The Despoliation of Egypt in Pre-Rabbinic, Rabbinic and Patristic Traditions

Full title
The Despoliation of Egypt in Pre-Rabbinic, Rabbinic and Patristic Traditions
Research notes

Reader Checked|22/11/2012 SE

Reference type
Author(s)
Allen, Joel Stevens
Year
2008
Journal / Book Title || Series Title
Supplements to Vigiliae christianae
Number of volumes
0
Issue / Series Volume
92
Publisher
Brill
Place of Publication
Leiden
Pages
viii + 305
Alternative title
VCSup
Label
19/05/2008
Abstract

This work examines the role played by the biblical motif of the despoliation of Egypt in the understanding Gentiles had of Jews, and how Jews defended themselves, their heroes and their God in the face of anti-Jewish slander. It also examines the manner in which Christians learned from their rabbinic counterparts how to defend Moses and his God against the gnostic challenge. Beginning with Philo and based on haggadic additions, the embarrassment of the episode was 'healed' through allegory and became a critically important biblical justification for the Christian appropriation of the 'Egyptian treasures' of their Greco-Roman cultural heritage. This work describes how Christians borrowed exegetical traditions from rabbis not only to defend their sacred texts against gnostic attacks but to justify their interest in and appropriation of non-Christian philosophy in their theological understandings.

Notes

Contents: Part One, Pre-rabbinic interpretations: 1. The Septuagint -- 2. The Book of Jubilees -- 3. Artapanus -- 4. Ezekiel the tragedian -- 5. The Book of Wisdom. -- 6. Philo’s Life of Moses. -- 7. Philo’s Who is the heir? -- 8. Josephus -- 9. Excursus: the social background of the "Fair Wage" interpretation. Part. Two, Rabbinic interpretations: 1. Midrashic pondering the plunde. Part Three, Patristic interpretations: 1. Irenaeus -- 2. Tertullian -- 3. Origen -- 4. St. Augustine -- 5. The despoilations, Others [sic] patristic texts -- Conclusions and ramifications. |Read more: http://books.google.co.il/books?id=wbO7bralsRQC&printsec=frontcover&hl=…

Primary Texts: Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha
Composition / Author
Passage
48
Composition / Author
Passage
10