maccabees

2 Maccabees

Other Historical Works

Bibliography

CHAPTER FIVE: JOSEPHUS AND HIS WORKS

The Career of Josephus and his Autobiography

The Jewish War

Date

Sources

Content

Tendencies

Responsibility for the Destruction of Jerusalem

Pro-Flavian Elements

Theological Reflections

Jewish Suffering

The Antiquities

Date

Sources and Contents

Tendencies

Divine Providence

Treatment of Herod

Prophecy

Moralizing

Defense of Jewish Rights

The Pharisees and the Future of Jewish-Roman Relations

Against Apion or On the Antiquity of the Jews

Conclusion

Bibliography

CHAPTER SIX: PHILO OF ALEXANDRIA

The Exposition of the Laws of Moses

The Life of Moses 1 and 2

On the Creation

On Abraham

On Joseph

On the Decalogue and On the Special Laws

On the Virtues and Rewards and Punishment

Allegorical Interpretations

Questions and Answers on Genesis and Exodus

Allegorical Interpretations of Genesis

On Dreams

Ps. Philo, On Jonah and On Samson

Thematic Works

Hypothetica

On the Contemplative Life

Every Good Man is Free

On the Eternity of the World

On Providence

Alexander or Whether the Animals Have Reason

Flaccus and the Embassy to Gaius

Philo's Cultural and Religious Background

Social and Political Situation

Greek Education and Philosophy

Philo and the Jewish Community

Philo as Biblical Exegete

Philo's Thought

The Architect

The Heavenly Nourishment

Moses' Ascent

The Cosmic Significance of Jewish Existence

The Logos

Philo and his Predecessor Aristobulus

Philo's Significance

Bibliography

CHAPTER SEVEN: WISDOM LITERATURE

Introduction

Wisdom Literature in the Hebrew Bible

The Concept of Wisdom

Encounter with Greek Wisdom

Wisdom of Ben Sira

Author

Composition and Structure

Subjects

Additions

Reception in Judaism and Early Christianity

The Wisdom of Solomon

Contents and Literary Structure

Literary Genre

Message

Originality

Circulation

The Sentences of Phocylides

4 Maccabees

Texts Related to Wisdom Literature

Bibliography

CHAPTER EIGHT: TESTAMENTS

The Genre Testament

The Corpus

Relation to other Literature

The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs

Text and Parallel Traditions

Contents

Relation to other Literature

Composition

Provenance and Date

The Testament of Moses

The Text and its Identification

Relation to other Literature

Contents: A Theology of History

Date, Purpose and Provenance

The Testament of Job

Text and Structure

Contents

Parallels, Date and Provenance

Bibliography

CHAPTER NINE: THE SIBYLLINE ORACLES

The Phenomenon of Sibylline Oracles

Other Related Literature

The Jewish Adaptation of the Form: Book Four

Book Three

The Main Corpus

Against the Nations, 3:350-488

Various Oracles, 3:1-96

Book Five

Book Eleven

The Jewish Stratum in Books One and Two

The Later Jewish and Christian Sibyllina

Bibliography

CHAPTER TEN: APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE

General

Apocalypses and the Bible

Apocalypses and Prophecy

Apocalypse and the Wisdom Literature

Apocalypse and the Fulfillment of Prophecy

Other Features of Apocalyptic Origins

Definition and Description

The Apocalypses

General

I Enoch

2 Enoch

The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch

The Greek Apocalypse of Baruch

4 Ezra

The Apocalypse of Abraham

Apocalypses and Other Genres

Apocalypse and Testament

The Testament of Moses

The Testament of Abraham

Oracles and Apocalypses

Apocalypses and the Qumran Writings

Features of the Apocalypses

Pseudepigraphy, Inspiration and Esotericism

Purpose and Function of the Apocalypses

Concluding Comments

Bibliography

CHAPTER ELEVEN: JEWiSH SOURCES IN GNOSTIC LITERATURE

Introduction: The Problem of Jewish Gnosticism

Jewish Sources Cited by Name

Enoch Literature in Gnostic Texts

Jewish and Jewish Gnostic Sources in Christian Gnostic Texts

The Testimony of Truth

Melchizedek

The Apocryphon of John

The Hypostasis of the Archons

Jewish Gnostic Texts

Apocalypse of Adam

Poimandres

Other Gnostic Texts with Jewish Influence

Conclusions

Bibliography

CHAPTER TWELVE: QUMRAN SECTARIAN LITERATURE

The Site and the Community

The Qumran Library

Rules

The Damascus Covenant

The Rule of the Community

The Relationship Between the Rule and the Covenant

Biblical Interpretation

Literary Forms of Biblical Exegesis

The Character of the Pesharim

The Pesher on Habakkuk

The Pesher on Nahum

The Pesher on Psalms

Other Continuous Pesharim

Eschatological Compositions

The War Scroll

The Rule of the Congregation

4Q Testimonia

4Q Florilegium

The Pesher on Melchizedek

Poetic and Liturgical Works

The Thanksgiving Psalms

The Benedictions

The Angelic Liturgy

Halakhah

The Temple Scroll

The Scrolls and Jubilees

Varia

The Copper Scroll

Horoscopes

The New Jerusalem

The Religious Thought of the Sect

Introduction

Good and Evil

Predestination and Election

Eschatology and Messianism

The History of the Sect

Bibliography

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: PSALMS, HYMNS AND PRAYERS

Magnificat and Benedictus

The Greek Additions to Esther and Daniel

The Prayer of Nabonidus

The Prayer of Manasseh

Prayers in the Book of Tobit

Eschatological Psalms

The Qumran Psalms Scroll and the Syriac Psalms

Apotropaic Prayers

Autobiographical Poetry

Mystical Prayers

Qumran Liturgical Texts

Prayers in Distress (Tahanunim)

The Psalms of Solomon

Prayers in Biblical Antiquities

Prayers in 4 Ezra and 2 Baruch

Epilogue

Bibliography

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: EPISTOLARY LITERATURE

The Corpus

Types of Letters

The Problem of Authenticity

Analysis of the Bar-Kokhba and Masada Letters

Analysis of the Remaining Letters

Bibliography

ABBREVIATIONS

ACCUMULATIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY

INDEX OF SOURCES

INDEX OF NAMES AND SUBJECTS