Jews, Christians and Jewish Christians in Antiquity

Description

The book, which consists of some previously published and unpublished essays, examines a variety of issues relevant to the study of ancient Judaism and Christianity and their interaction, including polemic, proselytism, biblical interpretation, messianism, the phenomenon normally described as Jewish Christianity, and the fate of the Jewish community after the Bar Kokhba revolt, a period of considerable importance for the emergence not only of Judaism but also of Christianity. The volume, typically for a collection of essays, does not lay out a particular thesis. If anything binds the collection together, it is the author's attempt to set out the major fault lines in current debate about these disputed subjects, and in the process to reveal their complex and entangled character. Cover Preface Table of Contents Abbreviations Chapter 1: Introduction Jewish-Christian relations in antiquity Jewish Christianity Judaism in the second century Conclusion Bibliography Section 1 Jewish-Christian Relations Chapter 2: Anti-Judaism and early Christian identity Introduction Miriam Taylor's book A critique Some concluding observations Bibliography Chapter 3: Barnabas 9.4 a peculiar verse on circumcision Bibliography Chapter 4: Clement of Alexandria and the Jews Introduction Clement's references to the Jews Three theses concerning Clement and the Jews Bibliography Chapter 5: Messianism and resistance amongst Jews and Christians in Egypt Introduction Messianism amongst Jews in Egypt Christian messianism in Egypt Conclusions Bibliography Chapter 6: Jews and Christians in ancient Alexandria – from the Ptolemies to Caracalla The problem of sources Jews in Alexandria – from' our city' to an alien place Christians in Alexandria Conclusions: the Jewish and Christian image of Alexandria Bibliography Chapter 7: Jewish proselytism at the time of Christian origins: chimera or reality? Introduction Opposition to the idea of Jewish proselytism Population Jewish literature in Greek Miscellaneous pieces of Jewish evidence Pagan evidence Christian evidence More general evidence Critique of positions opposed to the idea of Jewish proselytism Population increase Arguments from the abundance of Jewish literature in Greek The expulsion of the Jews in 139 B.C.E. The expulsion of the Jews in 19 C.E Rome: An exception? Conclusion Bibliography Chapter 8: Some observations on Josephus and Christianity Introduction A.J. 20.200 The Testimonium Flavianum (A.J. 18.63-4) External references The text Style The context Content Conclusion Postscript Bibliography Chapter 9: The Four among the Jews The difficulties of the task The genre, audience and language of the Gospels Evidence for knowledge of the Gospels amongst Jews Direct Jewish references to the Gospels b. Šabb. 116a-b The gilyonim and the books of the heretics Joseph and the Hebrew gospels of Tiberias Indirect evidence Josephus Justin Martyr Celsus' Jew Rabbinic texts Early evidence for the existence of a Jewish anti-gospel The Contra Celsum Tertullian, De Spectaculis 30.5-6 Lactantius, Divine Institutes 5.3.4 The Martyrdom of Conon Some concluding observations Bibliography Section 2 Jewish Christianity Chapter 10: The definition of the term 'Jewish Christian' /'Jewish Christianity' in the history of research Introduction The origins and definition of the term before F. C. Baur Some definitions of the term from F. C. Baur to the Second World War. More recent study Concluding observations Bibliography Chapter ll: The Ebionites in recent research Introduction Sources Conclusion: The name Beliefs Christology Conclusion Obedience to the law and biblical interpretation Attitudes to Paul Origins, history and fate From the beginnings to Bar Kokhba Beyond Bar Kokhba Conclusion Bibliography Section 3 Judaism in the Second Century Chapter 12: The enigma of the second century Some typologies A dearth of sources Some subjects for discussion The shadow of the revolts Jewish identity Hebrew, Bible versions and LXX Rabbinic influence Christianity A text from the second century? Conclusion Bibliography Chapter 13: Pseudo-Clementine Homilies 4-6: rare evidence of a Jewish literary source from the second century C.E.? Introduction The content of Hom. 4-6 Hom. 4-6 and the Pseudo-Clementines The problem of Eusebius Hist. eccl. 3.38.5 Arguments against the Jewish origin of the source Rec. 10.17-52 The extent of the original Jewish source Intermediate summary Some emphases of the source Cultural origins Hom. 4-6 as a Jewish source Date Provenance Purpose Some concluding thoughts and questions The Jewish source The Homilist and his world Bibliography Index of Ancient and Christian Sources Index of Authors Index of Subjects