Early Judaism- A Comprehensive Overview

daism had become thoroughly scripturalized, even though the borders be-

tween scripture and interpretation may have been somewhat shifting,

since some interpretation itself claims revelation and hence authoritative-

ness. Also fluid are the transitions from interpretative rewriting to explicit

commentary, and from exegesis of texts to attribution of nonscriptural

materials to foundational figures. The Dead Sea Scrolls therefore illustrate

various kinds of exegetical techniques, as well as different strategies for

conferring authority in early Judaism.

Special attention should be given toJubilees,which combines rewrit-

ten Scripture, the adaptation of other traditions, and the attribution of the

text to the founding figure of Moses. More importantly,Jubileesis related

to many other texts in the corpus. It includes material found in the oldest

Enochic books and in theAramaic Levi Document;it shares halakic tradi-

tions with theTemple Scroll;it is in its turn imitated or rewritten in the

Pseudo-Jubileesmanuscripts; and diverse texts such as theWords of Moses

and theApocryphon of Jeremiah Care dependent on it.

Interpreting the Law in Legal Works

Some interpretative works deal partly or exclusively with the interpreta-

tion of the Law of Moses. But whereas the corpus includes much legal ma-

terial, only a few texts are primarily focused on legal questions. Without a

doubt, the two most important legal texts are theTemple Scrolland the so-

calledHalakic Document,now known as MMT forMiqjat Ma{akê ha-

Torah,one of the phrases in the text (see fig. 48). Other legal texts include

the legal section of theDamascus Document,the remnants of different

Tohorotcompositions, the Moses Apocrypha (includingApocryphal Penta-

teuch A), and compositions referred to asOrdinances(4Q159; 4Q513-514),

Halaka A(4Q251) andB(4Q264a), andMiscellaneous Rules(4Q265).

TheTemple Scroll,which is based on Deuteronomy but presented as

God’s word spoken in the first person at Sinai, contains the most extensive

collection of legal material. It also discusses the construction of the sanc-

tuary, its altar, and its courtyards, the festival calendar and festal sacrificial

offerings; and purity laws. And it engages in a rewriting of Deuteronomy

12–23, into which are inserted the so-called Law of the King and other reg-

ulations regarding the Levites and crucifixion. The composition has been

described as a utopian vision of the present age, and a polemic against

Hasmonean policies and Pharisaic rulings.

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EERDMANS -- Early Judaism (Collins and Harlow) final text
Tuesday, October 09, 2012 12:04:04 PM