Ancient Jewish and Christian Perceptions of Crucifixion

Description

David W. Chapman examines Second Temple and early rabbinic literature and material remains in order to demonstrate the range of ancient Jewish perceptions about crucifixion. Early Christian literature is then shown to reflect awareness of, and interaction with, these Jewish perceptions.Ancient Jewish historical accounts of crucifixion are examined, magical literature is analyzed, and the proverbial use of crucifixion imagery is studied. He pays special attention to Jewish interpretations of key Old Testament texts that mention human bodily suspension in association with execution.Previous studies have demonstrated how pervasive in antiquity was the view of the cross as a terrible and shameful death. In this volume, the author provides further evidence of such views in ancient Jewish communities. More positive perceptions could also be attached to crucifixion insofar as the death could be associated with the innocent sufferer or martyr as well as with latent sacrificial images.Christian literature, proclaiming a crucified Messiah, betrays awareness of these various perceptions by seeking to reject or transform negative stereotypes, or by embracing some of these more positive associations. Thus early Christian literature on the cross exhibits, to a greater degree than is commonly recognized, a reflection upon the various Jewish perceptions of the cross in antiquity. Cover Widmung Preface Table of Contents List of Abbreviations Chapter One: Introduction 1. Crucifixion and Judaism in Contemporary Research 2. Crucifixion Terminology 2.1 Latin Terminology 2.2 Greek Terminology 2.3 Hebrew, Aramaic, and Syriac Terminology 2.3.1 TLH and SLB 2.3.2 Aramaic ZQP 2.3.3 Notes on the Hebrew YQٔ 2.4 Summary: Crucifixion Terminology and Suspension 3. Suspension and the Death Penalty in Jewish Law and Practice 4. Methodology in this Study Part One Ancient Jewish Perceptions of Crucifixion Chapter Two: Crucifixion and Suspension in Extra-Biblical Jewish Historical Narratives 1. Suspension in the Graeco-Roman World 2. Crucifixion and Suspension in the Hellenistic Age 2.1 Persecution under Antiochus Epiphanes 2.2 Jose ben Jo'ezer and his Nephew 2.3 The 800 Crucified by Alexander Jannaeus 2.4 Crucifixion and the Nahum Pesher 2.5 Simeon b. Shetach and the Witches of Ashkelon 3. Crucifixion in the Roman Period 3.1 Crucifixion in the Time of Varus 3.2 Crucifixion in the Assumption of Moses 3.3 Crucifixion in Alexandria 3.4 Crucifixion in Palestine under the Procurators 3.5 Crucifixion in the Jewish War 3.6 The Crucified Man from Giv'at ha-Mivtar 3.7 Crucifixion in Rabbinic Law and Anecdote 3.7.1 Rabbi Nathan and the Persecuted 3.7.2 Rabbi Eleazar and the Thieves 4. Summary Chapter Three: Biblical Suspension Texts and Tradition 1. Suspension in the Ancient Near East 2. Joseph and the Baker (Genesis 40–41) 2.1 Philo and the Chief Baker 2.2 Josephus and the Chief Baker 2.3 Targumim and the Chief Baker 2.4 Summary 3. Moses and the Leaders (Numbers 25:4) 3.1 Targumim and Numbers 25:4 3.2 Rabbinic Writings and Numbers 25:4 3.3 Summary 4. The Law of Hanging and Burial (Deuteronomy 21:22–23) 4.1 Greek and Latin Traditions on Deuteronomy 21:22–23 4.2 The Peshitta on Deuteronomy 21:22–23 4.3 The Temple Scroll and Deuteronomy 21:22–23 4.4 Philo and Deuteronomy 21:22–23 4.5 Josephus and Deuteronomy 21:22–23 4.6 Targumim on Deuteronomy 21:22–23 4.7 Rabbinic Writings and Deuteronomy 21:22–23 4.8 Summary 5. “Hanging on the Tree” in the Deuteronomic History 5.1 Josephus and Hanging in the Deuteronomic History 5.2 Targum and Hanging in the Deuteronomic History 5.3 Summary 6. The Death of Saul’s Seven Sons (2 Samuel 21) 6.1 Targum and the Sons of Saul 6.2 Rabbinic Writings and the Sons of Saul 7. Princes are Hung (Lamentations 5:12–13) 7.1 The Targum and the Lament 7.2 Rabbinic Writings and the Lament 8. The Hanging of Mordecai and Haman (Esther) 8.1 The Greek Traditions and Haman 8.2 Josephus and Haman 8.3 Targumim and Haman 8.4 Rabbinic Writings and Haman 8.5 Summary 9. A King’s Decree (Ezra 6:11) 9.1 Josephus and the Darius/Cyrus Decree 9.2 Rabbinic Writings and the King’s Decree 10. Expansions of Other Biblical Passages 11. Chapter Summary Chapter Four: Crucifixion in Symbology and Magic 1. The Sign of the Cross-Mark 2. The Crucifixion Nail 3. Summary Chapter Five: Crucifixion in Imagery, Proverb and Case Law 1. Philonic Allegory 2. The Crucified Brigand 3. Rabbinic Case Law 4. Latent Imagery and Crucifixion 4.1 The Binding of Isaac 4.2 The Paschal Lamb 4.3 Summary: Latent Imagery Chapter Six: Perceptions of Crucifixion in Ancient Jewish Communities: A Summary 1. Literary Sources 2. Themes 3. Crucifixion in Jewish Literature and the Roman World Part Two Ancient Jewish Perceptions of Crucifixion and the Cross of Christ Chapter Seven: Jewish Perceptions of Jesus’ Crucifixion and the Early Church 1. The Crucified Brigand 2. The Crucified Magician 3. The Crucified Blasphemer 4. Biblical Exemplars and the Crucified Jesus 5. The Curse of the Cross 6. Shame, Horror and the Cross 7. The Innocent Sufferer 8. Crucifixion and Martyrdom 9. Latent Imagery: The Crucified Sacrifice 10. Conclusion Appendix: Two Fragmentary Qumran Texts Bibliography 1. Primary Sources 2. Concordances and Indices Consulted 3. General Bibliography Citation Index Old Testament New Testament Old Testament Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha Dead Sea Scrolls Philo Josephus Rabbinic Literature Targumim Classical Authors Patristic Literature (in alphabetical order) Other Ancient Documents Author Index Subject Index