Early Judaism- A Comprehensive Overview

priesthood, and the recipient of revelations. The AramaicGenesis Apocry-

phon(see fig. 42) offers stories from the early chapters of Genesis until

chap. 15 (where the manuscript breaks off ). The book ofJubileesmore

closely adheres to its scriptural base as it retells the stories from Genesis 1

to Exodus 24, all of which was revealed to Moses on Mt. Sinai. It packages

them in its theologically eloquent chronology of fifty jubilee units and em-

phasizes the one, frequently renewed covenant between God and the cho-

sen line, the importance of separating from the nations, the need to keep

the Sabbath properly, and the significance of following the correct calen-

dar of 364 days in a year. TheTemple Scrollis a rewriting of the remaining

parts of the Pentateuch (beginning with Exodus 24), while theReworked

Pentateuchis at times classified as scriptural and at times as Reworked

Scripture.

Also within the area of scriptural interpretation are targums, Aramaic

translations and interpretations of the Hebrew Scriptures. Although the

major targums(OnqelosandJonathan)date from much later times, the

presence of Aramaic renderings of Job (4Q157; 11Q10) and apparently Le-

viticus (4Q156) at Qumran illustrates that this type of exercise has ancient

roots.

Apocalypses

Several works give an account of revelatory experiences granted to exem-

plary leaders; the revelations to them disclose information about the fu-

ture and the heavenly world. Among the apocalypses, perhaps the oldest is

the EnochicApocalypse of Weeks(1 Enoch93:1-10; 91:11-17), which divides

all of history and the future judgments into ten “weeks” (long units of

time). Other early instances are the various revelations in Daniel 7–12,

which “predict” the attacks on Jews and Judaism by Antiochus IV as the

climax of evil and distress before the deliverance of the people of God. The

Animal Apocalypse(1 Enoch83–90) may come from nearly the same time.

It surveys scriptural history, symbolizing almost all characters as various

kinds of animals, and pictures a new age after the final woes caused by the

nations that rule Israel and the judgment on the sinners. A number of

other works fit in this category: theSimilitudes of Enoch(1 Enoch37–71),

theTestament of Moses, 4 Ezra,and2 Baruch.The first two of these may

have been written around the turn of the eras, while the latter two offer

apocalyptic reflection upon the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.

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james c. vanderkam

EERDMANS -- Early Judaism (Collins and Harlow) final text
Tuesday, October 09, 2012 12:03:54 PM