The Role of Law in the Formation of the Pentateuch and the Canon

2019 ◽  
pp. 256-274
Author(s):  
Thomas Kazen
Keyword(s):  
Continuous Process ◽  
Fourth Century ◽  
Second Temple ◽  
Hellenistic Period ◽  
Legal Interpretation ◽  
Distinct Entity ◽  
Holiness Code ◽  
Second Temple Period

Legal material is crucial for the Pentateuch’s formation. After an overview of pentateuchal research and documentary hypotheses, the legal collections and their interrelationship are discussed. Although a pre-exilic deuteronomic core, rewriting the Covenant Code, is likely, its final editing is a post-exilic development, with priestly laws and the Holiness Code following. The evolving Pentateuch becomes a distinct entity in the fourth century bce, but the text remains in a certain flux through the Hellenistic period. As a foundational document, consolidating the Judean and Samaritan communities alike, it reflects concerns with the revived temple cult(s) and Persian influence on Israelite practice. The Pentateuch receives special status earlier than the Prophets and the Writings. The transition from descriptive instruction to prescriptive law, from formative ideal to normative legislation, is a continuous process through the Hellenistic and Roman periods, with bearing on tensions around legal interpretation during the late Second Temple period.

scholarly journals The Praise of God and His Name as the Core of the Second Temple Liturgy

2015 ◽  
Vol 127 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mika S. Pajunen
Keyword(s):  
Second Temple ◽  
Second Century ◽  
First Century ◽  
Hellenistic Period ◽  
Second Temple Period ◽  
Early Judaism ◽  
Primary Element ◽  
Liturgical Texts ◽  
Liturgical Practice

Das Lob Gottes wurde schon immer als wichtigstes Element des liturgischen Lebens am 2. Tempel verstanden. Formkritiker haben dieses Moment der liturgischen Praxis vor allem durch die Analyse der Psalmen nachgezeichnet. Demgegenüber erscheint die Rolle der Klage zumindest in der späten Phase des 2. Temepls randständig. Allerdings fehlt ein Bindeglied zwischen der hellenistischen Phase der Liturgie und dem Lob in den Qumran Texten des 1 Jh. v. Chr. Der Blick auf das Motiv der Schöpfung erschließt dieses Bindeglied und erklärt zugleich, warum das Lob als Verpflichtung Gott gegenüber verstanden wurde.Praise of God has always been understood by scholars as a primary element of the liturgical life of the Second Temple period. Form-critics have situated the praises of God in the liturgical practice of the period most of all by analyzing the Psalms now in the MT Psalter. However, at least in the late Second Temple period the role of laments seems to be marginal. Thus far a link has been missing in scholarship between this centrality of praise perceivable in the liturgical practice of the Hellenistic period and the all-encompassing nature of praise in the texts of the Qumran movement from the first century BCE. This is a link that may in part explain why prayer, or during this time more properly praise, came to be seen in early Judaism as an obligation towards God. This question is explored by investigating how the Second Temple liturgy is in many texts from the second century BCE given an explicit basis in the creation, and how such traditions in turn served an important function in the composition of new liturgical texts.La louange de Dieu a toujours été comprise par les exégètes comme un élément essentiel de la vie liturgique de la période du Second Temple. A l’aide de la critique des formes, certains exégètes ont situé les louanges de Dieu dans la pratique liturgique de cette période, en analysant surtout les Psaumes actuellement présents dans le psautier du TM. Le rôle des lamentations, en revanche, semble marginal, au moins dans la période tardive du Second Temple. Jusqu’à présent la recherche n’a pas établi de lien entre la centralité de la louange perceptible dans la pratique liturgique de la période hellénistique et l’importancede la louange dans les textes qumrâniens du premier siècle av. J.-C. Ce lien pourrait expliquer, en partie, pourquoi la prière, ou à plus proprement parler la louange, a été de plus en plus perçue, durant cette période, comme une obligation envers Dieu dans le judaïsme primitif. Cette question est explorée à travers l’analyse de nombreux textes du deuxième siècle av. J.-C. qui montrent comment la liturgie du Second Temple a été basée explicitement sur la Création et comment de telles traditions ont occupé en retour une place importante dans la composition de nouveaux textes liturgiques.

Archaeology of the Postexilic Period and the Writings

2018 ◽  
pp. 48-64
Author(s):  
Benjamin D. Gordon
Keyword(s):  
Identity Politics ◽  
Second Temple ◽  
Local Economy ◽  
Background Information ◽  
Hellenistic Period ◽  
Local Identity ◽  
Domestic Sphere ◽  
Second Temple Period ◽  
Local Literatures ◽  
International Status

This chapter provides an overview of archaeological discoveries relevant to ancient Judean life in the postexilic or Second Temple period (late sixth century bce–70 ce). It seeks to provide background information on the main cultural developments that would have impacted the authors and audience of the Writings, both in Judea and Samaria. One such development is Persian provincialization, which had only modest impact on the local economy and culture. Another consists of processes of acculturation to foreign customs in the Hellenistic period, which would remain slow and largely limited to elite circles. Jerusalem’s rise to international status as a Jewish pilgrimage center under Herodian auspices likely impacted the dissemination of local literatures and sacred texts, the Writings among them. Contemporaneous architecture and artifacts from the domestic sphere can speak to religious diversity and local identity politics as the region began to shift its orientation to the West and the economy grew.

scholarly journals Joodse religieuse uitbreiding in die Nuwe-Testamentiese tydvak: Was die Judaïsme ’n missionêre godsdiens? (Deel II)

1997 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-66
Author(s):  
A. B. Du Toit
Keyword(s):  
Second Temple ◽  
First Century ◽  
Second Temple Period ◽  
Five Factors ◽  
Missionary Movement ◽  
The New Testament ◽  
Negative Conclusion ◽  
Cross Current

Jewish religious expansion in the New Testament era: Was Judaism a missionary religion? (Part II) In the first part of this article five factors were identified which would have contributed to the significant numerical increase of Jews towards the end of the Second Temple period. Here six others are discussed: Jewish slaves in non-Jewish households, adoption of children, the universalistic tendency in certain circles, the role of the synagogue, the attractiveness of Judaism in spite of a negative cross-current and the influence of apologetic-propagandistic literature. In weighing the evidence for a full-scale centrifugal missionary movement a mostly negative conclusion is reached. In this sense first century Judaism cannot be described as a missionary religion. We could, however, speak of an indirect mission in the sense that non-Jews were attracted to Judaism mainly through the quality’ of Jewish belief and life-style and that they were encouraged to do so.

Torah as Narrative and Wisdom

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
John J. Collins
Keyword(s):  
Second Temple ◽  
Hellenistic Period ◽  
Second Temple Period ◽  
Ben Sira

The Torah in the Second Temple period included narratives as well as laws. Several compositions Aramaic compositions of the early Hellenistic period retell the stories to convey ethical messages. Some psalms, and also Ben Sira, treat the Torah as a source of wisdom

Other Secret Jewish Groups and Traditions

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael E. Stone
Keyword(s):  
Social Groups ◽  
Second Temple ◽  
The Other ◽  
Second Temple Judaism ◽  
Second Temple Period ◽  
Human Ability ◽  
Damascus Document ◽  
Ancient Texts

We look at some of the other secret groups in Second Temple Judaism: magicians, schools of magic and divination, priestly craft societies, and Hasideans. The possible connections of ultra-pietist groups mentioned in Rabbinic sources to the Essenes is noted, but regarded as unproven. Ḥāburôt and their possible Qumranite connections. The extreme concern with ritual purity is common to many groups. The possible debt of the Karaites to the Qumranite tradition is discussed and traditions about discovery of books in caves. The origin in such a discovery of the text transmitted WQQ by the Geniza copies of the Damascus Document is considered. The role of ritual purity in very many of known Second Temple period social groups is examined. Is it possible for human ability to comprehend the Divine? What mysteries, if any, did the ancient texts reveal? The differences and similarities among these texts are explored.

Holiness in the Rabbinic Period

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tzvi Novick
Keyword(s):  
Second Temple ◽  
Rabbinic Literature ◽  
Natural Property ◽  
Second Temple Period

The chapter examines the conceptualization and role of holiness in classical rabbinic and para-rabbinic literature. The first part contends that while holiness structured the thought world of sectarians in the late Second Temple period, it figures less importantly for the rabbis themselves, who in an assortment of texts appear self-consciously to disrupt holiness-based hierarchies. They instead assign a structuring role to law. The second part of the chapter surveys the ways in which texts from rabbinic Palestine deploy holiness discourse, and ventures that the rabbis continue to think of holiness as closer to a natural property than to an evaluative shorthand.

Tyrants, Letters, and Legitimacy

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sian Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Fourth Century ◽  
Political Community ◽  
Hellenistic Period ◽  
Written Communication ◽  
State Institutions ◽  
The World ◽  
Fourth Century Bce ◽  
And Function

The chapter explores the part played by letters in how tyrants in the world of fifth- and fourth-century BCE Greece exercised power, with a specific emphasis on processes of decision-making and the role of state institutions that embedded the ruler within the wider political community. The focus is on the place and function of letters in the traditions surrounding the rulers of Syracuse (Dionysius I and II, Timoleon, and, moving into the Hellenistic period, Agathocles). A nuanced picture emerges: whereas the classical tyrants did not attempt to impose a model of rule through written communication within their poleis, where traditional oral methods of rule continued, in communications outside the polis tyrants moved gradually towards the letter as part of the consolidation of their rule.

scholarly journals Are there Jews and Christians in the Bible?

1997 ◽  
Vol 53 (1/2) ◽  
Author(s):  
John J. Pilch
Keyword(s):  
New Testament ◽  
Fourth Century ◽  
Second Temple ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Second Temple Period ◽  
Rabbinic Judaism ◽  
The Bible ◽  
The New Testament

The article shows that it is anachronistic to speak of either 'Christians' or 'Jews' in the biblical period. In the New Testament both 'Words are used pejoratively by outsiders. However, it became appropriate to speak of 'Jews' when referring to the period of Rabbinic Judaism onwards, and of 'Christians' since the christological debates of the fourth century C E. 'Israel' was the in-group name during the Second Temple period. Outsiders, like the Romans, called the entire land 'Judea' and all its inhabitants 'Judeans'. Members of the 'house of Israel' called all outsiders 'non-Israel' or 'the nations'. The article concludes with a discussion of the ancient point of view of labeling persons.

A Destruction Layer from the Hellenistic Period at Tel Shiloh

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-71
Author(s):  
Reut Livyatan Ben-Arie
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Second Temple ◽  
Second Century ◽  
Third Century ◽  
Hellenistic Period ◽  
Historical Sources ◽  
Second Temple Period ◽  
The Third

Excavations at Tel Shiloh revealed a building from the end of the third century BCE. The building was destroyed violently in the middle of the second century BCE. Based on the archaeological context, its relationship with later buildings and other finds from the period in its vicinity, it can be determined that its occupants were gentiles. Shiloh is located between Judea and Samaria, in an area included in different administrative districts at different times during the Second Temple period. In the Persian and Early Hellenistic periods, this area was outside the Land of Judea, but at the end of the Second Temple period it was within the Province of Judea. Historical sources indicate that the population on the eve of the Hasmonean Revolt was heterogeneous; during the revolt there were conflicts between the various ethnic groups. Edomites are mentioned by several sources as being in the area, and Jewish localities are also implied. Discharged Seleucid soldiers may have settled in the area as well, as they did in western Samaria. In any case, it is clear that the foreign settlement in Shiloh was destroyed in a violent confrontation. Based on its dating, the destruction must be attributed to the conquests of Jonathan and Simeon as part of the expansion of the borders of the Hasmonean state.

The Pro-Social Role of Grief in Ezra’s Penitential Prayer

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (4-5) ◽  
pp. 466-491
Author(s):  
Angela Kim Harkins
Keyword(s):  
Social Role ◽  
Second Temple ◽  
Integrated System ◽  
The Self ◽  
Ritual Performance ◽  
Second Temple Period ◽  
1 Kings ◽  
Shed Light ◽  
Critical Methods

This study uses a model of human experience that considers the embodied brain, religion, and social context in an integrated system of bio-cultural approaches. The study of grief and its strategic arousal in ritual contexts can highlight fundamental differences between modern and ancient religious understandings of the self, ultimately helping us to become more aware of our own scholarly biases and anachronisms. Such methods complement traditional historical-critical methods and shed light on how Ezra’s penitential prayer could have functioned in a Second Temple context. This study examines the similarities between the ritual performance of actions and discursive traditions that are said to have been performed by Ezra (Ezra 9–10) and discusses their resemblance to two passages that preserve foundational events of remaking the covenant (Exodus 32–34; Deuteronomy 9) and dedicating the first Temple (1 Kings 8; 2 Chronicles 6–7). The reenactment of scripted grief is identified as a strategy for bridging the breach between foundational events and the authors and readers in the Second Temple period.


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